CIATB Chapter 512 How could this fire not be extinguished?
Chapter 512 How could this fire not be extinguished?
Lin Yourong's eyebrows curved slightly, like a crescent moon, and a captivating smile played on her lips.
She said softly, "Darling, aren't you even a little curious about my ranking?"
The voice just fell.
Her fair fingers gently picked up the mask on the armrest box and gracefully put it on.
Beneath the brim of the hat, only a pair of bright and captivating eyes were visible, shining like stars in the night sky, gleaming in the dim light.
Yu Huan gently pressed the brake pedal, gazed at her tenderly, and slowly opened his mouth with a smile.
“From the moment I saw you, you were in a good mood. I secretly thought that this recording would definitely go smoothly. Moreover, Liang Qiaobo and Hu Jiyan had mentioned before that the other people’s song choices for this episode were extremely conservative.”
As he spoke, he turned slightly to the side, reached out and gently rubbed Lin Yourong's thigh, his tone becoming increasingly soft.
"However, no matter what the final ranking is, in my heart you will always be the most dazzling and outstanding! Since you asked about it, I guess your ranking this time must be quite impressive. If you're not first, then you must be second."
Lin Yourong slapped his hand away, gave a soft snort, and said coquettishly, "I thought you didn't care about my ranking at all! You're good with words! But your performance on stage this time really exceeded my expectations, and I really did get first place."
Upon hearing this, Yu Huan gave a thumbs up without hesitation.
His pride was palpable as he exclaimed, "Wife, you're amazing! You're absolutely incredible! I'm completely in awe of you!"
Lin Yourong's eyes seemed to flow like a pool of spring water, shimmering and full of smiles.
Suddenly, her expression turned serious, and she said firmly, "You must be back before one o'clock!"
After saying that, she reached out and opened the car door, holding a bouquet of roses, and got out of the car with a light and graceful figure.
After stopping, Lin Yourong turned around, peered into the car again, and said softly, "Please be careful while driving, and never drink alcohol."
"Okay, I'll follow my wife's teachings!" Yu Huan replied half-jokingly, waving at her with a relaxed and cheerful smile. Then, she lowered her voice and earnestly reminded her, "Remember to send a message after you come in!"
Lin Yourong nodded slightly, her eyes filled with a smile.
He then closed the car door gently and walked briskly into the stairwell.
Her figure was stretched long under the dim streetlights and quickly disappeared at the entrance of the building.
Yu Huan looked in the direction Lin Yourong had left, picked up her phone from the armrest box, turned on the screen, and saw a text message from Xie Gouhua.
The address of the gathering shown above is a barbecue restaurant near the South Gate.
After identifying the meeting place, he sat up straight, his back ramrod straight, then shifted into reverse, deftly turning the steering wheel with his right hand, and the car smoothly made a U-turn, driving steadily toward the entrance of the residential area.
The gate was not yet closed, and the security guard was standing outside the guard booth, stretching his back and moving his muscles.
Upon seeing the BMW drive away, the security guard suddenly gave a salute, as if in jest.
Yu Huan smiled and tapped the horn lightly in response, before the BMW slowly disappeared into the night streets.
The little BMW sped along, the city nightscape on both sides of the road flashing by like a slideshow, quickly leaving the little BMW behind.
Although it was late at night on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, the south gate of the pedestrian street was still quite lively.
Colorful neon signs flashed wildly, and small groups of people strolled back and forth on the street, some leisurely walking, others hurrying along.
However, compared to usual, there was less noise and more tranquility unique to the night.
Soon, Yu Huan arrived at her destination.
He parked his BMW haphazardly on the curb, pulled the handbrake, opened the car door, and a cool breeze carrying the aroma of barbecue wafted towards him.
I couldn't help but swallow, feeling a bit hungry.
As soon as he stepped into the store and took a few steps forward, a waiter came up to him, his lips slightly parted, about to greet him warmly.
Just then, a loud shout suddenly rang out, abruptly interrupting the waiter.
"Huan'er, over here!"
Yu Huan looked in the direction of the sound and saw Xie Gouhua sitting behind a rectangular table in the corner, waving his hands in the air like propellers, his smile brighter than a chrysanthemum.
On the table, a dozen unopened bottles of beer sat forlornly.
