Chapter 49 Lover

Chapter 49 My Love

Adding a protective layer to the ice cream.

Guo Xiufang, whose name Xie Xinyi had just mentioned, looked up at the young woman.

While everyone else was eager to claim personal credit, Xie Xinyi didn't hog the spotlight. Instead, she generously incorporated others' ideas into her own.

Even though it was her own brainchild, she attributed the success to others.

Unlike Short Ruler, who outright dismissed others' suggestions, she sought to combine her thoughts with theirs.

Guo Xiufang had never encountered anyone like this before. She was both surprised and impressed.

She offered Xie Xinyi a polite smile and said honestly, "I merely offered a suggestion based on my usual habits. In terms of ideas, yours is far more comprehensive and practical."

"It is quite feasible."

After Guo Xiufang finished speaking, Old Liu also shared his opinion.

"We can make the wafers ourselves in the Nonstaple Food Workshop. For the ice cream in the middle, something soft and tender like the 'Doll Head' variety should work."

Though the veteran master had spoken, Short Ruler pursed his lips and voiced his objection. "Hot pot in winter, ice treats in summer—wafers are too dry. Who would eat them in the summer?"

He didn't think combining wafers and ice cream was a good idea, especially since Beijing summers were so hot, and their factory's best-sellers had always been the thirst-quenching and refreshing "Big Ice" and "Little Ice."

Wafer ice cream—the very thought of it seemed odd and mismatched. Short Ruler couldn't imagine anyone buying something half-dry and half-cold on a hot day.

He wasn't optimistic about it, but the others ignored his opinion.

Old Liu merely listened to his objection without saying a word.

Zhang Chao, who had a grudge against him, didn't even bother to be polite. He immediately turned to the skinny roller next to him and started discussing how much the wafer ice cream should sell for.

As for Xie Xinyi herself, she listened carefully to his opinion but, like Old Liu, only listened without giving any feedback. From start to finish, she simply smiled at him...

It was truly disrespectful!

Short Ruler grew furious, his round face flushing bright red in an instant.

"Weren't we supposed to share ideas? What, is my idea not valid?"

"No one said your idea isn't an idea. It's just that your idea... is too abstract. I'm afraid others might not grasp it."

Zhang Chao mimicked Short Ruler’s earlier tone and sneered.

Short Ruler was left speechless, his face growing redder and redder. "How is my idea abstract?"

He raised his head high and retorted at Zhang Chao.

The two were clearly tense, and just as a conflict seemed about to erupt, Old Liu stepped in and made the call: "Alright, let's try making the wafer ice cream this time. As for other ideas... we'll discuss them next time."

With the veteran master having spoken, Short Ruler’s anger subsided a bit.

Although he was unhappy that his idea wasn’t adopted, Old Liu had said they’d discuss it next time, so there was still a chance. Short Ruler decided not to push further.

Once the basic design of the new ice cream product was decided, the group began preparing.

For the outer layers of the new ice cream, Old Liu slightly modified Xie Xinyi’s idea and decided to use egg rolls instead.

“Wafers are softer than egg rolls. If we’re going to sandwich ice cream in the middle, egg rolls might be more suitable and better for preservation.”

That’s why experience matters. Xie Xinyi had only thought about combining two delicious foods but hadn’t considered details like texture and preservation.

With the outer layer decided, everyone started packing up and moved to the Nonstaple Food Workshop.

Since egg rolls fall under the category of non-staple foods and the Frozen Products Workshop didn’t have the necessary equipment—plus, most team members were from the Frozen Products Workshop—it was more convenient to make the egg rolls in the Nonstaple Food Workshop.

After a quick cleanup, they headed to the workshop. Old Liu took charge personally, with Sister Guo assisting.

Under the workshop director’s guidance, Xie Xinyi and Zhang Chao went to the warehouse to fetch the needed ingredients like flour, eggs, and sugar, placing them on the workbench one by one.

Old Liu changed into his work clothes, put on a hat, and started kneading the dough.

The veteran master, though over half a century old, worked with skilled hands. He first melted the sugar until it emulsified, then gradually added the egg mixture, stirring until smooth. Next, he sifted in the low-gluten flour and stirred in a Z-shape to prevent gluten formation...

His movements were fluid, and the process flowed seamlessly. In no time, Old Liu had prepared the batter for the egg rolls.

