Chapter 16 – The First Meal Together
1351 Words
Luo Ye’s eyes flickered open, still hazy from the nap he’d taken in the café.
“Awake?” Su Bai‑Zhou asked lightly.
He blinked and rubbed his eyes, still half‑asleep.
“Uh… sorry, Senior Bai‑Zhou. I fell asleep,” he stammered.
“No problem,” she replied. She rose from her seat, brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, and said, “Come on, let me treat you to dinner.”
“Okay.” Luo Ye followed her, his steps timid, like a little brother tucking himself behind an older sister.
They headed back to the pink hatchback that had become their impromptu ride. This was Luo Ye’s second time behind the wheel of the little car, and he already felt a little more confident than the nervous novice from earlier.
After a few blocks they pulled up in front of a modest‑looking BBQ place. At university, the go‑to meals were either hot‑pot or Korean‑style barbecue, and Luo Ye had already spent a night of hot‑pot with his roommates. Now the senior was taking him to a grill house.
From the street the shop looked tiny, but the interior was surprisingly stylish—soft lighting, clean tables, and only a handful of diners. It was a hidden gem, perfect for someone like Su Bai‑Zhou who liked to avoid crowds.
The owner, a plump, welcoming aunt, greeted Su Bai‑Zhou with a bright smile.
“Bai‑Zhou, long time no see!”
“Just starting the semester, so I’ve been busy with all the freshman events.”
Su Bai‑Zhou wasn’t at all aloof with the owner; you could tell she was a regular.
When the aunt spotted Luo Ye, her eyes widened.
“Is this the young man you’re bringing with you?”
“Yes… that’s me,” Luo Ye muttered, his cheeks turning a deep shade of red.
“Usually I come alone, sometimes with a girl,” the aunt chuckled, “but this is the first time I’ve seen you bring a guy.”
The comment made Luo Ye’s face heat up even more, and the aunt’s smile grew wider.
Luo Ye slid into the seat opposite Su Bai‑Zhou, his nerves jangling. He worried every little move might make her dislike him. The truth was, Su Bai‑Zhou didn’t have much experience taking a guy out, so she wasn’t quite sure how to act either.
The aunt set a steaming platter of marinated pork belly and thinly sliced beef on the table and let Su Bai‑Zhou start grilling. She worked with practiced ease, flipping the meat on the hot plate while a thin scent of char filled the air.
Luo Ye watched her movements and tried to imitate her. He noticed she brushed the meat with a light coat of oil, something he’d never seen before.
“Never grilled before?” Su Bai‑Zhou asked, her voice gentle.
“I’ve eaten BBQ plenty, but I’ve always let the staff do the cooking,” Luo Ye admitted, his tone modest.
“It’s not hard,” she said with a faint smile. “Just give it a little flip when it starts to curl.”
The aunt leaned over and asked, “Do you want a drink?”
Luo Ye remembered the blurry, drunken scene from their first meeting and hesitated. “No, thanks,” he said quickly. He didn’t want to risk drinking while she was driving.
Instead, Su Bai‑Zhou ordered a bottle of homemade plum wine from the aunt.
“It’s our house‑made plum wine, very refreshing,” the aunt boasted.
“Can I have a bottle, too?” Luo Ye asked.
Su Bai‑Zhou frowned. “Who’s driving?”
“I’m not drinking,” he replied, “I’ll take the bottle back to the dorm.”
He just wanted to know what her favorite drink tasted like.
Su Bai‑Zhou ate slowly, carefully chewing each bite. When Luo Ye tried to grill a slice of pork belly, the meat blackened before his eyes. She reached over, flipped it for him, and salvaged the piece.
From that moment on, Luo Ye couldn’t seem to get a single slice right—every attempt ended up charred. He felt like a kitchen‑clueless rookie, even though he could handle a video‑game controller or a spreadsheet without trouble. Still, BBQ was simple enough that he thought a few more tries might improve his skill.
Seeing his struggle, Su Bai‑Zhou placed several perfectly cooked slices of pork belly onto his plate. He took one, and his eyes widened. The meat was tender, not greasy, cooked to a perfect medium‑rare, the same quality you’d expect from a high‑end grill restaurant. The house sauce—sweet, slightly spicy, and a hint of garlic—was delicious, too. He devoured it eagerly, momentarily forgetting the nervousness that had plagued him all evening.
Su Bai‑Zhou watched him fill his bowl, a faint surprise flickering across her usually impassive expression. It was a strange, satisfying feeling to feed someone else. She kept grilling more, but most of the meat she placed on the grill went straight onto his plate. By the time she finished, Luo Ye’s plate was clean.
She felt a subtle, unexpected warmth—she could imagine herself cooking for him again later. The thought was odd, almost mischievous, but she didn’t push it away.
When Luo Ye finally leaned back, food‑stuffed, his eyes half‑closed, Su Bai‑Zhou lifted her phone and snapped a quick photo of his sleepy face. She sent it to Professor Gu Ming‑Xuan, who was studying abroad, just for fun.
His reply came instantly:
Gu Ming‑Xuan: “?”
Gu Ming‑Xuan: “My ‘student’ is actually having dinner with you? I asked you to look after my brother, not to go on a date, right?”
Su Bai‑Zhou stared at the message, a faint, almost hidden smile tugging at her lips. She typed back coolly, “What do you mean?” while the image of Luo Ye’s innocent grin lingered in her mind.
A short moment later, Gu Ming‑Xuan replied:
Gu Ming‑Xuan: “You don’t really want to flirt with my brother, do you? If you do, you’ll have to get past an obstacle.”
Gu Ming‑Xuan: “Luo Ye had a high‑school crush that lasted three years. It didn’t survive the move to college.”
The mention of a past crush made Su Bai‑Zhou’s expression cool just a notch more. She glanced at Luo Ye, who was now a quiet, contented mess of food and half‑sleep.
She said, “We should go.”
“Eh?” Luo Ye mumbled, his mouth still full, looking stunned.
Seeing his hamster‑like, food‑filled stare, the trace of irritation in her vanished.
Just then, another message pinged from Gu Ming‑Xuan.
Gu Ming‑Xuan: “Since he’s willing to eat with you, I guess he’s finally over his old crush. I can vouch for his character.”
Su Bai‑Zhou read it, then, after a brief pause, looked at Luo Ye, who was already rising from his seat.
“What are you doing?” she asked softly.
“I thought you were leaving,” he replied, still trying to swallow.
“Sit down, eat,” she said.
“What?” he asked, confused.
“Sit.”
“No, I’m already full,” he protested, but she only gave a small nod and placed another round of meat on his plate. He sighed, resigned, and took another bite.
The night wore on, and the quiet comfort of sharing a simple grill dinner lingered between them—an ordinary moment that, for both of them, felt anything but ordinary.
- Writer
