1996: Starting from a bankrupt farmhouse restaurant

Chapter 137 Zhang Yuwen, the Flame Dancer

After serving the food to Zhaoyan, Lu Yuan went back to the kitchen to continue his work.

Zhao Yan looked at the dishes and felt something was off, but she had seen them being cooked with her own eyes, so there shouldn't be any problems.

She looked at the dishes, thinking carefully, but finally couldn't resist her rumbling stomach and took a small bite of the sea cucumber rice.

In order not to be harmed by Lu Yuan, she didn't even chew or swallow.

I just held it in my mouth, letting my saliva flow freely, and waited for a whole minute. After there was no reaction, I finally started chewing it with relish.

She treated every dish the same way, and only after confirming that all the dishes were in good condition did she prepare to enjoy them.

Just as she was about to pick up her chopsticks, she suddenly remembered something, put down her chopsticks, and ran back to the house in the backyard.

A moment later, she took a picture of the exquisite dishes with a camera in her hand.

She plans to send some photos of her life in the northern frontier home, and she expects her family to be shocked when they see the meals she eats every day.

After taking the photos, she finally began to fully enjoy the food.

It has to be said that Lu Yuan is truly a master chef; every dish is so delicious that she feels like she's getting drunk just from eating.

Before she knew it, she had almost finished all those small bowls of food.

As she faced the last bite of sea cucumber rice, although she was already full, she was a little reluctant to finish.

Finally, she put the last bite of sea cucumber rice into her mouth. Suddenly, a familiar, stimulating sensation burst forth in her mouth.

Oh no, it's wasabi!

Lu Yuan knew that she liked to finish her meal with a staple food, so he only added mustard to the rice at the bottom of the bowl.

How could there be such a malicious person?

Zhao Yan was utterly speechless. She admitted that her revenge against Lu Yuan that morning was a bit excessive, but it was still an eye for an eye.

But adding wasabi to the last bite of rice is utterly shameless!

Fortunately, things are different now than they were yesterday in the car; the fried dough workshop has a water bottle.

Zhao Yan immediately poured herself a glass of water, trying to dilute the pungent taste of the wasabi.

Unexpectedly, the moment she drank it, she spat it all out.

White vinegar!

Lu Yuan actually replaced the water with white vinegar, and the wasabi was just a feint!

That's incredibly insidious!

Zhao Yan was on the verge of tears, but her indomitable spirit made her mind race as she thought of a way to defeat her enemy in one fell swoop.

O

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The next day was Friday. After dinner, Lu Yuan came out of the kitchen and found Zhang Yuwen and the round-faced girl Jingjing waiting outside.

He then remembered that today was the day Zhang Yuwen was teaching dance to the children at the school.

When Zhang Yuwen saw him, she got up to pay the bill at the front desk, but Lu Yuan immediately stopped her: "Since we invited you to class, we should definitely provide meals!"

"Really? Can we order whatever we want?" Jingjing asked expectantly.

Lu Yuan smiled and said, "Of course."

Jingjing exclaimed happily, "Yay! That's great! Can I come to class every day?"

Zhang Yuwen patted Jingjing and said, "Stop talking nonsense! How can you be so greedy!"

Jingjing clung to Zhang Yuwen's arm, nuzzled against her, and said sweetly, "It's all because Boss Lu's cooking is so delicious!"

Zhang Yuwen ignored her and instead asked Lu Yuandao, "Boss Lu, where is Baiyang Elementary School located? Could you please tell us how to get there?"

Lu Yuan looked up at his watch. It was a little past 2 o'clock. There was still plenty of time. He could easily make it back before the banquet started and give them a ride.

So, while taking off his chef's uniform, he said, "Let's go, I'll take you there. The roads in the countryside are difficult to navigate, and I'm afraid you won't be able to find your way."

Zhang Yuwen said, "Won't this interfere with your business?"

Lu Yuandao said, "It's alright, we've already closed for business today."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Boss Lu!"

"I should be thanking you all for coming all this way to teach the children."

After leaving the house, Lu Yuan encountered a problem: transportation became a major issue.

The jeep was left at school, Lu Yuan couldn't drive the tractor, and the motorcycle couldn't carry two people; it would take more than 40 minutes to walk.

Lu Yuan thought for a moment and then asked, "Teacher Zhang, can you ride a bicycle?"

Upon hearing this address, Jingjing poked Zhang Yuwen in the waist from behind and mischievously called her "Teacher Zhang."

