Chapter 290: Li Yi and Jiang Shiying’s First Meeting

Yan Aohan smiled upon hearing this. "Alright, go change your shoes quickly. We are leaving soon."

Zhu Yanyi raised her eyebrows and nodded. She carried the empty basin back to her room, swapped her slippers for sandals, and slung a small crossbody bag over her shoulder. She had designed and made this bag herself before leaving home. Xie Xinlian, Chen Ailian, and Zhu Yanli also had similar bags, though in different styles. All of them were beautiful.

When Zhu Yanyi came out, Yan Aohan had already put away the teacups and books. He had changed into his going-out clothes: a white shirt and gray slim-fit trousers. Although the outfit was simple, it looked natural and perfect on him. Zhu Yanyi sighed inwardly. This was truly the typical favored son of heaven. She closed the door and got into Yan Aohan’s car with him.

As soon as she was in the car, Zhu Yanyi asked, "Last night… no, early this morning, until what time did you guys talk?"

"Three in the morning. You were sleeping like a dead pig," Yan Aohan said with a smile as he drove.

"What dead pig? Is a dead pig as pretty as me? No." Zhu Yanyi spat three times quickly. "Who is a pig? You are the pig. Your whole family are pigs."

Yan Aohan burst out laughing. It was rare to see Zhu Yanyi acting so childish. "Okay, I was wrong. I am a pig, and my whole family are pigs. So, little Zhu, who is not a pig, shall we go eat Lao Cheng’s fried dough sticks and soy milk this morning?"

"Sure," Zhu Yanyi nodded. She had heard that Lao Cheng’s fried dough sticks were made by a man named Lao Cheng. They were extra large and fragrant. Zhu Yanyi had wanted to try them for a long time, but since arriving in the capital, she had been too busy every day.

The busiest time for Lao Cheng’s shop was between five and eight in the morning. It was now just past eight, so the peak crowd had passed, but there were still many people inside. Yan Aohan ordered two bowls of salty soy milk and three fried dough sticks. They found a seat near the wall and started eating.

Zhu Yanyi was indeed hungry. She took a sip of the soy milk first. This soy milk was different from the kind in Sicheng Town. Although both were made from soybeans, the salty version here did not use soy sauce. In Sicheng Town, salty soy milk was simply made with soy sauce and green onions, which was very fresh and delicious. Here, the saltiness came from pickled vegetables, mustard greens, and other assorted pickles instead of soy sauce. It did not mask the bean aroma, giving it a unique flavor.

The fried dough sticks were huge. Each one was a foot long and about ten centimeters wide. Zhu Yanyi blinked at such a large piece, then broke off a quarter with her hands and took a bite. The dough stick was fried very thoroughly. Old-style fried dough sticks were crispy upon entering the mouth, which is why many people liked them. Some people re-fried the dough sticks after they cooled down to make them older, leading to the saying "re-fried old dough sticks." Those were not tasty. True old-style dough sticks were fried in one go.

"Delicious. No wonder it is the signature item here," Zhu Yanyi praised while eating. The dough stick was indeed very tasty.

Yan Aohan broke one dough stick into segments and dipped them into the soy milk. He ate the other one with soy sauce on the side. His movements were elegant and noble, yet he did not seem out of place. It seemed he could naturally blend into any environment.