To be honest, Zhao Tianhao was charmed by Duan Jiabao. This simple person who loved food was someone Zhao Tianhao genuinely liked.
However, while Duan Jiabao was innocent, Zhao Tianhao wasn't. He only wanted to sleep with her.
Before Zhao Tianhao could say anything, the two servings of lion's head meatballs he ordered arrived.
Looking at the fragrant lion's head meatballs, they looked incredibly appetizing.
Duan Jiabao was already drooling.
Especially after seeing that Zhao Tianhao had ordered two servings, her little schemes started to work.
She was figuring out how to get one from Zhao Tianhao.
Zhao Tianhao picked up his chopsticks and took a bite. Hmm, not bad.
For Zhao Tianhao, he had eaten far too much food. His palate was incredibly discerning.
During his time with "A Little Reunion," he had tried almost every dish made by chefs from all over the world.
This was already quite good; it was very unique.
Seeing Zhao Tianhao enjoying his meal so much, Duan Jiabao quickly swallowed her saliva and pleaded with him, "Big brother, please let me have this lion's head meatball, please, I beg you!"
Zhao Tianhao picked up a lion's head meatball with his chopsticks and offered it to Duan Jiabao.
Duan Jiabao's eyes were fixed on the meatball. Seeing it almost in front of her, she quickly opened her mouth to receive it, completely forgetting that these were Zhao Tianhao's chopsticks.
Unfortunately, Zhao Tianhao wasn't really feeding her; he was just teasing her. After waving it in front of her, he put it in his own mouth. Seeing Duan Jiabao's silly, open mouth, Zhao Tianhao laughed.
"Haha, you're so cute!"
"Hmph, you're so annoying!" Duan Jiabao huffed. She wasn't angry that Zhao Tianhao was teasing her, but that he was almost finished with his lion's head meatball and about to eat a second one.
"My lion's head meatball!" Duan Jiabao cried inwardly.
"You really want to eat lion's head meatballs?"
"Mmm-hmm," Duan Jiabao nodded eagerly.
"I really want to eat them."
"Mmm-hmm."
"I really want to eat them."
"Mmm-hmm," Duan Jiabao nodded vigorously, looking at Zhao Tianhao expectantly. "I can give you this one."
"Thank you," Duan Jiabao's joy was palpable. She was about to reach for the lion's head meatballs and start eating.
"Wait, I haven't stated my conditions yet."
"I agree to everything!" Duan Jiabao had abandoned all dignity for food.
"..."
Zhao Tianhao was speechless. "Aren't you sure your family trusts you, or are you going back on your word, trying to trick me?"
"No, I'm not stupid!" Duan Jiabao glared angrily at Zhao Tianhao. She hated being called stupid.
"I haven't even stated my conditions, and you've already agreed? Are you kidding me?"
"No, as long as I can eat the lion's head meatballs, I'll do anything!" Duan Jiabao was extremely anxious, watching the meatballs getting cold.
"Are you serious?"
"Serious."
"Let's go, let's get a room."
"Huh?"
"What 'huh'? Didn't you agree to any conditions?"
"I, I..." Duan Jiabao searched his mind for words, but couldn't find a single insult. "You're shameless!" Poor Duan Jiabao didn't even know how to swear. He didn't even use honorifics.
"You broke your promise!"
"I didn't, I didn't, it's just that your conditions were too much!" Duan Jiabao naturally didn't want to be a person who broke their word.
"I don't care, you promised me!" "You can't do this!" Duan Jiabao was getting impatient.
"Fine, I won't make things difficult for you. Since you didn't keep your word, I'll eat this delicious lion's head meatball myself. It's a waste that some people skipped class all the way here just to eat it, only to not get a taste. Ah, it's so delicious, so incredibly delicious!"
Zhao Tianhao had taken shamelessness to the extreme. While saying this, he used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of the whole lion's head and put it in his mouth.
Looking at the lion's head with a missing piece, Duan Jiabao felt an unbearable urge to grab it and eat it immediately.
Duan Jiabao wanted to get up and leave, saying defiantly, "It's just a lion's head meatball, isn't it?"
But Zhao Tianhao's words struck her like a hammer blow.
She skipped class to eat lion's head meatballs, sacrificing a year's worth of breakfasts. Although it was all small money, it was still a price she had paid.
What if I'm unlucky like this again? I really want to eat it, but his conditions are too outrageous. How can anyone agree to that?
