Chapter 20 – Eating Skewers
Novel Title: 我们已经分手了 (We Have Broken Up)
Author：御小凡 (Yu Xiaofan)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 刘帆 (Liu Fan -MC), 陈谦 (Chen Qian -ML)
*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*
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Liu Fan held the rose and smiled, “This is the first time you’ve given me a flower, right?”
Chen Qian scoffed, “You’re not a woman. Since when do you like this kind of thing?”
Liu Fan shook the flower, “Whatever you give me, I will like it.”
This left Chen Qian speechless. With a stern face, he tried to convey that ‘you shouldn’t think this will coax me’. After a few steps, he hesitantly said, “I remember that skewer place also serves grilled fish.”
Liu Fan couldn’t stop laughing.
Chen Qian turned his face away, looking annoyed, “What’s so funny?”
Watching their interaction, Zhou Xiang lagged behind with Liu Mengjiao by several steps. “Liu Fan… is not your boyfriend?”
Liu Mengjiao replied curiously, “When did I ever say he was my boyfriend?”
“I…” Zhou Xiang bit her lip shyly, “I just thought…-“
“-Oh no, not at all. I’m single. If you find someone good, remember to introduce him to your Jiejie okay?” Liu Mengjiao pointed at Liu Fan and Chen Qian’s backs. “They are the couple.”
Zhou Xiang was visibly shocked, “But… they’re both men?”
Upon hearing this, Liu Mengjiao took the opportunity to educate Zhou Xiang, to avoid any misunderstandings when talking about Zheng Nian later, “What era are you living in? How can you not know this? It’s not uncommon now. I saw a survey that showed the rate of homosexuality in City C is much higher than in other cities.”
Zhou Xiang was taken aback and asked, half-believing, “Really?”
Liu Mengjiao replied, “Yeah. It’s actually the same thing. But they just like someone of the same gender.”
Then she changed her tone, “But there are some gays who don’t live their lives properly and end up scamming women into marriages.”
Zhou Xiang was even more surprised, “Scamming into marriages?”
“Yes. Those that clearly like men, but for various reasons—like family pressure or wanting a child—they marry a woman,” Liu Mengjiao explained seriously. “I read about these wives of gay men online. It’s terrible. They treat sex like a chore. And once they have a child, they don’t touch their wives anymore. Some even divorce and fight for child custody. What’s worse, they use their wives’ money to support their male lovers.”
Zhou Xiang gasped, “How can people be so cruel?”
“Exactly. While liking men or women is the same thing,” Liu Mengjiao shrugged, “there are always scumbags in this world.”
Having said enough, Liu Mengjiao wanted to lay some groundwork so Zhou Xiang would understand in the future, “Oh, by the way, Xiang Xiang, can you not tell Zheng Nian about this yet? Since they work in the same company, it could be awkward.”
As if. If Zheng Nian found out, who knows what kind of trouble he’d stir up.
Zhou Xiang, not used to hiding things from her boyfriend, reluctantly nodded at her friend’s request, “I understand. I won’t tell him. Tell Liu Fan not to worry.”
The skewer stall was very popular, with tables set up haphazardly at the entrance. Some people were smoking, some drinking, making the place a smoky mess. The shirtless owner was busy grilling in front of the barbecue stove.
Liu Fan, with sharp eyes, spotted a table that had just been vacated. However, Chen Qian didn’t sit down, “You start ordering first. I’ll go buy something for a moment.”
“Okay.” Liu Fan knew exactly what Chen Qian liked. He ordered forty skewers of beef first, along with beef tongue, ribs, chicken hearts, tenderloin, and pork belly. In summary, it was all meat, meat, meat, and meat.
The girls ate more vegetables. Liu Fan asked each of them, then went to the stall to place the order, grabbing four bottles of soy milk, “The skewers here are really good. I often come here for late-night snacks.”
After saying this, he was a bit stunned. It was normal for him to be familiar with this place because he lived nearby. But Chen Qian also seemed very familiar, even knowing that they sold grilled fish here.
Thinking back, last time they went to that restaurant, Liu Guomu, Chen Qian also said it was recommended by Li Yu. Why would Li Yu recommend such a romantic restaurant to Chen Qian and his ex-boyfriend?
Liu Fan clicked his tongue as he placed the soy milk in four spots. He then inserted straws for the two ladies. Chen Qian had already returned and placed a plastic bag in front of Liu Fan.
“What’s this?” Liu Fan sniffed and opened the plastic bag. He found a bowl of hot lotus seed soup in a disposable bowl.