Then, he greased the molds, poured in the batter, and baked them in the oven to set.

Just before lunch, the egg rolls were freshly baked.

“Don’t rush to eat lunch yet. While your palates are clean, try the egg rolls.”

Old Liu placed a plate of egg rolls in front of Xie Xinyi and the others. After saying this, he picked up an egg roll and took a bite first.

Zhang Chao and Sister Guo followed suit.

“Crunchy and quite fragrant,” Sister Guo praised as she ate, finishing one in just a few bites.

Seeing this, Xie Xinyi also stepped forward and picked up a piece to taste carefully.

Unlike the wafers she had eaten before, the egg rolls seemed to have a stronger aroma and weren’t as soft as wafers. With one bite, they were very crispy.

As for sweetness, it was just right for Xie Xinyi.

If judged solely as a snack, the egg rolls had the perfect sweetness. But she wasn’t sure if it would be too sweet when combined with ice cream.

Old Liu had the same concern and asked for the team members’ opinions.

“Delicious, fragrant and crispy.”

Zhang Chao picked up another egg roll and put it in his mouth. It was clear he had a sweet tooth.

“I think it might be a bit too crispy,” Guo Xiufang expressed her worry. “Two things with different textures might not complement each other.”

When she had made sweet rice balls before, she tried combining lotus root and meat filling with them. Not only did it taste bad, but the sweet rice ball skins also tended to separate.

Ice cream is soft, similar to sweet rice ball skins. If the egg rolls are too crispy, Guo Xiufang was concerned they wouldn’t hold the ice cream well.

“That’s exactly why I said this wouldn’t work.”

Short Ruler seized the opportunity to throw the egg roll aside disdainfully. “Going through all this trouble—why not just go with my idea?”

He brought up his traffic light idea again. So stubborn.

Xie Xinyi felt like laughing but couldn’t be bothered with him. Instead, she turned to Guo Xiufang to reassure her. “Don’t worry, Sister Guo. Let’s see how it turns out after we sandwich the ice cream inside.”

Whether they work well together or if the sweetness needs adjustment would require practical testing.

"Alright, let's head back to the Frozen Products Workshop now."

Guo Xiufang, being impatient by nature, started packing up immediately after hearing Xie Xinyi's suggestion, ready to leave.

"Bring all the finished cones with us."

Old Liu retrieved the second batch of molded cones, and without even stopping to eat, the group hurriedly made their way to the Frozen Products Workshop.

The recipe for the creamy ice cream was the same one used previously for the Doll Head ice cream. Old Liu saw no need for changes, so he led Xie Xinyi and the others in mixing, molding, and getting the ice cream base into the chiller before the end of the afternoon shift.

Normally, ice cream takes four to six hours to cool properly. Considering that this new product combined two different types of food textures, Old Liu decided to reduce both the time and setting.

"Four hours, what do you think?"

Before pressing the button, he asked Xie Xinyi, who was standing by the chiller.

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Xie Xinyi was momentarily stunned.

Knowing she wasn't skilled with machinery, she couldn't understand why Old Liu was asking her.

She looked up and saw him watching her intently. After a moment's thought, she blurted out, "How about three hours at eighty?"

She had seen Big Chen do something similar when making Doll Head ice cream. That day, due to a rush order, Big Chen had set the time to two and a half hours and the intensity to seventy.

Compared to the Doll Head ice cream, which was made as one solid piece and didn’t need to support anything else, the ice cream for the ice cream sandwich needed to be firmer since it had to hold together with the crispier cones.

If the ice cream between the cones was too soft, it might not pair well, just as Sister Guo had mentioned.

The ice cream needed to be firm. Old Liu’s suggestion of four hours at fifty intensity and Xie Xinyi’s idea of three hours at eighty would likely achieve similar hardness, but the shorter cooling time would save significant time.

While saving time might not mean much during the R&D phase, it would add up during full production, reducing both electricity and labor costs.

Why spend extra time and effort when the same result could be achieved in three hours?

Xie Xinyi valued efficiency, so when Old Liu asked about four hours, she hesitantly suggested trying three, based on Big Chen’s experience.

She phrased it as a suggestion, not insisting on it, since she knew the final decision rested with the experienced master.

