Chapter 52 The restaurant carefully selected by the reincarnation manager...
The restaurant carefully selected by the reincarnation manager indeed had many advantages: it was close to the venue, had an elegant and private environment, and the plating was as exquisite as a work of art. Of course, the price was also quite "beautiful".
However, as Zhao Zhinian ate the miniature molecular gastronomy dishes adorned with edible gold leaf and the overly chewy dry bread with caviar, she silently sighed again: She was indeed a poor person with a "Chinese stomach," unable to appreciate such overly "high-class" flavors. The dry bread, small portions, and indescribable "raw" flavor suddenly reminded her of the painful days she spent abroad a few years ago. Even after all these years, she still couldn't get used to it; these fancy dishes were simply not as satisfying as a bowl of hot rice.
She suddenly remembered that Zhong Yeli had taken them to "broaden their horizons" before, to experience an exorbitantly priced restaurant. Before going, Zhong Yeli had, as if a prophet, warned Lin Shuang that she definitely wouldn't like it. Lin Shuang had confidently declared that, just for the price, she would eat it even if she cried.
As a result, Zhao Zhinian could accept it, but she couldn't say she liked it either, after all, she had been poisoned by "white food" for many years; while Lin Shuang ate with a "pain mask" throughout, and finally sincerely "praised" it: High-end restaurants really don't lie to us poor people! She also quoted a sharp summary from netizens, "Big plate, small portion, some sauce, and a piece of grass", which can be described as very insightful.
At this moment, Zhao Zhinian felt a sense of déjà vu, and she even felt a little fortunate, thinking: Luckily, I was the one who confessed first.
If you've worked hard all day and come to a place like this full of anticipation to receive a confession, even if the atmosphere is amazing, your stomach will probably protest first when faced with this table full of flashy but impractical food.
The stomach is an emotional organ; if you don't eat well, you'll feel wronged even when you're looking at Zhou Zekai's handsome face.
Admittedly, in terms of satisfying meals, nothing beats the takeout orders I'd previously placed with Lin Shuang. Lin Shuang certainly has a unique talent for ordering takeout; she always picks the best takeout for Yizhan's away games, earning the admiration of Lou Guanning and the others.
"Do you like it?" After struggling to finish a bite of raw beef, Zhao Zhinian finally couldn't help but look up and ask Zhou Zekai across from her in a low voice.
Unexpectedly, Zhou Zekai also frowned slightly, shook his head honestly, and looked at the same confused person.
"So you don't like it either?" Zhao Zhinian asked in surprise. "Then why are we both suffering here?"
Zhou Zekai thought for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts, before explaining in a slightly helpless low voice, "The manager chose her, and recently... she's gained a little weight. You also said you were going to lose weight before."
Zhao Zhinian was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized.
Zhou Zekai did gain a little weight recently. Although he himself didn't care at all, and Zhao Zhinian didn't notice the slight change, the Samsara Manager implemented "meticulous" management of the Alliance's face's weight, monitoring it constantly and guarding against it, for fear that his money tree would suddenly grow too fat and sprout too many extra leaves.
She herself did relax for a while after the StarCraft World Championship, indulging in food and drinks with Lin Shuang and others, and her weight naturally fluctuated a bit. When she was video chatting with Zhou Zekai before, she saw her face under the camera and casually complained, "Oh no! I have to lose weight."
It seems that when the manager of the cycle of reincarnation was choosing a restaurant, in addition to considering the romantic atmosphere needed for the confession and selecting an elegant, expensive, and prestigious restaurant, he also "thoughtfully" took into account the weight management needs of the two of them. It can be said that he went to great lengths, but... he was a little inconsiderate of their well-being.
So the two of them felt remarkably alike at that moment: they weren't full, and the food wasn't even good.
There was no desire to order more dishes, since adding another "work of art" with the same flavor seemed pointless, only increasing the feeling of fullness rather than satisfying the taste buds.
Just then, Zhao Zhinian's phone vibrated; it was a message from the Yizhan operations team's work group.
Upon clicking, I saw Lin Shuang sharing photos of preparing ingredients for a hot pot.
After efficiently finishing the editing and script for today's promotional video for Yi Zhan, someone suggested having hot pot. The three of them immediately agreed and rummaged through the Yi Zhan cafeteria to find an induction cooker and a divided pot. They were busily preparing ingredients and mixing dipping sauces. The only problem was that they couldn't find any ready-made hot pot base in the cafeteria, so they had already ordered takeout and were eagerly waiting for it.
