"I just found out these cucumber slices are actually pretty good—sour and sweet with a bit of spice, perfect with crawfish. You all should try them."
Geng Lele popped a chilled cucumber slice into her mouth.
She was instantly captivated by the crisp texture and the complex flavor—sour, sweet, and subtly spicy.
Hearing this, the others gave them a try too.
They were full of praise for the cucumber slices Lin Xu had prepared.
While they were eating, Dou Wenjing’s phone, which was on the low cabinet by the sofa, suddenly rang.
It startled Dundun, who was next to her, munching on so treats.
Dou Wenjing got up, glanced at her phone, took off her disposable gloves, silenced the call, and went back to eating.
"Why didn’t you answer? Boyfriend?" Chen Yan asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Dou Wenjing shook her head. "I don’t have a boyfriend. It’s my cousin. He had a failed blind date back ho and now he’s insisting on coming to Beijing to find . I’ve refused, but he keeps calling every day."
Hearing Dou Wenjing didn’t have a boyfriend, Chen Yan, who was also single, imdiately brightened. "Co on, Dou Wenjing," she said, raising her glass. "A toast to us single won!"
"Count in, count in!" Zeng Xiaoqi also raised her drink.
Geng Lele joined the fun, but Shen Jiayue and Wu Kexin abstained.
It made sense for Shen Jiayue not to join in; after all, she was practically the proprietress.
But Wu Kexin not joining...
"OOH... no wonder Panda has been peeling for ages but hardly eaten anything! So there *is* sothing going on!" everyone teased good-naturedly.
Panda and Wu Kexin looked slightly embarrassed.
When they had nearly finished eating, Lin Xu cooked so noodles and tossed them in the leftover crawfish broth.
The aroma was so enticing that everyone, despite being nearly full, had a small bowl of noodles, leaving them all pleasantly stuffed with rounded bellies.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Chen Yan started assigning tasks. "I’ll take Lele ho. Panda, you and your Xinxin take Dou Wenjing and Reporter Zeng ho. As for Yueyue, you stay and help my brother-in-law clean up... Oh my goodness, I’m so stuffed!"
After everyone had left, Lin Xu grabbed a trash can, collected the crawfish shells from the table, and then wiped the table clean.
anwhile, Shen Jiayue carefully packed the remaining few dozen crawfish into a large takeaway container, planning to take them ho.
Hmph. The sa way you kicked out is the sa way you’ll have to invite back. Otherwise, you won’t get a single bite of these crawfish.
Once Shen Jiayue finished packing the crawfish, Lin Xu reminded her, "Add so broth to the crawfish. That way, it’ll taste even better when you eat it later, and it’ll stay warm longer. If it’s not enough, have your nanny cook so noodles to mix in; it’ll be delicious."
"Got it!"
Lin Xu carried the tray to the kitchen.
He planned to keep the crawfish broth. Cooking so noodles in it tomorrow morning would taste absolutely amazing!
After cleaning up, they went downstairs hand in hand, one carrying the packed food containers and the other the bag of trash.
"I really want to be with you every day." As they exited the elevator, Shen Jiayue leaned her head on Lin Xu’s shoulder. How wonderful it would be if, after getting married, they could be this inseparable every day, even when just going downstairs to throw out the trash hand in hand.
"We will be," Lin Xu said. "Just give a little more ti. Once I buy a place, I’ll marry you."
"An apartnt isn’t necessary!" Shen Baobao was already getting impatient.
Lin Xu gently pinched her porcelain-smooth cheek. "A princess always has a castle; my Princess Shen naturally deserves one too."
WOW!!!! Xu Bao, you’re so good to !
Deeply moved, Shen Jiayue instantly threw her arms around Lin Xu’s neck and planted a kiss on his lips.
Lin Xu was startled by her sudden action.
Why is it always so... impulsive?
With one hand holding the trash bag and the other arm holding Shen Baobao tightly, he reciprocated her kiss.
