I'm back in 1990

Chapter 762: Food Partner

After laughing, Huang Xiaochuan pretended to be curious and asked a question.

"Wasn't it hard just now?"

"roll!"

Yu Wei gripped the pillow, looking furious, as if he was about to turn against his friend and brother-in-law, Huang Xiaochuan.

Just then, Tang Yuan walked in and hurriedly asked, "What's wrong now?"

Huang Xiaochuan laughed and said, "It's nothing, it's nothing, we were just joking around."

Not seeing Ji Mei follow him in, Huang Xiaochuan asked, "Where's Ji Mei?"

Seeing that her husband was alright, Tang Yuan finally answered Huang Xiaochuan's question: "Sister Mei said she had surgery, so she left first and asked me to tell you."

"Alright, I'll be going now if there's nothing else. I'll give you two some space to be alone. I'll come back to check on you before my surgery this afternoon!" Seeing that there was nothing else to do, Huang Xiaochuan decided to leave.

Tang Yuan rolled her eyes at Huang Xiaochuan and said, "Brother-in-law, you're just joking!"

Yu Wei, however, casually reminded him, "Come over early this afternoon!"

"Don't worry! I'm leaving!" Huang Xiaochuan waved and left.

I ran into Yu Xiang as soon as I got out of the elevator; she was about to go upstairs.

"Hey? You're gone?"

Huang Xiaochuan nodded: "I need to take care of some things in my office. I'll come back before the surgery this afternoon!"

"Oh, it's just a minor surgery, you don't need to run around like this. Just come over tonight to take a look!" Yu Xiang felt that the man was so busy, and it was just a minor invasive surgery like appendectomy, there was no need to make such a fuss.

Huang Xiaochuan still insisted on his own idea: "You don't need to worry about it. I've already spoken to Yu Wei."

"Whatever! I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going up!" Seeing that there was no point in saying more, Yu Xiang turned around and went up the elevator.

Upon arriving at the office, Huang Xiaochuan asked Gao Song, "How's the recruitment process for a personal assistant going? Why haven't we found a suitable one yet?"

At this moment, Gao Song was also complaining in his heart. There were indeed quite a few applicants, including quite a few beautiful women. After finally screening out some who met the requirements, the boss rejected them all after reviewing their resumes, and he had to start screening the next batch again.

However, he still didn't dare to be negligent and replied, "Because there are a lot of applicants in this new batch, the HR colleagues are currently conducting interviews and screenings. I'll urge them again later!"

After hearing this, Huang Xiaochuan casually waved his hand and said, "Forget it, don't rush me!"

Gao Song breathed a sigh of relief. This was really too difficult. He wondered what kind of person the boss was looking for.

Chen Zhe's research institute is located upstairs from the Pudong Public Library. The Shanghai branch of the Xiangjiang Economic Research Institute was originally set up here because of the convenience of accessing materials at the library.

After his first draft was approved by his classmate and friend Huang Xiaochuan, Chen Zhe devoted himself to perfecting the research report. Naturally, he became a frequent visitor to the library. He originally had an assistant, but he found it too troublesome and preferred to go to the library himself, saving his assistant the trouble of running back and forth.

So he often came to the library’s archives alone, found the books and data he needed, and buried himself in them, repeatedly verifying his reports, adding cases, and updating data.

Because Chen Zhe is very focused on his work, he can sit down for hours at a time and often forgets to eat. He already has irregular eating habits, so when he gets busy, he just grabs a coffee and a piece of bread in the library and makes do with that.

Sometimes, he didn't even want to get up, so he skipped lunch and dinner, which made him even thinner than before.

"Chengling, let's go! Let's go eat!" A colleague called to Chengling as they headed to the restaurant.

Cheng Ling was observing a thin man, and she was very curious about this man who often appeared in the library's archives.

Every time this person comes to the library, he will go to a fixed spot and stay there for half a day without any distractions, and there are often several thick stacks of books and documents in front of him.