She expected to be overruled, but to her surprise, after hearing her analysis, Old Liu decisively set the timer to three hours.

"Let's give it a try."

Following her suggestion, he adjusted the settings and then went to check the cones' crispness.

Xie Xinyi watched the mist rising inside the chiller’s observation window, feeling a nervousness she had never experienced before.

She had just thrown out an idea, and Old Liu had actually taken it seriously.

What if… the ice cream turned out too soft?

Or… what if it hadn’t set properly in the shorter time?

She felt more anxious than she had on her first project, staring intently at the chiller, not daring to blink until night fell and the cooling time was up.

Zhang Chao eagerly took the tray from Xie Xinyi’s hands.

It looked alright.

They placed the semi-set ice cream into the molding machine, waited thirty minutes, then removed and unmolded it. Old Liu personally brought over the cones and put the sandwich together.

"Here, try it."

The envisioned ice cream sandwich was now right in front of them. Xie Xinyi took one and tasted it.

The crispness of the cone blended with the softness of the ice cream, and the texture was good, though...

"How is it?"

Old Liu also picked up a piece and took a bite.

"Delicious," Zhang Chao and Sister Guo said in unison.

"Better than just eating the cone by itself," Zhang Chao added after another bite.

Old Liu then looked at Short Ruler.

"Not bad."

He glanced disdainfully at the ice cream in his hand, looking completely unimpressed. "It's edible, but compared to mine..."

"Xiao Xie, what do you think?"

As if knowing what Short Ruler was about to say, Old Liu cut him off and turned to ask Xie Xinyi for her opinion.

Short Ruler’s words stuck in his throat. Seeing that everyone’s attention was focused not on him but on the girl standing at the corner of the worktable, he let out a heavy snort.

What’s so great about her? It’s just an idea anyone could have thought of.

He took an angry bite of his ice cream, only to let out a pained yelp from the cold, then moved awkwardly to a corner, watching bitterly as she spoke confidently in the center of the group.

"...The cone flavor is a bit too strong; it overpowers the ice cream. Maybe because I don’t like things that are too sweet..."

Xie Xinyi openly shared her thoughts, making Zhang Chao and Sister Guo doubt their own judgments. They quickly took another bite.

It did seem a bit sweet.

They glanced at Xie Xinyi, then at Old Liu.

The veteran technician rarely smiled, but now he nodded with a gentle expression and quietly asked Xie Xinyi for her suggestions.

"...Keep the ice cream ratio unchanged, reduce the sugar in the cones by a third, and add ten additional grams of egg white to increase viscosity. That should balance the texture and crispness of the cones."

The girl detailed the adjustments down to the gram.

Everyone except Zhang Chao's eyes widened in surprise, including Short Ruler, who had always doubted Xie Xinyi.

They knew she had a talent for detecting ingredient proportions by taste, but they hadn’t realized she could specify exact measurements in grams.

Sister Guo gave Zhang Chao a nudge, who seemed accustomed to this, unsure if she had heard correctly.

"That’s right, that’s right, Xiao Xie’s palate is really that precise," Zhang Chao leaned against the worktable, his small eyes watching the girl assisting Old Liu with pride. "I didn’t believe it at first either, but now you have to believe it—like it or not."

Short Ruler still didn't believe it, but it was already late in the day, and the improved formula wouldn't be tested until tomorrow. He could only suppress his anger and went home fuming.

By the time Old Liu locked up and came out, it was already past 11 p.m.

Having lived in this era for so many years, this was the first time Xie Xinyi had worked overtime so late.

Considering the safety of the female colleagues, Old Liu and Zhang Chao originally planned to walk her and Sister Guo home first.

But as soon as they reached the entrance, they saw a lanky figure standing near the gatehouse.

During dinner, Xie Xinyi had already called home to inform Wen Shuhua that she would be working overtime tonight. She didn’t expect Gu Yu to come pick her up.

The man had one hand in his pocket, leaning against his bicycle. In the dim night, the glow of a cigarette flickered.

Seeing Xie Xinyi and the others come out, he put out his cigarette and emerged from the darkness.

"Little Xie is so lucky—someone came to pick her up even at this hour."

Watching Gu Yu take the bag from Xie Xinyi, Sister Guo teased with a smile.

