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Chapter 27: Bitter Yet Sweet

Why does this guy always order such weird things?

no…

If we keep ordering like this, the presentation of this meal will be unbearable.

At that point, the boss will probably think he's doing some side business.

"Never mind, I'll do it..."

Jiang Yu took the menu and wrote down the ingredients he usually ordered.

Beef skewers, lamb skewers, grilled chicken wings, grilled cartilage, grilled squid...

Add a few vegetables to cut through the richness: eggplant, chives, enoki mushrooms, roasted garlic…

The entire page was filled with writing.

Finally, he ordered a bottle of Da Yao orange-flavored liquor for Jiang Ning.

I treated myself to a bottle of Snow Island beer.

While waiting for his food, he went to the convenience store across the street and bought an old Zhongjie popsicle.

Old Zhongjie is used to pair with beer.

This is his unique way of drinking beer: put the Lao Zhongjie popsicle into the beer, wait for the popsicle to melt a little before drinking it, and the beer will taste particularly smooth with a sweet milky aroma.

After mixing the popsicle into the beer, Jiang Yu habitually reached for his cigarette…

As a result, Jiang Ning reached out and interrupted the spellcasting.

"Smoking is bad for your health, you're not allowed to smoke!"

"..."

Jiang Yu had no choice but to silently put the cigarettes he had taken out back into the cigarette case.

I should have known better than to bring her here for barbecue.

This little brat is so annoying, always interfering with everything...

He tossed the cigarette pack onto the table, then lifted the popsicle stick slightly to make the popsicle soak more evenly in the liquor.

Then I took a sip…

Mmm, it tastes just like before.

The creamy aroma of the popsicle and the malty flavor of the beer blend together in your mouth and slide down your throat...

Sweet with a hint of beer bitterness…

It has a bittersweet taste.

cool!

Seeing Jiang Yu's blissful expression, Jiang Ning couldn't help but swallow.

"Brother, is it good?" Jiang Ning reached out her little hand and poked the beer glass with the popsicle sticking out of it.

Children should not drink alcohol.

"I was just asking, you stingy person..."

……

Soon, the boss came over with a charcoal stove.

The stove was burning with bright red charcoal.

The heat hit you in the face, making your face burn.

The charcoal occasionally crackled and popped, sending sparks flying, startling Jiang Ning who cried out in alarm, "Oh my god! Oh my god!"

Jiang Yu moved the charcoal stove closer to himself, trying to keep it as far away from her as possible.

Next, we just wait for the skewers to be served.

The two sat facing each other in silence.

The charcoal fire burned in the middle, its orange-red light reflecting on the two people's faces, making their skin glow.

Jiang Ning blinked her big eyes and stared at Jiang Yu, seemingly waiting for her good brother to find something to talk about.

She rested her chin on her hands, elbows on the table, and stared at him without moving.

Like a kitten waiting to be fed.

While the other tables were bustling with conversation, their table was quiet and deserted.

It was rather deserted and a little awkward.

Jiang Yu had no choice but to say something to her.

In his eyes, the two had only known each other for a day at most.

Strictly speaking, we don't even know each other; at most, we know that such a person exists.

This little guy is at most his meal buddy.

And it's also a meal buddy who costs a fortune.

But it's not good to stay silent forever...

If the other party senses something is wrong and goes to Zhang Guiqin to complain, then the things he managed to cover up will be brought up again.

To prevent Jiang Ning from causing trouble, Jiang Yu could only pretend to be concerned and make small talk.

How was your day at school?

"Can you understand the teacher's lectures?"

"Is there a lot of homework assigned?"

"Have you bullied any of your classmates?"

"Oh, so did you bully the teacher?"

……

Jiang Ning was in high spirits throughout.

She answered Jiang Yu's questions in great detail.

From what our homeroom teacher, Wang Li, was wearing today to her deskmate, Chen Zihan, picking her nose and wiping it under the table…

He talked at length about everything, big and small.

It was as if she had finally found an outlet for all the things she had been holding back.

It's clear that this little guy loves chatting with his "older brother".

Even if this "older brother" wasn't really listening.

Jiang Yu responded with half-hearted "uh-huhs" and "ah-ahs," occasionally letting out a few laughs.

In reality, his attention was elsewhere.

For example, how much money can this barbecue restaurant make in one night...?

