"This is delicious, Sister Si Wen. You’re amazing," Xue Xing said, giving her a big thumbs-up.

"Of course. This lady is more than just a pretty face. I can grace a banquet hall and master a kitchen," Si Wen said, grilling another piece of meat for Xue Xing.

Seeing Si Wen give all the meat to him, Xue Xing asked, "Aren’t you having any, Sister Si Wen?"

"You eat. I don’t eat much anyway; I have to watch my figure."

Xue Xing’s gaze swept over Si Wen. She had a slender waist, long legs, and toned arms that spoke of flexibility and athleticism. Her figure was beautifully curved, with prominent hips that were especially hard to look away from. She could wear any outfit with extraordinary flair, and she exuded a sunny aura that naturally drew people’s eyes.

Except... she was a little flat up top.

"You’re not fat, Sister Si Wen. You don’t need to lose weight."

If any other guy had said that, he would have sounded like a total player. But coming from Xue Xing, it was completely different. He was genuinely complimenting her for being slim.

Si Wen’s eyebrow quirked. "Well, since you’re so good with your words, this lady will be serving you exclusively today."

"Huh?" Xue Xing looked at Si Wen, confused. He chewed on a piece of meat, his cheeks puffed out like an adorable little hamster.

He’s so cute you just want to feed him every delicious thing in the world.

Spurred on, Si Wen grilled the meat with even more enthusiasm.

"What are you ’huh’-ing about? The number of people this lady has personally served can be counted on one hand."

"Does that mean you’ve grilled meat for my brother, too?" Xue Xing seemed particularly concerned about this, the thought popping into his head from time to time.

"Nope. You’re the very first person to eat meat I’ve grilled. Not even my own dad has had any."

"Ohh..." Xue Xing picked up a large piece of meat and popped it into his mouth. His eyes narrowed in pleasure, as if he were savoring the rarest of delicacies.

One was happy to eat, the other was happy to grill. The two of them enjoyed the meal immensely.

Before long, Xue Xing was full, but Si Wen was still grilling with gusto. Seeing how much fun she was having, he didn’t have the heart to stop her. Whatever she grilled, he ate.

By the time Si Wen noticed, Xue Xing looked like he was about to burst.

"Why didn’t you tell me you were full?" Si Wen shot him a reproachful look.

Xue Xing chuckled. "I saw how happy you were grilling, Sister Si Wen. I couldn’t bring myself to spoil your fun."

"You’re so silly." Si Wen took the last few pieces of meat for herself, placing them in her bowl and eating them in a slow, deliberate manner.

Compared to Xue Xing, Si Wen’s table manners were surprisingly refined. It was as if she were a completely different person from her usual self. Anyone who didn’t know her might have mistaken her for a gentle young lady.

After finishing the meat in her bowl, Si Wen was full too. She wiped her mouth with a napkin, stood up, and said to Xue Xing, "Let’s go."

"You’re full after just that little, Sister Si Wen?" For Xue Xing, those few pieces of meat wouldn’t have even constituted a single mouthful.

"It might not be enough for you, but it’s enough for me."

"Oh..."

Are girls’ stomachs really that small? he wondered.

Just as the two of them were about to leave, a video call came in from Lin Xi. Seeing who it was, Si Wen sat back down and answered.

Lin Xi’s stunning face appeared on the screen. It had only been a few days, but she looked even more beautiful. Even through the phone, you could feel her happiness practically overflowing.

"Si Wen..." came her soft, sweet voice.

Xue Xing’s eyes lit up. It’s my sister-in-law!

Si Wen shot him a sideways glance and angled the phone away from him. "Well, look who finally has time for me."

"I’ve been dead tired lately. I barely scraped together the time to call you. I still have skincare appointments and etiquette lessons this afternoon..."

"Okay, okay, I won’t give you a hard time. But you’re this busy for a simple engagement. What’s going to happen when you actually get married?" Si Wen couldn’t imagine how busy Lin Xi would be when that day finally came.

Getting married is such a hassle. Why not just register it? That’s just a formality anyway. The marriage certificate is what really matters.

"Where are you?" Lin Xi’s soft voice came through the phone again.

"I’m out eating."

"Who with?"

"Guess."

"How could I possibly guess? Stop playing games!"

Si Wen turned the camera on Xue Xing. He jumped, startled, but quickly recovered, sat up straight, and greeted her properly. "Hello, Sister-in-law."

Lin Xi was also taken aback by the sudden appearance of a familiar face before she recognized him. "You’re Xue Xing?!"

"It’s me, Sister-in-law."

"You’ve changed so much! I almost didn’t recognize you." Lin Xi wasn’t exaggerating. Xue Xing was wearing the latest collection from Xiang Naier and sporting a brand-new hairstyle. Compared to his previous look as an average high school student, to say he looked different would be an understatement—he was practically a different person.

"Sister Si Wen just took me to get a makeover, and she bought the clothes, too. I feel a little embarrassed about it all."

"Well, Si Wen certainly has good taste. That’s a total transformation."

I wish I could give Xue Yang a radical makeover too... but there’s nothing about him that needs changing. Oh well. Having a boyfriend who’s too perfect is its own kind of tragedy.

"Si Wen, are you coming to see me tonight?"

"Will they even let me in?" It wasn’t that Si Wen didn’t want to visit Lin Xi. The Lin Family Villa wasn’t a place just anyone could enter, especially on the eve of the engagement. If she was going to visit, she’d have to find another way in.

"Please come. I’m so nervous, I need you here to comfort me."

"Wow, an invitation from a beautiful lady! I’d climb the walls if I have to. I’ll get to you tonight."

Lin Xi laughed, and Si Wen’s teasing eased some of her tension.

"Then I’ll wait for you tonight."

"Wait for me, babe."

"Goodbye, Sister-in-law!"

After hanging up, Si Wen stood up again. "Let’s go."

"Oh... BURP." Xue Xing’s face flushed with embarrassment.

How mortifying!

"Hmph. Looks like my feeding efforts were a success. I’ve stuffed you completely."

Xue Xing scratched his head and followed Si Wen out of the buffet restaurant.

It was peak dinner time, so the restaurant was incredibly crowded. The mall itself was a well-known spot in Yancheng, a popular destination for dates and shopping trips, which made running into acquaintances practically unavoidable.

Sure enough, just as Si Wen and Xue Xing stepped out of the buffet restaurant’s entrance, they ran into someone Si Wen would have preferred to avoid.

"Well, if it isn’t Miss Si Wen. Long time no see." Wang Doudou had spotted Si Wen from a distance and hurried over to stage an "accidental" encounter.

"Oh, it’s you. Long time no see," Si Wen said dismissively, already turning to leave.

Having finally managed another "accidental" encounter with Si Wen, Wang Doudou wasn’t about to let her get away so easily. "Miss Si Wen," she interjected quickly, "do you like this barbecue place too?"

"No, this is my first time."