His Sunday Substitute - Chapter 23

Qin Cangye waited by the roadside until nightfall.

For several hours, he didn’t utter a word, nor did he look away. Instead, he meticulously etched the image of the house, which was very likely Su Yinuo’s home, into his mind, over and over again.

The house was old, its walls mottled with ivy vines that sprawled across the surface. Withered leaves decayed around the cacti, and a rusted iron gate swayed crookedly in the wind. Though everything appeared worn and chaotic, it brought Qin Cangye an unexpected sense of peace.

Perhaps it was because the scene, though messy, wasn’t dirty, though aged, it felt closer to nature.

Qin Cangye could easily imagine how lush the ivy-covered wall would be when spring arrived. The wind would rustle through the overlapping leaves, creating waves of green, and the girl he longed for would step out lightly from those waves, dressed in a snow-white dress, smiling brilliantly under the sunlight.

So, this was the kind of place she lived in.

A faint smile tugged at Qin Cangye’s lips, his heart softening. She truly was a sprite hidden within the clamor of the city.

That kind-hearted aunt with a missing leg but a warm smile, she must be her mother, right? With someone like that by her side, how could life ever feel bitter? There would only be the courage and hope to embrace the unknown.

If only she could be by my side too, how wonderful would that be?

A pang of jealousy struck Qin Cangye. He bit his knuckle, his thoughts spiraling: If I had my leg amputated, would she stay with me? Then, which leg should I cut off?

For Wu Heng, who sat in the driver’s seat, these nearly four hours were pure torment. He couldn’t speak, couldn’t leave the car, and couldn’t even focus too much on his phone. All he could do was silently switch between reading dull novels and memorizing vocabulary.

But for Qin Cangye, these four hours were endlessly fascinating.

The anticipation of seeing her after so long kept his emotions suspended in a strange mix of excitement tinged with melancholy, exhilaration laced with nervousness. His wild fantasies made him completely lose track of time. He even began planning how to preserve this courtyard wall during urban redevelopment, ensuring Su Yinuo’s family could live comfortably and spaciously.

Only when the streetlights flickered on in the deepening night did Qin Cangye finally spot a slowly approaching food truck. The vehicle looked familiar, and after racking his brain, he dredged up a vague memory, he had seen it once by the roadside, and again near the Software Park in the East District.

At first, he didn’t pay it much mind, assuming the driver was Su Yinuo’s father. But when the truck pulled into the courtyard and the person inside removed their hat and mask, returning to close the gate, Qin Cangye finally saw the face he had been yearning for day and night.

He jerked upright, frozen in shock.

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that the owner of that shabby food truck, bundled up in an outdated dark cotton jacket, looking bulky and awkward, would be none other than his beloved Nuonuo.

The streetlight outside the courtyard gate wasn’t particularly bright, casting a dim yellow glow on Su Yinuo’s small, smiling face. Though she wore no makeup and her face was bare, Qin Cangye still found her utterly adorable, only that adorableness clashed starkly with her outfit.

Qin Cangye stood frozen for a long moment before fully accepting the fact that the owner of the snack cart was Su Yinuo.

By then, Su Yinuo had already closed the courtyard gate and vanished from his sight.

Even Wu Heng couldn’t help exclaiming, “So that was Miss Nuo!” After his outburst, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he turned to ask, “Does that mean we’ve actually met before?”

He too recalled the frumpy auntie by the snack cart they had encountered months ago when they’d rear-ended a Maserati. The incident had left a deep impression, after all, crashing a Phantom into a Maserati wasn’t something one experienced often in life.

From the back seat, Qin Cangye suddenly pressed a hand to his forehead and let out a regretful sigh. “That time wasn’t so bad. If anything, I accidentally helped her and left a good impression, right? But there was another time at the Near East Software Park…”

Qin Cangye thought back to the only day he’d visited the Near East Software Park. Fuming with anger as he exited Building Five, he’d encountered an auntie who offered him disinfectant and gauze. At the time, he’d merely glanced at her before coldly swatting her hand away.

Now it dawned on him, the auntie who had run back to her snack cart after he struck her hand must have been Nuo as well.

No one would care for a terrifying stranger with a face like thunder without reason. Why hadn’t he realized it then?

“She must have been heartbroken that time,” Qin Cangye lamented, consumed by self-reproach.

Prompted by Qin Cangye’s words, Wu Heng also remembered the incident and awkwardly admitted, “Sorry, I think I even pushed Miss Nuo.” He glanced at Qin Cangye and tentatively asked, “Should we go in and apologize?”

Qin Cangye took a deep breath and gazed at the courtyard once more. After a long pause, he finally said, “No. Let’s head back to the office.”

The Phantom slowly started up and drove away from the old residential area, disappearing into the distant night.

Back in Su Yinuo’s home, Zhang Lihua had been chattering excitedly for a while: “Nuo, let me tell you, today I met a rich man! He bought all the unsold stock I had listed online and even transferred me 3,000 yuan right away! Three thousand yuan!”

“No way! Where would a rich person come from around here? And these days, what rich person would be that foolish?” Su Yinuo replied with a laugh.

“Don’t you doubt me! Come look,” her mother said, pulling out her phone and tapping around for a while before finally opening the payment receipt.

