At 8:30 PM, Su Zhu finally wrapped up her work. Not only had all 400 bowls of noodles she prepared in the afternoon sold out, but she had even managed to sell an additional 200 portions, which she had squeezed time to knead the dough for on the spot.
If she hadn't put up the "Operating Hours" sign outside in advance, she might not have been able to close the shop even by 10 o'clock.
For a full three hours, Su Zhu, Zhao Bing, and Wu Xianming didn't get a moment's rest—
Kneading dough,
hand-pulling noodles,
boiling noodles,
hand-pulling noodles again,
boiling again...
By 7:30, Zhao Bing and Wu Xianming's arms were so sore they could hardly lift them. Su Zhu let them rest and continued working alone.
There were still a few customers in the shop when Su Zhu remembered that Ouyang Yunjian was still in the backyard. She asked Chen Shuyun to watch the store, cut a large box of braised beef, and hurried over.
As soon as she entered the room, she saw Ouyang Yunjian sitting by the bed, holding a sleeping Chenchen in his arms.
Seeing this, Su Zhu felt a pang of guilt.
"Doctor Ouyang..."
"Shh..."
Ouyang Yunjian made a quiet gesture. Su Zhu immediately lowered her voice.
"She's already asleep? It's just after eight. She usually doesn't go to bed until after nine."
"Nine is a bit too late. Kids this age grow the fastest. It's best for her to be asleep before nine. She needs at least ten hours of sleep every day," he said softly, glancing at the little girl in his arms.
"Okay, okay. I'll make sure she goes to bed earlier from now on."
"Doctor Ouyang, I'm really sorry about today. You came over as a guest, and I didn't even get the chance to properly entertain you. I ended up making you take care of Chenchen half the night."
"Ms. Su, don't be so polite. I've watched Chenchen grow up. She's not a stranger to me. Let's just let her sleep for now, alright?"
After holding her for so long, Ouyang Yunjian's arms and legs were going numb.
"Of course, of course."
Su Zhu quickly stepped forward to take Chenchen.
But Chenchen was clutching him tightly. Su Zhu had to use a bit of force to get her to let go of Ouyang Yunjian's clothes.
Once Su Zhu tucked Chenchen into the small bed and covered her with a blanket—
"Su Zhu, it's getting late. I should get going," Ouyang Yunjian said, standing up.
He had been holding the same position for so long that his legs were numb. As soon as he tried to take a step, his foot gave out and he stumbled forward.
Su Zhu reacted quickly, stepping up and catching him by the waist just in time.
Once Ouyang Yunjian was standing again, Su Zhu immediately let go.
"Thank you," Ouyang Yunjian said, expressing his gratitude.
"My legs went numb just now. If it weren't for you, that would've been a disaster."
"Doctor Ouyang, sit down for a bit and rest. Chenchen weighs about thirty pounds now—you held her for that long, of course your legs are numb."
"I'm feeling much better already."
He limped into the living room and stamped his feet a few times. Gradually, the numbness and weakness faded from his legs.
"Ms. Su, it's late. I should go. You've had a long day—try to get some rest too."
This was the first time in his life that Ouyang Yunjian had spent the evening in a room alone with a woman. He felt a bit awkward.
Su Zhu didn't insist he stay.
"Alright, I'll walk you out."
"Oh, Doctor Ouyang," Su Zhu picked up the box of sliced braised beef from the coffee table, "this is my homemade beef. It tastes pretty good. Take it back with you and try some."
"Oh no, I can't—I've already eaten. I can't take this home too. Absolutely not," Ouyang Yunjian said, waving his hands in refusal.
"Doctor Ouyang, don't be so polite. It's just a small gesture of appreciation. I already feel guilty for not treating you properly tonight. If you don't take this, I'll feel even worse. It's nothing expensive. Please accept it."
Hearing her say that, Ouyang Yunjian hesitated, then smiled and accepted the Lock & Lock container from Su Zhu.
"Alright then. Thank you."
"Honestly, your noodles are amazing. I finished the entire bowl. No wonder your business is booming."
"If you like them, come by often. I'm sorry about today. I'll treat you properly next time."
"Alright, I'll definitely come again. Goodbye!"
Su Zhu walked Ouyang Yunjian to the door. She didn't go back inside until she watched him drive off.
Once the staff finished cleaning up and left for the night, Su Zhu locked the shop and returned to the backyard to tally up the day's income.
Thanks to the help of the six new workers, Su Zhu was able to free up her hands to knead dough throughout the day. Altogether, they had sold 900 portions of noodles.
200 small bowls, 700 large ones. Of course, not all were eaten on site—many were packed for takeaway.
900 portions brought in a total revenue of 11,100 yuan, with a net profit of around 6,500 yuan!
That was double yesterday's earnings!
But what excited Su Zhu most was—
She could finally turn to the next page of Miscellaneous Family Arts.
Holding her breath, Su Zhu was full of anticipation.
What would the next page reveal?
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。