"I'll treat you to dinner after work."
"Meat!"
"No problem!"
Zhang Fan replied, adding a smiling emoji.
...
Evening descended, nightfall blanketing the sky.
Old city district, 101 Xiangliu Street.
Old Nine Hot Pot House.
Ever since Xiong Sanqi brought Zhang Fan here once, he'd fallen in love with this barbecue place. Sure, it was a bit out of the way, but it was nice and quiet, and their meat—fifteen bucks a plate, tender and juicy—was honestly unbeatable.
"Master Jiu..."
Zhang Fan led Jiang Lai inside, lifting the curtain, and greeted the bald old man at the counter as soon as they walked in.
Xiong Sanqi said his old man used to come to this barbecue joint all the time back in the day. The boss was known as Master Jiu, so Zhang Fan naturally started calling him that, too.
"Brought a girl this time, I see."
Master Jiu's eyes narrowed slightly, sizing up Jiang Lai from head to toe, their gaze meeting for a lingering moment.
"Sit wherever you like."
