Chapter 201 This is for clearing heat and reducing internal fire!

Then?

Then, clutching its empty stomach, the cat, in a haughty manner, began to order food, "I want sweet and sour pork ribs, the kind with lots of cartilage!"

The crunching sound as it was chewed on the tip of the teeth gave a sensation similar to tearing apart prey.

"Salt and pepper ribs are also an option."

"And shrimp balls—"

Jiang Yingxu nodded in agreement from time to time, promising to cook for the cat for both days of the weekend.

As for tonight.

After leaving the school, the two did not go straight home, but instead took a detour to a nearby hot pot restaurant.

After giving them their private room number, a waiter led them to the second floor.

As he opened the door, he bumped into Zou Yuanyuan, who was about to come out.

She had gotten a slight tan and cut her shoulder-length hair short again, with the ends curled inwards, making her face look smaller and revealing a pair of dimples when she smiled.

"Miaomiao, it's been a long time!"

Zou Yuanyuan stepped forward and tugged at Shi Miao's arm. "I'm planning to go downstairs to get a drink. Want to come along?"

Shi Miao glanced inside.

Yan Zhaozhou was standing by the table, looking at Jiang Yingxu beside her, and subconsciously took a step forward, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

There's probably something they want to say.

Cats are simply the most understanding and empathetic creatures!

Shi Miao waved to Jiang Yingxu, "Then Yuan Yuan and I will go downstairs."

Jiang Yingxu nodded, watching as she and Zou Yuanyuan linked arms and lightly hopped down the stairs. Even on the short walk, he would remind her, "Don't jump, walk carefully."

Shi Miao didn't even turn her head, just waved her hand dismissively to indicate that she understood.

This hot pot restaurant is spacious, with two floors. There are also several beverage cabinets downstairs. When you open the glass door, a cool breeze comes out.

Zou Yuanyuan took a bottle of soy milk and a can of Sprite for Yan Zhaozhou.

Turning her head, she saw Shi Miao carefully scanning all the beverage cabinets before finally targeting the rock sugar chrysanthemum tea.

Zou Yuanyuan asked curiously, "Aren't you worried about getting a sore throat? The broth we ordered is tomato and clear oil, not spicy, so it should be fine."

After all, the three of them were native Ningcheng residents, and they usually ate more flavorful and fresh dishes, so they didn't have a high tolerance for spiciness.

Shi Miao mumbled, "I've been sleeping too late lately."

Actually, it's mainly Jiang Yingxu!

I've been sleeping comfortably in his arms these past two days, so I've been too lazy to turn back into cat form. As a result, when I woke up this morning, I was poked by the cat toy.

The cat, half asleep, instinctively reached out.

Then I woke up startled by the burning sensation.

The college students who had to get up at 8 a.m. looked at each other for a moment, then silently got up to wash up.

Shi Miao felt that he couldn't just keep enduring it, so she kindly brought him some chrysanthemum tea.

I checked, and this has cooling and detoxifying properties!

Shi Miao, with a bottle of refreshing chrysanthemum tea in each hand, walked upstairs with Zou Yuanyuan, listening to her talk about what Yan Zhaozhou wanted to say to Jiang Yingxu alone.

"It's nothing serious."

Zou Yuanyuan pursed her lips and said softly, "He just can't accept what his family is doing. After thinking it over carefully, he finally decided to move out of his family home first."

That day at the Yan family's old residence, Jiang Yingxu took decisive action, summoning Yan Zhaozhou and then calling Yan Shuli, laying bare the old man's scheme.

Yan Zhaozhou felt a sense of disorientation, as if his beliefs had been challenged.

On one side is the grandfather who used to be kind and gentle, and on the other side is Jiang Yingxu, whose character she has only known for a short time.

Yan Zhaozhou stayed in his own house outside for the summer vacation, during which time he met with Yan Shuli a few times.

"Miaomiao, don't blame him for making a decision so late."

Zou Yuanyuan lowered her eyes, her voice tinged with a sigh, "Actually, he was really in a lot of pain."

The thing I hate most is done by the person closest to me.

