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Chapter 52: Lu Jiaxin's Fiery Temper
Chapter 52: Lu Jiaxin's Fiery Temper
Uncle Lu felt that Lu Jiaxin's temper had become quite fiery, but he supposed it was for the better. With a temperament like hers, she wouldn't be easily bullied outside. He said to the waitress, "Miss, my child here might have been a bit sharp-tongued just now, but your behavior earlier was indeed inappropriate."
The round-faced waitress was infuriated. She was already treated like a child, and in the countryside, someone her age could be married with children. However, seeing that neither Zhao Dajun nor Lu Jiaxin seemed like easy targets, she held back her anger and prepared to go into the kitchen.
Lu Jiaxin called out to her retreating back, "Are you going in there to spit in our food now?"
The few diners nearby lost their appetite upon hearing this.
The round-faced waitress's face turned stiff. This stubborn girl was so difficult to deal with. "What nonsense are you spouting? I'm going in to wash my face."
Lu Jiaxin coldly humphed, "Who knows? There have been people who've done such despicable things in the restaurants of Si Jiu City, and they were caught red-handed by the customers. They got what they deserved and were fired on the spot."
Seeing that the diners were now eyeing the round-faced waitress, she angrily threw her cloth on the counter and sat down, clearly backing down despite her silence.
Uncle Lu ordered eight steamed buns, one braised pork, and one plate of spicy shredded potatoes.
After a while, the dishes were ready, and the chef brought them to the window. The round-faced waitress was still fuming, but she knew she had met her match. With a dark face, she said stiffly, "The braised pork is ready."
Uncle Lu prepared to get up and collect the dishes.
But Lu Jiaxin stopped him and said loudly, "I've eaten at the state-run restaurants in Si Jiu City countless times, and each time, the waitstaff brought the dishes to our table. I never expected the service here in Feng County to be so poor. When I get back, I'll be sure to spread the word about this."
The round-faced waitress's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't afford to lose face any further, so she shouted at the thin waitress, "What are you staring at? Bring the dishes over!"
Anyone who could afford to dine frequently at state-run restaurants and command such respectful service from the waitstaff was definitely not an ordinary person. Even if they weren't locals, she dared not provoke them.
The thin waitress, rarely seeing her colleague in such a predicament, didn't hold any grudges. She walked to the window and brought over the dishes with a smile, "Miss, this braised pork is one of our master chef's specialties. I guarantee you'll want more after tasting it."
One couldn't resist a smiling face, and Lu Jiaxin's attitude softened as well. "Then I'll have to give it a good taste. If it's as delicious as you say, I'll definitely come back for more."
"Then you must come again."
Lu Jiaxin took a bite and said to Uncle Lu, "Fifth Brother's braised pork that he made at our place tasted similar to this."
Upon hearing this, Uncle Lu immediately picked up a piece of pork and took a bite. It was sweet but not greasy, tender, and flavorful. "Is your Fifth Brother's cooking really that good?"
Lu Jiaxin laughed, "Uncle, you should have confidence in Fifth Brother's culinary skills. He won over Fifth Sister-in-law with his cooking back in the day."
The reason why Lu Jiajin's braised pork had tasted so good when he made it at her house was that she had prepared enough ingredients. If he were to cook it now without all those extra ingredients, the flavor would definitely be lacking.
Although the state-run restaurant was a bit pricey and the service left something to be desired, the food was indeed of good quality. Both dishes were generously portioned, and the steamed buns were as big as a grown man's fist. Lu Jiaxin was full after eating just one bun, while Uncle Lu managed two. The rest were devoured by Zhao Dajun.
Seeing his hearty appetite, Lu Jiaxin thought to herself that if he really went to work at the factory, his wages would barely be enough to feed himself. If he wanted to get married, he'd have to survive on coarse grains and control his portions.
This fleeting thought crossed her mind, but it had nothing to do with her, so she didn't bother herself with it.
After leaving the state-run restaurant, Uncle Lu remarked, "Xin Xin, your temper is quite fiery. You need to learn to rein it in when you're out and about, or you might get taken advantage of."
The reason he hadn't intervened earlier was that the waitress's attitude had been truly appalling. Of course, it was also because even if things had escalated further in Feng County, they wouldn't have had anything to worry about. Things would have been different if they had been elsewhere.
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "Uncle, don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
If she had been traveling alone without anyone to back her up, she would have certainly kept quiet. But with Uncle Lu and Zhao Da Jun by her side, she wasn't afraid of that waitress causing any trouble.
Uncle Lu looked up at the sky and said, "Let's head back. If we don't hear anything by the end of today, I'll have your brothers and cousins go to other communes tomorrow to ask around."
Going around with the portrait and asking people about it was purely a matter of luck. He felt that it would be more efficient to follow Lu Jiaxin's lead and search in the different communes.
Lu Jiaxin nodded and said, "Uncle, I want to stop by the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some things."
At the cooperative, Lu Jiaxin bought cups, basins, canned syrup, soda, and other items.
Uncle Lu tried to stop her from buying the canned drinks and soda, saying, "You only need to buy the cups and basins; the rest is a waste of money."
"Uncle, I want to eat them," Lu Jiaxin replied.
She wasn't actually interested in those items, but she knew that her family's children would enjoy them. It was a convenient excuse to get Uncle Lu to agree.
Seeing the pile of goods on the counter, Uncle Lu regretted only bringing a few dollars with him, as it meant he couldn't even help pay for the items now.
Lu Jiaxin paid for the items and then took out the portrait from her canvas bag to show the saleswoman. "Sister, have you seen this person before?"
The saleswoman's face lit up at the respectful address. At twenty-nine years old, she was already a mother to an eight-year-old, and it had been a long time since a young girl had called her 'sister'. She took the portrait and examined it carefully before shaking her head to indicate that she hadn't seen the person before.
Lu Jiaxin didn't seem disappointed and said, "Sister, could you please ask your colleagues if they've seen the person in this portrait? Perhaps they might recognize him."
The saleswoman was impressed by Lu Jiaxin's fluent Mandarin and her generous purchase. She asked, "You're not from around here, are you? Not many local girls would spend so freely."
"No, I'm from Si Jiu City. My father is the general manager of the department store there. We're practically family!" Lu Jiaxin replied.
While local connections were important, knowing that she had a powerful background would ensure better treatment from the saleswomen. She didn't want to experience the same treatment she had received at the state-run restaurant again.
The saleswoman's attitude immediately warmed, and she said, "Sister, wait here for a moment while I call my colleague. Maybe she has seen this person."
Lu Jiaxin expressed her gratitude. "Thank you, Sister. We're not in a hurry, so take your time."
The colleague lived nearby, so Lu Jiaxin and Uncle Lu only had to wait about ten minutes before she arrived.
The new saleswoman was older, appearing to be in her forties. She was straightforward and said as soon as she saw Lu Jiaxin, "I meet so many people every day, I might not remember them all."
This was her way of telling Lu Jiaxin not to get her hopes up. After all, with so many people coming and going at the cooperative daily, even if the person in the portrait had been there, she might not remember.
Lu Jiaxin first expressed her thanks and then said, "Big Sister, I appreciate you coming over. Please take a look, and if you haven't seen this person, we'll continue our search."
(End of Chapter)
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