Chapter 18
Once the charcoal was burning, everything was fine.
The chicken wings, chicken legs, beef, and shrimp that Jiang Chaochao had requested were also brought over by Xiang Ye.
Regarding barbecuing, Jiang Chaochao had tried it once with his classmates in university.
“That time was a complete disaster. I thought it would be easy, but,” Jiang Chaochao imitated the staff from earlier, using a knife to score the chicken wings, “The outside was completely burnt, but the inside wasn’t cooked.”
Xiang Ye poured the seasoning into a dish and said casually, “You didn’t start the fire properly.”
Jiang Chaochao immediately turned to look at Xiang Ye: “Oh?”
Xiang Ye also: “Oh?”
Jiang Chaochao smiled: “So that’s it. Who’s so good at starting fires?”
Xiang Ye chuckled softly: “Damn, being complimented for starting a fire.”
“Haha,” Jiang Chaochao laughed, also puzzled, “Can’t I compliment you?”
Xiang Ye: “If someone else said that, I would have hit them.”
Jiang Chaochao was even more puzzled: “Why?”
Xiang Ye: “Very sarcastic.”
Jiang Chaochao gave an “ah.”
Xiang Ye said again, “Although I think you’re also being sarcastic.”
Jiang Chaochao burst out laughing.
Although he was indeed being deliberate: “How could I? I was being completely sincere. You’re misunderstanding me, it hurts my feelings.”
Xiang Ye turned to look at Jiang Chaochao: “Hmm?”
Jiang Chaochao also maintained a mischievous smile, looking intently at the chicken wings: “Hmm.”
Xiang Ye nodded and turned back: “Okay, I understand you a little better now.”
Jiang Chaochao said “ah”: “So eager to understand me?”
Xiang Ye seemed to pause for a moment before saying, “May I?”
Jiang Chaochao: “You’re very welcome.”
Xiang Ye: “Can I understand everything?”
“Xiang Ye.”
Someone suddenly called Xiang Ye.
Xiang Ye turned to look over there: “What’s up?”
Xiao Jing said, “Come over here and help me with this.”
“I’ll be right back,” Xiang Ye said to Jiang Chaochao.
Jiang Chaochao: “Go ahead.”
Xiang Ye: “Can you manage by yourself?”
Jiang Chaochao: “Yes, I’ll treat you to chicken wings when you get back.”
The second Xiang Ye left, Jiang Chaochao took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.
What, what was that?
What did they just talk about?
Jiang Chaochao, what are you saying?
Huh?
You’ve really been corrupted by Xu Hengzhi.
So dizzy.
Did he add salt and pepper?
Whatever, add it again, it won’t kill him.
Xiang Ye was busy for quite a while. Jiang Chaochao had confidently added several more skewers to the grill before he came back.
He also brought back some raw pork belly.
“They said this is good,” Xiang Ye put down the skewers.
Jiang Chaochao glanced at the several plates of already barbecued food on the large table, and at everyone already munching away, and asked Xiang Ye: “Did you eat any?”
Xiang Ye: “No.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Don’t you want to try the professionally barbecued ones?”
Xiang Ye: “No, today I’ll only eat what Chef Jiang makes.”
Jiang Chaochao thought for a moment: “Then… can Chef Jiang try the professionally barbecued ones?”
As soon as he finished speaking, the two looked at each other and laughed.
Xiang Ye wasn’t just satisfied with laughing, he also tapped Jiang Chaochao’s hat.
The hat was pulled down low.
“I’ll go get some,” Xiang Ye said.
Jiang Chaochao smiled secretly: “Thanks, I want chicken wings.”
His hat was pulled down again.
Not long after, Jiang Chaochao heard someone say, “What’s the meaning of this, aren’t you two not eating?”
Xiang Ye: “So what, we can’t?”
Friend: “You can, you can, who can control you?”
Soon, Xiang Ye returned with two large plates of barbecue, two skewers of each kind.
