CHAPTER 502: CHAPTER 277: IRON STOMACH (PART 2)

"I remember your school starts on the 19th of the first lunar month. If everything goes as planned, we should return to Huishan City on the 17th. Enjoy the last few days of your holiday."

Qin Luo didn’t expect to be so happy in the last few days of the holiday. With plenty to eat and play, she instantly forgot the previous distress from studying and doing tests, feeling that this winter break was just amazing.

"Yay!" Qin Luo cheered.

Zhao Rong looked at her daughter, who changed her mood faster than flipping through a book, shook her head helplessly, and continued watching TV.

Only Qin Congwen curiously asked in a low voice, "Huaihuai, who is Master Cao?"

"She’s the wife of Master Zhang, the craftsman you ordered molds from decades ago," Qin Huai explained.

Qin Huai’s explanation deeply shocked Qin Congwen.

Wife, Qin Congwen said he last heard someone referring to a person’s spouse like that in a TV drama.

"So, Huaihuai, are you going to Master Cao’s house for a meal, and taking Luoluo with you?" Qin Congwen asked.

"It was suggested by Master Cao’s grandson. On the sixth day, Master Cao’s family came to our house for dumplings. Luoluo and her grandson Zhang Zhiyun had a quarrel. Hearing that I would go to their house for a meal on the 16th, Zhang Zhiyun insisted on Luoluo going along to prove to her that his grandma’s cooking is better than the snacks I make."

Upon Qin Huai’s explanation, Qin Congwen instantly recalled, "Oh, so the kid who fought with Luoluo that day is Master Zhang’s grandson, and standing beside him was Master Zhang himself."

"I really didn’t expect Master Zhang to look like that now. Back then, he was a well-known handsome young man in Qiu County, even more handsome than male leads in TV dramas."

Qin Huai didn’t understand Qin Congwen’s shock, and just then, Dong Shi sent a message sharing the latest gossip. According to informed sources, Wang Jun is taking a day off tomorrow to visit his girlfriend’s house for the New Year, and progress is promising for an engagement this year and a wedding next year.

Qin Huai hurriedly picked up his phone, diving into the juicy gossip sea.

.

The Lantern Festival on the 15th of the first lunar month passed as uneventful as ever for the Qin Family.

Thanks to the villagers’ contributions, Qin Huai enjoyed a sumptuous Lantern Festival dinner. The remaining Four Happiness dumplings at home were all frozen by Qin Huai, to be taken to Qiu County the next day by Qin Congwen and Zhao Rong for Director Qin, to be distributed among the kids at the orphanage.

On the second day of the new year, Qin Congwen made a special trip back to Qiu County to deliver a batch of Four Happiness dumplings to the orphanage, although the quantity was limited and barely lasted a few days.

Prior to the new year, the kids at Sanmalu Children’s Welfare Institute ate a low-configuration version, during the new year a medium-configuration version, and after the new year a high-configuration version, enjoying a complete advanced version of the year.

On the 16th of the first lunar month, February 26th, at 6:17 in the morning, the Qin Family got up early for their return journey.

Qin Congwen and Zhao Rong carried their suitcases and caught a ride with villagers back to Qiu County, while Qin Huai and Qin Luo hitched a ride with people from the neighboring village into the city. Mr. Qin and Granny Qin sent them off at the village entrance. As they thought about how quickly the lively new year passed by, Granny Qin felt a pang of sadness, standing at the village entrance seeing them off as if she was at a train station bidding farewell to relatives on a long journey, her nose tingling with emotion and nearly shedding tears.

Qin Congwen tried to persuade Mr. Qin and Granny Qin to stay in Shan City for a while after the new year, but the two elders were unwilling to go.

Shan City was too far, and the two elders had lived in the village all their lives, rarely leaving in their younger days, and even less willing to move now in their old age.

"Huaihuai, Luoluo, here are extra red envelopes from Grandma for you this year. Take good care of them. Luoluo, don’t spend this money recklessly. You’re a big kid now and more sensible. You gave Grandma a big red envelope this year, so Grandma’s giving you a big one too."

While Qin Congwen and Zhao Rong were loading the luggage, Granny Qin quietly slipped a big red envelope to Qin Luo and Qin Huai.

"Drink less milk tea. Grandma saw online that drinking milk tea isn’t healthy; just drink homemade lemon tea," Granny Qin instructed.

Qin Huai: ...?

Milk tea is unhealthy, but homemade lemon tea is healthy?

Which marketing account was advertising homemade lemon tea? Was it funded by Ouyang?

Right, Ouyang claimed that his lemon tea shop opened on New Year’s Day. But now it’s already February 26th, and Qin Huai hasn’t seen any posts from Ouyang on social media, nor has there been any news in the Yunzhong District community group.

The entire New Year period, Ouyang seemed to vanish into thin air, except for a New Year’s greeting message he sent to Qin Huai at midnight on the first day of the lunar new year.

Of course, Qin Huai didn’t really stay in touch with his good buddy either. He was busy, almost living in the kitchen with little time to check his phone.

Thinking about this, Qin Huai realized he really neglected his good buddy, Ouyang. Now that he had mastered making Four Happiness dumplings and with many dishes to practice, Qin Luo’s school was about to begin, leaving not much time for recipe trials. For the business to really scale up, he needed to rely on Ouyang.

Qin Huai accepted the red envelopes and reminded Granny not to trust unreliable marketing accounts, nor wake up in the middle of the night to play on her phone and forward marketing videos to the family group.

Playing with the phone in the dark is bad for the eyes.

Qin Luo also reminded Granny that forwarding like this would expose her late-night phone habits.

Granny Qin was very touched, thinking how her grandchildren really cared for her as she watched the vehicles leave.

In the car, Qin Luo excitedly opened the red envelope, while Qin Huai checked his phone to send Ouyang a message.

After thinking a bit, Qin Huai cautiously sent two words: "Are you there?"

More than 10 minutes later, Ouyang replied with three crying emojis.

Qin Huai: ?

Got some gossip?

Without any hesitation, Qin Huai made a phone call.

Ouyang picked up immediately.

"Qin Huai, bro, Brother Qin, Godfather! When are you coming back? Are you coming back today? Hurry up, come back quickly. If you don’t come back and make some snacks for me to give to my relatives, I am really going to be kicked out of the family." Ouyang’s voice came through the phone, crying and wailing.