Chapter 367: Chapter 227 Li Ya’s Little Scheme

“I first met Xiao Cheng when I first came to Beijing on the New Year’s Eve.”

Xiao Meier’s eyes were full of reminiscence, “Business was slow that day, and there were hardly any customers, so I closed the shop early.”

“Sister Lin, you know, everyone here eats dumplings for the New Year,”

Xiao Meier said with a wry smile, “I followed the local customs and made some too.”

“The dumplings were ready, and it was completely dark outside, and then it began to snow heavily.”

“The Spring Festival Gala had started on TV, lively, yet it felt desolate.”

“Just as the dumplings were out of the pot, someone knocked on the door.”

She paused, looking tenderly at Chen Cheng.

“I opened the door and saw Xiao Cheng standing there. The heavy snow had covered him, making him look like a snowman.”

Xiao Meier smiled, “I was wondering at the time, during the Spring Festival, who would visit.”

As she spoke, her eyes slightly moistened, “Guess what he said?”

Wen Shulin and Su Liya both shook their heads.

“He said he was afraid I would feel lonely celebrating the New Year alone in the shop, so he brought me a bowl of dumplings.”

“I was so touched at the time, thinking how caring this guy was?”

“Sister Lin, where can you find such a good man like Xiao Cheng?”

Speaking, Xiao Meier tightly grasped Chen Cheng’s hand, as if afraid he might suddenly disappear.

Wen Shulin looked at their affectionate demeanor, with mixed feelings in her heart.

She knew that what Xiao Meier said was true, Chen Cheng was indeed a man of deep affection and integrity, worthy of a lifetime commitment.

But why was she always one step too late?

How wonderful would it be if she had met him earlier?

“Indeed, Mr. Chen is a good man.”

Wen Shulin took a sip of red wine, the bitterness of the wine spreading in her mouth, much like her current mood.

Xiao Meier curiously asked, “Sister Lin, how did you meet Xiao Cheng?”

Wen Shulin paused for half a second, the first time she saw Chen Cheng was when Xia Yubing and her sister brought him to see her.

But facing Xiao Meier she naturally could not say this and instead replied, “Mr. Jin introduced him.”

She finished the wine in her glass and poured herself another.

Seeing this, Xiao Meier quickly finished her own wine and joined in.

“Take it easy with the drinking,” Wen Shulin said with concern, “Don’t get drunk.”

“It’s all right, this is nothing! I can handle my drink!”

“Xiao Er, keep going, what happened then?” Wen Shulin filled Xiao Meier’s glass and pressed on.

“Afterwards…”

Xiao Meier’s thoughts drifted back to that snowy night years ago, “Of course, I invited Xiao Cheng inside, it was so cold outside, his hands were all red from the cold.”

“I urged him to sit down and warm up, and I cooked a big plate of the dumplings I had just wrapped.”

“Back then the shop was simple, just one table, and Xiao Cheng and I sat across from each other, eating the steaming dumplings and chatting about everything under the sun.”

“Outside it was snowing heavily, but inside it was as warm as spring.”

“Sister Lin, do you know? Since I was little, I had a dream of opening my own restaurant in Beijing.”

Xiao Meier spoke brightly of the past, “That night, I told him about my dreams, and he listened earnestly, encouraging me like an adult.”

“He even said that once he started earning money, he would partner with me to open a restaurant.”

At this, Xiao Meier couldn’t help but laugh, “He was particularly fond of acting profound back then.”

Wen Shulin felt sour, yet couldn’t help wanting to hear more.

“What happened afterwards?”

“Then, Fennel Noodle House gained four regular customers.”

“Four?”

Xiao Meier nodded, “Xiao Cheng, Shu Biao, Li Dinger, and Xia Bao.”

Wen Shulin suddenly understood, and Xiao Meier said with a smile, “Those guys, no matter the weather, would always come to my shop for noodles.”

“I knew that this was Xiao Cheng’s way of supporting me; who else would eat there every single day of the month?” she added.

Xiao Meier took another sip of her drink, “Until a month ago, Xiao Cheng told me my dream could be realized.”

“Only then did I understand, the promise he made twelve years ago…”

Xiao Meier’s voice choked up, her nose tingling, “He had always kept it in his heart.”

Wen Shulin felt a tremor in her heart. Chen Cheng, twelve years ago, was just a young man reaching adulthood, yet he already knew how to keep promises.

And twelve years later, he had indeed helped Xiao Meier achieve her dream with his actions.

“Sister Lin, you tell me, could Xiao Meier meet another man as good as Xiao Cheng in her lifetime?”

Xiao Meier grasped Wen Shulin’s hand excitedly.

Wen Shulin didn’t know how to respond but could only say, “Xiao Er, you deserve this happiness.”

Xiao Meier burst into tears of joy, lifting her glass, “Sister Lin, this drink is for you. Thank you for all your help to Xiao Cheng.”

Wen Shulin also raised her glass, clinking it with Xiao Meier’s, “Xiao Er, between you and me, no need for thanks.”

Her peripheral vision lingered on Chen Cheng, her jealousy growing stronger.

She had to admit, at this moment, how incredibly envious she was of Xiao Meier, to have someone as affectionate and committed as Chen Cheng.

But she knew well enough that she had no ground for envy and could only bury these complex emotions deep inside.

At least for the moment.

Wen Shulin tried to make her voice sound as calm as usual: “Xiao Er, seeing you and Mr. Chen so happy, I’m happy for you too.”

However, only she knew how much against her true feelings that statement was.

How much she wished, at this moment, that she could be the one standing next to Chen Cheng, the one receiving warmth on that snowy night, coming for her.