Until the beautiful lady got off the bus, Qin Feng realized he had made a fatal mistake—he had forgotten to ask for her phone number. Moreover, he found himself even more miserable: he had missed his stop and decided it was better to get off now. The scene before him had changed dramatically compared to what it was like fifteen years ago. The once-low-rise residential buildings were long gone, replaced by tall skyscrapers. Drawing on childhood memories, he was certain that the place where he stood was exactly where his home used to be. Yet here he stood atop a thirty-plus-floor building. Looking down, a narrow street appeared in his view, with low, aging buildings on either side—standing out so distinctly from the surrounding environment. Qin Feng looked puzzled, and a name popped into his mind: “Old Street No. Three!” Twenty minutes later, he reached the corner of Old Street No. Three, finally finding some familiarity in this unfamiliar place. Every summer, Old Street No. Three transforms into a bustling food stalls district. It was now 6:30 PM; tables and chairs lined both sides of the street—seeming to uphold that tradition from over a decade ago. As it was an old neighborhood, there would surely be many residents still living here, enabling him to gather some information. Across at the food stall, a young woman wearing a apron was arranging ingredients—the same beautiful lady he had met on the bus! Indeed, it was her. Although she had changed out of her professional attire and now wore plain clothes with a gray apron, her natural grace could hardly be concealed. He had just regretted not asking her name earlier—now they were meeting again so quickly; wasn’t this exactly what people meant by fate? Coughing softly, Qin Feng smoothed his expression and walked toward the food stall. “Boss, do you have any specialty dishes… oh! It’s you—it’s such a coincidence!” The person pretended to be surprised. The beautiful woman was startled at first, then smiled pleasantly: “Yes, isn’t it amazing? We’re having dinner, aren’t we? Then please sit down—we’re very grateful for your help today!” “Ah, no need—just a small favor,” the person continued to emphasize his sense of justice. The plain-looking woman said seriously: “I must thank you—since you’ve come to our restaurant today, I’ll treat you! By the way, are you dining alone or with friends?” “I’m alone,” Qin Feng said sincerely to himself—he wasn’t here just for a free meal; his real purpose was to gather information and get acquainted with this lady. The food stall offered only a few dishes—mostly spicy crayfish, clams, and spiced fish heads, along with fresh seasonal vegetables. After seating himself, he displayed what he believed to be a smile that would charm countless women: “By the way, I still don’t know your name. I’m Qin Feng—the Qin from the Qin Dynasty, the fire signal tower.” The plain woman flushed slightly and said: “I’m Fang Fang—‘Fang’ from ‘square,’ and ‘Fang’ from ‘mild grass.’” Qin Feng nodded with enthusiasm: “Fang Fang—a wonderful name! Indeed!” Back at the restaurant, Fang Fang recommended to Qin Feng her father’s signature dish—spicy fish head—with her father being the chef. In the inner room, the middle-aged couple listened to her account; Mother Li Ru frowned slightly: “Fang Fang, isn’t it possible that he came on purpose?” “Of course not—I saw him get off the bus when I got off,” Fang Fang said with a blush. “I took a shortcut home—no matter how early he got off at the next stop, he wouldn’t have caught up.” Her father, Fang Yuan, was a simple man who interjected: “Wife, you’re always suspicious of people—you’ve had your daughter helped by this young man, so why doubt him?” Li Ru responded with pride: “Who could help but notice that our two daughters are so beautiful? There have been so many men interested in them! Isn’t it natural that now, since Fang Fang has started working here, our business has improved significantly?” “Mom,” said Fang Fang, pouting, “you’re making me sound like a dish that attracts customers—like the tofu lady!” Li Ru chuckled lightly: “Of course not. I only say this because I want what’s best for you—girls should have a bit of vigilance; otherwise, they might be deceived by unscrupulous men.” As she spoke, she deliberately glanced at her plain husband Fang Yuan, clearly hinting at him. Seeing the fire about to reach his own shoulders, Fang Yuan quickly took out his wok and went outside. Not long after, a steaming, fragrant spicy fish head dish was placed in front of Qin Feng, with Fang Fang personally handing him the chopsticks: “Try it—guaranteed authentic!” “Ah, then I’ll certainly enjoy it!” Qin Feng accepted the utensils, picked up a piece of fish and took a bite—the flavors of spiciness, freshness, richness, and aroma all combined to stimulate his taste buds. He immediately raised his thumb: “Delicious! This is the first time I’ve tasted such a delicious fish head.” Then he nodded enthusiastically toward Fang Yuan’s gentle smile. Though he had been stationed in various parts of the world over the past few years, this was the first time he had visited the Chinese homeland—and never before had he tasted home-cooked food from his own country. “Just speaking well—how many people on Old Street No. Three don’t know Fang family’s spicy fish head is the best?” Fang Fang said with a hint of cautious expectation—after hearing her mother’s remarks, she wasn’t entirely sure whether Qin Feng had come intentionally or not. Qin Feng waved his hand: “I’ve never tasted it before—and this is actually my first time here… no, I should say it’s the first time in fifteen years that I’ve visited Old Street No. Three—my last visit was when I was five.” His charm and engaging conversation quickly warmed him up with both parents; even Mother Li Ru, who had initially held doubts, began to think highly of this young man. As more guests arrived, the business at Fang’s restaurant proved to be the best on the street—the tables were fully occupied before nightfall. Qin Feng frequently glanced at the busy Fang Fang, realizing she truly was a good woman—working during the day and helping with the family business in the evenings. Over at another table, one of the guests seemed less than pleasant—he finished off a box of beer, then raised his voice proudly, saying: “Boss, could we have another box?” “Of course!” Fang Fang replied. Fang Yuan was busy with cooking; Li Ru was attending to a group of customers and calculating their bills—the responsibility of serving drinks naturally fell on her shoulders. Fang Fang slightly struggled as she carried the box over—already drenched in sweat, she bent down to place it beside the table and said: “Here you go—enjoy your beer!” Then she turned to leave, but the punk-style man suddenly grasped her wrist: “Wait! Sit down and stay with me for a few drinks.” “I’ve got other things to attend to,” Fang Fang insisted, pulling her hand free. The punk man held on firmly, smiling with an undercurrent of intent: “Don’t be so distant—just have a few drinks—it’s good for you. Honestly, I’m the younger brother of Hu Ge—you’ll need to give me this favor if you wish to keep your business here in Old Street No. Three.” Crash! With a sound of glass shattering, Qin Feng slowly rose from his seat. Please share This book is from