441. The Big-Tailed Wolf (Taking a Break, One Update)
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In May, the local temperature had already soared above thirty degrees.
Even with the central air conditioning blaring at the convention center, the bustling venue still felt like a sauna.
Young couples wandered around the convention, quickly losing interest before leaving, only to notice a throng of people who hadn’t even entered the venue. They were snapping pictures of cosplayers and chatting with fellow enthusiasts, making new friends.
“Let’s check out that Urban Village over there; I bet there’s some good food!” Lin Nan tugged at Chen Yao’s hand towards the Urban Village, “There are tons of delicious things there!”
She used to live in the Urban Village in the county, and even though those decades-old establishments were basically messy dive restaurants, they definitely beat the posh-looking eateries outside in taste.
Chen Yao looked up at the glaring sky; the sun felt particularly relentless today. Just stepping out had made him soaked with sweat.
He grimaced and asked Lin Nan, “How about we go back and enjoy the AC?”
“Why go back? It took half an hour to get here. We’ve hardly spent any time here, it would be such a waste!” Lin Nan was buzzing with energy, completely oblivious to any signs of fatigue.
It’s true; all women turn into shopping maniacs whenever there’s a chance.
Chen Yao kept thinking about how Lin Nan had been a boy for eighteen years; even if her personality had grown increasingly feminine, she shouldn’t have picked up those annoying habits girls tend to have.
But no, she went completely bonkers when it came to shopping.
Thankfully, so far, she hadn’t developed a crush on any idols, insisted on wearing makeup, or acted overly dramatic.
Shopping was like a double torture for Chen Yao; he couldn’t understand why Lin Nan could stay cooped up at home for months but shot up like a rocket when it came to shopping.
As they stepped out of the small square in front of the venue, Lin Nan glanced back at Chen Yao, who was sweating profusely, and sighed, pulling out her sunshade from her little bag: “Wow, are you really that sensitive to heat?”
“I’m okay,” Chen Yao said, a bit sheepishly as he opened the umbrella, feeling slightly embarrassed about using it on a hot day.
But luckily, with his girlfriend there to provide cover, he pretended to hold the umbrella for Lin Nan, comfortably slipping into its shadow himself.
After about ten minutes of walking, they finally arrived at the Urban Village they’d seen from the bus.
Actually, it should be called the Old City.
The buildings here were low, and the streets narrow, with crowds always bustling around.
The sidewalks were barely wide enough for three people, forcing many to spill onto the road, which caused traffic to crawl at a snail’s pace—you couldn’t afford to drive fast here.
The tree canopies shaded most of the streets, allowing Chen Yao to take a breath and put away the umbrella.
There were plenty of little shops selling snacks, and Lin Nan became intensely excited, darting from one shop to another, within minutes accumulating three different snacks in her hands.
“Look! Bamboo sh**t jelly!” She held out a small bowl with a face full of shock, “There are really little insects inside! Can you eat this?”
“That doesn’t look like insects, does it?” Chen Yao skewered a piece with a stick and popped it in his mouth, his brow furrowing as he felt a twinge of discomfort.
Though he could confirm that it was edible, the thought of bugs inside the jelly was a bit unsettling.
“The texture is similar to ice jelly, but those bugs are pretty crunchy. But in the end, the flavor is all about the seasoning; it’s not great,” Chen Yao chewed for a moment and offered his review.
Lin Nan peered curiously into the paper bowl of bamboo sh**t jelly, hesitated for a moment, but eventually grabbed a piece and popped it in her mouth.
She found it tasted pretty much the same as Chen Yao did: not great.
But it was too expensive to waste.
So she shoved the bowl into Chen Yao’s hands, “This is a good thing; it nourishes and builds stamina—you eat it!”
Chen Yao lamented that he had become Lin Nan’s personal trash can.
No wonder he had gained a bit of weight in recent months—certainly Lin Nan’s doing.
As he gobbled it down, he teased, “Why do I need to build stamina?”
Lin Nan frowned and shot back, “How vulgar! Simply unbearable!”
“But I’m just this vulgar…” Chen Yao said with mock defiance, but then lowered his voice, “How about tonight…”
Before he could finish, Lin Nan’s eyes zeroed in on another snack stall, and she was off like a rocket.
Even though the snack was right in front of him, he still couldn’t get a taste.
Chen Yao sighed dramatically, not that he was being whipped around by his lower half—it was just a perfectly normal thing for couples! Not to mention they were already engaged!
They said that married life could strengthen a relationship too.
Lin Nan returned, holding a paper bowl triumphantly, “Oyster omelet! I think they call it ‘Kē Zǎi Jiān’ back at that other place, right? I saw it in a TV drama when I was a kid!”
“Love at first bite, huh?”
“Yeah, yeah! That’s the one! I watched it when I was really little.”
Chen Yao’s lips twitched: “So you only remembered the oyster omelet, huh?”
As they chatted and walked, Chen Yao’s eyes sparkled, and he occasionally slipped in risqué jokes. Lin Nan pretended to play dumb, acting like she didn’t get it, and whenever she couldn’t dodge, she’d feign interest in some shop, darting away.
But after a few attempts, Chen Yao’s smirk just grew wider.
Compared to before, when Lin Nan would outright refuse, she seemed to be warming up to it now.
He had no idea that Lin Nan had been ready for this since their engagement a few days ago, unfortunately, he had fallen asleep right after.
Chen Yao was busy planning a romantic surprise for Lin Nan, hoping for the perfect moment…
The grin on his face grew even wider, and Lin Nan seemed to sense something amiss. She glanced up at him and felt a chill run down her spine, instinctively backing away from Chen Yao.
That smile was downright creepy!
Chen Yao didn’t have any weird fetishes, did he?
“How about we eat something nice tonight?” Chen Yao grinned like a big-tailed wolf, “And maybe sip a little wine?”
This hint was a bit too obvious.
Lin Nan might be a bit clueless, but she wasn’t stupid. Just as she was about to shake her head and refuse, she suddenly remembered she was engaged to Chen Yao now.
Plus, after a few months, her increasingly feminine mindset didn’t seem as opposed to such things as before.
She imagined the scene, her cheeks flushing, finally free from the disgust she felt at having become a girl.
If she kept dangling it in front of Chen Yao, what if one day he impulsively…!
That would indeed be quite thrilling!
Seeing Lin Nan suddenly lost in thought, Chen Yao beamed with excitement, pressing on, “Tonight, I’ll cook whatever you want! Just say the word! And we can enjoy some wine!”
Lin Nan’s eyes lit up, “Then let’s eat… steamed lamb, steamed bear paw, steamed deer tail, and roast flower duck…”
Then she paused, thinking deeply, “I forgot the rest.”
“Can you stop messing around when we’re talking about serious things?” Chen Yao slapped the top of Lin Nan’s head in exasperation, “None of that! Whatever I make, you’ll eat it!”
“You’re only happy when you knock some sense into me… and is this even serious?” Lin Nan protected her head, pouting as she moved a little further away from Chen Yao.
