Three seconds later, Jiang Xiao brought Two Tails and flashed into the little barbecue shop.
"Aah!" Auntie Yu jumped. When she saw who it was, her face lit up with delight. "Hong Ying is here! Come sit down."
Two Tails smiled at Auntie Yu. Her narrow eyes curved into crescent moons, intoxicatingly lovely.
This was the second time Jiang Xiao had seen such a gentle smile from her. The first had also been in Auntie Yu's shop, but that had been years ago, back in North River.
Jiang Xiao looked miserable. After all these years, Two Tails seemed to reserve that smile for the parents of her comrades. She had never given it to him.
Two Tails glanced at the seats. Three Tails was sitting opposite Auntie Yu, and since Two Tails did not want to trouble Auntie Yu into getting up, she simply dropped down beside Three Tails.
She sat there boldly, completely unconcerned with the atmosphere in the private room, and even casually picked up a skewer of blanched tripe.
The private-room door opened, and another Auntie Yu walked in. She held a plate with two grilled codfish in one hand and a cup of North River Xiao Shao in the other.
Two Tails froze.
Jiang Xiao immediately glared at her. "Smile! Where's the crescent? Is this discrimination?"
"Hmph." Two Tails came to her senses, picked up the baijiu glass before her, and took a small sip. "Tss."
The fiery liquor spread across her tongue like flames, burning all the way down to her chest.
She had not tasted authentic Xiao Shao in a long time. It felt great.
Two Tails smacked her lips, set down the glass, then pinched the fish by its tail and lifted it. "The flavor's different."
"Huh?" Auntie Yu immediately reached for the