Chasing My Husband! The "Crown Prince" of the Beijing Circle Is Wildly Unruly! - Chapter 6

“Ring, ring, ring—”

The alarm clock rang. Wang Xinghe, with his eyes closed, fumbled for the source of the sound.

His hand accidentally touched a piece of firm, hot skin.

He jolted awake and turned on the dim, orange bedside lamp. What came into view was a face with slightly long black hair covering his beautiful phoenix eyes.

The jawline on the side of his face was lean and sharp, his nose was high, and his lips were thin and very sexy.

He was curled up restlessly in the corner, wrapped in a quilt like a silkworm cocoon.

Wang Xinghe then belatedly remembered that he had brought someone home.

This action might seem absurd to others.

But for someone who had once not wanted to live anymore, it was no big deal.

At this moment, a wicked thought even flashed through Wang Xinghe’s mind.

If he were a murderer who had escaped here and killed me, would Auntie Song and the others just say I had bad luck, instead of saying I didn’t cherish my life?

Then Wang Xinghe let out a long breath, shaking off the thought. He must be crazy to think of a person as so bad.

He quietly turned off the light and got out of bed.

He kneaded the dough, stewed the beef, picked the vegetables, boiled the water, and prepared the ingredients for the day.

It was just like any other day; nothing was different.

Whoosh—

After everything was ready, he pulled up the rolling shutter and locked the security bolt.

He dragged out the red and white [Yiyi Knife-Cut Noodles] sign.

Sigh— The cold air of the twelfth lunar month made Wang Xinghe shiver. He sniffled.

He then dragged out the honeycomb briquette stove, propped up the chimney, and, after securing it, placed the large pot of beef and bones from inside the shop on top.

He lit the briquettes.

“Oh, little Wang~” Uncle Wang, who fried dough sticks next door, greeted him.

Wang Xinghe smiled and walked over. “Uncle Wang’s dough sticks still smell so good.”

“Of course. In this whole town, who can compare to your Uncle Wang’s skills?” Auntie Sun, who sold savory pies across the street, also looked up with a smile.

“Uncle~ I want a small bowl of braised beef knife-cut noodles,” a little girl with a ponytail and a school bag ran over.

Wang Xinghe helplessly looked at the time. “There’s no time to eat. Go buy something that’s already made, and come back after school to eat.”

The high school girl pouted. “Fine, Uncle~ Just say you’re lazy~”

Wang Xinghe flicked her forehead. “What did you say? Be careful, or I’ll go tell on you to your cousin.”

“Nya, nya, nya, lazy Uncle~” The little girl ran to the other side to buy a savory pie.

She even turned back and made a face at him.

Wang Xinghe made a fist gesture.

The girl skipped away.

“Brother Xinghe, why would you turn away business? If a customer wants to eat, we should make it for them,” Lu Jingze’s voice came from behind him.

Wang Xinghe turned to look at Lu Jingze. “There’s not enough time. If she’s late for school, my sister-in-law will definitely not let her off the hook, and then she’ll come over crying and complaining. It’s too much trouble.”

Lu Jingze generally understood their relationship. “Oh~ so she’s your little niece~”

He thought she was some girl with a crush on him.

Lu Jingze’s expression relaxed again. “Boss~ what can the little guy do? I can’t just live and eat for free.”

“When people come, you can help serve the noodles and clear the tables. There aren’t many people in the morning, but it’s a bit busier at noon and in the evening.”

Lu Jingze nodded. He looked at the frying dough sticks on the side, staring at them for a long time.

This terrible, dirty environment… the oil is a bit yellowish… and that old man’s hands are so rough and unsightly, and he’s not even wearing gloves…

And yet, the final product looks so neat and good…

Don’t they need to sprinkle some black truffle or cordyceps powder on them?

Can something fried in that oil really be delicious?

Seeing Lu Jingze staring at the dough sticks, Wang Xinghe didn’t say anything. He walked over. “Uncle, I’ll have two sticks and two bowls of tofu pudding.”

“Alright~ have your wife serve you,” Uncle Wang said, turning and waving to the woman inside the shop.

“Give little Wang two dough sticks and two bowls of tofu pudding.”

“Okay~ little Wang, come get it here,” a voice from inside the shop responded.

Lu Jingze gasped. He watched as Wang Xinghe came back with the dough sticks and tofu pudding.

“What are you standing there for? Come and eat.” Wang Xinghe placed the items on the clean, dark red wooden table. He pushed one portion toward Lu Jingze.

“Aren’t there two sticks? Why are there four?” Lu Jingze was a little hesitant to eat it. What if he got an upset stomach?

Wang Xinghe’s shop was small and the decor was simple, but the colors and ornaments were very tasteful.

On the first floor, six dark red wooden tables and chairs were neatly arranged. On one wall was a traditional ink painting of bamboo, with a sparrow perched on one of the stalks.

The other wall had a large painting of persimmons, with a lazy calico cat lying under the persimmon tree.

The gray floor tiles and dark red tables and chairs blended into a comfortable, light, modern Chinese aesthetic.

Most importantly, the shop was very clean. Even the bathroom on the first floor was spotless.

It was clear that Wang Xinghe was a very neat and hardworking person.

Auntie Song’s shop next door was also clean.

But the hygiene of the dough stick uncle’s stall was something Lu Jingze found a little…

“Oh, here, one stick is a pair. Look, they’re connected,” Wang Xinghe explained, gently pulling one from the middle to separate them.

The inside was a little white, and the dough was a bit soft.

Wang Xinghe took a bite, dipped it in the tofu pudding, and put it in his mouth.

Lu Jingze pursed his lips, watching Wang Xinghe’s red lips move as he chewed.

He actually took a deep breath, picked up the other stick Wang Xinghe had pulled apart, and bravely took a bite, copying him.

He hadn’t had high expectations, but as the crispy-on-the-outside and soft-on-the-inside, sweet flavor came through, Lu Jingze’s phoenix eyes suddenly widened. This… this is so delicious!

He took another big bite, not even dipping it in the tofu pudding. He ate the whole dough stick by itself.

He devoured the entire thing.

Wang Xinghe smiled gently. “Later, I’ll take you to say hello to the neighbors. You can eat anything you like.”

“Mhm,” Lu Jingze hummed softly.

The morning wind carried a chill. Wang Xinghe took Lu Jingze around, introducing him to all the aunts and uncles who had watched him grow up.

“Auntie Chen, this is the young helper I found for the shop. You can just call him Little Lu. If I’m ever not around, please help me look out for him.”

“Oh, my! This young man is so tall and handsome. How old are you? Do you have a partner?”

…

After introducing him to all the familiar faces, Wang Xinghe felt a little more at ease.

Lu Jingze’s eyebrows twitched slightly. He smiled at Wang Xinghe. “Brother Xinghe, you’re acting like a new husband introducing his wife everywhere.”

Wang Xinghe gave him a surprised look, then laughed out loud. “If I really got a wife, I wouldn’t just introduce her with one sentence.”

“Auntie Song would have to put up a banner in the shop to celebrate.”

Lu Jingze raised an eyebrow. “You’re right~ If you really got a wife, you should let the whole world know.”

Wang Xinghe thought he was too young and hadn’t experienced the harsh realities of society yet, so he didn’t say anything more.

Just then, a couple came into the shop.

Wang Xinghe stood up. “What can I get for you both?”

…