Jiang Tongyan never expected to hear such serious and reasonable words from Qian Xiaoke. He had always thought Qian Xiaoke was just a silly little liar who only knew how to charm men.
“What are you looking at me for?” Qian Xiaoke looked up. “Keep staring, and I’ll start charging you.”
Jiang Tongyan sneered, “You are so ugly, who wants to look at you.”
“Don’t think I don’t know. You were staring at me—I caught you.” Qian Xiaoke took a sip of beer just as the barbecue stand owner brought over the skewers they had ordered.
A large number of skewers of meat strung with bamboo and metal skewers were placed on an iron plate covered with a plastic bag.
Jiang Tongyan immediately started complaining.
“… Look how dirty it is.” Jiang Tongyan pointed to the front of the skewer, “Black.”
Qian Xiaoke rolled his eyes. “You’re so sheltered!”
He grabbed a napkin and wiped the skewer. “Just eat it. It’s not going to kill you.”
Qian Xiaoke handed the skewers to Jiang Tongyan, and Jiang Tongyan leaned back in disgust.
“…You’re such a weirdo,” Qian Xiaoke glared at him. “If you don’t want to eat it, forget it. Just watch me eat instead.”
That’s just fine, Qian Xiaoke thought smugly to himself. More for me!
Jiang Tongyan sat there, sipping his beer in small gulps, watching as Qian Xiaoke devoured the skewers like a whirlwind sweeping up fallen leaves. Just watching it gave Jiang Tongyan a headache.
He had truly never seen someone eat so messily.
And yet, he had also never seen anyone eat with such gusto.
“Is it really that good?” Jiang Tongyan couldn’t wrap his head around it.
The skewers in front of them smelled alright, but they didn’t look appealing at all—some were even slightly burnt. How could anyone eat that?
“You know what,” Qian Xiaoke shook his head, “I really look down on you rich people.”
Jiang Tongyan squinted at him, then glanced at the rapidly diminishing pile of skewers.
Is Qian Xiaoke a pig?
How can he eat this much?
And so fast?
He looked so fair and skinny, but when he ate, he was like the Marshal of the Heavenly Reeds!
Jiang Tongyan watched as a mountain of bamboo skewers piled up next to Qian Xiaoke. He couldn’t hold back anymore and finally said, “Can you slow down? No one’s going to steal your food.”
“What if they do?” Qian Xiaoke replied. “What if you suddenly get tempted and try to take it from me?”
Jiang Tongyan snorted. “Don’t worry. That’s not going to happen.”
But sometimes, life slapped you in the face faster than you expected.
The skewers didn’t look appetizing, but they really smelled good. Jiang Tongyan hadn’t eaten dinner, so the aroma was a real test of his self-control.
He took a sip of his beer.
“Is it really that good?”
Qian Xiaoke eyed him warily. “What do you want?”
“Nothing,” Jiang Tongyan said. “I’m not going to fight you for it. I don’t care.”
He said he didn’t care, but his stomach growled loudly.
Qian Xiaoke couldn’t hear Jiang Tongyan’s stomach growling, but he could tell that the guy was tempted. Taking a bite of meat, he smiled while staring at Jiang Tongyan across from him.
“Stop staring at me,” Jiang Tongyan said, mimicking Qian Xiaoke’s earlier tone. “Keep staring, and I’ll charge you.”
“Are you hungry?” Qian Xiaoke asked, grinning. “Or maybe just tempted?”
“…None of your business.” He was starving—absolutely starving.
However, Jiang Tongyan was someone who cared too much about maintaining pride, so he could only suffer in silence.
“Are you sure you don’t want to try it?” Qian Xiaoke held a skewer out in front of Jiang Tongyan. “Do you know what this is?”
Jiang Tongyan leaned back to avoid it, but then he heard Qian Xiaoke say, “Lamb kidney.”
Lamb kidney? What does that do for men?
Qian Xiaoke looked at Jiang Tongyan with a mischievous smile full of meaning.