O

These days, "teacher" is still a very prestigious title. Apart from the teachers in schools who impart knowledge and resolve doubts, most people would call them "master" rather than "teacher."

Unlike later generations, where teachers are everywhere, even in a small barbershop, there are almost more barbers than school teachers.

Even in Douyin live streams, when the young woman with a penchant for the arts connects with the cross-dressing man, they address each other as "teacher."

Zhang Yuwen blushed slightly as she listened. In the hearts of her dance troupe sisters, Lu Yuan was like a mysterious and handsome male boss with unparalleled culinary skills.

The way he referred to himself was indeed quite respectful.

Zhang Yuwen said softly, "We know how to ride."

"That's great! Wait for me!"

Lu Yuan told them to wait at the shop while he went for a walk around the village.

Before long, he rode a Phoenix 26 bicycle, holding the handlebars with one hand and another Phoenix 26 bicycle with the other, and parked it side by side in front of Xiao Lu's farmhouse restaurant.

The Phoenix 26 is a standard women's bicycle without a crossbar, making it very convenient for women to ride. It is usually bought by young people in the village when they get married.

He then returned to the backyard and pushed in his own permanent 28.

Zhang Yuwen also carried a bag, saying it contained dance shoes and cassette tapes, which Lu Yuan also tucked into the back seat.

The three of them rode along the country road toward Baiyang Elementary School. When they passed the Baiyang River behind Luwangtan Village, Jingjing couldn't help but exclaim "Wow!"

The two girls simply stopped their bicycles and stood by the river, waiting for the wind to blow in their faces.

"Boss Lu, your village actually has such a beautiful river!" Jingjing exclaimed.

Although Jingjing has a round face, she is a professional dancer after all, and her figure is impeccable.

The two girls' clothes fluttered in the wind, showcasing their slender and graceful figures to the fullest.

Zhang Yuwen, in particular, truly lives up to her title as the dance troupe's principal dancer; her long legs and perfect proportions are flawless.

Lu Yuan straddled his bicycle and looked at the two girls from the bridge; they were indeed a very pleasing sight to behold.

These days, girls, especially those from remote places like the northern frontier, possess an unadorned beauty.

A short while later, two girls caught up with them, pushing their bicycles. Jingjing stuck out her tongue playfully and said, "Sorry to keep you waiting, Boss Lu!"

"It's alright, let's go!" Lu Yuan smiled faintly.

During their bike ride, Zhang Yuwen asked curiously, "Boss Lu, why have we never seen this river on the national highway?"

"Yes, logically speaking, we should be able to see the river from the car since it's so close," Jingjing added.

Lu Yuan held the handlebars with one hand and pointed to the direction where the Baiyang River meandered into the distance with the other, saying, "It's strange, this river just turns right towards our village and then turns away again."

Zhang Yuwen and Jingjing looked in the direction Lu Yuan pointed, and it was indeed that strange.

People used to say that Luwangtan Village had produced an extraordinary figure, so much so that even the River God had to come and pay his respects.

But so many years have passed, and Luwangtan Village is still like this, so everyone just laughs it off.

Before long, Lu Yuan brought Zhang Yuwen and Jingjing to Baiyang Elementary School.

The dilapidated environment of the school still made the two girls feel a little sad, as they had thought that the school near Xiao Lu's farmhouse restaurant must be in good condition.

I never expected it to be so dilapidated; it looks like a school from the 1970s or 80s.

But that's the truth; the school was built back then and hasn't been renovated much over the years.

At the agreed time, Second Uncle was already waiting at the school gate. Upon seeing Lu Yuan and the other two arrive, he immediately greeted them warmly, "Welcome, teachers. I am Lu Changlin, the principal of Baiyang Elementary School. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to teach the children to dance."

"Principal, you're too kind. We are honored to be here to teach the children to dance," Zhang Yuwen replied with a graceful smile and appropriate manner.

Second Uncle led the two girls across the playground toward the classroom, while Lu Yuan followed behind, planning to leave after Second Uncle had settled them in.

Because there are too many students in the school, if the whole school were to learn together, it would turn into a broadcast gymnastics routine.

So my second uncle plans to let the first and second graders wait a bit. Teaching them to form a line would take forever, which is too inefficient.

Start by teaching from the third grade, and then teach each grade in turn, so that each grade can at least skip a step.

The two third-grade classes also received advance notice that teachers from the provincial capital would be coming to teach dance this afternoon.

