His Sunday Substitute - Chapter 24

Ding! WeChat payment received: 3,000 yuan…

“Huh? Um… we have combo sets, or you can pick your own ingredients…” Su Yinuo’s voice was soft as she nervously handed over a stainless steel tray with trembling hands.

Qin Cangye couldn’t help but chuckle. Reaching out with his hand adorned by a luxury watch, he took the tray.

Su Yinuo had never seen the combination of leather gloves and a stainless steel tray before. Staring at those long, elegant fingers, clearly defined even through the gloves, she thought to herself, Wow, even my tray looks classier now.

Qin Cangye walked over to the ingredient rack and began selecting skewers of vegetables with refined grace.

Su Yinuo marveled again: Wow, even my stall looks more high-end now…

Once Qin Cangye had finished picking his ingredients at this “Michelin three-star” spicy hot pot stall, Su Yinuo quickly took the tray from him. She deftly placed the ingredients into a strainer and, keeping her head lowered, murmured, “Please wait a moment, it’ll be ready in about ten minutes.”

“No rush.”

The atmosphere grew subtly awkward. Qin Cangye watched Su Yinuo with an unusually gentle expression, while Su Yinuo kept her eyes fixed on the boiling broth, not daring to look up. Meanwhile, Ji Wenjun glanced between Qin Cangye and Su Yinuo, feeling as though some kind of invisible barrier had formed around them, completely shutting him out!

Annoyed, he sneered, “Oh? The great Qin Cangye, raised with a silver spoon in his mouth, actually eats at street stalls like this?”

Qin Cangye frowned and scoffed. “Food is food. What’s wrong with eating it? Or are you implying Aunt Zhang’s cooking isn’t hygienic?”

Ji Wenjun froze, then hurriedly defended himself, “No!” Flustered, he turned to Su Yinuo. “I didn’t mean it like that, Nuo…”

Hearing that “Nuo,” Su Yinuo’s heart skipped a beat. She immediately cut him off, urging, “You should get to work!”

“I…” Ji Wenjun looked crushed. With a dark expression, he turned and left.

Su Yinuo exhaled in relief and continued stirring the ingredients in the strainer with long chopsticks. Once they were cooked, she transferred them to the seasoning pot and asked, “Do you want it spicy?”

“Mildly.”

“Cilantro?”

“No.”

“Green onions?”

“Sure.”

“How about sesame paste?”

When no answer came, Su Yinuo looked up in confusion and saw Qin Cangye staring at the bowl of sesame paste with a curious expression.

Feeling her gaze, Qin Cangye quickly lifted his head and admitted awkwardly, “Never had it before. What’s it taste like?”

Qin Cangye has never tried sesame paste before?!

Su Yinuo perked up with a hint of pride. “Oh, this is my own special blend! It’s mostly peanut butter with extra sesame paste, plus a bit of fermented tofu, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. It’s savory but not too salty, rich but not greasy!”

She grabbed a clean disposable spoon, scooped a tiny bit, and held it out to Qin Cangye. “Here, try it!”

She had intended to hand him the spoon, but to her surprise, Qin Cangye simply leaned down and licked the paste right off it.

This feels a little intimate…

Su Yinuo’s face instantly turned bright red.

“It’s good. Add some!” Qin Cangye said with a smile.

“O-okay…” Su Yinuo quickly withdrew her hand, finished seasoning the dish, packed it up, and handed it to Qin Cangye.

Su Yinuo was so nervous that she even forgot to calculate the bill. It wasn’t until she saw Qin Cangye scanning the payment code that she flusteredly said, “Ah… probably, um, twenty…”

“WeChat payment received: three thousand yuan.”

The sweet electronic voice chimed from behind. Su Yinuo was shocked and quickly exclaimed, “Wait, it’s not that expensive, not that expensive! You overpaid, sir, you overpaid! Let me refund you!”

“No need. It’s a tip,” Qin Cangye said with a smile, lightly shaking the food container in his hand. “Goodbye, Aunt Zhang. If it’s delicious, I’ll come again.” With that, he turned and walked away gracefully toward Building No. 5.

Su Yinuo stood frozen in place.

It took her a long moment before her brain finally started working again.

What just happened?? Qin Cangye bought a bowl of spicy hotpot from me for three thousand yuan???

Am I dreaming???

Su Yinuo hurriedly pulled out her phone and was stunned to see the payment notification for three thousand yuan.

Not a dream!

But why would he give me so much money?

Did he recognize me???

But, he didn’t say anything…

When she opened the payment details, Su Yinuo was shocked once more, because she saw that familiar cactus profile picture…

The generous buyer who had purchased her mother’s handmade crafts yesterday was also Qin Cangye!

Could it be Qin Cangye really recognized me? Or was it all just a coincidence?

The next day, Qin Cangye came again.