Since that was the case, Jiang Chaochao said, “Didn’t you say you’re only eating what I make?”
He really couldn’t help himself.
As a result, Xiang Ye pinched his cheek rather unceremoniously.
Jiang Chaochao tilted his head away, laughing.
Xiang Ye: “Very happy?”
Jiang Chaochao laughed even harder: “Super happy.”
Of course, after being playful, he still needed to be well-behaved. Jiang Chaochao stopped barbecuing and personally picked the most delicious-looking skewer from the plate, offering it to Mr. Xiang with both hands.
“Here you go,” Jiang Chaochao said.
During this process, Xiang Ye just sat there, watching Jiang Chaochao’s performance with a calm expression.
Seeing that Xiang Ye wasn’t taking it, Jiang Chaochao, on a whim, brought the skewer to Xiang Ye’s lips.
This time Xiang Ye reacted. He took a bite of the skewer.
Their eyes met, and Jiang Chaochao couldn’t help but see the amusement and helplessness in Xiang Ye’s eyes.
“Do you enjoy teasing me this much?” Xiang Ye asked.
Jiang Chaochao turned back to the grill: “Do I? Huh? What? I don’t understand.”
Yesterday his stomach had been promised barbecue, so Jiang Chaochao was craving it intensely now. After finishing this playful exchange with Xiang Ye, he grabbed a chicken wing and took a bite.
Wow, so delicious.
“Is it good?” Xiang Ye finished the skewer and picked up a chicken wing.
Jiang Chaochao: “Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.”
Xiang Ye: “Their sauce here is specially made, very fragrant.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.”
Xiang Ye smiled: “You eat first.”
It felt a bit awkward eating straight from the skewer. Jiang Chaochao wanted to use his hands, but he felt it would be a bit impolite.
After a few attempts, he stopped caring and grabbed the chicken wing, pulling it off the skewer.
How funny. He could have taken it off quietly, but because the chicken wing was a bit stuck to the skewer, Jiang Chaochao pulled hard, and ended up elbowing Xiang Ye in the chest.
A muffled groan escaped Xiang Ye’s lips.
“Sorry,” Jiang Chaochao immediately apologized.
Xiang Ye pursed his lips.
If only this had happened, it would have been fine. The problem was they had just had that playful exchange earlier, so it seemed like he was continuing to tease him.
Jiang Chaochao laughed at himself: “Does it hurt a lot?”
Xiang Ye seemed to hold his breath slightly, feigning nonchalance: “Doesn’t hurt, not at all.”
Jiang Chaochao felt both amused and guilty. Then, he didn’t know what came over him, but the back of his hand reached out.
And gently rubbed the spot twice.
He only realized what he was doing when he heard Xiang Ye groan again.
Jiang Chaochao, what are you doing?
Jiang Chaochao immediately withdrew his hand, his whole body flushing with heat at the same time: “Uh, sorry, I was just…”
“It’s okay,” Xiang Ye took a light breath and suddenly stood up. “I’ll go get some drinks. What do you want?”
Jiang Chaochao casually said, “Coke.”
Xiang Ye: “Okay.”
After Xiang Ye left, Jiang Chaochao put the chicken wing in his mouth, and consoled himself, Thankfully I didn’t touch him with my palm just now.
His palms were very oily.
Haha, of course not…
When Xiang Ye returned, Jiang Chaochao had already finished the chicken wing, and the food he had barbecued himself was almost ready to eat.
The food he barbecued this time was not bad, very fragrant and delicious, and the rest of the time was spent eating, eating, eating.
Not long after, they also brought their plates back to the large table, eating, eating, eating, and chatting, chatting, chatting with everyone else.
Mainly, it was the relatives and friends who were chatting.
Chatting about things Jiang Chaochao only half understood, stories about their friends.
Chatting about the cousin and her husband’s recent entrepreneurial venture.
As they chatted, their curiosity once again landed on Xiang Ye and Jiang Chaochao.
