Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Making Trouble? Blacklisted

But she was still considerate, saying, "It’s so far, and you’re so tired every day. How about you just forget it? You can take a nap after the lunch rush."

"My roommate is sleeping, but she’ll still take care of me."

She desperately wanted Jiang Liu to come and keep her company.

But her anticipation had already turned to heartache for him.

After a moment’s hesitation, she decided to decline, because Jiang Liu was very busy and very tired.

Just hearing his concern was enough to satisfy her.

She didn’t want to add to his exhaustion.

Jiang Liu didn’t take the hint and continued, "What do you want for lunch? I’ll get it for you."

"Don’t refuse. I have to go out this afternoon anyway, so I can drop off a meal on my way."

Jun Qingmeng stared at the message from Jiang Liu.

She agonized, typing and deleting her words.

After a moment, she mustered her courage and wrote: "Okay, if it’s on your way, then come over. I don’t want to eat anything else. Can you just bring some buns from your shop, and some juice?"

"Address: Brocade District, B2, 708."

She tapped send.

Jun Qingmeng put down her phone and took a deep breath, unbelievably nervous.

’Is Jiang Liu really coming to my apartment?’

’The whole place smells like me.’ 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

’So embarrassing.’

’I have to tidy up and make the place look nice!’

Jiang Liu: "How many should I bring? Oh, right, has your roommate eaten? Should I bring something for her?"

Jun Qingmeng: "You should bring some for her. She loves your buns. If you only bring some for me and not for her, she’ll bare her teeth and flip the table. (snicker)"

Jiang Liu: "(wipes sweat) That’s a bit of an exaggeration..."

Jun Qingmeng: "It’s true! She’s obsessed with your buns and juice. You have no idea, she’s a total die-hard fan."

Jiang Liu: "Is that so? Then how about I bring forty buns and four cups of juice for you two?"

Jun Qingmeng: "Okay, that’s enough."

[Red Packet]

"Please take it. I can’t not pay for my roommate’s food. This is for her. As for mine, you can just treat me. You won’t refuse that, will you?"

After sending the message, Jun Qingmeng bit her lower lip. Her chest, which had just calmed down, began to rise and fall rapidly again.

She was incredibly nervous.

’Saying something so forward... Jiang Liu won’t hate me for it, will he?’

Jiang Liu: "Okay, I’ll accept it then. Of course, you don’t have to pay for yours. I wouldn’t take it even if you tried."

Jun Qingmeng: "Hee hee. (happy)"

Jiang Liu slipped his phone into his pocket.

He went back to making buns.

Without even looking, his left fingers precisely flicked up a piece of dough, slapping it into his palm. His right hand had already scooped the filling with a spoon, ready to go.

He spread the filling onto the dough, clenched his left hand, and his right hand pinched the top into a spiral pattern before tapping it firmly onto the bamboo steamer.

This subtle action made the bun look prettier and rounder, and the vibration helped the filling become looser and more evenly distributed.

It took him a total of four seconds to make one bun.

Regarding his interaction with Jun Qingmeng, Jiang Liu didn’t have any complicated thoughts.

He was simply concerned about a friend.

Jun Qingmeng was good to his daughter, Tongtong, and took great care of her at school.

Plus, she came to his shop every day to help with odd jobs.

Jiang Liu always felt like he owed her.

Now, his chance had come.

Jun Qingmeng was sick. As Tongtong’s father, it was necessary for him to show some concern.

「...」

Jun Qingmeng turned off her phone and, still in her white pajamas, happily climbed out of bed.

"Guo Jia! Guo Jia, you lazy pig, stop sleeping! We have an important guest coming over!"

"Huh...? I just fell asleep. What are you doing?"

Guo Jia looked completely baffled.

"Jiang Liu is coming over soon! Hurry up and get up so we can clean the apartment!"

Jun Qingmeng urgently shoved at Guo Jia.

"Jiang Liu is coming over? Holy shit!?"

As if she’d had a shot of adrenaline, Guo Jia sat bolt upright like a zombie.

Her hair was so messy it could have rivaled Li Kui’s.

"S-say that again. Who’s coming?" Guo Jia stared wide-eyed at Jun Qingmeng.

"Jiang Liu!"

"For real? Oh damn, damn!!!"

Brimming with energy, Guo Jia jumped out of bed, her feet THUMPING on the wooden floor.

"When’s he getting here?"

"What’s he coming here for?"

Jun Qingmeng said frankly, "To see me, of course. I’m sick!"

After speaking, she raised her chin slightly.

She was as happy as a peacock frolicking in delight.

Guo Jia asked, "Is he bringing buns? Is he bringing juice?"

"Forty buns and four cups of juice!"

"Damn!! Alright, my princess, quickly, you lie down and rest. I’ll take care of cleaning the house. We have to treat the noble knight well and leave a good impression on him."

"I think you’re just after the buns and juice!"