On Sundays, Su Yinuo only operated her stall for half a day. Qin Cangye showed up just as she was about to close in the afternoon. His hair was slightly disheveled, clearly indicating he had rushed over in a hurry. Su Yinuo paused for a moment before saying, “I’m about to close for the day. There’s not much left.”

“No problem, I’ll take whatever’s left. Aunt Zhang’s cooking is amazing,” Qin Cangye’s voice was incredibly gentle. “After trying it once, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

Su Yinuo froze again, slowly handing him a plate.

The cold-tempered, easily angered Qin Cangye would never be this gentle with a random spicy hotpot auntie. So, the answer was obvious.

He recognized me again. Again, he didn’t want to expose me. Again, he wanted to keep interacting with me under another identity, just like before.

But… should I play along?

Su Yinuo was deeply conflicted, her mind in turmoil. She couldn’t bear to reject Qin Cangye again, yet she also found this kind of interaction somewhat ridiculous.

Amid her confusion, Su Yinuo also couldn’t understand: Why, after learning about my family background, knowing I’m neither a refined lady nor a delicate beauty, does he still look at me with that gentle, cautious gaze? Shouldn’t he look down on someone like me, doing an unglamorous job with no social status?

After packing the food, Su Yinuo handed the container to Qin Cangye and said coolly, “Don’t come tomorrow.” As she spoke, she even put away the payment QR code. “No need to pay. The money you gave yesterday is enough for a hundred meals here.”

Qin Cangye’s hand stiffened slightly, a flash of pain crossing his face. He gripped the container tightly, forcing a smile as he said, “Aunt Zhang, your words contradict themselves. If you say I’ve already paid for a hundred meals, why won’t you let me come tomorrow? I should at least have ninety-eight more days to go.”

Without waiting for Su Yinuo to respond, he turned and quickly walked into Building No. 5.

Su Yinuo lowered her head, gripping the edge of the table tightly, her eyes reddening. A moment later, she turned away, removing her gloves to cover her tear-streaked face.

The phone in her pocket rang. Su Yinuo quickly grabbed a tissue to dry her tears and answered Li Jinmiao’s call.

“Nuonuo,” Li Jinmiao’s voice was soft and cautious, “Why is Qin Cangye back in my office eating spicy hot pot again? Did he recognize you? You have no idea how shocked I was when he showed up yesterday. What’s wrong with him, insisting on eating spicy hot pot in my office? He’s taken over my desk, I’m calling you from the break room just to avoid him.”

Su Yinuo hadn’t expected Li Jinmiao to be in such an unfortunate situation. She let out an awkward laugh and said helplessly, “He definitely recognized me but didn’t say anything. I just told him not to come again, but he probably won’t listen. I don’t know what to do, Miaomiao.”

Hearing the distress in Su Yinuo’s voice, Li Jinmiao quickly reassured her, “Don’t worry about him, Nuonuo. Don’t take it to heart. If he’s not bringing it up, neither should you. Who doesn’t know how to act? Just treat him like a stranger. I refuse to believe a pampered, picky young master like him would eat spicy hot pot at your place forever… Oh! I get it now!” After comforting her for a while, Li Jinmiao suddenly raised her voice. “I know why he’s coming to my office to eat spicy hot pot! You wouldn’t believe it, Qin Cangye has had a complete falling-out with his grandfather!”

“What?” Su Yinuo was stunned.

“Qin Cangye is openly defying his grandfather now. Ronghua Capital’s internal power struggle has gotten so bad it’s affecting the stock market. If you’ve been following the news, you’d know. People are saying Qin Cangye has lost his mind. He’s the Qin family’s sole heir, and he’s capable in his own right. If he just waited patiently, Ronghua Capital would be his once his grandfather passes. What good does it do him to force a confrontation now? Some are even whispering behind his back that if he pushes his grandfather too far, the old man might just hand over his 48% stake to his personal caretaker. But I’m getting off track.”

Li Jinmiao took a sip of water and continued, “With things this tense between them, his grandfather must be watching his every move. That’s why he wouldn’t dare expose your identity at such a critical time. So, after buying the spicy hot pot, he stops by my office, just to make it seem like he came to the Near East Software Park to see me! Ugh! What a schemer, using me as a shield!” Li Jinmiao grumbled indignantly.

After hanging up, Su Yinuo remained lost in thought over Li Jinmiao’s words. She was deeply worried about Qin Cangye, fearing he might be in danger amid this internal strife. After all, in a corporate battle of this scale, many would inevitably be dragged in. Even if his grandfather wouldn’t harm him directly, what about those caught in the crossfire? Could they hold a grudge and do something dangerous to him?

Beyond her worry, she also felt immense guilt, suspecting that Qin Cangye’s actions might be tied to the rejection she had given him two months earlier.

Had she provoked him into these reckless and dangerous decisions?

