Chapter 480: Chapter 181: Xiaolinzi, Serve This Palace and Wash My Feet Tonight~~

In short, next year, New Era must become a well-known enterprise within the province, and the year after, expand to the entire Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai area!

As he stretched lazily, Su Zelin’s nose suddenly twitched, detecting a delicious smell.

His mom had already gone out, so it definitely wasn’t coming from home.

It was from next door!

Qin Shiqing was cooking lunch.

Checking his phone, he realized it was already twelve o’clock.

"Gurgle..."

His stomach growled, and Su Zelin, feeling hungry, left his room.

Upon arriving next door, he found that Qin Daqing and Liu Sufen were also not at home.

At this time, everyone in business was busy.

Everyone hoped to earn a bit more money before the New Year.

The rascal tiptoed into the kitchen and found Qin Shiqing cooking.

The girl was wearing an apron, skillfully stir-frying beef in the pan.

She matured early, as the adults in her family often worked overtime and were absent when she was young. She learned to cook then, and with occasional guidance from Liu Sufen and Zhao Lixia, her cooking skills were quite good.

A dish of stir-fried celery and beef was done, and just as she placed it on the stove, two fingers reached over from behind, swiftly pinching a piece of meat.

Qin Shiqing was startled, turning around only to find it was Su Zelin.

Being practiced in pilfering food for so long, "Lu Xiaofeng’s" fingertip technique was masterful.

"What are you doing? Sneaking up on people without making a sound, you scared me to death!"

The girl’s eyebrows arched angrily, hands on her hips.

"And no stealing food!"

"I wasn’t stealing food, I was just tasting it, to make sure you didn’t ruin the ingredients!"

The rascal argued confidently.

"So, how is it? It’s alright, right?"

Qin Shiqing was quite confident.

She wasn’t the type to cook for decades and still get the salt wrong.

Su Zelin nodded slightly, commenting like an expert: "Hmm, the beef is quite good, tender yet chewy, the sauce is thick, the saltiness is just right, but it’s a bit fishy.

He added, "Next time, remember to add more cooking wine to remove the smell!"

"You’re so picky, even my aunt says my cooking is good!"

Qin Shiqing glared at him.

"By the way, did you wash your hands just now?"

"I did!"

Su Zelin lied without thinking. In fact, he had rushed over upon smelling the aroma, without having a chance to wash, because the first batch out of the pan is the best for pilfering. Once it’s served at the dining table, it loses its thrill.

"You liar, if you’d washed your hands, they wouldn’t look like that, go wash them now!"

Qin Shiqing’s eyes were sharp.

"You’re so naggy, you’re becoming more like my mom!"

Su Zelin grumbled a couple of times, then went to the sink to clean his hands.

Before leaving the kitchen, the rascal once again employed his fingertip technique, quickly grabbing another piece of beef, and escaped before the girl could lose her temper.

Qin Shiqing stomped her feet in anger.

She knew her childhood friend loved pilfering food, but to steal from others’ houses as well, nothing could be done about him.

Hehe, my fingertip technique is getting more and more polished.

Looking at his fingers covered in thick sauce, the rascal even licked them.

Can’t let it go to waste.

Soon enough, lunch was ready.

Stir-fried celery with beef, cabbage, and a simple seaweed egg drop soup—a simple family meal.

With only the two of them at home, not much food was prepared.

Qin Shiqing served two bowls of rice, pressing down on Su Zelin’s bowl repeatedly, knowing her childhood friend had a big appetite.

"Alright, I’m digging in!"

Having grown up freeloading off Qin Shiqing, the rascal naturally didn’t stand on ceremony and started devouring the food, shoveling rice into his mouth as if he hadn’t eaten in days.

Meanwhile, Qin Shiqing ate in a more delicate manner, chewing slowly.

After a while, the girl spoke up, "Tomorrow I want to visit my grandma. My parents won’t be free until after the New Year, so they asked me to bring some New Year’s goods to her. When I called her this morning, she said she hadn’t seen you in a while. Do you want to go?"

"Go to your grandma’s place..."

Su Zelin paused his chopsticks.

He knew his childhood friend’s grandma.

During summer vacations in his childhood, he often went with Qin Shiqing to spend time at the old lady’s countryside home, even staying for almost an entire summer once.

The elderly lady also came to the city to look after the two children.

But as she aged, her mobility lessened, so she hadn’t visited in a while.

Thinking back, he hadn’t seen her since the second year of middle school.

It’s been quite a few years!

The old lady was a kind person, treating him well. As a younger generation, it was indeed time for a visit, especially since she mentioned him on the phone. It would be impolite not to go.

With that thought, the rascal nodded, "Alright, I’ll go too!"

"Great, grandma will be so happy to see you!"

"..."

That evening, Su Zelin informed his parents about visiting Qin Shiqing’s grandma the next day.

His parents naturally had no objections, saying it was the right thing to do.

After all, the old lady took good care of him when he was a child.

However, they reminded Su Zelin to be polite, and to bring some New Year’s goods and fruits.

After all, he’s not a child anymore, and going there by car and with the means, he couldn’t go empty-handed during the New Year.

Early the next morning, Su Zelin left with Qin Shiqing, first stopping by New Year’s street to buy gifts.

Candies and biscuits were a must, even if it was a bit old-fashioned, it was tradition. They bought a dozen bags from Wong’s and Xu Fu Ji, as many of the nearby villagers were Qin Shiqing’s relatives and acquaintances from back then.

They also bought high-calcium cereal and milk powder specifically for the old lady, as they were beneficial for her bones, given her mobility issues.