Truly a Professional Concrete Worker

Preparing for a barbecue is actually quite troublesome.

For example, you need to buy ingredients.

Riding on a motorcycle, Feng Binbin drove to the market.

When buying chicken wings specifically for grilling, frozen ones are always the go-to choice.

There are also beef meatballs, crispy sausages, chicken tenders, and "bone-attached meat" skewers.

"Just buy whatever you want to eat. We’re splitting the bill, but I’ll cover your share," Feng Binbin said seriously after getting off the bike, patting Lin Mo on the shoulder.

"Fish Boy, you should save more money for yourself, especially since you’re alone in Yangcheng."

"Don’t worry about me. I have enough to live normally until I graduate and start working, plus I have a scholarship."

Feng Binbin wasn’t surprised to hear about Lin Mo’s scholarship.

"True, with your academic performance—enough to get into a top high school—it’s no surprise you got one."

Still, he couldn’t resist asking one more question.

"So, did you actually get it?"

Lin Mo nodded.

"That’s my boy, Fish Boy. I always knew you had it in you."

Feng Binbin’s grades were decent too, but he knew his cousin was even better.

With a hint of melancholy, he added, "Just don’t major in civil engineering in college. You won’t get any girls."

"Then why don’t you go after your high school classmates?" Lin Mo teased.

"You think that’s not why we’re having this barbecue?" Feng Binbin gave him a knowing look.

So that’s it. Though it doesn’t seem to be working too well.

After a moment’s thought, Lin Mo said, "Why don’t you tell me who it is? I’ll be your wingman later."

Feng Binbin took a deep breath, then waved his hand sheepishly. "Nah, forget it."

Even though he was outgoing, Feng Binbin chickened out.

"The civil engineering department is a monastery. If you don’t seize the opportunity now, you might never get one. Or is today really just about eating and drinking?"

Lin Mo’s offhand remark instantly made Feng Binbin flush red.

After all, Lin Mo figured this person might end up being his future sister-in-law.

Or... maybe not.

Who knows?

But since Feng Binbin didn’t say anything, Lin Mo didn’t press further and just opened the freezer to pick out the better-looking chicken wings.

Meanwhile, Feng Binbin watched Lin Mo selecting the wings and felt that, over the past six months, his cousin had grown more mature, with a noticeably better mindset.

Still, it was a good thing overall.

"By the way, how many people are coming?" Lin Mo asked casually.

"About eight or nine. They’ll be here in the afternoon."

Lin Mo nodded and picked out a fair amount of food.

Altogether, it added up to around ten pounds.

Lin Mo also grabbed some beef aorta (commonly called "yellow throat" in Chinese cuisine) and "palm treasures"—originally referring to the tender meat pad in the middle of a chicken’s foot, prized for its crisp texture and rarity.

But due to high demand, vendors started using chicken cartilage and other crunchy bits as substitutes.

They’re great for grilling, with excellent texture and flavor.

There was also lamb, beef, and pork belly—pre-sliced and ready to skewer at home.

Lin Mo loaded up on all of it.

Back at Grandmother’s place, she hurried over when she saw the two heavy bags in Lin Mo’s hands, offering to help.

"You bought so much! It must be heavy."

But Lin Mo carried everything straight to the kitchen.

"It’s fine. I carried it all the way back."

On the way home, Feng Binbin had suggested hanging the bags on the motorcycle handles, but ten-plus pounds would make steering awkward, so Lin Mo held them himself. The weight was nothing to him.

Since it was winter, Lin Mo left most of the meat to thaw naturally.

Meanwhile, Feng Binbin went out again to buy bamboo skewers and charcoal.

As Lin Mo soaked the meat in water, Grandmother came over again.

"Ah, my dear, let me handle this."

"No need. I can manage. I take care of myself just fine out there—you think I can’t handle this?"

While washing the meat, Lin Mo used spiritual energy to cleanse the area of bacteria and viruses.

After all, rinsing raw meat just spreads germs around.

But before skewering, the meat needed a quick wash and partial thawing.

Still, it was easy work.

Once everything was prepped, Lin Mo dried his hands and returned to the living room.

Grandmother was watching TV—since Lin Mo wouldn’t let her help, she didn’t have much else to do.

"Grandmother, let me give you a massage. I’ve learned a new technique—it’s really effective."

Grandmother chuckled. "At my age, what’s the point of a massage?"

"Just try it," Lin Mo said, deploying his best pleading tone.

Elders can never resist their grandchildren's coquetry.

So Lin Mo got to work.

The massage was just an excuse—Lin Mo was really using spiritual energy to cleanse and strengthen Grandmother’s body.

He’d even thought about granting his loved ones wealth, power, or even immortality someday.

As the saying goes, "When one attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs rise to heaven." There’s truth to that.

But it was too early for such things. For now, ensuring Grandmother lived to a hundred—then two hundred, three hundred—was enough.

Before long, Grandmother dozed off.

Lin Mo gently carried her to bed.

The toxins in her body would naturally flush out, leaving her healthier than ever—full of energy and appetite.

Unlike Lin Mo’s own experience with body-refining pills, which left his skin coated in black sludge.

His spiritual energy was far gentler on Grandmother.

With a protective charm in place, she’d be perfectly safe.

Just as he came downstairs, Feng Binbin returned—the motorcycle’s roar was unmistakable.

The moment he stepped inside, Feng Binbin glanced around.

"Where’s Grandmother?"

"Went to sleep. The massage relaxed her, so she dozed off."

Feng Binbin nodded. "Old folks sleep lightly, but they also sleep a lot."

He carried the vegetables into the kitchen and nodded approvingly at the prepped ingredients.

"I knew this was your doing."

Lin Mo looked up curiously.

"How?"

"Last time we barbecued, Grandmother just dumped everything on the floor or soaked it in the sink. She’d never use bowls like this."

"They’ll be here this afternoon. Big Cousin said he’s coming for dinner too."

Lin Mo shrugged. "No problem. There’s plenty for him. If not, Grandmother can just whip up a bowl of shrimp roe noodles for him."

"Good. Let’s set up the grill first."

Being a civil engineering major, Feng Binbin built the grill swiftly and sturdily—far better than the one at Xie Yufei’s place where Lin Mo had last barbecued.

It even had easy charcoal access.

Lin Mo couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up.

"Now that’s professional concrete work!"