Chapter 112 — It Should Be Ten Times Spicier

Su Nian had to exert great effort before Lin Xiaowen finally agreed to come out, insisting that since they were returning to Shanghai tomorrow and had come all the way to Yunnan, they absolutely had to try the local snacks to make the trip worthwhile.

Fortunately, after a recent video call with Ranran and seeing that the little one was doing well, Lin Xiaowen’s mood began to lift, as if the clouds were parting.

The evening breeze was a bit chilly; Yuanting’s climate had a considerable temperature difference between day and night. She once again marveled at Xu Ningning’s thoughtfulness for having Su Nian bring her some warmer clothes.

Dressed in a simple white cotton long dress layered with a denim jacket and canvas shoes, her hair tied up in a small bun, Lin Xiaowen still looked every bit a schoolgirl.

As she prepared to leave, she sighed repeatedly, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

The girl in the mirror was as plain as a bowl of boiled water, at best slightly tinged with a disinfectant, utterly incapable of competing with the radiant and vibrant An An—especially since An An was now the official girlfriend.

Both Su Nian and Lin Xiaowen fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Su Nian pulled out his phone again, frowning as he scrolled, resembling a frustrated father worried over his stubborn son.

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?” Lin Xiaowen asked, turning to look at him curiously.

Su Nian glanced at her calmly and replied, “Oh, nothing. Let’s go.”

Su Nian had chosen a hotel near a bustling food street, one popular enough to be featured in travel guides—of course, it was Xu Ningning’s arrangement.

Countless food stalls lined the street, and the crowd steadily grew thicker. Vendors enthusiastically called out in halting Mandarin, trying to attract customers.

Despite the lively atmosphere, Lin Xiaowen felt a wave of hesitation. All the news she had read about tourists being ripped off or scammed crowded into her mind.

“Let’s go back,” she said timidly to Su Nian.

“It’s okay. With me here, what is there to fear?” Su Nian smiled reassuringly, sensing her unease.

Lin Xiaowen said nothing more but cast cautious glances around the crowd.

Su Nian also scanned the area warily, secretly worried about whether that scatterbrained Cheng Yishu would be able to find them amid the noisy, crowded night market.

“Well... let’s sit here for a bit,” Su Nian said, gently pulling Lin Xiaowen, who was about to keep walking.

“I think this stall’s spicy hot pot looks good, and it seems pretty clean.”

Lin Xiaowen followed his gaze and saw the words “Northeastern Spicy Hot Pot” right before her eyes.

In Yunnan, eating Northeastern spicy hot pot?

Weren’t they supposed to try local delicacies?

Seeing the puzzled look on Lin Xiaowen’s face, Su Nian quickly explained, “I ordered some local specialties at the hotel this afternoon, but I noticed you hardly ate any. I remember you and Su Mo always ordered spicy hot pot delivery from the bar... How about we try this first, then move on to other places?”

Su Nian’s thoughtfulness warmed Lin Xiaowen’s heart, and she nodded in agreement.

They sat down, and soon a burly man approached.

He was imposing—about six feet two or three inches tall, wearing a tight sleeveless shirt that revealed his muscular arms, flip-flops on his feet, and a broad smile as he greeted them.

“Just you two? Have a seat… What would you like? We have spicy hot pot, sour and spicy noodles, rice noodles…”

The stall was simple, with a few basic tables and chairs under a makeshift canopy, and not many customers.

“Two spicy hot pots, please,” Su Nian replied as he checked the somewhat shaky chairs, seating Lin Xiaowen first before sitting beside her.

“Are you eating this too?” Lin Xiaowen asked, recalling how Su Mo used to tease Su Nian for disliking spicy food.

Su Nian smiled softly, “Just trying it out. Maybe it’s not as bad as I remember.”

Lin Xiaowen gave a faint smile, knowing some things could only be understood by trying.

The owner replied promptly, “Can you handle spicy? My chili is really strong!”

Before Lin Xiaowen could answer, Su Nian said, “One bowl extra spicy, the spicier the better; the other mild.”

“Wow, you can handle the heat? Alright then!” The owner looked at Su Nian with surprise before turning away to prepare their order.

Lin Xiaowen asked, “Since when do you like spicy food? We’ve known each other three or four years and eaten together many times—I don’t remember you having a taste for spicy.”

Su Nian glanced at his phone, a barely perceptible smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Looking back at Lin Xiaowen, he quickly regained his usual expression and said, “Doesn’t matter. Even if I don’t eat it, someone will. It won’t go to waste.”

Lin Xiaowen was baffled and too disheartened to probe further. She sat quietly, idly fiddling with the packaging of the disposable chopsticks, squeezing the air back and forth.

Soon, the owner placed two large bowls of spicy hot pot on the table. Lin Xiaowen’s bowl was a moderate red, with fresh-looking green vegetables.

Su Nian’s bowl, however, was a fiery red, the aroma of fragrant spiciness already tempting before the first bite.

The owner chuckled and said, “Where are you from, brother? You can really handle spicy! I put in four or five times more chili than this lady’s bowl, so be careful!”

“Only four or five times?” Su Nian furrowed his brow, looking unsatisfied. “That doesn’t seem enough.”

“What?” The owner’s eyes widened in disbelief. Glancing at the bowl, he could tell without tasting that it was already among the spiciest hot pots he’d made.

“Want me to stir it again and add more chili?” Su Nian’s reaction piqued the owner’s curiosity, eager to see just how much heat this man could endure.

“No, no, no!” Lin Xiaowen hurriedly stopped Su Nian from speaking further. “This is fine, thank you.”

The owner laughed heartily, “No trouble at all. I’m just curious.”

“What’s there to be curious about? I’m not eating it anyway!” Su Nian said casually, shifting his chair to sit a little farther from Lin Xiaowen.

“Not you eating it?” Lin Xiaowen asked in surprise. “Then who?”

Su Nian gave her a mysterious glance. Just then, as he looked toward the crowd, a figure clad in a white short-sleeved T-shirt beneath a black shirt, paired with black cargo pants and white sneakers, anxiously scanning the area, finally approached.

At that moment, another cheerful young woman in a super-short skirt, her excitement barely hidden beneath a mask, appeared beside him.

An An had arrived too.

Su Nian exhaled deeply, his eyes frostily fixed on the two as if willing their distance to freeze over.

Following Su Nian’s gaze, Lin Xiaowen froze as well.

“See? The one who can handle spicy has arrived,” Su Nian snorted coldly. “I told you we should have gone with ten times the chili, but you insisted on stopping me.”