Having experienced how middle-aged women joke around, Xie Xinyi smiled without responding.

Little did she know that keeping her head down and staying quiet didn’t make others think she was afraid; instead, her slightly flushed face made it seem like she was shy or embarrassed.

"Since someone’s here for Little Xie, we’ll escort Sister Guo first then."

Everyone let the matter drop. Old Liu nodded to Gu Yu and Xie Xinyi before walking his bicycle in the direction of Sister Guo’s home.

Gu Yu took out a coat and draped it over Xie Xinyi. The two walked slowly home together.

In the dead of winter, the wind cut like a knife.

Xie Xinyi tucked her head into her scarf. Neither of them spoke much along the way.

When they got home, Gu Yu brought hot water for her to soak her feet and finally asked, "Will it be this late every day from now on?"

Xie Xinyi nodded. "At least for the next ten-plus days."

The new product development process was complex. Some steps seemed simple but required trial and error many times to achieve satisfactory results.

Like today—her feet were sore from standing, yet there was no progress at all.

The R&D team was destined to work overtime, which was why Xie Xinyi wasn’t thrilled at all after being chosen for the team.

Half-leaning against the headboard, she said softly before drifting off to sleep.

She was just too tired.

Xie Xinyi was too tired to move and had no idea when she fell asleep.

When she woke up the next morning, her clothes had been changed into her regular pajamas, the blanket was tucked snugly around her, and she was nestled warmly in Gu Yu's arms, who held her gently.

Perhaps knowing she was exhausted, Gu Yu had unusually left her alone last night.

After all, since he’d first discovered marital intimacy, there hadn’t been a single day he didn't pester her for sex—even during her period, he would insist on some form of attention. Last night, he had shown unusual self-control.

Xie Xinyi was spacing out and was about to check down there when she accidentally woke him.

"What time is it?"

As he asked, he reached for the watch on the bedside table and glanced at it. "Seven."

Time to get up.

Xie Xinyi turned over, about to rise, but the next moment the man pinned her down.

Half an hour later, Xie Xinyi picked up the torn clothes and looked at them.

She immediately retracted her earlier conclusion.

This man was a wolf in sheep's clothing!

By the time she got to the workshop, even before doing anything, she was rubbing her sore waist and cursing Gu Yu under her breath.

"What’s wrong? Is it that time of the month?"

Sister Guo, noticing her mood, looked concerned and even fixed her a plate at noon.

"It's not easy being a woman. We have to learn to take care of ourselves. Don’t expect men to cherish you—men, none of them know how to be tender."

Xie Xinyi smiled in agreement.

Right, they don’t know how to be tender.

He knew she was exhausted all day, yet he still wanted to have his way.

But she didn’t explain the reason to Sister Guo. She dodged the question and threw herself into work.

After she proposed the new formula yesterday, Old Liu followed her recipe and made a new batch of ice cream cones first thing today.

The ice cream formula remained unchanged. By the end of the workday, Xie Xinyi and Sister Guo had finished getting the ice cream to set.

Once Old Liu put the ice cream sandwiches together, the team members tasted them again.

This time, Zhang Chao was wiser—he didn’t offer his opinion first. He ate while observing Xie Xinyi’s expression.

If she frowned, he took his time tasting.

If she pondered, he stayed still.

Only after Sister Guo and Short Ruler had given their opinions did he leisurely say, "Seems better than yesterday's."

"You don't say."

The formula was improved—of course the result would taste better.

Short Ruler retorted, and the two bickered back and forth. Old Liu ignored them and instead looked at Xie Xinyi, who was still tasting.

"How is it?"

This batch was made according to her suggestions, so it should be pretty close. Yet after finishing hers, Xie Xinyi frowned and said, "Seems not great."

The sweetness and hardness of the ice cream cone had been reduced, and it was moister than before, but still… there was just something missing.

But what exactly was missing? Xie Xinyi couldn't figure it out even after eating a whole ice cream.

Old Liu also felt something was off.

"Could it be that there’s not enough egg mixture?" Sister Guo guessed.

"No, the egg mixture ratio is just right. If we add more, the eggy smell might become overwhelming."

Xie Xinyi didn’t think the issue was with the egg mixture.

Back when she made cakes at home, she once thought it lacked fragrance and added more beaten eggs, only to end up with a result so fishy she couldn’t even bring herself to taste it.

