The ti rewinds slightly, approaching noon.
Traffic officer Wang Zhoubin specifically ca to West City Old Street and took a stroll.
Without strolling, you wouldn’t know, but once you do...
Oh, wow~
There were already more than twenty illegally parked cars.
He deliberately went up to each car and took a glance.
If there was contact information left, he’d send them a ssage to notify them.
He instructed them to co move their cars within three minutes.
If they didn’t make it in ti, he’d issue a ticket imdiately.
Who would’ve thought, after three minutes...
Not a single car owner ca to move their car!
He glanced at the front of Delicious Restaurant at the corner and saw the long queue, and he instantly understood...
These car owners are most likely in that queue for this restaurant.
They didn’t co to move their cars because they were afraid they’d lose their spot in line, right?!
After all, the queue was so long.
"These people are so focused on getting a taste that they don’t even care about getting a ticket! It’s ridiculous..."
Though he complained aloud like this, in his heart, he was eagerly anticipating the other dishes from Delicious Restaurant.
"Beep beep~"
Hearing the car horns, Wang Zhoubin looked up at the private cars continuously entering West City Old Street.
And the drivers inside were all craning their necks, looking anxiously for parking spots.
Even with just his toes, Wang Zhoubin could guess why these drivers were coming at this ti.
For sure, they’re here for the delicious food at Delicious Restaurant!
Yeah, if this keeps going...
In less than an hour, this Old Street will be as blocked as a worm.
So!
He needed to stay and help ease the traffic congestion here.
After handling the congestion!
He’d just conveniently grab a al.
Just hoping he wouldn’t end up not being able to buy anything like this morning!
He prayed in his heart as he went forward to guide the drivers to prevent them from parking illegally.
...
In front of Delicious Restaurant.
The queue of people was getting longer and longer,
People who hadn’t yet gotten their turn to order were standing in line according to their arrival.
Those playing with their phones continued playing, those chatting kept chatting, male custors weren’t afraid of the cold wind, female custors wore hats against the cold wind, showing their love for the dried veggie braised pork.
When it was this custor’s turn to order, besides ordering two braised pig trotter als and one nourishing fish soup and one fish ball soup, he didn’t hesitate to order two portions of dried veggie braised pork.
The custors waiting behind to order were in a panic seeing him buy two portions of the braised pork dish.
After all, only 80 servings were available for lunch.
Several custors in front had already ordered this dish, and if a few more like him ordered two or more portions at once, wouldn’t their long wait have been for nothing?
Xu Jiaohong was one of them, she was 50th in line.
It’s kind of embarrassing to say!
She was nearly fifty years old and still craving this bit of food.
Ever since she tasted the crab fried rice cake her daughter Ge Jingyi brought ho a few days ago, Xu Jiaohong had been fixated.
At the ti, she thought the crab was quite tasty, very fresh, and the rice cake was also quite fragrant.
After eating, if she didn’t think about it, it would’ve been fine.
But her daughter kept talking these days when she ca ho about how the lotus leaf sticky rice at Delicious Restaurant was so good, how the braised dishes and other foods she’d never tried were said to be incredibly fragrant and delicious by those who had, and how if Delicious Restaurant hadn’t been closed for expansion and renovation these days, she’d love to eat there every al if work allowed!
She also said that Delicious Restaurant wasn’t far from ho, and if she didn’t want to cook at noon, she could go early and pack a al to bring back.
So today, while shopping near West City Old Street, passing by Delicious Restaurant after shopping, she couldn’t help but stop.
It was just after ten o’clock!
There were already quite a few people queuing at the entrance.
This was unexpected for her.
Although her daughter had said she needed to arrive early to queue.
She hadn’t expected people to co earlier than her.
Ugh!
The food at this restaurant is just too popular!
Looking at the people in line, besides those scrolling on their phones or chatting, there were even so playing chess and mahjong, which piqued her curiosity.
Unconsciously, she joined the queue at the back.
