After the call ended, Si Qing looked at Si Nian a little awkwardly.
Si Nian broke the delicate silence first, her fingertips gently twisting the corner of her clothes, her tone apologetic: "Sorry, Jiang Cheng, I didn't know my mom would suddenly video call."
"What's there to be bothered about? I'm happy to chat with Auntie for a few minutes."
Jiang Cheng's words were like a reassurance, and the two girls' tense shoulders instantly relaxed.
...A few minutes later, the two girls chose a highly-rated Korean Barbecue Restaurant.
The restaurant was bustling, with sizzling heat rising from every grill table.
After the grill started to heat up,
a middle-aged Waitress, wearing an apron and a kind smile, brought the last dish.
It was a plate of live abalone.
Unlike how we eat in China, this kind of live barbecue is very popular in Japan and Korea.
Several abalones wiggled slightly on the porcelain plate.
Their shells were moist and shiny, clearly very clean.
"Hello, these are the abalones you ordered. They were just delivered this morning, especially fresh, and each one is thoroughly cleaned. You can put them on the grill to charcoal roast..."
After setting them down, she spoke again,
"Let me help you grill them."
Jiang Cheng's hands were currently resting on the thighs of the two girls, one on each side.
As for why this was possible,
it was all thanks to the unique design of this private room.
The decor of this barbecue restaurant completely imitated Korea.
Customers needed to sit cross-legged to enjoy the traditional dining style.
Moreover, to prevent food from splashing onto their pants, the tablecloths on the tables were extra long, perfectly covering the thigh area, creating a subtle concealment.
Seeing the Waitress say this, Jiang Cheng first withdrew the hand from Si Nian's side.
He made a gesture to stop her: "Auntie, no need, I can do it myself."
As for why he withdrew the hand from Si Nian's side and not Si Qing's,
it was naturally because on Si Nian's side, Jiang Cheng had only gone as far as touching her thigh.
But on Si Qing's side, it was more than that; his fingertips had already quietly slipped inside the edge of her skirt.
"If the heat isn't controlled well, it'd be a shame if they get overcooked. Shall I help you?"
"Do I look like someone who hasn't eaten abalone before?"
Hearing this, the older Waitress clearly understood Jiang Cheng's coded message.
Compared to the two girls, the older Waitress was obviously an 'old hand'.
In their era, foreign language teacher's discs were still openly sold on the ground.
After all, those 'office shenanigans',
and 'outdoor camping', or even 'car rocking' were all things these older men and women had already played out.
The Waitress looked at Si Qing and Si Nian, sitting to Jiang Cheng's left and right.
With an expression that seemed to say, 'What a lucky young man', she winked at Jiang Cheng.
Understanding implicitly, she replied: "How could such a handsome young man have never eaten abalone? You've probably had plenty! Alright, alright, you do it yourself! Call me if you need anything."
After speaking, the older Waitress discreetly left the private room.
As soon as she left, Jiang Cheng picked up the tongs, grabbed the live abalones, and began placing them on the charcoal grill.
Then he picked up the Olive Oil nearby.
He said to the two girls: "I'm starting to grill them now. Look how much they're moving, they're clearly a bit nervous. Come on, before they even start... let's pour some oil on them. That way, they'll move a bit more smoothly and with less resistance."
Seeing the abalone wiggling inside its shell, Si Nian just found it novel.
She immediately picked up her phone and started filming.
Compared to Si Nian's relaxed demeanor, Si Qing's actions seemed a bit flustered.
On one hand, she wanted to appear as if she was calmly enjoying the food,
while on the other, she was stimulated by the dish in front of her.
She had only seen videos of this kind of charcoal grilling online before.
At that time, Si Qing didn't really empathize with such vivid scenes.
But after that one night, Si Qing could only exclaim.
The expressiveness was just too similar.
Plus, Si Nian kept muttering about 'leaking water' and such things nearby.
This made her feel even more intensely stimulated.
Although Si Qing kept trying to hold it in,
she was, after all, still a relatively 'green' newcomer.
Ultimately, she couldn't hold back and let out a soft groan.
Although the sound was very soft, it was exceptionally clear in the quiet private room.
"Hmm..."
Si Nian heard the sound and immediately turned to look at Si Qing, a hint of confusion on her face.
"What's wrong??" Si Nian asked with concern.
Si Qing's heart tightened, fearing Si Nian would notice something amiss. She quickly covered her stomach with her hand.
At the same time, while Si Nian wasn't paying attention, she shoved Jiang Cheng's hand off her.
"My stomach hurts a bit, I'm going to the restroom," Si Qing quickly explained, her tone somewhat urgent.
After speaking, she hastily adjusted her skirt and then stood up with some difficulty.