He's courting disaster! A coward forced himself on a tyrannical warlord.

Li Chenzhou admired the obvious change in her expression and felt very pleased.

"What are you thinking about to eat?"

Ruan Mianmian realized what was happening, nodded vigorously, and her mind raced.

What are we eating? We have a humiliating mission to complete after we finish eating.

[Let's just have a drink, then pretend to be drunk and talk nonsense, making the mission requirements sound like something out of a drunken stupor.]

Even if he's angry, considering I was drunk, he probably... maybe... perhaps... won't do anything to me, right?

Thinking of this, she quickly glanced at Li Chenzhou and, seeing that his gaze was still intense, she boldly made a suggestion.

"There's a good whole roasted lamb place around here. How about we pair it with some drinks to celebrate?"

Only after she finished speaking did she realize a fatal problem.

Oh no! After buying the house and paying the taxes, I only have one dollar left.

A whole roasted lamb with drinks would probably force me to work as a dishwasher at that restaurant forever.

Li Chenzhou heard her inner thoughts and wails clearly and almost couldn't help but laugh out loud.

He deliberately paused for a moment.

"I don't like lamb, it's too gamey. There's a barbecue stall in the alley ahead that's really good. Especially the barbecue with beer, it's absolutely amazing. Want to go?"

A barbecue stand?

A dignified military governor eating at a roadside stall?

Barbecue with beer?

Ruan Mianmian could hardly believe her ears.

"Brother Chenzhou, I thought you wouldn't eat street food."

In my memory, this King Yama's meals were always exquisite and elaborate.

Li Chenzhou naturally reached out and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, turning her around and leading her towards the alley entrance.

"Why not?"

"Back on the battlefield, we ate everything from roadside stalls to wild vegetables and grass roots. In the hardest times, even tree bark was a good thing; as long as it filled our stomachs, that was enough."

Ruan Mianmian looked up at him. His deep eyes had lost their usual coldness and were filled with a rare peace and authenticity.

"It turns out that everyone has their own difficulties."

"Of course, living is never easy."

The two walked side by side on the street, which was gradually becoming bustling.

Li Chenzhou's arm held her tightly to his side in a strong and domineering manner, completely isolating her from the passersby.

The feeling of her slender figure being completely enveloped within her own domain was both unfamiliar and overwhelming.

This was the first time he had ever so clearly perceived his almost instinctive, intense possessiveness toward her.

Before even reaching the alley entrance, the rich aroma of charcoal grilling mixed with the spiciness of cumin and chili powder fills the nostrils, whetting one's appetite.

The small stall was set up by the roadside, with a canvas covering it to block the wind.

Lifting the curtain and going inside, you'll find several low tables and stools.

Li Chenzhou was clearly a regular customer, and he led Ruan Mianmian straight to a relatively clean small table in the corner and sat down.

The boss was a robust middle-aged man. When he saw Li Chenzhou, his eyes lit up. He was about to greet him warmly when Li Chenzhou stopped him with a look.

The boss immediately understood, pretended not to know him, and spoke in a loud voice.

"What would you two like to eat?"

Li Chenzhou directly ordered the dishes.

"100 meat skewers, 100 vegetable skewers. And then..." He paused, looking at Ruan Mianmian, "...10 bottles of ice-cold beer, is that enough?"

Ruan Mianmian: "!!!"

[Oh no! 100 skewers of meat, 100 skewers of vegetables, and 10 bottles of beer! How much will that cost?! My one dollar probably won't be enough to pay for it.]

She was internally frantic, but maintained a calm facade. "Enough...enough."

She was already considering whether to sneak away and pawn her pearl necklace.

Seeing her feigned composure but actually pained expression, Li Chenzhou turned to the boss and added.

"Two more servings of fried rice, with extra ham and eggs."

"Okay!"

The boss quickly wrote it down and turned to get busy.

After the two sat down, Li Chenzhou deliberately asked.

