ATGJSY: Chapter 29
When Rong Qian said she wanted to help Shen Yi with work, she meant it.
Shen Yi had already talked to the restaurant owner in advance. When Rong Qian arrived, she just needed to give her name to the boss.
The restaurant owner was a middle-aged man, a Chinese immigrant with a bit of a belly. Besides his Chinese appearance, he behaved like a typical American, not very fluent in Chinese.
According to Shen Yi, the boss became interested in Chinese cuisine after being fascinated by Bruce Lee. He opened this Chinese restaurant out of love for the culture, providing Shen Yi, a Chinese, with the opportunity to work here.
However, although it was a Chinese restaurant, there was hardly any Chinese flavor in the smells and dishes Rong Qian encountered after entering.
But in foreign Chinese restaurants, especially in times like these, the dishes would be adjusted to cater to local tastes. It was quite normal.
When the boss saw Rong Qian, there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes. After hesitating for a moment, he decided to speak up. "Rong, you're an adult, so I'll be straightforward with you."
"Hmm?" Rong Qian looked puzzled.
The boss admitted, "Actually, Shen asked me to arrange a simple job for you. He said you could work without pay, but you shouldn't be too tired. He told me not to tell you, but I feel it's necessary to inform you."
Rong Qian was stunned. That Shen guy, unable to stop her from coming to help him, resorted to such a pointless strategy?
How foolish! But strangely, it was a kind of foolishness that touched people.
"Boss, you don't have to listen to him. Pay me the regular wages. Whatever work he usually does, I'll do the same. I don't need any special treatment." Rong Qian finally convinced the boss.
Although the boss agreed, Rong Qian still reminded him, "Boss, you're terrible at keeping secrets. But I still want to tell you, please don't turn around and tell Shen Yi what I just said."
The boss nodded, indicating his understanding.
But in his heart, he thought that when the day came to settle wages, Shen Yi would realize it with just a little calculation. There was no need for him to say anything extra.
Later, Rong Qian put on her work uniform and went straight to work.
She had a good memory. She remembered clearly what dishes were on each table and worked efficiently. Carrying two trays, she moved as if she were flying.
It was strange. She was clearly a slender girl, but she gave off an aura of strength, making people unconsciously rely on her for comfort.
At the peak of dinner time, a temporary dishwasher arrived, also a Chinese student.
Rong Qian was busy serving dishes and didn't notice until she brought the cleaned trays to the kitchen that she accidentally glanced at the face of the dishwasher.
Years of professional habits made her grab the collar of the other party's clothes and pin him against the wall, with an aura as if arresting an escaped convict.
The other party was startled, looking at Rong Qian with a dumbfounded and frightened expression.
Rong Qian, on the other hand, looked pleasantly surprised and said, "You're Lu Xuan!"
It wasn't a question, but an affirmation. Rong Qian wouldn't be wrong. The young man in front of her, wearing glasses and looking gentle, was definitely Chen Shiyi's boyfriend, Lu Xuan.
"Who are you? How do you know me?" Lu Xuan felt inexplicably nervous. He subconsciously pushed up his glasses, which were covered in foam.
Rong Qian also reacted belatedly, quickly letting go of him and straightening out his messy collar. She apologized, "Sorry, it's a reflex. But rest assured, I have no ill intentions towards you."
Lu Xuan could feel that although he initially felt pressure from her, she gave off an upright vibe, like a law enforcement officer.
"Do I know you?" Lu Xuan asked in a different way.
Rong Qian smiled, "You don't know me, but I know you."
Lu Xuan frowned slightly. He indeed had no impression of the woman in front of him. How did she know him? Before Lu Xuan could ask, Rong Qian beat him to it, "Why are you also working here? Are you alone? What about your girlfriend?"
"My girlfriend?" Lu Xuan's expression was very strange.
Rong Qian asked, "Isn't Chen Shiyi your girlfriend?"
Unexpectedly, as soon as Rong Qian finished speaking, Lu Xuan's face instantly turned red and embarrassed. He stammered, "She, she's not my girlfriend. She doesn't even know I like her..."
"Oh, so you haven't confessed yet." Rong Qian nodded understandingly, patting his shoulder at the same time, expressing clear encouragement.
Lu Xuan's face grew even redder. Somehow, being encouraged like this by a woman, he felt a strange sense of embarrassment.
But that wasn't the point. Who exactly was this woman? And why did she know them?
"Shen Yi!"
