When Zhao Rongrong and Shi Hongrui got back home, Shi Hongrui was just about to ask Shi Man why she suddenly insisted on buying charcoal, when she saw Qiqi and the others huddled on the floor, reading books and eating bread. The aroma was so enticing that Shi Hongrui, who had only managed a few cookies that afternoon, felt an even greater pang of hunger. Letting go of whatever she was holding, she trotted into the kitchen, certain there must be something delicious in there. "Oh, caterpillar bread! Qiqi, the toast you made last time was pretty good, why aren't you making that anymore?" While the caterpillar bread was decent, eating too much cream really felt greasy, and more importantly, it led to weight gain.

"She's thanking someone, Qiqi specifically dipped into her own pocket to buy the ingredients at the supermarket today," Shi Man explained as she entered to wash her hands, emphasizing the 'dipped into her own pocket' part, then subtly glanced at the unopened bag of flour Qiqi hadn't yet put away. "By the way, did you buy the charcoal?"

Wang Qiqi bought the flour herself, which struck Shi Hongrui as odd. She asked vaguely, "Don't we have flour at home?" Why buy more if there's already flour? Isn't that wasteful?

Shi Man was also focused on observing Shi Hongrui’s reaction. Seeing her response, even without knowing if it was genuine, it at least showed she had paid attention. "Qiqi said she'll be making it more often from now on, so she bought her own. Right, did you buy the charcoal?" That was the crucial point—it determined what they were eating for dinner.

Of course, Shi Hongrui knew Shi Man had been watching her reaction, and she was quite satisfied with her own display. Honestly, what difference would it have made if Qiqi had used the existing flour? "And she mentioned charcoal? I got this bizarre phone call, and Rongrong even suggested you might have gotten confused, saying we weren't planning on grilling until the weekend. Thank goodness I insisted on buying it; I had to check several shops to finally find some. Say, why do you need charcoal so urgently?" Asking about charcoal so eagerly didn't suggest an imminent barbecue for tomorrow; she was just puzzled why Shi Man couldn't go buy it herself if she was in a hurry.

Knowing the charcoal was secured, Shi Man immediately headed to the sink to start washing vegetables. She hadn't washed them earlier because she wasn't sure if they would bring back charcoal. If she didn't hurry, when would dinner be ready? Would this meal turn into a late-night snack? "We're having hot pot today. I thought we'd need charcoal," Shi Man exclaimed, bubbling with excitement.

Looking at the overly animated Shi Man, Shi Hongrui felt a wave of strangeness. "Not the induction cooker?" She recalled the landlady leaving one behind, though she wasn't sure if it worked well.

Shi Man knew Shi Hongrui also assumed they'd be using the induction cooker for the hot pot. "Qiqi and the others bought something wonderful while they were out getting groceries today."

Wonderful things? "What wonderful thing? Seafood?" Shi Hongrui genuinely didn't know what could excite Shi Man this much, and more importantly, how it related to charcoal.

"An old-fashioned hot pot stove," Shi Man kindly explained. "So today we're trying something new."

So the 'wonderful thing' was a hot pot stove. Shi Hongrui huffed, slightly annoyed. "What's so special about that? Isn't it basically the same as using an induction cooker?" In Shi Hongrui’s view, the deliciousness of hot pot depended on the ingredients and the dipping sauces. Besides, they already had cooking equipment at home; why waste money on that? Back home, that thing wasn't expensive, but shipping it here multiplied its value several times over. It was such a waste.

"Yan Yan bought it personally," Shi Man whispered close to Shi Hongrui’s ear. She couldn't bring up this topic loudly again; it would make her seem petty. More importantly, she worried Shi Hongrui might lose her appetite later if she became upset.

It was Zhang Yan's personal purchase, so Shi Hongrui dropped the issue of extravagance. "Oh, right, has the soup base for the hot pot been simmered?" In the past, their hot pot always involved pork rib or chicken broth, both of which took hours to simmer. But she couldn't smell that scent in the kitchen now. Would the hot pot even taste good? Shi Hongrui harbored deep doubts.

