Tang Xiaobo had been waiting until noon and hadn't seen Jiang Yuan. He continued to wait patiently until the evening, and then until eight o'clock at night, at which point the canteen lady had had enough.
The canteen lady, who was about the same age as Tang Xiaobo, tugged at her apron and said, "My husband is waiting for me to watch the TV drama at home. If you guys want to cook, do it yourself tonight. Leave the dishes, and I'll wash them tomorrow morning."
Helpless, Tang Xiaobo stood up and apologized, "I'm sorry; it's a special situation that has delayed your closing time today."
"It's no big deal. You officials also have it tough. But I can't wait any longer." The lady waved her hand and rode off on her electric bike without a hint of politeness.
Tang Xiaobo had no choice but to call his wife, Wang Xiuyun, to come to the rescue.