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As noon approached, it was time for a delightful meal.
Su Yudie insisted on having a barbecue buffet.
She pulled out all her money, counted it, and said, “I have forty-six yuan. I’ll save four yuan for the bus, and the remaining forty-two yuan is all for you. If it’s not enough, you can make up the difference.”
Zhuang Zi’ang shook his head. “You don’t need to pay.”
“No, I already said I would treat you last time,” Su Yudie insisted firmly.
With no choice, Zhuang Zi’ang accepted the money.
He had over six thousand yuan in savings, having spent twelve hundred on rent, leaving him with just over five thousand.
Given his spending habits, he could easily last three months.
As long as he didn’t go out to eat lavishly every day.
However, knowing this little foodie, his expenses were slightly higher than he had anticipated.
Barbecuing required some hands-on effort, providing a bit more engagement than simply eating other foods.
Su Yudie brushed oil on the grill and quickly placed various meats on it, which soon began to sizzle and release their juices.
This little glutton’s tears, unable to be contained, streamed down her cheek.
Once the meat was cooked, she grabbed the first slice, coated it in sauce, wrapped it in a lettuce leaf, and held it to Zhuang Zi’ang’s mouth.
“Here, open your mouth.”
Zhuang Zi’ang obediently opened his mouth and accepted her feeding.
The fat from the pork belly was perfectly balanced by the crispness of the vegetables.
The first bite was pure satisfaction.
Zhuang Zi’ang couldn’t eat himself because he was peeling shrimp for Su Yudie.
His hands were covered in grease.
He peeled the shrimp with great skill, quickly piling the glistening shrimp meat onto the plate in front of Little Butterfly.
The scene had a touch of “mutual respect and understanding” to it.
Other diners at nearby tables cast envious glances.
“Wow, that young couple is so loving!”
“The girl is so beautiful, and she’s so gentle.”
“The young man is quite handsome too, peeling shrimp so elegantly.”
…
Some of the remarks floated over, giving Zhuang Zi’ang a small boost to his vanity.
How wonderful it would be if Xiao Yudie were truly his girlfriend.
Su Yudie ignored those comments, pretending to fiddle with the food on the grill.
But her flushed earlobes betrayed her.
Just as Zhuang Zi’ang swallowed the first piece of meat, Su Yudie offered the second piece to his mouth.
He pushed the chopsticks back, saying, “You haven’t eaten yet. Don’t keep feeding me.”
“Just eat one more piece, and then I’ll eat on my own,” Su Yudié insisted with a stubborn look in her eyes.
Zhuang Zi’ang had no choice but to open his mouth again.
The meat fed to him by Xiao Yudie tasted exceptionally delicious.
She was clearly a foodie herself, yet she could resist her cravings and let him eat first.
What a lovely girl.
Zhuang Zi’ang had been to this barbecue restaurant once before with Lin Mu Shi.
At that time, he had not only grilled the meat but also peeled shrimp and poured drinks.
Lin Mi Shi, the school beauty, didn’t have to do anything; she just opened her mouth to eat and drink.
Zhuang Zi’ang bustled around for a long time, barely eating anything himself, when Lin Mu Shi declared she was full and wanted to go home. He had to quickly pay the bill and see the school beauty home.
Afterward, he bought two steamed buns to fill his stomach.
What a pathetic simp.
Compared to Xiao Yudie, Lin Mu Shi was nothing.
After peeling the shrimp, Zhuang Zi’ang went to wash his hands.
When he returned, he found that Xiao Yudie had divided half of her shrimp with him.
“What drink do you want? Coke again?” Zhuang Zi’ang asked with a smile.
Su Yudie gently beckoned him, “Come a little closer.”
Zhuang Zi’ang leaned down. “Why so mysterious about a drink?”
Su Yudie whispered in his ear, her red lips parting to reveal a daring idea.
Zhuang Zi’ang’s pupils instantly constricted.
“What? Drink…alcohol?”
Su Yudie blinked curiously. “I heard people say that alcohol is delicious and makes you feel euphoric.”