Looking at Duan Jiabao's conflicted expression, Zhao Tianhao smiled. This only works on her; anyone else would have gotten up and left immediately.
Of course, Zhao Tianhao wouldn't have made such a demand on anyone else. He always tailors his approach to the specific situation.
He knew exactly what Duan Jiabao was thinking. He knew she'd liked this lion's head meatballs for a long time.
And she was a bit silly. Not that she had a problem with her intelligence, but it was a condition that anyone with eyes could see was unacceptable, yet she was still hesitating.
But that's precisely why Zhao Tianhao liked her. It was more fun to tease her.
"Ah, so delicious! I'm taking a second bite!" Zhao Tianhao muttered as he took the food.
His intention was crystal clear; he was saying it to Duan Jiabao. Duan Jiabao looked even more conflicted as she watched Zhao Tianhao put down his chopsticks. She stared longingly at the lion's head meatball, now missing a piece.
"Wait, wait a minute," Duan Jiabao interrupted.
"Have you thought it through?" Zhao Tianhao put down his chopsticks and looked at Duan Jiabao.
"Can we change the terms? This is really...unbelievable. And we don't even know each other, we don't understand each other at all. So, so...that's it, right?" Duan Jiabao's voice trailed off, lacking confidence.
"So what?" Zhao Tianhao teased.
Looking at Zhao Tianhao's mischievous grin, Duan Jiabao had to admit, he was really handsome, and his smile was charming. At least she couldn't bring herself to dislike him.
What can she do? She was a true fan of good looks; whichever idol was handsome, she liked.
Duan Jiabao was too embarrassed to say the word "hotel room."
Zhao Tianhao didn't pressure her. Sometimes, if one method doesn't work, another might yield surprising results.
"How about this, seeing how much you want to eat it, and seeing your troubled expression, I'll change the condition."
"Okay, okay, thank you, big brother, you're such a good person."
"Hehe." Having received this "good guy" treatment, Zhao Tianhao didn't argue and continued, "Let me finish explaining my condition first."
Duan Jiabao didn't object. She was afraid that if she agreed, Zhao Tianhao would propose an embarrassing condition.
"If you become my girlfriend, I have an obligation, and you have a reason to enjoy this lion's head meatball. How about it?"
"This, this..." If Zhao Tianhao had proposed this condition from the beginning, Duan Jiabao wouldn't have agreed either.
However, with the previous groundwork laid, compared to going to a hotel, just being a girlfriend wasn't so unacceptable.
Besides, girlfriends can be broken up with, right?
Hmph, I'll break up with her tomorrow.
Duan Jiabao was excited. The thought of breaking up with Zhao Tianhao tomorrow, and Zhao Tianhao's bewildered expression, made her laugh out loud.
Looking at Duan Jiabao, lost in her own thoughts and chuckling to herself, Zhao Tianhao knew without a doubt she was going to give him a perfunctory answer. Little did he know, Zhao Tianhao wouldn't give her that chance.
Sure enough, after Duan Jiabao finished her silly grin, she said to Zhao Tianhao, "Okay, I agree."
Zhao Tianhao quietly turned on the video recording. "Wait, we haven't properly introduced ourselves yet. After you've introduced yourself, say it seriously and completely, and then our agreement will be in effect."
Duan Jiabao had no objections, her eyes glued to the lion's head meatballs on the table, her mouth practically watering.
"My name is Zhao Tianhao."
"My name is Duan Jiabao."
After shaking her hand, Zhao Tianhao gestured for her to say it completely. At the same time, he casually pointed his phone at Duan Jiabao.
"I, Duan Jiabao, am Zhao Tianhao's girlfriend starting today. Is that alright?" Duan Jiabao said casually, then looked expectantly at Zhao Tianhao. Zhao Tianhao, watching the recorded video, smiled with satisfaction and moved his chopsticks and lion's head meatballs in front of Duan Jiabao.
Duan Jiabao didn't care about details like whose chopsticks they were. Having paid such a high price, it would be a huge loss not to enjoy them properly. "So delicious!" Duan Jiabao almost cried with happiness.
Looking at Duan Jiabao's exaggerated expression,
Zhao Tianhao knew that the deliciousness was only one aspect; what was truly important was her previous longing and the price she had paid. Subconsciously, she had already elevated the value of this lion's head meatball.