Lin Shuang specifically tagged Zhao Zhinian, not only to show off this impromptu hot pot feast, but also because they had eaten hot pot together before, and she especially missed the dipping sauce that Zhao Zhinian made. At this moment, she was sincerely asking for the recipe online.
Looking at the photos of the washed and chopped vegetables, the beef and lamb rolls rummaged out of the cafeteria refrigerator, and the hot pot meatballs, Zhao Zhinian suddenly found the molecular gastronomy in front of her even more tasteless. She handed her phone to Zhou Zekai, her eyes sparkling like they held tiny starlight: "Want some hot pot?"
Zhou Zekai stared at the tempting ingredients on the screen, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily, though a hint of struggle remained on his face. He also felt the "feast" experience was subpar, but it was, after all, a celebratory dinner meticulously prepared by his manager, albeit with some missteps in its planning. Moreover, he cherished this rare time alone with his partner even more.
"Aren't we going to celebrate?" he asked softly, his tone slightly hesitant.
“You can celebrate by having hot pot!” Zhao Zhinian laughed, then continued to persuade, “What’s the most important thing about celebrating?”
Zhou Zekai tilted his head slightly, looking at her intently, quietly waiting for her answer.
"It's about eating what we like together!" Zhao Zhinian said lightly. "Only good food and love should not be taken for granted. And..." She leaned closer, lowered her voice, and said enticingly, "Don't you want to visit the legendary Yizhan Squad's cafeteria? Our Yizhan cafeteria is absolutely top-notch! I guarantee it's much better than this place!"
Zhou Zekai wanted to insist on the "ritual" he had arranged as her boyfriend, but when he met Zhao Zhinian's expectant eyes that seemed to be begging him to say yes, his insignificant struggle vanished instantly.
He recalled the online discussions he had seen before. Some netizens confidently analyzed that if the two of them were to quarrel, given his quiet nature, he would definitely be at a disadvantage against a professional host. However, others confidently refuted this, saying that Zhou Zekai's face alone was enough to make Zhao Zhinian soften her heart and admit defeat.
Only then did he realize: Zhao Zhinian was the player with double talents maxed out.
She could persuade him with just a few words, and even more so, she could deliver a fatal blow with a single glance; she could achieve her goals with just her face. He never had a chance against her.
He finally nodded resignedly, a helpless yet indulgent smile appearing in his eyes: "Okay."
Zhao Zhinian immediately replied happily to Lin Shuang: "Wait for me! I'll go back and get it for you right away!"
Lin Shuang thought her date had ended early, and hurriedly replied, "Great! Why are you back so early? Captain Zhou must be heartbroken!"
Zhao Zhinian posted a meme of "crazy eating.jpg" and then added, "Whether he's hurt or not depends on whether you're willing to prepare enough ingredients for two more people."
Lin Shuang: "???"
Lin Shuang: "Two servings? You didn't bring Zhou Zekai back, did you?!"
Zhao Zhinian: "Is it convenient? [Cute.jpg]"
Lin Shuang: "...It's not inconvenient at all. Hot pot is more fun when you eat with a lot of people."
Lin Shuang then added, "I have a vague feeling that we're going to have hot pot with dog food, double the filling!"
Not long after, Zhao Zhinian led Zhou Zekai to the entrance of Yizhan Cafeteria. Zhou Zekai was holding a large bouquet of roses that the manager had carefully ordered. At this moment, in the cafeteria filled with the aroma of hot pot and the smell of cooking, he looked particularly out of place, yet strangely harmonious.
Zhou Zekai nodded politely to Lin Shuang, the cameraman, and the editor, then sat down next to Zhao Zhinian in a natural manner.
Looking at this scene, Lin Shuang suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu: Zhou Zekai seemed to be just as calm and composed during the meal he had at Zhao Zhinian's house last time.
However, after they started eating hot pot, Lin Shuang keenly noticed something different.
Compared to his previous composure, almost like a "host," at Zhao Zhinian's place, Zhou Zekai, now sitting in the Yizhan Dining Hall, clearly adopted the demeanor of a "guest." His movements were refined, with just the right amount of politeness, and even picking up food seemed somewhat restrained.
Zhao Zhinian had a moderate appetite, and having already eaten at the restaurant, she was full after only a few bites. Seeing Zhou Zekai like this, she assumed he was reserved, and naturally took over the task of cooking the meat and serving the vegetables for him.
Zhou Zekai readily complied, gradually shifting from passive acceptance to a near-dependent waiting: watching her skillfully cook thin slices of meat in boiling broth, then placing his favorite dishes into his bowl one by one.