She knew the man's name was Chen Zhe because the librarian had specifically instructed all the librarians on duty to provide him with all the help he needed. For example, if he needed to find any information or data, he could write it down on a piece of paper and hand it to the librarian, who would then help him find the information and data he needed.

Cheng Ling had done the same thing, and she greatly admired the calligraphy of this man named Chen Zhe, saying it was truly beautiful.

This man was quite refined-looking. Although he didn't talk much, he was very polite. His refined and cultured demeanor set him apart from other readers who came to the library.

Over time, Cheng Ling found this person more and more pleasing to the eye!

She also noticed that he never seemed enthusiastic about eating. While others would be thinking about filling their stomachs as soon as it was time to eat, he would just sit there motionless, continuing to do what he was doing.

After this happened several times, Cheng Ling felt a pang of pity. She muttered to herself, "If she's not even enthusiastic about eating, how can her body take it?"

So she decided to buy lunch for this person who wasn't very enthusiastic about eating. In Cheng Ling's opinion, it was just a small favor. Anyway, the staff restaurant in the library was cheap and the food was good. A lunch would cost at most five yuan. It was only five yuan! It's on me, Miss!

She quickly finished her lunch on her plate, picked up her takeout container, and left the restaurant. Her colleagues were a little puzzled, but they were only momentarily confused before she happily continued eating. This lunch was the best part of the day.

Cheng Ling carried the lunchbox and quietly walked behind Chen Zhe. Chen Zhe was busy at his desk and didn't even notice anyone behind him.

Cheng Ling said softly, "Hello! Excuse me!"

Chen Zhe heard a sound behind him, turned around blankly, and saw a librarian holding a lunchbox looking at him.

He asked in confusion, "Are you talking to me?"

Cheng Ling playfully pointed to the clock on the wall: "Hello! I've noticed you've forgotten to eat lunch several times. I just came out of the cafeteria and brought you some! The food in our library cafeteria is the best among all the office buildings around here!"

Chen Zhe froze for a moment, just as his stomach started growling, causing him to blush.

He glanced shyly at the young girl standing next to him, then at the lunchbox in her hand, and felt a warmth in his heart. He hadn't been cared for like this in a long time.

Chen Zhe stood up awkwardly, saying, "I'm so sorry!"

Cheng Ling generously handed the lunchbox to Chen Zhe, saying, "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I can tell you're a scholar, and I admire people like you. Hurry up and eat it while it's hot!"

Chen Zhe, holding the lunchbox, said, "How much? I'll give it to you!"

Cheng Ling waved her hand dismissively, "No need, it's on me! Hurry up and eat! The food won't taste good if it gets cold! I'm leaving!"

After saying that, Cheng Ling left the archives room and went to her lounge for a midday rest.

After Cheng Ling left, Chen Zhe stood there dumbfounded for a while, holding the lunchbox, before sitting down again.

From then on, Cheng Ling would often bring Chen Zhe lunch or dinner, and the variety was quite good. Sometimes dinner might be a plate of fragrant pan-fried buns, and sometimes it might be a few pieces of fresh meat mooncakes and a bowl of three-delicacy soup. For Cheng Ling, a local girl born and raised here, snacks are an indispensable part of her life.

Chen Zhe felt bad and insisted on paying, so Cheng Ling accepted the money. However, the accounts were always clear and the exact change was always correct.

Naturally, the two became acquainted. Chen Zhe learned Cheng Ling's name, and Cheng Ling learned that Chen Zhe was a university teacher who also worked part-time at the Economic Research Institute on the nineteenth floor of their library, where he was engaged in a very important research project.

Sometimes when Cheng Ling wasn't around, she would ask her colleagues to help Chen Zhe arrange lunch or dinner, but whenever Chen Zhe couldn't see Cheng Ling, he always felt that something was missing.

Cheng Ling even called herself Chen Zhe's dining buddy.