1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 372 Envy → Jealousy → Hatred! (6.3k words combined)

Xia Yao's voice has the gentle and soft quality of the Jiangnan water towns, but it also gives people a generous and graceful feeling, which is completely different from Song Qianqian's stubbornness.

But the words spoken from that soft, sweet voice exploded like thunder in everyone's ears.

"girlfriend!"

"Is she really Zhou Yan's girlfriend? Zhou Yan has a girlfriend!"

Everyone immediately exploded.

Li Yanyan's wide eyes held surprise, resentment, and deep disappointment.

So he already has a girlfriend. No wonder he was so unresponsive to her this morning and seemed distracted the whole time.

She thought he was just too tired from getting up early, and she was understanding of her brother, thinking she would talk to him properly about his life ideals and such at noon.

But by the time they were having lunch, the wife had already arrived.

She's so beautiful that she couldn't even entertain the slightest thought of stealing someone else's boyfriend.

That's right. Zhou Yan is so capable and handsome, shouldn't he be paired with such a beautiful girl?

"Sister Rong, didn't you say Zhou Yan was single? How come he has a girlfriend?" Zheng Yi asked anxiously, pulling Chen Rong aside.

"Lu Chuan, didn't you say Zhou Yan was single? How come he has a girlfriend?" Chen Rong asked, pulling Lu Chuan aside.

Lu Chuan was a little confused, looking equally puzzled: "I don't know either! When we told him to come to the wedding last month, he was still single. How did he suddenly find such a beautiful girlfriend?"

"A role model for us all, Brother Zhou!" Ma Yongqiang was genuinely envious. He usually didn't even dare to look directly at a girl as beautiful as Xia Yao, and Zhou Yan was actually dating her?!
The female classmate sitting next to Zhou Yan was surprised and regretful. Zhou Yan was such a promising young man; why hadn't she seized the opportunity in junior high? Why hadn't she taken the initiative to contact him after graduation?!

Now look what's happened, the chance is gone...

It must be said that Zhou Yan's girlfriend is indeed quite nice. She introduced herself to her old classmates in a very natural and generous manner.

It asserts sovereignty, but is not as aggressive.

"No way, how come Zhou Yan eats so well?!"

The female students gave up hope, but the male students couldn't quite keep their composure.

Xia Yao is so beautiful. She has the feel of a combination of a rich young lady and an artistic young woman. And her tone of voice is so gentle, so different from that of a typical Sichuan girl. She's really different.

Ding Junfa blushed; he really couldn't eat anymore.

He had previously been smugly holding Song Qianqian's arm, mocking Zhou Yan, a self-employed individual, for not being able to find a girlfriend.

Now, Zhou Yan not only has a girlfriend, but he's found such a beautiful one!
Envy → Jealousy → Hatred!
The emotion shifted in an instant.

This kid is so lucky!

Zhou Yan put his arm around Xia Yao, showing eight teeth, and smiled smugly: "Let me introduce you all to my girlfriend, Xia Yao, a student at Sichuan Fine Arts Institute and an intern designer at Jiaozhou Textile Factory."

“Where are the college students?”

"Amazing!"

Everyone was amazed.

"Hello Xia Yao, I'm Chen Rong. You're so beautiful." Chen Rong stood up and greeted Xia Yao with a smile.

"Bride, you look beautiful today too. The red dress suits you so well, it's so festive." Xia Yao smiled and took out a long box from her bag, handing it to Chen Rong. She smiled and said, "This is a wedding gift I prepared for you. I hope you like it."

"You even prepared a gift for me?" Chen Rong was pleasantly surprised. She opened the box and found a beautiful peach wood hairpin inside. It was carved with delicate peach blossoms and polished to a smooth, rounded finish. It felt warm to the touch.

"What a beautiful hairpin! Did you make this yourself?" Chen Rong held the hairpin with great delight.

"I made it myself." Xia Yao smiled and said, "A good match is made by the phoenix, and a perfect couple is made in heaven. May you live a long and happy life together."

Chen Rong was deeply moved: "Thank you, you're so kind."

This is the most thoughtful wedding gift she received today.

"You're welcome. Enjoy your meal. I won't disturb you any longer," Xia Yao said with a smile, then turned and left.

"As expected of a college student, their speech is so eloquent."

"That's right, all I know is to say 'Happy Wedding, May you live a long and happy life together.'"

"Me too."