“Qian Xiaoke, I’m warning you—don’t start with your nonsense.”
“I didn’t say anything! I’m just telling you that this is grilled lamb kidney. It’s delicious,” Qian Xiaoke said innocently. “Seriously, give it a try. Just one bite.”
If it were anything else, Jiang Tongyan might have been able to resist.
But this was a kidney.
A kidney!
Sure, sitting at a dirty roadside barbecue stand eating lamb kidneys wasn’t exactly fitting for a dignified CEO like him, but as a man with certain… unspoken concerns, kidneys were incredibly tempting.
“You really don’t want to eat it?” Qian Xiaoke teased. “Oh my, what a pity.”
Just as he was about to pull the skewer back, his wrist was suddenly grabbed.
Jiang Tongyan put on an air of nonchalance. “I’m just doing this to give you face.”
Holding back his laughter, Qian Xiaoke played along. “Alright, alright, thank you for honoring me with your presence.”
He watched, eyes twinkling, as Jiang Tongyan hesitated and then cautiously leaned in to take a tiny bite.
How to describe it?
Jiang Tongyan chewed carefully, mulling over the taste as if savouring it for the first time. He probably chewed at least ‘eighty times’ before swallowing and taking a sip of beer.
“How is it?” Qian Xiaoke asked. “Tastes good, doesn’t it?”
Jiang Tongyan really didn’t want to admit it, but he couldn’t deny that it was surprisingly delicious.
“It’s… alright. Tell the owner to bring over ten more skewers.”
Qian Xiaoke burst out laughing and didn’t stop for a full five minutes.
Some doors to new worlds, once opened, could never be closed again. Some magical experiences, once entered, were impossible to leave behind.
Starting with one lamb kidney skewer, Jiang Tongyan discovered the beauty of roadside barbecue. By the time they finished, both he and Qian Xiaoke had stuffed themselves so full their stomachs were practically bulging.
Qian Xiaoke had initially promised that the cost would be no more than 50 yuan per person, but the two of them somehow managed to eat nearly 300 yuan worth of food. It wasn’t because the barbecue was expensive—it was just that they ate a lot. And that didn’t even include the cost of the beer.
Once they were finally full, they got up to leave. Qian Xiaoke commented, “Every time I burp, it smells like barbecue,”
He added, “Chairman Jiang, I’ve figured out when you’re at your most charming.”
Jiang Tongyan perked up. “Oh? Let’s hear it.”
“When you’re paying the bill,” Qian Xiaoke said. “Honestly, next time I’ll record it so you can go home and admire it yourself.”
Jiang Tongyan rolled his eyes. “I shouldn’t have expected you to say anything serious.”
Qian Xiaoke laughed, grabbed his bag of sliced bread, and walked leisurely beside Jiang Tongyan.
It was getting late, and Qian Xiaoke yawned.
Jiang Tongyan glanced at him. “You’re tired already?”
“Isn’t it normal to feel sleepy after eating so much?”
“You’re the kind of person with absolutely no self-control.” But just as he finished saying that, Jiang Tongyan yawned too.
Qian Xiaoke leaned against him, laughing so hard his stomach hurt, thinking this guy was just too hilarious.
The two wandered to the entrance of the neighbourhood. Qian Xiaoke said, “Chairman Jiang, this is where we part ways.”
Jiang Tongyan glanced inside the neighbourhood but stayed rooted in place, unwilling to leave.
He had ulterior motives.
“Hmm? What’s wrong?” Qian Xiaoke asked, noticing his hesitant demeanour. “Don’t want to part with me? Don’t tell me you’ve really fallen for me? Let me warn you—that’s a bad idea!”
Of course, Qian Xiaoke was joking. By now, he’d figured out that no matter what, Jiang Tongyan wouldn’t fall for someone like him.
He deliberately raised an eyebrow and poked Jiang Tongyan’s shoulder. “I’m a heartless and ruthless person, you know!”
