218: The three of them gathered together to eat, drink and have fun

Sitting in a rooftop cafe with an open view, enjoying the breeze, sipping coffee, and admiring the small scenery outside—this kind of day is quite pleasant.

"Brother Qinghe, you came to Vietnam right after graduating from university. Didn't you travel to other countries?"

Zhang Meiqi sat next to Li Qinghe, holding her coffee. Both of them gazed at the distant Saigon streetscape, exchanging smiles occasionally.

If a third person were present, they would surely remark, "The man is willing, and the woman is agreeable."

Li Qinghe was quite enjoying this ambiguous atmosphere.

Sometimes, the anticipation of a delicious meal before it's eaten is a very interesting process; from another perspective, it can even be considered a form of enjoyment.

"I originally thought Vietnam had a lot of Dragon Country People cultural heritage and was close to China, with a relatively safer environment, so my first choice was to come here."

"I didn't expect that once I came, I'd find it hard to leave," Li Qinghe said with a chuckle, shaking his head.

"Haha, Brother Qinghe, what is it about Vietnam that you like?" Zhang Meiqi playfully nudged Li Qinghe with her shoulder, her eyes sparkling with the joy of a gossip.

"One thing isn't enough! What I've come to like are many things," Li Qinghe said, a smile of unclear meaning playing on his lips.

"What are they? Tell me more," Zhang Meiqi didn't catch the hidden meaning in Li Qinghe's words and instead pressed him with keen interest.

"Then you first tell me, in your university years, did you ever meet a guy who made your heart flutter?"

Li Qinghe looked at the Dragon Country People beauty in front of him, a minority in Vietnam, and his eyes suddenly darkened.

Due to various restrictions imposed by the authorities on Dragon Country People people, the marriage prospects of young Dragon Country People people were indirectly limited.

Otherwise, with Zhang Meiqi's pretty face and tall figure, she wouldn't have gone through university in Saigon without ever having a relationship.

From Zhang Meiqi, Li Qinghe learned that it wasn't that she hadn't met anyone she liked during her university years.

But many chose to back out after hearing about Zhang Meiqi's Dragon Country People identity.

Because marrying a Dragon Country People person meant they would no longer be allowed to apply for certain key government positions.

As graduates of Saigon National University, they, like graduates of Hanoi National University, were considered the cream of the crop in Vietnam.

Whether in politics or business, they had vast opportunities for development.

Human nature is often complex and realistic.

They naturally didn't want to be constrained by the unwritten rules of Vietnamese society.

And Li Qinghe learned again from Zhang Meiqi that the unwritten rules of Vietnamese society are very realistic.

If a family has married into a Dragon Country People family or married a Dragon Country People person, even direct relatives within two or three generations are not allowed to apply for public security positions.

Because this requires a background check on all family members.

So, for a beauty like Zhang Meiqi, those she liked dared not pursue her.

And as for those who didn't mind the conditions, Zhang Meiqi might not necessarily find them appealing.

This directly led to Zhang Meiqi reaching her senior year of university without ever successfully having a relationship.

This time, she finally met a man who made her heart flutter, and his identity as a Dragon Country People person was very favorable to her.

Furthermore, Li Qinghe's height and appearance were among the best.

Zhang Meiqi, who was used to some Vietnamese men being shorter than her, could feel delicate and reliant in front of Li Qinghe.

So, in front of Li Qinghe, Zhang Meiqi shared her thoughts and life with him almost without reservation.

From Zhang Meiqi's words, Li Qinghe could feel that the living environment for Dragon Country People people in Vietnam had improved significantly in recent years.

Despite various restrictions from the authorities, the diligent Dragon Country People people continued their ancestors' businesses, and they were becoming increasingly successful.

Now, the power of the Dragon Country People Chamber of Commerce in Saigon is also growing stronger, already able to support a small number of Dragon Country People council members to voice the concerns of Dragon Country People people in Vietnam.

"Brother Qinghe, A-Qi, you're here!"

A figure flashed in the corner of his eye, and a beautiful girl in a black spaghetti strap top and white hot pants stood opposite them.

Li Mingyue

"Oh, A-Yue, you're dressed very cool today!"

Zhang Meiqi playfully teased the newly arrived Li Mingyue with a smile.

"A Xing said she can't drink now, and if it weren't for her injury, she'd be out playing too. So she told me to dress cool and play her part too."

Li Mingyue didn't mind at all and plopped down opposite Li Qinghe.

"You're even wearing A Xing's share!"

Li Qinghe smiled and signaled the waiter to bring Li Mingyue a cup of coffee.

"Brother Qinghe, are you just going to stay here until dark before going to Pham Ngu Lao Street?"

Li Mingyue looked at Li Qinghe and Zhang Meiqi with her bright, dark eyes.

"No, we'll have dinner first when it gets dark. Pham Ngu Lao Street isn't supposed to have much good food, right? A-Yue, do you know where there's good food? You lead the way, and I'll treat."

"Haha, Brother Qinghe, I know why you're so tall now; you're just a foodie!"

Li Mingyue covered her mouth, chuckling. She also liked this unconstrained way of communicating.

"Brother Qinghe eats a lot, so we need to find a place where he can get his fill," Zhang Meiqi added.

"Eating a lot gives you strength! How can I protect you if I don't eat enough? I heard there are many pickpockets on Pham Ngu Lao Street."

Li Qinghe raised his arms, striking a bodybuilder's pose.

Looking at this man full of masculine charm, and after the experience of beating up the scooter gang last night, Zhang Meiqi and Li Mingyue didn't find his words exaggerated at all.

This was a man who could bring a great sense of security.

"Brother Qinghe, I've got it! We can go eat grilled pork bamboo sticky rice. It's delicious and filling!"

Zhang Meiqi suddenly clapped her hands, her eyes lighting up as she suggested the dish.

"That's right, grilled pork sticky rice perfectly fits Brother Qinghe's requirements!" Li Mingyue also nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Zhang Meiqi's suggestion.

Now that they had decided on a place to eat, the three of them no longer lingered at the rooftop cafe.

Li Mingyue quickly drank her coffee.

Li Qinghe also gulped down the coffee in his cup.

Because the grilled pork bamboo sticky rice shop was located at the junction of District 1 and District 3.

It would take them about 10 minutes to get there by motorbike.

Each person on a motorbike, with only Li Mingxing missing. Zhang Meiqi and Li Mingyue rode their motorbikes, still laughing and saying that Li Mingxing must be bored at home.

Led by Zhang Meiqi and Li Mingyue, the three motorbikes arrived at the edge of District 1, not too far from Pham Ngu Lao Street.

The shop Zhang Meiqi and her friends recommended was a street-side establishment, perfectly situated at the corner of a crossroads.

This two-story shop had a lot of customers, many of whom were sitting around the small, uniquely Vietnamese tables, waiting for their food.

Li Qinghe looked at the bamboo rice on the table. The emerald green bamboo tubes, tied with banana leaves, were filled with brown sticky rice and tender red pork, looking very enticing.

Bamboo Sticky Rice

One bamboo rice cost 30,000 vietnamese dong. Li Qinghe looked at the size of each bamboo tube and ordered ten.

"Brother Qinghe, sticky rice is hard to digest. Order a few less," Zhang Meiqi tugged at Li Qinghe's clothes.

"It's fine. After we eat, we'll take a walk, and it'll digest in a bit."

Li Qinghe was very confident in his digestive abilities; he had never overeaten before. Now that he had money, he could eat and drink whatever he wanted, without needing to restrict this or that.

Like other Vietnamese people, the three of them squatted down at a small table in the restaurant, quietly waiting for their bamboo rice to arrive.