Why didn't you tell me earlier that my little sister is still waiting for me?

Upon hearing this, Lin Bufan's eyebrows immediately shot up: "What do you mean I caught Old Hu red-handed? It sounds like I threatened him! Comrade Nana, you're wrong about that. Old Hu was captivated by my noble character and impressed by my profound knowledge, so he voluntarily cooked for me. That's called respecting one's teacher! You're all enjoying this because of me, so why don't you thank me?"

Chen Nanxing chuckled and briefly told Nana about Hu Youyu's desire to become an apprentice.

After listening, Nana's face showed a knowing expression, and she nodded while suppressing a laugh: "Oh—I see. Then it seems I really have to thank President Lin. But it looks like Teacher Hu will have to be changed to Teacher Lin from now on."

"That works!" Lin Bufan proudly raised his chin, then turned his gaze to Nana, his eyes filled with a hint of teasing and meaning: "How about it, Nana? Do you want Teacher Lin to teach you a few tricks? Maybe you'll be able to use them soon."

Nana was stunned for a moment, then realized that Lin Bufan was referring to the resumption of the live broadcast. A hint of unease flashed across her face, and she quickly waved her hand: "I think I'll pass. You should save your skills to teach Hu."

Seeing that Nana was still avoiding the issue, Lin Bufan said impatiently, "What's wrong with you? Aren't you going to step forward?"

Nana pursed her lips, her eyes darting around: "Let's wait a few more days... I need to prepare myself mentally."

"What kind of mental preparation do you need? Didn't you do this every day before? You know it like the back of your hand."

"How can that be the same? I haven't done it for so long, I need to get used to it and get back into the swing of things beforehand, right?"

Chen Nanxing and Xu Hongdou, who were listening nearby, were completely confused and had no idea what the two were talking about.

Chen Nanxing couldn't help but interject, "Hey, what kind of riddles are you two spouting? It's all so confusing, can't you say something that a human can understand? Don't you know that riddle tellers should die?"

Xu Hongdou also cast a curious glance at her.

Lin Bufan shrugged, indicating that if anyone wanted to know, they should ask Nana!

Nana glared at Lin Bufan, a hint of embarrassment on her face. She opened her mouth, unsure how to explain, when suddenly a terrified scream came from the kitchen:

“Oh my god—!”

Then came a muffled thud, as if something had fallen to the ground, followed by a flurry of activity and the crackling sound of grease bursting.

"on fire!"

Upon hearing this, everyone disregarded Nana's explanation and rushed to the kitchen. On the stove, a wok was flaming with flames half a meter high. Hu Youyu was holding the lid, looking anxious but hesitant to put it on, pacing around in circles. There was also an overturned oil bowl on the floor.

"Get out of the way!" Lin Bufan rushed over in a flash, quickly turned off the gas, and grabbed the large pot lid next to him, slamming it down on the burning wok with a "clang." The flames were instantly cut off from the air, struggled for a few moments, and then went out, leaving only black smoke rising from the pot and a burnt smell.

Nana quickly opened the window to ventilate the room, while Chen Nanxing and Xu Hongdou helped clean up the oil stains on the floor.

A minor kitchen crisis was quickly resolved. Hu Youyu was still in shock, her face pale with fright. Looking at the mess on the stove and the blackened, unrecognizable lump of charcoal in the pot, she was so embarrassed that she didn't know what to do with her hands and feet.

Chen Nanxing looked at Hu Youyu and asked helplessly, "Teacher Hu, do you... do you even know how to cook?"

Hu Youyu scratched his head, forcing a fawning smile, and said weakly, "Well... I can still make simpler dishes. I just... wanted to show off a bit, make something complicated and presentable, but who knew the oil would... it would catch fire as soon as it got hot..."

Upon hearing this, Xu Hongdou had a bad feeling: "How simple can you make?"

Hu Youyu became even more embarrassed, and whispered as softly as a mosquito's buzz: "I'm cooking instant noodles... with an egg and a sausage..."

Everyone: "..."

After a suffocating silence, Nana sighed and rolled up her sleeves: "Looks like I won't be able to enjoy this with Teacher Lin today. Alright, I'll do it myself. If we keep going like this, everyone will go hungry tonight."

"No, no, no!" Hu Youyu quickly stopped Nana, his face showing a mixture of frustration and determination: "This is my fault! I was supposed to do it, but it turned out like this... Here's what I'll do, I'll treat everyone to a meal in town! I know a place that serves really authentic mushroom hot pot, and it's perfect for this season!"