For example, what happens to the leftover skewers at the next table after they pay their bill?

For example, should used metal skewers be brushed or not...?

As we chatted...

Jiang Yu suddenly remembered something.

When Jiang Ning called him that evening, the caller ID showed an unfamiliar number, not her mobile number.

As the "older brother," he naturally had the "younger sister's" phone number saved.

Whose phone number is this?

"By the way, whose phone did you use to call me tonight?"

Jiang Ning's expression became somewhat unnatural.

"I...I called you using the security guard's phone..."

"What about your own phone? Is it out of battery?"

"There's electricity, but..."

"But what?"

Jiang Ning's eyes darted away, and her voice grew softer and softer.

"My phone was confiscated by the teacher..."

"oh."

Jiang Yu took a sip of beer, a contented expression on his face.

He acted as if it were none of his business.

Seeing her brother's calm expression, Jiang Ning couldn't help but speak up.

"Brother, you're not angry with me at all..."

"Why blame you? It wasn't my phone that was confiscated anyway," Jiang Yu said with amusement.

"But...but I don't have a phone anymore..." Jiang Ning said pitifully.

"That's perfect, now you can focus on your studies."

"Bro, playing on my phone doesn't affect my studies..."

"Come on, even if it doesn't affect your studies, playing on your phone less is definitely better for your eyes and brain, especially scrolling through Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) less."

"..."

Jiang Ning looked aggrieved and shook Jiang Yu's arm, almost collapsing onto the table.

"Brother, the teacher said you have to go to the school to get my phone back. Can you go to school tomorrow?"

"No." Jiang Yu refused decisively.

"Please, please..." Jiang Ning increased the amplitude of the shaking, her voice carrying a coquettish tone at the end.

"No way! It's my first day at work tomorrow, and I haven't even figured out which way the office door faces yet. How could I possibly have the time?"

"Then... how about the day after tomorrow? Is the day after tomorrow alright?"

What's the difference between the day after tomorrow and tomorrow?

"Um...when are you free, bro?"

Jiang Yu solemnly took out his phone, opened the notes app, and glanced at it.

The memo reads: Go to school on Friday for Xiaoning's parent-teacher conference.

"Friday, I guess. I'm going to school on Friday anyway, so I'll just pick up your phone while I'm at it. Otherwise, I'd have to make a separate trip to school, which is a hassle," Jiang Yu said.

Just kidding, I'm not going this Friday either.

It's really not good to take leave after only two days at work.

They'll even deduct my salary!

Besides, what parent-teacher meeting is specifically scheduled for Friday?

Are people not going to work? Are they deliberately making parents take leave en masse?

This school is just lucky.

Just say you had something come up and can't make it, whatever.

As for mobile phones…

Then let's leave it with the teacher for now.

He remembered that when he was in school, some classmates had their phones confiscated, but they would be returned to their owners during the winter break after the final exams.

It just so happens that a monthly mobile phone plan costs quite a bit, but now I can save money.

Upon hearing her brother say he would only go to school on Friday to fix her phone problem, Jiang Ning instantly turned into a bitter gourd.

"No way, bro! If that's the case, then I won't be able to use my phone until Friday..." Jiang Ning said with a worried look on her face.

"Then who can you blame? Who told you to play on your phone in class?" Jiang Yu said with a hint of schadenfreude.

"But I don't have a cell phone now. What if I need to contact you urgently?"

"Then let's just borrow it from the old man at the gate, like we did today."

What if the old gatekeeper won't lend it to me?

"Then go ahead and cry."

"..."

While the two were chatting, the skewers were served one after another.

Two large plates, brimming with meat and vegetables, sizzling and dripping with oil from the grill.

All the skewers were sprinkled with cumin and sesame seeds.

They glistened enticingly under the glow of the charcoal fire, their aroma so enticing and intoxicating.

Jiang Ning looked at the skewers in front of her and couldn't help but swallow.

"Here, have a taste." Jiang Yu picked up a grilled sausage and handed it to her.

Jiang Ning took the sausage and took a small bite.

Then her eyes lit up.

"So delicious!!!"

Her voice held an incredulous surprise.

It's as if it's saying, "There's such delicious food in this world."

Indeed, there is no one in this world who doesn't love barbecue.

If he has, then he must have never eaten delicious barbecue.