Let's go back to 2008, starting with a recreational fishing park.

Jiang Xia and Jiang Xiaobo carried the dining table to the dam of the reservoir.

As soon as the table was set, Su Qing brought over the first dish, which was the chopped chili fish head she had mentioned before.

Jiang Xia's eyes lit up when he saw the dishes in the other person's hands, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "They look pretty good!"

"Wow, Qingqing, you're amazing!" Jiang Xiaobo exclaimed exaggeratedly from the side.

"Haha, there are still so many dishes to go, come help me carry them." Su Qing smiled and beckoned with a smile, her eyes crinkling at the compliment.

"Okay!" Jiang Xiaobo immediately stopped joking and quickly ran over to help.

Once the dishes were almost laid out, Jiang Xia invited everyone to take their seats.

As soon as everyone settled down, looking at the table full of delicious-looking dishes, they all gave Su Qing a thumbs up.

"Wow, Xiao Qingqing! I only knew you were a good cook before, but I never knew you had such a secret skill as preparing a whole fish feast!" Jiang Jianguo laughed heartily, his tone full of admiration.

As guests, Zhao Dahai and his wife were the first to pick up their chopsticks and take a bite. Soon after, everyone else also started picking up their chopsticks and taking food.

After everyone finished tasting the food, they quickly began praising Su Qing one after another.

Wang Xiuqin smiled and exclaimed, "Qingqing, your whole fish feast is absolutely delicious! If I had a chef as good as you when I ran a restaurant, my business would definitely have been a street-wide hit!"

Wang Guifen nodded in agreement, "That's right! Qingqing, how did you do that? It seems like there's no dish you can't cook, and everything you make smells so good!"

“…………”

Faced with everyone's praise, even the usually composed Su Qing became embarrassed. She said:

"Actually, it's nothing much. When I was little, my family had a cookbook with illustrations, and I liked to look at it when I had free time. As I grew up, I gradually learned how to cook the dishes in it."

Upon hearing this, everyone began to praise Su Qing for her extraordinary talent, saying that she could cook so deliciously without having studied cooking.

Only Jiang Xia, listening to everyone's praise of Su Qing, seemed lost in thought.

"Brother, what are you thinking about?" Jiang Xiaobo, who was sitting next to him, gently nudged him.

Jiang Xia snapped out of her daze: "I wasn't thinking about anything. Come on, let's eat!"

However, during the meal, Jiang Xia would occasionally glance at the dishes on the table, and then at Su Qing sitting opposite him.

…………

The meal ended in a pleasant and harmonious atmosphere.

After the meal, Jiang Xia first saw Zhao Dahai and his wife into their car.

Zhao Dahai had been drinking, and Wang Xiuqin was driving. Jiang Xia told the two of them the location of the hotel in town.

After Zhao Dahai and the other man left, Jiang Xia went back inside.

At this moment, her second uncle was having tea with her parents. When Su Qing saw him come in, she said that it was getting late and she had to go home.

Seeing this, Jiang Xia nodded, but instead of letting Su Qing leave immediately, he said to her:

"Come with me for a moment."

As Su Qing walked out of the room with Jiang Xia, she looked at him curiously and asked, "What's up?"

Jiang Xia looked at the girl in front of him, who was only 23 years old, and hesitated. Just now, while eating, he suddenly thought of a good idea.

Moreover, this idea requires Su Qing's approval.

However, even if the girl in front of him agrees, whether the matter can actually be successful is still unknown.

However, thinking of the boxed lunches Su Qing had been making lately, and the whole fish feast tonight, Jiang Xia hesitated for a long time before finally speaking:

"Qingqing, I want to open a restaurant for you. What do you think?"

"Me?" Upon hearing this, Su Qing pointed to herself in disbelief: "The hotel?"

"Yes." Jiang Xia nodded seriously.

Upon hearing Jiang Xia's confirmation, Su Qing was still somewhat incredulous.

"Why did you have to open a restaurant for me out of the blue?"

Jiang Xia thought for a moment, then said somewhat nonchalantly:

"Your cooking is delicious, is that a good reason?"

"Is that all there is to it?" Su Qing asked with some doubt, listening to Jiang Xia's words.

"Uh." Hearing Su Qing's question, Jiang Xia was a little unsure how to answer, because he really only had this one reason. If it wasn't because his cooking was good, then why would he open a restaurant?

After thinking it over carefully, Jiang Xia asked somewhat uncertainly:

"You're good-looking, can't that be a valid reason?"

Hearing Jiang Xia praise her looks, Su Qing's eyes lit up, and she nodded: "Of course."

But then, she abruptly changed the subject, staring intently at Jiang Xia: "Jiang Xia, are you serious?"

"Of course." Jiang Xia nodded. "I only realized today that your cooking is actually better than many restaurants."

As he spoke, he gave an example: "Take Fatty Sun in town, for instance. He's been a chef for so many years, and just like Sister Xiuqin commented yesterday, every dish he makes is within the acceptable range. However, apart from that free-range chicken, the dishes he makes are only within the acceptable range."

"Not to mention, that free-range chicken was only praised because it was the first time they had tried our local matsutake mushrooms, and they found it fresh and delicious."

"However, Qingqing, the dishes you make are different."

At this point, Jiang Xia looked intently at the girl in front of him.

At this moment, facing Jiang Xia's gaze, Su Qing, unusually, did not feel shy. Instead, she raised her head and bravely met his gaze.

Feeling Su Qing's gaze, Jiang Xia thought to himself, "This young lady has quite a presence!"

Then he continued, "Qingqing, I don't know about others, but I think your cooking is just as good as Fatty Sun's. In fact, I even think that if Fatty Sun were to cook the whole fish feast you made tonight, he wouldn't be able to do it."

"That's it? You're going to open a restaurant for me?"

Even after hearing so much from Jiang Xia, Su Qing still couldn't quite believe it.

"Yeah, what other reason do you need? Is it really because you're pretty and I'm lusting after your looks?" Jiang Xia said, deliberately putting on a big bad wolf-like expression.

"Pfft~" Su Qing covered her mouth and laughed when she saw Jiang Xia's expression. "Who knows? What if you're just after my good looks!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xia's mind went blank for a moment, and he subconsciously said, "Fine, fine, then you can just say I'm lusting after your beauty. Would you be willing to let me lust after you?"

After speaking, Jiang Xia realized that he had been a bit too greasy and regretted it by covering his mouth.

Then, somewhat embarrassed, he explained to Su Qing, "Um... I..."

Hearing Jiang Xia's words, Su Qing didn't react much, but seeing the other party suddenly show this expression, she found it amusing, so she deliberately said:

"What would you do if this girl were willing to be taken advantage of by you?"

"Huh? You're willing to let me take advantage of you?" Jiang Xia was speechless for a moment when she heard this.

But facing Su Qing's curious gaze, he still had to say, "Qingqing, you know that's not what I meant..."

Upon hearing this, Su Qing leaned forward slightly:

"What do you mean? You mean you're not attracted to my good looks?"

"Ah, no, no, no, it's not..." Jiang Xia waved his hands repeatedly upon hearing this.

"So you're still just after my good looks?" Su Qing said, deliberately feigning anger when she heard that it wasn't true.

Seeing Su Qing like this, Jiang Xia's heart tightened. Oh no! He was no match for this girl.

Then he realized that he had specifically asked the young woman about the restaurant, but somehow the conversation had drifted to women.