It was Xiao Jing who started it. He asked: “How did you two meet?”
This time Xiang Ye answered: “Met at a party.”
Xiao Jing said “oh” and “ah”: “And then you just…,” he thought quickly, “Felt a special connection, right?”
Xiang Ye went along with the “special connection”: “Then we met again at Shici’s performance.”
Shici was puzzled: “Eh? Really? I thought you guys had known each other for a long time.”
Xiang Ye: “Second time meeting.”
Shici exclaimed: “Wow, really?”
The cousin became curious: “Wow what? What’s wrong with the second time meeting?”
Shici: “Uncle and xuechang acted like old friends at the time.”
Cousin: “Really?”
Xiang Ye said at this point, “We barely talked the first time we met. He was very aloof, ignored me.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chaochao’s eyes widened, and he turned to look at Xiang Ye.
Xiang Ye lowered his head to take a sip of water, smiling.
Cousin, Shici: “Ah…”
Ah?
The cousin looked eager to hear more, clutching her cup tightly: “And then?”
Xiang Ye: “And then we met for the second time.”
Cousin: “Still aloof?”
Xiang Ye didn’t look at Jiang Chaochao: “Aloof.”
Shici became curious: “Then how did you add each other on WeChat?”
The cousin also asked, “Cousin, you asked for his, right?”
Xiang Ye was very straightforward: “Yes.”
Cousin: “Asked directly? Or did you have an excuse?”
Just as Jiang Chaochao was listening with interest, the cousin’s husband suddenly interjected, “Why does this sound so weird? You’re making it sound like something shady, it’s just making friends.”
The cousin rolled her eyes at her husband: “Tsk, what do you know?”
The cousin’s husband laughed: “I don’t know now?”
Cousin: “You don’t.”
Cousin’s husband: “Xiang Ye, just say it, aren’t you two just making friends?”
Xiang Ye didn’t speak, but just picked up his drink and clinked glasses with his cousin’s husband.
The cousin’s husband, having his assumption confirmed, smugly shook his head in front of his cousin before drinking.
Cousin: “Just drink your orange juice.”
Jiang Chaochao also nonchalantly took a sip of his Coke.
Just then, Shici spoke.
She asked Xiang Ye, “Uncle, did you go back and look at the comment I mentioned yesterday?”
Okay, the Coke that Jiang Chaochao hadn’t swallowed yet went back down the wrong pipe.
He quickly grabbed two tissues and covered his mouth, lowering his head.
Xiang Ye patted Jiang Chaochao on the back and replied to Shici, “Teacher Bianbian?”
Jiang Chaochao gritted his teeth.
…Huh?
Such a good memory?
“Yes, yes, Teacher Bianbian,” Shici was excited.
Xiang Ye said: “I saw it.”
Jiang Chaochao: “…”
Jiang Chaochao: “???”
Shici became even more excited: “You saw it?”
In contrast, Xiang Ye was very calm: “What’s wrong?”
Shici chuckled: “Nothing, haha.”
Indeed, Xiang Ye was also used to it.
“What? What?” At this time, the curious cousin also joined in. “What comment? What Teacher Bianbian?”
Shici thought for a moment: “You know, the, do you remember, I mentioned an, artist, who’s very talented.”
The cousin couldn’t remember: “Who?”
“The one who draws…” Shici leaned close to her cousin’s ear and whispered something.
The cousin first said “oh,” then “ah,” smiling and poking Shici’s head.
Shici shrugged her shoulders, acting embarrassed.
They were really getting into it.
Jiang Chaochao’s palms were sweating, he frantically chugged his Coke.
Don’t do this!
“Then why did you ask cousin?” The cousin noticed the key point. “What do you mean? Your Teacher Bianbian commented on cousin’s Weibo?”
“Yes!” Shici nodded. “I was so surprised.”
The cousin was extremely curious: “What did he comment?”
