A Spicy Meal and Lingering Doubts

Pushing open the door, they were greeted by an even richer aroma and the cool blast of the air conditioning.

This hotpot restaurant operated like a buffet, where patrons selected their own ingredients, soup bases, and dipping sauces. Each table was equipped with a small induction cooker, allowing diners to boil water right at their seats.

Beside each cooker, a small bucket was thoughtfully provided for discarded skewers and other refuse, making the overall experience quite user-friendly.

As the trio settled into their seats, a waitress approached them, her face adorned with a standard, practiced smile. She inquired gently,

“Are there three of you?”

“Yes, there are three of us.”

“Would you prefer a clear broth or mild spice?”

The waitress produced a small notepad, poised to record their preferences. No sooner had her words faded than Chen Sishi’s voice piped up.

“I’ll have the mild spice.”

Before Chen Sishi had even finished, Qin Ruoxue, seated nearby, called out without a trace of hesitation.

“I’ll take the mild spice, too!”

The waitress nodded, jotted down their orders, and then turned her gaze to Lin Ling.

“And what about you, handsome?”

“Clear broth for me, please.”

Lin Ling opted for something different from the two women, as he personally wasn’t fond of spicy food. Once the waitress had finished noting his order, he turned to address them.

“What would you two like to drink?”

“Mineral water is fine for me.”

Qin Ruoxue was the first to answer, with Chen Sishi quickly chiming in.

“Me too.”

Lin Ling furrowed his brow. For some reason, he sensed a subtle rivalry between the two women. He vaguely recalled the original novel mentioning that Qin Ruoxue disliked spicy food. Ordering a mildly spicy hotpot now, she would surely regret it later.

After a moment of contemplation, Lin Ling asked,

“Do you have milk?”

“We have peanut milk.”

Peanut milk was known to alleviate spiciness to some extent, so Lin Ling nodded, reasonably satisfied.

“Then I’ll have a bottle of peanut milk.”

Once their orders were placed, the waitress brought over three small iron pots. Each already contained its hotpot base: two mildly spicy, one clear broth.

After showing them how to turn on the cookers, the waitress moved on to attend to other guests. Lin Ling rose to ask the two women their preferred dipping sauce flavors, then headed to the sauce bar to mix three bowls. Upon his return, he noticed his own pot was already brimming with an assortment of vegetables and meats.

He glanced at them, a hint of confusion in his eyes, but neither spoke, simply meeting his gaze in silence. Lin Ling found himself with nothing to say. He handed them their sauces and returned to his seat.

The meal itself was quite enjoyable, save for the constant stream of food being placed into his pot by either Qin Ruoxue or Chen Sishi. Fearing that refusing their offerings might invite dire consequences, Lin Ling could only grit his teeth and consume it all, leaving him feeling uncomfortably full.

“Here, Lin Ling, eat this. It’s good for your health.”

With that, Qin Ruoxue added a piece of cabbage to Lin Ling’s pot. Lin Ling stared at the cabbage, utterly speechless. He had never before witnessed such aggressive serving at a hotpot meal. Not to be outdone, Chen Sishi, seeing Qin Ruoxue’s gesture, promptly added another piece of cabbage to Lin Ling’s pot.

“Hiccup. I genuinely can’t eat another bite. Please, don’t put any more food in my pot. I’ll actually throw up if I do!”

Hearing Lin Ling’s plea, the two women finally halted their efforts, turning their attention to their own simmering pots. Lin Ling let out a sigh of profound relief.

“Cough, cough, cough… *hiss*, *pant*…”

After just two bites of hotpot, Qin Ruoxue grabbed her mineral water bottle and gulped down a large mouthful.

“Isn’t this supposed to be mildly spicy? Why are my eyes practically watering?”

“Hmm? I think it’s perfectly fine. Perhaps you just can’t handle spice?”

With a triumphant flourish, Chen Sishi picked up a mouthful of vegetables and brought it to her lips, her gaze at Qin Ruoxue brimming with provocation.

“Hmph!”

Snorting coldly, Qin Ruoxue took another sip of water. But as the mineral water went down, the receding spiciness seemed to surge back, assaulting her mouth once more.

