Chapter 108: Determined to Win

Since both rice and wheat contain gluten, which some people are allergic to, quinoa has become the best alternative. The Mexican-style quinoa rice, known for its rich texture and high protein content, is especially popular among returnees from abroad. Some foreign students also frequently order this dish.

The Mexican flavor usually relies on a combination of avocado, onion, corn, tomato, cilantro, and black beans, with very little meat—typically canned tuna or pan-seared chicken breast—seasoned with cumin seeds from Dalang.

When Chen Xin prepared the order, she didn’t have time to pan-fry chicken, so she used the large shrimp segments that Song Yi had marinated in advance. After stir-frying the shrimp and setting them aside, she waited until the rice was cooked before mixing in the shrimp along with avocado and cilantro, stirring everything evenly.

This customized dish perfectly suited Senior Brother Han’s taste. After one bite, he gave Chen Xin a thumbs-up.

There weren’t many customers for dinner that evening, so after Song Yi finished cooking for Zhang Zhang, he took two cans of dark beer and sat next to Senior Brother Han’s table to share a drink.

Both were familiar with foreign countries, and having similar ages and personalities, they hit it off immediately. After feeding Zhang Zhang and sending him upstairs to the toy room to play alone, Chen Xin joined their conversation.

Not long after they started chatting, a waitress downstairs said someone was looking for Song Yi.

“She’s a real beauty. I bet she’s one of Song’s admirers,” the waitress teased, though she herself wasn’t interested in Song Yi. “But that girl seems hard to get along with. Song, be careful.”

Song Yi frowned, glanced at Chen Xin in puzzlement, then stood up and went downstairs to meet the visitor.

“May I ask what you need from me?” Seeing the long-haired girl, Song Yi found her somewhat familiar but couldn’t recall where he had seen her before.

“Mr. Song, I’m Tao Min. You saved me—I came specifically to thank you,” the girl stood and smiled at Song Yi. “May I buy you a cup of coffee?”

Suddenly, Song Yi recognized her as the woman who had been unconscious and in danger on the mountain, although at the time her face was bruised and dirty, so he hadn’t identified her immediately.

“Coffee is out of the question—too late to drink it now. There’s no need to thank me; anyone would have helped if they’d been in my place. Besides, your parents already came to thank me. You’re too polite.”

“My parents are my parents, and I am me. You saved me; I definitely should come to thank you,” the girl spoke softly, with a hint of lingering sweetness that made Song Yi feel uncomfortable. He just wanted to get rid of her quickly.

“Really, no need for that. Just be more careful next time you go out,” Song Yi glanced at his watch and stood. “I still have some work to finish, so I can’t keep you company.”

“Mr. Song, could I invite you for a late-night snack?” The girl seemed reluctant to leave just like that and found an excuse to stay a while longer.

“Maybe another time. I have friends waiting for me, and I have plans tonight—I really can’t go,” Song Yi replied, growing impatient and beginning to suspect the girl’s true intentions.

He had kept his identity well hidden here. Even after Chen Xin learned about it, she hadn’t told anyone else, and their daily interactions remained the same. He found this comfortable and was happy to stay under the radar. But the overly attentive attitude of this girl reminded him of many similar encounters back in his hometown. He could see right through what those girls were scheming. What he didn’t know was whether this girl truly knew his identity or if there was some other reason she was treating him differently.

After being flatly rejected, Tao Min watched him leave with a begrudging look. Since she was a customer, the staff couldn’t just turn her away. When she sat down, determined to wait until Song Yi finished work, the waitress discreetly passed a message to him.

Fortunately, the three of them were chatting in a small private room on the second floor. Without a staff escort, it was difficult to find that spot, so they weren’t disturbed.

“That girl has issues,” Song Yi said with disgust. “Her boyfriend just died recently, and she’s already looking for men everywhere. Do you think she can be faithful? What a joke.”

Senior Brother Han didn’t know the details and asked casually, learning about their last outing incident.

“She probably likes you. Why not just go along with it?” Han joked, seeing Song Yi’s frown deepen. It amused him. He truly didn’t know there were young men who wouldn’t even welcome advances from wealthy women. That spoke well of Song Yi’s character.

“If anyone deserves credit for saving her, it’s Officer Yi. If she’s going to cling to anyone, it should be him, not me. I just carried her down. I haven’t even seen her since. How would she know it was me who saved her? There must be something fishy—maybe she wants to latch onto me.”

Song Yi’s suspicions were understandable, given recent news reports. It was as if the era of reform and opening up had turned into an era of moral laxity, with even ethics being relaxed.

After a few complaints, the three dropped the subject. She wouldn’t wait until closing time, and even if she did, they had an employee-only back exit.

After a while, Senior Brother Han said he had plans to go clubbing with friends and asked Song Yi if he wanted to join. Just then, the waitress downstairs informed them that the girl still hadn’t given up and was asking if Song Yi had left yet. If the waitress hadn’t said the kitchen was closed, the girl might have tried to order food to force Song Yi out.

Not wanting to stay and face the girl, Song Yi, who didn’t enjoy clubbing, decided to leave with Senior Brother Han.

Chen Xin carried Zhang Zhang out the front to attract attention, while Song Yi slipped out the back door and met them at the street corner.

Senior Brother Han had arrived on a motorcycle, a truly flashy one that gave no hint he was actually a Harley enthusiast.

Zhang Zhang loved the sleek look of the motorcycle and carefully reached out to touch it, then turned to his aunt with a beaming smile that made his chubby cheeks scrunch up.

“It’s a bit late today. Another time during the day, uncle will take you for a ride,” Senior Brother Han said, holding Zhang Zhang against the bike to let him feel it, then handed him back to Chen Xin. After saying goodbye, he quickly rode off.

Just as Chen Xin was about to leave, Tao Min called out to her from behind.

“I want to talk to you about Mr. Song Yi.”

“Sorry, my child needs to sleep, and I don’t think there’s anything I can discuss with you. Song Yi is the restaurant’s chef. I have no interest in his private life, nor do I want to discuss it. Excuse me.” Chen Xin climbed onto the back of her bicycle, placed her backpack in front, and rode away.

“I won’t give up. I’m determined to win over Song Yi!” Tao Min’s frustrated voice called after her, but Chen Xin didn’t even bother to look back.

“Auntie, what is that lady saying? What’s wrong with Uncle Song Yi?”

“Nothing. Your Uncle Song Yi has become quite popular, and that lady wants to be his wife.”

Zhang Zhang fell silent for a moment, then hesitantly asked, “If Uncle Song Yi marries her, will he still cook delicious food for me?”

“You little foodie, that’s a question for your Uncle Song Yi,” Chen Xin replied, answering him as they slowly rode home, the evening breeze just right.