“…Move aside.” Jiang Tongyan glared at him. “Who would want to like you?”
“Hmph.” Qian Xiaoke pouted and turned to leave.
“Hey,” Jiang Tongyan couldn’t help but call out to him again.
“What now?” Qian Xiaoke turned back. “Too much lamb kidney, and now you’re feeling it?”
Feeling it, my ass! If only he were!
Jiang Tongyan asked, “Are you going straight home?”
“Yeah,” Qian Xiaoke replied. “Even miracle-working doctors need to clock out and rest, you know.”
“…You really can’t talk properly, can you?”
Qian Xiaoke chuckled. “What do you want? You’re so awkward. Can’t you just say what you mean?”
“I want to visit your place,” Jiang Tongyan admitted, curious about the so-called ‘shared rental apartments’ and the infamous ‘partitioned rooms.’
“Huh?” Qian Xiaoke looked baffled. “Why?”
“Curiosity,” Jiang Tongyan said. “I want to see the pigsty.”
“…Where do you get off with this superiority complex? Calling us hardworking folks pigs?”
“No, I’m specifically referring to you,” Jiang Tongyan said. “You’re the pig.”
Qian Xiaoke was about to die of frustration but eventually relented and brought him home.
A doctor is kind hearted.
Right now, Jiang Tongyan was his patient.
Qian Xiaoke felt he was far too kind to indulge this guy like this.
“It’s late. Come in, take a quick look, and then leave. Don’t disturb the others,” he said.
At this moment, Jiang Tongyan looked like an emperor in disguise, visiting the common folk to observe their lives.
He followed Qian Xiaoke upstairs, curious to see the house that had apparently made Qian Xiaoke’s life so miserable.
Qian Xiaoke unlocked the door and pushed it open, revealing a pitch-black hallway. Although it was already autumn, the air was still oppressively stuffy. It was obvious the place hadn’t been properly ventilated in days.
Jiang Tongyan, standing behind him, frowned.
“Keep it down,” Qian Xiaoke whispered.
“…I haven’t even made a sound!” Jiang Tongyan felt unjustly accused.
Qian Xiaoke stepped aside to let him in. Once inside, Jiang Tongyan finally saw that what should have been a living room had been partitioned into two rooms. No wonder there were no windows—there was absolutely no ventilation.
After shutting the door, Qian Xiaoke navigated the dark hallway, leading Jiang Tongyan to his room.
As they passed one of the partitioned rooms, certain *indescribable* sounds drifted out.
“What’s going on?” Jiang Tongyan lowered his voice.
Partitioned rooms weren’t soundproof at all. Even the smallest noises could be heard loud and clear, let alone… those kinds of sounds. While Qian Xiaoke was somewhat pure, he had long grown used to falling asleep to such noises.
But Jiang Tongyan wasn’t used to it. He was even more innocent than Qian Xiaoke!
Qian Xiaoke put a finger to his lips to shush him, quickly dragging him toward his own room.
He unlocked the door and shoved Jiang Tongyan inside.
“Don’t make a fuss!” Qian Xiaoke said. “You’ve really never seen the world, have you?”
“Is this kind of ‘world’ something I need to see?” Jiang Tongyan was starting to lose his temper. “You actually live here every day?”
Poor living conditions and lack of ventilation were one thing, but who were these people he was living with?
“Aren’t you worried something might happen one day?”
Sitting on the bed, Qian Xiaoke pouted. “What’s the point of worrying? The rent’s already paid. What am I supposed to do—stop living here?”
He set the bag of bread aside, opened the window, and let some air in before bed.
Jiang Tongyan stood there, while an indescribable sounds outside seemed to echo right by his ear.
“This won’t do,” Jiang Tongyan said. “You need to move out immediately.”
Qian Xiaoke looked at him like he was an idiot. “Move out? Easy for you to say. Why don’t you give me the money?”
Jiang Tongyan: “…Cheng Sen will give you the money!”
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