The students whispered among themselves, full of admiration and praise for Xia Yao.

Chen Rong looked at Zhou Yan and said, "Zhou Yan, why didn't you bring Xia Yao to the banquet? You didn't even tell me you had a girlfriend beforehand."

"She said she had something to do today, and the wedding procession started very early this morning, so I didn't bring her along. We just got together a few days ago, and I haven't had a chance to tell you yet," Zhou Yan explained with a smile.

He hadn't expected Xia Yao to prepare a gift for Chen Rong; she was indeed very thoughtful.

After they sat down again, everyone's expressions towards Zhou Yan were somewhat different.

"Zhou Yan, how did you meet Xia Yao?"

"I'm just curious how you managed to win her over? She's a college student at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute! And you dropped out of school in the second year of junior high."

"Is her family extremely wealthy? She has such a great presence."

Everyone chattered away, asking questions incessantly, their eyes no longer on the food on the table, but only on the gossip.

"Education level doesn't limit your potential, and people aren't divided into different classes based on their level of education. If you have talent, ability, and good looks, you'll have a chance to win over female college students. Of course, being good-looking is key."

"Xia Yao comes from a well-off family. Her refined temperament is an outward manifestation of her talent and learning. Even if you have money, you can't necessarily cultivate such a person. She likes to read and is good at painting, so she looks quite elegant."

Zhou Yan continued eating, replying intermittently with a flat tone, but he couldn't suppress the urge to smile.

Compared to his ability to make a lot of money, he is also quite proud to have a beautiful girlfriend.

In the latter half of the wedding, Zhou Yan clearly became the main character at their two tables.

After asking about his girlfriend, everyone inevitably returned to Zhou Yan's restaurant.

How successful is Zhou Yan's restaurant business? He refused a monthly salary and bonus of 10,000 yuan from a Hong Kong boss and chose to stay in Jiaozhou to continue running his restaurant.

Just how amazing are Zhou Yan's culinary skills that a single banquet can be exchanged for an imported large-screen TV?

"Business is unpredictable; there are good and bad opportunities, but it's definitely more than two hundred," Zhou Yan said with a slight smile.

Everyone burst into laughter, their eyes involuntarily turning to Ding Junfa and Song Qianqian standing to the side.

Both of them felt their faces burning, wishing they could disappear into the ground.

They realized that Zhou Yan was a very meticulous person!
Zhou Yan's lips curled up slightly. He was not one to hold grudges; he would usually settle scores on the spot.

"If any of you are going back to your hometown and want to eat out, you can come to Zhou Erwa's Restaurant at Jiaozhou Textile Factory. I've finished eating and have something to do this afternoon, so I'll be leaving now." Zhou Yan put down his chopsticks, smiled, and got up to take his leave.

"Have it."

Everyone laughed and agreed. They all wanted to get along well with a promising classmate like Zhou Yan, because they might need to ask him for favors in the future.

Zhou Yan, holding a glass, went to the bride and groom's table and toasted Lu Chuan and Chen Rong: "Lu Chuan, I'm a little incompetent as a best man today..."

"Competent! Extremely competent!" Lu Chuan interrupted Zhou Yan's self-reflection, patted his chest, and grinned, "Two big red envelopes, brother, you're so impressive."

"Good brother, for life! Don't say anymore, it's all in the drink." Chen Rong picked up her juice and said to Zhou Yan, "After you finish your drink, go shopping with Xia Yao. We'll get together again next time."

"Okay." Zhou Yan smiled upon hearing this. It seemed that the red envelopes given by the two bosses were indeed quite generous, making the young couple so excited.

Setting down his wine glass, Zhou Yan turned and walked out of the banquet hall.

Upon entering the hall, Xia Yao stood in front of a mural, her face tilted back, gazing intently at it. Her long neck, fair skin, and the graceful curve of her raised chin made her appear quite absorbed in the painting.

"Is this mural of high quality?" Zhou Yan walked over and asked with a smile.

Xia Yao nodded slightly: "Yes, the landscape painting is quite artistic. I just asked Boss Mei, and he said it was painted by an old painter from Jiaozhou who came over and spent seven days painting it. The overall artistic conception of the landscape painting on the whole wall is very beautiful. If you look at the details, even a small pavilion in the mountains, the pine forest at the foot of the mountain, and the stream and waterfall in the mountains can be painted on their own. It deserves to be called a famous painter."

