141: Call me when you're done showering~

"I'm going to the front desk to get a room~"

Once she had finished feeding him, Zhao Yuling stood up to stretch and headed out of the room.

Gao Xiaofan scratched his head, his mouth opening as if to speak, but he said nothing.

What was going on? Facing Zhao Yuling, he couldn't bring himself to say any of the smooth talk he used to spout so easily. He could only watch her back as she disappeared through the doorway.

A moment later, Zhao Yuling pushed the door open and came back in. Seeing Gao Xiaofan's dejected look, she covered her mouth and giggled.

"Brother Xiaofan, what should we have for dinner?"

"What do you want to eat?"

"I don't want to go out~ Let's order takeout, okay?"

Gao Xiaofan nodded. He checked the time; it was still early, only five in the afternoon.

"Then I'll go take a shower, Brother Xiaofan. My room is right next door. Call me when you're ready~"

After saying that, Zhao Yuling skipped out of the room again, leaving Gao Xiaofan sitting alone at the table.

"Sigh, women... they really don't know how to save money. There's an extra bed right here..."

Half an hour later, Gao Xiaofan checked his phone and walked out. Looking at the tracking on his phone, the takeout was likely to arrive soon.

He gently knocked on the door next door.

"Little Yu~ Are you done showering?"

There was no response from inside for a while.

Could she still be in the shower?

Gao Xiaofan couldn't help but let his imagination run wild; he even seemed to hear the sound of rushing water from the bathroom.

He waited a moment before knocking again.

"Little Yu~"

"Coming, coming~"

Zhao Yuling's voice finally came from inside.

She opened the door wearing a loose T-shirt and black shorts. Her long black hair was wet and draped over her shoulders, and a few drops of water still clung to her fair, delicate face. She looked as fresh and elegant as a lotus flower emerging from the water.

Gao Xiaofan was a bit dazed by the sight.

No-makeup look is truly the GOAT!!

"Brother Xiaofan? What's wrong? Is the takeout here?"

Hearing Zhao Yuling's bell-like voice, Gao Xiaofan snapped back to his senses.

"Ah, I saw the food was almost here, so I came to get you. It's takeout, after all; it won't taste good if it gets cold."

After Zhao Yuling dried her hair a bit, the two of them headed to Gao Xiaofan's room. The food arrived just then. Zhao Yuling took it and brought it to the table, saying as she unpacked it:

"You ordered too much! It's a waste if we can't finish it!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah~"

Gao Xiaofan hummed perfunctorily while sitting on the bed, his eyes fixed on Zhao Yuling's back. Her snow-white legs were exceptionally alluring under the light.

"Okay, Brother Xiaofan, come and eat~"

Zhao Yuling's words startled Gao Xiaofan. He quickly looked up, only to find her looking at him with a flushed face.

He scratched his head awkwardly and sat down on a chair. Several dishes were laid out on the table, their lids already removed.

Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs, Stir-fried Cured Meat with Red Vegetable Stalks, Dragon and Phoenix Pairing, and Huangpi Sanhe.

"Eat more. Look how thin you are~"

Gao Xiaofan said as he placed some ribs into Zhao Yuling's bowl.

"I didn't know what to order. I figured girls like sweet things, so I got the Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs~"

"Brother Xiaofan, you ordered too much. It's a waste!"

"It's fine, I can finish it all~"

The two chatted as they ate.

"Brother Xiaofan, I like this dish. What's it called?"

Zhao Yuling popped a fish ball into her small mouth and asked curiously.

"Hmm, let me see~" Gao Xiaofan leaned in to check the receipt.

"It should be Huangpi Sanhe, a traditional delicacy from Jiangcheng. I ordered it after seeing it in a guide. It's made by braising fish balls, meatballs, and meat cake together."

After explaining, Gao Xiaofan picked up a piece of eel with his chopsticks and ate it.

"I think this Dragon and Phoenix Pairing is pretty good. It's eel and chicken cooked together. I prefer stronger flavors~"

After eating for a while, Zhao Yuling rubbed her stomach with a satisfied expression.

"I can't eat anymore, Brother Xiaofan. I'm so full~"

Gao Xiaofan looked at the dishes, bewildered. They had barely been touched.

"Brother Xiaofan, do you and Brother Gu usually eat this much?"

"Ah, more or less~"

Gao Xiaofan said awkwardly. Usually, they just ate whatever was available. Who would bother looking up guides? If it tasted good, it was luck; if not, they just considered it trying something new.

"How about we go visit Brother Gu's house tomorrow?"

"Uh, wouldn't that be inconvenient?"

Gao Xiaofan scratched his head.

"Why would it be inconvenient? He'll definitely be happy to see you~"

"Besides, Brother Gu has been taking care of you this whole trip, and there's still a long way to go. Since you're already in Jiangcheng, you should go pay him a visit."

Hearing Zhao Yuling's reasoning, Gao Xiaofan nodded.

"Alright then, let's go early tomorrow. It's not good to visit people too late."

"Mm-hmm, whatever you say~"

Gao Xiaofan continued eating. There were so many dishes; it would be such a waste to leave them.

It took him a good while to finish most of it. Just as he was about to keep going, Zhao Yuling came over and started clearing the containers.

"Alright, don't eat if you can't finish it~ You'll hurt your stomach if you overeat."

Gao Xiaofan breathed a sigh of relief, tossed the disposable chopsticks into the bag, leaned back in his chair, and lit a cigarette.

He really couldn't eat another bite. He had indeed ordered too much. If Qiu Gu were here, he would have devoured everything by now.

After tidying up, Zhao Yuling looked at Gao Xiaofan smoking in the chair and said shyly:

"Brother Xiaofan, go take a shower. Call me when you're done~"

After saying that, she jogged back to her own room.

Seeing Zhao Yuling's look and hearing her tone, Gao Xiaofan became excited. He flicked his cigarette butt away, rushed into the bathroom, and hummed a little tune while dancing wildly under the showerhead.

This is so exciting~

He squeezed out some body wash, lathered himself up, and scrubbed vigorously.

After washing up, Gao Xiaofan walked out of the bathroom shirtless and wearing only shorts. He left the door slightly ajar, flopped onto the bed, and picked up his phone.

"Little Yu, I'm done~"

A moment later, Zhao Yuling knocked and entered.

"Wow~ Brother Xiaofan, you smell so good~"

Gao Xiaofan buried himself under the covers, leaving only his head exposed. He nodded shyly, waiting for Zhao Yuling to join him.

But there was no movement for a long time.

The two stared at each other in silence for a while before Zhao Yuling spoke.

"Brother Xiaofan, where's the medicine?"

"Ah? What medicine?"

Gao Xiaofan's face was full of question marks.

Surely not... He was a healthy Young man, as fierce as a dragon. Why would he need medicine?

"That ancestral secret recipe of yours, the medicine for your arm. How can I help you apply it if you don't give it to me?"

Zhao Yuling looked confused.

Hearing this, Gao Xiaofan went numb.

After all that, the reason she wanted him to call her after his shower was to apply medicine...

Wuwuwu... Where was he supposed to get some ancestral secret recipe for her to apply?

He pulled the blanket over his head and said in a despondent tone:

"I'll... I'll apply it myself."

"Oh~ Then get some rest. See you tomorrow, Brother Xiaofan~"