Siheyuan: The romantic and suave Xu Damao

"I'm not picky about food, so I'll just go to any restaurant and eat as long as I can fill my stomach. It would be even better if there were some delicious food."

"Hey, I'm talking to you seriously, don't talk nonsense."

Lou Xiao'e sat on the back of the bicycle, clenched her fists, and gently punched Xu Damao on the back.

"Oh, a gentleman uses words, not fists, why did you hit me? I eat so much, I'm afraid you won't have enough money to pay the bill, that would be so embarrassing!" Xu Damao shouted in shock.

"Don't worry, I brought a lot of money today, and I guarantee you'll have enough to eat!" Lou Xiao'e patted her bulging chest confidently.

"Then I want to eat barbecue. How about we go find some barbecue? By the way, Xiao'e, how much money did you bring?"

"Why are you asking this? Isn't it enough for you to eat? Why are you asking me how much money I brought?"

Lou Xiao'e looked at Xu Damao with some vigilance, as if she was afraid that he would cheat her of her money.

"Well, I don't want your money. Just give me the money. I'll pay the bill and the change will be yours. How about that?"

"Okay, I'll give it to you. I only have these ten dollars, which is enough for the two of us to eat."

Lou Xiaoe took out a big unity banknote from her pocket and handed it over.

"Ten dollars is enough. I'll just eat less..."

"Humph! How shameless! You talk as if you can eat a lot."

"Hey, Xiao'e, I'll keep your ten dollars."

"What do you mean? You cheated me out of money? Give me back my ten dollars!"

Lou Xiao'e reached into Xu Damao's pocket, trying to snatch back her ten dollars.

"Oh my, stop moving around, it's itchy! I'm still riding my bike, if you keep moving like this, I'm going to fall flat on my face!"

"Stop talking nonsense! You actually cheated me out of my money, give it back to me now!"

Although Lou Xiao'e continued to insist, she restrained her movements for safety reasons.

"When did I cheat you of your money? You were the one who said you would treat me to a meal first. This is the lunch money for the two of us, right?"

"Yeah, this is our meal money, and you said you wanted to keep it for yourself, this is just a scam!"

"Hehe, as long as we can fill our stomachs, that's all."

"No, I gave you ten dollars, not for you to buy some food to get rid of me. After all, I just said I wanted to eat barbecue, I want to eat barbecue!"

"Haha! Let's grill it, I've already prepared it! It's in the basket, open it and take a look!"

"Humph! It seems you have planned this!"

As Lou Xiao'e spoke, she first opened the oilcloth on the back side of the basket and saw the ingredients inside at a glance.

"What's there? Soda, melon seeds, and even corn..."

"What's up? Xiao'e, have you never eaten roasted corn? Did you see the two paper packages inside? One package contains mutton cut into small pieces, the other contains pork belly slices, and there are two large chicken legs!"

"I haven't eaten it! Why would it cost ten dollars for such a small amount of food?"

"And then there's my labor cost! I baked these myself, so even if these cost two dollars, the labor cost would be eight dollars!"

"Is it so expensive? Are your hands made of gold or silver? Why does it cost so much for a job?"

"I don't care. I charge a lot for my work. You can ask me to work for free, unless..."

"Unless what?"

"I definitely won't charge you for cooking for my wife, unless you become my wife!" Xu Damao said this while riding his bike without even turning his head.

"Humph! Who wants to be your daughter-in-law? You wish!"

Lou Xiao'e shouted coquettishly, but a blush appeared on her face involuntarily.

"It's okay if you don't want to be my wife, but you have to pay eight dollars for the labor fee. But I don't think it's worth it. Look, our meal only costs two dollars, but the labor fee is the equivalent of four meals. Do the math..."

"Then...then I will be your daughter-in-law reluctantly!"

Lou Xiao'e's voice became lower and lower, as soft as a mosquito or fly, and trembled slightly.

"Hahaha! Smart choice!"

Xu Damao laughed triumphantly.

"What are you laughing at? I'm doing this to prevent you from cheating me out of so much money! Give me back the remaining eight dollars!"

Lou Xiao'e pouted her lips and said angrily, feeling very embarrassed. She clenched her fists and punched Xu Damao's back a few times!

"Oh, I surrender! I'll give you the remaining eight dollars now."

"Hmph, you know what's going on!"

……

"The view ahead is nice, there's a grove of trees by the river, why don't we go there for a barbecue?"

"Is it by the river? Great, let's choose that place."

Xu Damao stopped the car, carefully helped Lou Xiaoe out, and then pushed the car with a creaking sound to the grass by the river.

This place is sparsely populated. Looking from a distance, one can only vaguely see two lonely fishermen by the river.

"I'll go pick up some firewood." Before Lou Xiao'e could finish her words, Xu Damao grabbed her tightly.

"Don't bother. I've prepared everything. We have everything here. Let's get the food out first."

Xu Damao and Lou Xiao'e took out the things in the basket one by one.

"This is charcoal, this is firewood, and you even brought a slate."

Lou Xiao'e took out a thin black slate from the basket, her face full of surprise.

"Do you know what this slate is good for?"

"I don't know. Is it used to light a fire on it?"

"Forget it, you will know it later."

Xu Damao gave her a look that was slightly disdainful, as if to say that Lou Xiao'e's IQ was worrying, and then he went about his own business, leaving Lou Xiao'e so angry that she stomped her feet.

There were some stones of various sizes scattered along the river. Xu Damao carefully selected a few and placed them around the river like a circle of guards.

Then a fire was started in the circle.

He held a knife in his hand and took down a few small branches from the nearby trees like an agile hunter.

With deft movements he removed the bark, sharpened one end, then deftly strung two corn cobs together like an artist creating something, stuck them in the ground next to the fire, and began roasting them.

The chicken legs were cooked in the same way. Then, Xu Damao took the thin black slate to the river to clean it, and then gently placed it above the charcoal fire.

“Have you ever tried teppanyaki?”

There was excitement in Xu Damao's eyes.

"No."

"Then let me let you experience this unique delicacy today."

There was a hint of pride in Xu Damao's voice.

As he spoke, he placed the mutton chunks and pork belly slices on the black stone slab, as if he were performing a grand ceremony.

"This is not teppanyaki, this is slate..."