The first thing I did was to find out

Chapter 510 Friends (Bonus chapter for the generous donation from the patron with the best nickname!)
Shi Dadan went to the airport quickly and returned quickly as well. Qin Huai sent a message to Zhao Cheng'an telling him not to bring lunch anymore, and that he would go back to the Yunzhong canteen to eat and then wait for Shi Dadan at the entrance of the Yunzhong residential area.

When Shi Dadan got off the bus, he didn't have any carry-on luggage, which means he didn't even have time to pack his luggage and directly booked the earliest flight to Shanghai.

Qin Huai had originally thought that the mayfly was the pinnacle of radicalism among spirits, but he hadn't expected the auspicious beast to be just as impressive. In terms of action, Zhao Cheng'an was absolutely no match.

As soon as Shi Dadan got out of the car and saw Qin Huai, his guilty conscience was impossible to hide. His guilty conscience was different from the one Qu Jing had shown when she confessed to Qin Huai that she had secretly contacted her parents from her past life. Qu Jing knew she had done something wrong, but she was determined to do it anyway, like a child who won't give up until they hit a brick wall—the guilty conscience of a child who has done something wrong.

Shi Dadan was caught lying by his parents, and he felt guilty for lying.

Don't ask how Qin Huai knows so much about it.

He had seen all those expressions on Qin Luo's face before.

Shi Dadan knew he had been a bit too radical today, so he spoke first to explain: "I'm not acting impulsively to go to Suzhou to find Director Xu and ask him about the truth of Xu Nuo's death. I just want to see Director Xu and check on his health."

His expression was very sincere, but Qin Huai asked, "Do you think the people will believe your nonsense?"

"Would you like something to drink?" Qin Huai asked.

Shi Dadan thought about it seriously: "Little Ou's handmade lemon tea?"

Qin Huai led Shi Dadan directly to Xiao Ou's handmade lemon tea shop across the street to buy drinks. There weren't many customers in the shop at this time, but judging from the speed at which Ouyang mixed the drinks and the continuous stream of orders coming out of the delivery machine, it was clear that the shop was overwhelmed with orders.

For some reason, Qin Huai felt that Ouyang's arms seemed to have gotten a bit thicker, probably from shaking the milk tea.

Upon seeing Qin Huai arrive, Ouyang was overjoyed: "Qin Huai, what brings you here? Old Shi is here too? What would you like to drink? How much? I'll let you cut in line."

Qin Huai knows Shi Dadan very well: "Give me one of each of the milk teas you make, including all the normal flavors of hand-whipped lemon tea."

Ouyang: ? Normal-tasting lemon tea? Bro, who do you think you are?

Ouyang started shaking the milk tea frantically.

Shi Dadan leaned close to the Qinhuai River and whispered, "I didn't mean to lie to you. I just didn't want to lie to you, that's why I didn't tell you."

"Qin Huai, you have to trust me. I know what I'm doing. I really want to go and see for myself; I won't feel at ease if I don't."

"Let's talk at my place later," Qin Huai said.

After Ouyang finished shaking all the milk teas, Qin Huai and Shi Dadan carried 13 cups of milk tea into the residential area like delivery guys. It's safe to say Ouyang really wanted to prove himself; in his knowledge, Xiao Ou's Handmade Lemon Tea shop actually had nine normal lemon tea options.

Shi Dadan followed Qin Huai home. After entering the house, Qin Huai first put the milk tea on the coffee table, then went to the kitchen to wash some fruit for Shi Dadan and took a few cheese sticks before repeating to Shi Dadan what everyone had said at Luo Jun's house.

“Old Shi, I know I have no right to interfere with your actions, and I generally don’t interfere with your actions,” Qin Huai said sincerely. “Just like I really hope that Mr. Luo can successfully overcome his tribulation in this life, everyone hopes so too, but no one will force Mr. Luo to let go of his worries. At most, they will subtly provoke him with words.”

“When Sister Hong woke up, she told me that undergoing tribulation is a matter for each spirit, and no one else can interfere. Even I cannot decide or change the will of a spirit.”

“We didn’t interfere with Qu Jing’s reunion with her parents from her previous life, nor did we interfere with Zhao Cheng’an’s contact with Xia Murui. Logically speaking, I shouldn’t interfere if you want to go back to find Director Xu.”

"Gong Liang reacted so strongly today because he is not very familiar with our way of doing things. Mr. Luo didn't really care when we had the tea party, but I did."

"Old Shi, I really consider you a very good friend."

“I think you have a great personality and you understand me very well. You are a spirit, a friend, an elder, and also like my peer. I’m not afraid to tell you that I actually don’t have many friends growing up.”

“Normally, people have childhood friends, but I don’t; I only have classmates.”

"And my younger sister and cousin."

