When She Stops Being Dramatic

Chapter 265: Chapter 107: The Top Star of the 60s Song and Dance Troupe (46)

Otherwise, he was afraid he might do something as wild as devouring her right then and there. And when he ate, how could he not savor the meal to his heart’s content? Although he had no practical experience, men, well, were always confident in their stamina.

Xia Zhaoyun couldn’t resist following a few steps behind to call out to him. Biting her lip, she tilted her head with a soft smile, not daring to meet his piercing green eyes. "Brother Tianhao," she advised, "please buy a little of whatever you come across. I can prepare it, and it’ll all make for good eating. Don’t just buy meat, okay?"

Huo Tianhao nodded, shot her another intense glance, and then strode away.

Since she had promised to treat the girls to a barbecue, Xia Zhaoyun splashed some cool well water on her face, making most of her blush fade. She then gathered her hair into a loose bun and headed to the kitchen.

Their home was well-stocked with newly bought grains. Since she and He Qingran didn’t have large appetites, they were never short on ration tickets and had managed to save up quite a lot.

However, He Qingran had been learning to cook recently, so ingredients were being consumed quickly. That was why they had brought a whole bag of rice and flour this time, ensuring they had more than enough for at least this one meal.

Thinking of the barbecues from her past life, she began to prepare some staple foods that would be good for grilling.

She made several types of steamed buns alone: small, sweet milk buns; tall, fluffy buns; and pocket buns. They would be delicious that evening whether eaten plain, grilled, or stuffed with meat and vegetables.

And of course, she made a large basin of seitan—the indispensable soul of any true barbecue.

She also made pan-fried flatbreads, rice cakes, and other things.

Just as she finished, Huo Tianhao returned, both hands laden with goods.

Xia Zhaoyun hurried to take the things from him and set them down. She handed him a clean towel, watched as he wiped the sweat from his face, and then served him a glass of water, warmed to the perfect temperature.

Huo Tianhao gulped it down in one go. The look in his eyes as he gazed at her was so tender it seemed to overflow.

’A scene just like this has played out in his dreams countless times. Life isn’t always about thrilling, heart-stopping moments. A simple, ordinary gesture like this can bring such pleasant satisfaction, moving him to his core.’

’If he weren’t worried about the smell of sweat on him, he would have definitely pulled her into his arms and kissed her senseless again, expressing his feelings in the most direct way possible.’

"Sweetheart, do we need to pick vegetables from the garden? You just stay here, I can go."

Xia Zhaoyun was inspecting his purchases. He’d bought pork, chicken, duck, and even a sizable piece of lamb! There were plenty of other ingredients as well, and of course, the essential grill and bamboo skewers.

She named a few durable vegetables that required some prep, adding that they could pick the rest right before it was time to eat.

Xia Zhaoyun cut the meat into cubes and slices and set it to marinate. Then she began to deep-fry a variety of snacks: sweet rice cakes, sesame balls, fried dough sticks, wild mushrooms, stuffed eggplant fritters, crispy pork bites, and even homemade potato chips and french fries...

She directed Huo Tianhao to set up the grill, then began to arrange the partially-prepared ingredients...

By the time the others arrived together, planning to help, Xia Zhaoyun had already finished most of the prep work.

The table was laden with ingredients. Just the sight of it all, combined with the fragrant aroma lingering in the air, made their stomachs rumble with anticipation.

Liu Mingkun considered himself quite the barbecue aficionado, often inviting friends over to his courtyard house for grilled skewers. He’d always thought his spreads were lavish, but seeing this spread left him feeling utterly defeated.

’It felt like all his past barbecues had been for nothing...’

Xia Zhaoyun had prepped most of the ingredients, so all that was left was to grill them. The two men, Huo Tianhao and Liu Mingkun, took charge of the skewers, while the women chatted and ate.

It was the first time the two children had eaten a meal with so many people. They held their little bowls, grinning from ear to ear, and were much more boisterous than usual.

Since they all had the next day off, the young women raised their beers and toasted Xia Zhaoyun one after another. Compliments flowed freely, and they wouldn’t let her refuse a single toast.

Xia Zhaoyun was in high spirits as well and accepted every toast. She figured that with beer’s low alcohol content, the worst that could happen was she’d get full. But gradually, her senses began to dull. Her smile grew adorably goofy, a side of her rarely seen. Her stunning features seemed to soften as if viewed through a veil, exuding an entirely different kind of charm.

After the meal, the young women took the initiative to clean up. Seeing Teacher Little Xia clinging to Little Hero Huo, following his every move and too embarrassed to look up, they all covered their mouths to stifle their giggles as they left.

Liu Mingkun clapped Huo Tianhao on the shoulder, secretly pressing a small box into his hand. "Imported, ribbed," he whispered. "I hear the quality and the user experience are top-notch. This’ll guarantee you perform steadily tonight, my friend, and win over your lady!"

Huo Tianhao raised an eyebrow. He glanced down and saw rows of foreign text on the box.

However, his foreign language skills were decent, so he knew what it was right away. He gave Liu Mingkun an amused, playful kick and set the box on the table. "Alright," he said. "If the user experience is good, I’ll hit you up for more."