Chapter 26 - 1#

Hot water?

The driver’s eye twitched slightly. It was the first time he had seen someone invite Lu Lin to drink hot water.

Anyone in the capital who wanted to invite Lu Lin to a banquet or dinner would probably vomit blood upon hearing this.

While the driver was still marveling, he saw in the rearview mirror that Lu Lin was opening the car door.

“!” The driver was shocked. He was actually going? He hurriedly opened his door, opened the umbrella, and ran to the back to shield Lu Lin from the rain.

Lu Lin took the umbrella. On the other side, Yan Heqing had already gotten out of the car, ran into the apartment building in a few steps, and was waiting for him at the entrance.

Lu Lin walked over with the umbrella, then closed it. Yan Heqing walked in front. “My home is on the 3rd floor.”

Under the orange light, the peeling paint on the walls had a damp, moist smell. The narrow stairs were worn smooth. Lu Lin watched the boy’s back, and they soon reached the 3rd floor.

There were two apartments per floor. Yan Heqing took out a key from his pocket, inserted it into the keyhole, turned it once to the left, and the lock clicked open.

Yan Heqing pushed the door open and went in, turning on the light first. He changed into slippers and stepped aside to let him in. “Please come in.”

Lu Lin leaned the umbrella against the wall and looked at Yan Heqing. “Do you have shoe covers?” Yan Heqing’s home probably didn’t have slippers in his size.

Yan Heqing shook his head. “We don’t worry about that here, just come straight in.”

The tiles of the old house showed signs of age, but the boy was diligent, and they were mopped until they shone.

Lu Lin’s leather shoes were already wet with rain. He took them off outside and entered the room barefoot.

Yan Heqing was slightly stunned. He lowered his eyelashes, took off his coat and hung it behind the door, then quickly walked into the room and turned on the small heater to warm it up.

Lu Lin didn’t look around the small pigeonhole like others would. He walked to the sofa and waited for Yan Heqing to invite him to sit before sitting down.

Yan Heqing picked up a set of loungewear. “Please wait a moment, I’ll change my clothes.”

He walked quickly into the bathroom.

The soundproofing was poor. Separated by a single wall, the rustling sounds inside the bathroom were clearly audible.

Yan Heqing changed very quickly, coming out of the bathroom in about a minute.

He wore a loose crewneck pullover and a pair of black trousers. The pullover was so large it looked empty; despite this, his two prominent shoulder blades were still visible.

Usually, when Yan Heqing wore a jacket, it wasn’t particularly obvious, but once he took off his clothes, his thinness was shocking.

Yan Heqing had a dry towel draped around his neck. He rubbed his hair a few times casually; it was slightly fluffy and curly. Rubbing his hands, he said, “I’ll go boil some water.” Then he went into the kitchen next door.

There was a book on the coffee table, a copy of “Cytology” entirely in Russian.

A bookmark was inserted, revealing a small green leaf decoration. Lu Lin glanced at it; more than half had already been read.

In the kitchen, Yan Heqing poured two bottles of purified water into the kettle and turned on the stove to boil it.

He then took out a rice washing basket, scooped three cups of rice, washed it four or five times, poured the clean rice into the rice cooker, and plugged it in to cook.

There was a piece of lean meat in the freezer. Yan Heqing took it out and soaked it in cold water to defrost.

At this time, the kettle on the stove boiled. Yan Heqing took a clean cup, poured a cup of hot water, then took a few apples from the refrigerator, washed them, and brought them out together.

Lu Lin was still in the same sitting position as when he left. “The water is very hot, let it cool for a while.” Yan Heqing placed the water cup and fruit plate on the coffee table in front of Lu Lin.

Lu Lin asked him, “You study biology?”

Yan Heqing also noticed the book on the coffee table. He moved it into the drawer. “Not for now, I’ll transfer majors when school starts next semester.”

Lu Lin’s brows moved slightly. The requirement for transferring majors was usually being in the top five of the grade. It seemed Yan Heqing’s grades were outstanding.

From the corner of his eye, he swept over the pile of books on the armrest of the sofa; they were all textbooks. There was no TV or game console in the room. “Besides working, you just study?”

“Occasionally I read novels.” Yan Heqing pulled out a small stool from under the coffee table, sat down, picked an apple, and started peeling it. “The school library is free and has a complete variety.”

Yan Heqing peeled the apple very neatly. The skin was thin and didn’t break. Lu Lin watched the rapidly lengthening apple peel. “What genre do you read?”

The original text never mentioned that Lu Lin read mystery novels, but last time at the frozen lake, Yan Heqing saw one in Lu Lin’s tent. He finished peeling the apple and carefully cut it into small pieces. “Mystery and deduction, I really like Agatha Christie’s works.”

He shook out a few toothpicks from the holder, stuck them into the apple pieces, and handed them to Lu Lin. “This apple is crisp and sweet, please try it.”

