Chapter 53: Madam Lin Misses Home

Although the food stall business was temporarily suspended, the intel updates still arrived punctually.

Seven-thirty in the morning.

A person, a cat, a dazing Chen Taotao, and Ms. Lin, who had long since grown accustomed to this scene.

Chen Zhou began to check this latest batch of intel.

[Ingredient Express - True Taste of Hometown (Rare): Treating customers with sincerity will be returned in kind, with a small probability of triggering rare intel on the true taste of the hometown. From the positive reviews left by the two renovation workers over the past few days, you have acquired the recipe for a specialty snack from Guanzhong—Roujiamo (Chinese Hamburger).]

Chen Zhou knew he was destined to cross paths with these two workers.

Shortly after he first opened for business, he had seen them come to buy steamed buns. And now, as he was finally opening his own proper shop, it was still these two renovation workers who lent a helping hand.

Chen Zhou also shared a destiny with Roujiamo.

His food cart had been acquired at a bargain from the elderly Roujiamo vendor.

Now, it served as a directional sign, notifying customers that he was about to open his official storefront.

However, with the old aunt's experience fresh in mind, Chen Zhou felt there was no need to rush into expanding his menu categories.

When he had time, he could make a couple first to taste-test and gradually introduce them.

Next was—

[Diner Dynamics: Lin Yifan has been feeling a bit homesick lately.]

With the food stall paused for a few days, the diner dynamics had reverted right back to where they started.

He shared the information with his wife and daughter.

Chen Zhou recalled the verbal agreement his family had made with his mother-in-law.

Every summer vacation, they would bring Taotao back for a visit.

Last year, Chen Zhou had tagged along as well. Ms. Lin's older sister's family of four was there too, and the gathering of older and younger kids made it exceptionally lively.

Right now, summer vacation had come around once again.

Lin Yifan was feeling homesick... and the old lady undoubtedly missed her younger daughter and granddaughter as well.

Chen Zhou had been so busy with his business lately that he almost let this slip his mind.

It was a good thing Lin Yifan had visited Taotao's grandparents not long ago.

However, Chen Zhou genuinely could not free himself up at the moment.

He planned to let the mother and daughter go back for a visit first.

Yet, regarding his wife's homesickness, she had never uttered a word of it to him, undoubtedly feeling that he needed help preparing for the shop opening and wanted to stay and assist. She had hidden her feelings deep inside.

But who are you trying to fool, Ms. Lin!

Of course, the third regular item of intel remained unread—

[Market News: If you apply for a food business license within the next few days, you will run into the front-desk staff member who previously processed your street vendor registration.]

Chen Zhou couldn't help but sigh: Is this fate too?

On second thought, it probably had nothing to do with fate; she simply worked there.

He vaguely remembered that the staff member at the counter was a young girl who had been driven to distraction at the time by an elder colleague in the vending business.

He never expected to run into her again while handling official paperwork.

Chen Zhou only remembered that young girl because the intel reminded him.

She probably wouldn't remember him at all.

So many people handled paperwork every day.

...

This batch of intel contained nothing urgent that needed immediate handling. The main tasks for the short term were for Chen Zhou to run errands for the shop permits, and then have the sign custom-made and installed.

Still, doing it all by himself was sufficient.

Chen Zhou first looked at Chen Taotao beside him, gently shaking her to snap her out of her daze.

"Taotao, do you miss Grandma?"

"I do!"

Chen Taotao blurted out.

The little girl had been raised by her grandmother, so of course she missed her.

"But I don't quite remember what Grandma looks like anymore." As she spoke, she asked to look at the photos on Chen Zhou's phone.

Chen Zhou opened the album and handed it to her, then got up and went to the kitchen.

Ms. Lin was still preparing a healthy, nutritious, yet mediocre-tasting breakfast, and was startled by Chen Zhou suddenly appearing behind her. "Why do you walk without making a sound!"