After we finish eating, it'll be about time for me to go to the bar to sing. I'll treat everyone to the bar where I sing, to enjoy a live performance by this rising star of the music scene, and maybe even get some pointers from Mr. Lin!

After Hu Youyu finished speaking, he looked at everyone expectantly, especially Lin Bufan.

Go to town for hot pot, then go to a bar? That sounds more appealing than sitting at home staring at a burnt pot.

Chen Nanxing, Xu Hongdou, and Nana looked at each other, and each saw a flutter in the other's eyes.

“I think… that’s a good idea,” Chen Nanxing said first. “Anyway, I don’t have anything else to do tonight.”

Xu Hongdou had no objection: "Hmm, it would be nice to go and enjoy Hu's performance."

Nana smiled and agreed, "Sure, if Teacher Hu is treating, then we'll gladly accept."

Seeing that no one had any objections, Lin Bufan naturally wouldn't object either: "Then let's go."

"Great!" Hu Youyu's face lit up with a smile, as if he could already see the light at the end of the tunnel of his successful apprenticeship: "Then I'll go change my clothes first! You guys get ready too, we'll set off right away!"

"Let's bring the barley too," Xu Hongdou suggested.

"I'd better go!"

Nana knocked on Damai's door. When Damai first heard that they were going to town with so many people, he instinctively wanted to retreat into his own little world. However, after repeated persuasion from Chen Nanxing and Nana, and Hu Youyu's enthusiastic invitation, he finally couldn't refuse and agreed to go with them.

As Hu Youyu passed by Ma Qiushan's room, he casually asked, "Uncle Ma, how about we go to town for dinner? My treat!"

Ma Qiushan looked up from a pile of documents and notebooks, adjusted his glasses, and waved his hand: "You guys go ahead, I won't go. I need to hurry up and finish the business plan and financial model for President Lin. Time is tight and the task is heavy."

Seeing that he was indeed busy, the others stopped pressuring him.

Soon, the group of six people and their dog gathered at the entrance of the courtyard, ready to set off. But then, a practical problem arose—how to get there?

Xie Zhiyao drove out tonight. According to Lin Bufan's memory, he should have gone to see Xie Zhiyuan. Therefore, there was only one car left, which can only seat a maximum of five people including the driver, but now there are six people!

Da Mai glanced at the number of people and suggested in a low voice, "How about... I don't go? The five of you can drive."

"That won't do!" Hu Youyu was the first to object: "We agreed to go together, how can we leave our little sister Da Mai behind? Absolutely not!"

Da Mai quickly waved his hand: "It's really okay, Teacher Hu, I can just eat something at home..."

"No, no! We have to go together! We absolutely have to go together!" Hu Youyu insisted. "How about this, you guys drive, and I'll ride my little electric scooter! I ride it to the bar every day anyway, I'm used to it!"

"How could I let you ride the electric scooter alone..." Da Mai felt even more embarrassed.

The two of them started pushing and tugging at each other, neither able to convince the other.

Nana looked at them, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "My car is parked up ahead, how about we drive another one? It's just that I haven't driven mine in a long time, I don't know if there will be any problems..."

Just then, Lin Bufan's eyes lit up and he had a good idea: "Alright, alright, stop arguing, it's not necessary to go through all that trouble. Nana, you can drive Xie Zhiyao's car and take Nanxing, Damai and Lao Hu with you."

Chen Nanxing immediately asked, "What about you and Hongdou?"

“When my assistant came over a couple of days ago, he brought me a motorcycle. It was parked not far away. I can just ride it with Hongdou.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Hongdou immediately objected: "It's just one more person. Why don't you ride the motorcycle yourself? I'll take the car."

"What do you mean 'just one more person'?" Lin Bufan's eyes widened immediately, his face showing a hurt expression. "I'm the main character of tonight's dinner, okay? Without me, would this dinner even exist? You actually want to abandon me all alone, riding a cold motorcycle, braving the biting wind, to this dinner party by myself? Comrade Xu Hongdou, doesn't your conscience hurt? Doesn't your morality bother you?"

"How could I bear it?" Xu Hongdou stroked her chin, pretended to think for a moment, and then nodded innocently. "Besides, my conscience won't hurt, and my morality won't be condemned. You're doing fine riding your bike, getting some fresh air, clearing your head, and stopping thinking about all that nonsense."

"You..." Lin Bufan almost choked on his words. Just as he was about to say something more, Sang Biao, who was already sitting in the passenger seat, impatiently stuck his head out of the car window, barked, and his eyes were full of "Are we going or not? Stop dawdling!"