When Su Yinuo saw the 3,000 yuan on the screen, her eyes widened in shock. “Wow, Mom, you must have met a patron who appreciates your craftsmanship! Huh? Why is their profile picture a cactus?”

Baffled, Su Yinuo stared at the payer’s avatar for a few seconds before remarking, “The patron takes such good care of their cactus too, so lush and green.”

The next day was Saturday, and business was slow, especially in the morning. The entire snack street was deserted. After all, winter had arrived, and even those working overtime weren’t willing to crawl out of bed at seven or eight in the morning.

Su Yinuo arrived early as usual. After setting up the vegetable baskets and firing up the pot, she sat on a small stool, planning ahead for summer menu ideas. The mala tang business was far less profitable in summer compared to winter, especially during midday in the peak of the season. The sales were often so dismal that they barely covered costs. Su Yinuo had already decided that next summer, she wouldn’t sell mala tang at noon, instead, she’d switch to refreshing fruit bowls or ice jelly.

Occasionally, a few customers approached, and Su Yinuo would quickly put down her phone to attend to them. Amid the bustle, she often felt an inexplicable sensation of being watched, but whenever she looked up, she never spotted anyone suspicious.

“Auntie Zhang, coffee,” Ji Wenjun yawned as he walked over, handing Su Yinuo a warm cup before naturally positioning himself beside her to help out.

Su Yinuo took the coffee, turned away to pull down her mask for a sip, then set it aside. As she packed food containers, she asked, “How late did you stay out last night? Why not sleep in more? Saturdays aren’t busy here.”

“We were drinking and chatting until past nine, then went for karaoke. I got home around eleven. Hey, I remember texting you about it, you didn’t read it, did you?” Ji Wenjun shot her an accusatory glare.

Su Yinuo squinted apologetically. “I skimmed it, didn’t read carefully.”

After the customers left, Ji Wenjun set down the seasoning bowl and turned to face her. Leaning one hand on the counter, he tugged lightly at her apron with the other, his voice tinged with disappointment. “Nuo Nuo, can’t you really like me? Haven’t I been doing well lately? I swear I don’t mind your job at all. Really. Couldn’t you just give dating me a try?”

“I don’t like you,” Su Yinuo replied impatiently, her tone weary from repetition. “I’ve told you so many times, I just don’t feel that way about you. I…”

Her words abruptly cut off as the strainer slipped from her hand and plunged into the steaming broth. Because standing before her was someone she never expected to see, someone who shouldn’t have been there at all.

For a moment, she thought her longing had conjured a hallucination. She quickly lowered her head to fish out the nearly submerged strainer, but when she looked up again, the figure was still there. It wasn’t an illusion.

Ji Wenjun’s startled gasp confirmed it.

“Qin Cangye?! What are you doing here?”

He even took a step back, his voice trembling with unmistakable panic, both from fear of retaliation for what had happened two months ago and concern that Qin Cangye might recognize Su Yinuo beside him.

Qin Cangye was clad in a sleek black overcoat, casually left open to reveal a layered ensemble of a black suit and a black half-turtleneck sweater beneath. His hands were sheathed in perfectly fitted leather gloves, and a dazzling wristwatch peeked out from the sleeve of the hand tucked in his pocket.

The refined, aristocratic aura of his outfit left Su Yinuo, who hadn’t seen him in so long, staring unabashedly. Oblivious to the risk of exposure, she couldn’t help marveling inwardly: He’s so handsome. How is he even more stunning than two months ago?

But Qin Cangye’s expression was even colder than the winter weather. He never once glanced at Su Yinuo, instead fixing Ji Wenjun with a death stare. After stopping in front of the food cart, he flashed a mocking smile: “Got fired by Li Jinmiao? Started selling spicy hot pot now?”

“You? I’m just helping Aunt Zhang out here! None of your business!” Without alcohol, Ji Wenjun’s bravado was noticeably weaker.

“Aunt Zhang?” Only then did Qin Cangye shift his gaze to Su Yinuo. The moment their eyes met, Su Yinuo immediately looked away, flustered as she began nervously rearranging the vegetable baskets.

Like a little hamster stuffed into a fuzzy glove, desperately searching for an escape route.

Too adorable…

Qin Cangye was mesmerized, the coldness on his face gradually melting away.

In truth, he had arrived at the Near East Software Park long ago, sitting in the bookstore across from Su Yinuo and watching her through the window for quite some time. He never expected Su Yinuo to be so efficient at work, completely different from the clumsy girl he’d seen during their previous encounters. This unexpected side of her felt refreshing and endlessly amusing.

He had planned to observe a while longer before finding a natural opportunity to visit her food stall and order a bowl of spicy hot pot made by her own hands.

But then Ji Wenjun showed up.

The intimacy between the two ignited a jealous rage in Qin Cangye. Unable to stay seated any longer, he stood up and marched straight over to confront them.

Yet at this moment, he wouldn’t expose Su Yinuo’s identity. If he did, she would undoubtedly reject him coldly again and flee far from his side.

So, for now, just being able to meet and talk like this was enough.

Thus, he smiled, a gentle expression worlds apart from his earlier iciness, and said, “Aunt Zhang, could I get a bowl of spicy hot pot?”