Chapter 18 - 18 17 Handmade Fried Skewers

Words : 1516 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 18: Chapter 17 Handmade Fried Skewers Chapter 18: Chapter 17 Handmade Fried Skewers The flagstone-paved pedestrian street gradually became shrouded in rain mist, as if draped in a thin veil. The drizzle danced under the warm colored lights, pattering on the umbrella, making a “rustling” sound. Zhao Yaqian stood next to him holding an umbrella, blinking her large eyes and said, “I was just thinking about calling you to ask if you brought an umbrella. I didn’t expect to see you right away.” “Thank you.” Tang Song looked at her, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his face. “Don’t mention it, let’s hurry over.” “The fried skewer shop is not far, just walk to the end of this street and turn left for 300 meters.” The bustling pedestrian street was lively and noisy, with music mingling in the air. Yet, Tang Song, sheltered under the umbrella, felt exceptionally peaceful and comfortable. The scent of fresh and sweet body fragrance mixed with the moist earthy smell was very refreshing. With a slight turn of the eye, he could see Zhao Yaqian’s delicate and three-dimensional profile. Her forehead was full, with slightly slanted bangs resting on it, a high nose bridge, and rosy, plump lips. The rainwater, blown onto her thick and long eyelashes by the wind, trembled lightly as if butterfly wings were fluttering. Tang Song’s mind seemed to drift for a moment, and he instinctively reached out and took hold of the umbrella handle. His little finger touched Zhao Yaqian’s index finger, as if electricity shot through him. Zhao Yaqian looked over in confusion. “The umbrella is quite heavy, and there’s also the wind, I’ll hold it,” he said. “Oh, okay.” Tang Song breathed a sigh of relief, as if a burden had been lifted. If it had been him from before, he never would have had the courage. ... The name of the fried skewer shop was very simple: Handmade Fried Skewers. The shop was not large, only about forty square meters, with six or seven tables. Along the wall, there was a row of refrigerated showcases with a variety of ingredients inside. “The juicy sweet potato skins here are delicious. Let’s get two, one for each of us.” “We must have the starch sausage and ‘King of Kings’, the vegetarian beef steak is also good, as well as quail eggs and lamb skewers.” “Oh right, we can’t forget the vegetables, napa cabbage, tofu skin with cilantro, potato tarts...” As soon as Zhao Yaqian walked into the shop, she seemed to enter her element, starting to pick and choose skewers enthusiastically. She exhibited the lively spirit typical of girls her age. Soon, the glass bowl in her hand was stuffed full. Zhao Yaqian said with a smile, “I haven’t been here in almost half a month, I want to eat my fill this time, Brother Song, don’t be polite, grab whatever you like.” After all, she had sold a pair of earrings worth 700 yuan to her friend. Even though Zhao Yaqian was not wealthy, she still wanted to splurge just this once. “That’s enough, we really have a lot here, we definitely can’t finish all this,” Tang Song pointed at the glass bowl. Zhao Yaqian licked her lips, “Let’s start with this, and if it’s not enough, we’ll order more!” She placed the skewers on the counter, and the somewhat balding shop owner calculated the cost with a calculator. In total, 32 skewers, 115 yuan. With Zhao Yaqian’s sweet compliments, the owner generously knocked off another 5 yuan. However, Tang Song noticed a pained expression as his beautician friend made the payment. Clearly, the 110 yuan was not an insignificant amount for her. The two found a table by the window and sat down. Zhao Yaqian studied Tang Song with wide eyes, expressing her surprise, “Brother Song, have you been dieting? You look much slimmer than you did on Sunday.” She had a vivid memory of Tang Song’s face and could distinctly feel it had become smaller. “Yeah, I’ve been dieting recently. You eat more, I need to control my diet,” he replied. Zhao Yaqian felt embarrassed and stuck out her tongue. “I should have known better than to come here.” “It’s okay, I’ll just pick the veggies.” The fried skewers were quickly served, steaming and emitting an inviting aroma. Zhao Yaqian picked up a