Sister, can I be a maid too?

"This way it won't be too stimulating, and it will allow her to gradually adapt to the outside world."

Jiang Yubai nodded in agreement.

"That's fine. I'll write down their phone number when I leave, if they have a private room available."

"However...we'll have to see how Lin Tingwan is doing..."

At this point, he couldn't help but glance at the girl beside him again.

Once in the relatively enclosed environment, Lin Tingwan visibly relaxed, though she still held onto his wrist, head down, nibbling on the chicken wing.

To be honest, Jiang Yubai still doesn't know why Lin Tingwan suddenly agreed to come out.

I was a little resistant before...

After thinking it over and over without any clue, he could only conclude that it was probably the conversation with Dr. Su that day that had the effect.

I should have paid more for the gas.

Just as I was thinking this to myself, there was a knock on the door of the private room. A waitress opened the door and came in with the menu.

"Hello, welcome to Panda Chuanyu Hotpot!"

The casual greeting suddenly stopped.

Jiang Yubai looked up and couldn't help but laugh.

Isn't this the same waiter as yesterday?

The waitress squinted her eyes and smiled.

"—Welcome to Panda Sichuan-Chongqing Hot Pot Restaurant. What a coincidence...two guests."

Yesterday they were so confident that they were just strangers they'd grabbed off the street to share a table with, but today they're back at the restaurant looking fresh and new again.

Even with Jiang Yubai's thick skin, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed at this moment.

Lin Jianxia, ​​standing to the side, had already lowered her head expressionlessly and begun to concentrate on studying the patterns on the table.

Jiang Yubai coughed lightly and said sincerely:

"She's really not my girlfriend... We just ran into each other on the street again, and this time her sister was with her too, so we can share a private room."

Waitress: "?"

Yesterday you said he was a stranger you picked up on the street, and that was one thing, but it's only been a day and you've already brought his sister to book a private room, huh?!

Don't they ever change their wording?

Did you pick up your sister too?!

The waitress wisely didn't respond to that question.

"Okay, what would you three like to eat?"

Jiang Yubai turned to look at Lin Jianxia:

"Hello, hello, miss, what would you like to eat?"

Lin Jianxia wanted nothing more than to throw this guy out, her voice muffled:

"You choose."

"Ugh......."

Jiang Yubai gave the waitress a slightly disappointed look and shook his head:

"I'm sorry, she's probably a little shy."

They just don't want to talk to you...

The young woman gave an awkward yet polite smile.

After ordering and leaving the house, Lin Jianxia finally couldn't resist and almost bit his arm:

"Jiang! Yu! Bai! You're not happy unless you're using this lame joke, are you?!"

"Okay, okay, next time we meet, I'll say that our relationship has made a leap forward, is that alright?"

Lin Jianxia was taken aback: "What kind of leap forward?"

"Let's say we went from strangers to classmates," Jiang Yu thought for a moment, then asked uncertainly, "...classmates?"

"What does it have to do with anything?!"

Lin Jianxia regretted that she had actually had a slight thought of believing this guy.

"I'm not going to argue with you anymore," Jiang Yubai couldn't help but laugh. "I'm going to buy something else to eat. What do you want to eat?"

Lin Jianxia gritted her teeth, but finally spoke up angrily:

"Grilled squid...and a cup of milk tea."

"Okay, okay, I'll buy the rest as I see fit~ Keep an eye on your sister."

After casually giving a brief instruction, Jiang Yubai, in a good mood, pushed open the door and went out.

I have to say, it's really fun to tease this little hedgehog.

After sulking at the closed door for a while, Lin Jianxia finally let out a couple of soft hums, got up, and moved to sit down next to Lin Tingwan.

"Wanwan, are you feeling unwell anywhere?"

Lin Tingwan gently shook her head.

Lin Jianxia was still worried, so she carefully examined her for a while and then whispered some instructions:

"If you feel unwell at all, be sure to tell me, your big sister will be right here with you."

Lin Tingwan nodded again.

