bioinnovel Chapter 76 An Encounter in the Park
Chapter 76 An Encounter in the Park
The city center wetland park.
Su Qingxue followed the wooden boardwalk along the lake bay and slowly approached the relatively quiet willow grove.
The deeper you go, the sparser the crowds become.
A gentle breeze swept across the lake, ruffling her off-white sun-protective cardigan and bringing a rare touch of coolness.
Su Qingxue stopped and gently pressed her stomach.
The empty, throbbing pain didn't disappear after the walk; in fact, it became more pronounced as I walked and my energy was depleted.
Her face was slightly pale as she prepared to find a bench to sit down and rest for a while.
"Daddy! The kite fell down!"
A child's voice came from the grass in front.
Su Qingxue subconsciously raised her head and looked in the direction of the sound.
In mid-air, a brightly colored butterfly kite, weakened by the wind, wobbled and drifted toward her, finally landing lightly on the lawn less than three meters away.
Immediately afterwards, a little girl in a light yellow floral dress, like a happy little deer, ran towards the kite.
Not far behind the little girl was a tall, handsome young man.
The man followed behind, holding a kite spool in his hand.
Su Qingxue was stunned.
Su Qingxue recognized the man at a glance.
It was Lin Chen, the owner of the stall in the Yintai Building Plaza every day.
And the little girl squatting on the ground picking up the kite is none other than Tangtang, who sits obediently on the small stool every day and serves spoons.
Tangtang picked up the butterfly kite, which was almost as tall as her, and was about to turn around and run back when her big eyes met Su Qingxue standing by the wooden boardwalk.
The little girl paused for two seconds, then her big eyes lit up instantly.
"Oh? A pretty auntie!"
Tangtang exclaimed with delight.
Although Secretary Chen usually handles the packing, Su Qingxue had stopped briefly to glance at it from a distance when she passed by the square on her way home from get off work.
Children always remember good-looking people, and Tangtang recognized her at a glance.
Looking at the fair and lovely face in front of her, Su Qingxue's expression softened involuntarily.
"Hello, Tangtang."
Su Qingxue responded softly.
At this moment, Lin Chen also walked over.
He looked up as he gathered the kite string in his hand.
Seeing Su Qingxue standing there, Lin Chen's expression remained unchanged, though a slight hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
Of course he recognized Su Qingxue.
Although it was usually Secretary Chen who came to buy food, he knew that this aloof and well-dressed woman was the one who always asked Secretary Chen to buy fried rice.
"Miss Su, what a coincidence."
Lin Chen looked at Su Qingxue and greeted her.
"Boss Lin, it's quite a coincidence."
Su Qingxue nodded slightly, her attitude polite but not distant.
She glanced at the kite in Lin Chen's hand, then at the happy Tangtang beside him, and said softly, "It's the weekend today, why didn't you bring your daughter out for a stroll?"
"Um."
Lin Chen nodded, "I usually don't have time because I'm setting up my stall, but I'm off today, so I brought her to see the windmill."
"Pretty auntie, are you here to see the windmill too?"
Tangtang hugged the kite, tilted her little face up, and blinked her big eyes at Su Qingxue.
"Auntie... just taking a walk."
Su Qingxue answered. The two exchanged a few pleasantries, and the atmosphere became slightly silent.
Su Qingxue is usually decisive and efficient in the business world, but in her personal life, she is actually a person with a strong sense of social distance.
Although she appreciated Lin Chen's cooking skills, she wasn't familiar with him, so she planned to just nod and leave without disturbing the father and daughter's weekend.
Just as she was about to say goodbye, her stomach suddenly cramped slightly again.
Su Qingxue subconsciously frowned slightly, her already pale lips pressed even tighter.
She raised her hand, placed it on her stomach, and gently pressed down.
Lin Chen had a keen eye and noticed her unusual behavior at a glance.
As a chef, he had long suspected that Ms. Su must have a serious stomach ailment.
Seeing Su Qingxue's pale face and subconscious movements, Lin Chen knew that she must not have eaten lunch.
"Miss Su, are you feeling unwell?"
Lin Chen looked at her and asked a question.
"fine."
Su Qingxue forced a smile, "Maybe I didn't eat well this morning, my stomach is a little upset."
Tangtang, who had been standing to the side, also keenly sensed that something was wrong.
The little girl glanced at Su Qingxue's hand pressing her stomach, then at her pale face.
"Pretty auntie, are you hungry?"
Tangtang's voice was soft and sweet, filled with concern, "When I used to be hungry, this was also a source of discomfort, and I had no energy at all."
A hint of unease flashed in Su Qingxue's eyes when she was exposed to the truth by a little girl.
"Auntie isn't hungry..."
Su Qingxue tried to politely decline and prepared to leave.
"Auntie is lying, your complexion isn't rosy at all."
Tangtang stepped forward, reached out her little hand and tugged at Su Qingxue's sleeve, her face full of sincerity, "Pretty auntie, come eat with us!"
My dad made an absolutely delicious bento box this morning!
Su Qingxue was stunned.
"Tangtang, no need, Auntie's really not hungry, and Auntie has something to do later..."
Su Qingxue politely declined.
"But Auntie, you look very uncomfortable."
Tangtang gently tugged at Su Qingxue's clothes with her two little hands, her face full of stubbornness, "Daddy said that when you're sick, you have to eat on time."
"Auntie, come here, can I share my favorite little rice balls with you?"
Faced with such a pure and sincere invitation from a three- or four-year-old girl, Su Qingxue's words got stuck in her throat, and she couldn't utter a single word.
She turned to look at Lin Chen, her eyes filled with a pleading look.
Hopefully, Lin Chen can discipline his daughter and give her a way out.
Lin Chen looked at Su Qingxue.
"Miss Su, if you don't mind, please come and sit for a while."
Lin Chen spoke up.
Su Qingxue pursed her pale lips: "Boss Lin, there's really no need to trouble yourself, I..."
"It's no trouble at all."
Lin Chen interrupted her excuses and pointed to the huge weeping willow not far away, "We'll be right under that tree."
I made a lot of bento boxes before leaving home today.
It's just some ordinary homemade rice balls and thick omelets, without much seasoning, very light.
Your stomach isn't feeling well, so eating something soft and chewy like this to line your stomach is better than going on an empty stomach.
Su Qingxue looked into Lin Chen's eyes, then glanced at Tangtang, whose face was full of anticipation.
Her previously strong psychological defenses miraculously crumbled at this moment.
The emptiness in her stomach continued to protest, and the "homemade rice balls" and "thick omelets" that Lin Chen had just described made her unconsciously swallow.
Seeing that Su Qingxue did not refuse again, Tangtang immediately became happy.
"Auntie's here, let's go eat bear-shaped rice balls!"
Tangtang held Su Qingxue's hand and happily led the way.
Su Qingxue lowered her head and looked at the warm, soft little hand that was holding hers.
She did not struggle again.
"Then... I'll have to bother Boss Lin and Tangtang."
Su Qingxue said softly.
"I won't bother you. Let's go."
Lin Chen put away the kite in his hand and turned to lead the way.
Su Qingxue was led by Tangtang and followed behind Lin Chen.
The three of them walked together, facing the gentle breeze blowing across the lake in early summer, slowly towards the red and white checkered picnic mat under the weeping willow tree.