piece of bok choy and handed it over. “Try this, the ingredients here are really fresh and the flavors are awesome, especially the sauce.” “Thanks, Qianqian.” Rain outside the window fell intermittently, occasionally bringing customers bustling in. The vivacious and curvy Zhao Yaqian attracted quite a few gazes. The two sat there, eating skewers and chatting away. Besides skincare, they also talked about life and work. In recent days, Tang Song had been chatting with her on WeChat quite a bit, so their interaction was not awkward. “First, try a gentle acid, apply a small amount behind the ear to see if there is any redness or allergic reaction within 24 hours, and then start applying it to your face... For the first few days, leave it on for no more than 5 minutes to make sure your skin...” “I live in Sky Garden, which is a bit far from here, but I can get here directly by taking bus 26.” Perhaps because she was away from the work setting, Zhao Yaqian seemed much more lively. She didn’t care much about her appearance, eating the skewers in a carefree manner, with bits of sauce on her lips and chin. ... As they walked out the door of the handmade skewer shop, the rain had lessened significantly. Zhao Yaqian shook the bag in her hand, feeling a bit ashamed. “It seems like I ate most of it, and I packed the rest. You hardly had a chance to eat.” Tang Song, holding an umbrella, laughed. “Just getting a taste is good, recently I’ve been sick of my diet meals. Chicken breast, oatmeal, eggs, boiled vegetables, I can’t even think about it.” “When I get my paycheck, I’ll treat you to a big steak dinner!” Zhao Yaqian patted his shoulder. She was trying to comfort him, but also herself. After the other two beauticians at the store had left, she had been working alone. If her boss could keep his promise and pay her all of the back pay next month, she could bring in almost twenty thousand yuan at once. That money would allow her to pay off loans, cover rent, and still have three to four thousand yuan left over. They chatted away and before they knew it, they had arrived outside the hair salon. A man just happened to come out of the salon and called out in surprise, “Yaqian!” Tang Song looked in the direction of the voice and saw a middle-aged man in his mid-thirties. He had thick eyebrows and big eyes, and his hair was slicked back to the side. He wore an apricot-colored casual jacket, straight-leg pants, and casual shoes. Zhao Yaqian’s face changed slightly and she said in a low voice, “President Li.” “Good evening.” Li Jingzhong nodded his head, his gaze shifting to the young man standing beside her. “And who is this?” “A friend of mine. Are you here for a haircut, President Li?” Li Jingzhong looked up at the sign of Yiz Beauty Salon and laughed. “Never mind, your salon probably won’t be open for much longer. I’m not going to recharge my account here anymore.” Zhao Yaqian’s heart skipped a beat and she discreetly glanced at Tang Song’s face with the corner of her eye. There was a bit of panic and fear in her eyes. She had always known that Yiz Beauty Industry was on the brink of bankruptcy. Yet, she did not inform him when Tang Song was recharging his account. This felt like deceit and betraying his trust. During their days together, she really considered him a friend and was afraid that she would be disliked because of this. Noticing that something was off with Zhao Yaqian’s expression, Tang Song asked with concern, “Are you okay?” “It’s nothing, I’m fine.” Zhao Yaqian was somewhat at a loss for words, not knowing how to start explaining. Observing their subtle interactions, Li Jingzhong raised an eyebrow. “Yaqian, I really admire you, and I don’t want to see you waste your potential as a beautician. Seriously think about the offer I gave you – don’t let your future self regret it.” “I’m sorry, President Li, but I won’t consider it.” Zhao Yaqian bowed slightly and then looked timidly at Tang Song. “Brother Song, I need to get back to work. You can use the umbrella for now; we have several more in the salon.” “Okay, goodbye.” Seeing her discomfort, Tang Song didn’t press any further. Zhao Yaqian murmured “goodbye” and quickly walked away.

Chapter 18 - 18 17 Handmade Fried Skewers

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