Zhou Yan didn't quite understand the artistic conception of landscape paintings, but what he saw directly in front of him was a pavilion in the mountains, which was indeed painted very exquisitely, with even the tiles clearly outlined.

"Are you full?" Xia Yao turned around and looked up at him. "Why don't you chat with your female classmates a little longer? I can see how much they admire you."

"There's nothing I can do, I only care about you." Zhou Yan looked down at her and smiled. "After you've eaten, I'll go shopping with you."

Xia Yao smiled upon hearing this and reached out to take his arm. "Let's go, let's go say hello to my aunt and the others. Mr. Zhuang just said that you should go see him first."

“Okay.” Zhou Yan nodded and walked towards the back courtyard.

Wanxiu Restaurant built a courtyard behind the restaurant, paved with pebbles and planted with many flowers and plants, creating a small garden-like tea-drinking area for guests to relax and enjoy themselves after their meals.

The weather was nice today, sunny and bright. The place was almost full, with people basking in the sun, drinking tea from covered bowls, chatting, or playing cards around small tables.

Mei Xiu arranged a private room for Yao Licheng and Zhuang Huayu, separating it from the public area with landscaped trees for a quieter and more private space.

As everyone was chatting, they saw Zhou Yan and Xia Yao walk in hand in hand, and all looked at them with smiles.

"Mr. Zhou, would you like to sit down and have some tea, or are you two going on a date?" Zhuang Huayu asked with a smile.

"Xia Yao wants to buy some things, so I'll go shopping with her for a bit. I won't be able to join everyone for tea," Zhou Yan said.

Zhuang Huayu nodded: "Okay, then I'll have the driver take you to the department store. Didn't you want to buy a color TV for Zhou Momo? Once you've bought it, just put it in the car, and the driver will take it back to Suji tonight. The two ladies can also take the car back; it'll be warmer there."

Before Zhou Yan could speak, Xia Yao smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Zhuang. I don't need to take a car; I can ride on Zhou Yan's bicycle."

"Haha, alright, it seems I'm the one who's clueless about romance," Zhuang Huayu laughed heartily.

"Here's 1,600. Old Yao and I each contributed 800." Zhuang Huayu stood up, took out a stack of 1,600 yuan, and handed it to Zhou Yan.

"Okay, then I'll thank you both on Momo's behalf." Zhou Yan said with a smile as he took the money.

"This is my address. If Zhou Momo draws anything for me, remember to send it to me, okay?" Zhuang Huayu handed over another business card with an address handwritten on the back.

“Okay, I’ll send it to you as soon as Momo finishes drawing it.” Zhou Yan put the business card in his pocket and looked at Zhuang Huayu, saying, “Mr. Zhuang, some dishes on my restaurant’s banquet menu need to be prepared in advance, such as the cold braised dishes. Tonight, due to limited resources, the menu will be slightly adjusted. I hope you can understand.” Zhuang Huayu waved his hand dismissively, “It’s alright. I just wanted to have another serving of Kung Pao Chicken and Mapo Tofu. You can have whatever you like with the other dishes. It’s not that complicated.”

"I'd like another serving of braised rock carp, I love it," Yao Licheng said.

"Okay, I'll figure out the other dishes to go with." Zhou Yan nodded, relieved to hear their words.

"Go ahead, time is precious," Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile, glancing at his watch.

"Then you two enjoy your tea and chat. We'll be leaving now." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile and left with Xia Yao.

"It's only right to charge extra; you've wasted the young couple's time on their date," Yao Licheng said with a smile, taking a sip of tea.

“That makes sense. Giving away a TV also gets you a meal, so it’s a good deal.” Zhuang Huayu smiled as well.

A car from Jiaozhou Hotel was already waiting at the hotel entrance.

The driver recognized Zhou Yan. Seeing Zhou Yan and Xia Yao come out, he opened the back door for them first and asked with a smile, "Mr. Zhou, shall we go to the department store now?"

“Yes, to the department store.” Zhou Yan nodded.

"Okay," the driver replied, starting the car and driving towards the department store.

Zhou Yan watched the pedestrians and bicycles rushing past outside the window. This morning, when he rode his bicycle into the city, the cold wind was howling, and the experience was indeed much worse than that of driving.

When I have more money in the future, I still need to buy a car.

Otherwise, it would be so cold for Momo and Xia Yao to sit on the bicycle in the middle of winter, exposed to the wind.

