After New Year's, time seems to pass quicker day by day, and in the blink of an eye, it's nearly time for the semester exams.

Students, accustomed to laziness, suddenly became diligent and studious to avoid failing their exams. They climb out of their cozy beds early in the morning and rush to the library to review their lessons.

The Seventh Dining Hall remains unchanged, still bustling with students lining up to buy meals during meal times.

The only difference is, previously, students would finish their meals and leave in groups, either going to class or returning to their dormitories to play games.

Now, many students don't leave after eating. They simply push their trays aside and pull out their books from their backpacks to study right there.

They've actually turned the Seventh Dining Hall into a study room!

The most crucial thing is, it's not just a handful of students doing this; many regard it as completely normal.

As a result, after meal times end, the dining area is filled with students revising their books.

Their serious, hard-working appearance makes Yan Tongtong and Chen Fugui, who are cleaning, hesitant to disturb them for fear of accidentally affecting them.

Back in the kitchen, Yan Tongtong, pouting unhappily, complained to Jiang Yu:

"Usually, you don't see them so diligent and studious, but when semester exams are approaching, they all start cramming, and for whom are they putting on a show?"

"Isn't it just because they're afraid of failing?"

Lu Shuwu listened and couldn't help but laugh,

"If the school had a rule that you don't have to retake or resit if you fail, do you think they would still be this diligent?"

"There are study rooms in the library for revising, and if not, there are so many classroom buildings with plenty of rooms!"

This is something Yan Tongtong and the others couldn't figure out. She argued,

"Why do they have to revise in our Seventh Dining Hall? This is a place to eat, not a study room. Their staying here is affecting us while we clean!"

"What's so hard to understand? They just don't want to run back and forth. Studying here means they can queue anytime during meal times, and after eating, they can continue reading. How convenient is that?"

Jiang Yu also laughed, comforting her by saying,

"Alright, don't get upset. Just sweep up the trash on the floor; no need to wipe the tables. If they are to revise, they'll definitely clean the tables. You save time that way!"

Hearing this, Yan Tongtong felt a bit better.

"Boss, once the semester exams are over, the school will soon be on holiday too, so when do we go on break?"

After working hard for a semester, Lu Shuwu was truly feeling exhausted. He used to be just a simple foodie, never having worked this hard before.

He's done more work this semester than he has in the past few years combined, so as the year-end approaches, he's eagerly anticipating the holiday.

"The school holidays when school holidays are. Rest assured, the cafeteria will be closed during the winter break, everyone will go home for a good New Year, and we'll resume afterward."

Jiang Yu thought it over and said,

"Before leaving, let's all gather for a nice meal; everyone has worked hard this half-year."

Hu Zhihai smiled cheerfully and said, "Not hard at all, not hard at all, Lao Jiang, you've worked the hardest!"

"Anyone here can say that, but a freeloader like you, who comes to eat and drink all the time, how do you dare say it?"

Lu Shuwu sneered and looked at Hu Zhihai with disdain, saying,

"Little fatty, you really have thick skin!"

...

The group was chatting idly in the kitchen when Chen Fugui suddenly ran in from outside, saying to Jiang Yu,

"Boss, someone is looking for you outside!"

"Know who it is?"

"It's the mother and son from Qiantang; I heard them mentioning the year-end is near, and they might be going back soon."

"Oh, alright, ask them to wait a moment; I'll be right there."

Jiang Yu nodded at him, paused what he was doing, and went to wash his hands at the sink before heading out.

Entering the dining hall, he immediately saw Liu Shurong and her son Wu Wenle sitting at a table, chatting happily together.

Having not seen him for a while, Wu Wenle, who used to look emaciated and frail, had transformed quite a bit. He looked much stronger, had gained some weight, and had a healthy glow with bright, spirited eyes.

"Aunt Liu, what brings you to see me today?"

Jiang Yu took a few more glances at Wu Wenle before walking over, greeting them with a smile,

"Lele looks great, his health must have vastly improved, right?"

"Thanks to Boss Xiao Jiang's help, without your meals, Lele wouldn't have recovered so quickly."

Seeing Jiang Yu approaching, Liu Shurong quickly pulled Lele up and urged him,

"Lele, why don't you hurry up and thank your big brother Jiang?"

Wu Wenle stood up, curiously looking at Jiang Yu, saying: "Thank you, big brother Jiang!"

