"Xiaolan! Come have some BBQ!"
The little fox lying on Jin Wanlin's shoulder was admiring the celestial star-level tea table, while outside the tea room was the courtyard of the hot spring pool. Ah Qing sat at the table, chatting and laughing with everyone, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a fluffy white mass moving.
She turned her head and saw the little fox, lying on another sister's shoulder, eagerly looking at the tea table that had amazed it for a long time.
Ah Qing smiled and waved at Ansheng, signaling him to come for dinner quickly, as the table was filled with delicious meat.
"Oh... coming."
Upon hearing Ah Qing's call, Ansheng jumped off Jin Wanlin's shoulder, trotted on four legs leisurely into the sunroom with lowe glass, squatted directly in front of Ah Qing, and lifted his little fox paw.
"I don't mind you dirtying my clothes; just come directly onto my lap..."
Seeing the little fox raise its hand, Ah Qing immediately understood what it meant and helplessly teased the little fox's cleanliness obsession.
Who's ever heard of a little fox that, upon coming home from a stroll, first thing looks for a wet wipe to clean its paws?
"It's not that I'm obsessed with cleanliness, but I have a responsibility. Although it's unlikely, what if I eat a parasite and it gets into my stomach? It'd be fine in my stomach, but I'm afraid it might go through my body's cycle and run out..."
"Just to be clear, I'm not responsible for catching it back."
With an expression of self-assurance, Ansheng lifted his head and talked about the importance of washing hands and face before meals.
"Wet wipes cost just a few pennies. If I really end up with bugs in my stomach or face, getting sick could easily cost millions."
"Yes, yes... Huhu getting a small ailment worth five thousand bucks."
Ah Qing rolled her eyes, took a handful of wet wipes from her bag, and placed four sheets on the ground. Ansheng stepped on the wet wipes with all four paws, his toes deftly spreading and retracting like a cat kneading dough, wiping his paw pads clean before jumping into Ah Qing's embrace.
The table wasn't laden with particularly exquisite dishes, just simple skewers and some vegetable salads.
The skewers, two fingers thick, were roasted over charcoal with metal skewers and served on white porcelain plates.
There were also some dark roasted meats, probably smoked steaks, even thicker than a human leg.
"Ah Qing, give me a piece of grilled fat, wrap it in lettuce, sprinkle a pinch of chili powder, and shove the whole thing into my mouth." Ansheng, after observing the grilled meat and seafood on the table and glancing at the busy maids by the American grill, turned to Ah Qing and said, "And bring out a big bottle of cola."
"Don't rush..."
Like an old Chinese medicine doctor picking herbs, Ah Qing carefully selected Huhu's meal onto a plate, picked it up with new chopsticks, and served it into Huhu's mouth. Ansheng took a big bite, his face full of bliss.
"These bold flavors are the best. Those sponge gourd and clam soups two months ago, clams stewed with sponge gourd, and steamed sponge gourd with clams—they were so bland, like vegetarian meals..."
Different regions have seasonal flavors; in coastal areas, clams and white razor clams are particularly intoxicating.
The province riddled with civil service exams has endless soybeans to eat, while in Xia Dong, the white razor clams and clams are somewhat similar to soybeans.
A bite of the big, juicy meat immediately reminded Ansheng of the horrors of being dominated by white razor clam and bitter melon soup.
"Can't eat too salty, or you'll shed fur..." Ah Qing looked at the little fox in front of her, reaching out its snout and pecking at the meaty dishes on the plate.
Lin Ying and Chen Zhiyu also smiled and waved at Master Fuli as he joined them at the table.
Once Master Fuli settled in, the conversation at the table returned to the previous topic.
Jin Wanlin, accompanied by Uncle Jinlong, sat next to Chen Zhiyu and greeted everyone with a smile.
"...Before the New Year, the resort district on Qingao Island should start trial operations. By then, we can place some advertisements in the city and invite some online influencers to promote and warm up the event on Qingao Island."
"The real business and profits will start when summer vacation arrives."