Zhao Yan was teaching one of the classes when suddenly a student leaning against the window exclaimed, "Wow!"

Zhao Yan also looked out the window and saw two tall, beautiful women walking towards the classroom, with Lu Yuan following behind them!

This puzzled her. Why was Lu Yuan getting involved in the school's dance class?

The principal called all the students out, and Zhao Yan, dressed in a beige suit, also came out of the classroom with the students.

When Zhang Yuwen, who was standing next to the principal, saw Zhao Yan, she was stunned for a moment and thought to herself, "Isn't this the pretty girl I saw at Xiao Lu's farmhouse restaurant the other day?"

How did she get out of the classroom? Is she a teacher here? Why did she look like she was living at Boss Lu's house that day?

Zhao Yan was also stunned for a moment, seeing that one of the girls was very beautiful and had a great temperament.

But why is Lu Yuan standing there laughing so awfully?

What does the children learning to dance have to do with him?

After seeing Zhao Yan come out of the classroom, Lu Yuan walked over and asked, "So you teach third grade?"

Zhao Yan ignored him and instead organized the children to line up in formation.

Lu Yuan glanced at the English book in her hand again and said, "So you're an English teacher!"

Zhao Yan pointed to the side, looking annoyed, and said, "Please don't disturb my work, thank you for your cooperation!"

Lu Yuan stood aside, completely bewildered, wondering what was wrong with this girl. She was chatting and laughing while holding her rice bowl, but turned on him as soon as she put it down!

Zhang Yuwen also noticed Lu Yuan and the other person's situation. They seemed to know each other very well. What exactly was their relationship?

Jingjing leaned closer and whispered, "Sister Yuwen, is that Boss Lu's girlfriend? She's so beautiful, you're in danger!"

Surrounded by students, Zhang Yuwen, her face slightly flushed, angrily pushed Jingjing away and said, "If you keep talking nonsense, I won't bring you next time!"

"Teacher Zhang, can we begin?" Uncle asked after arranging the formation.

Zhang Yuwen looked around and asked, "Principal, do we have an indoor dance studio or a music room?"

Uncle Er shook his head awkwardly. Zhang Yuwen thought for a moment and said, "Then please take the children to find a shady, spacious place, and arrange a room for me to change into my dance clothes."

Uncle nodded and called to the students, "Kids, let's go to the west side of the playground, behind the fifth-grade classroom, to that shady spot."

Then he called out to Zhao Yan, "Teacher Zhao, could you please come over here for a moment?"

After Zhao Yan came over, the principal said to her, "Could you please take Teacher Zhang and the others to the library to change into their dance costumes?"

Zhao Yan hummed in agreement, then coldly led Zhang Yuwen and Jingjing in another direction.

Lu Yuan then said to his second uncle, "Second Uncle, I'll head back now. I'm busy this afternoon."

Second Uncle grabbed Lu Yuan and said, "Xiao Yuan, I have a fifth-grade class in a little while. Could you keep an eye on things for me? The other students aren't familiar with Teacher Zhang and the others, so it'll be easier for them to contact you if they need anything."

Lu Yuan estimated the time and figured that by the time his second uncle finished teaching another class, he could rush back around 4:30, which would be enough time, so he readily agreed.

The library was empty at the moment, but there were no curtains either.

After Zhao Yan closed the door, she stood guard at the entrance and told them to go between the two bookshelves to change their clothes.

After thanking her, Zhang Yuwen led Jingjing between the two bookshelves.

Jingjing whispered in Zhang Yuwen's ear, "This lady has such an elegant air about her; she sounds like she's from Beijing."

In the cramped space, even the slightest movement seemed particularly loud. Seeing Zhao Yan turn her gaze over, Zhang Yuwen immediately stopped Jingjing and told her to be quiet.

Jingjing stuck out her tongue and then loudly asked Zhaoyan, "Teacher Zhao, are you from Beijing? Why are you teaching here?"

"I'm here to teach in a rural area," Zhao Yan replied calmly.

Jingjing then asked, "Do you know Boss Lu?"

Zhao Yan answered decisively, "I don't know him." But in her heart, she thought to herself, "I don't want to know this guy. All he does is make me angry all day long."

"Huh? Does that mean Boss Lu is pursuing Teacher Zhao?!" Jingjing suddenly exclaimed, "Teacher Zhao said she doesn't know him, but he was just talking to her the whole time."

