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"Shall we have wontons?" Pan Yue asked.
"No, we have to eat well," Zhu Shiyi understood the implication and waved his hand dismissively, "Don't try to save me money."
Pan Yue loved spicy food.
Considering Jinrong's flavors and specialties, Zhu Shiyi made the final decision: "Let's have hot pot."
The next second, she hesitated: "Can you eat this to build muscle?"
"Generally, no."
Zhu Shiyi, trying to be clever, asked, "So today is special?"
Pan Yue chuckled: "You're right."
Zhu Shiyi pulled out her phone: "Let me search and see which store is good."
“If you trust me,” Pan Yue stepped forward, “there’s no need to search.”
......
Pan Yue made his way through a maze of twists and turns until he arrived at a hot pot restaurant on the edge of an alley.
As soon as he opened the car door, Zhu Shiyi could smell the aroma of hot pot from a great distance.
Step inside.
Although the shop is in a remote location, it is clean and the dining area is bright and spacious.
The two sat down to order food. Pan Yue scanned the QR code and handed his phone to Zhu Shiyi.
She refused righteously, picked up her phone to scan the QR code, and, imitating Pan Yue, handed it to him.
Pan Yue closed his eyes, turned his head away, and smiled, saying, "Okay."
"You're treating. I'll eat whatever you order."
"Okay." Zhu Shiyi scrolled through the menu.
This store is quite cheap.
Prices are high in Yuecheng; a simple hot pot meal for two can cost nearly 300 yuan.
When Zhu Shiyi first arrived at Jinrong University, she and her roommates went to the mall for hot pot. Even after using coupons, the cost per person was over 100 yuan.
Judging by the size of the person, this restaurant is about six or seven out of ten, and the prices are similar to those at the hot pot restaurants near her school.
"Eat as much as you want!" Zhu Shiyi ordered, completely satisfied. To prevent Pan Yue from secretly paying, she paid the bill directly, saying, "I've exercised so much today, there's absolutely no way I'll gain weight."
Pan Yue responded, secretly scanned the code, and then got up to get the seasonings.
Zhu Shiyi followed along.
Scallions, oyster sauce, and sesame oil.
She added ingredients haphazardly.
Yuecheng's flavor is light and it prefers a salty and sweet taste, which is quite different from Jinrong Hot Pot's seasoning.
Every time she goes to Jinrong, she adjusts the seasoning of hot pot to be different; sometimes it tastes good, and sometimes it doesn't.
Anyway, I just eat whatever I can find each time.
Zhu Shiyi glanced to the side involuntarily.
As expected of someone from Chengdu, even Pan Yue (a famous Chinese poet) added millet peppers to his hot pot.
Finally, I added a spoonful of vinegar.
Zhu Shiyi asked with envy, "Is this Jinrong's traditional seasoning?"
“No,” Pan Yue said, scooping out only half a spoonful of sesame oil, “a vinegar dish.”
"Is it delicious?" Zhu Shiyi asked eagerly.
"It's not very tasty," Pan Yue chuckled.
Zhu Shiyi tilted her head: "Then why would you eat it?"
“Vinegar enhances the flavor, and it contains no fat,” Pan Yue replied, then asked, “Would you like to try the authentic dipping sauce?”
Zhu Shiyi nodded vigorously.
Pan Yue reached out his hand, and she handed him the bowl.
"Is there anything you don't want to eat?" Pan Yue asked, gulping down sesame oil.
"Houttuynia cordata," Zhu Shiyi exclaimed in surprise, "So much oil?"
People who are used to dieting will be terrified by this amount of oil.
"Traditional oil dipping sauce." Pan Yue added some minced garlic.
"Okay," Zhu Shiyi said, feeling embarrassed to refuse.
She then took a condiment bowl and, imitating Pan Yue, added ingredients, finally following suit by adding a spoonful of vinegar.
"Whether the vinegar dish is good or bad," Zhu Shiyi tilted his head back, "I have to taste it to see if it's salty or not."
She carried the two bowls back to her seat.
Pan Yue brought over three bowls and placed them on the table.
Two of the bowls were white fungus soup, and he pushed one of them towards her.
The waiter came over and brought two cans of Coke.
Zhu Shiyi was slightly taken aback: "I didn't order anything?"
“I ordered it,” Pan Yue said, thanking him and taking the food. “After strength training, you need to replenish fast carbohydrates in time to secrete insulin and stabilize cortisol.”
He pulled the tab, inserted a straw, and handed it to her: "The sugar in cola is like fast carbs."
"What is fast carbon?" Zhu Shiyi continued, picking up his drink. "And what is cortisol?"
Every day, he talks about a bunch of principles that I can't understand.
"The glycemic index (GI) of carbohydrates is divided into low-GI and high-GI carbohydrates. Low-GI carbohydrates are called slow-release carbohydrates, such as whole grains; high-GI carbohydrates are called fast-release carbohydrates, such as refined sugar. Fast-release carbohydrates can quickly secrete insulin and lower cortisol levels..."
