After entering the door, Old Man Gao immediately asked Song Tiantian, "Do you have any wet wipes?"

"Yes, yes, yes..." Song Tiantian quickly rummaged through her bag and handed over a small pack of wet wipes.

Old Man Gao pulled out a wet wipe, then fished a small mirror from his pocket and carefully wiped the lipstick mark from his face.

While wiping, he muttered, "She just had to kiss my face with lipstick and then not let me wash it off! Am I supposed to look like one of those stamped pigs at the market? Women are such a hassle. I really shouldn't mess around anymore..."

Why do I feel like you're enjoying this more and more? Lin Xu was about to speak when he noticed his master raising his head and pulling open his collar, revealing several hickeys on his neck.

"Look at what they did to me! This won't fade for two or three days. Why are older women so overbearing nowadays?"

TSK TSK...

Master, are you bragging now? You say you want to keep your distance from Leopard Print Auntie and return her money, but then you end up with lipstick and hickeys. No wonder you're such a seasoned player. You have your ways.

Old Man Gao finished wiping the lipstick from his face and placed his live-streaming tote bag on the counter. He took out the power bank and asked Song Tiantian to charge it, casually adding, "Today's streaming task is complete. Tiantian, can you put my tote bag in the cabinet? I'll come and get it tomorrow morning."

Obviously, he was worried there might still be a tracker inside. So, he left the bag in his apprentice's shop and even had the power bank charged there. That way, if Leopard Print Auntie tried to track him, she could only trace him to this location.

After Song Tiantian had put the power bank on to charge and placed the tote bag in the cabinet, Old Man Gao casually tossed the used wet wipe into the paper recycling bin and said to Lin Xu, "Banks are so inefficient these days. I waited all afternoon just to make an appointment for a large transfer... Have you adjusted the brine? Do you need me to help you tweak it now?"

Ha, do you really think I believe that? Lin Xu said, "I've adjusted it. I'll try cooking it again tomorrow morning. If the flavor is still too strong, then you can help me adjust it."

Seasoning the brine sounds simple, but it actually needs to be boiled and then simmered for half an hour for the flavor to stabilize. Once adjusted, it needs to continue simmering so the flavors can merge.

Upon hearing that it was adjusted, Old Man Gao didn't say anything further. "Alright, then I'll head back. I've got to handle some things in Sanlitun later on. We'll talk about the brine tomorrow morning when I come in..."

Going to Sanlitun to handle some things? I bet you're planning to hit the bars and dance with some foreign girls, aren't you? Lin Xu felt that his routine of bathing and going to bed right after work meant he was living a healthier life than most seniors. In contrast, his master, who should have been early to bed and early to rise, had such a colorful nightlife. No wonder people who enjoy playing around rarely settle down.

「Half an hour later.」

The shop closed for the day. When Lin Xu was leaving work carrying Dundun, he saw his master standing by the roadside.

Compared to before, his master looked like a completely different person. His graying hair was impeccably styled, and gold-rimmed glasses rested on his nose. He wore a summer silk suit over a light-colored shirt, its top button undone to reveal a dark gold cravat that neatly hid the hickeys on his neck. This outfit, coupled with trousers that matched the suit and sparklingly polished cap-toe Oxfords, exuded the aura of a British gentleman.

His master really did have good looks. Dressed like that, people would easily believe he was an elderly overseas Chinese who had returned home.

"Master, you're..."

"Oh, I called a DiDi. Just waiting for the car. You're off work, right? Hurry home, wash up, and rest. You must be exhausted after a whole day's work." Old Man Gao hadn't expected to run into his apprentice. A flicker of embarrassment crossed his face.

As he was speaking, a Passat slowly pulled up to the curb. Old Man Gao checked the license plate, opened the car door, and got in. He was just fastening his seatbelt when he realized the driver was none other than Leopard Print Auntie.

This...

"Handsome, did you think leaving your bag at your apprentice's shop would stop me from finding you? Why are you all dressed up?"

