Third Young Lady
Zhong Qing's attire was as usual, except she wore light black stockings. In the soft morning light, there was a misty smell of water vapor from a passing sprinkler truck. The skirt that hugged her figure made her hips appear fuller. Today, she wore her hair in a high ponytail, which was tightly tied back with a bright silver metal headband, making her look exceptionally capable and neat.
However, her eyes now held a hint of melancholy and pitifulness, like a young wife, quite different from her usual self. It seemed as if she had suffered some emotional or physical torment.
Torture isn't necessarily forced or painful; it's just that one's temperament will always be changed a little.
"Two bowls." Zhong Qing glanced at the woman beside him, seemingly a little annoyed, but his voice wasn't loud. Then he swept up ten yuan.
"One more bowl," Zhou Shuling said to Liu Chang'an.
Liu Chang'an nodded, picked up another portion of rice noodles, and blanched it in boiling water. He gently shook the strainer without splashing the soup, and ripples spread out in the center of the white rice soup. His wrist remained perfectly still, moving only with his two fingers.
"So many pretty girls..." Old Man Qian returned from his run, walked up to the stall, sniffed around, glanced at the two beautiful women, stood there with his hands behind his back, stared blankly for a couple of seconds, and then said to Liu Chang'an, "Aren't you going to give the beauties a discount?"
"They don't care, but you old rascal, want a bowl? Little Liu's rice noodles are delicious," Zhou Shuling said. Women in business always need to be a bit assertive to be more suitable.
"I don't want it." Old Man Qian glanced at the beautiful woman again, then turned and jogged away.
Liu Chang'an prepared the rice noodles, placed them on a small table to the side, set out two pairs of disposable chopsticks, and said, "Please add your own pickled cabbage, chopped green onions, minced garlic, and soy sauce."
At this moment, Zhou Dongdong came out of the house, carrying a small red schoolbag, swinging her arms from side to side, and skipping past the breakfast stall. She grabbed a steamed bun in each hand and continued to walk to the kindergarten with the gait of a People's People's Liberation Army uncle, just a little bit away from there.
Business gradually improved. Zhou Shuling was busier than Liu Chang'an. The new rice noodles Zhou Shuling sold were two yuan more expensive than usual, but they didn't immediately become a bestseller. Many people, seeing that they were two yuan more expensive, opted to buy dumplings or rolled pancakes instead.
Zhou Shuling took a moment to say to Liu Chang'an, "I never imagined someone as wealthy as him would sit on a small stool and eat rice noodles."
"Even someone this rich can fart, it still stinks," Liu Chang'an said with a laugh.
"Keep your voice down." Zhou Shuling was a little embarrassed because Liu Chang'an was speaking in the same voice as usual, even though other people were sitting right next to him.
Zhong Qing clearly didn't hear, but the woman accompanying her frowned slightly and put down her chopsticks.
Zhong Qing was eating rice noodles. She was born in Junsha, and eating rice noodles in the streets and alleys was a common occurrence in her memory. Although she had been to countless high-end restaurants over the years, she did not have the common quirks of people who are pretentious because they are slightly rich. She sat here and ate her rice noodles with peace of mind, without complaining about the environment or the taste... Of course, she did not complain about the taste. Zhong Qing thought it was delicious. This was the kind of spicy rice noodles that suited the taste of Junsha people. It was completely different from those rice noodles that were just made with chili oil.
The woman beside her was naturally different. The Zhu Family had been a powerful clan for generations, adhering to the principle that family came first and political power was merely an investment. They had never declined in Taiwan over the years, and the Zhu Family's daughters-in-law were probably not from ordinary families.
Third Mistress Zhu, the third daughter mentioned by Old Madam Su, has an unknown origin. Some say she was a relative of Old Madam Su. In the sensational car accident involving Young Taiwan Zhu that year, she survived while holding the infant Zhu Juntang. Many people in the convoy died, and Young Master Zhu died on the spot.
"This noodle is so delicious?" The third girl said to Zhong Qing beside her without expression.
"It's pretty good, chewy, and very flavorful." Zhong Qing was still eating her noodles with her head down, but she ate them very delicately. It was impossible to eat such spicy noodles in big mouthfuls; it looked like a big bowl would take a long time to finish.
Seeing the fine beads of sweat on Zhong Qing's forehead, the Third Miss beckoned, "Bring me a bottle of water."
"Iced or room temperature?" Liu Chang'an asked.
"At room temperature."
Liu Chang'an took out a bottle of mineral water, placed it on the dining table, and also took the payment code.
Zhong Qing scanned the code, turned on the tap, and took a sip of water. Only then did he realize that the Third Miss hadn't eaten a single bite of the noodles. He wondered, "You're the one who came here to eat noodles, so why haven't you touched a single bite?" Even though he knew she was here to see Liu Chang'an, the noodles were indeed delicious.
"Liu Chang'an." The third girl called out to him.
Liu Chang'an slowly turned around. A few rays of sunlight fell on his hair. His face was still under the shade of the tree, but it also had the feel of sunshine. His smile was gentle.
"Let's find some time to talk."
Liu Chang'an looked at the woman in front of him. Her eyebrows were sharp like spears, and her features were exquisite. She sat between the sunlight and the shade of the trees, with her hands placed neatly on her lower abdomen. Her legs were crossed at an angle, with her knees tightly together. The skirt and the skin between her legs did not create any profane triangular shadows. Her straight calves did not have a lazy curve, but still had the straight and slender shape of a young girl.
The biggest difference between a pampered woman and a woman from the common people is probably that kind of pristine cleanliness, or ethereal quality, or detachment from worldly concerns, because they have so many people serving them in their lives.
"We're not familiar with each other, what's the point of chatting? Come over and have a couple more bowls of noodles sometime," Liu Chang'an said with a smile.
"Liu Chang'an." Zhong Qing called out Liu Chang'an softly, as a reminder that this person was not the same as Zhu Juntang.
"Okay." The third girl nodded, stood up, but pressed her fingers on Zhong Qing's shoulder. "You eat your noodles slowly, I'm leaving now."
Zhong Qing didn't get up; he sat obediently and continued to eat his noodles slowly.
Liu Chang'an watched the woman's back, swaying gracefully, like a willow branch caressed by the wind under the moonlight, light and graceful, yet the night added a touch of mysterious allure.
"Is she here to see me?" Liu Chang'an asked Zhong Qing as he watched the Rolls-Royce drive away. "It's probably because of the Zhu Family that we've been seeing more and more luxury cars in this area lately."
"Yes." Zhong Qing said, wiping his sweat as he drank water.
"When you're with this woman, you're noticeably more well-behaved and adorable than when you're with Zhu Juntang," Liu Chang'an said with a smile. Just then, someone wanted to eat noodles, so he quickly went to make some.
This is how food stalls are; once people start eating here, more people will think that since people are eating here, the food must taste pretty good, and then they'll line up. The more popular the stall, the longer the queue; the less popular the stall, the less people go there.
Zhong Qing finished eating and remained seated. She knew that the Third Miss had asked her to eat noodles here not to cater to her appetite, but simply to allow her to continue talking to Liu Chang'an. As for the Third Miss herself, she probably left somewhat disappointed, whether she had discovered something or not.
I think five chapters a day is a definite guarantee, and ten chapters shouldn't be too difficult either. <Shun Huo Nuan> has launched its open beta; I played it and it was alright, but I haven't played it since I'm focusing on writing. Requesting monthly votes.