However, individuals cannot buy cars right now, and cars are extremely expensive, so it's currently unaffordable for most people.

Zhou Yan was lost in thought when suddenly a soft hand appeared in his hand. Xia Yao had grasped his hand for some reason, her long, smooth fingers gently caressing his palm.

Zhou Yan turned around and found that she was also looking out the window. Sunlight filtered through the sycamore trees on both sides of the street, which had lost all their leaves, and fell on her face. She looked calm and serene, except that the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned.

Zhou Yan didn't speak, but held her slender and beautiful hand, measuring each joint with his fingertips, and occasionally gently hooking her palm.

Xia Yao tried to pull her hand away, but Zhou Yan grabbed it.

A faint blush rose on her face. She bit her lower lip and glared at Zhou Yan.

Her cool expression gained a touch of coquettishness, which Zhou Yan took in.

But he pretended not to see it, and instead chatted idly with the driver, while his hands were still busy, continuing to play with Xia Yao's hand.

Xia Yao's ears turned slightly red as she looked out the window at the scenery. She leaned closer to Zhou Yan, a slight smile playing on her lips.

The driver and Zhou Yan chatted incessantly about the various tourist attractions and crowds in Jiaozhou, completely unaware that he had become part of their flirting.

The car stopped in front of the department store.

"Mr. Zhou, I'll park the car here and wait for you. Just call me if you need anything moved," the driver said to Zhou Yan with a smile.

"Okay, thank you, Master Ma." Zhou Yan replied with a smile, then got off the car from the right side with Xia Yao and quickly followed.

"You're so naughty." Xia Yao glared at him, her face slightly red, but her voice was soft and sweet.

"Really? But you were the one who started it." Zhou Yan looked at her and smiled.

"I... I just have cold hands." A hint of panic flashed in Xia Yao's eyes.

"You won't be cold now. Come on, I'll take you shopping." Zhou Yan took her hand and walked towards the department store with a smile.

"Huh?" Xia Yao was led away, and the warm, large hand holding hers made her feel warm all the time.

She looked up at his profile, a smile unconsciously spreading across her face. He was a little mischievous, but she liked it so much. She loved being held hands with him while riding in a car, and while strolling through the streets.

I genuinely like being near him, close to him, and want to get even closer to him.

They had talked about physical attraction before when the lights were out in their dorm. She didn't believe it at all back then, thinking that even boyfriends and girlfriends should treat each other with respect and maintain a certain distance.

But lately, whenever she's alone with Zhou Yan, she always wants to be close to him, hold his hand, link arms with him, hug his waist when riding in a car, and press her ear against his back to listen to his heartbeat.

I don't know why, but I just like this feeling.

The closer you get to him, the more you can feel the vibrancy and peace of life.

This is probably what Deng Hong meant by physiological attraction, right?

"No! We can't do this! Xia Yao, you have to be reserved! You can't let Zhou Yan think you're a promiscuous woman..." Xia Yao withdrew her gaze, made up her mind, and unconsciously moved a little closer to him.

Zhou Yan felt her gaze and turned to look at her. The way she walked with her head slightly lowered was rather cute.

Today is Sunday, and the department store is bustling with people, all out shopping on Sunday.

Zhou Yan initially held her hand, but later put his arm around her shoulder, protecting her as they passed through the crowded entrance.

Xia Yao felt like a small boat adrift in a sea of ​​people, yet tightly wrapped and protected. The sense of security Zhou Yan gave her behind her was unparalleled.

"Is there anything you want to buy today?" Zhou Yan asked, pulling her hand through the crowd.

"Yes, the weather is getting colder and colder. I want to buy a scarf and a hat," Xia Yao said.

"Let me see." Zhou Yan looked around the crowd and pointed ahead, saying, "There are two stalls selling wool products over there. Let's go take a look."

"Okay." Xia Yao nodded.

The shelves were filled with all kinds of hats and scarves, in many styles and colors, as well as fluffy crocheted yarn balls.

"These hats are so cute!" Xia Yao's eyes lit up, and she stopped in front of the hat rack, unable to move.

"If you like it, give it a try," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"I want to try the tiger head one, it's so cute," Xia Yao whispered. "I said I wanted to try it, but I'm afraid the auntie will beat me up, right? The aunties at Shancheng Department Store are really fierce."

