This street was lined with many small eateries just like this one—iron exhaust fans caked in grease, and middle-aged men with broad frames who served as both chef and owner. A few square wooden tables were pushed against the walls. Inside the kitchen, heavy oil and thick smoke swirled as dishes were stir-fried in woks, sending out a rich, savory aroma.
“What do you want to eat?” He Yu asked Gu Yu beside her, scanning the menu pasted on the wall. “Order whatever you like. Your ‘Boss’ is treating you to a good meal today.”
“Stir-fried potato shreds, then.”
Gu Yu wasn’t just being polite; he was simply used to being frugal. The few times he had visited such shops before, he usually ordered the cheapest plain cabbage noodles.
“Boss! Potato shreds, Kung Pao chicken, braised pork ribs, and stir-fried pork with carrots!” He Yu shouted toward the smoke-filled kitchen.
“Coming right up! Just a moment!”
Hearing the response, she found a seat and sat down. Gu Yu sat opposite her as usual, staring at the menu on the wall in a daze for a moment.
“Stop looking. I have plenty of pocket money; I can afford these few dishes.”
“But we won’t be able to finish all this, will we?”
“Then you can pack the leftovers and take them home. After all, your house is right nearby. Young Master Gu isn’t so wealthy that he’d be okay with wasting food, is he?”
“Of course not. I just… feel a bit bad making you spend so much money.”
“Blockhead. I’ve already ordered, so what’s there to be embarrassed about? Since when did classmate Gu Yu become such an old lady?” He Yu didn’t like Gu Yu’s hesitation when facing her. In her eyes, being unable to relax meant the relationship wasn’t deep enough. She wanted the boy to face her without any reservations.
After all, her opponent was the pride of Jinhe High School—the school beauty of three years.
The owner was quick and experienced; the dishes were served in no time. Gu Yu served the rice and brought a bowl for He Yu, then sat down and buried his head in his meal.
Girls seemed to have small appetites. He watched as He Yu chewed slowly and delicately, eating very little. She seemed full after just one bowl of rice.
“Want something to drink?” He Yu looked at the cabinet in the corner, which was packed with a colorful array of liquors and sodas. “How about some alcohol?”
“Cola for me. I can’t handle alcohol… Boss He, do you know how to drink?”
“I’ve never tried, but I want to… If I get drunk, will you take care of me?” He Yu had a smile on her face, her tone entirely playful.
“As if I could just leave you be. But I wouldn’t suggest you try it; it feels terrible.”
“But don’t they say on TV that a guy’s best chance is when the girl gets drunk?”
“Boss, you know me. If it were me, at most I’d just drag you back to another place to finish the fuss.”
“Oh? Am I that lacking in charm?” He Yu continued to smile. In front of Gu Yu, she never cared if her jokes led the boy to other interpretations. If he weren’t such a blockhead, their progress definitely wouldn’t be this slow.
“Definitely not. You are as beautiful as a flower and have a great figure, Boss. It’s just that I, a dignified man of honor, don’t harbor any improper thoughts.”
“Heh, ‘man of honor.’ If I’m really as you say, why do you like Luo Ming and not me?”
The heart in her chest was thumping wildly. He Yu did her best to make this sentence sound like a casual joke, but her true feelings were incredibly ambiguous. She was afraid Gu Yu would catch on, yet she didn’t want him to give a flippant answer.
“How could a subordinate harbor wicked thoughts about his Boss? My loyalty to you can be witnessed by heaven and earth.”
“Bah, bah, bah! To put it bluntly, it’s just that Luo Ming looks better, so you only like her, right?” He Yu looked at Gu Yu resentfully, as if she were throwing caution to the wind. She lowered her head and grumbled a sentence under her breath: “She’s clearly a flat-chest…”
“Huh? Boss, what did you say?” Gu Yu didn’t catch the second half of her sentence and asked blankly.
“Nothing. Go on and like your Luo Ming then, blockhead.”
He Yu stood up, went to the cabinet, and grabbed two drinks. She stuffed a blue can of Coke into Gu Yu’s hand and opened a can of beer for herself, bringing it to her nose to sniff.
She looked up to see Gu Yu staring at her, looking hesitant as if he wanted to say something.
“I’m definitely going to try it. If I get drunk, I’ll have to trouble the ‘man of honor’ to fish me out.”
“You really trust me that much?”
“I don’t know if you have the ‘wicked intent,’ but if you had even a shred of ‘wicked courage,’ you wouldn’t… forget it. If you actually had the guts, I’d let you take some advantage of me.”
He Yu said this as if she were going for broke and took a large gulp. The alcohol stimulated the girl’s tender throat, and an indescribable taste traveled through her body.
A sudden surge of courage from nowhere hit her nerves with reckless abandon. She asked directly yet shyly, “Gu Yu, would you… do something excessive?”
“I won’t do anything excessive or even ‘not excessive.’ How could I betray Boss He’s trust? But if it tastes bad, you should stop drinking. There’s no need.”
“I won’t! This lady doesn’t believe she’ll be defeated by a mere can of beer.”
Following that, He Yu heroically gulped down a few more mouthfuls, finishing the rest of the beer. An unfamiliar sense of grogginess and dizziness immediately washed over her. Her fair cheeks were stained with a tipsy crimson, like delicate peach blossoms blooming in a spring garden.
“I really am a bit dizzy, damn it.” she cursed bluntly. She took out her phone, scanned the QR code on the table to pay, and squinted at Gu Yu. “I’ll leave it to you… henchman.”
“Boss He, your drunk appearance is truly… bold. But aren’t you being a bit too unconcerned with your image?”
“Cut the crap. I’m just a bit lightheaded. Help me find a suitable place to sleep for a bit.”
“Fine, fine, fine,” Gu Yu agreed helplessly. He asked the owner to pack the leftovers and, under the man’s strange gaze, supported He Yu as they hobbled out of the shop.
He heard the owner sigh behind them, “Ah, young people these days…”
Gu Yu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He struggled to support He Yu back home, laid her on the bed, and covered her with a blanket.
“I don’t want a blanket, I’m roasting.” He Yu wasn’t truly drunk, just a bit muddled. Her eyes were half-closed, and her face was stained with an enticing, deep flush. “It’s still so hot.”
She glanced at Gu Yu and, with total disregard, took off her jacket. Underneath was a thin cotton camisole, revealing her slender collarbones and a neck as white and long as fine snow.
“Keep it on, you’ll catch a cold.”
Gu Yu pulled the blanket to cover her, but the girl raised her hand to block him, saying petulantly, “No, I’m roasting.”
“You really will catch a cold. The AC in this room is broken.”
The AC had been installed by his father when he was still alive. It had been broken for several years, and considering the cost of electricity, Gu Yu had never been willing to spend the money to fix it.
“I won’t! Leave me alone. You’re my henchman, not my boyfriend.”
He Yu resisted as if throwing a tantrum. After taking off her outer layer, the curves of her chest became more pronounced, not at all inferior to Yun Qianxin’s. The flush on her face only added to the beauty of a girl in her prime.
The courage brought by the lightheadedness interfered with her thinking; her logic was beginning to slip. She suddenly reached out both hands to cup Gu Yu’s face, looked into his eyes, and said, “Unless… you kiss me.”