"You're welcome, you're welcome!"

Jiang Yu quickly waved his hand, smiling as he said,

"Actually, I didn't do much; I just made a few dishes for you all. To be honest, I don't even know if those dishes have any effect."

After a pause, he asked again, "Aunt Liu, has Lele's anorexia truly improved?"

"No..."

Liu Shurong shook her head helplessly and explained,

"Earlier, I saw Lele's health gradually improving and thought his anorexia was cured. But later, when I took him out for a walk, I found things weren't that simple!"

"What do you mean?"

"Lele has no appetite for food cooked by others; he can't eat any of it."

Liu Shurong raised her hand to rub her forehead and said with a face full of distress,

"He can only eat the food you, Boss Xiao Jiang, cook. This means his anorexia isn't cured at all; he's only able to eat your food because it's so delicious, even his anorexia can't resist!"

Jiang Yu: "..."

Even anorexia can't resist?

Is my cooking really that good? Why do I not feel that at all?!

This matter is really too unbelievable; no wonder Jiang Yu himself found it hard to believe.

But Liu Shurong had no reason to deceive him, as it served her no benefit.

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Yu had no choice but to ask:

"Aunt Liu, what are you planning to do now?

Given Lele's situation, it seems I really can't do much. You have to think of a way to cure this illness quickly, or it might get more serious over time.

One day, if Lele even loses appetite for my cooking, then it will be a real problem."

"What you're worried about is also our concern, but right now, we really have no solution."

Liu Shurong sighed softly and said wistfully,

"Isn't it almost the New Year? And your dining hall will soon be on break, right? Once you're on break, Lele and I will also return to Qiantang for the New Year. We'll just have to wait until after the holiday to figure things out."

After a pause, she added, "But before the break, I wonder if I could ask Boss Xiao Jiang for a favor?"

"What favor?"

Jiang Yu was surprised, then quickly said, "Aunt Liu, tell me. If it's something I can do, I will surely help."

"Since Lele can only eat the food you make, we'll be back home for the New Year for about a month. If Lele doesn't eat for that long, his body won't be able to handle it."

Liu Shurong turned to look at Wu Wenle, feeling helpless, and said,

"Boss Xiao Jiang, I wonder if you could find some time before the break to make some long-lasting food for Lele so he can eat something occasionally during the holiday?"

"I can make some steamed buns, flower rolls, or dried vegetable and meat pastries for Lele."

Jiang Yu furrowed his brow slightly and thought for a moment before saying,

"But even though it's quite cold now, these kinds of food can't be stored for a month. Also, once these foods cool, they become hard and dry, which isn't good for the stomach if eaten too much."

"Then, what should we do?"

Liu Shurong, hearing this, looked distressed, "Such a long time, Lele can't possibly not eat."

As she spoke, her eyes suddenly lit up with hope, and she said,

"How about, Boss Xiao Jiang, you come to our home as a guest during your break? We can pay you!"

"That's impossible; I have to go home during the break too."

Without thinking, Jiang Yu shook his head and refused directly, saying, "Don't even mention it; I absolutely can't agree to that."

"Can you at least tell me where your home is, Boss Xiao Jiang?"

Despite the rejection, Liu Shurong wasn't discouraged and continued,

"Rest assured, I mean no harm. I'm just thinking that if one day Lele gets hungry, I can take him to find you for some help with meals.

Don't worry, we definitely won't disturb you for anything else."

Truly, the loving hearts of parents are so pitiable!

Seeing Liu Shurong's pitiful expression, Jiang Yu couldn't bear it. He sighed internally and nodded, saying:

"Alright, I'll leave you my phone number then."

After sending Liu Shurong and her son off, Jiang Yu returned to the kitchen. It was getting late, and Lu Shuwu and Qian Liwei, along with others, had already started preparing for dinner.

Ever since Jiang Yu passed on the secret recipes for soup dumpling fillings, chopped pepper fish head, dried vegetable braised chicken feet, and various other dishes to Lu Shuwu, he found himself suddenly with more free time.

While others were busy working, he, the dining hall boss, just strolled around with his hands behind his back.

Of course, he wasn't completely idle.

When he felt like it, he would still make one or two dishes to sell, but these were considered additional dishes, purely a "bonus" for the students.

Time slowly passed between meals, and as the leaves on the broadleaf trees around campus were about to fall off, the final exams quickly came to an end.

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