Of course.
Waiting was tireso, but the tempting crabs and the deliciously stir-fried rice cakes kept Xu Jiaohong from leaving and going back to cook for herself.
A little past eleven, the line started moving forward, and she naturally overheard that the restaurant would be launching a new dish—stewed at with dried vegetables—for lunch, with only 80 servings in all.
At that mont, she thought she was quite lucky to have co just in ti for the new dish launch.
Moreover, since she quite liked stewed at with dried vegetables, she was planning to buy a serving to try.
Hearing soone talk about buying two servings at once made her a bit anxious.
She was in line not just to taste other delicacies here, but mainly for this one dish, wasn’t she?
If the stewed at with dried vegetables was sold out.
She would have wasted the opportunity for the new dish and her ti.
No, no!
It doesn’t count as wasted ti unless everything else is sold out.
Fortunately, the line moved quickly, and when it was Xu Jiaohong’s turn, she mimicked the others at the self-service ordering machine.
Rembering how the person in front had bought two servings, she was afraid the screen would soon show a "sold out" notice for the stewed at with dried vegetables.
Luckily, she was fortunate.
There were still more than ten servings left.
She promptly and happily ordered one serving.
Then she ordered a nourishing fish soup, a braised shrimp, a Fish Ball Soup, and two braised chicken wing rice als.
Then she took out the money to pay.
Because she had already tasted the delicious crab stir-fried rice cakes and heard from her daughter that the prices here are a bit higher compared to other restaurants.
Seeing the total price now, her expression remained unchanged.
As she was taking the food to go, she didn’t look for a seat but stood aside waiting for her number to be called.
Just then.
A warm voice suddenly rang in her ears, "Jiaohong... it’s you... What are you doing here?"
Hearing that, Xu Jiaohong was a bit startled, then followed the voice towards the direction of the self-service ordering machine...
Recognizing the face, she was a bit surprised but also smiled and replied, "Shujun, what a coincidence! I’m here to buy food! Just waiting for them to package it!"
Who would’ve thought it’d be such a coincidence? Here to buy food, she ran into a familiar acquaintance from her ho village.
Being of similar age, they often played together in the past.
But since getting married, they had little interaction.
Occasionally eting during festivals at the village, they would just exchange a brief greeting.
Unexpectedly, they t today!
"Indeed, what a coincidence!"
Ding Shujuan smiled joyfully, "I’ve been frequenting this restaurant lately. Didn’t expect to run into you here today, Jiaohong, how have you been lately?"
Xu Jiaohong smiled, "Pretty good!"
Ding Shujuan asked in a casual tone, "How about your daughter? Still in college?"
Xu Jiaohong replied truthfully, "She’s graduated and is interning now at the West City Police Station!"
"That’s great! She’ll be a police officer in the future."
Ding Shujuan was genuinely happy for her, then sighed, "Ti flies! In the blink of an eye, our daughters have grown up and started working. Apart from getting married and having kids, we don’t have much to worry about. How about we et up more often in the future?"
Xu Jiaohong nodded politely, "Sure!"
Ding Shujuan suggested, "Jiaohong, recently, I organized a choir for middle-aged and elderly folks. You sing quite well! Why don’t you join us?"
"Well..."
Xu Jiaohong hesitated.
Honestly, she was a bit resistant to interacting with people outside her comfort zone.
The main thing was, her heart was still set on her daughter!
Yet, Ding Shujuan persisted enthusiastically, "Forget your hesitations, let’s decide on this. I’ll sign you up, and we’ll go to choir practices together. After practice, we’ll co here to eat. How delightful is that!"
Alright!
Xu Jiaohong was swayed by the final phrase "co here to eat."
Of course, there was also a long-lost love for singing.
She nodded in agreent.
By then, her order was ready, and it was Ding Shujuan’s turn to order.
They quickly added each other on WeChat.
After saying they’d call each other, Xu Jiaohong left the restaurant with her bag of takeaway food.
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