Chapter 018: My Sister Doesn't Like Men

Li Huan forced an awkward smile, his movements somewhat stiff. After all, the soft, smooth sensation of the girl’s chest pressed against his arm had left his mind wandering. He walked carefully, keeping his arm close to his body, terrified that any small movement would earn him a scolding from Sun Feifei for being a pervert.

The Gourmet Street in the Lion Gate District was a renowned century-old avenue. Although it had undergone a series of renovations, it still retained some of its antique architecture. After several rounds of restoration, the street had shed its former air of dilapidation, now exuding a rich atmosphere of poetic antiquity—one of its most celebrated features.

On both sides were lively food stalls and some quieter, old-style restaurants. However, these restaurants rarely opened for evening business, usually serving only breakfast, lunch, and dinner before closing for the rest of the day. This made the street stalls the most popular gathering places for snacks on Gourmet Street.

Li Huan had originally intended to head to a small restaurant ahead. He doubted that Sun Feifei, dressed as she was, would choose to fill her stomach at a roadside food stall. Besides, as a general manager earning several hundred thousand a year, she was surely more particular about the quality of her dining experience.

“Why are you walking so fast? I’m here to eat, not to stroll along the street with you!” Li Huan hadn’t noticed Sun Feifei already drooling over the array of delicacies around them; he thought she was just walking slowly because of the crowds, so he tried to hurry her along toward the small restaurant. But to his surprise, the moment Sun Feifei saw all the snacks at the stalls, she couldn’t take another step forward.

Li Huan turned to find Sun Feifei staring hungrily at the food on the nearby stall. She tugged his arm and pulled him inside, picking out two empty seats and having him sit with her.

Ignoring Li Huan’s look of surprise, Sun Feifei beckoned a waiter, pointed at a pile of snacks, and casually ordered seven or eight items. Then, impatiently, she grabbed a bamboo skewer from the side, handing one to Li Huan.

Li Huan accepted it, still puzzled. Was Sun Feifei really so hungry she’d eat anything? Of course, Li Huan himself felt that, while the stalls didn’t look as formal as restaurants, the food tasted just as good. Besides, eating among so many people created a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere—plus, he could admire beautiful women up close.

“You’re eating here?” Watching plate after plate of snacks arrive, Li Huan couldn’t help but ask. He’d never seen Sun Feifei in such a place before; whenever they’d eaten together, it was always in chic Western restaurants.

“Is there a rule that I can’t?” Sun Feifei shot him a glare. “I only took you to those Western restaurants so this country bumpkin could see the world. You think I enjoy paying through the nose every time? Besides, authentic Chinese snacks are where the real flavor is—cheap, hearty, and genuine!”

Li Huan was left speechless by her retort, but she had a point. Western dining was all about class, dividing people into categories, whereas these local snacks truly represented the country’s culinary culture.

What’s the point of elegance if it doesn’t fill your belly? Eating heartily is what really matters!

After sampling some snacks, Sun Feifei didn’t seem satisfied and dragged Li Huan to another self-service barbecue stall. She started grilling food herself and ordered a pitcher of beer, eating grilled meat and drinking beer with obvious pleasure.

Food you cook yourself always tastes better, especially with the shop’s secret homemade sauces and the smokeless grill—it was all delicious. Li Huan ate quite a bit, but Sun Feifei surprised him most; her appetite was astonishing, her mouth barely pausing as she devoured the grilled meat.

“What are you staring at? Is it so unladylike? Sigh, I just love eating meat!” Sun Feifei caught Li Huan’s incredulous gaze but ignored it, stuffing a piece of crispy, juicy pork belly into her mouth, making strange grunts of satisfaction as she chewed.

Li Huan took a swig of beer, watching Sun Feifei eat with gusto, a bit of sauce still at the corner of her mouth. He couldn’t help laughing. “Feifei, if you eat like this in front of others, will you ever get married?”

Sun Feifei’s hand paused. She looked up and glared at him. “I never planned on marrying you, so what do you care? There’s already a white horse in my heart, waiting for a prince to ride it!”

Li Huan smirked at the double meaning but dared not comment further—after all, princes on white horses usually preferred to ride women, but he wouldn’t say that out loud. In truth, he knew nothing about Sun Feifei’s private life and couldn’t help asking, “So, Feifei, do you have a boyfriend? I’ve never seen him.”

