"Holy shit, look! That couple over there is French-kissing!!"

I pointed to a random corner of the hot pot restaurant while my chopsticks leaped back and forth across the table.

Lin Yixin turned but saw nothing. When she looked back at the hot pot, she exploded, "I didn’t see anyone like that! Also where the heck is the golden needle mushroom I just put in the hot pot!?"

Me: "I don’t know!"

"Oh yeah? What is that in your mouth!?"

"It’s a nian gao!"

"What kind of nian gao has feelers on it!!?"

"A hairy nian gao, of course!"

He Yi put her palm to her forehead. "Please eat properly, you two. Zhou Ping and Bear Bear [1] are right here…"

Zhou Ping giggled. "It’s fine, it just means they are having that much fun. To be honest, I’m quite envious of you three. Despite your positions, you three seem so happy and carefree when you’re together!"

I replied, "That isn’t true. It only seems that way because we hid our river of sorrow from view…"

"Cut the crap, you think I didn’t notice that you stole my mudbug?"

"The fuck, you can cook mudbugs in a hot pot? Why don’t you drop a bunch of bananas then?"

"Waiter! Can you grab us a bunch of bananas? Thanks!"

"...