Zhang Family BBQ wasn’t a street-side stall; it had a certain scale, decorated in a camping style that young people liked.
The lighting and layout were like a small wine bar, and indeed, quite a few tables had ordered drinks.
In short, it wasn’t at all like Zhang Cai had said—that their BBQ wasn’t selling. On the contrary, it was full of customers.
Because Yun Huizhi had experience, she brought Chu Ruoyou before dark to get a seat.
The staff inside were very busy. Yun Huizhi and Chu Ruoyou sat down and started ordering by scanning the QR code themselves.
Yun Huizhi selected everything she thought was tasty, then handed the phone to Chu Ruoyou to add a few more things she liked.
Chu Ruoyou looked at the menu. “Why didn’t you order any drinks?”
“I thought you said you don’t like drinking.”
“A little is fine.”
Chu Ruoyou took the initiative and added a bottle of fruit wine. She’d just have half a glass, for the atmosphere.
After submitting the order, before she could pull her gaze away, she saw a private message come in.
The sender had an English name, the content brief—read completely before she could stop herself.
“Because I miss you, no one else can replace you.”
A sentence starting with “Because” should be a reply, meaning Yun Huizhi had been chatting with this person before.
Chu Ruoyou mentally noted it, pretending she’d seen nothing, and handed the phone back to Yun Huizhi.
Yun Huizhi didn’t scroll through it again, simply placing the phone aside. She glanced around the shop; Zhang Cai wasn’t there.
Chu Ruoyou said, “You’ve been here before.”
“I ate here once.”
Chu Ruoyou’s tone was light, as if asking casually. “With whom?”
“With my aunt.”
Yun Huizhi enthusiastically introduced, “My aunt is very young, just a few years older than you. It’s a pity she’s got other things going on this month and isn’t in Jianjia. Otherwise, you could have met her.”
Actually, it wasn’t a pity—just polite talk.
If her aunt were here, she’d be exposed. Chu Ruoyou would discover she was a liar.
Yun Huizhi’s answer was open and frank, so Chu Ruoyou didn’t probe further.
She did very much enjoy seeing Yun Huizhi’s cheerful, lively demeanor. As for other matters, they had nothing to do with her anyway.
The lamb skewers arrived first. Looking at the menu earlier, Chu Ruoyou thought the prices were not cheap, but upon seeing the food, she realized how generous it was.
The people were honest and kind.
The lamb was also excellent, fragrant and appetizing, indirectly explaining why business was so booming.
The store employees were so busy they barely touched the ground. Chu Ruoyou asked, “With a family business this successful, why does Mr. Zhang work at the inn? The pay can’t be high, right?”
His job indeed seemed leisurely—just handling check-ins and answering calls at the front desk.
“He has an older brother. The business is mainly run by the brother and his wife, with the parents helping out.
I asked him once why he didn’t help here. He said he doesn’t like crowded places and hates the smell of cooking smoke. Even at its busiest, the inn has limited rooms and guests, so his workload is also limited. He can find time to read and zone out. He doesn’t need to save money; earning enough to get by is fine.”
Chu Ruoyou accepted the half glass of wine Yun Huizhi poured for her. The iced wine slid down her throat, very comfortable.
“Hearing that, I really envy him.”
Yun Huizhi agreed. “Who wouldn’t envy him? Living with family, having parents and an older brother above, a quirky younger sister and a little nephew below. Decent family background, doing a job detached from worldly strife, no pressure at all. Right?”
“Seems you’ve envied him too.”
She’d voiced all of Chu Ruoyou’s thoughts.
“Of course I have.”
Yun Huizhi emphasized the “of course,” about to continue, but heard Chu Ruoyou say “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.”
She was a little puzzled, but the moment her inquiring look was sent out, she understood.
She was earning Chu Ruoyou’s money, having tricked her by claiming the family was poor and needed cash.
So Chu Ruoyou thought she was envying Little Zhang’s comfortable life.