Lu Lin rarely ate fruit, especially apples, but he still took a piece.

In the quiet room, there was the occasional sound of the small heater burning, a common problem with inferior appliances.

Beside the sofa stood a large vase. A large bunch of plum blossoms had dried, like dried flowers, faintly emitting a plum blossom scent. Next to the vase, there was a conspicuous electronic scale.

This was relatively rare in a boy’s room.

Yan Heqing didn’t eat any apple.

Lu Lin recalled the scene just now. On that muddy street by the welfare institute, the boy stood under the eaves of the convenience store, focused on gnawing on a plain bun.

He swallowed the apple. “Your dinner was just a bun?”

Yan Heqing seemed a bit puzzled by his question. After a second or two, he understood, his eyes curving slightly. “You misunderstood, I’m not saving money on food. On the contrary, I’m trying to gain weight recently, eating at least two bowls of rice per meal.”

He stood up. “The rain is still heavy, why don’t you stay for a simple meal? The rice is already cooking. I’ll stir-fry a base for hot pot, it’ll be ready very quickly.”

Lu Lin raised his wrist to check his watch. It was 6:40 PM. Thunder rumbled outside the window, and the rainstorm continued to beat against the glass. He didn’t refuse.

Yan Heqing went into the kitchen again, and soon the lively sounds of cooking rang out from the kitchen.

The water had cooled a bit. Lu Lin picked up the cup and took a few sips. His phone rang.

“Old Lu, you’re not at the company?” Chu Ziyu sounded full of surprise.

“No.”

“Cough, I was on the way, so I brought you a box of butterfly pastries.” Chu Ziyu sighed. “Now it’s pouring rain, and I’m trapped at your company instead. I’ll have to eat them myself. These things taste different when they get cold. I’m hanging up then—”

“Mr. Lu, do you eat spicy food?” Suddenly, a familiar voice asked.

Lu Lin turned his head and saw Yan Heqing leaning his upper body out of the kitchen.

He was wearing an apron, black, with a white sheep on it.

His black hair was gradually drying, really not that curly anymore, hanging smoothly on his forehead.

Lu Lin replied, “No.”

Yan Heqing nodded and went back into the kitchen.

“Holy shit—” Chu Ziyu screamed on the other end of the phone. “Was that Little Chef Yan’s voice just now? It must be! Old Lu, where on earth are you?”

Lu Lin moved the phone slightly away. “At a friend’s house.”

“What exactly is going on between you two?” Chu Ziyu’s desire for gossip reached its peak. “I went to the bar yesterday and heard Little Chef Yan resigned. Did you make him resign?”

Lu Lin looked towards the kitchen. He didn’t know Yan Heqing had resigned.

Last time at the bar, he did say one sentence, “You are not suitable for working in a bar.”

But Lu Lin didn’t think that sentence could make Yan Heqing resign. This boy was someone with a mind of his own.

“Hey hey, are you taking him to Old Xie’s wedding?” Chu Ziyu was still shouting. “Old Xie reserved a suite for you, should I ask him to change it to a single bed—”

Lu Lin cut the call. The room was finally quiet.

After a short while, Yan Heqing came out carrying a soup pot and a small induction cooker.

The induction cooker was bought second-hand by Yan Heqing at an appliance repair shop. He had wiped it very clean and shiny.

In the clear soup rolled uniformly sized pork meatballs, a few slices of fresh tomato, a few cross-cut mushrooms, and emerald green garlic leaves.

Yan Heqing went back to the kitchen and brought two bowls of rice, two saucers of peanut dipping sauce, and a basket of fresh vegetables.

A very simple hot pot, but very suitable for a winter night.

“Try the pork meatballs, it’s my specialty.” Yan Heqing recommended.

Lu Lin was busy with work and kept to himself; he hadn’t eaten hot pot for a long time.

He indeed picked up a pork meatball, took a bite, and tasted the rich meat flavor and crisp texture, bursting with fresh and sweet juice.

Lu Lin chewed carefully. “Lettuce stem?”

Yan Heqing’s eyes curved. “Yes, I added a little bit of minced lettuce stem. The meatballs will have more texture and won’t be too greasy.”

“Are you still working part-time at the hotel?” Lu Lin asked naturally. Although it was a simple small hot pot, he could tell Yan Heqing’s cooking skills were good.

“Not really a hotel, just a roadside home-style restaurant.” Yan Heqing picked up his bowl and blanched a piece of lettuce, his smile as translucent as the green lettuce. “I can cook basic home-style dishes, but I can’t do those high-end dishes and Western food.”

“They don’t taste that great.” Lu Lin ate a mouthful of rice, realizing the ambiguity, he added, “Those so-called high-end creative dishes.”

“I haven’t eaten them.” Yan Heqing picked out the lettuce. “I’ll try them once if I have the chance in the future.”