He ate quietly, occasionally glancing up to look at her profile as she focused on serving the food. A layer of satisfaction, as if she were deeply immersed in the attentive care he received, shone in those usually calm eyes.
He was not only immersed in it, but a subtle hint of boasting also flickered between his lowered eyes: Look, this thoughtfulness is exclusively mine.
With its bubbling red oil and irresistible aroma, this impromptu hot pot meal was clearly more to the tastes of the two protagonists than the meticulously arranged Western dinner, and it also had a more celebratory feel to it, only disappointing the manager's "good intentions".
The group chatted about the operations of Yizhan while eating, creating a harmonious atmosphere. Zhou Zekai, though the only outsider at the table, was not a talkative person and mostly listened quietly, his focused gaze always on Zhao Zhinian beside him. Occasionally, when she looked over, he would offer a slight smile. His quiet aura was surprisingly harmonious with the lively hot pot gathering.
Just as everyone was enjoying their hotpot meal and chatting happily, footsteps and laughter came from the cafeteria entrance. It turned out that Wen Kebei and Zou Yunhai from Yizhan had returned. They had just finished their dinner with Xingxin and were heading back to their dorm when they smelled the rich aroma of hotpot wafting from the cafeteria and heard faint laughter, so they curiously pushed open the door to check.
Upon seeing this, Wen Kebei immediately exclaimed dramatically, "Wow! You guys! You actually secretly cooked hot pot here behind our backs! That's so unfair!"
Zou Yunhai also shook his head and agreed with a smile: "That's right, they're eating alone."
Zhao Zhinian, who had been facing away from the door and focused on scooping beef balls from the pot for Zhou Zekai, turned around when she heard the voice and retorted with a smile, "Hey! You two, can't you be reasonable? You were the ones who went to have a big meal with Happy behind our backs, and you still have the nerve to turn around and accuse us? What we ate was all old stuff that had been piling up in the cafeteria's refrigerator for years, we were clearing out the stock!"
Wen Kebei then noticed Zhao Zhinian sitting with her back to him. He stared in surprise and blurted out, "Zhinian? What are you doing here? Captain Zhou finally came to Beijing. Aren't you going out on a romantic date with him?" He had heard Lin Shuang mention that Zhao Zhinian had a date that evening and thought she would be going out with Zhou Zekai.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Zekai, who had been eating the beef balls Zhao Zhinian had just put on his plate, slowly turned his head.
His face showed no particular expression, but his clear eyes calmly looked at Wen Kebei, as if silently asking, "Are you looking for me?"
While Wen Kebei and Zou Yunhai were still processing the shock of Zhou Zekai's appearance at Yizhan Cafeteria, Lin Shuang eagerly reached out her hand, her eyes shining: "Where's Ye Shen's autograph you promised?"
Wen Kebei then came to his senses: "There's one for you and one for Zhinian at Loudun's place."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Zekai immediately turned to look at Zhao Zhinian, as if to confirm the matter. He remembered that Zhao Zhinian had previously written that her favorite professional player was Ye Qiu.
Zhao Zhinian had obviously thought of this as well, and blurted out, "I didn't want it!"
Wen Kebei glanced at Zhou Zekai and immediately understood, chiming in with an "I know" tone: "That's right! Chinen didn't want it! We insisted on giving it to her!"
This was actually the truth. Lou Guanning felt it wouldn't be fair to favor one girl over the other, especially since Zhao Zhinian had mentioned that Ye Qiu was her idol. So, he simply prepared an autograph for each of them. But Wen Kebei's explanation, coupled with his meaningful expression, made it seem as if Zhao Zhinian had secretly asked for the autograph and was now guilty and denying it, afraid to tell Zhou Zekai.
Zhao Zhinian glared at Wen Kebei, both amused and exasperated, and said, "Wen Kebei, that's enough! This 'excellent expression' is just fabricated!"
Zhou Zekai gently took her hand under the table and whispered, "I don't mind." After all, things are different now; his status is different.
“Whether you mind or not, I need to make this clear.” Zhao Zhinian grasped his fingers in return, her tone serious. “After all, we need to respect the facts. I’ve always only had respect for Ye Shen as a senior, and look, I only play marksman, so of course I…”
She paused deliberately, secretly observing Zhou Zekai's expression. Sure enough, upon hearing the words "sharpshooter," a faint smile involuntarily curved his lips.
Zhao Zhinian leaned close to Zhou Zekai's ear and whispered with a sly smile, "Brother Kai, although you don't mind, the corners of your mouth are a bit too obvious."
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