Beautiful beauties in the 80s courtyard

Chapter 779 Warmth
Qin Hengzhi stared at Lu Qiaoge with his dark eyes.

She always liked to tease him unexpectedly. What could he do? It was always like this. He was speechless, and his heart would race, his face would burn, and maybe even his ears would turn red.

Luckily, I was wearing a hat.

Qin Hengzhi reached out and tugged at the ball of yarn on Lu Qiaoge's hat, his expression calm but unable to hide his hoarse voice.

"Let's go eat."

Lu Qiaoge obediently replied, "Okay!"

She was really looking forward to it. Qin Hengzhi said he would take her out for a day of fun, but actually, most of the entertainment these days is watching movies.

Therefore, she was also very curious about what Qin Hengzhi would do next.

Qin Hengzhi took Lu Qiaoge to a time-honored restaurant on the side of Housan Street. The storefront was small, but the inside was very warm.

As soon as you enter, you're greeted by the aroma of mutton soup mixed with the scent of scallions, instantly making you feel hungry.

The sign for the state-run mutton restaurant still hangs at the entrance, but it is actually a long-established brand. Lu Qiaoge doesn't know what the current cooperation model is.

However, the manager is still the heir to this store.

It seems the taste won't change either; Lu Qiaoge has never actually been here before.

The manager knew Qin Hengzhi. He was a man in his fifties. As soon as Qin Hengzhi came in, he immediately greeted him with a smile: "Commander Qin is here? Your private room has been reserved for you."

Qin Hengzhi nodded and led Lu Qiaoge inside.

The private room wasn't large, but it was very clean.

The window faces a lake, with a view of the frozen surface and a stone bridge in the distance.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the room brightly.

Lu Qiaoge sat down by the window and looked at the scenery outside.

"Did you used to come here often?" she asked.

“I’ve been here twice.” Qin Hengzhi sat down opposite her. “With my comrades. The manager’s son is a retired soldier, and we know each other.”

Lu Qiaoge nodded.

The dishes were served quickly.

A steaming pot of mutton hotpot, a plate of sweet and sour pork, a plate of stir-fried mixed vegetables, a dish of peanuts, and a pot of warmed Shaoxing wine.

Lamb hot pot is the signature dish here. The broth is made from lamb bones, and it is milky white with a layer of golden oil floating on top.

The lamb slices are cut very thinly and cook quickly in the hot pot. Dipped in sesame sauce and chive blossoms, they are incredibly tender and fragrant.

After taking a couple of bites, Lu Qiaoge felt warm all over.

Qin Hengzhi poured her a glass of rice wine.

"Try it, it's not strong at all."

Lu Qiaoge picked it up and took a sip. It was a little sweet and a little spicy, and after swallowing it, her stomach felt warm and cozy.

“It’s delicious,” she said.

Qin Hengzhi smiled and poured himself a glass as well.

The two ate and chatted, talking about all sorts of random things.

How's it going at the food factory?

That's great. The third batch of pickled radishes has already started preparations and should arrive in the port city before the Spring Festival.

What about the school?
It's alright, the holidays will start after the final exams.

Has anyone from the Development Department caused trouble?

There were a few, but Lao Lü turned them all away.

Are you still going to the cafeteria?

I'll go. Director Lin is a good person; she'll be unhappy if I don't go.

Qin Hengzhi listened, nodding occasionally and asking a question or two now and then.

Lu Qiaoge noticed that he spoke little and listened a lot. But when she spoke, his eyes were always on her, looking intently, as if what she was saying was extremely important.

It feels good.

It feels better to be listened to attentively.

Having eaten almost enough, Lu Qiaoge put down her chopsticks, leaned back in her chair, rubbed her slightly full stomach, and sighed contentedly.

Her gaze then fell on Qin Hengzhi, who was sitting opposite her. Even in public, Qin Hengzhi's military bearing was ingrained in his bones. Seeing his upright posture, Lu Qiaoge reached out to pinch his cheek, but unexpectedly, Qin Hengzhi grabbed her wrist.

“He’s outside,” he said softly, a smile playing on his lips.

Lu Qiaoge smiled and withdrew her hand, but she was in a very pleasant mood.

Not only can you enjoy delicious food, but you can also see beautiful women.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a golden hue on the table.

The hot pot on the table was still bubbling away, the plate of sweet and sour pork was empty, the plate of stir-fried mixed vegetables was empty, and only a few peanuts remained.

Just leaning back lazily, I felt that even the time spent alone was filled with sweetness and warmth.

As we left the restaurant, the sun was already beginning to set.

The two walked slowly along the lakeside.

The road surface was compacted by footsteps after the snow, making a crunching sound when you walked on it.

Snow clung to the old locust trees by the roadside, and occasionally, when the wind blew, it would flutter down like snow.

Lu Qiaoge wrapped her scarf tighter and put her hands into Qin Hengzhi's coat pockets.

Qin Hengzhi's coat pockets were large and warm, and when she put her hand inside, it touched his.

He grasped it with his other hand.

The two walked along the covered walkway, down a sloping street, slowly making their way forward.

I passed by a small stall selling roasted sweet potatoes.

The aroma was so strong that you could smell it from a great distance; it was sweet and fragrant, making it impossible to leave.

Lu Qiaoge stopped and looked at the stall.

There's a sign next to it that says "Service Station of [Street Office Name]" in black ink.

Without a doubt, this was started by educated youth who returned to the city.

Recently, there have been many such service points in the streets and alleys of Beidu. Lu Qiaoge has also investigated them. They are basically affiliated with the street office or neighborhood committee, and some are even affiliated with certain factories. The income is not necessarily considerable, but it is much more than what one can earn as a temporary worker in a factory.

Just like this sweet potato stall.

Qin Hengzhi glanced at Lu Qiaoge, smiled, and asked softly, "Want to eat?"

Lu Qiaoge nodded.

Qin Hengzhi walked over, picked out the biggest one, weighed it, paid for it, but didn't hand it to her. It was still hot from being cooked.

The two walked forward, and after a few steps, Lu Qiaoge took the sweet potato from Qin Hengzhi's hand.

Lu Qiaoge took a bite; it was soft, chewy, and just the right amount of sweet.

Then Qin Hengzhi bought some roasted chestnuts, which were still marked with the sign of a service point.

Business is booming.

Lu Qiaoge peeled one and ate it. The chestnut was sweet and soft, with the aroma of charcoal. It was delicious.

The two of them walked slowly along the lake, one peeling the shells and the other eating, occasionally exchanging bites.

As the sun slowly sank in the west, it dyed the sky orange-red. Reflected on the ice, the rosy glow of the sunset seemed like thousands upon thousands of shimmering pieces of gold foil.

Magnificent and dazzling.

The figures of skaters in the distance became moving silhouettes, their laughter, tinged with the chill, crisply dissipated into the twilight.

The distant clock tower chimed exactly five times.

Qin Hengzhi asked Lu Qiaoge, "Are you tired?"

Lu Qiaoge is definitely not tired.

So the two continued walking hand in hand.

Walk through the alleys and lanes, past those old courtyards with gray walls and gray tiles.

Someone was lighting a stove in the yard, and blue smoke was rising from the chimney.

Children were running and playing in the alley, their laughter carrying far.

An old man was playing chess at the door, surrounded by several onlookers.

A cat jumped down from the wall, glanced at them, and then ran away.

(End of this chapter)