Chapter 1152

Donghua Gate

Changpu Street

Cao Weiguo prepared a table full of good dishes, three meat and two vegetable dishes, quite sumptuous.

Bai Lijuan had a poor appetite, but Qin Jingru ate until her mouth was oily.

"Brother Weiguo! The dishes you make are too delicious."

"After eating your cooking, eating what I make myself feels like eating pig slop."

Cao Weiguo picked up a piece of spare rib for Qin Jingru: "If you know your own cooking is hard to eat, then improve it more."

Qin Jingru blinked her eyes: "I want to improve, but no one teaches me. Brother Weiguo, why don't you take me as your apprentice?"

Cao Weiguo laughed: "I don't take female apprentices, but when I have time, I can teach you a few tricks."

Qin Jingru said "Oh," and happily ate the sweet and sour spare ribs.

Cao Weiguo picked up vegetables for Bai Lijuan: "Sister Lijuan, eating more vegetables is good for the fetus."

Bai Lijuan made a bitter face: "I have no appetite."

Cao Weiguo got up and took his briefcase, pulling out a bag of candied fruit from inside: "I know you have no appetite, so I specially made some candied fruit for you."

Bai Lijuan smiled happily: "Thank you."

Qin Jingru sat at the dining table, stealing glances from time to time.

Looking at the behavior of the two, she felt that their relationship was not that of ordinary friends.

But she was sensible and reluctant to lose this job, so even if she had suspicions in her heart, she played dumb.

Ever since she started working, she had played deaf and dumb, never asking more than necessary.

After all, this job was truly too good for her.

The pay was good, the treatment was good, and Bai Lijuan and Cao Weiguo took good care of her.

During the New Year, the holiday goods Bai Lijuan gave her made the neighbors envious.

If she lost this job because of being a gossip, she would really have nowhere to cry.

After lunch, Cao Weiguo looked at Qin Jingru, who was clearing the dishes: "Jingru! You haven't really been out shopping lately, have you?"

Qin Jingru looked up: "That's right! Since I came back after the New Year, I've only been to the vegetable market and the supply and marketing cooperative; I haven't been anywhere else."

Cao Weiguo laughed: "You've worked hard during this time. As a reward, I'll take you and Lijuan out for a stroll later. How about we go to Wang Fujing?"

Qin Jingru was overjoyed: "That's great!"

Bai Lijuan, supporting her large belly, said: "Jingru has been taking care of me quite hard lately; it's time to go out and relax."

Qin Jingru nimbly finished the housework, changed into new clothes, and applied snow cream.

The three of them took a bus together to Wang Fujing. After getting off, Qin Jingru was as happy as a child.

"Sir! Give me three sticks of candied hawthorn!"

"Coming right up!"

"Thank you! Here is the money!"

Cao Weiguo paid the money, took the candied hawthorns, and handed them to Bai Lijuan and Qin Jingru: "One for you! One for Jingru! And one for me!"

Qin Jingru happily took the candied hawthorn: "Thank you, Brother Weiguo!"

Eating the sweet and sour candied hawthorns, the three of them strolled along, chatting and laughing.

On the street, there were people popping popcorn, molding clay figurines, repairing bicycles, repairing shoes... people coming and going, bustling and noisy.

Along the way, Cao Weiguo bought quite a few snacks and also bought a new set of clothes for both Bai Lijuan and Qin Jingru.

Holding the beautiful new clothes, Qin Jingru was absolutely delighted.

After coming out of the department store, Cao Weiguo took the two of them to see a movie.

The movie was the 1955 classic "Guerrillas of the Plain," which mainly depicted the guerrilla leader Li Xiang Yang receiving the mission to contain the Matsui unit of the Japanese army stationed in a certain county, in order to crush the Japanese army's conspiracy to "mop up" a certain base area in North China...

The plot was full of twists and turns, and Li Xiang Yang was brave and resourceful; everyone watched with great interest.

"It's getting late! Let's go! I'll treat you to a meal at a restaurant!"

"Brother Weiguo, you are too kind!"

It was already dark when they came out of the cinema. Cao Weiguo led Bai Lijuan and Qin Jingru to a state-run restaurant.

Even though it was mealtime, there weren't many customers in the state-run restaurant.

After all, in this day and age, no family had that much spare money to run to a restaurant for a meal. Usually, it was only when relatives came to visit or when a couple was dating that they would go to a restaurant to save face. For ordinary folks, eating at a restaurant once was enough to brag about for half a year.

After the three were seated, Cao Weiguo took the money and food coupons to the front desk to order: "Shredded pork in bean sauce, four-joy meatballs, dry-braised winter bamboo shoots, six steamed buns, and three bowls of millet porridge."

The middle-aged woman sitting behind the counter looked up impatiently: "Three yuan, six mao, five fen, and two jin of grain coupons."

Well!

That attitude!

It was indeed arrogant enough!

But it wasn't strange in this day and age; even the waiters at state-run restaurants had iron rice bowls.

As for complaining? There was nowhere to complain.

Either you take it, or you get lost. Does an iron rice bowl fear you?

"Write the ticket."

Cao Weiguo handed over the money and coupons. The woman took them, counted and verified them, and then slowly wrote out a ticket: "Alright, I'll call you when it's ready."

After waiting for more than twenty minutes, Cao Weiguo and Qin Jingru finally brought the dishes to the table.

Cao Weiguo: "Let's eat!"

Qin Jingru's eyes lit up as she tucked in: "Brother Weiguo! This shredded pork in bean sauce doesn't taste as good as yours."

Cao Weiguo: "Eat more and talk less; can't even a meal plug your mouth?"

In a short while, the three plates of food were wiped clean.

Cao Weiguo asked: "Are you full?"

Bai Lijuan nodded: "Full."

Qin Jingru let out a burp: "I'm stuffed."

Today was truly too happy!

Shopping!

Ate lots of snacks!

Bought new clothes!

And ate at a restaurant!

Isn't this the life I dreamed of?

After sending Bai Lijuan and Qin Jingru back to their residence, it was already eight o'clock in the evening when Cao Weiguo returned to the Sihe Academy.

Passing by the front courtyard, Chi Ping'an caught up with Cao Weiguo with a troubled look on his face.

Chi Ping'an: "Weiguo! Can you do me a favor?"

Cao Weiguo: "What favor?"