1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 30 Love Letter
Zhao Tieying took Zhou Momo to take a bath, while Zhou Yan took a small bucket and put the eels on the ground into it.

Sure enough, each of the five eels weighed two or three ounces.

Five high-quality, plump wild eels

A note flashed by.

These are all-natural, wild-caught yellow eels, bright yellow and full of vitality.

This must have been done by Zhou Lihui. Fanwa and Momo don't have that kind of skill. That kid is very talented in these areas.

Eels can be made into braised eel, Linjiang eel shreds, stir-fried eel... Zhou Yan's mind was already filled with many classic dishes.

I've eaten it, but I really don't know how to cook it.

"Comrade Zhou Yan."

He had just finished catching the eels when a voice came from behind him.

Zhou Yan turned around and saw a tall young man walking towards him. He was a student from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute who had just eaten at the restaurant. He was about the same height as Zhou Yan, had wheat-colored skin, a buzz cut, and looked quite sunny.

"Hello, classmate, what can I do for you?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile, carrying a bucket.

"My name is Ma Xingye. Are you and Xia Yao close friends?" Ma Xingye asked Zhou Yan, his hand, which was hanging by his pocket, unconsciously clenched into a fist.

"Xia Yao and I... are doing pretty well, right?" Zhou Yan nodded.

He and Xia Yao were practically brothers, though they didn't have much contact, their relationship was indeed quite good.

Could this student Ma be an admirer of Xia Yao?

Could it be that he feels Xia Yao has a close relationship with him, so he wants to meet her in person?

While we were eating, he seemed to be glancing at Xia Yao frequently, so it's pretty much confirmed.

Zhou Yan glanced at his strong biceps, which showed obvious signs of training. He wasn't sure he could beat him in a real fight.

“Um, Ma, actually Xia Yao and I…” Zhou Yan was about to explain the situation.

"I know you two are a perfect match, a match made in heaven." Ma Xingye put on a smile and rubbed his hands together. "Brother Zhou, I just want to ask you for a favor."

"Huh?" Zhou Yan was a little confused.

Ma Xingye had already taken out an envelope and handed it over with both hands: "Please help me give this letter to Xia Yao so that she can pass it on to Deng Hong."

Zhou Yan looked at Ma Xingye, who was blushing slightly.

No, you're blushing like a bubble teapot?

And who is Deng Hong?

"Deng Hong is Xia Yao's roommate and good friend. She sat at the same table with her at noon today. She's the very cute one," Ma Xingye quickly explained, seemingly noticing Zhou Yan's confusion.

Zhou Yan knew who it was: the petite, plump girl next to Xia Yao, with a round face.

She's quite cute, talkative, and has a rather outgoing personality.

I didn't expect this kid to like this one.

"Oh, a love letter." Zhou Yan looked at the letter and then at Ma Xingye, puzzled. "Why didn't you just give it to Deng Hong, or ask Xia Yao to pass it on for you?"

"I...I..." Ma Xingye scratched his head awkwardly, "I dare not."

Look at you, so tall and strong, what a disappointment!
Zhou Yan silently complained in his heart.

It's quite unusual to deliver love letters for someone; the last time I did it was back in junior high.

After all, most of the time, it was others who handed him love letters.

In any case, it's better than having a dogfight with some random love rival offline.

“Okay, I’ll pass it to you.” Zhou Yan agreed to the task.

"Brother Zhou, thank you! From now on, you're my big brother!" Ma Xingye said excitedly.

"I'll just deliver it for you, but I can't guarantee it will be successful."

"I know."

Zhou Yan washed her hands and dried them on her apron before accepting the love letter.

Ma Xingye walked away happily, and as he walked, he even made a shooting motion.

Zhou Yan had never been in a relationship in either of his lives, so he didn't quite understand this feeling.

After all, he can't even satisfy his own sense of security, so he really can't provide enough security for girls.

What is love?
That would only slow down the speed at which he makes money.

Zhou Yan was pondering when to hand the letter to Xia Yao when he noticed three girls sitting on a bench on the riverbank in the distance, one of whom, judging from the back, was Xia Yao.

He's thick-skinned and doesn't blush when talking to girls.

So he took the letter and walked towards the river.

"Xia Yao."

Xia Yao, Deng Hong, and Zhu Yuyu were sitting by the river chatting and enjoying the breeze when they turned around at the sound. They saw Zhou Yan holding an envelope and looking at them with a smile.

"I have something I'd like to talk to you about," Zhou Yan said.

"What's he holding in his hand? Could it be a love letter?" Deng Hong whispered gossipingly.

"Could it be that he knew we were leaving tomorrow and was going to confess to Yao Yao? He even prepared the love letter in advance!" Zhu Yuyu was also a little excited. "Don't talk nonsense." Xia Yao glared at them angrily, then got up and walked towards Zhou Yan.

“Let’s go over there.” Zhou Yan glanced at the gossipy duo who were craning their necks and perking up their ears.

Especially that round-faced girl, she practically lifted her butt off the chair, as if she wanted to stretch her neck right next to them.

"Okay." Xia Yao nodded and followed Zhou Yan to the big tree next to them.