The soup pot boiled, bubbling away. Both of them ate quietly and quickly, finishing in a short while. Lu Lin ate one bowl, Yan Heqing two.

Lu Lin helped clear the dishes to the kitchen. The tiny kitchen was still kept clean and organized. There were a few pots of succulents on the windowsill, the best-blooming succulents Lu Lin had ever seen.

“Just put them in the sink.” Yan Heqing came in afterwards carrying the soup pot.

The kitchen instantly became crowded.

Lu Lin put down the bowls and washed them casually. There were only two bowls anyway. Surprisingly, he was good at washing dishes. After washing, he skillfully took a dry towel to wipe the water from the bowls. “You resigned?”

Yan Heqing looked at the bowls, fished out the residue from the pot, and dumped it into the trash can. “The bar? I resigned after earning enough for the driving school registration fee. The coffee shop too, I’ll stop working there before the New Year.”

Lu Lin finished wiping the bowls and reached out to take the soup pot. Yan Heqing hesitated for a moment but still handed it over. “Sorry to trouble you.”

Lu Lin scrubbed the soup pot nonchalantly. “I see you’re learning a foreign language. Are you going abroad for further studies later?”

Yan Heqing nodded. “Yes.”

At this time, the sound of rain lessened. Lu Lin finished scrubbing the pot, dried it with a towel, glanced around, and hung it on the hook by the window. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his fingers one by one. “Thanks for the hospitality, I’ll be going now.”

Yan Heqing’s gaze swept over the red bucket next to the trash can, suddenly remembering the bait he had made. “I made some bait, would you like to take a jar to try?”

Lu Lin indeed stopped. “What?”

Yan Heqing opened a drawer, took out a clean transparent jar, squatted down, and opened the bucket. A smell similar to fermented rice wine wafted out.

“I used sorghum, rice, wheat, and yeast to make fermented grains. It’s a formula taught by an old man who fishes. I improved it slightly, haven’t tested it yet.”

Yan Heqing filled a jar to the brim, tightened the lid, stood up, and handed it to Lu Lin. “Sprinkle the bait directly into the water. If you find it useful, I’ll bring you more later.”

Lu Lin looked at Yan Heqing steadily for a while, then suddenly said, “I’m 30.”

“Hmm?” Yan Heqing’s pupils dilated slightly. “What did you say?”

“Just address me as ‘you’ (informal).” Lu Lin took the bait. “I’m not that old yet.”

Lu Lin left.

Yan Heqing stood at the door. The light in the corridor turned on, then went out, until the footsteps disappeared.

The smile in Yan Heqing’s eyes gradually calmed. He closed the door, returned to the sofa, clicked on the phone map, and searched for Songhua Niangchun.

It was very close to the coffee shop, directly accessible by subway, only three stops away.

He heard Lu Lin’s phone call with Chu Ziyu.

Songhua Niangchun was the venue for Xie Yunjie’s wedding, and also—

The place where Lin Fengzhi stripped naked and sneaked into Lu Lin’s room to seduce him.

At this point in the original text, it was still a year before Lu Muchi discovered that the one Lin Fengzhi loved was Lu Lin.

And this time, Yan Heqing wanted to “help” Lu Muchi know in advance.

The next morning, Yan Heqing left at seven o’clock and took the subway to Songhua Niangchun first.

Songhua Niangchun was the premier five-star hotel in the capital. In addition to comfortable and luxurious rooms, its meals were also extremely famous, boasting three Black Pearl diamonds.

The lobby was decorated in an extremely classical style, with artificial rockeries and flowing water. Yan Heqing walked to the front desk and asked politely, “Excuse me, are you hiring temporary workers? I can do anything.”

The boy was truly excessively beautiful. The receptionist’s refusal took a turn in her mouth. She nodded and said, “The kitchen seems to be hiring. Shall I ask for you?”

Yan Heqing smiled. “Thank you.”

The receptionist picked up the landline and dialed a number. After speaking a few sentences, she put down the phone and pointed to the elevator on the left. “Take the elevator to the 3rd floor and look for a foreman named Yang.”

Yan Heqing thanked the receptionist and walked towards the elevator. The receptionist watched him enter the elevator before withdrawing her gaze.

The elevator rose slowly. Arriving at the 3rd floor, the doors opened to a large buffet restaurant.

Yan Heqing went out. It was not meal time, so the restaurant was very quiet, with only a few waiters cleaning. Yan Heqing judged the direction and walked towards the food counter on the left. Arriving at the open kitchen, a woman in uniform came out from inside.

The woman was about forty years old, holding a large bunch of keys.

“Hello.” Yan Heqing’s gaze swept over the name tag on the woman’s chest, which read Yang Zhen.

Guessing that the woman was Foreman Yang, he said politely, “I’m here to apply for a job.”

Yang Zhen sized up Yan Heqing. “What can you do?”