The younger sister mistakenly identified her brother when visiting relatives and was kissed by the c

After hearing this, Bai's mother was stunned for a long time, then slapped her thigh, her eyes full of pride and approval:

"Oh! My daughter is so thoughtful! Yes, yes, Xin Xin is absolutely right! We must act with a clear conscience. Let's not take this money; let's donate it to do good deeds and help the elderly!"

The diners who hadn't left yet and were craning their necks to listen to what was going on burst into enthusiastic applause upon hearing the mother and daughter's conversation.

"Great! This girl is generous and magnanimous!"

"Exactly! He donated a hundred yuan without hesitation, without even batting an eye! No wonder the Bai family restaurant is thriving!"

"I'm never going to Old Sun's for dumplings again, they're rotten to the core! I'll stick with Bai's Little Restaurant, the owner is kind-hearted and straightforward!"

Amidst the cheers, Old Sun's face turned a deep purplish-red. How could he possibly stay any longer? He could only lower his head and slink away from the Bai family restaurant.

Qiao Xinxin handed the money to the police officers and asked them to pass it on to the neighborhood office.

After the police officers took Old Sun away, the restaurant returned to its usual hustle and bustle. However, despite today's incident, Bai Family Restaurant's reputation not only remained undamaged, but it spread far and wide throughout the entire street and even the entire courtyard.

Around 2 PM, the restaurant gradually emptied out. The once bustling place, resembling a bustling market, finally quieted down.

Qiao Xinxin had just taken off her apron and rubbed her slightly sore shoulders, preparing to go to the kitchen to get her lunch, when a series of neat and powerful footsteps came from the doorway.

"Thump, thump."

Qiao Xinxin subconsciously looked up towards the door.

Lu Baizhou stood ramrod straight outside the threshold. He wasn't wearing his conspicuous military uniform today; instead, he wore a light, dark gray jacket, zipped up to his chest, which accentuated his broad shoulders and upright posture. He carried a small bundle wrapped in a clean blue cloth and looked at her with a smile in his eyes.

"Brother Lu? What brings you here today?" Qiao Xinxin asked in surprise, her soft voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible joy.

Lu Baizhou stepped into the shop, looking at her with barely concealed tenderness in his eyes: "I'm free at the army base this afternoon. The weather's quite nice today, the sun's warm, and I was thinking of taking you out for some fresh air. I heard there's a field in the eastern suburbs with lots of early spring flowers blooming; we could bring some food and go sit there. Are you free this afternoon?"

Qiao Xinxin's thoughts raced. There wasn't anything urgent at the shop in the afternoon; her parents could keep an eye on things. As for the bathhouse, it wouldn't open until the evening. After finishing up at noon, she really wanted to go out and relax.

"Okay, Brother Lu, please sit down for a while. I'll go prepare some food to take with me." Qiao Xinxin smiled sweetly.

She hurried into the kitchen and began rummaging through the stove and cupboards. A pot of brown sugar steamed cakes had just been steamed that morning and were still warm, emitting a sweet, grainy aroma. She tore off a clean sheet of parchment paper and neatly wrapped several soft cakes in it. Then she took two Fuji apples from a mesh bag, chopped them into even pieces with a clean knife, and placed them in a delicate little bamboo basket.

Before leaving, she noticed a small jar of homemade pickled garlic on the corner of the cabinet. It was sweet and sour and appetizing. Thinking that Lu Baizhou was a northerner, he would definitely like to eat this, so she casually put it into the basket.

When Qiao Xinxin came out carrying a small bamboo basket, Lu Baizhou was already waiting at the door. Seeing her come out, he very naturally extended his large, calloused hand and took the basket from her: "Let me carry it."

"It's not heavy, just a few pastries." Qiao Xinxin smiled, but her heart was filled with sweetness.

The two of them went out one after the other. Today, Lu Baizhou didn't ride his old bicycle, but instead accompanied Qiao Xinxin as they slowly walked along the street towards the eastern suburbs.

Along the way, a gentle breeze caressed their faces, no longer carrying the biting chill of winter, but instead a faint, earthy fragrance. The two walked side by side, Lu Baizhou deliberately slowing his pace to match Qiao Xinxin's rhythm. After walking for about forty minutes, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a vast expanse of open field.

This place was even more beautiful than Qiao Xinxin had imagined. The terrain was gently undulating, backed by a row of low earthen slopes that perfectly blocked the cold wind. In the distance, the silhouettes of rolling gray-blue mountains appeared exceptionally serene under the warm spring sun.

Tender green shoots have already sprouted in the ground, scattered here and there, interspersed with some early-blooming light purple wildflowers. When the wind blows, the tips of the grass rustle and sway, like a green wave.

"This place is so beautiful," Qiao Xinxin couldn't help but exclaim, her eyes sparkling.

"I'm glad you like it." Lu Baizhou's eyes were filled with a smile. He looked around and pointed to a gentle slope that was sheltered from the wind and faced the sun. "Let's sit there, it's warm."

After walking over, Lu Baizhou untied the blue cloth bundle in his hand. It turned out to be a rather thick, clean piece of blue cloth. He deftly spread the cloth on the grass and then placed the small bamboo basket steadily in one corner of it.

Qiao Xinxin sat down as well. She took out the brown sugar steamed cakes wrapped in oil paper one by one and arranged them. She then broke off a clean twig from the side, peeled off the outer skin with a knife, and made a few simple skewers, which she stuck into the cut apple pieces so that she wouldn't get her hands dirty when eating them.

"Brother Lu, try this. It was just steamed this morning and it's still soft." Qiao Xinxin picked up a piece of brown sugar steamed cake and handed it to Lu Baizhou.

Lu Baizhou reached out and took it, his fingers inadvertently touching Qiao Xinxin's warm fingertips, and both of them paused slightly.

Lu Baizhou lowered his head and took a bite of the steamed cake. After chewing it carefully for a few moments, his eyes lit up, and he nodded seriously: "It's delicious. It's more substantial than the steamed cakes sold outside. It doesn't stick to your teeth, and the sweetness is just right. Xin Xin, your cooking skills are truly exceptional."

Qiao Xinxin was amused by his serious yet sincere appearance, and proudly raised her chin: "Of course, I made this myself, and I used the best ingredients."

The two sat there in the warm afternoon sun of spring, eating simple snacks and occasionally chatting about interesting things in the army or the business of the shop. The atmosphere was incredibly cozy.

In an open space not far away, several children who had just finished school were flying kites. They ran along, pulling the strings, sweating profusely, their laughter ringing out. The large kite soared extremely high in the sky, almost shrinking into a tiny black dot.

Qiao Xinxin stared blankly at the carefree children running around. Since coming to this world, she had been busy making a living every day, and it was rare to have such a quiet and carefree time.