Shici leaned closer to her cousin again, and whispered in her ear.
And at this moment, Jiang Chaochao wanted to die.
Was there any quick and silent way to dig a hole and disappear?
Was that something a person should hear?
“Huh?”
After hearing Shici’s words, the cousin immediately exclaimed, “Wait, your Teacher Bianbian, is he…?”
Xiang Shici’s eyes crinkled as she nodded vigorously: “Yes, yes,” her voice getting quieter and quieter, her words becoming more cryptic, “Otherwise, why would he, draw, that.”
Cousin: “Really? You didn’t tell me this last time.”
Xiang Shici: “Didn’t I?”
Jiang Chaochao lowered his head and closed his eyes.
Dead again, but not completely.
The cousin continued asking, “Then why did he comment on cousin’s Weibo?”
Xiang Shici: “Probably looking for character inspiration.”
The cousin gave a low “oh,” indicating that she understood.
Their conversation wasn’t very loud, because at the same time, others around them were also talking, their voices even drowning out theirs.
But Jiang Chaochao could hear it very clearly. Not only was he sensitive to this topic, he was also sitting right across from them.
“Actually, Teacher Bianbian,” Xiang Shici continued chatting with her cousin, “He’s noticed handsome guys before.”
Cousin: “Huh? Cousin wasn’t the first?”
Xiang Shici: “No.”
Xiang Shici’s words jogged Jiang Chaochao’s memory.
It was a long time ago. During that period, the group members had somehow found a huge number of handsome guys in various styles, and Jiang Chaochao had followed some of the more distinctive ones.
He had indeed used them for inspiration at the time; he didn’t have that many handsome men in his head.
“He likes looking at handsome guys?” The cousin asked.
Xiang Shici smiled: “Who doesn’t like looking at handsome guys?”
Cousin nodded: “That’s true.”
Xiang Shici: “Teacher Bianbian is a bit of a visual person.”
It was the cousin’s turn to say: “Who doesn’t like handsome guys?”
“Shici,” Xiang Ye suddenly called.
Shici was stunned, snapping out of the immersive conversation: “Huh?”
Xiang Ye: “Pass me the orange juice.”
Shici said “oh” and stood up, handing him the orange juice in front of her.
Xiang Ye then said: “Go get Uncle a few more cups.”
Shici looked at Xiang Ye in confusion: “Why are you suddenly being so gentle? It’s scary.”
Xiang Ye simply said, “We’re out of cups.”
Shici, who was right in the middle of a juicy conversation, stopped herself and swallowed her words: “Fine.”
Unexpectedly, as one left, the other couldn’t sit still either. The cousin, very curious, placed her hands on the table: “Cousin, that Teacher Bianbian…”
Xiang Ye interrupted: “What Teacher Bianbian?”
The cousin was stunned: “Huh? You don’t know? Weren’t you just talking about Teacher Bianbian?”
Xiang Ye just smiled, seemingly not wanting to say more, and took a sip of his drink.
“Ah~” The cousin narrowed her eyes, as if she had discovered something. “Cousin, you’re acting strange.”
Xiang Ye said: “Go get me a Coke.”
Cousin: “Ha, trying to get rid of me?” Then she suddenly seemed to realize something. “Ah, you’re trying to get rid of Shici.”
Xiang Ye called out again: “Chen Ran, control your wife.”
Chen Ran was confused: “What?” He put his arm around his cousin’s neck. “What’s wrong? What’s wrong with my wife?”
The cousin pushed him away forcefully: “Get lost, get lost, get lost.”
At this moment, Jiang Chaochao had almost drunk a ton of Coke.
Nothing to do with me, nothing to do with me.
Don’t sit down.
Don’t sit down.
Who is Bianbian?
Don’t know him.
Don’t know him.
Soon Shici returned with a bag of disposable cups.
But before she could sit down, her cousin grabbed her and shouted, “Shici, your uncle knows your Teacher Bianbian!”