"Then I'll ask for you. Most people wouldn't dare hit me." Zhou Yan said with a smile to the saleswoman behind the counter, "Sister, my girlfriend wants to try on this tiger-head hat. Could you please get it for her to try on?"

The saleswoman was a woman in her forties with a somewhat fierce face, no wonder Xia Yao didn't dare to speak.

Sundays are busy and frustrating. Salespeople have long faces and are generally too lazy to let people try things on. It's take it or leave it; they're not worried about selling anyway.

Hearing the voice, I looked up and saw that the young man was quite handsome and had a sweet tongue, unlike some men in their thirties who constantly use "Auntie, Auntie" and are very nagging.

Then look at the girl standing next to him, wow! This girl is so pretty! I haven't seen such a pretty girl all day, she's so beautiful.

"Sure, here you can try it on." The sales clerk reached out and took off the tiger-head hat, handing it to Xia Yao.

"Thank you, sister~" Xia Yao took the hat and said, mimicking Zhou Yan.

The soft, sweet voice calling her "sister" touched the saleswoman's heart, and her stern face broke into a smile: "Oh, little sister, take your time trying them on. Try whichever one you want, I'll get it for you."

"Yes, sister, you're so kind." Xia Yao put her hat on her head and praised her.

"Is it pretty?" Xia Yao turned around and asked Zhou Yan.

This tiger-head hat is adorable. It has a red yarn base, with white fur around the brim and eyes, and is decorated with yarn balls to create facial features, giving it a cartoonish feel.

Xia Yao has delicate features, and she looks especially cute wearing a tiger-head hat.

Several men around looked over at the same time, their eyes wide with surprise.

No way, bro, your girlfriend is so cute!

"Yes, it's beautiful and especially cute." Zhou Yan nodded, unable to resist reaching out to pinch the fluffy ball. It was soft; when he squeezed it flat, it bounced back when he let go.

"Don't pinch it, or I'll beat you up later." Xia Yao laughed and tilted her head to avoid it. Her gaze fell on another blue knitted tiger head hat on the shelf, and she pointed at it, saying, "Sister, can my boyfriend try on the blue one too?"

"Sure." The sales clerk readily agreed, took off the hat and handed it to Xia Yao, looking at her with a smile and saying, "Oh my, this hat looks really good on you."

"Thank you, sister~" Xia Yao's words became even sweeter. She took the hat and stood on tiptoe to put it on Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan looked down at her, felt a warmth on his head, and realized the hat was already on his head.

Xia Yao reached out and adjusted his position, nodding with satisfaction: "It looks good too! Cute, but also very energetic."

"Would it be too cute for me to wear it?" Zhou Yan reached out and touched the fluffy ball of yarn on his head, a little hesitant.

"No, I think it looks great." Xia Yao shook her head, then looked at him and asked, "If I gave it to you, would you wear it?"

“If you say it looks good, then this winter, it’ll be welded to my head,” Zhou Yan said seriously.

"You're so talkative." Xia Yao reached out and gently punched his chest, unable to suppress her laughter.

Xia Yao said to the saleswoman, "Sister, I'd also like to try on those two scarves, the second one from the left, the gray plaid one, and the third one from the right, the beige one."

The sales clerk responded, took off the scarf and handed it to her, saying, "Young lady, you have good taste. Both of these scarves are made of very good materials. This men's scarf is made of a densely woven material, which is very warm. This women's scarf is made of cashmere, and it's a new style this year. It looks very high-end."

"Yes, the material does feel very comfortable." Xia Yao took the scarf, smiled and nodded, and picked up the gray plaid one first.

"Lower your head," Xia Yao said to Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan leaned forward slightly.

Xia Yao tiptoed slightly, wrapped the scarf around Zhou Yan's neck, took a half step back, and nodded slightly: "It looks good. Is it warm?"

"The material is very soft and warm." Zhou Yan nodded. Although he didn't have the habit of wearing a scarf, he couldn't help but smile as he felt the envious looks from the men around him.

"Okay, I'll take this one." Xia Yao nodded and reached for another scarf to try it on.

Zhou Yan took the scarf from her and smiled, "Let me help you."

Upon hearing this, Xia Yao released her grip, took a half-step forward, and blushed slightly.

A minute later, Zhou Yan looked at the scarf wrapped three times around Xia Yao's neck, pursed his lips nervously, and hesitated before speaking: "Um... is there any air left? Why don't you re-tie it?"

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(End of this chapter)