Su Yun specially stewed an extra red-braised fish, along with stewed green beans and potatoes, a platter of napa cabbage with lean pork and glass noodles, so white-flour stead buns, and chunks of smoked fish. She asked Qin Jiao to take it all next door.
It was quite a bit of food. Qin Jiao nodded and took her younger sister, Xiao Shi, along to deliver it.
Because Xiao Shi had been so happy and eating so well recently, the little girl was starting to have a growth spurt. Her face had filled out, and she’d grown a bit taller.
The once-timid little girl now often wore a bright, sunny smile.
She said, "Why are you frowning, sis? Are you worried about sothing?"
The little girl was starting to show concern for her sister’s feelings.
Qin Jiao said, "It’s nothing. I’m just thinking about a problem from school." She could hardly tell her sister she was actually plotting how to make a fortune.
’But I don’t need to be in such a hurry. I can focus on acing the college entrance exams first. Once I’m at university in the provincial capital, I’ll have a chance to use a computer.’
Qin Jiao cald herself. ’I can’t be too hasty. Our family’s life is already so much better than it was in my past life. I need to build a solid foundation and take things one step at a ti.’
She put the matter aside for now and, with Xiao Shi beside her, knocked on the door next door.
Shen Yi was the one who opened the door. The mont he saw Qin Jiao, a flash of gentleness appeared in his eyes. ’I must be seeing things,’ Qin Jiao thought. She’d known Shen Yi for so many years and had truly never seen him look gentle before.
She said, "You and Grandpa Du must be starving. Go ahead and eat; it was just cooked. It’s the fish we caught together this afternoon."
"Okay." Shen Yi absolutely loved that she’d used the word "we." An exquisitely gentle look flashed across his handso face.
The girls went inside and set the food on the dining table, then Qin Jiao took her sister and left.
Shen Yi kept staring in the direction they had gone until Mr. Du picked up a piece of fish for himself and said, "Stop staring. Any longer and the fish will get cold."
Shen Yi pressed his lips together, not at all annoyed by his grandpa’s teasing. He took a bite of the savory fish and said, "Uncle Qin and his wife are amazing cooks."
"Mm, I think so too."
"Grandpa, Qin Jiao is planning to go to university in the provincial capital. Next year, she wants her parents to move there and open a small restaurant near the campus. If they don’t have enough money, we should invest."
Mr. Du looked up, sizing up his grandson. In the past, his grandson had been withdrawn and ill-tempered. And while he was a very dutiful grandson, the two of them had never been good at communicating, so there was always a certain distance between them.
But ever since the Qin Family appeared, their relationship had been steadily improving.
Mr. Du was also sowhat aware of the feelings his grandson had for the girl.
What he hadn’t expected, however, was that his grandson was thinking so far ahead.
Mr. Du looked at his grandson’s youthful face and his determined gaze. He said, "I’ve heard them talk about opening a restaurant. If they don’t have enough money, I’m willing to lend them so."
"Grandpa, you’ve spent enough ti with the Qin Family to know what they’re like. They don’t accept rewards they haven’t earned. If we just lend them money for no reason, they definitely won’t take it. But if we make it an investnt, where we’ll share the profits once the restaurant is making money, they’ll be more open to it. It’ll also give them a huge incentive to do a great job."
"That’s a fair point. You’ve thought this through more carefully."
"Also, Grandpa, I’m going to get into a university in the provincial capital too. You should co with us, alright? If you don’t want to go back to my parents’ place, that’s fine. We can just buy a house near the campus. When I’m free from school, I’ll co ho and keep you company. That way, you’ll be able to eat Uncle Qin and his wife’s cooking all the ti."
Mr. Du: "..."
’So that’s what this kid was getting at!’
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