Chapter 10 Teach you to use a knife and fork?
Hearing Liu Shang's suggestion, Dong Hong and Yang Dandan waved their hands dismissively, and even Song Sha said with a smile:
"No, no, let's skip the Budweiser and Heineken. We're all students, and this meal is already expensive enough."
"If you order good beer on top of this, I'm afraid you'll have to live off our Ruolin for the rest of the month. That wouldn't be worth it, would it?"
Song Sha's words were humorous but barbed, implying that Liu Shang would have nothing left to eat and would have to sponge off Jiang Ruolin.
But Liu Shang insisted with a smile, "Then let's get a few bottles of Budweiser and Heineken. Everyone can drink what they like."
"You might not know this, but with beer, you really get what you pay for."
"Especially for you girls, it's better to drink higher-quality beer. It's better for your health."
Seeing how insistent Liu Shang was, the girls stopped protesting.
Jiang Ruolin, sitting beside him, looked at his completely natural and effortless smile and, for some reason, felt a pang of distress for him.
Soon, the waiter brought the proper place settings, and the dishes arrived one after another.
Because it was a Western-style specialty restaurant, the tableware followed suit, with knives and forks for everyone. This was one of the main reasons Song Sha had wanted to come here today. After all, for their age group at that time, opportunities to eat Western food were still few and far between. In such an elegant environment, the chances of accidentally making a fool of oneself were quite high.
Seeing the bright, expectant glint in Song Sha's eyes, Jiang Ruolin frowned secretly, her mind racing to find a way to help Liu Shang avoid embarrassment.
"Oh, their roast beef looks amazing."
"We're really being treated well today by Ruolin and Liu Shang. Let's dig in!"
"And Liu Shang, you're a guy, so you have to eat more. Don't be shy with us!"
After they all clinked glasses, Song Sha smiled and suggested they begin, and everyone started to eat.
If you had to say who felt the most awkward at the table right now, it would be Dong Hong and Yang Dandan. The two of them had very little experience with Western food, and their knowledge of using cutlery was limited to the basic "fork in the left hand, knife in the right." Their grips were all wrong, and they didn't extend their index fingers to press lightly on the back of the knife. Out of nervousness and unfamiliarity, they struggled to cut their roast beef, and the scraping sound of their knives and forks against the plates could be heard from time to time.
On the other hand, Jiang Ruolin and Song Sha demonstrated perfect posture and etiquette, their expressions much more natural. It was clear they had attended many such occasions.
At this moment, the eyes of all four girls unconsciously focused on Liu Shang, who had not yet officially started eating.
In Jiang Ruolin's mind, Liu Shang's situation was likely similar to Dong Hong's and Yang Dandan's. However, with the others demonstrating for him, she figured his intelligence would allow him to catch on quickly.
In Song Sha's heart, she had already labeled Liu Shang as clever. He was smart enough not to make a fool of himself immediately in this unfamiliar environment, instead choosing to carefully observe others before acting. However, some things are a matter of lifelong habit; you can't master them just by watching someone for a moment. *The gap between him and people like Jiang Ruolin and me was forged over nearly twenty years of growing up,* she thought. *How could that be changed overnight?* All in all, Song Sha firmly believed that Liu Shang was not in their class.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Liu Shang smiled. "You're not wrong, I'm starving."
"Well, I'm digging in. Prepare yourselves!"
After speaking, Liu Shang picked up his knife and fork and began.
However, much to the astonishment of Jiang Ruolin and Song Sha, he was not cautious, clumsy, or even embarrassed as they had imagined. On the contrary, he ate with a speed, naturalness, and, most importantly, a precision that was textbook-perfect. His understanding and mastery of Western dining etiquette far surpassed even their own. He handled the knife and fork with the same unconscious ease that most people handle chopsticks.
It was hardly surprising. Liu Shang had lived abroad for seven or eight years in his previous life. How could he not know how to use a knife and fork?
This sudden display left all four girls completely stunned, which made Liu Shang chuckle.
"Hey, why are you all staring at me?"
"Don't tell me my face is more appetizing than the roast beef and chicken wings?"
Hearing this, Dong Hong and Yang Dandan hurriedly looked away with embarrassed smiles.
Song Sha just shook her head in amazement. "Liu Shang, if you told me right now that you've lived abroad since childhood, I'd believe you!"
As for Jiang Ruolin, after Liu Shang gave her yet another unexpected surprise, the smile on her face became more relaxed and sweet. She was also reminded of his strong command of English in the internet cafe.
The atmosphere for the rest of the meal was excellent. Throughout the dinner, Liu Shang acted as the perfect listener, letting Jiang Ruolin and her friends chatter on. Only when asked a question directly would he chime in with a few words, always humorous yet steady. His main focus, however, remained on Jiang Ruolin. Even just quietly watching her frown and smile made him feel happy and content.
After paying the hefty bill, the group parted ways. Liu Shang walked Jiang Ruolin home, while Song Sha and the other two girls returned to the school.
The most miserable ones after the meal were undoubtedly Dong Hong and Yang Dandan. Between their unfamiliarity with the cutlery and their nervousness, neither of them had eaten their fill. They would probably have to get some instant noodles later that night.
On a dimly lit, tree-lined street with few pedestrians just outside the school, Jiang Ruolin held Liu Shang's hand as the two walked aimlessly, chatting.
"Liu Shang, starting next week, I'll eat with you every day, okay?"
"Look at all the other couples; they always eat together."
At this, Liu Shang knew that Jiang Ruolin was worried he'd feel embarrassed about spending so much on this one meal and was trying to find a way to become his meal ticket to help him save money.
So, he looked at her with a meaningful and playful smile. "I think those couples are always going in and out of hotels together, too."
Sure enough, faced with such a sensitive topic, an ashamed and annoyed Jiang Ruolin playfully smacked his arm. "I hate you! You big pervert!"