Zhu Shiyi forced a smile.
It's unnecessary to ask that question.
Class is starting again.
“Cortisol is a stress hormone,” Pan Yue explained simply, as if he could read her mind. “In short, high cortisol levels are bad; they can easily lead to low mood or insomnia.”
Zhu Shiyi was secretly delighted: "So, cola is a good thing?"
Then I can openly drink beverages in front of my mom.
A slight smile played on his lips as he shook his head, lowered his eyes, and his eyelashes trembled slightly: "Cola has added sugar. If possible, for a quick carb boost after exercise, it's best to choose natural sugar."
Zhu Shiyi only half understood, but she smiled and nodded, pretending to know a lot.
In her mind, it was just that after strength training, because of #￥%......, she could drink cola, but it would be better to choose some other kind of carbohydrates, though she didn't know the specifics.
Even when he drinks a Coke, he has to have a reason and justification.
Zhu Shiyi propped her head up, her stomach growling with hunger. She took a sip of the white fungus soup, but the sweeter it was, the hungrier she became. So she picked up her chopsticks, stirred the vinegar dish, and took a bite between the chopsticks.
She frowned slightly again: "It's a bit salty."
I really want Yuecheng's satay sauce; it's so salty and sweet, it's just too delicious.
"Make a fresh bowl," Pan Yue suggested.
"I'm too lazy," Zhu Shiyi said, reaching for the teapot. "I'll just add some water."
Good fortune comes to mind.
She sat up straight.
Got it!
With a twist of his hand that was touching the teapot, Zhu Shiyi scooped up a spoonful of white fungus soup and mixed it into the dipping sauce bowl.
Pan Yue's brow twitched, but he held back his words.
I watched as she stirred the food with her chopsticks for a while, then took a sip.
Then I scooped in another spoonful of white fungus soup.
"What kind of new biochemical experiment is this?" Pan Yue tried to keep his tone calm.
Is it tasty?
Zhu Shiyi grinned, beaming with pride: "This is my secret recipe!"
She explained, "The white fungus soup has both water and sugar. I just happened to find the seasoning too salty, but I wanted something sweet, so this is a win-win situation!"
"Then why didn't you add Coke?"
Zhu Shiyi was slightly taken aback: "Good idea."
As he spoke, he picked up a can of Coke.
“That’s fine,” Pan Yue said, pressing the can. “Let’s add some white fungus soup instead.”
Zhu Shiyi chuckled. She was just trying to feint; the seasoning was already perfect, and she was just teasing the old man.
"In Qin City, didn't you say something about young people's appetites?" Zhu Shiyi smiled. "I agree with what Brother Chang said, we should try more new flavors."
"That's right, we're putting it into practice."
Pan Yue lowered his eyelashes and smiled faintly, seemingly helpless: "It's fine."
Zhu Shiyi persisted: "Do you want to try it? I'll add some cola for you."
She pretended to take it away and pour it out: "Don't worry, I guarantee it's not a culinary disaster."
Pan Yue silently pulled the condiment bowl away: "You're quite enthusiastic."
The bottom of the pot is boiling.
Zhu Shiyi grabbed his chopsticks and eagerly started cooking the beef tendon.
Then he realized something was wrong.
Outside of school, when eating together, should we use serving chopsticks?
She glanced at Pan Yue.
The other person looked uneasy and was using their own chopsticks to cook slices of beef.
Zhu Shiyi was finally relieved.
Street-side hot pot restaurants don't care about such things.
"Try it." Pan Yue held up a strainer, which contained freshly sliced beef.
Zhu Shiyi didn't stand on ceremony.
Freshly sliced beef, just cooked through, is coated in a spicy and sweet sauce. One bite reveals its tender and juicy texture, yet retains the firmness of fresh meat. The subtle vinegar flavor bursts forth, stimulating the tongue to dance with its delight.
"It smells so good." Zhu Shiyi shook her head, gave a thumbs up, and let out a satisfied sigh.
She cooked the meat herself, ate it ravenously, and sighed occasionally.
Pan Yue's eyes curved slightly, and he occasionally responded in a light tone, "Eat more."
Zhu Shiyi focused intently on showing off his food, and his stomach finally felt a little full: "Eating after exercising tastes so good."
"Doing aerobic exercise burns a lot of calories." Pan Yue picked up a slice of meat.
Of course! There's no burden at all.
Zhu Shiyi looked ahead with a smug look, only then noticing that Pan Yue was actually simmering meat in clear broth: "Don't you like spicy food? Why don't you put it in spicy broth?"
"Also, take it out." Pan Yue took the gizzard from the hot pot and rinsed it in another bowl.
Chicken gizzards should be cooked in a hot pot to remove any unpleasant taste.
Zhu Shiyi suddenly felt the pressure: "Didn't you say today was special?"