Looking inside the store, besides Xie Gouhua, there was also a young couple sitting at the entrance, enjoying their food and talking quietly.
The store was nearly empty, with very few customers.
Yu Huan's lips curled slightly under her mask, a smile shining through her eyes. She quickly walked up to Xie Gouhua and asked, "What's wrong? Are you the only one who got here first?"
Xie Gouhua leaned back comfortably in his chair, his hands casually folded behind his head, and said, "There are four of us tonight, including you. Little Fox and Pig Brother went to the supermarket next door to buy betel nuts. Didn't you see them on the way?"
"Alright, let's add a bunch of cronies to the mix, it's like a zoo party tonight," Yu Huan joked, pulling out the chair next to him.
As soon as he sat down, a burst of laughter and chatter came from the doorway.
Yu Huan instinctively turned around at the sound and saw two men with completely different builds walk in.
Although the little fox wasn't exactly slender and had a slightly protruding belly, standing next to the burly, mountain-like pig, she instantly appeared quite slim.
Although Yu Huan was wearing a mask, the deep friendship between him and his roommates over the years allowed Pig Brother and Little Fox to recognize him at a glance.
"Hey! Huan'er!" Indeed, the pig-like man surnamed Zhu strode forward, waving a bag of betel nuts in his hand.
His smile was so bright it almost reached his ears, and he shouted, "The boss has finally arrived! We wouldn't dare order anything if you hadn't come!"
The voice just fell.
Pig Brother then placed the betel nuts on the table, and then pulled over a chair next to Yu Huan, his massive body slamming down into it.
The chair legs seemed to bear the force of the recoil, sliding on the tiled floor and making a slightly grating creaking sound.
This attracted the attention of the young couple at the door, who turned their heads to look at it.
Yu Huan turned her head and looked at Pig Brother's chubby, steamed bun-like face, half-jokingly saying, "Hey, Pig Brother, it's been more than half a year since I last saw you, and you've gotten even rounder! You almost broke the chair just now." Pig Brother laughed heartily, "Haha, what can I do? Life's been too good, so my belly has kept growing. But, I call it a lucky face, right?"
As he spoke, he casually put his arm around Yu Huan's shoulder, appearing extremely warm and friendly.
Of course, it was already very lively.
Yu Huan chuckled and joked, "That's true, you're starting to look more and more like Maitreya Buddha."
Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter, their hearty laughter echoing throughout the shop.
Little Fox spotted the waiter carrying a small notebook and a ballpoint pen, walking towards their table.
He then pushed the menu on the table toward Yu Huan, and said in a loud voice with a hint of mockery, "Sir, you are of noble status, please go first."
"No, no, no, Brother Fox, you flatter me." Upon hearing this, Yu Huan hurriedly stretched out his hands as if he had touched a hot potato, and pushed the menu back. With a humble smile on his face, he said, "You have been around in Shanghai and have seen a lot. You should go first."
Seeing this, Little Fox quickly moved the menu in front of Xie Gouhua and said with a smile, "Brother Gou, you run your own business, you're the most resourceful. Why don't you take a look first and order something for the brothers?"
Xie Gouhua grabbed the menu and, with lightning speed, lightly patted it onto Pig Brother's side.
He raised his voice and shouted, "Come on, Old Pig! Brother Pig! You're a food connoisseur, today it's all up to you, take a good look!"
In the past, when the brothers and I were away from school, we had an unwritten agreement that whoever ordered the food would pay for it.
Although everyone has now entered the workforce and has some savings, the cost of a late-night snack is just a drop in the ocean for them.
But this playful banter and playful pushing made the otherwise ordinary ordering process incredibly fun.
Even the waiter standing nearby couldn't help but burst out laughing at their lively banter.
Pig Brother didn't push anymore, and solemnly picked up the menu with both hands.
The manner in which it was presented was as if it were a crucial imperial edict.
"Let me see..." Pig Brother's eyes were almost slits as he muttered to himself while lightly tapping the menu with his finger. "This grilled lamb kidney is a real treat. We have to each have a skewer, right? Especially Huan'er and Gouzi, they've both got wives now, they need to nourish their bodies properly, they have to have two skewers!"
