Grilling outdoors takes some skill. When you're used to the perfectly cooked meat from a skilled vendor, you don't realize how much technique it takes just to avoid burning everything until you try it yourself. Grilling it until it's fragrant on the outside and tender on the inside is another level of mastery entirely.

Chen Yuan held a pair of tongs, constantly flipping the thin slices of tenderloin. He hastily brushed on some sauce, but before he could even finish, he felt the meat starting to burn. He quickly snatched it off the grill and onto a plate, brushed both sides, and then placed it back on.

The intense heat from the flames made his hands and face burn. Before long, beads of sweat were trickling down from his temples.

The brightly colored tenderloin wasn't the only thing sizzling and oozing fat. Beside him, Liu Nan was constantly turning metal skewers. The chicken wings in his hands were also grilled to a perfect golden-brown, and the scored parts had curled up to form a thin, crispy skin.

Sometimes he would lift a wing, letting the heat dissipate in the air before laying it back on the grill. The glistening fat would drip down through the grate, and a burst of flame would shoot up, reaching as high as a meter. It was a dramatic sight.

You had to admit, Liu Nan's technique was pretty impressive. He really looked like he knew what he was doing.

Nearby, Wei Zhen was practically drooling. An enticing aroma had started to waft through the air, making everyone's stomachs rumble.

Besides knowing the ingredients were fresh, the most satisfying part of grilling it yourself was getting to cook whole, solid pieces of meat. They were nothing like the tiny skewers from the barbecue joints, and the satisfaction of eating them was immense.

"Man, have you done this before? Your technique looks amazing."

"Of course," Liu Nan replied smugly. "I used to help out at my uncle's place during school breaks. He runs a barbecue stall at the night market."

"Awesome! Looks like we're in for a real feast today. I thought none of us were experts."

"Since I was the one who suggested barbecue, of course I came prepared... Hand me the salt and pepper."

"Got it! Following Chef Liu's orders."

The charcoal briquettes in the grill glowed red-hot. After a fierce burn, they settled down, with only an occasional small flame flickering up. The temperature was now perfect.

The test run was over.

The scallops, slow-roasting on the left side, had already opened their shells. Small bubbles frothed from the edges, releasing a sweet aroma.

The volcanic sausages, fresh corn, potato slices, red shrimp, and baby squid were all placed on the grill, along with the essential lamb skewers, of course.

Seeing how hard and earnestly Chen was working, Jiangg Ning's heart ached for him. She took a tissue and went over to gently wipe the sweat from his forehead.

It was a very thoughtful gesture.

"I'm fine, it's not hot."

Chen Yuan turned his head and smiled at her.

"Hey! How come no one's wiping my sweat?!" Liu Nan protested indignantly.

"I will, I will! I'll wipe it for you!"

Wei Zhen grabbed a tissue and roughly scrubbed it across his face, making Liu Nan scrunch up his entire face.

Everyone was busy with something.

Jiangg Ning went to help Chen Yuan as his assistant.

Perhaps through some unspoken agreement, the task of preparing the hot pot somehow fell to Quan Yafeng and Li Bing.

Some of the ingredients would be grilled, and some would be for the hot pot. The hot pot was mostly vegetables, which would keep the meal from getting too heavy and be easier to digest.

When eating hot pot, Chen Yuan's favorites were tripe and duck blood, both of which have a great texture. They had prepared a lot of both this time.

「The sun began to set, and dusk settled in.」

Li Bing focused on setting out the cups one by one, pouring juice into each.

Next, she tried to open a large jug of mineral water. However, she wasn't quite strong enough and couldn't get the cap to budge after several attempts.

'Let me!' Quan Yafeng, who had been waiting for an opportunity, suddenly felt this was his moment to shine.

"No, it's fine. I can get it."

Li Bing refused his offer and gripped the cap even harder. Her brow furrowed, and it looked like she was even putting her cheeks into the effort.

With a final CLICK, it twisted open.

Then, she picked up the yin-yang pot to rinse it out.

Quick as a flash, Quan Yafeng lifted the large jug of mineral water and started pouring it out for her. This time, Li Bing didn't object. Working together, they washed all the tableware and the pot.

They poured fresh water into the pot and plugged it into the portable power station provided by the club.

Once the water boiled, Li Bing squeezed in a large block of hot pot base. In no time, one side of the divider was shimmering with crimson oil, while the other side turned a milky white. Both were bubbling and releasing clouds of scalding steam.

…

"It's ready!"

Liu Nan walked over, beaming, carrying two large platters of grilled meat, and set them on the table.

They turned on the portable lamp they'd set up nearby. Since it was winter, there weren't any mosquitoes or bugs around.

Jiangg Ning looked down at the platters. The grilled meat looked, smelled, and surely tasted perfect. There were very few burnt spots, which greatly surpassed her expectations.

"Wow, Liu, you're really good at this. You've got real skill," she couldn't help but praise.

"Thanks for the compliment, Jiangg," Liu Nan said, scratching his head and smiling bashfully. He felt so happy he could fly.

Deep down, he was incredibly pleased with himself.

A single word of praise from Jiangg made all his hard work feel worthwhile. He was practically floating on air.

"Alright, let's eat! We can put these vegetables in the hot pot, and we'll grill more after we've eaten some of this."

"OK! Everyone take a seat, let's dig in."

They all grabbed their small stools and gathered around the little table.

