257. Hotpot Is a Microcosm of Life

[Wang Chuan]: Let's have hot pot this weekend!

It was a WeChat message from Qin Tiantian.

After returning from the Spring Festival, Lu Ban and Qin Tiantian ate hot pot on the back street of Jiangcheng University. It has to be said that eating around the school is cheap. The two of them ate until they were stuffed and only spent a little over 100 yuan, which is less than 70 yuan per person.

Although the meat and vegetables weren't anything particularly good, that's the satisfying feeling of eating hot pot.

From then on, Qin Tiantian especially enjoyed going out for hot pot with Lu Ban.

It's probably because one person can't eat hot pot alone.

If you want to add more sauce halfway through your meal, the waiter might assume you're finished and need to clear the table.

[Motionless]: Okay.

Lu Ban thought it would be nice to have another hot pot meal before the mission, but then he thought again that it was a bit like setting a flag.

While I was still hesitating, my phone vibrated again.

[Feng Yu]: I've finished my work. I'm going back to Jiangcheng tomorrow. Let's have dinner together this weekend?

"?"

Lu Ban was taken aback.

Did these two make plans together?

Perhaps, out of sight, Feng Yu and Qin Tiantian have already become good friends, exchanging stories about Lu Ban's family life.

Thinking this, Lu Ban replied to Feng Yu.

[Motionless]: I have plans with someone this weekend.

[Feng Yu]: What a coincidence! Can I come along? I'd like to see what kind of person you're meeting.

Feng Yu replied almost instantly, giving Lu Ban the illusion that she might know Qin Tiantian had invited her to eat hot pot.

[Motionless]: I'll ask her.

[Feng Yu]: She's a girl, that's impressive.

Lu Ban opened Qin Tiantian's chat window and sent another message.

[Motionless]: A friend of mine is coming back to Jiangcheng this weekend and wants to have dinner with me. How about the three of us go together?

[Wang Chuan]: Great! Three people can order more food, no problem!

Qin Tiantian's reply was also very decisive.

"Perfectly resolved."

Lu Ban felt Stone.

On Saturdays, the hot pot restaurants at Jiangcheng University are different from other places.

Jiangcheng is a southern city, and hot pot here is mainly made with red oil and bone broth. The dipping sauces are mostly vinegar, soy sauce, minced garlic, and millet peppers. However, as a hot pot restaurant next to a university, it naturally needs to cater to the tastes of people from all over the country. Therefore, the hot pot restaurant also offers clear broth, sesame sauce, peanut sauce, and if you are lucky, you can even find chive blossom sauce.

Of course, low-cost hot pot restaurants actually use pretty ordinary ingredients.

The beef and lamb slices are cheap items that can be bought in supermarkets, which cannot compare to the freshness of live cattle that are slaughtered on the spot, with the meat still jumping before it goes into the pot. The kidney slices, tripe slices, and duck intestines are not as smooth and tender, but the vegetables are not much different.

But eating hot pot here is very lively.

There are no waiters standing by to watch over you, and there might even be some drunk college students making a racket, but once you sit down here and smell the aroma of hot pot, you'll feel the warmth and comfort of everyday life.

Lu Ban had visited a few times during his university days, all for dormitory gatherings where a few of them would eat and drink to their hearts' content. Those times are just like this moment.

He saw several college students at the next table, men and women, who didn't seem to be from the same class, but rather from the same club. They were chatting more enthusiastically, sometimes even mentioning Lu Ban's new movie. However, they were clearly not paying attention to this side and did not recognize Lu Ban, who had brought them fear.

"Order whatever you like, it's on me this time."

As Lu Ban spoke, he handed the classic menu, which required customers to mark their orders with a ballpoint pen, to Qin Tiantian on his left.

"You didn't mention before that your friend is a girl."

Qin Tiantian glanced at Lu Ban, then looked at Feng Yu, who was sitting to Lu Ban's right and opposite her.

"Hello, I am Feng Yu, Lu Ban's college classmate."

Feng Yu sized up Qin Tiantian, then glanced at Lu Ban.

This look is somewhat like the look a mother gives her son when he brings a female classmate home to do his homework.

Lu Ban picked up the kettle and poured water for the two of them.

"My Qin Tiantian."

Qin Tiantian skillfully ticked off hot pot dishes such as sliced beef and sliced lamb on the menu, and then glanced at Feng Yu.

Do you eat cilantro or offal?

"I'm fine with either."

Feng Yu answered generously.

"Then I'll order a hot pot with two broths."

Qin Tiantian ordered the dishes and then handed the menu to Lu Ban.

"Ask your friend what they want to eat."

"Let's order these for now, we'll add more if it's not enough."

Feng Yu didn't look at the menu Lu Ban handed him, seemingly already knowing what Qin Tiantian would order.

While waiting for the food to be served, the three people looked at each other in bewilderment.

Do you often come here for hot pot?

During the journey, Feng Yu broke the silence.

"Yes."

Qin Tiantian answered first, then glanced at Feng Yu.

"You must have come here often when you were in college, right?"

No, not at all.

To be honest, Lu Ban wasn't familiar with Feng Yu at all during college. They didn't even eat hot pot together, and they only exchanged a couple of words when toasting at their graduation banquet.

"I guessed so. I feel like he must have been the kind of guy in college who never talked, would hide in a corner and eat like crazy at parties, and would ramble on and on about a bunch of nonsensical things when you asked him."

Qin Tiantian muttered to herself.

"That's right, it's very difficult to communicate with him. Sometimes I have no idea what he's thinking."

Feng Yu nodded in agreement.

"Yes, yes, when I first met him, I felt that this person must have a lot of difficulty in socializing."

Qin Tiantian felt as if she had found a kindred spirit.

"Yes, you see, he doesn't have many friends. I was so worried. Luckily, you're here to take good care of Lu Ban."

Feng Yu spoke as if an old woman were entrusting her son to her care.

"No, no, it's just that we're all alone out here, so we definitely need to take care of each other. Lu Ban has also helped me a lot!"

Qin Tiantian suddenly became humble for some reason.

"That's good. I've been worried that he's been eating takeout all the time and not eating properly. Try to get him to exercise more often. You may not be able to tell now that he's young, but if he continues to eat and sleep like this when he gets older, he'll definitely gain weight."

Feng Yu gave instructions.

"Don't worry, I definitely won't let him sit in front of the computer all the time!"

Qin Tiantian patted his chest and assured him.

I said.

Lu Ban wanted to remind the two that he was still there, but before he could finish speaking, he saw Qin Tiantian and Feng Yu turn to look at him.

What are you trying to say?

Feng Yu asked.

"Am I not telling the truth?"

Qin Tiantian also pressed for answers.

"You may continue."

Lu Ban picked up the cup and took a sip of the warm tea.

After a hotpot meal, Feng Yu and Qin Tiantian added each other on WeChat and even created a small group chat with Lu Ban, named "Jiangcheng Family".

Lu Ban didn't know how they became friends.

Or is it that I have some misunderstanding about female friendship?

He didn't know.

After seeing Feng Yu off, Lu Ban took Qin Tiantian home, then went home, tidied up, and went to sleep.

The next morning, he drew the [Madman's Knowledge].

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