Before Lu Xuan could clarify, accompanied by hurried footsteps, the curtain to the kitchen was suddenly pulled open, and Rong Qian looked up to see Lin Feng rushing in, his expression urgent.
"Hmm? What are you doing here?"
Lin Feng had come to find Shen Yi, and he didn't expect to see Rong Qian working here.
Rong Qian placed a stack of dishes waiting to be washed on the counter, not bothering to look up as she replied, "I came to help him work. Do you have a problem with that?"
"No, I have no problem." Lin Feng didn't dare to have any objections; he was just surprised.
Lu Xuan knew Lin Feng. Seeing that this woman also knew him and Shen Yi, Lu Xuan hurriedly asked Lin Feng, "Lin Feng, who is she?"
"She's called Rong Qian, Shen Yi's..." Lin Feng hesitated, but Rong Qian took over, smiling, "Sister."
Lu Xuan suddenly realized, no wonder she knew them. Lu Xuan didn't doubt it and just believed it.
Rong Qian asked Lin Feng, "Why did you rush over to find Shen Yi? Did something happen?"
"It doesn't matter now, as long as Shen Yi isn't here." Lin Feng said as he turned to leave, but Rong Qian stopped him. "Wait!"
"Is there something else?"
Rong Qian brought the last dozen or so plates from the food cart to the counter. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then turned to look at Lin Feng. Her expression was slightly serious, not angry, but with an air of authority.
Rong Qian spoke in a low voice, "Say what you need to say clearly before you leave."
***
Around ten o'clock at night, Shen Yi rode his bike to the restaurant to pick up Rong Qian. Just as he parked his bike, he saw Rong Qian coming out of the restaurant with a smile on her face.
"Tired?" Shen Yi asked her.
Rong Qian looked relaxed. "Not tired at all. The work is very simple."
"That's good." Shen Yi's mouth curved into a rare smile. He had intended to go in and greet the boss, but Rong Qian had already taken a seat on the back. She urged him, "What are you waiting for? Let's go home."
"Okay." Shen Yi listened to her and left.
Rong Qian sat in the back seat, gently swinging her legs. Shen Yi's cycling speed was neither fast nor slow, allowing Rong Qian to take in the scenery along the way. Humming a tune, Rong Qian felt that the wind tonight was gentler than usual.
Shen Yi had been paying attention to her the whole time. Influenced by her, Shen Yi's mood also lightened. "Did something good happen? Why are you so happy?"
"Is it because you introduced Lu Xuan to work at the restaurant?" Rong Qian casually mentioned.
Shen Yi wasn't surprised that Rong Qian knew about Lu Xuan working at the restaurant. He replied nonchalantly, "Just a casual introduction."
"Is that so? But I asked the boss, and the boss said you begged him for several days."
Squeak—
Shen Yi suddenly braked hard! Rong Qian, unsteady on her feet despite grabbing onto his clothes in time, still bumped her head against his back. This guy, his bones were really tough.
Shen Yi turned to look at her. "Did you tell him?"
"Rest assured, I know you have your pride, I didn't tell him." Rong Qian couldn't help teasing him.
Shen Yi replied calmly, "Just a favor."
Once, Lu Xuan had carried him all the way to the hospital in the middle of the night, panting and sweating, to help him pay for medical expenses. Shen Yi wouldn't forget this favor. But favors were like that—always ongoing.
Rong Qian didn't expect this relationship between them. She wanted to ask him what had happened that night to be sent to the hospital, but thinking that this topic was too heavy, she decided to make a joke instead.
"He treats you so well, it's only right for you to 'repay him' by offering yourself. Don't you think?" Rong Qian jokes, but suddenly, Shen Yi fell silent, and the atmosphere noticeably froze.
Although Rong Qian was puzzled, she didn't ask further questions and remained silent for the rest of the way.
It wasn't until they returned to No.17, St. Law Street that Shen Yi, after getting off the bike, said to Rong Qian, who had already gotten off the back seat, "Do you know why Thomas is causing trouble for me?"
"Isn't it because you beat him up?"
Shen Yi shook his head. "He's bisexual."
Bisexual... meaning he was attracted to both men and women. In other words, that guy was attracted to Shen Yi's looks!
Rong Qian was speechless. She sure knew how to step into a minefield...
Finally, Rong Qian looked at Shen Yi, who was upright and serious, and said to him, "Rest assured, you're the man he can't get!"
Shen Yi: "..."
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