Chapter 592 - 32: The Cannon Fodder Daughter and Her Cannon Fodder Dad (Part 32)

Not long after, the restaurant launched meal sets.

Single meal: a bowl of bone broth, a small side dish, two steamed cornbread buns, ten cents.

Luxury single meal: a bowl of bone broth, a small side dish, two mixed hot dishes, two white steamed buns, fifty cents.

There are also meals for two people, three people, and banquet meals for guests.

Save you the trouble of deciding what to eat while giving you great discounts. The clearly priced menu allows you to step in and just shout "single meal," then go straight to the window to pick up your food.

During this time, the director’s face was blooming with smiles.

The business previously taken away by the steel factory restaurant has all returned, and the businesses of the nearby restaurants are far inferior to theirs.

At one point, there were crowds outside and inside, while other restaurants were deserted.

——

Jiang Lai’s status in the restaurant soared; no one could have imagined that the backbone of this bustling kitchen was a teenage girl.

Although she’s a girl, lifting a nearly ten-kilogram iron pan is effortless, and she handles the large spatula with ease, shaming even the old chefs who’ve worked for a dozen years.

All the new dishes at the restaurant are her creations, and the chefs aren’t worried about their positions being threatened. After all, if the restaurant’s business is good, their lives get better, too.

Besides, every time Jiang Lai researches new dishes, they get to taste them first. Where else can you find such a perk?

Today, she was busy until dusk.

Lately, as nights lengthen, the sky outside is completely dark before six.

When Jiang Lai came out after tidying up, a coolness brushed her head. She held up her lamp to see a thick layer of snow had quietly accumulated on the steps.

It was snowing.

A gust of wind blew, and Jiang Lai couldn’t help but tighten her coat.

No matter how many clothes you wear, you can’t keep warm these days; mainly because this city’s winter is too cold, and it’s Jiang Lai’s first time seeing snow this heavy.

She stood at the door watching for a while.

"Wow, it’s my first time seeing snow this heavy."

Little Buding exclaimed, showing a lack of experience.

Jiang Lai looked up.

"I didn’t expect you to be a southern dog."

"Jiang Lai, the atmosphere is so nice now; I really don’t want to argue with you."

"Yeah, I don’t really want to, either."

Having someone to watch the snow with feels pretty nice.

Jiang Lai’s feet were numbed from cold. She slowly descended the steps with her lamp, the thick snow nearly covering her ankles with each step.

The sound of snow crunching echoed, the softness making Jiang Lai forget the cold in her body.

"Crunch, crunch"...

Footsteps followed from behind, and soon, the snowflakes above her head vanished.

Little Buding remarked leisurely.

"Your big loyal dog is here again."

Jiang Lai seemed to have a stroke of luck in every world, always encountering someone completely devoted to her.

In this earnest era, it’s clear as day that Lin Gao likes Jiang Lai.

Yet the boy, who won’t speak, never shows excessive enthusiasm. He’s like a breeze or a ray of sunshine, always appearing silently to bring you a bit of coolness or a wave of warmth.

Jiang Lai turned around, her nose nearly touching Lin Gao’s chest.

Lin Gao took a step back, slightly hunched, highlighting his slender build.

"It’s snowing heavily; you’re wearing so little?"

Lin Gao was still wearing his first encounter’s blue jacket, which traced his lean shoulders, making him appear cold.

He held an umbrella in his hand; his other hand gestured to Jiang Lai, indicating he wasn’t cold.

The world was quiet now, and the boy before her was quiet too, snow collecting on his shoulders, making him look like a silent pine tree.

He handed the umbrella to Jiang Lai.

As she took the umbrella, their fingertips brushed, Lin Gao’s hand warm, Jiang Lai’s cold despite her layers.

Jiang Lai took the umbrella, didn’t open it, but held it tightly in her hand, then turned around, continuing to walk in the swirling snow.

Lin Gao, seeing this, silently followed.

He always quietly followed behind Jiang Lai. The two rarely spoke, yet every day when Jiang Lai got off work, she’d see him standing in a corner by the restaurant.

Dressed cleanly, with neatly cut hair.

After a few steps, Jiang Lai noticed Lin Gao speeding up, then naturally walking beside her.

A red scarf was handed to her.

It looked thick and soft.

Jiang Lai smiled as she looked at it.

"For me?"

Lin Gao met her gaze, occasionally looking down awkwardly, touching his nose.

Then he nodded nervously.

"Why this gift for me?"

Jiang Lai touched it; it felt really comfortable.

It looked quite expensive.

Lin Gao bit his lip, hesitated a moment, then raised his hand.

[You often give me food, so I wanted to give you something too]

"Oh, so that’s why. Well, I’ll take it then, thanks."

Lin Gao looked at her, suddenly seemed disheartened, his shoulders slumped as if he sighed, then lowered his head and slowed his steps, silently following again.

Little Buding clicked his tongue.

"He thought you misunderstood him."

"He said it himself, saves me from finding excuses for him."

Of course, Jiang Lai knew Lin Gao’s feelings.

He was too obvious, as if liking a girl for the first time, nervously cautious, hesitatingly unsure.

Jiang Lai could tell; he was self-conscious.

Yet he was straightforward too.

But those had nothing to do with her; after all, she wasn’t the one moved.

Upon reaching home, Jiang Lai handed the kerosene lamp to Lin Gao.

"It’s dark on the way back; be careful."

Lin Gao nodded, taking the lamp, he looked at Jiang Lai, as if hesitating about something.

"If you have something to say, just say it."

[I now have lots of coal; if you need any, you can come to me anytime]

"Alright, thank you."

After speaking, Lin Gao touched his nose, hesitated for a few seconds, then silently made a "I’m leaving" gesture.

Jiang Lai watched him leave, leaning against the wall with a slight smile.

"You look like an old pervert; I almost feel sorry for Lin Gao."

What a good kid, handsome and clever, if only he could speak.

But a man who doesn’t talk is better than some who speak but never say anything useful.

Not talking back in arguments.

"Do you like him?"

"He’s okay, quite likable."

"He’s the antagonist in the plot, at his peak, he took down the factory director. But no matter how powerful, an antagonist can’t top the protagonist couple.

His ending is rather tragic."

Of course, he also brought quite a bit of trouble to the male lead’s family in the beginning.

"So, in the plot, soon Lin Gao will topple Director Zhang?"

"Yeah, he’s the biggest obstacle in the male protagonist’s growth path."