Chapter 629 - 616: Something Happened

Chapter 629: Chapter 616: Something Happened

When Ning Feng and Banqing followed Zhuang Qingning into the room, they were almost dumbfounded by the sight before them.

Piles upon piles of various items were stacked like mountains. It was abundantly clear that what was here far outweighed what had been sent to the Qingzhuyuan…

Ning Feng felt a pang in his heart, but this time it was not for Zhuang Qingning, but for Fan Wenxuan and Chu Jinzhou.

The two of them, it seemed, were blissfully unaware of their predicament, becoming puppets who worried too much for their puppeteers.

Unable to bear the sight, Ning Feng hastily excused himself and left after setting his payload down. He couldn’t endure the sting in his eyes from looking at the mountains of items inside the room anymore.

Zhuang Qingning noticed nothing unusual about Ning Feng. She saw him out, then returned to discuss what to have for dinner with Xiangqiao.

Sweet potato and jujube rice porridge, accompanied by four delicate dishes prepared by Xiangqiao.

Having cooked for Zhuang Qingning for a long time, Xiangqiao, no fool to start with, had learned much from Zhuang Qingning’s advice. Thus, her cooking skills had reached a praiseworthy level. Even Zhuang Qingning, after trying her food, couldn’t help but compliment, “Xiangqiao, your cooking has improved remarkably. You could become a chef in the future.”

Flattered by Zhuang Qingning’s straightforward praise, Xiangqiao’s face turned red. “You’re too kind.”

Xiangqiao lived comfortably at Zhuang Qingning’s home. The kindness of her hostess made life worry-free and comfortable. She had gained some weight since she first arrived at Zhuang Qingning’s place.

Her once hollow cheeks were now plump, and her round face, flushed a slight crimson, resembled a big apple.

Zhuang Qingning thought Xiangqiao looked quite adorable and resisted the urge to pinch her cheek. She suppressed that thought, opting for a slight smile before continuing with her meal.

After dinner, Xiangqiao cleaned up. Whilst doing so, she suggested to Zhuang Qingning, “Madam, how about steamed noodle rolls for tomorrow’s meal?”

“Sure,” Zhuang Qingning replied, nodding.

Steamed noodle rolls were one of her favorite dishes, especially the ones made by Xiangqiao, who had a knack for it. Zhuang Qingning agreed without hesitation, even licking her lips. “Use dried noodles for the steaming. It will taste just like hand-rolled noodles, just need to steam it normally.”

“Okay, I will try it tomorrow.” Xiangqiao nodded.

As dried noodles differ from the hand-rolled ones, she was curious to see how delicious the final product would be.

Zhuang Qingning was wondering how Xiangqiao would go about steaming the dried noodles for the rolls tomorrow. Meanwhile, she poured a cup of Goji chrysanthemum tea and added a piece of rock sugar. Her eyebrows raised in thought.

Lately, there hadn’t been any news from the dried noodle workshop. Even Shang Chengen hadn’t reached out to her.

While regular operation of a workshop, especially one like a noodle workshop, required no excessive intervention, compared to Village Chief Miao, who frequently discussed the workshop’s affairs with her, Shang Chengen had practically disappeared.

Either everything was going extremely well, or there was a problem at the noodle workshop that kept Shang Chengen occupied.

If it was the former, that would be excellent, but if it was the latter…

Zhuang Qingning gripped her tea cup, her eyes flickering with uncertainty.

The next day, Zhuang Qingning woke up early, intending to visit the noodle workshop. However, before she could leave, someone stood before her doorstep.

After a hesitant peek inside, the person retreated and knocked on the door. “Excuse me, is this the residence of Manager Zhuang?”

“Indeed, how may I assist you…” Upon seeing who was at her doorstep, Zhuang Qingning’s smile broadened, “Oh! Village Chief Su.”

“Greetings, Manager Zhuang,” Su Zhengshi returned with a respectful bow. “I’m sorry to intrude. I respectfully request your understanding as the circumstances necessitate it. ”

“Does Village Chief Su need something?” Noticing the solemn expression on Su Zhengshi’s face, Zhuang Qingning hurriedly invited him to sit in the courtyard and asked Xiangqiao to bring some tea. “Take your time and explain, Village Chief Su.”

Su Zhengshi looked visibly anxious. He stuttered a few times but could not articulate. After taking a few sips of warm tea and calming down, he asked, “Manager Zhuang, have you seen Manager Shang recently?”

Village Chief Su is looking for Shang Chengen?

Zhuang Qingning was taken aback and then shook her head.

“Manager Zhuang hasn’t seen Manager Shang either?” Village Chief Su sounded surprisingly confused.

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“No, I haven’t.” Zhuang Qingning confirmed, raising her eyebrows. “Has something happened at the noodle workshop?”

“This matter… how should I put it…”

Village Chief Su scratched his ear. “Ever since the opening of the noodle factory at Shijiazhuang after the New Year, not only has business been good, but many villagers have also been able to make a living there. The village as a whole benefits greatly. Everyone has been earning more than ever before, leading a progressively better life.”

“We are all very thankful for this noodle factory. We appreciate both Manager Shang and your help, Manager Zhuang. As long as you two don’t mind, we are willing to continue working in the factory.”

“But something should have been fine, about two or three months ago. Manager Shang came to me and mentioned that he was too occupied with his other businesses, and was unable to manage the noodle factory. He asked me to help oversee the factory’s general operations.”

“He said we didn’t need to worry about the distribution of the noodles, as there would regularly be people coming to transport them. The money for the noodles would be settled according to the previously settled order in agreement with the quantity. The flour would also be regularly transported here. We just have to pay them according to the quantity.”

“Thinking about how much the noodle factory has benefited the village, I thought it was only right to help him in his time of need. So, I agreed to help manage the factory.”

“But, two or three months have passed, and the earnings from the factory multiplied, but Manager Shang has never shown up. We haven’t seen any signs of Kugua either, not even a single letter. I felt uneasy and decided to go to Qingshi Town, thinking that Manager Shang might be busy at the ‘Best Noodle Shop in the World’. However, on arrival, the shop was shut tight. Judging by the layer of dust on the window, it seems to have been closed for a long time.”

“Seeing this, I began asking around to see if anyone knew where Manager Shang might be. However, no one in the town seemed to know anything.”

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