Watching Qin Ruoxue’s eyes well up with tears from the spice, Lin Ling sighed resignedly. He poured some of his unopened peanut milk into a spare cup.

“Drink some of this. It should help a bit.”

Without a second thought, Qin Ruoxue snatched the cup and downed its contents in one gulp. As the rich, fragrant drink flowed into her mouth, the uncomfortable burning sensation indeed subsided significantly.

“Tha… thank you.”

“It’s nothing. If you don’t like spicy food, there’s no need to force yourself.”

Chen Sishi observed the interaction between the two, missing nothing. Her aquamarine eyes slowly darkened, and the triumphant smirk on her lips froze.

‘Lin Ling… he’s so gentle. Why isn’t he gentle with me?’

A chill ran down Lin Ling’s spine. He instinctively looked at Chen Sishi, meeting her vacant gaze. In that fleeting moment, he felt as though he saw the shadow of the female ghost from his dreams.

“Sishi, would you like to try some? It’s quite good.”

Lin Ling offered the bottle to Chen Sishi with almost frantic speed, his hands trembling slightly.

“Eh? Fo… for me?”

The light in her eyes seemed to return somewhat, and Lin Ling nodded with unwavering conviction. How could he not be unwavering? Lin Ling dared not show even a hint of fear; if Chen Sishi were to suddenly lose control, he would truly be doomed.

Chen Sishi smiled once more, carefully poured herself a cup of peanut milk, and took small, delicate sips. Her movements were remarkably elegant, as if she were savoring a fine vintage beverage.

Seeing the sparkle gradually return to her eyes, Lin Ling exhaled a shaky breath. His heart had truly been pounding moments ago, terrified by Chen Sishi. Thankfully, her current demeanor suggested she had returned to normal.

After finishing the hotpot, Lin Ling had intended to pay the bill. However, a glance at his phone’s balance left him in a predicament. His weekly allowance was only two hundred yuan, and this single meal for the group already amounted to over a hundred.

Because Lin Ling didn’t have enough funds, Qin Ruoxue and Chen Sishi began vying to pay the bill, giving Lin Ling a considerable headache.

“How about we split the bill? Everyone pays for their own portion.”

The bickering between the two ceased, as if they were deep in thought.

“Lin Ling, why don’t I pay for your share?”

“No, Lin Ling, let me pay for your portion.”

Right, now Lin Ling’s headache intensified.

“I’ll pay for my own, thank you. Don’t worry, my allowance is more than enough for this.”

With that, Lin Ling was the first to raise his phone and scan the QR code. Qin Ruoxue said nothing, simply paying for her own portion. Chen Sishi, however, grumbled with a hint of dissatisfaction.

‘Tsk, Lin Ling’s allowance is so meager. I should secretly give him money from now on. That way, he’ll gradually become dependent on me, *hee-hee*.’

“Um… I’m still right here. Is it really appropriate to plot so loudly?”

Lin Ling’s mouth twitched. It seemed he now had to be wary of Chen Sishi trying to transfer money to him.

“Heh, I wanted you to hear it, silly.”

Chen Sishi blinked her eyes, her expression utterly adorable. Lin Ling suspected she was deliberately trying to charm him.

“Stop right there. I don’t need it, and I feel uncomfortable always taking things from others.”

“Oh, I see.”

Chen Sishi lowered her head, appearing somewhat crestfallen.

****

After settling the bill, the trio departed by various means, heading home. The journey back was uneventful, and Lin Ling safely returned to his rented apartment.

Lying on his bed, he had just unlocked his phone when a message popped up. It was from Li Yan.

[Li Yan: Bro Lin, quick, let’s play a game. I’m feeling a bit stifled.]

The message had just been sent. Lin Ling pondered it for a moment, an instinctive sense of caution rising within him.

‘I just got home, and he sends me a message right away? Something feels off.’

He searched his surroundings, but apart from the tracking device Lin Yiting had given him, Lin Ling found nothing else capable of pinpointing his location. Rubbing his temples, Lin Ling concluded that he must have spent too much time around yanderes lately, making him overly paranoid.

[Wind Chime: Wait a moment, I’ll be online soon.]

It had been a half-day at school, and Lin Ling certainly wasn’t going to waste such a precious block of time.