In the following days, Qin Cangye continued to come every day. He didn’t make any unnecessary moves, each time, he would just buy his food and leave. However, during the waiting intervals, his words grew increasingly frequent, sometimes even bordering on small talk for the sake of it.

“Auntie Zhang, how do you make it so delicious? The vegetables are cooked just right, crisp yet not raw at all. The meat dishes melt in your mouth, and the seasoning is perfect, so fragrant without being greasy no matter how much you eat.”

He spoke with such earnestness, paired with his refined and handsome appearance, that he looked every bit like a dedicated brand ambassador.

Su Yinuo couldn’t help but feel secondhand embarrassment.

“Wow, handsome, is it really that good?” A girl behind Qin Cangye in line leaned forward curiously.

“It’s truly delicious. I come here every day,” Qin Cangye replied seriously.

The girl’s eyes sparkled with admiration, though Su Yinuo knew it wasn’t for her spicy hotpot but rather Qin Cangye’s striking face.

“Hey, handsome, can I add you on WeChat?” The girl pulled out her phone.

Qin Cangye frowned and refused outright, “I don’t have a phone.”

The girl: ???

Su Yinuo suppressed a laugh and shoved the takeout box into Qin Cangye’s hands. As he turned to leave, the girl asked curiously, “Auntie Zhang, he didn’t pay, did he just use his face?”

“Uh… he, uh, has a monthly subscription…” Su Yinuo replied awkwardly.

Another day, Qin Cangye stood in front of the boiling broth pot, staring intently before warning, “Auntie Zhang, be careful not to burn yourself.”

Yet another day, watching Su Yinuo deftly skewering ingredients, he fretted, “Don’t poke yourself. Do you have enough time to prepare all these skewers every day?”

Then one day, Qin Cangye glared disapprovingly at Ji Wenjun, who was helping Su Yinuo. “Auntie Zhang, this nephew of yours is idle and lazy, doesn’t seem like he has much of a future, does he?”

Ji Wenjun was so furious steam practically rose from his head. He slammed the metal basin in his hands down with a loud clang, whipped out his phone, and shoved it in Qin Cangye’s face. “It’s only 8:40! I start work at 9, Young Master Qin!”

“Ambitious people are at their desks by 8:30. Slackers clock in at the last minute, spend half an hour warming up, another half-hour spacing out, another half-hour slacking off, and another half-hour drinking water and going to the bathroom. Then they finally work for half an hour, and boom, the whole morning’s gone,” Qin Cangye continued his calm yet cutting remarks.

“You, you… I’m nothing like that! You’re lecturing me, but what about you? It’s 8:40 and you’re still here? Can you even make it to the office by 9?” Ji Wenjun shot back.

“Me?” Qin Cangye smirked coldly. “Why would I need to be there by 9? I’m the boss.”

Ji Wenjun froze, speechless, before storming off in a mix of anger and defeat.

Su Yinuo sighed and handed Qin Cangye his meal box. All these days, she had followed Li Jinmiao’s advice, treating Qin Cangye as a stranger, responding with silence or curt replies, never initiating conversation.

But today, listening to Qin Cangye and Ji Wenjun bicker, she suddenly realized that Qin Cangye was indeed wasting precious time traveling all the way to the Near East Software Park every day. Especially now, when he was locked in a life-and-death struggle with his grandfather, where every second could determine victory or defeat.

So, as Qin Cangye turned to leave, she added one more sentence: “You don’t have to come every day. It’s a waste of your time.”

Su Yinuo’s tone carried the same coldness she’d adopted these past few days. Thus, what was originally a well-intentioned remark took on a different meaning when it reached Qin Cangye’s ears.

Qin Cangye stiffened slightly, his expression instantly turning pained. He opened his mouth, then lowered his head and said in a very small voice, “Don’t you… don’t you feel happy when I come every day? But I’m really happy…”

Huh? That’s not what I meant!

Customers were approaching from behind, and Su Yinuo, flustered, had no time to respond to Qin Cangye.

Pushed aside, Qin Cangye didn’t get angry but hung his head dejectedly, like an abandoned big dog. “Why don’t you chase him away when he comes? Could it be you’ve fallen for him?”

His aggrieved voice drifted into Su Yinuo’s ears, mingling with the shouts of other customers: “Auntie Zhang, one lazy set meal!” “Auntie Zhang, same for me, lazy set meal, cook them together!”

“You can’t like him!”

“Auntie Zhang, no spice, hey? Mine’s no spice.”

“I’ll take the meat lover’s set.”

“I can’t handle spicy food! Forget it, never mind.”

“Then give this one to me, no need to recook.”

“You absolutely mustn’t stop liking me…”

…

Su Yinuo was already overwhelmed, her ears, heart, and hands all in chaos. Frustration reddened her eyes as she hastily finished assembling several meal sets. When she finally looked up again, Qin Cangye’s figure had already vanished.