The straightforward Jingjing had no tact whatsoever, and her words made Zhaoyan a little embarrassed and Zhang Yuwen a little awkward as well.

Zhang Yuwen immediately apologized: "I'm sorry, Teacher Zhao. Jingjing is young and doesn't understand anything. Please don't take it to heart."

"No," Zhao Yan replied awkwardly, then turned her head away, not giving Jing Jing a chance to respond.

Chasing me? Zhao Yan scoffed inwardly, "They'd be more like chasing me to poison me!"

Jingjing's curiosity was not satisfied, and she wanted to say something more, but Zhang Yuwen covered her mouth, and she couldn't say a word.

A moment later, Zhang Yuwen and Jingjing changed into their dance costumes.

Following their second uncle's suggestion, they chose the Spanish bullfighting dance.

Zhang Yuwen wore a bright red dress, revealing a glimpse of her fair shoulders. Her long hair was styled in a bun, adorned with a red rose.

A section of fair calves was revealed beneath the long skirt that went past her knees, and a pair of jade-like feet were wearing small leather shoes that were also bright red.

As an outstanding dancer, her temperament instantly shifted to the fiery passion of the Iberian Peninsula, while also retaining the calm and reserved nature of an Eastern girl.

Jingjing, on the other hand, was dressed in a male dancer's costume. The difference was that her round and slender thighs made her tight pants look very beautiful.

Zhao Yan was quite surprised by the two girls in front of her. She hadn't expected that there would be dancers with such outstanding temperament in the rural areas of northern China.

Zhang Yuwen, in particular, originally seemed like a quiet and poised girl, but after changing into her dance costume, she immediately transformed into a completely different person.

After the two changed their clothes, Zhaoyan led them to the playground.

Sure enough, the students cheered as soon as the dancer with such an outstanding appearance appeared on stage.

Lu Yuan was also a little stunned, thinking to himself, "Is this the strength of the dance troupe's principal dancer? Her temperament and appearance are absolutely amazing."

However, he seemed to sense a cold gaze in the crowd. When he turned his head to look for her, he only saw Zhao Yan's calm profile, which puzzled him.

The Spanish bullfighting dance originated as a performance dance at bullfighting festivals in bullrings, and later became the international standard bullfighting dance, appearing in competitive arenas.

The Latin dance taught by Zhang Yuwen and Jingjing could not possibly be that professional; it was simplified into a dance that children could feel the rhythm of and that could be performed by boys and girls together.

At first, the boy and girl were a little shy and neither dared to reach out to the other.

So Zhang Yuwen and Jingjing began a duet dance performance. To let everyone experience the charm of the Spanish bullfighting dance, Zhang Yuwen specially brought a cassette tape and played it on the school's old-fashioned tape recorder.

As the stirring and melodious music began, Zhang Yuwen and Jingjing instantly entered the state of dancers.

Zhang Yuwen, wearing red leather shoes, swept over like a flame as she grabbed the hem of her skirt with both hands to the beat of the music.

She is not a foil to the male dancers, nor does she possess the delicate charm of traditional female dancers; instead, she exudes a stubborn, flamboyant wildness.

The red dress is both a gentle, flowing cape and a sharp, confrontational symbol.

Zhang Yuwen sometimes moved gently with her apron flowing, like a breeze rustling a red cloth.

Sometimes she would suddenly fling her skirt, stomp her feet, and spin around, like a wave of fire sweeping across the stage, her passion concealing a cold and unyielding pride.

As the music ended, Zhang Yuwen's figure froze in a pose where she held her red dress and leaned slightly forward, revealing her slender figure.

The students burst into enthusiastic applause, and Lu Yuan was also amazed by the performance, so he couldn't help but clap along.

Strangely, he felt that cold gaze again, but when he looked for it, he couldn't find any trace of the person.

After watching the performance, the students developed a great passion for dancing, especially the little girls.

They had only ever seen dancing on television at home, and many of those were small, black-and-white TVs, so they couldn't appreciate the charm of dance at all.

But today's performance by the two top dancers, though held on a dilapidated playground, perfectly captured the raw, wild essence of the bullfighting dance.

While Zhang Yuwen was teaching the children, Jingjing ran over and asked, "Boss Lu, isn't it good?"

"Beautiful!" Lu Yuan was a very honest person. He glanced at Zhang Yuwen's profile again and nodded affirmatively.

In that instant, he felt that cold gaze again, and this time he quickly followed it and locked onto Zhao Yan.

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