24: Stay here and sleep.

The charcoal crackled on the grill, its fiery glow reflecting on Jiang Yuan's focused profile. With practiced hands, he flipped various skewers—golden chicken wings, fragrant lamb skewers, and sizzling beef cubes—quickly filling a platter. The enticing aroma drew everyone's gaze, making them peek over frequently.

"Alright, the first wave of the feast is ready! Everyone, have a taste first!"

Jiang Yuan carried two large plates of grilled skewers to the dining table, smiling at everyone.

A fine sheen of sweat dotted his forehead, but it did not diminish the calm charm radiating from him.

"Brother Jiang is mighty! This speed, this presentation, truly professional!"

Zhao Xin was the first to applaud. He picked up a lamb skewer, took a large bite impatiently, and a look of satisfaction spread across his face.

Song Qinghan and Shen Lingke also quickly grabbed a skewer each, tasting it in small bites, then nodded repeatedly, their eyes full of admiration.

Zhang Xueya, however, was more direct. She held a skewer in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other, clinking glasses with Zhao Xin heartily.

"I'll hand it over to Li Yu now; I'm going to rest for a bit."

Jiang Yuan patted Li Yu's shoulder. Although Li Yu wasn't as skilled as Jiang Yuan, he was happy to take over, starting to grill the remaining ingredients and reheating some of the skewers that had cooled down slightly.

Jiang Yuan then naturally sat beside Liu Zhuoyun, picking up a bottle of chilled juice and handing it to her.

"Try this; you probably don't drink alcohol, right?"

His voice was gentle, carrying a hint of imperceptible concern.

Liu Zhuoyun took the juice, her fingertips accidentally brushing against Jiang Yuan's slightly cool fingers. She recoiled as if shocked, and a faint blush appeared on her fair cheeks.

She quietly said "Thank you" and then lowered her head to open the juice, hiding her shyness.

Song Qinghan and Shen Lingke saw all of this and exchanged a glance.

They sensitively noticed that Jiang Yuan's attitude towards Liu Zhuoyun seemed to carry a special tenderness and thoughtfulness that he didn't show to them.

It wasn't just the politeness one shows to ordinary friends, but rather a mix of admiration and protectiveness.

"Oh, Zhao Xin, what kind of card skills do you have? Why do you always play such cards!"

On the other side of the table, Zhang Xueya's complaint interrupted Song Qinghan's thoughts. It turned out they had already started playing a simple poker game.

"All's fair in love and war! Are you a sore loser, Zhang Xueya?"

Zhao Xin grinned, his face full of smugness.

He held a few cards in his hand, his eyes cunning, clearly having won a round.

Zhang Xueya refused to be outdone, grabbing a handful of peanuts and throwing them at Zhao Xin. The two went back and forth, playfully bickering, which made Li Yu laugh heartily from the side.

These two seemed to be a natural pair of joyful rivals; their banter hadn't stopped since they met, yet their words also carried the unique closeness and warmth of people from the Northeast.

Their playful antics, far from ruining the atmosphere, added a lively and bustling touch to the entire party.

Jiang Yuan watched Liu Zhuoyun quietly drinking her juice, occasionally glancing up at Li Yu grilling skewers, or smiling slightly, amused by Zhao Xin and Zhang Xueya's antics.

She didn't compete or contend; she simply enjoyed the liveliness. This, in turn, attracted Jiang Yuan's gaze even more.

He found that Liu Zhuoyun wasn't like those lively and outgoing Girls who would actively start conversations, but she possessed a unique charm that made one want to understand her and get closer to her.

Her quietness was like an ink wash painting, requiring careful appreciation to grasp its true essence.

"Do you usually like to drink juice?"

Jiang Yuan's voice was soft, perfectly breaking the silence beside Liu Zhuoyun without making her feel startled.

Liu Zhuoyun looked up, a hint of surprise in her clear eyes, and she nodded gently.

"Mm, yes, I don't really like the taste of alcohol."

Her answer was brief, but her tone was gentle, not at all cold despite her social anxiety.

"That's good then; drinking less alcohol is also good for your health."

Jiang Yuan said with a smile, his tone naturally revealing a hint of concern.

He felt that communicating with Liu Zhuoyun required more patience and meticulousness, but the process itself also brought him joy.

He even began to imagine what it would be like if she could completely relax in front of him. He looked forward to seeing more of her different facets.

Song Qinghan and Shen Lingke watched Jiang Yuan and Liu Zhuoyun conversing in low voices, and their vague realization became even clearer.

Jiang Yuan's inadvertently revealed tenderness was almost entirely poured onto Liu Zhuoyun.

As observers, they both clearly felt this faint yet genuine affection.

"Brother Jiang seems to really like Liu Zhuoyun."

Song Qinghan leaned close to Shen Lingke's ear and whispered, a hint of envy in her eyes, but more of understanding and blessing.

Shen Lingke nodded softly, a similar complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

She had harbored a tiny crush on Jiang Yuan before; after all, Jiang Yuan was handsome, wealthy, gentle, and considerate—practically the perfect boyfriend in any girl's heart.

But seeing his special treatment of Liu Zhuoyun at this moment, a genuine blessing arose in her heart instead.

"Mm, Liu Zhuoyun is also very good, gentle and pretty."

Shen Lingke responded softly, with a touch of sincerity in her voice.

She hoped that if Jiang Yuan could really be with Liu Zhuoyun, they would definitely be a very well-matched couple.

The barbecue party gradually warmed up amidst laughter and cheer.

Alcohol permeated the air, and charcoal fires flickered in the night.

As the night deepened, the barbecue grill in the villa courtyard gradually extinguished its flames, leaving only lingering warmth.

After several rounds of drinks, everyone's plates were messy, and they had eaten and drunk their fill. It was time to end this joyful night and rest.

The group had quite a bit to drink—beer, fruit wine, red wine, various types of alcohol mixed together.

Zhao Xin, the Big Man from the Northeast, was now completely overwhelmed by the flood of alcohol, sprawled on the table, fast asleep, thoroughly "defeated."

Shen Lingke and Song Qinghan, having a moderate tolerance for alcohol and drinking relatively less, only appeared flushed and sweetly tipsy, but not completely passed out; they could barely maintain consciousness.

Liu Zhuoyun, having not drunk any alcohol, was naturally sober and unaffected, maintaining her quiet and pure demeanor.

However, among all the sober people, if one were to count the most formidable drinker, besides Jiang Yuan with his special physique, it would undoubtedly be Zhang Xueya.

Her alcohol tolerance tonight was no less than Zhao Xin's, perhaps even a bit more.

After all, in the poker game, she lost two out of three rounds, and had to drink a penalty for each loss.

Yet, despite such a " 慘烈" (tragic/fierce) record, this forthright Girl from the Northeast only had a faint blush on her face. After a few trips to the restroom, she seemed perfectly fine, still very sober, and even able to chat and laugh.

This surprised Jiang Yuan, who was observing her from the side.

His own alcohol tolerance had become extraordinary after system enhancement, but seeing Zhang Xueya so unaffected, he couldn't help but ponder: This girl's alcohol tolerance was much more impressive than any he had seen among ordinary people before.

"It's getting a bit late now. There are two empty bedrooms upstairs. You can stay here; there's no need to go through the trouble of leaving, or I can book another villa for you too."

Jiang Yuan turned to Liu Zhuoyun and said, his tone still gentle and concerned.