Zhuang Zi’ang had been a good boy since he was little and hadn’t drunk much alcohol.
He had only heard adults say that alcohol could cause people to lose control.
The two of them locked eyes, dangerously testing the limits.
In the end, Zhuang Zi’ang steeled himself; if they were going to drink, then they would drink.
In the last three months of his life, he wanted to break all taboos and not be a good boy.
If he died without ever knowing the taste of being drunk, it would be a life wasted.
Besides, Dr. Chen Dexiu had said to eat and drink whatever he wanted.
The joy of letting go was real joy.
The drinks at the barbecue restaurant were self-serve. Zhuang Zi’ang first grabbed a bottle of white liquor but then put it down, opting for two bottles of beer instead.
Best not to go overboard.
As the beer poured into the glass, the golden liquid bubbled up with white foam, releasing a faint aroma of malt.
Su Yudié raised her glass. “Big Dummy, we need to be happy every day! Cheers!”
“Cheers, my good friend.”
As their glasses clinked, a crisp sound rang out, and then they each downed their drinks.
The moment the alcohol hit his tongue, it was bitter, with a slight alcoholic sting.
Zhuang Zi’ang frowned.
Compared to milk tea and cola, this stuff was incredibly awful; it tasted like horse urine.
Stealing a glance at Su Yudie, he saw her eyebrows furrowed together, looking equally uncomfortable.
Their eyes met, yet neither would admit defeat, stubbornly enduring the unpleasantness as they finished their drinks.
Xiao Yudie’s face visibly turned rosy.
Even more adorable.
“Zhuang Zi’ang, is the alcohol good?” Su Yudie asked tentatively.
“Of course it’s good. I drink it at home all the time,” Zhuang Zi’ang insisted, maintaining his composure.
“Yeah, I think it’s good too. I want another cup. Let’s get two more bottles later,” Su Yudie challenged him, refilling their glasses.
Zhuang Zi’ang swallowed hard, feeling a wave of regret.
Sigh, saving face only leads to suffering.
After eating two more shrimp, they clinked glasses again, a crisp sound ringing through the air.
They gulped down the beer in their glasses.
They kept an eye on each other from the corners of their eyes, afraid that the other would cheat.
Xiao Yudie’s cheeks were even redder, her mood more excited, and she talked more.
She chattered incessantly, sharing jokes she had treasured for years with Zhuang Zi’ang.
Often, she would start laughing uncontrollably before she even finished telling a joke.
The beer wasn’t very strong, but Zhuang Zi’ang was a novice drinker. After a few glasses, his head was dizzy, his cheeks flushed, and Xiao Yudie seemed to have doubled in his vision.
He listened to the disjointed jokes, still giggling along.
Just eating with Xiao Yudie was already something to be happy about.
Before they knew it, they had each drunk two bottles of beer.
Zhuang Zi’ang, struggling to fight off the drunkenness, took unsteady steps to pay the bill.
When he returned, he found Xiao Yudie lying on the table, her head resting on her arm, drowsy and adorable.
“Xiao Yudie, I’ll take you home to sleep,” Zhuang Zi’ang nudged her.
“Big Dummy, carry me,” Su Yudie slurred her words.
In a sober state, Zhuang Zi’ang wouldn’t have had any problem carrying her, but now he could barely walk straight himself, feeling more than a little unsteady.
The two could only support each other, stumbling out of the barbecue restaurant.
Fortunately, the rental apartment wasn’t far. Zhuang Zi’ang exerted all his strength to finally drop Su Yudie onto the bed.
He helped her take off her canvas shoes and tugged at her skirt, pulling it down to cover her long, graceful legs.
“You sleep here; I’ll go out to the sofa,” Zhuang Zi’ang whispered in her ear.
At that moment, Su Yudie suddenly wrapped her arms around Zhuang Zi’ang’s neck, pulling his head down.
Caught off guard, Zhuang Zi’ang stumbled.
As he leaned down, his lips met hers, pressing against her cherry-like soft mouth.