Jun Qingmeng was pushed back onto the bed by Guo Jia and rolled her eyes at her.

’A good impression? If you want Jiang Liu to come over more often, just say so.’

Guo Jia immediately clutched her heart in mock pain and staggered backward. "You! You! To think you’d judge a noble soul’s... bun... belly with your own petty mind! I’m leaving! Don’t you miss me!"

With that, she diligently went off to clean.

Jun Qingmeng didn’t rest. Enduring her discomfort, she went to the bathroom, took a shower, and put on some beautiful, light makeup.

You couldn’t even tell unless you looked closely.

’Jiang Liu is coming. I have to look my best.’

A little after eleven.

Guo Jia had cleaned the apartment until it was spotless.

She even specially placed a single, vibrant red rose in the vase on the living room coffee table.

"When is Jiang Buns getting here?"

Guo Jia rubbed her stomach, her hair still a disheveled mess.

’I have to see what kind of person this Jiang Liu is, to have mesmerized my drop-dead gorgeous best friend and turned her into this lovesick fool.’

"Oh, him? He’ll come over as soon as he’s done with work!"

Jun Qingmeng was fully dressed, sitting on the sofa and cradling a cup of hot water.

The corners of her mouth were turned up in a happy smile. From any angle, she was a stunning, captivating beauty.

Guo Jia sighed.

"Ah, the curse of a romantic heart."

「...」

Twelve o’clock.

Jiang Liu opened for business right on time.

The massive line at the door eagerly stood on tiptoe.

"He’s finally open! Buns and juice, hahaha, here I come!"

Chu Songrong: "I’m here for buns again, Boss Jiang! Give me fifteen, you can pick the assortment. And two bottles of juice."

Uncle Niu was smoking a cigarette, and the auntie behind him was waving her hand in annoyance.

"Fifteen fennel buns. This filling is really fresh, not bad. And one bottle of juice."

A hothead jumped out of the line.

"Boss, give me a hundred buns and ten bottles of juice. All to go!"

Jiang Liu frowned. "Fifteen buns and three bottles of juice is the maximum."

The hothead wasn’t happy. He slapped the glass. "What? By what right? You’re running a business! I want to buy, and you won’t sell to me??"

"Hurry up and pack it for me, or I’ll report you!!"

Hearing the familiar words, Jiang Liu raised an eyebrow.

However, before he could say anything...

The hundred-plus customers behind him erupted.

"Where did this son of a bitch come from? Get lost! Who do you think you are, yelling at Boss Jiang?"

An old granny said:

"Fellow Jiang, you don’t have to pay him any mind. Just kick him out. My son is a famous lawyer in South City, and the law says a sale is a voluntary agreement. If he dares to cause trouble, I’ll have my son represent you for free! We’ll send him to prison to eat thin porridge!"

"Boss Jiang limits the quantity, and everyone is happy with it. We haven’t said a thing, so what are you yapping about?"

"This guy’s just looking for trouble, isn’t he? My brother is a big shot at the Administration for Industry and Commerce. You dare complain about Boss Jiang? Just you try it!"

"Get the hell out of the way! Don’t stop us from buying Brother Jiang’s buns!"

Everyone unanimously blasted the hothead.

The hothead had never seen such a gathering of heavy hitters and almost shit his pants.

He didn’t dare say another word in protest and ran off with his tail between his legs.

It couldn’t have been more humiliating.

Jiang Liu was a bit surprised by everyone’s devotion.

He said, "Thank you, everyone. That guy was probably a scalper. I’m planning on blacklisting him. Anyone have a problem with that?"

As soon as he said this,

Everyone accepted it joyfully.

’One less person in line, that’s great!’

’Awesome!’

’He should blacklist everyone and only sell to me.’

The buns and juice disappeared quickly.

The payment QR code was getting scanned nonstop.

Soon, Aunt Wu and her relatives reached the counter.

"Fellow Jiang, eight of each kind of bun, and three juices!"

"Alright, one moment please."

"Mhm, thank you, Fellow Jiang. Do you have a girlfriend?"

It was the same familiar scene again.

Jiang Liu’s teeth ached. He simply pretended not to hear, looking down and grabbing the buns.

"My daughter is very pretty..." the auntie smacked her lips, unwilling to give up.

"Here are your buns. The filling is a bit hot, so eat carefully."

"Okay, okay. You get back to work, Fellow Jiang."

The auntie waved her hand.

Her relatives, who had been disdainful just a moment ago, were now madly inhaling the aroma wafting from the buns.

"So? Do they smell good or what? I wasn’t lying, was I?"

The auntie was smug.

"They’re alright. They look pretty good, but it’s not as amazing as you said."

"Exactly. He probably just put a lot of MSG in them. I could make this!"

"They’re pretty average."

The relatives were being stubbornly defiant.

But their eyes were glued to the buns, even as their mouths feigned disdain.

.....