Chapter 29: Jiang is still old and spicy

"Uncle Deng, please bring us twenty skewers of lamb, twenty skewers of beef, ten crispy bone skewers, two servings of eggplant, two servings of enoki mushrooms, two chicken wings, two grilled fish, a plate of clams, and... also bring us a plate of string beans! Uncle Deng, also bring us two chilled bottles of beer. That's all for now, we'll order more later!"

He Yue rattled off a long list of dishes in one breath, speaking very quickly and confidently without even looking at the menu, showing that she was a regular here.

The middle-aged man standing by the side also quickly took note of He Yue's order as soon as she finished speaking.

"Alright, Yueyue, you chat with this young man here for a while, the food will be served soon!"

The man flashed a suggestive smile at He Yue, clearly aware of the dynamics between the two.

"Hehe!"

He Yue smiled sweetly at the man sitting across the table, making him feel a bit flustered.

"Xuan gege, are you dressed so formally because of me? But your outfit doesn't match the atmosphere here at all."

As soon as Ye Xuan sat down and heard what she said, he retorted somewhat irately, "It's all because of you. You didn't tell me we were dining at a street stall, so I had to carefully select the most handsome outfits. And now you're laughing at me!"

Saying this, he lightly tapped He Yue's head.

He Yue didn't dodge it, just accepted it obediently and stuck out her tongue. "I know, Xuan gege dressed up because he cares about me."

She shyly grabbed the hand Ye Xuan placed on the table, holding it gently.

Witnessing He Yue's affectionate actions, Ye Xuan could clearly feel her love. He reached out and grabbed her delicate hand in return.

"Lamb skewers and beef skewers are here!"

"Cough cough!"

Uncle Deng hadn't noticed the lovey-dovey scene between the two youngsters, and reflexively called out the dishes before serving them. When he finally saw what was going on, it was already too late, so he coughed to cover up his embarrassment.

"Heh!"

He Yue let out a little cry and withdrew her hand, feeling embarrassed that they had been seen by someone they knew.

After composing herself, she said, "Xuan gege, let me tell you, the food here at Uncle Deng's place is really delicious. I used to come here every now and then to satisfy my cravings!"

"Is that so?"

A street stall like this was a place where he used to hang out frequently, so naturally, he knew a thing or two about the flavors of this type of cuisine.

But in their conversation, it was only natural to maintain curiosity and steer the topic towards the food.

"Yueyue, how delicious is it really?"

At Ye Xuan's question, He Yue's eyes suddenly lit up.

She had learned some cooking skills from her mother and even studied with Uncle Deng, so she knew that making food delicious required many steps.

"The food at Uncle Deng's place is really, really, really delicious. It's many times tastier than what I can cook. If I had such skills, life in the future wouldn't be a hassle anymore."

Ye Xuan looked at He Yue with a half-smile, displaying an expression of disbelief.

"I believe what Yueyue makes is the most delicious in the world. Everything else can't compare."

Hearing Ye Xuan's words, He Yue knew that it was an exaggeration, but she felt sweet in her heart as if she had eaten honey.

"I know Xuan gege is praising me, but the food at Uncle Deng's place is indeed delicious. If you don't believe it, try one!"

Saying this, she personally handed a skewer to Ye Xuan, showing a face full of anticipation, hoping that he would taste it and confirm her words.

Ye Xuan didn't hold back and started eating.

"How is it?"

"Not bad, indeed very good!"

Ye Xuan confirmed with certainty, without a hint of pretense. He had frequented street stalls in the past, but the taste here was still significantly different.

"I'm glad you liked it."

He Yue let out a sigh of relief. Actually, she had already made a reservation at an upscale Western restaurant to treat Ye Xuan. Although the prices there were very high, she could afford it.

But somehow, they ended up here.

Perhaps it was because this place represented her entire childhood. Basically, she had been eating here since she could remember.

Even now, as an adult, she still came here to eat.

Perhaps, subconsciously, she didn't consider Ye Xuan an outsider, so she came to this place which represented everything about her.

"Xuan gege, this place is a part of my whole life. I grew up here, and even though I left when I grew up, I still come back here every once in a while..."

He Yue rested her chin in her hand and spoke, clearly showing how important this place was to her.

Ye Xuan smiled calmly, taking on the role of the listener.

Due to her mother's car accident before, she had endured countless pains. Although they had been resolved now, it was still best to release this pressure. By doing so, she would feel much more relaxed.

At this moment, a nearby waiter brought chilled beer, green beans, and clams to the table. She picked up a green bean, put it in her mouth, and then took a sip of the chilled beer.

"Refreshing!"

As the beer went down, she immediately felt a cool sensation spreading throughout her body.

Seeing Ye Xuan's appearance, He Yue revealed a gentle expression. After speaking so much earlier, she also felt much better. Following Ye Xuan's lead, she took a sip of the beer.

"Cough, cough!"

"You, girl, don’t force yourself to drink if you can’t handle it!"

Ye Xuan stood up and lightly patted He Yue's back, admonishing her. From her drinking movements, it was apparent that He Yue had never drunk before, not even beer.

"Wow, it’s so hard to drink, it’s like, it’s like..."

"Like the taste of mixing spoiled food with water at home in the past, very bitter!"

When he first drank beer, he almost spewed it out with one gulp, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

But after drinking it more, that taste also disappeared, and now he felt it was quite tasty.

Upon hearing Ye Xuan's explanation, He Yue immediately nodded and said, "Yes, yes, exactly, it feels a little off."

"Have some food, and rinse your mouth!"

Ye Xuan handed her a skewer and called out, "Boss, bring a bottle of soft drink!"

"Yes, coming!"

Upon hearing Ye Xuan's request for a soft drink, He Yue held onto the beer in front of her and pouted, saying, "No, I want to drink!"

Ah, it's really helpless with this girl.

Since she strongly wanted to drink, then just go along with her. After all, beer doesn't have much alcohol content, so it's okay to drink some.

At this time, Uncle Deng walked over with a bottle of soft drink in his hand, as well as plenty of other food.

"Here's the food."

"Thank you, Uncle Deng—"

He Yue sweetly smiled, very obedient.

"Month, why are you being polite with me!"

Uncle Deng did not leave immediately. He wiped his hands, casually glanced at Ye Xuan.

"Is this your... friend?"

"Yes, Ye Xuan is my best, best friend!"

He Yue lightly confirmed, openly acknowledging, and subtly glanced at Ye Xuan.

"Is it really that simple to be just friends?"

Uncle Deng said with a smile, "I have watched you grow up, little girl. I can’t be fooled by your little ideas. It seems like this is the first time you've brought someone over, and it's a male. This young man looks good. Month, you better seize the opportunity, haha!"

After saying that, Uncle Deng left.

It's true what they say, an old hand is better at the game. This look can really tell the depth.

He Yue blushed and lowered her head in embarrassment at being teased.