Shen Mingzhu rubbed her nose awkwardly, then swam across the water to sit next to Zhong Qing.

"Qingqing, let me rub your back for you."

Zhong Qing paused and said with a smile: "No, I'll help you rub it."

"OK."

Shen Mingzhu didn't think much about it. She turned around happily and faced Zhong Qing with her snow-white back. "Be gentle. I'm tender."

"Okay, I know you have delicate skin and tender flesh."

"Hehe, you too, you have a white chest, a thin waist, and beautiful facial features. A stunning beauty like you would have been a demon concubine who brought disaster to the country and the people in ancient times."

Zhong Qing replied: "What about you? What are you?"

"If I entered the harem, I would probably be cannon fodder that wouldn't survive more than three episodes."

"What do you mean?"

"You see some supporting characters in TV dramas die after only a few appearances. They are just cannon fodder."

Zhong Qing was amused and couldn't stop laughing.

Shen Mingzhu twisted her waist and motioned for Zhong Qing to rub her right shoulder blade. Then she asked, "Qingqing, you and Yan Yi are not young anymore. When are you planning to get married?"

Shen Mingzhu waited for a few seconds before hearing the answer, "I will definitely invite you when I get married."

Not sure if it was an illusion, Shen Mingzhu felt that the tone was a bit sad.

She couldn't help but look back at Zhong Qing to see if it was her illusion, but as soon as she turned her head, Zhong Qing patted her on the butt, "Sit still, don't move."

"It hurts~"

"Then I'll rub it for you~"

Shen Mingzhu was joking when she cried out in pain, and she thought Zhong Qing was joking as well.

But it is not.

Zhong Qing really rubbed it for her.

Well, it's a bit weird and a bit shameful.

In order to ease the weirdness and embarrassment in her heart, Shen Mingzhu continued to chat, "Qingqing, you haven't gotten married yet, aren't your family members urging you to get married?"

"Well, no need to rush."

"What about Yan Yi? He's not young anymore, right? Isn't the Yan family anxious? With his background, his family should be anxious to have a grandson."

"Don't just talk about us, talk about you too. How have you been lately?"

Sensing that Zhong Qing didn't want to talk about marriage, Shen Mingzhu tactfully put away her curiosity and said, "I'm fine. The sales of the new store are much better than I expected. This is all thanks to you guys who came to support me on the opening day, and Miss Zhuang and her friends also brought in a lot of business."

"If revenue can be maintained at the current level, we will be able to open one or two more stores next year."

Zhong Qing: “That’s great.”

Shen Mingzhu smiled and said sincerely, "Qingqing, thank you. If it weren't for your help, I wouldn't be able to run the food factory so smoothly."

"Don't thank me. I believe you will succeed even without me. You have the ability."

Shen Mingzhu felt dizzy, not sure if it was because of the compliments or the lack of oxygen from soaking in the water for too long.

…

At around three o'clock, the staff of the villa came over to inform them that there would be a bonfire party at the villa in the evening and asked the two if they wanted to join.

If you want to participate, the fee is per person, 20 yuan per person.

Although the price is a bit expensive, the villa provides roasted whole lamb and roasted game, and drinks are free.

It’s a rare opportunity to get out and play, so of course we have to enjoy ourselves.

Shen Mingzhu readily paid for both of them.

Before coming, the two had agreed that Zhong Qing would pay for accommodation and Shen Mingzhu would pay for meals.

In the evening, a yurt with a diameter of about 20 meters was set up on the open space outside the villa restaurant.

Shen Mingzhu and Zhong Qing walked into the yurt hand in hand and found a huge bonfire had been built in the center. Around the bonfire were freshly slaughtered sheep, pheasants, rabbits and the like, which were propped up with bamboo strips and hung on iron racks to be roasted by the flames.

It was still early and there were not many customers in the yurt.

Shen Mingzhu and Zhong Qing picked a good seat and ate melon seeds while watching the cooks grilling meat.

As night fell, more and more guests came into the yurt and the atmosphere became more and more lively. Perhaps because the two of them were good-looking and there were no men around them, strange men would come up to them from time to time to chat with them, but they were all repelled by Shen Mingzhu with the excuse that "I'm married with two kids", which made Zhong Qing laugh non-stop.

