signingbooks Chapter 17 Mengmeng Doesn't Want to Be the Big Bad Wolf!
Chapter 17 Mengmeng Doesn't Want to Be the Big Bad Wolf!
After eating and drinking their fill, the group slumped down, enjoying the long-lost tranquility.
Su Su was the first to stand up, quickly patted the corner of her clothes, and prepared to go forward to pay.
In her opinion, Lin Xiaoyu had been drawing and playing with Mengmeng there, so she probably hadn't had time to pay yet.
While thinking, Su Su had already opened the scan function on her phone and strode to the cashier.
"Boss, how much is the total for our table, plus the portion that Xiaoyu ate earlier? I'll pay you back together."
Su Su said matter-of-factly, her finger already ready to enter the amount on the screen.
Upon hearing this, Chen Feng, who was standing behind the counter, looked up and waved his hand, signaling Su Su to stop what she was doing.
"Madam, no need. Your friend has already paid."
Before Su Su could react, Lin Xiaoyu, who was standing behind her, was stunned.
Lin Xiaoyu stared wide-eyed, her face filled with confusion.
She remembers clearly that when she first entered the store, she did scan the code to pay for a steamed bun.
But that was only the first one!
What happened next completely deviated from her "paid plan".
Because the steamed buns were so delicious, and Mengmeng was such a cute little girl, she was so busy chatting and joking with Mengmeng that she didn't even have time to pay for the extra food or the unpaid bills on the table.
"Boss, are you sure you're not mistaken?" Lin Xiaoyu stepped forward somewhat embarrassedly and explained in a soft voice.
"I only paid for the first one."
"I haven't paid for the food we ate later, or for my friends' food."
"Although my memory isn't great, I would never do something like freeloading."
Su Su nodded in agreement, echoing:
"Yes, boss, business is business."
"There are many of us, and we eat a lot. Your steamed buns aren't cheap to begin with. If you miss the bill, won't you have worked for nothing all morning?"
Chen Feng looked at Lin Xiaoyu's embarrassed appearance, as if she was eager to prove that she hadn't paid.
I suddenly remembered a rabbit that Mengmeng drew, that frightened little rabbit.
He stepped out from behind the counter and said seriously, "I really didn't remember wrong."
You paid for the first one, but the rest is on me.
"Invite me?" Lin Xiaoyu was even more confused and waved her hand in refusal.
"That won't do! Boss, that's against the rules."
Chen Feng glanced at Mengmeng, who was sitting on a small stool, looking at him expectantly.
He said softly, "Actually, I'm very happy that Mengmeng has made a 'rabbit ally' like you."
"Although this child is usually well-behaved, he rarely gets along so well with others, except for me and his godfather."
"More importantly, that painting."
He pointed to the drawing that Mengmeng was carefully protecting in her hand and continued:
"Mengmeng really likes that painting, and I like it too."
"In my opinion, it is more than just a painting."
That was a token of your affection for Mengmeng, a very precious gift.
"This little bit of food isn't worth much; consider it a thank-you gift on behalf of Mengmeng."
If we had to calculate the value, that painting would be far more precious to Mengmeng and me than a few steamed buns.
Hearing this, Lin Xiaoyu's cheeks flushed slightly. She nervously twisted her fingers, and her voice became even softer:
"Boss, you really don't need to do this. Drawing is my profession, and it's also my hobby."
"I drew this because I genuinely think Mengmeng is cute and I like her from the bottom of my heart."
"I enjoyed painting it. Business is business, and friendship is friendship; I have to pay for it."
Chen Feng seemed to have anticipated this, and smiled:
"Ms. Lin, please accept this gift as a token of our gratitude."
Chen Feng looked into Lin Xiaoyu's eyes, then glanced at Mengmeng, who was listening with a dazed expression, and lowered his voice.
"Mengmeng is still young, and her worldview is still developing."
"As a father, I want to convey to her the most basic educational philosophy—to repay kindness with kindness and to give in return for courtesy."
She should learn to reciprocate kindness shown to her.
He paused for a moment, his tone becoming more serious:
"I don't want her to grow up to be the kind of person who takes other people's efforts for granted. In our words, we can't let her develop an 'ungrateful' personality."
"This meal is her first lesson in 'gratitude'."
"If you insist on paying, it will put me, as the father, in a difficult position, because you will deny Mengmeng the opportunity to express her gratitude."
This statement is very insightful and even elevates the discussion to the level of education.
Lin Xiaoyu was speechless for a moment, unable to find a rebuttal.
Just then, Mengmeng, who had been listening attentively, seemed to understand some key word. Suddenly, she waved her little hand and called out in her childish voice:
"Mengmeng doesn't want to be the Big Bad Wolf! The Big Bad Wolf is the Little Rabbit's natural enemy!"
"Mengmeng likes her older sister, and Mengmeng wants to give her older sister some delicious steamed buns!"