Can you really just throw away more than ten years of living together day and night and loving each other?

It was a single sentence from Yan Shuli that awakened Yan Zhaozhou.

Yan Shuli said that if you are unwilling to accept this method, you should express your attitude strongly. Otherwise, the old man will only appease you on the surface but continue behind your back, and may even escalate the situation.

Throwing tantrums is something only children do.

What deterrent effect do children's tempers have on elders who hold power?

They might frown and rebuke, or they might watch with a smile, but whatever their attitude, they wouldn't really take that slight resistance to heart.

Yan Zhaozhou recalled his engagement with Zhu Ting.

Even though he and Zhu Ting repeatedly refused, they were treated as ignorant children and their opinions were ignored.

So Yan Zhaozhou had a big argument with Yan Zongjing, and when the old man was so angry that he clutched his chest and gasped for breath, he said, "Do whatever you want, Xu Ge and I don't care anyway," and ran away.

The cost was the suspension of credit cards, my parents being sent abroad to develop markets and unable to manage their own affairs, and all my friends being forbidden by their families from providing financial assistance.

Yan Zongjing was at ease and composed.

Yan Zhaozhou had been raised in luxury since childhood. He would run away in a fit of anger, but he would soon find it hard to stand the ordinary life and would obediently return home.

In upper-class wealthy families, rebellious younger generations are commonplace. In the end, don't they all fail to endure the hardships outside and return home dejected?

Yan Zongjing waited for him to return and then bowed his head to admit his mistake.

But Yan Zhaozhou gritted his teeth and persisted.

The hot pot, divided into two broths, was bubbling and steaming, with hot steam rising from it.

As Jiang Yingxu scooped shrimp paste into Shi Miao's bowl, he listened to Yan Zhaozhou complain about his experience of finding work.

My friends couldn't help either.

Yan Zhaozhou's first thought was of the tutoring job that Jiang Yingxu had done.

He happened to have won an award in a math competition, and after trying it once, he became honest with himself.

I can't teach it.

I really can't teach him.

A high school student asked him how he derived this line of thought.

He replied: I could tell at a glance.

High school student: ?

The high school student then asked: "Then why use this method to solve it?"

He replied: Because this is the simplest of the several methods.

As for how those methods came about, it's the same old story—you can see it at a glance.

High school student: ...

My first and last job as a lecturer ended in failure.

Yan Zhaozhou touched his nose sheepishly, still trying to be stubborn, "That's how it is. It's not that complicated. You can figure out the approach just by looking at the question."

Zou Yuanyuan was more experienced; she asked her senior about on-campus work-study positions.

Yan Zhaozhou was good-looking and got the job of reception and organization at the library.

The young master, who was afraid of hardship and fatigue, didn't utter a word. He went to work every day when he didn't have classes, and finally received his first paycheck.

First, I made up for the money I had spent eating with Zou Yuanyuan during that time because I was penniless and had nowhere to borrow money.

Then they went to find Jiang Yingxu and Shi Miao.

At this point, Yan Zhaozhou raised his eyebrows, "Although the salary isn't much, it's quite fulfilling."

Jiang Yingxu looked up at Yan Zhaozhou, who was now finding joy in hardship and supporting himself, and gave a faint smile.

"I've done a lot of part-time jobs."

He calmly said, "If you really have the perseverance to stick with it, I can share some of my experience with you."

A hot pot meal almost turned into a part-time job experience sharing session.

When we parted ways at the restaurant entrance after finishing our meal.

Yan Zhaozhou mustered his courage and called out to him, "Brother, let's have dinner together again next time."

Jiang Yingxu lifted his long eyelashes, his dark eyes calm and reflecting the scattered, swaying streetlights. After a few seconds, he nodded and said, "Okay."

Regardless of the time or place, he was always destined to be at odds with Yan Zhaozhou.

This time, only.

Under the protection of the cat god.

He touched upon some genuine family affection.

Because of his past experiences, Jiang Yingxu still finds it difficult to build closer relationships with people.

A friend who is neither too close nor too distant is enough.