Chapter 319: Co-ed Mixer

Zhao Ya hadn’t expected this handsome boy, who seemed a bit aloof, to take the initiative to talk to her. She was slightly stunned for a moment before replying softly, "Yes, I’m from Jiang Province."

"Jiang Province is a great place. The scenery is beautiful." Shen Xinghe’s tone was very natural—not overly enthusiastic, but not cold either. It was just right to ease Zhao Ya’s nervousness.

"Ye-yes, it is." Zhao Ya relaxed a little and ventured a question of her own, "What about you?"

"I’m also from Jiang Province. Tai City," Shen Xinghe replied.

"I know Tai City. It’s by the sea. I’ve heard the seafood there is famous, and there are many specialty snacks too. I’ve always wanted to go and try them," Zhao Ya said, following the flow of conversation.

"If you get a chance to visit next time, I’ll treat you to some mud crabs," Shen Xinghe said with a smile.

Although Wang Lan was mostly talking to Lin Xiaoxiao and Zhou Yue, he was also listening in on the side. When he saw Shen Xinghe and Zhao Ya chatting, he couldn’t help but jump in and ask Shen Xinghe about interesting stories from his modeling job.

Shen Xinghe shared some innocuous anecdotes, which drew gasps of amazement and curiosity from everyone.

Just then, a server came in and set up the enormous yin-yang hot pot in front of them. On one side, spicy red chili oil bubbled, and on the other, a savory mushroom broth rolled. Trays of fresh ingredients followed right after.

A rich aroma instantly filled the private room, making everyone’s mouth water.

"Come on, come on! The pot’s boiling! Let’s get some meat in there!" Zhou Yue cheered, taking the lead and sliding a plate of fatty beef slices into the red chili oil side. "Don’t be shy, everyone! Help yourselves and you’ll eat your fill!"

In the face of delicious food, the initial awkwardness and unfamiliarity quickly melted away.

Everyone started digging in. The sound of the bubbling broth, the clatter of chopsticks, the sharp inhales from the spiciness, and the murmurs of appreciation for the delicious food all mixed together as the atmosphere became thoroughly lively.

Chen Mo thoughtfully placed the first piece of cooked tripe into Su Yuqing’s bowl.

Su Yuqing gave him a sweet smile.

Everyone who saw this thought it was incredibly sweet.

"Ugh, the sickeningly sweet stench of love is so strong," Wang Lan couldn’t help but tease, making everyone burst into laughter.

The comment, however, made Su Yuqing blush with embarrassment.

She was naturally thin-skinned, and public displays of affection were not her strong suit.

Although she felt sweet inside, she couldn’t stop herself from feeling shy at the same time.

Just then, the red chili oil got the best of Li Zhe. Forgetting his image completely, he stuck his tongue out and started panting heavily like a puppy.

This once again sent everyone into a fit of laughter. Zhou Yue, laughing herself, thoughtfully poured him a glass of milk. "Quick, drink some cold milk to kill the spice. If you can’t handle the heat, stick to the mushroom broth side."

"Th... Thanks," Li Zhe mumbled, quickly taking the glass of cold milk from Zhou Yue and downing it in one go.

After finishing the whole glass of cold milk, his tongue, which had felt swollen from the heat, finally felt much better.

At the same time, he was too scared to try the red chili oil pot again.

Wang Lan, on the other hand, was sweating profusely while eating from the spicy pot. Seeing his state, Lin Xiaoxiao, who was beside him, laughed and teased, "Wang Lan, your head has turned into a waterfall. Maybe you should eat from the mushroom broth pot too?"

"This is the feeling I’m after!" Wang Lan exclaimed, finding it exhilarating. He even tried to coax the spice-averse Li Zhe into trying the red chili oil pot again, but Li Zhe refused with a vigorous wave of his hands, drawing another round of laughter from the group.

Shen Xinghe ate very elegantly, his movements almost pleasing to watch. But the speed of his chopsticks wasn’t slow; he was clearly a man with a hearty appetite and good taste.

Zhao Ya ate the food in her bowl in small bites, only answering in a low voice when Wang Lan or Shen Xinghe asked her something. However, the expression on her face was clearly much more relaxed than when she had first sat down.

The steam from the hot pot enveloped everyone’s faces, and it also brought them closer together.

And so, the first college get-together for the eight of them passed pleasantly in this lively, spicy, and fragrant atmosphere.

Soon, after a few rounds of drinks and many different dishes, the atmosphere at the table grew even more harmonious and lively.

The initial stiffness was completely dispelled by the heat of the hot pot, and the conversation gradually shifted from all sorts of topics about local customs to their upcoming university life.

"Oh right, don’t we have military training in college? Why haven’t I seen any information about it?" Wang Lan said, as if suddenly remembering something.

"I looked into it. Our school’s military training is usually scheduled for after the National Day holiday," Li Zhe said, pushing up his glasses.

"That late?"

"It’s because of the weather in Xiangsha. If they held it at the beginning of the semester, the weather would be too hot and harsh, which wouldn’t be good for the students. They say the weather is cooler after National Day," Li Zhe explained.

"Oh, so that’s why. Our school is pretty considerate, then," Wang Lan said with a smile.

"After National Day... That’s pretty good, at least we get a one-month reprieve." Lin Xiaoxiao breathed a sigh of relief, then grinned. "But the sun will probably still be brutal then. We’ll need to stock up on sunscreen."

"I have plenty of sunscreen. I’ll share some with you all then," Zhou Yue chimed in, her tone as generous as ever. "I have all sorts of SPFs. I guarantee you won’t get a tan."

"Sister Yue is awesome!" Lin Xiaoxiao immediately cheered.

At this point, Zhao Ya looked at Shen Xinghe curiously. "Shen Xinghe, when you’re... on outdoor shoots and stuff, you must have some good tips for sun protection, right?"

She asked tactfully, but everyone understood. With his skin, which was even more delicate than a girl’s, his skincare routine had to be extensive.

Shen Xinghe was just using a slotted spoon to fish a shrimp ball out of the mushroom broth. He paused at her words, then smiled faintly. "It’s alright. The main things are physical sunblock and timely reapplication. For military training, I’d suggest you choose something with SPF 50+ and PA+++ or higher, and it’s best to reapply every two hours."

He spoke about it very naturally, without any awkwardness.

"Noted, noted!" Zhou Yue nodded repeatedly and said jokingly, "Looks like Shen Xinghe can be our future skincare consultant!"

As Shen Xinghe rattled off professional sunscreen terms, Chen Mo was the only one among the other three guys at the table who understood. Back when he was a criminal police officer, his junior and senior female colleagues had looked out for him, mentioning similar terms when they gave him sunscreen. The other two guys, however, were completely lost.

Wang Lan muttered under his breath, "Putting on sunscreen and all that sounds like such a hassle..."

He was a rough-around-the-edges kind of guy; the most he’d ever done was slap on some basic lotion in the winter.

"It’s a hassle, but you have to do it. Otherwise, it’s even more miserable when your skin starts peeling from a sunburn," Zhou Yue said with the tone of an expert. "Especially for you, Li Zhe, with your sensitive skin. You need to be extra careful."

Li Zhe pushed up his glasses and nodded, looking as if he only half-understood.

Chen Mo listened quietly, occasionally exchanging a glance with Su Yuqing.

Su Yuqing mostly listened to everyone talk, a gentle smile always on her lips.

She found it all very interesting. These new classmates around her had such different personalities, yet they were all full of vitality and expectations for the future.

A warmth spread through her heart. Because of these new friends, her anxiety about the upcoming university life lessened, replaced by a growing sense of anticipation.