“Most of the time I spend with my family and making desserts, so I don’t have much experience in making friends. I don’t have many friends so far. Zheng Siyuan is my friend, Ouyang is, Tan Weian is, and then there’s you.”

“Sister Hong and the others are more like elders.”

"I don't know how high the chances are if a spirit succeeds in its tribulation and then fails, but I can guess that the probability is extremely low."

"I hope you are safe. I hope every spirit I know can successfully overcome their tribulations, but I especially hope you can."

“This is what I really think.”

Qin Huai looked at Shi Dadan and noticed that Shi Dadan's eyes were a little red as he ate fruit and drank milk tea.

Shi Dadan sniffed: "Xiao Qin, I really do consider you a friend." "So I really don't want to lie to you."

"But I really want to see Director Xu. I just want to know how his health is now and how much longer he can live."

"Director Xu is in good health, at least that's what Gong Liang said."

"Give me some time. After Grandpa Wang wakes up, we'll ask him all the questions. Once you've calmed down and are in a position to face everything, then you can go to Suzhou to find Director Xu, okay?"

Shi Dadan remained silent for more than ten seconds, then nodded emphatically: "Okay."

"But I have one more request."

"Xiao Qin, you only made crab roe and pork buns once. I actually really like crab roe and pork buns. Could you make them again?"

"Crabs will be on the market soon. I know there might not be any fresh crab roe right now, but crab roe sauce will do."

Qin Huai never expected that Shi Dadan loved crab roe and pork buns so much. He had only eaten them once before and had been thinking about them ever since, without mentioning them again.

Since mastering the double crab bun technique, Qin Huai hasn't made any crab roe-based desserts. It's not that she's developed a taste for new things; it's just that it hasn't been crab season yet. Crab roe desserts are somewhat seasonal, and fresh crab roe always tastes better than crab roe sauce.

"Sure, Lao Shi, if you're willing to wait, I'll go to the Cloud Cafeteria to make it for you right now. When I made the double crab buns before, I asked Sister Xi to order a lot of crab roe sauce, and there should still be quite a bit stocked up in the cafeteria's warehouse."

"It just so happens that Zheng Siyuan is leaving the day after tomorrow. He's better at making crab roe sauce than I am. I'll make sure you get to eat crab roe and pork buns today."

Shi Dadan happily carried his milk tea and followed Qin Huai to the Yunzhong Canteen to wait for crab roe and pork buns.

When Qin Huai returned to the Yunzhong Cafeteria, Zhao Cheng'an was sitting in the lobby, idly playing on his phone.

She was still eating a steamed bun while playing on her phone; you could tell she didn't have any snacks but wanted something to eat.

"You're back! What happened, old man..." Zhao Cheng'an hadn't finished speaking when he saw the elated Shi Dadan and realized that Shi Dadan's state was not as expected, so his expression gradually turned blank.

"A minor unexpected situation," Qin Huai said vaguely. "I've realized that you all, regardless of your class, are all radicals."

Zhao Cheng'an: ?

"Stop slacking off. You've been working for an hour at Zhiweiju at this hour. I need to make crab roe and pork buns. Could you please chop the meat for me? My knife skills are still a bit lacking."

"Look at what you're saying. Your knife skills aren't just lacking, they're the worst in the world," Zhao Cheng'an blurted out.

Qin Huai: ?
"Why are you suddenly making crab roe and pork buns again? What kind of bun is this?"

"The recipe we found on Lao Shi's body was for fillings, perfect for making steamed buns."

"Old Shi wants to eat it, and the crab roe and pork buns are just the right level of difficulty, so they're a good way to practice his skills. It's a win-win situation."

Zhao Cheng'an was shocked: "You still remember to grind proficiency at a time like this?"

Qin Huai looked completely bewildered: "Of course I have to remember to grind for proficiency. The most important thing right now is to grind for proficiency."

"After I got home last night, I did a thorough review, and all the problems were actually due to insufficient strength. I think the reason why Grandpa Wang couldn't figure out the side quests might be because the pastries I make aren't amazing enough to make Grandpa Wang suddenly want to eat something. Not to mention the main quests."

"Therefore, giving up is not advisable; grinding for proficiency is the key."

"I'll give you this advice too. You don't want to go back to Zhiweiju a month from now and have Chef Zhou find out that you haven't improved at Yunzhong Canteen, but have actually regressed because you were just slacking off, do you?"

Zhao Cheng'an really wanted to say that he wasn't afraid, since his master wouldn't kill him anyway.

But Zhao Cheng'an's body betrayed him; he followed Qin Huai into the kitchen and started chopping meat, muttering to himself as he did so:
"All the problems stem from a lack of strength."

"Has Qin Huai had another epiphany?"

"No way, you can gain enlightenment just by going out for a trip?"

"I just missed one tea party, and he suddenly realized something?"

(End of this chapter)