"Pfft—"
The somewhat serious atmosphere was instantly shattered by Mengmeng's words, "I don't want to be the big bad wolf."
Everyone couldn't help but laugh, and the scene was filled with joy.
The excuses that were stuck in her throat were dispelled by this string of silvery laughter.
Looking at Mengmeng's innocent and pure smiling face, Lin Xiaoyu felt a warm glow in her heart.
She knew that if she insisted on paying, it would seem rather distant and cold-hearted.
"Well... okay then."
Since that's the case, then I'll shamelessly accept this thank-you gift.
Lin Xiaoyu finally relented. She squatted down and looked Mengmeng in the eye, saying, "Mengmeng, thank you for the steamed buns, and thank you for your dad's steamed buns too."
"I promise you, I'll come visit you often from now on, and I'll draw you even more beautiful pictures, okay?"
"Yay! Pinky promise, never to change for a hundred years!" Mengmeng excitedly stretched out her little finger.
Lin Xiaoyu smiled and made a pinky promise with her, then solemnly greeted Chen Feng before leaving the store with Su Su and the others, feeling a little embarrassed.
Chen Feng stood at the shop entrance, watching the lively young women disappear around the corner of the old street.
He took a deep breath. He didn't know what would happen if he restarted his life of ordinary human activity, but at that moment, it seemed he had the answer:
"The beginning is not bad!"
He turned and went back to the kitchen, getting busy again.
As time went by, the sun rose higher, and the tranquility of the old street was gradually broken, with early risers beginning to stroll along the street.
Gradually, more and more people passed by this place called "Human Fireworks".
Originally, many people would just habitually keep their heads down and hurry along the way, then stop by their usual shops to buy some breakfast.
But today, an unprecedented fragrance, as if it had a life of its own, rampaged through the alley, forcefully penetrating the noses of every passerby.
"Where's that smell coming from? It smells so good!"
"Hey, look at that shop, when did it open?"
Many people stopped in their tracks.
In this slow-paced old street, any new change will attract a crowd.
People gathered in twos and threes at the shop entrance, some craning their necks to look inside, while others huddled together and whispered among themselves.
Anyone who goes inside and takes a look is immediately captivated by the incredibly warm and even fairytale-like decor.
The walls were covered with rabbits, the lighting was soft, and there was a little girl behind the cashier who looked as well-behaved as a porcelain doll.
A truly visually stunning experience!
However, when everyone's eyes fell on the simple and clear "price list", the noise instantly subsided.
"Twelve yuan a serving? Four yuan each? Are these buns made of gold?"
"Are they robbing us? Old Wang's buns next door are only two yuan. That's a bit of a rip-off."
"The renovation looks pretty good; I guess they spent all the money on appearances."
A disagreement arose among the crowd.
Some people, due to their lifestyle habits, immediately showed hesitation and a wait-and-see attitude after seeing the price, intending to see how others reacted after eating it.
The other group consists of white-collar workers or young people rushing to work.
Although the aroma was so enticing that they were practically drooling, reason told them not to be fooled, so they resisted the temptation and quickened their pace to leave.
Just as everyone was discussing the matter but no one took the first step, a figure emerged from behind the crowd and entered the store.
This man is named Lu Yuan, and he is the head of a small creative studio in the vicinity.
Lu Yuan has one major characteristic—he likes to try new things and is a complete "non-kitchen advocate".
For him, the most dreaded yet most anticipated thing every day is discovering new restaurants.
He had lived in the old street for several years, and to be honest, he was already tired of the food there.
Those old shops are good, but you get tired of them after a while.
In fact, Lu Yuan had been paying attention to this store for half a month.
Every morning on his way to work, he would check on the progress of the construction of this "human touch" restaurant.
He was very much looking forward to seeing if this store could give him a different experience.
Today, as he passed by as usual, he smelled an unusual fragrance and knew that the store had finally opened.
He knew that his expectations had not been in vain!
As Lu Yuan entered the store, the surrounding noise seemed to be instantly shut out.
After Lin Xiaoyu and the others left, the shop returned to quiet for a while.
The first thing he saw was the "rabbit wall," and the overwhelming sense of healing it gave him a lot of relief from the monotony of his daily routine.
This kind of atmosphere is extremely rare in the old street.
After staring for a while, he turned his head and looked directly at Chen Feng, who was busy at work, with a look of expectation in his eyes.
"Boss, one order of rabbit-shaped steamed buns, please." Lu Yuan said as he deftly scanned the code.
For a seasoned gourmet, price is never the primary consideration; quality is.
He silently calculated in his heart: If someone dares to sell these buns at a higher price in the old street, and they don't taste good, then they're asking for trouble.
If it's really worth the price... that would be something to look forward to!
He found an empty seat, closed his eyes, and savored the aroma in the store.
Lu Yuan opened his eyes when Chen Feng walked over with the plate.
Their eyes met, and Chen Feng nodded slightly, composed and unhurried.
Lu Yuan, however, couldn't wait to pick up his chopsticks.