If you can't drink, then just quit it.

Night had fallen. As evening study hall concluded, the summer heat finally began to recede.

At a roadside food stall.

Under the awning, several plastic tables and chairs were arranged haphazardly. Beside them, a large industrial floor fan whirred loudly, blowing away the heat waves and the smell of charcoal smoke drifting from the barbecue grill.

Fang Jun picked up a fried peanut with his chopsticks. "We even managed to get Yu Zhong out here. He's usually the hardest one to invite."

Zhang Yu Zhong came from a poor family and didn't have much money, so he rarely participated in social activities. However, the resolution of a compensation issue had recently taken a weight off his shoulders. He also felt that constantly refusing to join gatherings wasn't a good look.

He smiled somewhat bashfully but didn't reply.

After all, humans are inherently social animals; deep down, everyone hopes to have friends they can talk to.

An Yue Xin unscrewed a bottle of apple cider vinegar and poured a glass for himself and Zhang Yu Zhong.

"Don't worry about it. We're going Dutch on this, so it won't cost much per person."

Zhang Yu Zhong hurriedly waved his hand and covered his cup. "No, no, we agreed on this. I'm treating everyone tonight. You guys helped me out a lot before, it's only right."

As soon as he finished speaking, someone immediately voiced their displeasure.

"Hey, now you're just being boring!"

The speaker was Jian Li Hao. Wearing a floral T-shirt and sitting with his legs crossed, he said, "We're brothers out for a meal. If you keep pulling this 'I'm treating' stunt, who's going to feel comfortable asking you out next time? Splitting the bill is better. We eat happily, and nobody feels burdened."

Jian Li Hao was a local of Yangcheng. His family owned several buildings in Chepo Village, either collecting rent or waiting for demolition compensation. As an only child, he was basically what everyone called a "landlord-in-waiting."

Beside him, Hao Qiang slammed his cup onto the table with a heavy thud.

"Stop overthinking it. You go pay the bill later, and we'll just transfer our share to you."

The reason he and Hao Qiang were close was that Hao Qiang was from the same village. Both of their surnames were major clans in Chepo Village, and both families were considered wealthy.

These two had originally nearly turned into enemies over a girl named Geng Xiao. Later, however, Gao Yuan Qiang taught them a harsh lesson on the reality that "there are no evergreen trees in the arena of love, only a rock-paper-scissors game where everyone has a weakness."

After that...

The two had a sudden epiphany and reconciled at light speed.

Jian Li Hao shot a sideways glance at Hao Qiang. "What are you getting so excited for? Afraid Yu Zhong is going to steal your chance to pay?"

Hao Qiang stiffened his neck. "I'm defending the principles of our brotherhood! What do you know?"

"Oh, speaking of principles, I didn't see you having any principles when you were chasing Geng Xiao back then."

"You f*cking have to bring that up!" Hao Qiang nearly stood up. "If you hadn't been badmouthing me in front of her every day, would I have stood no chance?"

"Give it a rest. With the way you were constantly checking up on her, you would have blown it even if Gao Yuan Qiang hadn't made a move!"

Seeing that the two were about to start bickering again, Lin Mo, who had been quietly drinking his ice-cold cola, drifted a comment into the air.

"Even if you two combined forces, you couldn't beat one Gao Yuan Qiang. Who are you putting on this show of infighting for?"

One sentence, right through the heart.

Fortunately, the proprietress arrived with the food at that moment.

A large platter of grilled skewers was placed on the table.

Lin Mo raised his hand and said, "Alright, settle matters of the dinner table at the dinner table. If you really can't get over it, just drink until one of you drops."

Jian Li Hao and Hao Qiang looked at each other, then raised their hands to order a dozen beers. If they couldn't determine a winner in the arena of love, they would settle it with a drinking contest!

Male friendship is just that simple.

Watching this scene, the last bits of Zhang Yu Zhong's reserve vanished like smoke.

He realized that everyone wasn't just being polite; they truly treated him as a friend they could hang out with without any barriers.