Chen Zhiyu spoke about the current progress and upcoming plans for Qingao Island.
Things like orca leaps, humpback and blue whale petting, lion performances, as well as shark and dolphin interactions, were all in full swing.
The Spirit Beast Gang was gaining fame far and wide, and their impoverished sea friends yearned for their insurance cards and joint savings and debit cards with the Sea Beast Union bank, just like land beasts.
While they say you can pet humpback whales and blue whales, Ansheng knew the true essence of this deal.
Chen Zhiyu had become cunning too.
Charging guests and then tricking them into scraping barnacles off the humpback and blue whales.
If other islands have it, Qingao Island must have it. If other islands don't, Qingao Island must possess it!
"And for the ambassador or spokesperson, I was actually thinking of inviting you, Ah Qing, to take the role."
Chen Zhiyu looked at Ah Qing and smiled, "You're now the peak in the eyes of anglers, and in the fishing community, they must call you the Fish King Qing when they meet you."
Having personally hauled an orca, Ah Qing was now a grandmaster among fishing experts.
Her status in the fishing world was unshakeable.
"...No, no, I don't dare to fish orcas anymore. Last time, the orca almost ate me bankrupt, and the delivery stations in Changle District nearly blacklisted me."
Upon hearing Sister Zhiyu call her, Ah Qing was startled, waving her hands to indicate she dared not fish orcas anymore.
Nearly half the district's delivery drivers rushed to serve Ah Qing's fries delivery orders, clogging up the roads with their electric bikes.
It even alarmed the Public Security Bureau, coming out to ask if the line-up of delivery drivers was about to brawl with the neighboring delivery gangs.
As for orcas, Ah Qing dared not fish them.
"Exactly, exactly! Why haul an orca when there are blue whales in the sea? Bring one up and break the fishing competition limits all at once."
Master Fuli lifted his head and let out a yelp, encouraging Ah Qing to go to the sea and haul a blue whale.
Don't be afraid of a blue whale being stranded; as long as the name has 'whale' in it, they like bouncing on water. At that time, I'll just push them back to the sea.
Speaking of whales, Ansheng's expression turned a little odd.
Last night, the orcas, which helped attack the destroyer, had invited him to the seaside to skip rocks tonight.
Orcas would slide onto the shore, and he would throw them back onto the sea, letting them fly.
The orcas have a speed dream too.
...
After five dishes and two rounds of non-alcoholic champagne, Lin Ying invited everyone to choose swimsuits and soak in the hot spring.
Now deep into the night, the temperature dropped, and soaking in the hot spring together while chatting was quite cozy.
"Xiaolan, Xiaolan, how about this outfit?"
With her hair in two small braids over her shoulders, Ah Qing, wearing a green-accented, white swimsuit, walked out with a cheerful expression, twirling before the little fox, causing the hem to flutter slightly.
"That's it?"
Ansheng pursed his lips and said, "I can only say it's not even as bold as me lifting my hind leg and sprinkling a spray."
Ah Qing's aesthetic leaned towards cute and natural; expecting her to pick something stunning was unrealistic.
It's better to hope Lingren comes over to help Ah Qing mix and match an outfit.
"Wait a moment..."
"Don't carry me to the hot spring, I'll go myself!"
At the hot spring's edge, Ansheng quickly halted Ah Qing, who wanted to bring him into the hot spring together.
"Hmm?"
Ah Qing looked puzzled, watching the little fox dip its limbs into the hot spring water. But as the water nearly submerged his undercarriage, the little fox stopped, with a solemn face, gradually sinking, eventually restoring the typical liveliness a little fox should have.
"Oh, I get it!"
Ah Qing, seeing this, looked enlightened and said, "You're afraid the hot spring will scald your little bell—"
Hearing this, Ansheng rolled his eyes dramatically:
"I'm not worried about getting scalded or anything, but the thought of having my bell soak in warm water gives me this weird feeling... like I'd associate it with a pressure cooker."
"However, a pressure cooker or whatever, humph humph..."