Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 124 123 Christmas holiday

Ding Dong!

The door to the Li Family Restaurant swung open, the wind chime clinked, and a hearty greeting followed.

"Welcome, how many of you are there, do you have a reservation?"

"Just one, no reservation. How long would the wait be?"

"Around thirty minutes. If you're in a hurry, we do offer delivery..."

Jiang Yin finally took her gaze off the cash register and looked up at the customer. Despite being busy enough to have broken out in a light sweat on her forehead, she maintained a warm smile that instantly left a good impression.

However, the smile on Jiang Yin's lips paused for a moment, her eyes filled with incredible disbelief, then quickly replaced with joy and happiness.

"Xiao Wei, how did you get here so soon? Didn't you say you'd land at four in the afternoon? Your dad and I were going to pick you up from the airport. How come you're back by yourself?"

Standing before her was none other than Li Wei.

Jiang Yin was clearly caught off guard, seeing her son's face hours ahead of schedule. She quickly rounded the cash register, and with a briskness that betrayed her excitement, stood before Li Wei, holding his hands and looking him up and down. Her gaze kept returning to Li Wei's face, and though a thousand words whirled in her chest, they all condensed into a single phrase.

"You've lost weight."

Li Wei couldn't help but give a wry smile. Indeed, all Hua Xia parents were the same.

In the six months with the team, he had actually gained weight, but to his parents' eyes, he had lost it.

Li Wei didn't argue, "The restaurant's busy now, I'll get to helping first."

Jiang Yin held onto her son, "No matter how busy, we've always managed, we don't need an extra hand. Go rest, rest."

Li Wei felt a bit helpless, "Mom, if we stand here, the customers will think I'm here to collect protection money. I'm not that frail. You handle the cash; I'll take the orders."

Li Wei handed his backpack to Jiang Yin and turned towards the bustling restaurant. With a quick scan, he immediately headed to a table that had yet to place their order.

"When did you get here, you rascal?"

Li Wei chuckled, "The customers are waiting, and there's a line outside. We've got to keep the turnover rate up, so keep up the hard work, Master Li."

Li Yi could hear the mischief in his son's voice and his lips curled up in a smile. Pretending to be stern, he chided, "With your klutziness, you'd better be careful not to break the customers' arms."

Li Wei laughed heartily, turned, and went back out to attend to the diners.

Life is indeed a little strange.

Not long ago, Li Wei had been caught up in the fervor of the Bryant Denny Stadium, taking part in the Alabama Crimson Tide Storm, where the passionate cheers and shouts lingered in the air, as if the world cowered in tremors before him.

Today, he attends to guests in the modest Li Family Restaurant, honestly doing his part, no longer Crimson Tide Storm's number twenty-three, just a waiter with no applause or cheers, only the solid ground of everyday life.

If anyone thought that the daily grind of a football player was tough and that running around in a restaurant was a piece of cake, they would be mistaken; the hardship and fatigue of waiting tables far exceeded expectations, and a single lunch rush could leave one's back aching and sore.

It wasn't until two in the afternoon that the rush subsided. After seeing off the last table and hanging the "Closed for break" sign, the family of three, along with their sole waiter Jack Perry, finally got to sit down for a lunch break.

Jack Perry, a twenty-year-old New York University student, had started his part-time job at the Li Family Restaurant only in October and was meeting Li Wei for the first time.

Previously, Li Wei had greeted Perry briefly, but the restaurant was too busy for a real conversation; now that they were seated, they finally had a chance to talk.

After a good look at Li Wei, Perry couldn't resist studying him further, scratching his head with a puzzled expression on his face.

Li Wei offered a smile and teased, "What's the matter, don't I look like my parents?"

Perry chuckled awkwardly, "No, no, it's not that. I just thought ... no, it can't be, probably just my mistake."

Just then, Jiang Yin joined in, "What are you young folks chatting about?"

Perry scratched his head, "Nothing really, I just thought your son looks a lot like a football star, the star running back for the Alabama Crimson Tide Storm. Haha, but it must be a mistake."

Could it be?