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Chapter 101: Eating Hotpot

Shao Linlin knew Pedestrian Street inside out, so she smoothly led Lu Li and his sister to a Sichuan-style hotpot restaurant.

Coincidentally, the restaurant sat directly across from the Huawei store where they had bought a phone earlier.

“Sister Wang, I’m back again! Wow, you look even prettier lately, I can tell something good has happened to you!”

As soon as she stepped inside, Shao Linlin greeted the owner warmly.

The owner, Ms. Wang, was a young woman of about 30, with fair skin and delicate features.

She ran the eatery with her husband, and their prices were very reasonable.

In a pleasant Sichuan accent, the proprietress laughed and teased, “You could tell even that? Linlin, your eyes are really sharp.”

She leaned close to Shao Linlin’s ear and whispered, “I’m pregnant with my second child, just 2 months along!”

Shao Linlin’s eyes lit up. “So it really is good news! Congratulations! May you have a noble son or a precious daughter, may everything go your way, and may you stay forever young!”

“Your mouth is so sweet; did you drink syrup?” the proprietress giggled.

Shao Linlin blinked coquettishly. “Sweet words aren’t free, you know, hee-hee. Doesn’t Sister owe us a little discount?”

The proprietress chuckled knowingly. “All right, all right, I knew a smart girl like you wouldn’t flatter me for nothing. Since you brought friends, I’ll give you a serving of beef rolls on the house.”

“Ah… just that?” Shao Linlin whined playfully.

“Fine, fine, your drinks are free too… happy now?” The proprietress’s dialect dripped with indulgence.

“You’re the best, Sister!” Shao Linlin blew her a kiss.

The proprietress enthusiastically led them to a table, while Lu Li set down all the clothes and shoes he had bought earlier.

Carrying all that had not tired him out, thanks to the Taiji he had practiced recently and his Constitution stat, now raised to 7.

Taiji, a breathing-cultivation art, had made his breath long and smooth and even put more spring in his step, benefits Lu Li truly felt.

By contrast, Shao Linlin carried the heavy cloth bag without the slightest strain, which made him curious.

What was her Constitution score to handle weight so effortlessly?

Noticing Lu Li’s gaze, Shao Linlin blushed, toyed with one of her braids, and looked back shyly. “What is it, is there something on my face?”

“N-no.” Lu Li looked away.

He was thinking that if the next chance to choose a romance target could fall on Shao Linlin, it might be perfect.

First, she was generous and easygoing; second, once he occupied her body he could pet Little White to his heart’s content.

Unfortunately, the monthly refresh that gave him a new romance option was completely random, so he could not target it precisely.

Wait, hold on…

Lu Li suddenly realized a problem: all he knew for sure was that a new romance target refreshed once a month.

The mechanism for unlocking a new slot, however, remained unknown.

Could it be that he had to delete a current target to add a new one?

If so, whom should he delete?

Xiao Mingyue or Chu Zining?

First, Xiao Mingyue could not be removed; he still needed to farm Martial Arts attribute points through her for the tournament in 2 months.

Then, Chu Zining…

He could see her every day anyway, so she was not that urgent.

But Lu Li had yet to see her in stockings, so he could not give her up lightly…

Forget it; no point worrying about what had not happened. Maybe the dating game would unveil a way to unlock more slots by then.

“Stupid big brother, hey, stupid!” Lu Yao waved her chopsticks in front of him. “What are you spacing out about? Sister Linlin is so pretty… what else are you staring at?”

Hearing Lu Yao’s flattery, Shao Linlin shyly grabbed her braid again.

Lu Li merely glared at Lu Yao and snorted.

The siblings knew each other well; though Lu Li gave only a light snort, Lu Yao instantly understood what he meant.

Lu Yao felt guilty, realizing her stupid brother was mocking her for “falling for everyone she met.”

But what could she do?

Sister Zining was gentle and beautiful, yet Sister Linlin was lively and cute… Lu Yao no longer knew whom she should choose.

Matters like this were far harder than multiple-choice questions with a single correct answer!

Soon the proprietress brought the broth pot and ingredients, turned on the tabletop burner, and the bubbling hotpot began to cook.

Sichuan hotpot was extraordinary; they had ordered only mild spicy, yet the entire pot was covered with chilies and beef tallow.

The aroma alone made Lu Li and his sister swallow simultaneously.

As the man, Lu Li meant to help put in the food, but Shao Linlin stopped him.

Adept with her hands, she insisted on repaying Lu Li for saving her life and would not let him lift a finger, telling him to sit and wait for the food.

She moved deftly, knew the hotpot process by heart, and under her timing the dozen plates of food were cooked in strict order and to perfect doneness, tasting superb.

Even Lu Li, a Culinary Arts Minor-Accomplishment practitioner, almost swallowed his own tongue in delight.

Yet Lu Yao kept pestering Lu Li, asking what life-saving favor Shao Linlin had mentioned earlier.

Lu Li had never told Lu Yao about the Courageous Act bonus and the reward money and did not wish to, so he tried to muddle through with vague answers.

Anxious, Lu Yao turned to ask Shao Linlin. Realizing she might have misspoken, Shao Linlin hemmed and hawed, stealing cautious glances at Lu Li’s expression.

Lu Li sighed; seeing he could not outlast Lu Yao, he laid everything out, glossing over the dangerous parts as much as possible.

Lu Yao listened, stunned, and finally learned the rough story of how her brother had suddenly gotten rich.

She clutched Lu Li’s hand tightly, her almond eyes filled with lingering fear.

Lu Li patted her head without another word and simply placed a chopstickful of chilies into her bowl.

“You know how hard things are for your brother; from now on eat whatever I cook and stop being so picky.”

Lu Yao stared at the chilies, forced back the tears that had almost fallen, angrily returned them to Lu Li’s bowl, and resumed bickering with him.

Watching the siblings’ everyday banter, Shao Linlin let out a long breath of relief.

Lu Li ate quickly and was full in no time.

The two girls, in contrast, still looked hungry and cheerfully fished food from the pot.

After teasing Little White for a while, Lu Li glanced around and, through the floor-to-ceiling window, saw a familiar slender figure enter the Huawei store across the street.

Realizing something, Lu Li sprang to his feet.

“What’s wrong?” The two girls froze.

Lu Li frowned slightly. “It’s nothing… keep eating. I’m just going to the restroom…”

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