18: Chapter 18 The Price of Barbecue

Chen Ye watched her, her whole body stiff with tension and her eyes full of wariness, and he chuckled inwardly.

On the surface, however, he feigned seriousness and spoke slowly: "Aren't you a teacher? Teachers should all have some talents, right? Show me one, and consider it an exchange for food."

Shen Jiaojiao was completely stunned, her almond eyes wide open, her face full of disbelief.

She had anticipated all sorts of unsavory demands, but she never expected that it would just be showing a talent?

In an instant, relief and relaxation surged over her like a tide; it turned out he wasn't a villain who would take advantage of her situation.

But immediately, a sense of embarrassment followed.

Making her dance or sing in front of a man felt like performing on the streets, awkward and humiliating.

Just as she hesitated, Chen Ye picked up a lamb skewer that was charred, fragrant, and sizzling with oil, and handed it to her.

His voice carried a hint of subtle temptation: "This is an advance payment, just for you to eat. There's more after you finish."

The golden meat skewer glistened with oil, the rich aroma of meat drilling straight into her nostrils, and her hunger instantly swallowed all her hesitation.

Shen Jiaojiao could no longer resist; she reached out with slender, fair fingers and gently took the skewer.

Her fingertips accidentally brushed against Chen Ye's palm, and the warm sensation made her whole body tremble, causing her to pull her hand back as if electrocuted.

She lowered her head and took small bites, her stomach, starved for a whole day, finding comfort, and a sense of happiness instantly flooded her heart.

In just a few seconds, she had finished the meat skewer entirely.

She subconsciously licked the corner of her lips, her eyes full of lingering desire for more.

Chen Ye took in her little actions, a wave of satisfaction at his successful scheme surging within, though he remained impassive on the surface.

He teased her deliberately: "Have you decided? Singing, dancing, or if that doesn't work, breaking a stone on your chest would also suffice."

Shen Jiaojiao was almost amused to the point of laughter by his nonsensical, cliché joke.

The tension and wariness in her eyes instantly dissipated by more than half, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed.

She rolled her eyes at Chen Ye, gave a coquettish stomp of her foot, her fair, delicate ankles showing a slender line: "Your joke is too old-fashioned; I wouldn't know how to do that."

After hesitating for a moment, she spoke softly, with a hint of shyness: "I'll dance a piece for you, just a short one."

[Ding! Shen Jiaojiao's attitude has changed drastically!]

[Trust Level +10 → Current 33]

[Obedience Level +15 → Current 22]

[Symbiosis Value +25 → Current 55]

[Host passive attribute updated: Basic Speed +25 → Current 55]

A series of system notification sounds exploded in his mind, and Chen Ye curled his lips upward, in a great mood.

He raised an eyebrow: "What style?"

"National style, I suppose." Shen Jiaojiao answered softly, her cheeks still flushed with a faint red.

Chen Ye took out his phone and casually clicked on a piece of soft, traditional Chinese instrumental music. The melodious and winding melody instantly flowed slowly through the room.

He sat back on his small stool, picked up his skewers, and ate slowly, while his gaze fell inadvertently on Shen Jiaojiao, carrying a faint sense of anticipation.

Shen Jiaojiao stood in the center of the living room, her hands nervously clenched together, her slender shoulders slightly tense.

With the melodious national-style tune encircling her ears, she took a deep breath and gently closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the shyness in her eyes had faded a little.

She slightly raised her arms, her slender waist swaying gently, her skirt hem rising with her movements, her fair, long legs appearing and disappearing beneath the skirt.

Accompanied by the melody, she began to dance slowly...

Every movement exuded the gentle, graceful charm unique to a female teacher.

Her slender waist twisted gently; her off-white knit sweater tightly wrapped around her full curves, rising and falling slightly with her dance steps.

The light gray hip-hugging skirt lifted, her skin appearing and disappearing beneath the thin silk.

Her long, hanging hair swayed with her movements, and the pale red scar on her neck added a touch of broken, seductive allure. When she raised her hands, her fingertips curled lightly; when she turned, she radiated charm.

It was clearly a cramped, improvised dance, yet it was so beautiful it made one's heart tremble slightly.

In the enclosed space, a lone man and woman faced each other, and an ambiguous awkwardness spread quietly.

Shen Jiaojiao's cheeks were flushed with a faint red, her gaze never daring to meet Chen Ye's directly, only dancing lightly while staring at the floor.

Chen Ye leaned against the small stool, his fingertips tapping on his knees, seemingly enjoying the view comfortably, but he was crystal clear in his mind.

What he wanted was never just a dance, but to gradually manipulate her thoughts and firmly grasp the Symbiosis Value in his hands.

After just over a minute, Shen Jiaojiao stopped her dance steps.

Her hands were nervously clenched in front of her, her chest heaving slightly, her breath coming in short gasps.

Her long eyelashes trembled, and she looked as uneasy as a child who had done something wrong, waiting quietly for Chen Ye to speak.

Chen Ye, still wanting more, raised his hand to turn off the music, his gaze lingering on her flushed cheeks and heaving chest.

Immediately, he picked up 5 skewers of charred, oily meat and 1 chicken wing with crispy skin from the grill, and handed them directly to her.

Shen Jiaojiao was slightly taken aback, her clear almond eyes wide open, her eyes full of surprise, and that look straightforwardly wrote: Just this little bit?

Chen Ye completely ignored her grievance and confusion, his tone flat and waveless: "Take it, you can only eat it now, you are not allowed to take it back."

Shen Jiaojiao clenched the corner of her shirt and spoke in a soft, thin voice, with a bit of confusion: "Why can't I take it back? I... I want to save some to eat later."

"If you don't want to eat, put it down. Don't ask so many questions." Chen Ye raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying an indisputable coldness, without even half a margin for negotiation.

Shen Jiaojiao bit her pale lower lip, her stomach, starved for a whole day, still crazily clamoring.

Looking at the alluring barbecue in front of her, she ultimately couldn't resist the temptation.

She gently took it with her slender fingers.

She nibbled on the skewers in small bites, chewing slowly and swallowing carefully; even though she was famished, she still maintained a gentle elegance.

The crispiness of the chicken wing and the savory aroma of the meat skewers melted in her mouth.

She accidentally got a bit of golden oil on the corner of her mouth, which instead added a touch of charming, naive allure, making it hard for anyone to look away.

Chen Ye sat with his legs crossed, his elbows resting on his knees, his gaze falling quietly on her.

He took in the sight of her eating.

He chuckled inwardly; this delicate and soft appearance was even more alluring than her dancing.

Soon, the chicken wings and meat skewers were finished completely.

Shen Jiaojiao raised her slender, fair fingers and gently wiped the oil stain from the corner of her mouth, her fingertips brushing across her lips in a movement that was soft and alluring.

She looked up at Chen Ye, her eyes full of anticipation: "Then... can you give me some food I can take back now?"

Chen Ye nodded indifferently: "Yes."

As he spoke, he reached into the cardboard box next to him, took out two packs of ordinary braised beef instant noodles, and handed them to Shen Jiaojiao.

Shen Jiaojiao held the two packs of instant noodles, her whole body frozen in place, the surprise in her eyes instantly turning into thick unwillingness and grievance.

She had lowered her status and danced a dance in unease, only to get two packs of instant noodles in the end?

The sense of disparity in her heart surged up instantly, her mouth pouted slightly, and her eye sockets turned a bit red.