As time went by, the steaming hot pot was served, and the ordered ingredients began to arrive one after another.

But Jiang Yubai had disappeared and hadn't returned.

Lin Tingwan, who had been sitting quietly at first, gradually became restless, glancing at the door every now and then.

Lin Jianxia saw this and felt both angry and helpless.

What's infuriating is where that bastard Jiang Yubai went, and what's frustrating is...

Her older sister is right here with her!

Judging from Wanwan's appearance, she's clearly quite uneasy without Jiang Yubai by her side...

Just as Lin Jianxia was about to lose her composure, the door to the private room was finally pushed open, and Jiang Yubai walked in carrying a bag.

"Sorry, sorry, did you wait too long? On the way back, I saw a really tempting food stall and couldn't resist queuing for a while."

He took the items out of the bag one by one and arranged them:

"Here you go, grilled squid, milk tea, watermelon juice, stinky tofu, fried chicken cutlet, and secret-recipe Langya potatoes."

"These potatoes look incredibly appetizing, but since neither of you can handle spicy food very well, I asked him to put in less spice."

Looking at the various snacks laid out in front of her, Lin Jianxia's slight grievances subsided considerably, though she still couldn't help but mutter softly:

"Don't be so slow next time... I've been waiting for you for so long every night."

Jiang Yubai also realized something and subconsciously looked at Lin Tingwan beside him.

The girl didn't look at the dazzling array of snacks on the table; instead, she tilted her head back, her clear eyes gazing at him quietly without blinking.

Jiang Yubai's heart softened at her gaze, and his tone involuntarily softened:

"I'll definitely come back... You guys can eat first."

Hearing this, Lin Tingwan nodded silently, picked up a piece of Langya potato and put it in her mouth, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"It's delicious, isn't it? There were so many people over there," Jiang Yubai said, relieved. "I waited in line for ages... Excuse me, excuse me."

Lin Jianxia glanced at him and gave a soft snort:

"No, find yourself a seat. I want to sit next to Wanwan."

Hey, you've taken my spot?

"Fine, fine," Jiang Yubai said, not bothering to argue with her. "Then give me back my dipping sauce. I put a lot of effort into making it."

“I won’t return it,” Lin Jianxia moved the bowl closer to herself. “Once it’s in my hands, it’s mine.”

She discovered yesterday that Jiang Yubai's dipping sauce was significantly better than hers, but no matter how she asked, he refused to give her the recipe.

Now that we've finally managed to capture a bowl, there's no reason for us to return it.

Jiang Yubai stared at her speechlessly for a few seconds, then suddenly rolled her eyes and turned to walk towards Lin Tingwan.

"Fine, don't give it to me then."

He sat down next to Lin Tingwan, deliberately drawing out his words:

"Even if I tell you the recipe, you still can't replicate the flavor."

The seats that were originally for Lin Tingwan, Jiang Yubai, and Lin Jianxia have now become the seats for Jiang Yubai, Lin Tingwan, and Lin Jianxia.

Lin Jianxia paused, forcibly suppressing the urge to turn her head to look at the empty seat next to her, and only softly said "Oh".

Jiang Yubai didn't notice the guy's reaction; he just stared blankly at the untouched ingredients on the table.

The red and white broth in the pot was bubbling happily, with wisps of steam rising, but apart from a few slices of shiitake mushrooms that came with the pot, there was hardly any other food cooking.

"No way, you didn't even cook if I didn't come? You were waiting for me to come back to eat?"

He complained as he put lamb, mushrooms, potato slices, and other ingredients into the pot.

Lin Jianxia took a sip of milk tea, and for some reason wanted to retort to him:

"We're waiting for you. You're the host, how can we eat if the host doesn't come?"

Jiang Yu paused in his hand movements and cast a subtle glance at her.

Lin Jianxia initially intended to coolly ignore it, but then suddenly realized something, and her ears turned bright red.

"It's not that master!!"

"I didn't say anything."

Jiang Yubai withdrew his gaze with satisfaction.