I've taken note of this grudge.

The other skewers and vegetables Liu Yuan had ordered were brought out one after another, and soon the small square table was piled high with plates of various dishes.

Steaming hot.

The aroma of cumin, chili, charred meat fat, and the briny freshness of seafood intertwined, tantalizing the appetite.

Both of them were genuinely hungry, especially Su Qi, who had expended quite a bit of energy.

Liu Yuan looked at the mountain of food before her, then glanced at Su Qi, unable to hold back her words: "Brother, did we… order a bit too much?"

This amount could probably feed two more grown men and still leave leftovers.

Su Qi had already unceremoniously picked up a garlic-grilled oyster, deftly using his chopsticks to separate the plump meat from its shell before popping it into his mouth in one go.

The oyster was tender and juicy, the fragrance of garlic perfectly melding with its natural sweetness, its rich juices bursting in his mouth.

"Not bad," Su Qi mumbled vaguely, not pausing as he polished off another one.

His eating wasn’t crude, but it was incredibly fast, as if these oysters were some divine delicacy that would be a sin to leave uneaten for even a moment.

Seeing him enjoy the food so much, Liu Yuan picked up a skewer of grilled chicken wings and took small, delicate bites.

The skin was crispy and fragrant, while the meat inside remained tender and succulent.

"Even if you’re hungry, Brother, you shouldn’t eat like this, right?" Liu Yuan muttered, watching as the pile of oyster shells in front of Su Qi grew at a visible rate.

Su Qi swallowed the food in his mouth, took a gulp of the complimentary sour plum tea from the shop, the cool, sweet-and-sour liquid soothing his throat perfectly.

Then he let out an "Mhm," as if acknowledging her words, but his hands showed no signs of slowing down.

The oysters at this shop truly lived up to their reputation—uniform in size, fresh in texture, and impeccably cleaned.

Liu Yuan watched the rapidly accumulating mountain of shells in front of Su Qi, her initial astonishment gradually giving way to numb resignation.

She had eaten quite a few skewers and vegetables herself, her appetite stirred by Su Qi’s enthusiasm, but compared to his whirlwind pace, her efforts were mere child’s play.

Forty oysters—one after another, under Liu Yuan’s somewhat dazed gaze—disappeared into Su Qi’s stomach.

When the last oyster was devoured, Su Qi set down his chopsticks and exhaled in satisfaction.

Liu Yuan stared at him, taking a moment to find her voice again: "Brother… are you… okay?"

Forty! That was forty! Most people would be stuffed after just ten or so.

Su Qi patted his stomach, feeling the persistent emptiness finally mostly filled: "I’m fine. Feels great."

Liu Yuan looked at the remaining skewers on the table, which were still considerable in number.

After eating a bit more, both of them felt they’d had enough.

Su Qi waved over a server to settle the bill.

The server, a young man, glanced back and forth between Su Qi and the towering pile of oyster shells several times while clearing the plates, his expression somewhat peculiar.

After settling the bill, the young man couldn’t help muttering to his colleague in a low voice: "Dude, did you see that? That handsome guy polished off ten plates of oysters by himself! Tonight… he’s probably gonna be unstoppable!"

"Too bad he’s so young and already needs oysters to keep up appearances."

His voice wasn’t loud, but Su Qi’s sharp ears caught every word.

His colleague rolled his eyes: "Did you even see how pretty his girlfriend is? With a girlfriend like yours, no wonder your ‘little brother’ goes limp at the first sign of trouble—no supplements needed."

Su Qi remained expressionless, as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

Liu Yuan, however, felt her cheeks warm slightly, shooting Su Qi a reproachful glare that seemed to say, "This is all your fault."

Su Qi paid it no mind, taking Liu Yuan’s hand as he stood up: "Let’s go, take a walk."

Stepping out of the barbecue joint, a faint breeze cut through the slightly stifling midday heat, carrying a hint of coolness.

It dispersed the lingering scent of oil and smoke on their clothes, as well as the faint discomfort on Liu Yuan’s face.

Su Qi held Liu Yuan’s soft hand as they walked side by side along the sidewalk.

Warm golden sunlight spilled across the pavement, and the shops along the street were dotted with a handful of pedestrians, the usual bustle replaced by a more leisurely atmosphere.

Liu Yuan tilted her head to look at him, the wind at the street corner tousling a few strands of her hair.

They had no particular destination in mind, simply strolling aimlessly down the street.

Occasionally, young people on shared bikes whizzed past, leaving a gust of wind in their wake.

Passing by a flower shop, they saw an array of blooms displayed at the entrance, their delicate fragrance drifting through the air.

Liu Yuan paused, her gaze lingering for a few extra seconds.

Su Qi followed her line of sight: "Wait here a moment."

Then he stepped into the shop.

A short while later, he emerged holding a small bouquet of pink baby’s breath, handing it to Liu Yuan.

"For you."

Liu Yuan was surprised but accepted the flowers, lowering her head to inhale their scent. The tiny clustered blossoms resembled stars twinkling in the night sky.

"Thank you, Brother."

The smile at her lips deepened.

Su Qi simply grinned without a word.

This kind of ordinary, mundane, yet gently tender daily life was exactly what he fought so hard to protect.

Liu Yuan cradled the flowers, her other hand still clasped in Su Qi’s, her steps noticeably lighter.

Suddenly, she remembered something: "Brother, I’m reporting to the new academy tomorrow."

Su Qi instinctively blurted out: "Really? That’s great—"

Then, under his sister’s teary-eyed stare, he backtracked: "That’s… so sad. I’ll miss you too, A-Yuan. I’ll visit often."

His sister hugged the flowers, beaming under the sunlight: "I knew you’d say that. So I secretly asked Guardian Jiang to get you an auditor’s spot at the academy."

Su Qi: ???

Oh, really now.

Jiang Xia, was it?

This grudge—he’d remember it.