Divorced and Determined: The CEO's Ex-Wife Fights for Love-Chapter 120
Chapter 120 Daddy Loves Me So Much! I Remembered Something Happy!
Lu Qin rode his trusty three-wheeled cart to Cuilu Tea Market, parking it carefully in a designated spot. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
“Hello, is this Mr. Li? This is Lu Qin, recommended by Mr. Zhao… Mingying Tea Pavilion? Great, I’ll head over now.”
Navigating the tea market required expertise—it was a place where you could easily get scammed without the right connections. Thankfully, Mr. Zhao had introduced Lu Qin to a trustworthy vendor.
Holding little Lu Xiyao’s hand, Lu Qin made his way to Mingying Tea Pavilion.
Mr. Li, the proprietor, was in his thirties and looked lean and approachable. After some pleasantries, he presented a fresh batch of Osmanthus Oolong tea.
“This is the finest batch,” he said. “Would you like to inspect it?”
“Of course,” Lu Qin replied. For someone who truly understood tea, inspecting the quality was a must.
Little Xiyao couldn’t contain her excitement, piping up, “Daddy’s going to make Osmanthus Oolong milk tea for me!”
Mr. Li chuckled.
“Your dad must love you very much!”
“Mm-hmm! My daddy loves me a lot!” She nodded confidently.
To humor her, Mr. Li handed her an orange, which she happily accepted. Mr. Li carefully unwrapped the tea and spread the leaves out on a bamboo tray, gesturing for Lu Qin to examine them.
High-quality Osmanthus Oolong is characterized by its fragrant aroma without visible flower residues. This is achieved through a meticulous infusion process where tea leaves and osmanthus flowers are layered together. The flowers impart their fragrance to the tea, which absorbs it fully over two cycles of infusion.
Lu Qin sniffed the leaves and rolled a few between his fingers. He nodded.
“The orchid aroma is exquisite. The base tea is authentic Tieguanyin from Xiping, Anxi—exceptional.”
Mr. Li raised an impressed eyebrow.
“You really know your tea!”
Lu Qin continued, “This strong osmanthus fragrance must come from thirty-year-old golden osmanthus trees—a rare and precious material.”
Mr. Li gave him a big thumbs-up.
“Mr. Lu, you’re quite the expert!”
Satisfied with the tea’s quality, Lu Qin said, “How much for ten pounds?”
Since Lu Qin was a friend of Zhao’s and clearly knowledgeable, Mr. Li offered the lowest price without hesitation.
“188 per pound.”
“Deal. Let’s keep working together long-term.”
After making the purchase, Lu Qin and Xiyao left the tea market.
As they walked, Xiyao peeled the orange and handed half to her dad.
“Daddy, let’s go home!”
Lu Qin smiled.
“You’re in a hurry to try my milk tea, aren’t you?”
The little girl giggled, “Daddy, you’re so smart!”
____
Meanwhile, Shen Muyan had just finished a meeting and was hungry. She craved Lu Qin’s fried rice noodles and crystal shrimp dumplings.
Trailing behind her, two executives—Sun Zhi and Fan Qingfang—tried to extend an invitation.
“Ms. Shen, care to join us for dinner at the Swarovski Crystal Restaurant?” Fan Qingfang asked warmly.
“No, I have other plans,” Shen Muyan replied coolly, ending the conversation.
Sun Zhi and Fan Qingfang had been captivated by the Ice Crystal Cake earlier that day. Both had applied to join the stall’s Penguin group, but their requests were still pending.
“Ms. Shen,” Sun Zhi asked anxiously, “Could you ask the group owner to approve us?”
Two high-powered executives, so desperate for street food, would certainly shock anyone who heard about it.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Shen Muyan replied. She took out her phone and messaged Lu Qin.
[I’ve added two more customers. Could you approve them?]
Lu Qin, who had just arrived home, checked his phone and typed back.
[Are they the ones who’d pay 200,000 yuan for an Ice Crystal Cake?][Smart guess.]
Shen Muyan responded with a rare smile before pocketing her phone.
Moments later, both Sun Zhi and Fan Qingfang received notifications. They had been added to Lu Qin’s Foodie Group.
The group was muted, but the pinned announcement read.
[Tonight at 6:30, University Town Night Market on Changlin Road. Menu—Ice Crystal Cake, Crystal Shrimp Dumplings, Noble Consort Chicken Wings, Iced Mung Bean Soup, and a new addition—Osmanthus Oolong Drink (handcrafted, free from additives, and nourishing).]
The two executives exchanged thrilled looks. First, they noted the group had nearly 900 members—an astonishing number for a street vendor.
Second, the stall offered not just Ice Crystal Cake but a variety of gourmet dishes and drinks.
“This is insane!” Sun Zhi exclaimed. “I have an important dinner tonight, but I’m canceling it.”
Fan Qingfang added, “The line’s bound to be long. We should get there half an hour early!”
As they discussed logistics, Shen Muyan declined their evening invitation.
“I’m too hungry to wait.”
_____
Back in Lu Qin’s kitchen, little Xiyao peeked over the counter as her dad worked. Spotting a familiar chat icon on his phone, she grinned mischievously.
“Mommy!” She whispered to herself, noticing her dad’s relaxed expression while texting.
“What are you smiling about?” Lu Qin asked, noticing her little smirk.
“I just remembered something happy,” she replied cryptically.
Unbothered, Lu Qin continued cooking. He opened the steamer, releasing a burst of fragrant steam as he revealed a batch of crystal shrimp dumplings.
“Smells amazing!” Xiyao exclaimed, her tiny hands gripping the countertop.
Lu Qin carefully cooled one dumpling before feeding it to her.
“Careful, the filling is hot,” he warned.
Xiyao bit into it, her cheeks puffed out as she savored the delicious filling despite its heat.
“So good!”
Her eyes sparkled with joy as she declared for the umpteenth time.
“Daddy, your cooking is the best!”
Still, she eagerly anticipated the Osmanthus Oolong Milk Tea. She had always longed for milk tea when seeing others sipping it on the street, but Lu Qin had forbidden it, knowing how addictive the sugary, processed versions could be.
Now, with her dad promising a homemade version, her excitement was palpable.
Perched on a small stool, she waited patiently, looking like an adorable little ‘waiting bunny’.