“Hmm,” Pan Yue said, his hands still coated in the sauce, “I added sesame oil today.”
Zhu Shiyi glanced at Pan Yue's dipping sauce bowl; the small amount of oil was in stark contrast to the oil dish prepared for her.
We agreed that while we're young, we should indulge our appetites as much as possible.
She picked up a slice of beef and awkwardly put it into the clear broth pot.
I can't eat with people who work out; they're too smug.
The beef broth served with a vinegar dipping sauce tasted bland to Zhu Shiyi.
Pan Yue lifted his eyes.
Silently, I picked up a piece of beef tendon from the hot pot without rinsing it.
Zhu Shiyi looked up and noticed, but she didn't say anything.
Give the elderly some face.
The beef tendon looks very fatty, and it's being cooked in a spicy hot pot, so the fat content must be excessive, right?
Was Pan Yue cheating on his wife?
As if hearing her thoughts, Pan Yue then shared some scientific information: "Beef tendon has a lower fat content than chicken breast."
Zhu Shiyi: ......
Well, he's still as disciplined as ever.
However, it's also a good thing that Zhu Shiyi followed suit and started eating beef tendon.
The red soup tastes better.
"Have you decided to go swimming?" Pan Yue suddenly asked.
Recalling the pleasure in the water, Zhu Shiyi nodded: "I've made up my mind. Exercise is quite comfortable."
Not only that, but it was also quite enjoyable.
"The effect of endorphins," the old monk Pan Yue chanted, "is to "enhance the parasympathetic nervous system."
Zhu Shiyi maintained an expression of great interest and continued, using all her biological knowledge to ask, "Doesn't exercise release dopamine?"
“Yes, it will,” Pan Yue glanced at her, “but the effect will be slightly different.”
But he didn't say anything more.
The waiter suddenly brought out several more dishes.
Beef, tripe, and even knife-cut noodles.
"Did you order this?" Zhu Shiyi asked.
Pan Yue nodded.
Zhu Shiyi felt embarrassed. She scanned the code to place another order: "I ordered too little. Can you take another look and add some more meat? Why are you eating staple food when you're having hot pot?"
Pan Yue, while cooking noodles, said, "It's not your problem. I'm trying to build muscle, so I need to eat carbs."
Zhu Shiyi was relieved when he recalled Pan Yue's healthy diet.
“After swimming, you can eat without worry,” Pan Yue suddenly added. “Aerobic exercise burns fat for energy, and hot pot is low in carbohydrates. It’s a low-carb, high-fat diet, so you won’t get fat.”
"Really?" This was exactly what Zhu Shiyi was thinking.
“Yes,” Pan Yue nodded, concluding, “If the total amount is controlled, you can eat anything.”
Zhu Shiyi lowered his guard.
She exercised today and didn't eat much for lunch, so she should have a good meal tonight.
Eat with a clear conscience!
Pan Yue then beat around the bush.
“Actually, you could just say the last sentence,” Zhu Shiyi said.
Those theories are not the point.
Of course, she didn't dislike him saying that.
Pan Yue tilted his head: "Then can you believe it?"
Why don't you believe it?
“Lin Changren doesn’t believe me,” Pan Yue said with a smile. “He said I was trying to harm him by making him eat more.”
Zhu Shiyi was taken aback, then burst out laughing.
To be frank, it seems there might be such a misunderstanding.
Zhu Shiyi raised an eyebrow slightly: "Is this the boss's way of thinking? If you want someone to have a proper meal, you have to write a paper and cite theoretical arguments to prove your point."
Pan Yue stopped what he was doing, as if he was thinking.
"Maybe, it's just a work habit."
"Don't you feel tired?" Zhu Shiyi tilted her head.
“No one is not tired,” Pan Yue said, his eyes lowered, his emotions unreadable. “In business, opportunities are always hard to come by, and you must be fully prepared.”
“The wording is one of them.”
"You're right." Zhu Shiyi didn't press the matter further.
Her gaze returned to her phone screen, and she noticed that the other party had already paid for all the extra dishes: "You said I would pay."
"You'll pay the lion's share," Pan Yue said casually.
Zhu Shiyi didn't press the matter and continued his hotpot feast.
Finally, I followed local customs and tried the oil-dipped sauce.
The tripe is coated in sesame oil, paired with the rich aroma of spicy hot pot broth, and the slightly sweet and salty flavor of oyster sauce. It's fragrant and smooth. The addition of minced garlic, scallions, and cilantro further enhances the aroma and helps to alleviate the greasiness.
"So delicious..." Zhu Shiyi had no heart to praise it, she just wanted to eat a few more bites.
After the meal.
Pan Yue offered to take Zhu Shiyi back.
Once they got to know each other well, Zhu Shiyi stopped being coy.
She didn't think much of it.
After tonight, she and he wouldn't have a chance to see each other for a long time.
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