Sun Feifei’s expression shifted, a trace of irritation in her eyes as if recalling something unpleasant. She put down her grilled meat after a long pause, grabbed a beer, and drank deeply—only to choke and cough.

Startled, Li Huan quickly handed her a napkin. “Why are you drinking so fast? No one’s going to steal it from you.”

Sun Feifei didn’t argue, accepting the napkin and wiping the beer from her lips. She sighed. “Boyfriend? I’ve never been in love. That stuff is all a lie.”

“That’s a bit one-sided…” Li Huan wanted to share his own views on love but, seeing the sadness on her face, thought better of it and fell silent.

“Maybe so. Too bad—I just don’t like men,” Sun Feifei said with a teasing smile, glancing at Li Huan. Whether she was serious or joking was impossible to tell.

Li Huan blushed furiously, drinking a large mouthful of beer, only to choke and spill some on the front of his shirt. Sun Feifei burst out laughing, handed him another napkin, and scolded, “Look at you, so hopeless!”

“Feifei, don’t tease me…” As Sun Feifei leaned in, Li Huan instinctively glanced down, his heart racing.

Her dress had a low-cut neckline—not overly revealing, but enough to hint at a tantalizing curve. With her hair elegantly coiled up, her fair neck lay bare, adding an extra touch of sophistication and allure.

“What are you looking at? Never seen it before?” Sun Feifei shot him a look but made no move to cover herself—after all, not much was exposed, and she had nothing to fear.

“I didn’t see anything… Um, you’ve got some beer there.” Li Huan quickly looked away, pointing to her chest and grasping at any excuse to cover his embarrassment.

“Oh? Really? Then help me, will you…” Sun Feifei wasn’t fooled. In her eyes, Li Huan was still too green for such tricks to work. She simply handed him a napkin and said, “Wipe it clean.”

Li Huan hadn’t expected her to be so direct, completely unfazed. He stared blankly for a moment, then, seeing her calm demeanor, realized she didn’t find the request at all suggestive.

He had no other choice. Since he had nothing to lose, he gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, and moved the napkin toward her chest, dabbing at the spot where the beer had spilled. Through the thin napkin, the soft warmth of her skin sent a jolt straight to his heart—a sudden, electrifying sensation.

Li Huan quickly withdrew his hand, his face burning red, heart pounding so fast he could barely breathe. Was this his first truly intimate contact with a girl?

He’d expected an awkward scene to follow, but Sun Feifei seemed unfazed. Though her cheeks were flushed, she remained composed, picking up her beer and saying, “I didn’t know you could be so considerate, Li Huan. Come on, have a drink with me!”

Li Huan lacked her composure; his hand trembled as he lifted his beer. After all, Sun Feifei was not only his senior but also exceptionally beautiful, carrying an air of effortless confidence. Even though she was more relaxed around him, her elegance made the recent moment feel surreal—he had just touched her bare skin, even if only through a napkin!

They both emptied a bottle of beer. Sun Feifei opened two more, a faint smile at her lips as she looked at Li Huan’s shy face. “Li Huan, you really are still a rookie. If you want to spar with me, you’ve got a long way to go!”

Only then did Li Huan realize she’d set him up on purpose. Annoyed, he said, “Feifei, you molested your junior in public—shouldn’t you take responsibility?”

“Oh, please! And how should I take responsibility? Should I marry you and keep you as my househusband for life?” Sun Feifei took a swig of beer, casting him a sidelong glance, full of disdain.

“No, better not. I’m afraid if you ever get a boyfriend, you’ll cast me aside!” Li Huan waved his hands, not daring to accept her offer. Being a kept man sounded easy, but if his family ever found out, he’d be in serious trouble.

At his words, Sun Feifei’s face darkened again. She frowned. “Li Huan, don’t bring up things like that in the future. It really bothers me.”

“…Alright.” Li Huan’s heart skipped a beat. He knew he’d said the wrong thing and quickly took a beer, drinking by himself.

A silence fell between them. Sun Feifei seemed lost in memories, her expression turning somber, while Li Huan scrambled to find a new topic, eager to break the awkward mood.

From a distance, the two of them suddenly seemed like strangers, each staring into space over the barbecue grill. Such a scene was bound to attract attention—after all, a beautiful, stylish woman eating barbecue and drinking beer alone was irresistible bait for idle troublemakers.

As the saying goes, women are all lonely sometimes—especially single beauties, who are even more prone to solitude and longing.