"Just clear broth with a bit of salt will do," Zhang Yan said, entering the room and immediately starting to prepare the dipping sauces. "We’re going for the pure flavor today."

Pure flavor, again. The word 'pure flavor' gave Shi Hongrui a headache now. Qiqi pursued this in her eating habits, and now Zhang Yan was using the same phrase. Sigh, fine, the chef is the boss. "Can you prepare a spicy dipping sauce?" Since the broth was minimal, they would have to compensate with the sauces. But since Zhang Yan was making them, Shi Hongrui felt uneasy about it. "Never mind, let's stick to the pure flavor." Shi Hongrui remembered Qiqi bought some vinegar; she could use that as a condiment later.

As soon as Zhang Yan heard this, she knew Shi Hongrui doubted her culinary skills. Hmph, first one, now the other, none of them trust my cooking. Hmph, I won't explain myself; they'll see the real flavor when it's time to eat.

"Yan Yan, I only need something very mild, slightly spicy is okay?" Shi Man sighed internally looking at the other seemingly sincere girl. Did this kid not notice Zhang Yan's expression changing?

After Shi Man and the others finished washing the vegetables and slicing the meat, Shi Man called out loudly, "Qiqi, where are we putting the hot pot?" Eating at the dining table would be best, but since it was rectangular, it was perfect for serving dishes, but for a hot pot today, the table felt a bit too large.

Wang Qiqi and Zhang Yan quickly got up to clear the coffee table. They had already planned to eat around the coffee table; it was more convenient for everyone to reach the food. Once the table was cleared, Wang Qiqi and Zhao Rongrong went to the kitchen to bring out the ingredients, while Zhang Yan busied herself setting up the hot pot stove.

Shi Man was surprised when Wang Qiqi suggested eating at the coffee table. "But we still have homework to do." That greasy mess would be hard to clean up later.

"There are placemats," Wang Qiqi and the others had planned for this; they just needed to be careful during the meal. "Besides, the dining table is too big; it's inconvenient for eating."

"Aren't we supposed to put the dishes out?" Shi Man looked at the few plates of vegetables and sliced meat. Could a small coffee table hold all that? "I think we are missing a small serving cart."

A serving cart for this tiny space? Wang Qiqi snapped back, "Put a few dishes next to each person. Whoever wants a specific dish can just ask for help." It wasn't like they had a huge spread—with the meat included, Wang Qiqi counted about ten dishes total.

The five girls eagerly circled the stove, waiting for the water to boil. "Qiqi, it gets really cold here in winter; maybe we can make frozen tofu then," Zhang Yan said while watching the water, voicing her anticipated delicacy. They could buy tofu at the local supermarket, but not frozen tofu.

"Why wait for winter? We can just freeze it in the refrigerator," Shi Man said, quite puzzled. She, like Qiqi, wasn't fond of bean products, always sensing a bean-like aftertaste. However, putting some frozen tofu in hot pot did taste good, but couldn't they have it in the summer too? Was it necessary to wait for winter?

"Tofu frozen in the fridge doesn't taste as good as naturally frozen tofu," Zhang Yan insisted on eating naturally frozen tofu, even though she loved it. "Tofu from the freezer just never tastes right."

"Isn't it the same thing??" Wang Qiqi also found this strange. Wang Qiqi was used to tofu frozen in commercial freezers. Living in the south, even though the temperature was low, making truly frozen tofu wasn't easy.

"Once you try it, you'll understand," Zhang Yan replied, seeing the four others looking confused. She wouldn't elaborate, but she knew the moment they tasted the naturally frozen kind, they would grasp the difference.

"Actually, making that is very simple."

