Happy

The sky gradually darkened, and neon lights had already lit up at the entrance to the farmhouse restaurant, blinking conspicuously.

Sparse woods flanked the farmhouse restaurant, and there was a patch of land across the road. Far from the bustle of the city, the only other farmhouse restaurant was several hundred meters ahead.

Huang Yonghe arrived first. He stood at the entrance waiting for the club members, and when he saw them, he said, "Head inside and turn left. We booked out that whole area. Help yourselves to whatever you want to eat."

They had bought the all-you-can-eat barbecue package. Since they had arrived late, there were no fishing or vegetable-picking activities. They could just take ingredients from the prepared food racks and grill them themselves.

After greeting the club president, Duan Xu and the other three headed in.

The farmhouse restaurant was quite large. They walked left for a long while before reaching their spot—a clearing specifically for barbecuing, with more than a dozen grills. A lattice framework had been set up overhead, with a light bulb tied to it every so often.

Along the inner side stood a long row of food racks, stocked with meat, vegetables, seafood, drinks, and alcohol—everything one could want.

They were not particularly late, so there were still empty grills. Some students had evening plans and could not make it, so of the original forty-plus people, only around thirty had come. With two or three people per grill, there was more than enough space.

"Xuxu, come on, let's get meat first!" Zhou Zhou excitedly tugged Duan Xu straight toward the meat section.

Shen Yanlang glanced at Duan Xu. After thinking it over, he still did not follow them. Instead, he went with Xiao Xu to an empty grill and pointed at the one beside his. "You guys grill your own."

Xiao Xu could not have asked for more. "Sure!"

"Perfect. Brother Yan, you can use this chance to make up with Duan Xu." Xiao Xu grinned.

Shen Yanlang gave a quiet hum. His gaze followed Duan Xu, and when he saw Duan Xu take quite a lot of meat, the corners of his lips could not help lifting.

A few minutes later, Duan Xu and Zhou Zhou each returned carrying two plates, all piled with meat skewers.

Zhou Zhou reached Xiao Xu's side first. After setting the plates down, he asked, "Do you know how to grill?"

"A little." Xiao Xu smiled sheepishly.

Seeing that, Zhou Zhou rolled up his sleeves. "Then I'll do it. I know how to grill, and it tastes amazing. You can try some later."

"Okay!" Xiao Xu smiled like an idiot.

Over here, Duan Xu could only walk over to Shen Yanlang's grill. Naturally, he also intended to seriously listen to Shen Yanlang's inner thoughts.

"Are you grilling, or am I?" Duan Xu asked first.

Shen Yanlang's eyes shifted slightly, and the corners of his mouth rose despite himself. "I'll do it. You just wait to eat."

He's finally willing to talk to me.

Duan Xu gave a guilty little cough, his gaze darting away. "I can help out."

"Okay." Shen Yanlang smiled gently, then began preparing everything.

Once the fire was going, Shen Yanlang steadily turned the skewers. Out of the corner of his eye, he kept watching Duan Xu. He wanted to say something, but he did not dare open his mouth rashly.

What can I say so Xuxu won't get mad?

Duan Xu paused while brushing on the seasoning, the tips of his ears warming slightly. A moment later, he took the initiative and said, "Brother Yan, about this afternoon..."

"I was wrong." Shen Yanlang hurried to admit fault. In his eyes, regardless of the reason, he had made Duan Xu unhappy. "But you have to tell me what I did wrong, so I won't make you angry next time."

Duan Xu's heart trembled at those words. He looked up at Shen Yanlang, whose expression was earnest and gaze gentle. Under the lights, he seemed especially focused and affectionate.

Not daring to look for long, Duan Xu quickly lowered his head. "It wasn't you. No, it was..."

He wanted to say it was his own fault, but after thinking about it, it had ultimately been because of Shen Yanlang. Yet Shen Yanlang had not actually done anything wrong. Duan Xu had simply been frightened.

What exactly did I do?

Shen Yanlang was confused. Thinking back on their interactions that afternoon, there had not been any problems. How had he upset Duan Xu this badly?

Could it be because I deliberately fell onto him?

Probably not. Xuxu isn't that petty.

Duan Xu: "..."

After calling him "Xuxu" once, Shen Yanlang was getting more and more used to it.

Oh, so that fall had been deliberate.

Sigh. Forget it. Although it had been because of Shen Yanlang, he was not at fault. It was just...

Duan Xu took a soft breath. Since Shen Yanlang had come up with a reason himself, Duan Xu would not hold back. "Because you deliberately fell onto me. I almost fell over."

Shen Yanlang froze. Under the incandescent light, his handsome face looked a little blank. "Really?"

It was really because of that?

"Mm, really." Duan Xu nodded, looking at the food on the grill. "Turn them over. Don't burn them."

Shen Yanlang came back to himself and lowered his head to turn the meat skewers, absentminded as though he still could not quite believe it.

Duan Xu could not expose the fact that he could hear Shen Yanlang's thoughts, so he could only make something up. "Sorry. Thinking about it now, I made too big a deal out of it. I hope you're not angry."

"No, I'm not angry." Shen Yanlang immediately replied.

How could I possibly be angry at you?

But... I don't believe what you just said.

Duan Xu: "..."

After a stretch of silence, Shen Yanlang handed a grilled beef skewer to Duan Xu. "Try it."

"Thanks." Duan Xu took it and had a bite. His eyes sparkled as he looked at Shen Yanlang. "It's delicious!"

Shen Yanlang's heart itched under that gaze. Smiling outwardly, he said, "Looks like my cooking skills aren't bad."

"You should eat too." There were still grilled beef skewers left, and Duan Xu felt embarrassed eating alone when he had barely helped.

Shen Yanlang smiled faintly. "Okay."

But his hands were still busy turning the skewers, so a thought occurred to him. "It's not convenient for me right now. Feed me."

Duan Xu took a bite of beef, his feelings especially complicated. In the end, considering that Shen Yanlang really was inconvenienced, he picked up a skewer and held it to his mouth.

Shen Yanlang lowered his eyes and bit into it. "Thank you."

Xuxu fed me on his own initiative. I'm happy!

Duan Xu: "???"

Hello? You were the one who asked for it. Could you not twist the facts?

Duan Xu could only complain inwardly while still feeding Shen Yanlang. Just as they finished one skewer, Xue Jingshu and Han Xi arrived.

They came over and took a look. There were still grilled skewers on the plate, so Xue Jingshu unceremoniously took two—one for himself and one for Han Xi.

"You got here pretty fast." Xue Jingshu took an elegant bite and commented, "Not bad."

Shen Yanlang said unhappily, "Grill your own if you want to eat."

I grilled those for Xuxu.

Duan Xu's heart trembled again despite himself. That suspicion of his seemed to have received further proof.

At that moment, Zhou Zhou came over carrying a plate of grilled meat skewers. "Come on, come on, everyone, try my cooking!"

The others did not stand on ceremony. Each took one, followed by a chorus of praise that made Zhou Zhou beam. "Thanks, thanks! Anyone who wants some, come get it! Don't be shy!"

After responding, Xue Jingshu went to the grill on the other side of Zhou Zhou's group, where no one was yet.

Before long, Zhou Zhou and Xiao Xu returned to their grill, while Shen Yanlang continued grilling for Duan Xu.

"Xuxu, do you think mine tastes better, or Zhou Zhou's?" Shen Yanlang asked as if he did not care.

If Xuxu thinks Zhou Zhou's tastes better, then I'll...