She believed making egg rolls and cakes worked on similar principles, so the problem definitely wasn’t the egg mixture.

Xinyi thought about grabbing another one to test, but just as she reached out, Old Liu stopped her.

"It’s getting late today. You all should head back first."

Winter nights came early—though it was only 7 p.m., it was already completely dark outside.

The senior master urged everyone to go home early and get some rest, while he stayed behind to lock up. Zhang Chao and the others couldn’t very well argue.

The group walked together toward the bike shed. Just as they pushed their bicycles out, they spotted a familiar figure sitting on a bench in the guardhouse from afar.

"He’s here so early! That’s the guy who waited for you for over four hours in the freezing cold yesterday."

Sister Guo couldn’t help but chuckle playfully once she recognized Xie Xinyi’s partner.

Having lived for decades and been married for over ten years, this was the first time she’d seen a man who, rain or shine, waited at his wife’s workplace every day to take her home.

Not only that, but he’d also managed to win over the gatekeeper at their unit so quickly.

Wasn’t Uncle Wang known for disliking people who tried to suck up to him?

Yet Xie Xinyi’s partner had only been around for a few days and had already gotten so chummy with him?

Sister Guo stifled a laugh, her eyes with a mischievous twinkle as she glanced at Xie Xinyi.

"Is your husband always this attached?"

It was just overtime—it wasn’t like she wasn’t coming home. Yet here he was, rushing to the unit to pick her up.

Young couples—you've got to love them.

Sister Guo teased Xie Xinyi with a knowing smile, while Xie Xinyi herself was surprised to see her man waiting at the factory gate again.

She smiled in response to Sister Guo’s teasing and quickly pushed her bicycle toward the guardhouse. Just as she reached the door, she overheard Uncle Wang’s questioning voice from inside.

"You look impressive and distinguished—you must be no ordinary man. Where do you work, young fellow?"

Gu Yu replied, "The First Military Region."

"No wonder! I knew you were different from the average person. But since you work in the military region, how come I’ve never heard Xiao Xie mention it before?"

"My wife doesn’t like to talk about these things."

Xie Xinyi didn’t need to look to know that Gu Yu was sitting bolt upright on the stool, serious-faced as if in a military briefing, explaining patiently why she preferred not to discuss his job publicly.

Even though the explanation wasn’t entirely convincing.

"That’s odd. I remember Xiao Xie is usually quite talkative."

Xie Xinyi: "..."

She was talkative, but Uncle Wang, must you repeatedly test his limits without knowing what he's really like?

To prevent Uncle Wang from raising his "no strangers allowed" policy to a higher level, Xie Xinyi quickly interrupted their conversation before Gu Yu lost his patience.

"What are you doing here?"

Pretending to be surprised, she acted as if she’d just noticed him there, doing her best to hide that she’d overheard the term "my wife."

"Oh, Xiao Xie, you’re done for the day! Your partner has been here for a while. I thought it was too cold outside, so I invited him in to wait for you."

Hearing the sound, Uncle Wang looked up from Gu Yu’s handsome face and greeted Xie Xinyi warmly, also explaining why her man hadn't waited outside today.

Was he implying that Gu Yu was whipped and trying to cover for him?

Xie Xinyi suppressed a laugh as she looked at the two men standing there obediently. "Thank you, Uncle Wang, for taking in my husband. If he’d frozen out there, I wouldn’t know how to explain it to the family."

She quipped without hesitation, deliberately emphasizing the words "my husband." After politely saying goodbye to Uncle Wang, Gu Yu kept glancing at her no less than fifteen times on their way home.

"What? Is there something on my face?" Xie Xinyi stopped walking.

"Nothing."

The man continued walking as if nothing had happened, but the next second, a moist touch brushed against his cheek—gone as quickly as it came.

"There was something on your face." Xie Xinyi blushed but pretended it was nothing as she walked ahead of him. "I got it off for you."

Gu Yu touched his cheek, then pushed his bicycle to catch up with her.

"What was on my face?"

"Did you get it off?"

"Was it easy to get off?"

In the cold wind, his questions came one after another.

The girl walking ahead didn’t answer, only smiling and shaking her head.

Under the streetlight, their shadows stretched slowly, merging into one at the end of the street...