"It's you I'm wondering about. What on earth are you daydreaming about so intently?"

Lin Yifan handed a washed plate of cherry tomatoes to Chen Zhou. "I wasn't thinking about anything."

You're homesick...

"Your company has annual leave too, right?"

Ms. Lin nodded. "Why the sudden question?"

Chen Zhou: "I'll buy tickets to Guanzhong for the two of you. Take our girl to go see her grandma."

Lin Yifan's eyes darted away. One moment she claimed the plane tickets were too expensive, the next she fretted that high-speed rail tickets couldn't be bought during the summer rush. She stubbornly refused to mention her own homesickness.

Chen Zhou simply took his wife's phone from her hand and began checking ticket information.

Within two minutes, he had booked a ticket.

He handed the phone back to Ms. Lin and said:

"Leaving Thursday morning, taking the high-speed rail. Children under six don't need a ticket. I'll drive you guys to the station when the time comes."

Lin Yifan stared blankly at the ticket details on the screen before her.

Those four simple words, "Direct to Guanzhong," stirred up boundless longing for her hometown.

Following that, her mind began calculating how to request leave from her company, notify Teacher Li at the kindergarten, and simply pack some gifts before heading back to Guanzhong.

As for what she could say to Chen Zhou,

it was reduced to a meek and obedient "Oh."

Though they were an old married couple by now, at this moment, Chen Zhou found Ms. Lin rather adorable. Tonight he could—

Chen Taotao walked over and returned the phone to her dad.

Chen Zhou then said to his wife:

"Oh, right, I've pretty much spent all my cash, so I paid for the tickets using your phone just now."

Hearing this, Lin Yifan pondered for a moment, then pointed toward the bedroom.

"There's a certificate of deposit that has matured. Go take it and use it."

Chen Zhou rubbed the stubble on his chin... Shouldn't this be a warm, heartwarming moment that deepens the bond between a middle-aged married couple?

Why did it feel like the nature of the transaction had changed?

Judging by his wife's intent, she should be able to understand his thoughts.

Never mind, the days ahead were still long.

...

In the morning, Chen Zhou withdrew the money and immediately went to the decoration company to make the payment.

A breakfast shop centered on quality didn't require overly lavish interior design. After yesterday's discussion, Chen Zhou had chosen a simple and elegant layout.

The people at the decoration company even complimented him, saying the signboard design looked quite stunning.

Imperceptibly, this added a bit more value to Employee Number One.

Chen Zhou relayed these exact words to his junior apprentice.

After ordering the signboard, a text message reading "Business license successfully processed" was sent to Chen Zhou's phone.

The electronic version could be downloaded at any time, but the physical copy had to be collected in person.

Chen Zhou made another trip out to pick it up.

Looking back at the end of the day, even though he hadn't really done anything monumental, he still felt rushed off his feet.

...

In the evening, a little past five o'clock, Ms. Lin picked up the child and headed home on the way.

The moment she stepped through the door, she caught a familiar scent.

It was that rich, savory aroma of pork slowly simmered over low heat until the meat's fats and spices perfectly fused together.

Catching a whiff of this scent, one could practically visualize the state of the meat at that very moment.

It was definitely not purely lean meat.

Furthermore, the fatty portions must have been stewed to absolute perfection, reaching a crystal-clear, greasy-yet-not-cloying state. A gentle press with the tongue, and it would melt in the mouth.

It probably still had the skin attached, slightly gelatinous and delightfully sticky to the teeth.

"Are you stewing meat again? No wait, did you make Roujiamo?!"

Lin Yifan walked into the kitchen and caught an additional fragrance of baked wheat flour.

Chen Zhou pointed at the oven: "The two renovation workers taught me a few secret tips for making them at home the other day."

Just by inhaling the aroma, Ms. Lin knew the resulting Roujiamo couldn't possibly be anything less than stellar.

At this moment, she had no choice but to admit:

"I really am a little homesick."