Shen Lingqing turned her head and looked outside the window, watching as they passed several establishments and shops along the way.
To make people happy with the dish he made with his own hands… it briefly reminded her of her mother’s words when Shen Lingqing asked her mother why she had chosen to become a chef when she was younger.
So he was like her mother then, Shen Lingqing thought.
However, why would they want other people to be happy? Shouldn’t they prioritize their own happiness first before thinking of others? Shen Lingqing couldn’t understand her mother and Liu Jinfei’s reasoning, especially when the two suffered a lonely childhood and had gone on a long time without a family to rely on.
Shen Lingqing thought that her mother and Liu Jinfei should be the first ones to claim happiness for themselves and not the other way around. Was it because she had never experienced their hardships that she couldn’t understand their reasoning?
“Qingqing, dear, are you alright?” She heard her grandmother ask worriedly. Even Liu Jinfei was looking at her with curiosity in his eyes.
Shen Lingqing gave the older woman a weak smile.
“Yes, Mama. I’m just thinking about the work I left at my office.”
Zhang Jingwei sighed at that.
“You know, Qingqing. I considered your father lucky when he met your mother. He was just like you before, though a little worse,” she told Shen Lingqing. “If he hadn’t met your mother on that cruise vacation, you and Lingtian wouldn’t be here. He was practically married to his work. No wonder he was able to expand Shen Group on his own.”
Shen Lingqing pressed her lips into a hard line. She didn’t need half a brain to understand what her grandmother was pertaining to.
“I’m still young, Mama. Dad met Mom when he was in his thirties. I’m not even twenty-five yet.”
The old woman laughed behind her hand, her eyes curving with a smile.
“I’m not asking you to date and marry, Qingqing. I’m telling you that when it’s a day off, it’s a day off. Your work and unanswered emails could wait. Take a break, pick up a hobby you wanted to try. You need to prioritize yourself once in a while,” she explained.
“I understand, Mama,” Shen Lingqing conceded. “I’ll listen to you.”
It was really hard to win against her elders if they voiced their concern towards her like this. Anyway, this wasn’t the first time it happened. Her mother used to remind her not to go overboard at work and take a rest when needed.
It didn’t take long before they reached a five-star hotel, and Liu Jinfei thanked the heavens that he dressed up today. Else, he would look so out-of-place, standing next to Shen Lingqing and her grandmother.
Even without making a reservation, the three were given a prime spot where they could dine in private while enjoying the scenery outside. Shen Lingqing didn’t order anything and allowed her grandmother to choose the dishes for their lunch. Meanwhile, Liu Jinfei didn’t dare to disturb the conversation between the two women.
The dishes came and were served one by one, with Shen Lingqing and Liu Jinfei barely eating anything as they listened to Zhang Jingwei’s stories. It wasn’t like Shen Lingqing didn’t want to be here, but the dishes weren’t to her liking.
Liu Jinfei looked at her worriedly, knowing what was going on in her mind. Whenever Shen Lingqing didn’t like a dish presented to her, she would ignore it.
“Director Shen, why don’t you try this instead?” He said as the yu sheng dish was served by the waiter.
“Alright,” Shen Lingqing agreed. The dish consisted of ultra-thin slices of raw fish flesh paired with peanut oil, salt ginger, and green onions that seemed more appetizing than the other dishes she had seen.
The fish meat was sliced into thin portions with surgeon-like precision and deposited into four shallow white dishes. When the yu sheng dish arrived at the table, it came accompanied by two trays of garnishes to ‘boss up’ the meal.
Zhang Jingwei smiled at the interaction between her granddaughter and Liu Jinfei. It was the first time she saw Shen Lingqing compromise with someone without arguing. She also didn’t fail to notice how attentive Liu Jinfei was as he helped Shen Lingqing with her meal.
As the three continued with their lunch, someone came and greeted Zhang Jingwei.
“Chairman Zhang, what a surprise. And you have Qingqing with you,” she greeted them enthusiastically.
“Oh, it’s you.” Chairman Zhang’s face lit up. She knew Madam Xia for a long time, and even though both of them had gotten married, they still kept in touch with each other.
The old woman then glanced at Shen Lingqing and Liu Jinfei. Of course, she knew who Shen Lingqing was, but she had no idea about this handsome woman seated next to the granddaughter. As she watched the two conversing lowly, intimately close to each other; they looked like a young couple.
“Madam Xia,” Shen Lingqing greeted her. This old woman was the mother of her aunt, Xia Yuhan, the head designer of Flair Apparel that her mother owned.
“Hello, Qingqing. I didn’t know you’d come back.” She then glanced at Liu Jinfei. “I didn’t know you’ve already married.”
Liu Jinfei coughed violently behind his hand and reached for his cup. Shen Lingqing passed it to him and smiled politely at the other woman who had just joined them at the table.
“You have misunderstood, Madam Xia. This man isn’t my husband,” Shen Lingqing corrected her. She had no idea what made Madam Xia assume that Liu Jinfei was her husband.
“Oh.” Madam Xia gasped and looked at Zhang Jingwei, who only shrugged at her. She couldn’t blame Madam Xia for assuming wrong when she looked at the two.
“I’m sorry, Qingqing. It’s my fault.” She laughed awkwardly. “You are right. I misunderstood. I’m sorry, mister.” She turned to Liu Jinfei.