Could it be that he... is really going to confess his feelings to me?
Xia Yao had received many love letters since she was a child, but she had never been as nervous as she was today.

My heart is beating so fast!
thump! thump!
Her mind was in turmoil, and she was already thinking about whether to refuse or agree.
If I were to refuse, what would be a dignified way to say it?

Deng Hong's words echoed in her ears: "Yaoyao, why don't you think about it... marrying him will make you happy for the rest of your life."

Yes, his braised pork ribs are delicious, and his braised beef with ribs is also very good...

Xia Yao looked at Zhou Yan standing under the tree. The autumn sunlight filtered through the sparse branches and leaves and fell on his smiling face, making it seem a little softer.

If I absolutely have to choose someone to spend my life with in the future, he seems pretty good.

"Zhou Yan".

"Xia Yao."

They both spoke at the same time.

"You...you go first." Xia Yao subconsciously grabbed the hem of her skirt.

My aunt's warning, the four thousand miles of distance separating us, and the differences in our families—none of these seemed so important at that moment.

"This love letter." Zhou Yan handed over the letter in his hand.

Xia Yao hesitated for a moment, then solemnly accepted the letter with both hands. "Actually, I..."

"It was a boy named Ma Xingye from your department who asked me to give it to you, and then you can pass it on to Deng Hong," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

“…Huh?” Xia Yao was stunned, the words that were on the tip of her tongue stuck in her throat, and then she saw the address 'To Deng Hong' on the envelope, and her face turned red instantly.

what!

Xia Yao, what are you thinking?
Her mind was in turmoil; she felt relieved that she didn't have to make a decision, but also had a strange sense of loss.

"He looks tall and strong, but I didn't expect him to be so timid. He even needs my help as a fourth party to deliver a love letter." Zhou Yan smiled easily, looking at Xia Yao, whose face was slightly flushed. "By the way, what did you just say about actually you?"

"No...it's nothing." Xia Yao quickly regained her composure, waved the letter in her hand, and smiled, "Then I'll give it to Xiao Deng. She's actually had a crush on Ma Xingye all along, and she didn't expect him to actually send her a love letter to confess his feelings."

"Really?" Zhou Yan was somewhat surprised, but more than that, she was happy: "That's wonderful. A love that goes both ways will have a beautiful ending."

"A love that flows between two people." Xia Yao silently recited this to herself as she looked at Zhou Yan, then turned and walked towards the riverbank.

"What are they talking about behind our backs? Will Yao Yao agree to it?"

"It's hard to say. After all, Yao Yao's dream is to become a designer. If she marries into this small town, does that mean she has to give up her dream?"

Zhu Yuyu and Deng Hong sat on the chairs, scratching their heads anxiously, when they saw Xia Yao walking towards them with a smile, holding the letter.

"Yaoyao, did you agree?" Zhu Yuyu jumped up immediately.

"She's smiling so sweetly, she must have said yes." Deng Hong couldn't wait to go up to her. "Yao Yao, quickly look at what's written in the love letter! We're both so anxious!"

"What are you agreeing to? This isn't for me." Xia Yao smiled and handed the letter to Deng Hong. "This is a love letter that Ma Xingye wrote for you. He asked Zhou Yan to give it to me, and then I'll give it to you."

"Comrade Xiao Deng, your favorite Ma Xingye has confessed his feelings to you."

Deng Hong's expression and movements froze instantly. Her eyes widened as she stared incredulously at the letter in Xia Yao's hand, muttering, "Written by Ma Xingye? For me? He confessed his feelings to me!"

"Heavenly Bodhisattva!" Zhu Yuyu was also stunned, but quickly exclaimed excitedly, "Deng Hong! Your dream has come true!"

"A love that flows between two people, how wonderful." Xia Yao smiled and stuffed the letter into Deng Hong's hand. "Quickly open it and see what it says."

"My dear sister, let's read this together!" Deng Hong opened the letter with red eyes, her hands trembling.

……

When Zhao Hong's sister-in-law returned with her two children, she had already washed them clean by the river.

The larger one was wearing a smock, while the smaller one was wearing an apron.

It doesn't seem like they really went all out; he even came back with a smile on his face.

Zhou Momo took a shower, changed her clothes, and dried her hair with a towel. She then dried it in front of the stove for a while, making her look frizzy and like a kitten with its fur standing on end.

"Huihui, Fanwa, Mommy said we're having braised eel tonight, let's go catch some more next time!" Zhou Momo said in her childish voice as she looked at the two children.

“Okay.” Huihui and Fanwa nodded.

"You dare!" Zhao Hong glared at the two of them, but couldn't help laughing.

After a quick lunch, Zhou Yan pushed his old bicycle out to buy groceries.

"Xia Yao is going back to Shancheng early tomorrow morning. Why don't you go to town later and buy some rice candy for her to take back with her? She's such a nice girl," Zhao Tieying said to Zhou Yan as they came out.

"Okay," Zhou Yan replied, and rode away on his bicycle.

Zhou Yan first bought beef and ribs, then went to the dock and saw Zhou Jie and Zhou Hai cleaning up the dishes. He parked his bicycle in front of the stall and said with a smile, "Brother Jie, Brother Hai, my soup pot is now on sale."

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(End of this chapter)