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45. Chapter 45
"Are you going to eat?" Han Lele held up a freshly grilled skewer of meat, waving it in front of Qi Jingyao.
"I will." Qi Jingyao's attention was instantly diverted, and he lost interest in the juice.
He took a skewer from Han Lele, but after one bite he spat it out, exclaiming, "Ugh!"
Qi Jingyao shouted at Bao Ji, "Bao Ji, how did you grill this? It's undercooked! Aren't you the so-called BBQ Prince?"
Bao Ji, focused on grilling, replied, "Really? I've been grilling it for a while, it even smells right."
Qi Jingyao placed the skewers back on the grill, "Try it for yourself."
After taking a bite, Bao Ji awkwardly admitted, "It is a bit raw. I'm out of practice, it's been a while."
Bao Ji adjusted his cooking method, and a few minutes later, after tasting and ensuring it was cooked properly, he announced, "It's done! The title of BBQ Prince isn’t just for show!"
"Not bad at all!" Wei Zhejun said as he continued to eat and praise.
The skewers were initially undercooked, and now slightly overcooked, but still tasted okay, although not as good as the ones initially prepared by Yu Antong.
Qi Jingyao handed over some sausages and vegetable skewers to Bao Ji, teasingly saying, "Continue, BBQ Prince, His Majesty is watching."
Bao Ji playfully kicked him, shouting, "Leave some for me!"
The group laughed and teased each other, all eating heartily. Luckily there was plenty of food, otherwise it wouldn't have been enough for all these big guys.
"Anyone want more?" Bao Ji asked as he noticed everyone almost done.
Qi Jingyao belched ungracefully, signaling, "I'll have another sausage."
Wei Zhejun ordered, "I'll have a skewer of grilled potato slices, and sprinkle some chili powder on it."
Bao Ji laughed and remarked, "You guys really make yourselves at home!"
"I'm getting full," Han Lele hesitated, "But I'll have one more sausage."
Even as Han Lele claimed to be full, she couldn't stop eating – it was simply too delicious.
The sausages were homemade by Yu Antong, filled with finely selected pork belly, minced and marinated, then stuffed into casings. They were punctured with multiple holes and dried to eliminate moisture.
Once grilled, each bite was fragrantly rich with the fullness of the meat satisfying one's cravings, no wonder they couldn’t get enough.
After indulging in meat, having a few skewers of refreshingly grilled vegetables is an impeccable pairing. It makes them wish they had a second stomach.
By the end, Baoji had long forgotten about the grand feast he initially had in mind. Why need a full spread when a barbecue will suffice?
He had also put aside his initial impression of Yu Antong being fiery. Now, he held a very positive view of him, entirely agreeing with Wei Zhejun's remark that Yu Antong has a good character.
Yu Antong operates on a simple principle: if you don't provoke me, I won't provoke you. He won't swallow his anger when bullied, but he's gentle with friends.
"Antong, from now on, you're our brother. I'm two years older than you, so I'll boldly call myself 'brother'." As Baoji said this, he warmly held Yu Antong's hand, "If you ever need assistance, just ask. And if Old Xing bullies you, I've got your back."
Somehow, throughout the barbecue, Baoji seemed to exude a sense of chivalry.
Yu Antong smiled, "Thank you, Little Brother Bao."
Xing Lixuan stared intently at Baoji holding Yu Antong's hand, as if he could bore a hole through it. Finally, unable to hold back, he snapped, "Do you really think he needs your help? Let go of his hand!"
Baoji instinctively obeyed, then exclaimed, "Was that really necessary? I was just chatting with my brother."
Xing Lixuan coolly responded, "You can talk using your mouth. No need to hold his hand."
"I've known you for so many years, and I never realized you were this petty," Baoji murmured under his breath, mocking Xing Lixuan, "Fine, fine. I get it, you two are close. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness."
Xing Lixuan: "Thanks for the wishes."
"You're really something," Baoji scoffed, "My brother's really settling by being with you."
The group chatted leisurely for a bit more before deciding to head home.
Xing Lixuan pulled out several bags, "These are gifts from Antong for all of you. Please take them with you."
"My brother is indeed thoughtful," Baoji was the first to take a bag, "It's quite heavy, what's inside?"
Inside the modest-sized bag was a sealed gift box, about the size and width of an A4 paper.
"It contains two sauces I made myself. The meat we had was marinated using this sauce. There's a chili sauce and a honey sauce," explained Yu Antong, "If you fancy another barbecue, you can make it at home."
