“I heard you married our ‘Living Yama King’? Tsk tsk, your life must be pretty tight, huh? Look at what you ordered vinegar cabbage and shredded potatoes. How pitiful!”
Fan Li waved her hand in an exaggeratedly generous manner.
“We’re old classmates after all, long time no see. This meal is on me. The provincial troupe pays well anyway, I can afford this little bit of money.”
Every word dripped with sarcasm, mocking Su Wan for marrying a poor man and implying she was now reduced to relying on charity.
Su Wan’s eyes turned cold. Just as she was about to fire back, Lu Zhaoye suddenly raised his hand.
“Waiter!”
The waiter hurried over.
“Yes, comrade? What is it?”
“Go call your manager,” Lu Zhaoye said calmly, yet with an undeniable authority.
The waiter hesitated.
Seeing this, Fan Li burst out laughing, arms crossed, sneering.
“Oh my, Su Wan, what is your man trying to do? This is a state-owned restaurant you don’t get to run up tabs here. This isn’t the black market where whoever’s the toughest gets to eat. If you have no money, just say so. It’s not embarrassing. Why pretend to be some big shot?”
She assumed Su Wan would be embarrassed and furious.
Unexpectedly, Su Wan merely let out a soft laugh. Her gaze toward Fan Li carried three parts pity and seven parts mockery.
“Ah, Comrade Fan Li, keep your voice down.”
Su Wan’s eyes curved gently, her voice soft and sweet like spring water.
“You’re in the provincial troupe now, after all. Acting so sharp-tongued and loud in public aren’t you afraid of embarrassing your unit? People who don’t know better might think the provincial troupe recruits market-place scolding aunties.”
Fan Li’s face instantly darkened.
Su Wan continued sweetly:
“Besides, my man treating me to a meal is our marital affection. Since when is it your business to comment? If you’ve got time to stare at other people, you should probably worry about the stolen job you’re sitting in. After all, when someone lacks virtue for their position, disaster isn’t far behind. Be careful you might fall harder the higher you climb.”
The two companions beside Fan Li immediately looked at her differently.
Fan Li’s face turned red and white. Just as she was about to explode, a chubby middle-aged man rushed out from the kitchen.
“Who’s looking for me oh my goodness! Isn’t this Brother Ye!”
The manager, Liu, immediately recognized Lu Zhaoye. His previously stern expression broke into surprise and joy as he hurried over, even grabbing both of Lu Zhaoye’s hands excitedly.
“When did you get here? Why didn’t you tell me in advance?”
Everyone present was stunned.
The manager of a state-owned restaurant usually so arrogant he barely looked at people was being this respectful?
And even calling him “Brother Ye”?
“I just got here,” Lu Zhaoye said calmly.
“Brought my wife to eat. Haven’t been here in a long time just bring out your signature dishes.”
“No problem! Leave it to me!” Manager Liu immediately turned and shouted,
“Get the kitchen to make the big yellow croaker! Braised pork, Four-Joy meatballs, white-cut chicken, and old duck soup! All the best!”
Su Wan’s heart jumped.
These were all top-tier signature dishes this table would cost a fortune.
She quietly tugged at Lu Zhaoye’s sleeve, worry in her eyes.
He gently patted the back of her hand, signaling her not to worry.
Su Wan bit her lip and thought:
Fine. Worst case, I’ll use my private savings. Either way, I can’t let him lose face in front of Fan Li.
Seeing this, Fan Li sneered sourly.
“Wow, Brother Ye’s reputation really hasn’t faded. Looks like being a local thug does have its perks you get treated to free meals wherever you go.”
Lu Zhaoye didn’t even look at her. He took a cigarette from Manager Liu, lit it casually, and ignored her completely.
Feeling ignored, Fan Li rolled her eyes and went to sit at another table with her companions.
Manager Liu then turned to Su Wan with a friendly smile.
“Hello, sister-in-law!”
Then he leaned closer to Lu Zhaoye and asked teasingly in a low voice,
“I heard you two got together this morning? Is it true?”
Without a word, Lu Zhaoye pulled out a warm marriage certificate and slapped it onto the table, his movement carrying a rare hint of childish pride.
“See for yourself.”
Manager Liu opened it, chuckled, and patted Lu Zhaoye’s shoulder meaningfully.
“Not bad, kid. After all these years, you finally got what you wanted.”
Su Wan, who had been looking out the window, froze slightly and turned to look at Lu Zhaoye in surprise.
Got what he wanted?
That sounded like… he had been thinking about this marriage for a long time.
Must be her imagination.
After all, they had known each other since childhood, but hadn’t really been close.
Manager Liu pulled up a chair and sat down again.
“You coming back this time for good?”
“Not necessarily,” Lu Zhaoye replied, exhaling smoke.
“And about that thing we discussed on the phone last time ”
“No problem,” Lu Zhaoye cut in simply.
Manager Liu immediately lit up with joy.
“Good! With your word, I’m relieved!”
Su Wan became even more surprised.
Lu Zhaoye had been in the military how was he in phone contact with a restaurant manager back home?
And it sounded like they were working on something together.
She had always thought he had completely cut ties with this place after enlisting in anger back then.
It seemed this seemingly rough man still had many secrets she didn’t know.
Soon, the food arrived.
A full table of rich dishes fragrant, colorful, and steaming hot. The braised yellow croaker especially drew envious glances from nearby diners. Even Fan Li couldn’t help swallowing.
Manager Liu tactfully excused himself and left.
“Eat,” Lu Zhaoye said, picking up his chopsticks and placing a large piece of fish belly into Su Wan’s bowl.
But Su Wan was distracted and eating slowly.
Seeing this, Lu Zhaoye frowned, thinking she didn’t like fish bones. He took the piece back.
Under Su Wan’s surprised gaze, his rough, calloused hands that usually held guns or tools carefully picked out every tiny fish bone, bit by bit.
His brows were tightly furrowed, his expression focused as if he were dismantling a bomb, afraid even a single bone might hurt her.
Watching him, warmth surged in Su Wan’s heart.
In two lifetimes, this was the first time someone had ever patiently picked fish bones out for her.
Noticing her staring, Lu Zhaoye paused. His ears turned slightly red. He awkwardly placed the cleaned fish back into her bowl and grumbled:
“What are you looking at? Eat your food. I just don’t want you choking and making me carry you to the hospital it’s troublesome.”
Looking at the little mountain of perfectly deboned fish in her bowl, Su Wan couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
This man never said anything nice but his heart was softer than anyone else’s.
“Got it, thank you Brother Ye for not wanting to carry me to the hospital.”
She picked up the fish and ate it with a bright smile.
“So delicious!”