At seven o'clock that evening.
Lin Yuan, Chen Zhiyu and Chen Zhiyu's agent arrived at the hot pot restaurant run by Sun Yaohuo.
The name of the hot pot restaurant was Flame Hot Pot.
The restaurant was crowded with people, indicating that its business was thriving, with Sun Yaohuo personally greeting guests at the door.
After greeting him, Chen Zhiyu started, seeming unsure, "Have we met before?"
Sun Yaohuo reminded him, "Sun Yaohuo, I'm the singer of 'Red Rose'."
Chen Zhiyu seemed dazed for a moment.
He hadn't expected the hot pot restaurant owner that Teacher Admirable Fish had mentioned to be his fellow industry colleague!
They were all from the same circle. Although Sun Yaohuo was not very famous, he and Chen Zhiyu had met before at certain events.
That's why Chen Zhiyu found Sun Yaohuo familiar.
On the other hand, Sun Yaohuo was quite familiar with Chen Zhiyu.
After all, Chen Zhiyu was a first-class singer, who in the music circle does not know him?
"This is my agent, Liu Mou."
"Let's not stand on ceremony, let's go in. We've prepared a private room and we can't let our junior starve," Sun Yaohuo turned to Lin Yuan.
Exchanging pleasantries, everyone entered the private room.
Just as Chen Zhiyu was about to speak, the sound of a song reached his ears: "A dream within a dream from which one cannot awake, red entrapped within the red thread..."
Now Chen Zhiyu's face changed.
This song was oh too familiar to Chen Zhiyu.
In the past, he once came in second when faced with this song...
Seemingly concerned, Sun Yaohuo asked, "What's wrong, do you dis song, Brother Zhiyu? If so, I could have the waiter play your song."
Smiling, Chen Zhiyu said, "This is a song by Teacher Admirable Fish, how could I not like it."
"That's good. I thought you didn't like my rendition of this song…," Sun Yaohuo said somewhat awkwardly.
Liu Mou blinked his eyes.
The atmosphere, seemed a bit off.
Without giving it much thought, Lin Yuan said, "I'll go make a dipping sauce."
"Go straight out the door and turn left… Do you want me to accompany you, Junior?" Sun Yaohuo said.
"I'll go myself, you guys start ordering," Lin Yuan got up and headed for the condiment area.
Sun Yaohuo didn't insist, and had someone bring the menu over. "You two are guests, please order first."
"Very well, thank you."
Chen Zhiyu began ordering.
After he had finished ordering, Sun Yaohuo glanced at the menu and laughed, saying, "Sorry, it seems we've sold out of the yellow throat, and I think we're also out of duck's blood?"
Sun Yaohuo turned to the server.
The server paused, "Do we have it...or not?"
Sun Yaohuo seemed unhappy, "How should I know? Don't you know more about the kitchen situation than I do?"
The server, after a moment of realization, responded, "I think we're out."
Sun Yaohuo nodded, then turned to Chen Zhiyu, "I'm sorry.."
Chen Zhiyu gestured with his hand, "I'll also go make a sauce."
Liu Mou got up and said.
Just as they left, Lin Yuan returned to the room and asked Sun Yaohuo, "Have the dishes been ordered?"
Sun Yaohuo laughed and said, "Yes, I'll recount them, see if you want to add anything."
The server then listed out the dishes that had been ordered.
After hearing it, Lin Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Let's add some yellow throat and tripe, and oh, also some duck's blood."
"We're out of yellow throat and duck's blood!"
The server looked at Sun Yaohuo as if seeking approval, thinking that he had cleverly understood the boss's intentions.
Sun Yaohuo's mouth twitched, "As far as I remember, we still have yellow throat and duck's blood, don't we?"
The server seemed unable to follow Sun Yaohuo's thought process, "So, do we...or don't we?"
Sun Yaohuo glared at the server, "Quickly bring out the dishes."
"Alright, alright...,"
The server practically fled.
In no time, all the dishes were served.
When Chen Zhiyu and Liu Mou returned, seeing the yellow throat and duck's blood on the plate, they looked at Sun Yaohuo, deep in thought.
Was this guy trying to be funny?
Sharing a hot pot seems to easily bridge the gap between people, and within less than ten minutes, the room had already been filled with lively chatter.
Sun Yaohuo and Chen Zhiyu seemed to hit it off and talked about many topics.
Chen Zhiyu loved discussing the current state of the music industry, his endorsements, and his singing career with Sun Yaohuo.
Sun Yaohuo loved to talk about the food and beverage industry, food, and his restaurant's business.
"One of my songs was included in a college textbook."
"Before, my milk tea shop did pretty well, I opened two more branches recently."
"About that previous endorsement fee, the client was willing to pay quite a lot."
"I plan to open another tea restaurant soon, styled after the Qi Continent."
"We first-class singers don't actually have it that easy, you guys have it much more relaxed."
"Hey, running a restaurant isn't easy either, I earn a lot, but the hardship is only known to me."
"Huh, Brother Yao Huo? Is this still 'Red Rose'? Does your shop play songs on loop?"
"How about changing to 'Life Like A Summer Flower'? I also sang that one."
"Oh, that's another song written by Teacher Admirable Fish, of course… Brother Yao Huo's songs are still a bit lacking."
"Actually, there are some other songs as well, but these two songs have both won the season's top spot. Brother Zhiyu, you have to work harder!"
The eyes of the two met, seemingly in meaningful conversation.
Only Lin Yuan, who held the most respect for the food, was eating with utmost joy.
Now, having finished his beef slices, Lin Yuan felt about seventy percent full.
Stomach filled with warm food, he suddenly had an urge to tell a joke.
So, he slowly began, "I remember a few years ago when I went to get hot pot with my sister."
Sun Yaohuo and Chen Zhiyu turned to look at Lin Yuan.
With a poker face, Lin Yuan continued, "But it was strange, we clearly ordered a pure broth hot pot, but it felt a bit numbing. So my sister asked the owner, why is the pure soup hot pot numbing?"
Curious, Sun Yaohuo asked, "Why?"
Lin Yuan said, "The owner explained, I am sorry, the hot pot seems to be leaking electricity."
The room went quiet for a few seconds.
Sun Yaohuo burst out laughing.
Chen Zhiyu and Liu Mou looked lost.
They could actually find that bad a joke funny?
Sun Yaohuo's laughter escalated, doubling over he said, "Do you find Teacher Admirable Fish humorous?"
Liu Mou also laughed, and kicked Chen Zhiyu's foot whispering, "So funny."
It was only then that Chen Zhiyu reacted, "Hahahahaha... I think Teacher Admirable Fish is indeed very humorous!"
Even though he felt that his joke wasn't half-bad, it surely couldn't warrant that much laughter.
It seemed like the humor threshold of Chen Zhiyu and Liu Mou was at the same level as Senior Yao Huo.
They finished their meal.
On the way home, Liu Mou looked rather solemn, "This Sun Yaohuo is not simple, we need to be cautious in the future."
Chen Zhiyu's expression got serious as he felt an inexplicable sense of crisis, "We'll record the song tomorrow, to avoid further trouble!"