Having hot pot that evening had been Qinian’s idea.
He had a perfectly good reason: in two days, they would be entering the Lighthouse Base. If something went wrong and they died inside, at least they could have one last hot-pot dinner together tonight.
Qi Sui raised a hand and rapped him on the back of the head, smiling gently. “Don’t say such ominous things.”
“I said if!”
Qinian and Jiang Ce returned from the supermarket carrying hot-pot base, tripe, freshly sliced beef, and three cases of beer.
Jiang Nuan had changed into a soft, cozy sweater. By the time she came downstairs, the dining table in the living room had already been transformed into a hot-pot battlefield.
The divided pot was bubbling away. The spicy red broth churned with chili oil on one side, while the white broth was rich and creamy on the other. Steam billowed straight into their faces.
“Coming, coming!” Qinian emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate of neatly arranged shrimp paste. The moment he saw Jiang Nuan, he lifted his chin and waved her over. “Nuannuan, sit here! I saved you a spot.”
He patted the empty seat beside his jacket, with a plate of strawberries set in front of it.
Jiang Nuan didn’t stand on ceremony. She sat down and started eating the strawberries.
Qi Sui approached from the other side carrying two dipping bowls and quietly took the empty seat on her left.
…They’d put her in the middle again.
Ye Que arrived one step too late. His gaze landed on Qi Sui, and he clicked his tongue.
He looked like he wanted to haul him straight out of the chair, but in the end, he merely walked around to the opposite side and sat down.
Jiang Ce came out with a large platter of vegetables and took the seat diagonally across from Jiang Nuan, moving the tissue box within easy reach of her hand.
Shen Wu sat at the end of the table, leaning back in his chair.
Only two people were speaking through the mental link.
[Guess where the captain will sit. Get it right and there’s a prize.]
…There was only one empty seat left.
Jiang Nuan casually lifted her chin and indicated the spot. [There.]
[I’m guessing he’ll sit next to you.]
Next to her? Qinian and Qi Sui had already taken both spots beside her. Where else could he sit?
Before Jiang Nuan could retort through the link, the sound of footsteps had already reached them.
He stopped directly to her left—the spot where Qinian’s jacket had been.
Qinian’s jacket was now floating in midair and had appeared on the sofa.
…This wasn’t the first time Jiang Nuan had seen Lu Shiyan use his spatial ability for such strange purposes.
Qinian looked at the clothes that had inexplicably ended up on the sofa, then at his expressionless captain.
He very sensibly shifted his butt off the chair and even patted the seat cushion. “Please, Captain. Have a seat.”
[I guessed right.]
[All right, you win.]
On one side, there was Qi Sui’s quiet presence and Lu Shiyan’s unquestionable sense of ownership. Across from her, Jiang Ce and Ye Que’s gazes were still fixed on her.
Her available range of movement had probably been reduced to fifteen centimeters.
…Well, being surrounded didn’t feel so bad.
“The pot’s ready,” Jiang Ce said first. He picked up a slice of tripe, swished it through the red broth seven or eight times, and placed it in the dipping bowl in front of Jiang Nuan.
“I remember you like spicy food.” He flashed her a grin.
Jiang Nuan had only just thanked him when a pair of chopsticks reached over from her left.
Lu Shiyan placed two slices of freshly cut beef into the beef-tallow broth. After waiting a few seconds, he fished them out and put them in her bowl.
“I can do it my—”
“Want some shrimp paste?” Qinian scooped up a huge lump with a spoon, as solicitous as a five-star waiter. “I shaped this one myself. It’s round! Look at it—perfect, right?”
The lump of shrimp paste was shaped roughly like an irregular meteorite.
…
Jiang Nuan’s plate had already become a small mountain.
“…Could you let me use my chopsticks myself?”
Hot pot was supposed to be cooked by the diners. That was part of the fun, and it made everything taste better!
“Just eat,” Lu Shiyan said indifferently. “You have rehearsal tomorrow.”
As they ate, they also discussed how to divide up their tasks for the Lighthouse Team’s official New Year’s Eve gala the day after tomorrow.
Toward the end of the meal, Qinian opened another can of beer and leaned back in his chair. “It’s New Year’s Eve the day after tomorrow. I heard there’ll be fireworks over Ice Lake. I have to see them!”
“Aren’t you a little old to still be watching fireworks?” Ye Que said blandly.
“Fireworks symbolize romance! Age has nothing to do with it.” Qinian winked at Jiang Nuan. “Nuannuan, don’t you agree?”
After two cans of beer, Jiang Nuan’s head was beginning to float. She winked back at Qinian. “Of course. If there’s something you want to do, don’t put it off.”
Qinian’s eyes lit up at once. “Nuannuan gets me!”
He shoved his chair back and stood up. With his long legs, he was just about to step around the corner of the table, his arms already spreading wide. It was obvious he intended to give Jiang Nuan a hug.
Then his shoulders sank.
Qi Sui’s hand landed on his shoulder and pressed him right back into his chair.
“Bro?” Qinian turned around, looking baffled. “What are you doing?”
Qi Sui only smiled, his gaze drifting toward Jiang Nuan’s left.
Lu Shiyan was staring at Qinian with an utterly expressionless face.
Qinian immediately sat up straight and took a large gulp of beer.
“I didn’t do anything just now,” he announced to the air.
“Mm.” Qi Sui patted his younger brother’s shoulder tenderly. “Good boy.”
Jiang Nuan watched the entire sequence of events unfold and silently took another sip of beer.
Lu Shiyan placed the freshly cooked slices of meat in her bowl. “Eat more. Drink less.”
By the time someone yawned, and the yawn spread around the table, it was nearly midnight. While they cleaned up the aftermath, doors closed one after another along the hallway.
Jiang Nuan looked at the mauve evening gown hanging in her bedroom, her fingers unconsciously clutching at the hem.
That was the legendary Lighthouse Base. Tomorrow, she would be going there for rehearsal—and she would be the only one allowed inside.
Her terminal buzzed. It was Lu Zhaoming.
[Jiang Nuan, you only need to arrive at the base at two tomorrow afternoon for rehearsal. Someone will be waiting for you at the main entrance.]
[Oh, and that boy of mine says it’ll be cold tomorrow. Don’t forget to put on a scarf.]
Jiang Nuan smiled at the screen. young Lu Shiyan’s scarf was still folded neatly beside her.
She replied:
[See you tomorrow. And the scarf is very warm. Thank you, little one.]
