Steam billowed, and the old air-conditioning unit hummed.
Inside the rented apartment.
The table was covered with simple ingredients available at any small supermarket. The fanciest item was probably a box of sliced fatty beef for hot pot... bought on sale.
"Don't be shy, eat up! There's all the rice you want!"
Nan Xiaonan spoke with considerable generosity, cooking two meatballs and placing them in the disposable plastic bowl in front of Beibei, then serving Mr. Jin a piece of lettuce.
She really did seem wonderfully hospitable.
"Eat! Why are you looking at me?" Nan Xiaonan stuffed her mouth with fatty beef slices she had cooked for exactly ten seconds. "Seriously, don't be shy! I made loads of rice!"
Beibei glanced at Mr. Jin.
Mr. Jin had called her away from the stall without warning. She had never imagined it was to eat homemade hot pot at Nan Xiaonan's rented apartment.
Beibei looked at Mr. Jin in puzzlement... His face showed little expression, and he sat in silence, leaving his bowl and chopsticks untouched... Without warning, he stood up and went into the bathroom.
Taking advantage of his absence, Nan Xiaonan wolfed down her food and asked curiously, "Your boss looks scary enough to kill someone when he doesn't talk. Like the whole world owes him money."
"Boss Jin is actually a very nice person," Beibei said hastily. "It's just that he really doesn't like talking much most of the time."
Nan Xiaonan shrugged, then chatted with Beibei about a few random subjects.
Before long, Mr. Jin came out of the bathroom and said directly, "Something's come up. I need to return to the shop. I won't be eating. Beibei, you can come back after you've finished."
"Okay, boss!"
"You're leaving already? How about I cook you an ear of