"WOW! They’re kissing!"
"HAHA! Definitely worth the wait."
"That looks so romantic..."
"But what’s the fun in this for us singles?"
Just as Lin Xu and Shen Baobao were kissing downstairs, a burst of voices ca from the nearby holly bushes.
Turning their heads, they saw it was the won from earlier.
These won had claid they wanted to go ho early, but they had actually stuck around, hoping to witness so drama. After watching, however, their sense of loneliness only intensified.
Right, what fun is there for a bunch of us singles? Plus, we got bitten by mosquitoes and now we have several big welts.
A mont ago, Shen Baobao had been brave and bold with her kiss.
But now, realizing everyone was watching, she instantly buried her face in Lin Xu’s chest like an ostrich, the takeaway container in her hand tilting precariously.
Luckily, it was a leak-proof, sealed container; otherwise, her parents would have been eating crawfish out of a plastic bag when she got ho.
"Alright, alright, no need to be shy." Lin Xu patted Shen Baobao’s back, finally coaxing her out of her ostrich-like state.
The sight made the group of singles envious all over again.
"I want that kind of sweet romance too!"
"I told you guys we shouldn’t wait here for the show, but you wouldn’t listen."
"You were the one who kept suggesting we all wait and watch!"
The group walked together to the edge of the residential complex.
Lin Xu watched as everyone went their separate ways, then shuffled back upstairs in his slippers, planning to tidy up the kitchen, take a shower, and then lie in bed to chat with Shen Baobao.
「Morning.」
After waking up, Lin Xu cooked a bowl of noodles in the leftover crawfish broth.
The flavor was still intensely savory and fragrant with a spicy kick.
Eating it even reminded him of the first kiss he’d received last night.
Yes, they had kissed after eating crawfish last night, so both their mouths had been full of that spicy flavor. Eating these noodles now, he couldn’t help but recall that enchanting scene from the previous evening.
After eating his fill, he took out the winter lon and pumpkin strips that had been soaking in the refrigerator.
Both the winter lon and pumpkin strips had beco firm and crisp; this ant they were properly soaked. From this point on, no matter how they were prepared, their crispness would remain.
He poured out the liwater from the basin and rinsed the winter lon and pumpkin strips repeatedly with fresh water to remove as much of the li taste as possible; otherwise, the candied winter lon wouldn’t taste good. After rinsing them several tis, he soaked them again in fresh water and put them back in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer. Only by soaking them thoroughly could the li taste be completely eliminated, ensuring the candied winter lon would be even more delicious.
After finishing these tasks, it was almost ti for work.
Lin Xu got dressed, picked up Dundun, and drove to the Fishing Platform.
Another day’s vacation, huh.
Not long after arriving at the Fishing Platform, just as he was about to check the aquaculture area for any dead fish, shrimp, or crabs, his Senior Brother Xie Baomin suddenly approached him.
"Junior Brother, weren’t you planning to go to Building Six? Co on, I’ll take you over there now."
Today? Well, I might as well, since there’s nothing much going on here anyway.
With the mindset of clearing a new map for rewards, Lin Xu followed Xie Baomin to Building Six.
It was an edifice with a distinct Jiangnan architectural style; there were even goldfish and water lilies at the entrance, evoking the elegance and charm of a classical Jiangnan garden.
The two of them, senior and junior brother, chatted and laughed as they walked into the main entrance of Building Six.
The receptionist, a young woman in a qipao, smiled and greeted Xie Baomin.
Looks like Senior Brother cos here often; even the receptionist knows him.
Lin Xu followed Xie Baomin to the kitchen, where a group of people were bustling about.
Xie Baomin called out, "Zhenhua, I’ve co to see you!"
As soon as the words were out, a stern-faced, middle-aged chef among the group shot a cold glance in their direction. "Xie Baomin, you still dare to show your face here?"
Lin Xu: "..."
Senior Brother, is this what you ant by an inseparable friendship?
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