Evening Is When Life Begins

"Got it~ Just a moment, you two~"

The young waiter smiled cheerfully before turning and jogging back into the restaurant.

Though Haicheng's summer nights were relatively cool, it was still August—the hottest time of the year.

Su Yang had worn two layers, which was a bit much. He took off his khaki-colored thin jacket and hung it on a nearby chair, revealing a plain white T-shirt underneath. His toned, muscular arms looked undeniably impressive.

Xu Zilin's eyes immediately lit up. She glanced at him and grinned. "Do you work out often?"

"Mm, just casually," he replied.

"Really? I love working out too~"

"I can tell—your figure is great," Su Yang said, unconsciously slipping into his usual appreciative gaze.

Xu Zilin wasn’t shy about the compliment. She smiled confidently, taking pride in the acknowledgment of her physique. She never felt uncomfortable being looked at.

Thinking she’d found common ground, Xu Zilin instantly became more talkative. She launched into an enthusiastic discussion about fitness, though Su Yang had barely ever worked out. The last time he’d done anything remotely close to exercise was years ago in his college dorm—twenty push-ups out of sheer boredom.

If not for the system, his body would probably be in worse shape than Meng Wenzhou’s.

As they chatted and waited, the street buzzed with activity. Every restaurant had crowds of customers sitting outside. Nearby tables erupted with laughter, drinking games, and lively chatter. The cool evening breeze brushed against everyone, making the atmosphere incredibly pleasant.

[Ding—Host is feeling relaxed and enjoying the moment. Reward: 800,000.]

As the saying goes, daytime is for survival, but nighttime is for living.

This was the reality for most modern "worker bees"—dragging themselves through the day in a daze, mechanically going through the motions of their jobs, occasionally enduring random scoldings from their bosses.

Only at night, when they could gather with friends for late-night snacks and beer, or curl up alone on the couch scrolling through TikTok, did they finally feel like themselves again.

Su Yang glanced at the people around him. Though many were laughing, he could still see traces of exhaustion in their eyes. It made him all the more grateful to have escaped that kind of life.

Without the system, he’d probably be rushing through this meal, watching the clock to make sure he didn’t stay out too late—lest he oversleep and get docked pay for being late to work tomorrow.

......

Soon, the waiter returned carrying a case of ice-cold "Brave the Seas" beer.

"Here’s your beer~" he announced, setting the case down beside Su Yang’s feet.

"The skewers will be ready soon, just a little longer."

"Sure, no rush," Su Yang replied. He opened the case, pulled out two bottles, and flicked off the caps effortlessly with his thumb, catching them mid-air with his left hand.

The whole thing took barely a second.

Both the waiter and Xu Zilin stared, stunned.

Xu Zilin’s mouth hung open as she mimicked the motion with her own thumb. "You… opened the bottle with your finger?"

Su Yang shrugged. "Practice makes perfect. You get used to it."

The waiter, still wide-eyed, exclaimed, "Dude, that’s insane! I’ve never seen anyone open a bottle like that before!"

Su Yang grinned. "Want me to teach you?"

"Uh… no thanks. Just thinking about it hurts," the waiter said before quickly retreating.

With a chuckle, Su Yang grabbed two disposable plastic cups and poured beer for himself and Xu Zilin.

"Here~"

Xu Zilin accepted the cup with a smile. "Thanks~"

"No problem. Cheers!"

"Sure! To our first late-night snack together—wait, no, what was I trying to say?"

She stumbled over her words, laughing awkwardly.

"You mean it’s fate, right?"

"Oh! Yeah, exactly."

"Definitely fate. Second time meeting, and we’re already sharing a meal. Anyway—cheers!"

"Cheers!"

They clinked glasses and drank.

"Ahhh, so good~"

Though Su Yang had the "Alcohol God" skill—meaning his body never absorbed any alcohol—it didn’t mean the drinks tasted any different. The flavor was still there, and he could enjoy it just like anyone else.

He refilled his cup immediately.

Two minutes later, the waiter returned with a massive plate of sizzling skewers.

"Here you go, sir and madam~" he said cheerfully, setting the plate on the wooden table.

"All your skewers are here. Oh, and the fifty grilled oysters will be ready soon."

"Thanks."

"No problem. Enjoy!" The waiter hurried off again.

Xu Zilin waved a hand over the skewers, fanning the aroma toward herself. "Wow, it’s been a while, but it still smells amazing. Su Yang, try it—tell me what you think."

She handed him a skewer of grilled kidney.

Su Yang took it with a grin. "Let’s see how good it really is."

He blew on it lightly before taking a bite.

After chewing for a moment, his face lit up. "Mm! Seriously good!! Love it!"

Xu Zilin looked as nervous as if she’d cooked the dish herself. Only after seeing his reaction did she relax and smile.

"Hehe, then eat up! Order more if you want~"

She picked up a skewer of grilled shrimp and started eating.

"The oysters are here!" The waiter reappeared, carrying a large plate.

"Sir, your oysters are ready. Try them—our grilled oysters are absolutely addictive."

"Yeah?" Su Yang grabbed one and ate it in one go.

Nodding as he chewed, he said, "Not bad at all. Different from the usual. I’ll be back."

"Great~ Glad you like them. Take your time!"

"Will do."

They drank and ate, polishing off all fifty oysters in no time—thirty for Su Yang, twenty for Xu Zilin.

"Didn’t expect you to have such an appetite~"

Xu Zilin giggled. "You know what they say—oysters are a man’s gas station and a woman’s beauty salon. I love them. Plus, I work out during the day, then stream for hours in the evening. I get hungry fast."

"True. They’re great—eat as much as you want. You’re not gaining weight anyway. Want another fifty?"

"No, no, we’ve still got so much food left," she said, waving her hand.

......

Before they knew it, the surrounding tables had all turned over with new customers.

Their entire case of twelve beers was empty—though Su Yang had drunk most of them.

Still, Xu Zilin had put away at least four or five bottles, which was impressive for most women.

Most guys couldn't handle this much alcohol, but she had already reached her limit. Her face was flushed red, one hand propping up her cheek while the other still clutched half a skewer of grilled lamb. She looked dazed, her eyes glazed over, her body swaying slightly.

Su Yang chuckled at the sight. "What's wrong? Did the food fry your brain?"

"Heh, no. Just a little dizzy," Xu Zilin replied, her head dipping down before jerking back up.