Chapter 119

The waiter brought the menu, and Luo Huaizheng handed it to Li Qingyao. Li Qingyao asked him to order, and he didn't hesitate. This is a fusion restaurant of Cantonese and Hunan cuisine. Luo Huaizheng looked at the pictures on the tablet, and what he remembered was Li Qingyao's light taste when he was in high school.

At that time, she only occasionally ate fried skewers with him. She rarely ordered big fish or meat in the school cafeteria, but always had stir-fried dishes or vegetarian dishes; she ate all vegetarian spicy hot pot, at most adding fish, tofu and quail eggs; she ate fresh cucumber and egg pancakes, at most adding some meat floss, but she still thought the meat floss was too oily.

Luo Huaizheng lowered his head, but there was a hint of smile on his face. He quickly made up his mind and ordered a dish of fried shrimp with snow sprout rice, two dishes of fish maw in golden soup, and a dish of seasonal vegetables. He handed the menu to her: "You can add two more dishes."

Li Qingyao said, "Is that enough?"

"Not enough, the portion is small."

Li Qingyao took the menu and glanced at the dishes she had ordered. She thought to herself that a bodhisattva was still a bodhisattva. Her taste was nothing like those rough men. She liked the dishes, but when she turned to the end of the menu, her eyes lit up slightly and she asked the waiter, "Which one is smaller, Maoxuewang or Shuizhurou?"

Waiter: “They’re all pretty much the same.”

"Then... Maoxuewang." She looked at Luo Huaizheng, "I'd like to add a dish with a strong flavor. Do you mind?"

Luo Huaizheng: "...Of course I don't mind."

As reserved as Luo Huaizheng was, of course he wouldn't ask, "Why did your taste change so much?" He just once again felt that after seven years, they were all changing.

The dishes were served quickly. Looking at the exquisite and tempting dishes, Li Qingyao tried a few with his chopsticks and found that every dish was delicious.

"This store is great," she praised.

Luo Huaizheng laughed.

Li Qingyao stared at the fresh and chewy tripe in the Maoxuewang, and thought of Chen Pu illogically. This guy must have finished his two bowls of instant noodles a long time ago, and he is probably lifting weights or skipping rope now. He is really the most self-disciplined person she has ever seen.

"I have something personal to ask you."

Seeing her eating with gusto, Luo Huaizheng also felt his appetite open and was in a good mood. There was something that had been weighing on his mind for a long time, and he easily asked about it.

"Anything else?" Li Qingyao chewed a piece of duck blood and swallowed it, then put down his chopsticks. "Boss Luo, please finish it in one breath next time. After all, everything you said today is not a trivial matter. I don't want to listen to you constantly revealing dark and twisted inside stories while tasting such delicious food."

Luo Huaizheng laughed out loud.

Such a hearty laugh was rare for him in these years. Under the light, his eyebrows and eyes seemed to be stained with light. The light flowed into his eyes, and he stared at her again.

"How can I provide so much inside information? You are the criminal police who has been through life and death. I want to ask... During the years in prison, there was a stranger who transferred money to my parents every month. At first it was 300, 500, and later it was 1000. The person was Luo Tongtong. She stopped transferring money until I was released from prison two years ago. Is that person related to you?"

Li Qingyao looked at him.

With just one look, Luo Huaizheng knew that he was right. As expected, she smiled and said, "Luo Tongtong is one of my mother's apprentices. I asked her to do the transfer for me. There is not much money in total, and it is not worth much. I only have so much ability. I will do my best for my uncle and aunt. You don't have to care too much."

Luo Huaizheng looked at her without saying anything, the smile on his face disappeared, and his hand holding the chopsticks remained on the table without moving.

Li Qingyao picked up his chopsticks and continued eating with a natural look: "You also said that there are so many people who have helped you. I am nothing. It's all in the past, Luo Huaizheng."

Luo Huaizheng wanted to say something, but his throat felt blocked. He took a moment to calm down and said solemnly, "Thank you."

Li Qingyao lowered his head, his eyes seemed to be staring at the plate of oily and spicy Maoxuewang, with a smile on his face, he said: "Okay, I accept, you're welcome."

Luo Huaizheng stared at her without blinking.

She changed out of her police uniform after get off work today and put on a pure black knitted sweater, a white T-shirt underneath, and dark blue jeans. Now she took off her coat and hung it on the back of the chair, looking simple, clean and light from head to toe.

After acknowledging that she had supported his parents for five years, Li Qingyao's expression was still very calm, even quiet. Just like the feeling that the 24-year-old Li Qingyao gave him these days - gentle, but cold. It seemed that it would be difficult for you to easily enter her heart.

Luo Huaizheng wanted to ask her, since she had been silently caring for his family, why did she never visit him during those five years, especially when he was first imprisoned, when many teachers and classmates went to visit him? Did she care about him or not? Was it because the relationship was too awkward, or did she decide to give up their relationship a long time ago?
But Luo Huaizheng still couldn't ask this question, and he couldn't ask it. So he just picked up the teapot and filled her a cup of fragrant snow chrysanthemum tea with his own hands, and then said, "Eat more, do you want another meat dish?"

Li Qingyao glared at him: "Are you crazy? I don't eat that much now!" She felt a little embarrassed, and then she thought of the person who led her astray, and wanted to beat him into a pig's head.

-

The meal lasted a little over an hour and ended. Li Qingyao was about to take a taxi, but Luo Huaizheng insisted on sending her home.

Luo Huaizheng drove the car to the downstairs of where Li Qingyao lived. At this time, the night had already enveloped the entire neighborhood. The old Chaoyang home was especially quiet and empty.

Li Qingyao got out of the car and walked to the stairs. Luo Huaizheng also came over and the two looked at each other. Li Qingyao smiled and said, "Thank you for today. I'll go upstairs and contact you if there's anything."

"I have something else..." Luo Huaizheng said halfway and smiled first, "I want to tell you."

Li Qingyao simply leaned on the handrail of the stairs: "It's easy to be soft-hearted. I can only listen attentively again."

The voice-activated light on the first floor was broken, but the light on the stairwell on the second floor was turned on because of their voices. The light was cast diagonally, making the place where they stood half bright and half dark. Luo Huaizheng also seemed very relaxed and leaned against the wall next to her. Li Qingyao wanted to shout: It's dirty! Your windbreaker!

But it was too late. Luo Huaizheng didn't seem to care at all. He put his hands in his windbreaker pockets, stretched his long legs, and leaned half of his shoulder against the wall. He looked more or less like a 24-year-old guy whose youthfulness had not completely faded, instead of the gloomy man when they first met.

However, as soon as this person opened his mouth tonight, it was bombshell news: "I asked Captain Ding, and Captain Ding asked the city leaders to ask Tsinghua University for me."

Li Qingyao understood immediately and stood up straight: "Tsinghua...how do you say that?"

Luo Huaizheng smiled faintly, touched the tip of his nose with his index finger, and said, "They said that if I am willing, I can prepare this year and take their special recruitment exam next year. The college entrance examination policy changes every year, and they now have several enrollment plans. As long as I pass the minimum control line, I can be admitted."