Since everyone present was a guy, the conversation flowed freely and without filter. Even the originally reserved Zhang Yu Zhong gradually let loose.

Zhang Yu Zhong rarely drank, but he had two glasses of beer. However, people's constitutions are different.

Zhang Yu Zhong was the type to turn bright red after just one or two glasses.

This kind of person actually has a constitution unsuited for alcohol; their body lacks acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, causing the "Asian flush."

So, after two glasses, the group didn't let Zhang Yu Zhong drink anymore.

After all, Yangcheng didn't have a culture of forcing people to drink, only a culture of urging people to drink faster.

"Ding nei go fai, mm yam dak mai gaai zo keoi lo."

(Damn it, if you can't drink, just quit it then.)

Although they said that, nobody actually got drunk. There was only one dozen beers in total.

Zhang Yu Zhong stood up to pay the bill. Fang Jun followed him, for no other reason than to make sure Zhang Yu Zhong didn't try to cover the whole tab and report a fake total to them.

"Alright, time to go back to sleep. We have class tomorrow."

Although they had consumed alcohol, everyone knew their limits, so the group disbanded right there.

Those going the same way walked together.

As for Lin Mo, a short walk brought him to the bottom of Xie Yu Ling's apartment building.

However, he had taken a slight detour to buy some takeaway.

Because Xie Yu Ling felt indifferent toward spicy crayfish, he had gone to a different seafood stall to pack some boiled shrimp specifically for her.

Walking up the stairs, he used his Spiritual Sense to see inside. He could see Xie Yu Ling staring intently at a plastic cup on her desk.

At this moment, Xie Yu Ling was already able to use her mind to slightly nudge the plastic cup.

Though the effect wasn't very significant yet.

Lin Mo stood at the door and knocked.

"Auntie Zheng, it's me."

The sound of Zheng Yuan shuffling in her slippers came from behind the door.

"Lin Mo? Yu Ling said you went out for late-night snacks with your classmates."

"We did go for snacks, but we've finished and scattered."

Lin Mo looked at Xie Yu Ling's tightly closed bedroom door and lowered his voice.

"Since it was all boys going, I didn't ask Yu Ling to come along. I packed some food separately and brought it back for her. I'll be heading home now."

"No wonder the little girl came back saying she didn't need me to make her a snack, looking all puffy-cheeked and angry."

Lin Mo smiled wryly.

"It's fine. If you go call her now, she'll definitely come running out happily," Zheng Yuan suggested.

Lin Mo waved his hand. "No need, she's thin-skinned. I'll go back to wash up and rest."

Seeing Lin Mo say this, Zheng Yuan didn't insist.

After seeing Lin Mo off, Zheng Yuan walked to the door of Xie Yu Ling's room and knocked.

"Yu Ling, Lin Mo just came up to bring you a late-night snack."

Actually, Xie Yu Ling had heard everything the moment the front door opened. She just hadn't expected that Lin Mo wouldn't come to knock on her door personally to call her.

So, she shouted directly, "Mom, I'm going to sleep. I'm not eating snacks."

Hearing this, Zheng Yuan knew her daughter was being a bit "tsundere"—she thought that was the word.

The tellers at the bank often said young people these days were tsundere.

So, she deliberately spoke loudly through the door, "Oh my, Lin Mo specifically packed boiled shrimp, too. Since that's the case, I guess I'll have to eat them myself."

The very next second, the door was yanked open.

Xie Yu Ling crinkled her nose. "Mom, why didn't you try to persuade me a little more?"

"Would persuading you have been useful? It's better to just let you come out on your own."

Ignoring her mother's comments, Xie Yu Ling sat down on a chair and grabbed the box of still-warm boiled shrimp.

It was a full, large box, clearly brand new and unopened.

Zheng Yuan couldn't help but say, "That boy is really quite nice. I'm very satisfied with him."

"Mom! I'm only eighteen!"

"Eighteen, yes. You're an adult. You are an independent grown-up now."

"Mom!!!"