“Why did you order soy milk for me?” Chen Qian rolled up his sleeves and pushed the soy milk towards Liu Fan, “Tell the owner to bring over some beers.”
Liu Fan scooped some lotus seed soup with a plastic spoon, “Why drink beer? Haven’t you had enough at noon? You should have something to line your stomach.”
With that, he scooped a spoonful and tried to feed Chen Qian. Chen Qian, feeling disgusted, dodged, “Who likes this sticky stuff? Hey! Get it away from me!”
“Come on, come on, come on.” Liu Fan, shamelessly, pressed the spoon to his mouth, forcing him to eat it. Chen Qian reluctantly swallowed and had to drink a big gulp of soy milk to wash down the sweetness. His expression was wooden, like a depressed Husky.
Due to her embarrassment, Zhou Xiang avoided looking at them. Liu Mengjiao, resting her chin on her hand and chewing on her straw, asked, “I just want to ask, when did you two get back together?”
Chen Qian remained silent, continuing to sport his disgruntled Husky face. Liu Fan took a couple sips of soy milk and pondered for a moment. He answered with uncertainty, “Today?”
“Yeah,” Liu Mengjiao released her hand, “I’m really sorry… for disturbing your private time. Oh dear, why didn’t you tell me?”
Liu Fan: “…”
…He seemed to understand why Chen Qian glared at him after hanging up the phone before. But shouldn’t private time involve going to a fancier place? Who asked you to bring me here for skewers!
Chen Qian still didn’t speak. His Husky face grew even more disgruntled.
Luckily, their skewers arrived. Food was always the best way to break the ice. Chen Qian dominated most of the meat, sweating profusely. His shirt was dampened by sweat, accentuating his sturdy muscle lines. When the grilled fish arrived, Liu Fan immediately started dismantling half of it. He picked out the boneless parts and poked them into Chen Qian’s bowl, who then picked them up and stuffed them back into Liu Fan’s mouth.
Liu Mengjiao held a skewer of cucumber slices, nibbling away, feeling quite despondent in her heart; You two, dogging around like this, just over a skewer of grilled meat, is it really necessary? Is it?
The group didn’t disperse until nearly ten o’clock. Chen Qian was overheated and still ordered two bottles of chilled beer, sharing them with Liu Fan. After escorting the two girls home separately, the two of them staggered back to Liu Fan’s house together.
Chen Qian was dripping with sweat. Liu Fan ushered him into the bathroom to shower first. Shortly after he went in, the phone rang. Liu Fan glanced at it: Li Yu.
As expected. This was not surprising at all.
Liu Fan didn’t have much emotion towards Li Yu. Although knowing someone had been eyeing his boyfriend wasn’t exactly comfortable, firstly, it was obvious Li Yu hadn’t succeeded. And Chen Qian probably had no idea. Secondly, Liu Fan’s personality just wasn’t suited for confrontation.
The phone stopped, then rang again. Stopping, then ringing. Liu Fan sighed in resignation, holding the phone and shouting at the bathroom door, “Phone call—there’s a phone call—hello! Can you hear me? Li Yu’s calling!”
Inside, amidst the sound of running water, Chen Qian shouted, “Help me answer it! Ask what he wants!”
Afterwards, he continued showering noisily.
Liu Fan thought to himself how tacky this situation was. But typically, calls like this were from the main wife. Here, though, the roles seemed to have shifted.
“Seriously… why do we always end up in these situations…” He placed the phone to his ear and reluctantly answered the persistent call. “Hello?”
Liu Fan’s tone probably inflicted some damage on the other end. A few seconds later, Li Yu asked in a deep voice, “Where’s Chen Ge?”
“He’s showering. So he asked me to answer first,” Liu Fan replied truthfully, unsure if Li Yu would believe him. “What’s up? Can I pass on a message for you?”
Liu Fan wondered what Li Yu was thinking. He could even hear his breathing. Liu Fan felt quite irritated, thinking to himself; Gosh, I’m so annoyed.
Li Yu’s tone remained calm, “No need. I’ll call back later.”
Without giving Liu Fan any more time to say anything, he hung up.
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*Author’s Note:
Jiaojiao roars angrily on behalf of all single dogs: Oh my goodness! Must they show affection even while eating grilled skewers!
Chen Qian nodded politely: Thank you.
In the next chapter… um… well, you know…
-Yu Xiaofan
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*Translator’s Note: LY, you’ve lost already. Just give up, will ya? -K
Next update: 2024.09.25
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