"You look in good spirits."
Li Yan, with his shoulders hugged, said to Cha Xiaodao across the table.
"Hey, not bad. I wanted to invite you guys to my place, but with all this going on, my restaurant is too chaotic to stretch your legs, so I brought you here instead. Try this, beef meatballs hand-beaten, dense and chewy."
Cha Xiaodao handed Li Yan and Lady Dan their sauce dishes and chopsticks, then added, "As your host now that you're in Jinhai, this meal's on me. Don't fight me on this."
The hotpot place was bustling, with diners sweating profusely as they dug in. It was a bit chaotic but the atmosphere was very lively.
The meatballs in the strainer turned white from the boiling and were fragrant when eaten. Li Yan picked up a few with his chopsticks and looked up to ask, "When can you make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall?"
Caught off guard by Li Yan's directness, Cha Xiaodao hesitated before answering, "I can make it today."
