Chapter 40: Lowering Himself to Dine with Her

The air was thick with the aroma of street food and the spicy scent of hot pot seasonings.

After exchanging a few words with the middle-aged woman, Qiao Nian motioned for him to go find a seat.

It was currently the peak hour for students getting out of school and commuters finishing work; the thirty-odd tables set up along the roadside were nearly full.

Fortunately, there was still a spot available in the corner.

Seeing Qiao Nian head over with practiced ease, Ye Wangchuan watched as she pressed her phone onto the table to claim the spot. She turned back to ask him, "Do you want chili in your malatang?"

Standing out like a crane among a flock of chickens, Ye Wangchuan lifted his gaze to glance at the bowls of the young people at the neighboring table.

A layer of fiery red oil floated atop the white porcelain bowls.

Even before eating, his throat and stomach had already begun to ache faintly.

"...A little bit."

Qiao Nian’s expression was lively and natural. She snapped her fingers. "OK. What about blood curd? Do you want to add some?"

Who in Beijing didn't know that Lord Wang never ate messy or strange things? He was especially averse to offal, wouldn't even touch French foie gras.

It wasn't that he refused to eat it; it was that he was allergic.

Ye Wangchuan pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a slight headache. His voice was low and sultry, "No. Just give me a bowl of the most basic noodles."

Qiao Nian blinked. Her eyes were dark and bright, as if she had instantly seen through his weakness. Her voice was casual, "You can't eat offal?"

Ye Wangchuan had no idea how she had figured it out; at least, he had never said so himself.

Before he could respond, the beautiful and cool girl had already tucked away the casualness in her eyes and prepared to pick up the food. "No offal, and less chili, right? Got it."

...

The tables and chairs of the roadside stall were far too diminutive for him.

At less than half a meter high, paired with even shorter plastic stools, they formed a setup so crude it looked like a game of house.

Fortunately, while the furniture was simple, the owner clearly took pride in cleanliness, as everything had been wiped spotless.

He leaned down to pull out a stool and sit.

Being tall with long limbs and a low plastic stool, he had to hunch over just to manage to sit down, leaving his long legs with almost nowhere to go.

This was the first time Ye Wangchuan had felt so awkward; even when facing a hail of bullets, he had never been as disheveled as he was now.

"Here it comes."

Qiao Nian returned quickly, carrying two steaming bowls that looked hot enough to burn.

"This one is yours. I didn't put much chili in it."

A bowl of hot and sour sweet potato noodles was placed on the table in front of him. The aroma was enticing, and with only a thin layer of red oil on top, it indeed didn't look very spicy.

"And this one is mine."

Qiao Nian pulled out the stool opposite him and sat down. Her bowl of hot and sour noodles was equally red but looked much spicier, with a thick layer of chili oil floating on top. Besides the sweet potato noodles, it contained duck blood and bean sprouts...

With a relaxed expression, she pulled two pairs of disposable chopsticks from the holder, split one pair, handed it to him, and split the other for herself.

She seemed to be in a good mood as she said, "Malatang is best eaten while it's hot. Auntie Chen's cooking is excellent; the local students and commuters all love eating here. Give it a try."

"Mm."

Watching her eat with such relish, Ye Wangchuan felt an inexplicable surge of appetite. He lowered his head, picked up a mouthful with his chopsticks, and took a taste.

The sweet potato noodles were soft, chewy, and well-infused with the hot pot seasoning, while the bean sprouts were just barely cooked, providing a refreshing contrast to the spice. He had never tried this kind of street food before, but he hadn't expected it to taste so good. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, the hostility in his eyes receding significantly, and his shoulders relaxed just as much as Qiao Nian's.

(End of Chapter)