Hear My Heart: My World Falls into the River of Love

Chapter 31 - Thank you.

Jian Yan eyed He Xiu unhappily, asking him with an unsightly complexion, "What science is this theory of yours based off of?"

He Xiu promptly answered, "There's no scientific basis. I'm speaking nonsense. How about we change spots?"

Jian Yan said, "No need. Even if we change spots, the vapor will still float to my side." Fortunately, she had brought extra clothes; otherwise, she would have smelled like hotpot when she went to work later. That would be terrible.

Thinking of this, Jian Yan opened her mouth to speak only to be cut off by He Xiu signaling the waiter.

"A bottle of , Pessac-Leognan please," He Xiu ordered, glancing at Jian Yan from the corners of his eyes to see if she had any resistance. Seeing shock but not indignation, he picked up a pair of chopsticks and began dropping the ingredients in the pot.

Watching He Xiu silently for a moment, Jian Yan frowned slightly. She asked, "Wine?"

"Mn." He Xiu didn't pause as he continued to prepare the meal. "The key to pairing wine with hotpot is not to concentrate on the meat, but on the sauce. Hotpot tends to be fairly mild in flavor, so the sauce adds to the taste. Normally, a white wine like Riesling is paired with Chinese food, but past experience has taught me that lighter wines with a nice fruity flavor like a younger Côte du Rhone or Beaujolais rounds out the more acidic sauces. I plan on serving this alongside a more savory sesame sauce, however, so the 'wild white,' one strongly aged, is better."

"Oh." Jian Yan didn't know how to respond to the impromptu wine lesson. "Does it taste like Chardonnay? I've had that before, a Chablis one I think. Lin Zhen ordered a bottle to go with the oysters that we went out to eat celebrating my first award."

"Chablis ?" He Xiu set down the chopsticks and began adjusting the temperature. "A classic young, white burgundy. Chief Lin must know her wine pretty well. Chablis goes particularly well with oysters; the young, unoaked , brewed in a cool climate, complements light and delicate food perfectly. "

Jian Yan blinked. It was just wine. Ke—ke— Coughing, she changed the topic. "Should we be consuming alcohol when we have work later?" She glanced askance at the cream white bottle of liquor in the ice bucket. The waiter had stealthily delivered it a moment ago as he had not wanted to interrupt He Xiu.

He Xiu started. Mentally cursing at himself, he stated, "We can take the day off to recover. My apologies; I had forgotten about further engagements later today."

"Is it okay to just take a holiday so last minute?"

"Since I am the director, making such last minute accommodations should be no problem." He glanced to the side and placed a wine glass in front of each of them.

Looking at his guilty expression, Jian Yan suspiciously replied, "Alright..." Trailing off, she saw He Xiu's eyes light up. A blink of an eye later, the light disappeared. "Right, I might quit two days from now."

He Xiu was slightly stunned. Hand grasping the bottle, he poured the wine into glasses, his movements slightly unsteady. "I was wrong; a moment ago, I was only speaking nonsense. You don't need to quit, okay?"

Jian Yan laughed and said, "Chief Lin only gave me a month vacation, and previously, Zhou Wen Wen and I had agreed that I would leave after Christmas."

He Xiu slightly pursed his lips. He wasn't afraid that there would be one less employee at Fantasy Wardrobe because Jian Yan left. Instead, he was afraid that if she left, he would have less opportunities to interact with her.

He pondered for a moment before saying to her, "Hui Hui is leaving for C City after Lunar New Year. How about you stay until then and leave with her."