Baoji's face lit up, "This is definitely my favorite gift this year."
Wei Zhejun added, "I'll definitely give it a try and let my parents taste it too."
Han Lele finally said to Yu Antong, "In a few days, I'll bring over the contract for the variety show for you to sign."
Yu Antong nodded, "Alright, I'll get ready in the meantime."
After seeing off the group, Xing Lixuan and Yu Antong went inside. Casually, Yu Antong mentioned, "Your friend Baoji is quite an interesting character."
Ignoring the comment, Xing Lixuan asked, "Tired?"
Surrounded by great company, Yu Antong was in high spirits, "Not at all! I've told you, I'm in great shape. Don't worry so much about me."
"Oh, really? If you're not tired, then..." Xing Lixuan trailed off, looking at Yu Antong with a meaningful gaze.
Yu Antong's thoughts wandered instantly.
When did this guy suddenly become so forward? Seems like he's been too pent-up lately, daring to openly suggest doing indescribable things with him in broad daylight.
Seizing this rare initiative from Xing Lixuan, Yu Antong playfully jumped into his arms, cooing, "Darling~ what is it you want to say?"
Xing Lixuan responded, "If you're not tired, maybe finish your paper. Isn’t there still a bit left to write?"
Yu Antong: "..."
Holding Xing Lixuan by the neck and shaking him, Yu Antong exclaimed, "Aaah! Xing Lixuan, are you a devil?!"
Why mention the paper out of the blue? Can't he relax for a bit longer? This must be deliberate, absolutely deliberate!
Coughing with a laugh, Xing Lixuan solemnly explained, "You're going to be on that cooking show soon, and won't have much time for your paper. Better to finish it before filming starts."
Yu Antong eyed him suspiciously, "I'm well aware of the urgency, but this seems a bit over the top. I think you're doing this on purpose, such a petty man!"
Yu Antong continued, "It was just a casual mention of your friend. Didn't say anything more. Are you this jealous?"
"You're overthinking," Xing Lixuan replied with a straight face, denying any jealousy, "I'm just ensuring you study hard."
"Fine, you said it! I'll go study!" Yu Antong released Xing Lixuan, and hurriedly went upstairs to his study.
He did spend the afternoon working on his paper, and only came down for dinner when Xing Lixuan called him. After eating, he immediately returned to his work.
By 9 o'clock, Xing Lixuan went to ask him to sleep, "Honey, let's call it a day. Aren't you tired from sitting for so long?"
Preferring printed material over digital to avoid eye strain, Yu Antong had everything printed out. He took the printouts back to the bedroom to continue reading.
Xing Lixuan took them away, "Time to sleep. You can read more tomorrow."
"Just ten more minutes," Yu Antong tried to grab them back, "I'm almost done."
With his height and reach, Xing Lixuan kept them away, "It's too late now. Rest up, and we can continue tomorrow."
Yu Antong had intended to only study for a bit but ended up almost finishing his paper. Only a small section remained, where he needed better evidence. Not finishing that last bit was making him uneasy.
Yu Antong gave Xing Lixuan several quick pecks on the face. While he was caught off guard, Yu Antong swiftly grabbed the materials, boasting, "Studying makes me happy, it's surpassed you in importance to me. Regretting it now?"
Xing Lixuan conceded, "Alright, ten more minutes."
While glancing at the last page, Yu Antong sang cheekily, "Initially, you wanted me to study. Now you want to lure me back with sleep..."
Read more at Biquge Novel Reading Network.
Author's note: Antong says: "Studying keeps one away from lowbrow pleasures."
Thank you, little angels, for your patronage and nourishment between 2020-01-25 19:55:39 and 2020-01-26 21:57:16.
Special thanks to the little angel who gifted grenades: Jade 3 pieces.
Many thanks to our angels for the landmines: Xiang Shi, Asura, Asteroid712, and 35347241 (1 each).
Gratitude to the angels for the nutrient solutions: A Lament of Flowing Sorrow (16 bottles); Life is Like a Loan (12 bottles); Worry-free (6 bottles); A Bun and Two Porridges, Zhao NaoNao, Easy Pull Can, Asura (5 bottles); A Thank You from He Chao Fusski’s Xie Yu Little Friend, 22199953 (2 bottles); Mu Bao, Just Be Human, My Heart is Like Glass, Pretend Monarch, Fourteen Likes to Stay, Undecided on a Name, Asteroid712, Lu Xing CiCiCi (1 bottle each).
I'm deeply grateful for all the support. I'll keep striving!
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