I'm the Culinary God-Chapter 788 - 346 Li Qiang: What’s it like to become an ex-boyfriend before even dating? Cooking sour cabbage fish! [Subscribe please]_2

Chapter 788: Chapter 346 Li Qiang: What’s it like to become an ex-boyfriend before even dating? Cooking sour cabbage fish! [Subscribe please]_2

Moreover, Li Qiang’s personality was a bit gentle and easy-going. He had always liked assertive girls, and Manager Qi, with her powerful aura, was exactly his type.

"If you don’t like me, let’s pretend this never happened. By the way, I wish you all the best in the future. But if you do like me..."

These words made Li Qiang’s heart leap with joy.

Am I about to break out of singlehood?

Damn, damn, damn, I need to grab a couple of beers tonight...

While he was thinking this, Qi Panpan said, "If you do like me, then sorry. You’ve missed your chance to have me as your girlfriend. Hmph, you made me embarrass myself in front of my colleagues. Happy breakup!"

After saying that, she disdainfully pushed the resignation letter across the table.

She picked up a piece of ginger candy, slowly placed it in her mouth, and started watching short videos on her phone, completely ignoring the balding "ex-boyfriend" standing across from her.

At this point, Li Qiang was utterly confused.

Although he had been bewildered since he walked in, he now felt like he had eaten ten pounds of Confusion Fruit, so perplexed he couldn’t make heads or tails of anything.

Did Manager Qi actually, really, really, *really* like me?

Oh dear, what on earth did I do today!

He wished he could slap himself.

Damn it, if I had known, I would have planned a special ceremony to confess.

Breaking up before we even started dating... This feeling...

He was about to speak when Qi Panpan took out a pair of Bluetooth headphones from her drawer, put them on, and deliberately activated the noise-canceling mode.

This action made Li Qiang even more bewildered.

It seems my actions this morning really angered Manager Qi.

He picked up the resignation letter and said sincerely, "I’m sorry."

After speaking, he turned and left.

My brain’s like mush right now. I need to quickly ask in the group chat... no, I need to rush to Lin Ji’s Food and find out what’s going on.

I heard Manager Chen is known as the ’Little Zhuge of Lin Ji.’ I’ll ask her for advice later.

Let’s see how to proceed.

I really shot myself in the foot.

He left the manager’s office, his face a mask of frustration.

Seeing this, his colleagues all cast sympathetic glances his way. It seemed his path to winning her back wasn’t going to be smooth!

After the office door closed, Qi Panpan frustratingly took off her headphones. That’s not what I wanted to hear, those three words! You blockhead!

As Li Qiang left the company and headed to the subway station, he remembered the ginger candies, of which only half a jar remained, and sent a WeChat message to Qi Panpan: "Manager Qi, don’t eat too much ginger candy; it can cause stomach acid and pain. Just one or two pieces occasionally are fine."

"Mind your own business!"

Qi Panpan replied irritably, then she capped the jar of ginger candies and placed it back into her desk drawer as if it were a precious treasure.

When Li Qiang arrived at Lin Ji’s Food, the place was already bustling with customers.

"Brother Qiang, you’re off work so early today! Where are your roommates? How come you didn’t get off work together?" Shu Yun couldn’t help but greet him upon seeing him.

Of course, her main interest was to find out if there were any developments after his ’suicide-mission confession’ that morning.

"I’ve submitted my resignation. I’m planning to find a new job... Is Manager Chen in?"

Li Qiang scratched Dundun’s chin. Just as he was about to pat its head, the little creature deftly dodged him.

"Manager Chen is upstairs. Is something wrong?"

"I need her to give me some advice."

Shu Yun’s eyes widened. Something’s definitely up!

She immediately said, "Hold on, I’ll call her down right away."

After speaking, she picked up her phone and tagged Chen Yan in the "Real Sisters Bra Size Unshrinkable" group chat: "Come down quickly! Brother Qiang’s having a relationship crisis and needs Chen Zhuge to give him some ideas. He’s at the front desk, so I can listen in too!"

She had barely sent the message when the group chat erupted with a string of "Got it!" responses.

Soon, Chen Zhuge, the tactician; the ever-curious Shen Jiayue; Dou Wenjing, who was always ready for gossip; Geng Lele, the master truant; and Zeng Xiaoqi, the deputy tactician, all came downstairs together.

With such a turnout, you’d think they were preparing for a group brawl.

"What’s the matter, Brother Qiang?"

"Come on, tell us! We’ve been waiting all day for an update."

"Did you get your ginger candy back?"

"Why does Brother Qiang have such an indescribable expression?"

"..."

Li Qiang looked at everyone speechlessly.

Can’t you at least *look* like you’re here to give advice?

Especially the boss lady, she actually came down holding a bowl!

Is she really treating this like neighborhood gossip?

He took a deep breath and recounted the afternoon’s events.

Everyone listened with astonished faces.

Chen Yan asked, "The atmosphere was so charged, why did you just leave?"

Li Qiang was stunned. "What should I have done then?"

"Kiss her! Pin her against the wall and kiss her passionately! Keep telling her ’I love you’ over and over again. That would’ve done it! Assertive women are most vulnerable to men who are even more assertive than they are. You missed your chance, Brother Qiang!"

Deputy tactician Zeng Xiaoqi nodded in agreement, adding, "Right, in that situation, you had to be more passionate. She was practically spelling it out for you, and you just walked away."

Just as Li Qiang was about to head back, Shu Yun said, "Don’t try to fix it now. The mood was right then, but if you go back now, her emotions will have cooled down. All you’ll get is a slap in the face..."

Seeing Li Qiang’s distraught expression, Dou Wenjing couldn’t help but suggest, "You can woo her all over again! Tomorrow morning, bring her some Horse Hoof Cake from our shop. The day after, bring her Shakima. After you resign, arrange special deliveries to send her food. Regularly check in on her via WeChat, show you care, express your love occasionally, invite her to the restaurant for a meal on the weekend, and then take her to see a couple of movies. Happy ’remarriage’!"

Since she was clearly interested, playing matchmaker for them would be a piece of cake.

Her words bolstered Li Qiang’s confidence immensely.

Although everyone always says things like "being single is the best," when a genuine love presents itself, very few can remain indifferent.