"I can eat two skewers, no problem at all!" Xie Gouhua's face lit up with joy, grinning with his big white teeth, and he couldn't help but tease, "After having a late-night snack, we can go and 'cool off' on the way, hehe."
His animated expression caused the group to burst into laughter.
Pig Brother nodded, his fat face jiggling a few times, and then said, "Okay, then I'll add another plate of chives for you. This stuff is also very nutritious, and when paired with lamb kidneys, the effect is amazing!"
Xie Gouhua suddenly turned his head, reached out and patted Xiao Hu's shoulder hard, saying with great enthusiasm, "Xiao Hu, do you remember when we went out for a late-night snack and you got a nosebleed from eating chives? This time, I'll take you to 'cool down' so you don't make a fool of yourself again."
"Go to hell!" Little Fox immediately shoved the dog's paw away, chuckled, and said, "I'm not so hot-tempered anymore! I have a girlfriend in Shanghai, which often helps me release that fire."
As he spoke, he deliberately puffed out his chest.
As Yu Huan listened to everyone chatting, his mouth stretched from his mask to his ears in a wide grin.
In front of his old classmates, he couldn't help but tell some dirty jokes: "That's too much of a fuss to be done now. You have to rely on yourself when it really matters."
Xie Gouhua said with a wicked grin, "Little Fox has his girlfriend make a video call to attack the submarine; maybe that will quench his thirst."
Upon hearing this, everyone laughed even harder.
Pig Brother laughed so hard he almost fell off his chair. After finally catching his breath, he said, panting, "Haha, physical fire might be extinguished, but psychological fire can't be extinguished even a little bit through a screen, hahahaha!"
"With my brother Dog here, how could this fire not be put out?" Little Fox turned to the side and patted Xie Gouhua's shoulder with a smile.
Xie Gouhua brushed the fox's paws away, laughing and cursing, "Get lost! Don't get me into trouble. If your girlfriend finds out, she'll come after me, and I can't afford that."
Yu Huan saw the waiter standing to the side, barely able to contain his laughter.
He quickly took the menu from Pig Brother's hand, then put away his smile and said in a serious tone, "Alright, alright, stop joking around and hurry up and order. I'm starving."
"Give me a wing," Little Fox said firmly, then turned to the waiter and instructed, "Please make sure to note that it has to be grilled until the skin is crispy and fragrant, but don't overcook it, I really like it that way!"
"Okay, don't worry, it will be perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside." The waiter nodded hurriedly, a formulaic smile on his face, while quickly jotting down notes in his notebook.
While taking orders, Brother Pig unpacked the betel nuts and handed them out to everyone in turn.
Yu Huan held the menu, her eyes darting back and forth between the dishes, and did not refuse.
After receiving it, I casually placed it to my side.
Finally, a few more cold dishes were ordered.
Yu Huan smiled and looked up at the waiter, continuing, "Okay, that's all for now. If it's not enough, we'll order more."
"Alright, please wait a moment, we'll arrange it right away!"
The waiter responded, skillfully tucked the pen into his pocket, and strode quickly toward the kitchen.
Xie Gouhua reached out and grabbed the case of beer on the table.
With a sharp "rip," he forcefully tore open the plastic packaging, then looked up at Yu Huan and asked, "Huan'er, want a can? Did you drive your BMW again today?"
Little Fox was chewing betel nut, her cheeks puffing out, when she heard this she smiled and chimed in: "I saw it, his car was indeed parked next to the door."
Yu Huan pulled her mask down to her nose and took a deep breath of the barbecue aroma that filled the store.
With a contented smile on his face, he slowly said, "I really can't drink today. It's the Lunar New Year, and there's no way to find a designated driver right now. I can't afford to take the risk."
Xie Gouhua sighed softly after hearing this.
He didn't force her, but he pretended to be heartbroken and clicked his tongue, saying, "Sigh, what a pity. It's the New Year, and it's not easy for us brothers to get together. If you don't have a drink, it just feels like something's missing."
As he spoke, he turned his head, his gaze sweeping over Pig Brother and Little Fox. He raised an eyebrow and continued, half-jokingly, "You two should drink more and make up for Huan'er's share too."
Pig Brother happily agreed, "No problem, anyway, it's Dog Brother's treat today, might as well drink." (End of Chapter)