The dog's bark startled everyone.

As they were discussing, they seemed to have forgotten one person—no… a dog!

Although it's unclear whether five people plus a dog constitutes overloading, it's obvious that getting Sang Biao to squeeze in with them would require a lot of persuasion.

Therefore, Xu Hongdou finally compromised and decided to ride a motorcycle with Lin Bufan!

Lin Bufan called out to Nana, who had already started the car, "Nana, you guys drive on ahead. Be careful on the road, and send me your location when you get there!"

"Okay!" Nana replied, and the car slowly drove away.

Watching the car disappear at the end of the village road, Lin Bufan proudly raised his chin at Xu Hongdou: "Let's go, Dou'er, I'll take you to get the car."

The two walked along the bluestone path, the evening breeze caressing their faces, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees.

After walking only a few steps, Xu Hongdou asked in confusion, "Where did you put your motorcycle?"

"It's just ahead, just around the corner." Lin Bufan pointed to the entrance of an alley ahead and quickened his pace.

Reaching the alley entrance, Lin Bufan took advantage of the blind spot around the corner, and with a thought, retrieved the sleek, powerful-looking black motorcycle from his system space, placing it steadily against the alley wall.

As the two turned the corner, Xu Hongdou saw the motorcycle and exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? When did you put the motorcycle here? I didn't see it when I went to find Xie Zhiyuan this morning!"

Lin Bufan remained expressionless: "I've had it here for a while, you probably didn't notice it this morning. Okay, let's not talk about this anymore." He picked up a helmet hanging on the handlebars and handed it to Xu Hongdou: "Here, put it on."

Xu Hongdou took the helmet, put it on, and fastened the buckle. Lin Bufan also put on his helmet, straddled the motorcycle, and started the engine.

Xu Hongdou sat down behind him, her hands naturally gripping the sides of his shirt.

Lin Bufan turned his head, his voice muffled from inside the helmet: "It's not safe for you to hold on like that, put your arm around my waist."

Xu Hongdou glared at Lin Bufan through her mask: "What do you mean it's unsafe? I think you're just trying to take advantage of me."

"It's really not about taking advantage!" Lin Bufan said sincerely, "If you hold on like this, you might easily let go and fall if I speed up or turn. Holding on to your waist is more stable."

"Then I won't hold on. Wouldn't it be safer if you rode slower?"

Lin Bufan was silent for two seconds, then nodded: "Alright, then sit tight and hold on, let's go."

Xu Hongdou was a little surprised. She didn't expect Lin Bufan to be so easy to talk to today. He gave up after just a few words, which was not like him.

"Hold on tight," Lin Bufan reminded him, then suddenly twisted the accelerator with his right hand.

"Ugh——!"

The motorcycle lurched forward like a wild horse, then came to an abrupt stop!

"Ah!" Xu Hongdou was caught off guard, and her whole body slammed hard into Lin Bufan's solid back due to inertia, her soft chest being slightly deformed by the pressure. She subconsciously cried out, and her hands, which were originally gripping her clothes, instinctively wrapped around Lin Bufan's waist and hugged him tightly.

Xu Hongdou snapped out of her daze, realizing she was pressed tightly against Lin Bufan's back with her arms still around his waist. Her face flushed instantly, a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance washing over her. She released one hand and clenched her fist, ready to punch Lin Bufan's back: "Lin Bufan! You did that on purpose!"

Just then, the motorcycle surged forward again, then came to a stop once more!

"Ah!" Xu Hongdou's hands, which had just loosened, hadn't even had time to fall down when her body tilted again, and she landed squarely on Lin Bufan's back once more. Her arms, which had just loosened, instinctively wrapped tightly around his waist again, holding him even more firmly than before.

"Lin—Bu—Fan! You did this on purpose!" Xu Hongdou's voice, filled with gritted teeth and obvious anger, came from inside the helmet.

"No, no! It really wasn't intentional!" Lin Bufan quickly explained, his voice filled with barely concealed amusement: "It's just a problem with this motorcycle! It hasn't been ridden in a long time, so it's normal for it to have some minor issues... Don't worry, just ride it a bit, and it'll be fine after a break-in period!"

Xu Hongdou naturally didn't believe Lin Bufan's nonsense, but now that she was on the wrong path, it was obviously too late to get off. Besides, Xu Hongdou didn't really want to get off anyway.

Feeling the softness coming from behind, Lin Bufan couldn't help but sigh that even today, motorcycles are still not obsolete, and there is indeed a reason for their existence!