She clinked glasses with Chu Ruoyou and waved it off with a smile. “No worries. I’m not that fragile. We’re just chatting casually. I don’t have any off-limits zones.”
“I was overthinking. I’ll punish myself with a drink.”
Chu Ruoyou drained her cup.
After the sun set, the BBQ joint’s business truly caught fire.
Zhang Cai saw them and ran right over. “When did you guys get here?”
Yun Huizhi said, “A while ago. Didn’t see you when we came in.”
“I was at home playing, just came to help. So supportive! I’ll give you a 30% discount!”
Chu Ruoyou stopped her. “The food is excellent. We’ll come again. Can’t take too much advantage. A 10% discount is fine.”
Yun Huizhi had never seen someone haggle the price up. Zhang Cai was probably also experiencing this for the first time.
She blinked, confused, then obediently said, “Okay then.”
Her eyes kept drifting to Chu Ruoyou.
Today, Chu Ruoyou wore a tight black top with pure white trousers, perfectly showcasing her great figure.
She was accessorized with a pearl necklace and pearl earrings. Her long hair was pinned up with a wooden hair stick, a stray strand of the shorter front hair falling carelessly across her forehead.
After Zhang Cai was called away to work, Chu Ruoyou explained, “The shop is run by her brother and sister-in-law. I was afraid giving too deep a discount might upset the family.”
Actually, Zhang Cai held a fairly high status in the family—as the only girl, she was much doted on.
But Yun Huizhi’s heart still warmed. “You’re so thoughtful.”
A little while later, Zhang Cai ran over to ask if they could share a table. “People from your inn.”
Yun Huizhi turned and saw it was Wen Zi and Yuanyuan.
If they were strangers, she would have refused outright. But since they were staying at the same place, it was a bit awkward. She decided to see what Chu Ruoyou thought.
Chu Ruoyou was very gracious. “Sure. We’re almost done eating anyway.”
The young couple sat down. After exchanging greetings, they bluntly asked, “Are you two dating?”
Yun Huizhi couldn’t help but laugh. “No, we’re just friends for now.”
She deliberately added words like “for now” to make it ambiguous, leaving some room. This way, it was an unspoken mutual understanding—everyone got it and wouldn’t press further.
“Alright, alright. Friends. We’re all friends.”
Wen Zi understood.
Yuanyuan asked, “Where is Miss Chu from?”
“Xiacheng.”
“Hey, we’re from Xiacheng too!”
Yun Huizhi said to Chu Ruoyou, “They’re amazing. They do self-media. Not huge internet celebrities, but they have tons of loyal fans.”
Chu Ruoyou politely expressed interest. “May I ask what field?”
“We do NSFW content on Twitter,” Wen Zi said.
Chu Ruoyou was completely unruffled, just nodding as she asked, “Does it pay?”
Wen Zi burst out laughing. “How come you asked the exact same thing as Zhizhi?”
Chu Ruoyou and Yun Huizhi exchanged a glance. Yun Huizhi thought, She looks so proper, but her acceptance level is quite high. Though I’m not sure if it’s just for politeness.
Yuanyuan finished laughing and explained helplessly, “Don’t listen to her nonsense. We each have separate accounts for filming stuff, and run a couple’s account together.”
Yun Huizhi hadn’t been close with them before; they’d chatted but not deeply. This time, she shared her thoughts.
“I think the hardest part is being a couple blogger. It’s easy to get hype, but hard to manage long-term. First, you need to be long-lasting—can’t keep switching partners. Second, you can’t be constantly fighting or giving each other the silent treatment. Most people simply can’t do it.”
The whole table laughed. Wen Zi said, “What decent person keeps switching partners all the time?”
Yun Huizhi chimed in, “Definitely not me.”
Chu Ruoyou seized on her slip. “Didn’t you say just the other day you’d lost count of how many you’ve dated?”
“That was just me talking nonsense.”
Yun Huizhi was mortified, signaling with her eyes for Chu Ruoyou to stop.