Men of this era are relatively traditional in their thinking and are more concerned about their reputation. Even if they have a philandering mind, they will not mess with married women.

After the host's welcome speech, seven or eight young girls in Mongolian costumes came into the yurt carrying wine. After placing a pot on each table, the girls gathered together and began to dance.

While drinking and eating meat, watching the girls twisting their waists, in one word, beautiful.

When the dance was almost over, someone else came in at the door of the yurt.

Shen Mingzhu took a casual glance and was surprised.

Yan Su was also surprised, his eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them, "You guys are out playing?"

Shen Mingzhu didn't know that what surprised Yan Su was that she actually came out to play with Zhong Qing, and she thought that Yan Su had accidentally run into them here.

"Well, yes, we arrived at noon. Second Miss, are you new here?"

Shen Mingzhu noticed that there were ice fragments from the night dew on Yan Su's head and clothes, and his face was a little blue, and it was obvious that he had been in the wild for quite some time.

She handed her wine glass to Yan Su, which contained warm rice wine with shredded ginger and preserved plums.

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"Second Miss, have a drink to warm yourself up."

"Thanks."

Yan Su took the cup and took a sip. He seemed to think it tasted good, so he tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

Shen Mingzhu hurriedly reminded: "Second Miss, drink slowly, this wine has a strong aftereffect."

Yan Su took the towel handed to him by Zhong Qing, wiped the wine stains from the corners of his mouth, and returned the cup to Shen Mingzhu.

"Don't call me Miss Second Miss anymore."

"Oh, then I should call you Sister Susu?"

Yan Su glanced at her and didn't object, which was considered as his consent.

Zhong Qing said, "Second sister, did you come here alone?"

Yan Su nodded, "I came to do something. The driver accompanied me. He went back to the room to rest."

Yan Su didn't say what he was doing, and the two of them tactfully didn't ask any further questions.

The taste of the barbecue was average, and the portion was small, so Shen Mingzhu didn't feel full at all.

After asking Zhong Qing and Yan Su and learning that they were also not full, Shen Mingzhu borrowed a casserole and rice from the restaurant kitchen and bought half a pound of shredded beef. When she left, she also bought seasonings such as shredded ginger, chopped green onions, pepper and salt.

Back in the courtyard, Shen Mingzhu used the charcoal left over from the bonfire party to cook a casserole of delicious beef porridge.

After the porridge was cooked, Shen Mingzhu served a bowl to Yan Su first.

"You guys eat, I don't eat midnight snacks."

Shen Mingzhu guessed the reason as soon as she heard it, "Are you afraid of getting fat?"

Yan Su did not refute.

"Sister Susu, if tomorrow is the end of the world, will you regret not eating this bowl of porridge tonight?"

Yan Su's expression relaxed.

Shen Mingzhu continued, "No one knows which will come first, tomorrow or an accident. It is better to live well in the present and take care of the happiness of the present. Even if you gain weight, that is tomorrow's matter, let's talk about it tomorrow."

After Shen Mingzhu's inspirational words, Yan Su took over the porridge.

After eating, the three of them collapsed on the sofa in satisfaction and didn’t want to move.

"Mingzhu, have you been such a good cook since you were a child?" Yan Su asked.

Shen Mingzhu shook her head proudly, "No, I learned it by myself, plus I have a little bit of talent?"

Zhong Qing leaned her head on Shen Mingzhu's shoulder and tapped Shen Mingzhu's chin with her scallion-like fingertips. "You are too modest. You have more than a little talent in cooking. The mutton hotpot you made last time was also delicious, better than any mutton hotpot I've ever eaten."

Yan Su turned his head to look at the two of them, "Do you often eat together?"

"Second sister, you don't know how good Mingzhu's cooking skills are. If I were a man, I would definitely take her home as my wife and let her cook for me every day."

Yan Yi said to the two of them: "Next time you have dinner, invite me along."

"Okay~"

Maybe because she was full, Shen Mingzhu was like a cat, lazy all over, with a fair face that had the cuteness and tenderness of a little girl.

Yan Su hesitated for a moment, then imitated Zhong Qing and leaned his head over to rest on Shen Mingzhu's shoulder.

(End of this chapter)