Old Man Gao stammered, "Oh, I was just thinking of asking you out for a drink... What a coincidence, huh?"

Leopard Print Auntie sneered. "Ask me out for a drink? Then why is your destination a bar in Sanlitun? Going from the North Fourth Ring Road to the East Third Ring Road isn't exactly a short trip."

Old Man Gao was speechless. Did she install another app on my phone?

He resignedly reclined his seat. "What's with this car? I don't believe you'd drive for a ride-hailing service, and I certainly don't think you picking up my ride was a coincidence."

Leopard Print Auntie didn't hide it from him. "I installed monitoring software on your phone, so I can see all your messages and activity. After you booked the ride, I contacted the car's owner through 114, gave him 50,000 yuan, and booked the car for myself."

Money truly is omnipotent. Old Man Gao had nothing more to say.

But Leopard Print Auntie wasn't finished. "So… who's this Lucy that texted you? In English, no less. You have foreign friends, Handsome?"

TSK TSK TSK... Truly a duel between masters, every move lethal... Watching this dramatic pair from a distance, Lin Xu cheerfully carried Dundun home to rest.

「Morning.」

After returning from buying groceries, he chopped some Pork Fat and Pork Lard, blanched them, and began to render the Pork Grease. Last night, Shen Jiayue had mentioned that her mother-in-law wanted to try Pork Grease buns. Lin Xu naturally wouldn't refuse. But the Pork Grease at the store had run out yesterday morning, so he had to make more. This was timely, as the store's supply of Pork Grease was also running low and needed replenishing.

While rendering the Pork Grease, he wasn't idle. He proofed the dough, soaked the ingredients for the buns, washed some rice to put in the freezer, and planned to cook some rice porridge.

After finishing these tasks, he began preparing the ingredients for the day: charring what needed charring, soaking what needed soaking, and cleaning what needed cleaning. It was the same routine every day, and he was used to it.

Around six o'clock, just as he finished rendering the Pork Grease, the three members of the Shen family walked in, yawning.

"Little Dundun, come let me hug you!" Han Shuzhen had always liked Dundun. Now that he was officially their cat, she loved him even more, scooping the little fellow into her arms as soon as she entered.

Dundun kindly nuzzled her, making Shen Jiayue, who was standing beside her, green with envy. "Dundun has never been this nice to me. He always glares at me."

It's because you're always testing his patience, practically begging for a scratch...

Shen Guofu, sleepy-eyed and obviously just woken up, sat on a chair. He was about to doze off when an enticing aroma wafted his way. He opened his eyes and saw his son-in-law approaching with a bowl of Pork Grease.

"These are freshly made Pork Grease from the pot, sprinkled with a bit of powdered sugar. Try them; they're quite good." With that, Lin Xu went to make the buns.

Pork Grease with powdered sugar? Is that tasty? As a doctor, Han Shuzhen had never eaten them this way; they always seemed too greasy.

Shen Guofu, however, didn't hesitate. If his son-in-law said they were delicious, they must be. Last night, their old friends who had eaten at the restaurant had praised his son-in-law's cooking to the skies, their words clearly tinged with envy. This had made Shen Guofu immensely happy.

The Pork Grease were crispy and seemed to melt in his mouth, paired with the powdered sugar that melted instantly. He had to admit, they were surprisingly sweet and fragrant, instantly dispelling his morning grogginess.

Shen Jiayue took a bite and also exclaimed, "Wow, these are really delicious! Mom, you have to try them. They're absolutely delightful."

Han Shuzhen hesitantly picked up a piece and put it in her mouth. After chewing a couple of times, her eyes lit up. These seemingly greasy Pork Grease tasted unexpectedly different.

She hadn't yet settled on a topic for her chief physician paper this year. Maybe she could write about Pork Grease? It was related to her specialty, gastroenterology.

While they were eating, a brand-new Wuling panel van slowly parked at the door.

At the same time, Lin Xu received a call from Old Man Gao. "Lin Xu, I've got the grocery van for you. All the paperwork is complete. Come to the front of the shop to sign for it and take delivery..."

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