But Wen Zi insisted on chatting about it. “Really lost count? What kind of people does Zhizhi usually like?”
“Actually, there’s a standard answer,” Yuanyuan hinted to Yun Huizhi.
Yun Huizhi smiled, knowing the standard answer was “the Chu Ruoyou type.” Too bad her relationship with Chu Ruoyou wasn’t what they thought.
“No fixed type. I’ve liked girls with different styles. But if I had to pick one type, I favor an understanding Older Sister with a good temper, who usually lets me have my way.”
Chu Ruoyou said, “Wish you find one soon.”
Yun Huizhi looked at her and smiled. “Thanks. What kind of person do you like?”
“Mature and steady, rational and wise, ambitious, with a career drive. Honest and trustworthy, a person of their word.”
“Oh.” Well, that literally has nothing to do with me.
The young couple beside them didn’t interject further, both sensing that maybe these two indeed weren’t planning to date.
Or rather, it was a one-sided crush from someone.
After paying the bill and leaving the BBQ place, they strolled along under the streetlights.
They entered the night market, where various snacks, fresh flowers, and handmade crafts were sold in dazzling array.
Yun Huizhi asked her, “Hold hands?”
Chu Ruoyou gave her hand.
Fingers interlocked, she felt the two rings Yun Huizhi wore. She bent her fingertip to trace the ring’s edge.
“Did you enjoy dinner tonight?”
Chu Ruoyou said, “It was pretty good. But the crawfish isn’t as good as Xiacheng’s. Maybe I’m just not used to the local preparation.”
“I’ve never been to Xiacheng.”
Yun Huizhi said it casually, then felt her heart suddenly race. Suppressing a twinge of discomfort, she continued, “If I ever go there to visit, would you treat me to even better crawfish?”
Chu Ruoyou stopped walking. Under the lamplight, she turned back and shot her a glance.
What was in that glance? Distant, aloof, a bit of displeasure, yet also a trace of amusement.
As if Yun Huizhi had told a rather uncomfortable, cold joke.
If Yun Huizhi were smart now, she should follow up with, “Just kidding! I’d never scrounge off you.”
Yun Huizhi was indeed smart, but she always resisted giving the standard answer.
So she said nothing, just quietly waited for Chu Ruoyou’s answer.
“The scenic spots in Xiacheng are overly commercialized; it’s not even as fun as Jianjia Town. No need to make a special trip.”
Chu Ruoyou said flatly, “As for crawfish, you can find delicious versions anywhere.”
She refused.
She wouldn’t even give a blank promise. She clearly didn’t want any entanglement whatsoever with Yun Huizhi after leaving this town.
Even if she really did start a new relationship, she’d still find someone she liked—the mature and steady type, not a boisterous little sister charging eight hundred a day.
Yun Huizhi forced a smile. “That’s true.”
Using the excuse of checking her phone, she let go of her hand. After that, she didn’t take Chu Ruoyou’s hand again, and Chu Ruoyou didn’t reach for hers either.
On the way back, she didn’t whistle. Chu Ruoyou didn’t press close against her back.
The thin moonlight, like frost, like sleet, silently cooled down the town. The temperature difference was considerable; the night breeze felt a bit cold against their skin.
“Yun Huizhi,” Chu Ruoyou spoke.
“Yeah?”
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Yun Huizhi let out a laugh. “Tired from playing. Don’t feel like talking. Also afraid you’re tired and would find me annoying.”
“I’ve never found you annoying.”
“I thought you were unhappy.”
“Why would I be unhappy? Even though I paid the bill tonight, I’m not some kind of Scrooge. Willing to treat you to a meal! Not that stingy.”
She deliberately diverted the topic.
“Right, Guide Yun is the most generous.” Chu Ruoyou coaxed her.
Generous, what’s the use of generous? You didn’t say you liked generous people.
Yun Huizhi sighed silently.
Chu Ruoyou sensed it and looked up at the full moon, half-hidden by the eaves.
