“Boss, he is here to eat stewed chicken with mushroom.” Manager Zhang gives a glimpse at Luo Zhen, who is eating in the booth on the first floor, and comes back to report to Zhou Wenping.
Zhou Wenping slightly lifts her lips, “Does he only order this dish all these days?”
“Yes. Boss, do you have any instructions?”
“No. You may go to work.” Zhou Wenping waves her hand.
Manager Zhang turns to leave. Zhou Wenping stands nearby and stealthily looks at the northeastern man who is enjoying the food. She feels very funny.
It has been three or four days. Luo Zhen shows up at noon and in the evening every day. What he orders is always stewed chicken with mushroom.
Doesn’t he feel tired of eating the same dish?
Or, … Does the man have other intentions?
Zhou Wenping blinks her beautiful eyes and walks towards Luo Zhen.
“Colonel Luo.” Zhou Wenping sweetly greets and she sees Luo Zhen suddenly stop his hands!
Hearing the voice of Zhou Wenping, Luo Zhen feels as if all the plants in the world blossom. His heart beats rapidly.
Zhou Wenping goes to him and sits by him. Luo Zhen’s hand trembles and the mushroom he picked falls down into his bowl.
Zhou Wenping feels funny, “Oh. Sorry. I scare you.”
“No. Not at all.” Luo Zhen honestly responds. He puts down his chopsticks.
Zhou Wenping glances at his rice pot. It contains about five or six bowls of rice, which has been eaten up.
Ha. Strong men have a good appetite.
“Why do you only order one dish? Don’t you feel tired of eating it every day?”
Luo Zhen smacks his lips. He is a little shy, “Well…Pingping, I am a poor man, so I can order only one dish.”
Zhou Wenping twitches her lips. She freezes her smile, “Ah. Well, Yijunxuan provides excellent dishes. The prices here are truly a little higher than that of other restaurants.”
As a matter of fact, restaurant owners don’t like guests who claim that they are poor. Hearing what Luo Zhen says, Zhou Wenping feels her heart a little tightened.
If someone else says that, she will definitely go away with any excuses. However, Yi Yunrui said that Luo Zhen was his good brother. So, even if she doesn’t like him, she has to stay with him for a while.
“Hum. The dishes taste very good. They are delicious. I won’t get tired of eating them every day.” Luo Zhen says. He rubs his hands, “The mushrooms taste so good, almost as good as that my mother cooks. So, I like this dish very much. This dish reminds me of my mother. I have been in the army for such a long time and I don’t have any time to go back to see her. Men should protect their country. I know she is proud of me. So, I have to be a good soldier to repay her.”
Zhou Wenping softens her heart when hears his words. She can’t help responding, “Army men don’t make much money and your family is not rich. Right?”
Luo Zhen is frozen at once. He strokes his head with his big hand. He feels a little embarrassed, “Hum. My family is quite poor. My mother is old, but she has to do the farming. Luckily, I have a brother helping her. Anyway, my brother will go to college in two years. My mother will be left alone at home. I am worried about her.”
Zhou Wenping slightly frowns. She listens to him and feels her heart tightened, “Does the department know your situation? Will your brother be granted a job?”
Luo Zhen nods, “The government announces that as long as my brother finishes his college, he will be granted a job. At that time, my brother will earn some money and my mother will not need to be so tired.” Luo Zhen pauses here, “The salary I get from the army is not much. However, in my poor hometown, it is a considerable amount. So, my mother can live her life with it.”
Zhou Wenping slightly gives a sigh in her heart. She glances at the stewed chicken with mushroom. The dish only costs tens of yuan. She knows it equals the living expense of a month for a family in the mountain areas.
However, Luo Zhen comes here every day…
Zhou Wenping slightly opens her mouth. She wants to ask Luo Zhen why. But she stops. She vaguely knows what the man is aiming at.
On the other evening, Yi Yunrui brought him here. His eyes told at once what he was thinking about.
He comes to her restaurant every day for the same reason.
“Since Colonel Luo loves the dishes, I can give you a forty percent discount. And I can give you another pot of rice for free.” She doesn’t open the restaurant for charity. She has to ask for payment. She can’t lose money.
Luo Zhen brightens his eyes, “You give me such a discount and give me the rice for free. You lose money for it! No. You will lose money. In addition, I am a man. How can I eat here without paying! I can bear this cost at present. Pingping, don’t worry.”
Zhou Wenping hears his words. She rolls her eyes, wondering why the man is so honest. She can give him such a discount. She surely has her reasons. He refuses so directly. What can she respond?
Can she tell him that she won’t lose money even in this discount?
“Colonel Luo.” Zhou Wenping smiles, “Well. I have known Commander Yi for a long time. He used to teach me how to cook. You are his good brother. Commander Yi holds some technology share in this restaurant. So, we should give the relative discount for guests brought by him. Colonel Luo, don’t worry.”
Luo Zhen blinks his eyes. It takes him quite a while to understand. He says, “Oh. I see. My brother holds some technology share here. I know my brother is good at everything. But I don’t know he cooks so well. If I can also make so delicious dishes, I will cook every day for my wife. Hehe.”
Zhou Wenping is a little moved by Luo Zhen’s words. She smiles, “Colonel Luo is a good man. It will be lucky for a woman to be your wife.”
“Ha. Don’t flatter me? I am so poor. Who will marry me? And I am always in the army. I don’t even have time for romance. Even if I like a woman, I won’t get her.” Saying this, Luo Zhen glances at Zhou Wenping stealthily. His heart suddenly jumps!
He likes her. He likes her very much.
Zhou Wenping smiles to pat on his shoulder, “You will. You will in the future. I will not disturb your dinner. Take your time.”
Saying this, Zhou Wenping stands up and turns to leave.
Luo Zhen stares at Zhou Wenping’s back blankly. He feels his heart is going to jump out of his chest. He takes a deep breath and takes up the rice for a mouthful.
Soon, a waiter sends him several side dishes and a bowl of rice. He sees Luo Zhen surprised. He says, “Commander, these are samples of our new dishes. We hope you can try them and give us some comments. They are free.”
“Free?” Luo Zhen glances at the dishes. They are three kinds. However, he knows that Zhou Wenping has this habit. Guests who comment on the dishes don’t need to pay. But the comments have to be honest. “OK. I will comment later.”
“Thank you, Commander.” The waiter responds and leave with smile.
Zhou Wenping sees from a dark place. To be honest, she likes men with good appetite. They give the sense of security. However, many years ago, she had a crush on Yi Yunrui. There was even a period of time when she swore to become the wife of Commander Yi.
She surely understands Luo Zhen’s intention. But…
He is not her cup of tea!
