Qin Nan learned a few new dishes from watching videos and cooked them for Bai Hao and Long Mao. The two foodies ate with great relish and were very accommodating.
Qin Nan made some egg tarts and fried some French fries in the afternoon. Just as she was about to cook dinner, she received a text message from the courier.
Qin Nan walked to the special courier station in the city center at the main gate, received the phone delivered by the courier, checked the goods and signed for it, took it home, Bai Hao glanced at it, muttered "really ugly", and then never touched it again.
Qin Nan ignored Bai Hao, changed the SIM card in her new phone, and fiddled with it for a long time. Finally, seeing that Qin Nan had no intention of cooking, Bai Hao came over.
Bai Hao: "I'm so hungry, what's for dinner?"
Qin Nan looked up at Bai Hao and smiled, "Let's go out for dinner tonight. Change your clothes and come with me!"
Evening is when the old town is most lively and the best time to have fun. Although it is also lively during the day, it feels different from the evening, especially in the southern part of the city, where there are more food options and various trinkets at night.
Bai Hao frowned. "Go out? There are too many people, no!"
Qin Nan: "Then I'll go out to eat. You'll have to figure it out yourself!"
Bai Hao: "Let's eat out!"
Qin Nan stood at the gate, feeling both angry and helpless. Bai Hao was wearing the same SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon print T-shirt as Qin Nan, plus a white shirt jacket. Of course, Bai Hao had taken Qin Nan's shirt.
Then Bai Hao wore black trousers and white sneakers, and Qin Nan also wore black trousers and white sneakers. Qin Nan was so embarrassed that she didn't want to go out. People who didn't know the situation would think they were wearing matching outfits.
But Qin Nan knew that Bai Hao simply liked the printed clothes, because Qin Nan had previously given Bai Hao a set of bird-themed clothes, which Bai Hao wore with great pleasure.
But today, because she was busy, Qin Nan forgot to put the clothes in the washing machine. They were left out to dry late, so they're in this state now.
Bai Hao: "I'm hungry, and I'm so tired from walking. Where should we eat?"
Qin Nan dragged Bai Hao, who was too lazy to move, around two corners to find a bicycle. However, Bai Hao kept looking at Qin Nan without riding the bike, and Qin Nan remained silent for a long time.
Qin Nan: "Can't you ride?"
Bai Hao nodded.
Finally, Bai Hao sat in the back seat with his arms around Qin Nan's waist, attracting a lot of attention. Bai Hao leaned against Qin Nan's back and closed his eyes to rest. In the end, only Qin Nan bore the brunt of all the envious, curious, and gossipy gazes.
Same-sex marriage has been legal for a long time and is no longer surprising, but Qin Nan's good looks are undeniable, and Bai Hao's partially obscured profile is also stunning, making them quite eye-catching.
Fortunately, the bicycle path was separated from the pedestrian area; otherwise, Qin Nan felt she would have been surrounded and stared at by people, unable to move an inch.
After overcoming numerous hardships, they arrived at the South City District. The South City District is a pedestrian area, and because it is full of food streets, there are too many people, so transportation is not allowed. Qin Nan parked the car and led Bai Hao into the area with the crowd.
Bai Hao held Qin Nan's hand and followed closely. It was too easy to get lost in the crowd. The two were squeezed into the crowd. Qin Nan led Bai Hao into the city with ease. He knew where there were fewer people and better food.
After weaving through the crowds and turning down several busy streets, the two found themselves on streets with fewer people. Qin Nan led Bai Hao forward, where a small shop was nestled between two other shops with stalls selling their wares.
Bai Hao looked up at the shop's name, "Liu's Snacks." There were only three tables on the first floor, and a second floor. The second floor was spacious, while the first floor was full of people. Qin Nan called the waiter and led the two of them upstairs to a table.
Bai Hao and Qin Nan walked into the store hand in hand, attracting a lot of attention. After going up to the second floor, there were only empty tables in the corner and the middle.
Bai Hao lost patience with the large crowd and pulled Qin Nan to sit in a corner, but this did not reduce the attention and conversations from the surrounding customers, especially the young girls who gathered around with starry eyes and chattering excitedly.
"What would you two like to eat?" A waiter in a short brown uniform came over with a menu and a table number.
"Steamed fish, osmanthus lotus root, magnolia cake, braised catfish in white sauce, lion's head meatballs, braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens, thank you!" Qin Nan ordered the dishes without taking the menu.
"You're a regular customer! You've ordered all our specialties! Please wait a moment, your food will be here shortly!" the waiter said with a smile, placing the number plate on the table before jogging away.
Bai Hao: "Did you come here often before?"
“When I was very young, this shop used to be run by a grandfather surnamed Liu. He and my grandfather were good friends. Grandpa Liu never married. When I was little, I often came to visit him, and he would always cook delicious food for me, which is why I like cooking.”
I haven't had a chance to come back since. I only heard that Grandpa Liu passed away and the shop was left to his apprentice, whom I never met. I haven't been here for a long time, and I didn't expect that these dishes were still here. Qin Nan rested her head on one hand, seemingly reminiscing about her childhood.
Bai Hao crossed his arms and looked around the small but bustling shop, listening to Qin Nan's story with a sense of novelty, since he used to know everything just by using his mind.
Soon all the dishes were served. Bai Hao tasted them and thought they were alright. He expressed his hope that Qin Nan could learn to cook these dishes when she got home, and Qin Nan agreed without saying a word.
"Excuse me, sir, are you Qin Nan?" the waiter asked Qin Nan after serving the last dish.
Qin Nan: How did you know?
"Our boss asked us to ask, saying there's something for you when you pay the bill after your meal," the clerk said before leaving.
Qin Nan looked at the departing staff member with a puzzled expression, then picked up her chopsticks and tasted the dishes on the table. She smiled knowingly; this taste was truly nostalgic!
It was rare for Qin Nan to compete with Bai Hao for food, and they finished eating in no time. Of course, Qin Nan didn't plan to eat his fill here. After finishing, he took Bai Hao downstairs. When paying the bill, the cashier gave him something that looked like a book wrapped in a blue floral cloth.
Qin Nan: "What is this?"
Cashier: "This is what the boss asked you to do!"
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