"Mianmian, you don't look too well?"

Ruan Mianmian smiled, her eyes darting around.

"Really? Maybe it's... a lighting issue?"

But I was internally complaining.

[Will it look good? After this meal, I'm going to be stuck at the shop making skewers.]

[Waaaaah, skewering meat in this freezing weather, just thinking about it makes me miserable. The worst part is, how am I supposed to finish tonight's task?]

She took a deep breath and decided to address the immediate economic crisis first.

"Brother Chenzhou, there's something I'd like to ask you for a favor..."

"You didn't bring enough money, did you?"

"Hehe, you're incredibly insightful!"

"Then this meal is on me."

Just as Ruan Mianmian was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she heard Li Chenzhou slowly and methodically add to the story.

"However, you have to pay me back for two meals."

Her smile froze on her face.

[Sigh, two meals it is, let's finish the mission first!]

Ruan Mianmian nodded: "Okay."

Soon, the sizzling, oily meat skewers and vegetables filled the two large iron plates.

Beer was also placed on the table.

Li Chenzhou picked up a bottle of beer and pried the cap off with his chopsticks with a bang.

He placed the opened beer in front of Ruan Mianmian, and then opened a bottle for himself.

"Come on, let's celebrate Mianmian's new home!"

"Cheers!"

After saying that, Ruan Mianmian couldn't wait to gulp down several large mouthfuls of wine.

The beer was warm, with the aroma of malt and a slight bitterness. After a few sips, it eased her tense nerves a little.

Li Chenzhou handed her two skewers of crispy, roasted pork belly.

"Don't just focus on drinking, try this, it's the boss's signature dish."

"You eat too."

Ruan Mianmian took it, took a bite, and the aroma of the oil burst in her mouth; it was indeed delicious.

But she didn't forget her business and quickly picked up the beer bottle again.

"Brother Chenzhou, thank you for teaching me how to use a gun, saving my life, and giving me the little yellow croaker. I salute you!"

After saying that, he gulped down several mouthfuls.

Li Chenzhou obediently raised the bottle: "It's nothing."

He tilted his head back and took a big gulp.

In the following time, Ruan Mianmian began toasting.

"Brother Chenzhou, these meat skewers are delicious! Toast to the meat skewers!"

"Brother Chenzhou, this beer is so refreshing! Cheers!"

"Brother Chenzhou, the moon is so round tonight! A toast to the moon!"

……

The reasons are varied, but the goal is the same: to drink more and then pretend to be drunk.

Li Chenzhou accepted all offers, a smile playing on his lips as he watched her clumsily and diligently pour herself a drink.

Her face was flushed with an alluring blush from the alcohol and the heat of the charcoal fire, her watery eyes were veiled with a hazy mist, and she began to slur her words.

I finished two bottles of beer.

Ruan Mianmian felt dizzy, but she also became much bolder and less reserved.

She picked up a skewer of grilled mushrooms, took a bite, and accidentally got some sauce on the corner of her mouth.

"Well……"

She subconsciously stuck out her pink tongue and licked it, but didn't lick it clean.

Li Chenzhou's gaze darkened instantly, and the sauce on her rosy lips seemed like a silent invitation.

His Adam's apple bobbed, he pulled out a handkerchief, leaned forward slightly, and reached out.

"Don't move."

His deep, slightly hoarse voice clearly reached Ruan Mianmian's ears amidst the noisy barbecue stall.

As expected, Ruan Mianmian obediently stopped moving, staring at him with her big, hazy eyes as he approached.

His warm fingertips, through the delicate handkerchief, gently brushed across the corner of her soft lips.

The delicate touch from his fingertips and her slight trembling felt like a feather brushing against his heart.

She could clearly see his thick eyelashes, the undercurrents surging in his deep eyes, and his tightly pursed thin lips.

[System... He... He's so close... So handsome... My heart is pounding... It's going to jump out of my chest...]