"The first bite, of course, goes to our Chef Liu."

"Alright, alright."

Liu Nan picked up a chicken wing and took a huge bite, nearly scalding his lips. Hot steam and juices burst out, revealing the incredibly tender meat inside.

"How is it?"

"It's... it's so good!" 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"Holy shit, let me try one."

"I can't wait any longer."

With a gentle expression, Jiangg Ning watched the boys scramble for the chicken wings. She couldn't help but be swept up in the youthful, exuberant atmosphere, feeling as though it were making up for her own rushed and lonely university days.

…

The meal was a lively affair of clinking cups and rising steam.

The get-together was turning out to be a huge success.

Even Li Bing, whose expression rarely changed, was smiling a lot.

Jiangg Ning kept putting food on Chen Yuan's plate, mixing his dipping sauce, and fishing his favorite tripe out of the pot for him, much to the envy of everyone else.

Chen Yuan just focused on eating and chatting, enjoying the royal treatment as if he were already used to it.

The night grew deeper, and the sky filled with a blanket of brilliant stars.

At the peak of their conversation, the laughter was nearly constant.

Starting to feel full, Chen Yuan stopped eating. He sat next to Jiangg Ning, took her hand and rested it on his lap, gently stroking it as they talked.

"BURP! Nope, I'm done. I need to take a break."

"Full already? There's still so much left."

"No rush, we can take our time. I'll rejoin the battle after I've digested a bit."

"Well, don't just sit there. Why don't you perform something for us? A little dinner entertainment."

"What talent do I have?" Liu Nan waved his hand. "Don't kid me, Zhen. Am I supposed to perform *Farewell My Concubine* for everyone? Do I look like the Hegemon-King or the Concubine?"

"How about... you sing a song?" Quan Yafeng suggested.

"Oh, come on, boss. Don't torture us. Is there anyone who sings worse than Liu Nan? Don't make me puke up my dinner."

"Good point."

"What was that?! What did you just say?! That's it, I'm singing!"

With that, Liu Nan jumped to his feet, spread his arms, and started hopping around. "You love me~ I love you~ Mixue Ice Cream is so sweet~"

"BWAHAHAHA—HIC."

"Give it a rest, bro!"

Jiangg Ning was laughing too, though hers was a more reserved and gentle laugh from behind her hand.

Perhaps it was the spiciness of the hot pot, but her cheeks were a little flushed.

'Chen Yuan's roommates are such characters,' she thought. 'Before coming, I was worried they might be difficult to get along with. After all, not everyone can be as nice as Chen Yuan.'

'But now I see that birds of a feather really do flock together. A good-natured person is bound to have friends who aren't half-bad either.'

"Even if we want to hear singing, we don't want to hear *you* sing!" Wei Zhen suddenly interjected, picking up the thread of the conversation.

"Then who do you want to hear?" Liu Nan shot back, playing along perfectly.

"How about Jiangg gives us a song?"

"Ah? Is that really okay?"

"I don't know, it should... be okay, right?"

Jiangg Ning was stunned by their back-and-forth.

She never expected the topic to turn to her.

'They're setting her up,' Chen Yuan thought with a cynical smile. 'I knew they were up to no good. The moment Liu Nan replied, I knew it was a trap.'

'But this was an overt scheme!'

'Even if Jiangg Ning refused, they would lose nothing. And if she agreed, all the better.'

Perhaps Ning really felt that, as Chen Yuan's girlfriend, she couldn't embarrass him. After a moment's hesitation, she said softly, "I'm not a very good singer."

"No way! You have a great voice!"

"I heard you at that traditional music performance~ It was a real treat."

To be fair, Jiangg Ning's singing was just average, nothing at all like Yaoyao's, but she had a beautiful speaking voice.

And usually, people with nice voices can't sound too bad when they sing.

"Alright, I'll sing a little, but please don't get your hopes up," Jiangg Ning said shyly.

"Yay! Yay!"

She cleared her throat, nervously squeezing Chen Yuan's hand. It gave Ningning a sense of security.

Then, a magnetic yet gentle voice began to sing. It started as a low hum, gradually forming a melody, like a swirling breeze.

It caressed their ears.

In an instant, everyone fell silent.

Chen Yuan propped his chin on his hand and listened quietly.

"Last night's high tide~"

"Has pulled away this morn~"

"Returning fishermen, shouting of the squalls they've weathered through~"

"Inside the church, a wedding is being held~"

"I'm passing by and feel the sweetness too~"

"And it also makes me think of me and you~"

As she sang that line, Jiangg Ning suddenly turned to look at Chen Yuan.

Instantly, the three guys went wild, hooting and hollering, "Wooo! Wooo! Wooo!" It made Ningning's face flush red, and the corners of Chen Yuan's mouth turned up in a smile.

Suppressing a smile she couldn't quite contain, she continued singing:

"An innocent child~"

"Overhears the sweet words of two lovers~"

"A blushing face, like fresh flowers held by a stranger~"

"The familiar city, its face has changed with time~"

"What hasn't changed, is that you're still here by my side~"

Jiangg Ning consciously changed a single word, transforming the originally somewhat sad song into a happy one, almost like a confession.

When she finished the short verse, everyone was still captivated.

"Okay, okay, I forgot the rest of the lyrics. Now it's someone else's turn."

"Beautiful," Chen Yuan said, winking at Jiangg Ning. "That was just like you."