Shi Hongrui stared intently at the stove, thinking that although the pot looked large, how much could it actually hold? And there were five people eating. Even though they were all girls, their appetites were quite strong. They might talk about dieting, but who cared once the food came out? They ate as heartily as possible. But that wasn't the immediate concern. Shi Hongrui was mentally calculating: the water has been boiling for five or six minutes, why isn't it boiling yet? She should have added hot water earlier, or at least boiled some water separately. Note this for next time, Shi Hongrui mentally recorded this key point, knowing that with this pot around, Zhang Yan would likely suggest using it for hot pot again.

"The water's boiling, the water's boiling! Qiqi, put the potatoes in!" As soon as Shi Man saw bubbles rising, she shouted excitedly. Even though they had eaten bread earlier, watching the hot pot right in front of them yet being unable to eat made her anxious. Now that the water was finally boiling, why wasn't everyone speeding things up?

Wang Qiqi was just about to suggest quickly blanching some beef to start with, worrying that dropping in so many vegetables would mean they wouldn't cook for ages. After all, this was charcoal-fired, not gas, and even slower than an induction cooker. But before she could voice her protest, she saw Shi Man and Shi Hongrui tossing a large quantity of ingredients in. Wang Qiqi thought, Oh no, this meal is really going to become a late-night snack.

When Zhang Yan returned from the restroom to the living room, she found the previously empty pot stuffed to the brim. She rushed over and swiftly scooped some items out. "You put that much in? Will it even boil in half an hour?" Honestly, had they ever eaten hot pot before?

"No, it cooks fast," Shi Man reasoned, thinking that in their experience, they always put the slower-cooking items in first to stew while they ate things like potato slices midway through.

"What kind of stove are you using?" Zhang Yan retorted, annoyed. If she didn't watch them, chaos would ensue. She fished out some ingredients and placed them in an empty side bowl. "While the water is boiling, let's eat some meat first." She quickly blanched a few slices of meat. "Actually, this meat only needs a quick rinse; it's just cut a bit thick." Thinner would be better, but she supposed their knife skills weren't up to par.

Shi Man was about to argue about saving some items for later, but seeing Zhang Yan's actions, she realized, Right, eat the meat first; the vegetables can wait. The group ignored the vegetables and began devouring the meat with gusto. Everyone was starving, and with meat available, their movements were swift. In no time, a plate of meat vanished.

"I'm full again, but seriously satisfied," Shi Man said after finishing her last chopstick of meat. She stood up and paced around the room. Although she secretly wanted to collapse onto the sofa immediately, she dared not; Qiqi would surely scold her. "Yan Yan, your dipping sauces are quite good. Say, can you make peanut butter?" She'd heard that sauce was delicious too, but it had to be freshly ground; store-bought peanut butter was simply awful, especially when paired with porridge.

Even without Shi Man mentioning it, Zhang Yan knew her sauces were a hit, judging by how quickly all the different varieties she prepared were wiped out. But regarding the peanut butter Shi Man mentioned, "I can make it, but we don't have a grinder here." Zhang Yan also loved peanut butter, savoring the rich aroma with every bite. Back home during holidays, Zhang Yan would often return to her hometown to grind peanuts using a small stone mill. She could only make a small batch in a day, but she always felt it tasted better than machine-ground paste. Here, however, Zhang Yan couldn't even hope for that, as she lacked the millstone. "My peanut butter is amazing; once you eat it, you'll crave more."

It needs to be freshly ground? Shi Man understood Zhang Yan meant a manual stone mill. She thought that sounded too laborious; one person would have to grind constantly to get any paste. While delicious, it seemed too much effort for a small amount of peanut butter. "Yeah, we don't have a grinder here. Otherwise..." Shi Man knew if they looked carefully enough, they could probably find one. She recalled seeing Shi Man and the others coming back from an outing where they miraculously found this hot pot at a general store. "Things taste better cooked in an old-fashioned stove, though the pot is a bit small, and it heats up slowly. Of course, by the time it got hot, we were nearly full anyway." No matter how strong the fire got then, it didn't matter much.

Shi Hongrui also stood with her hands on her hips, pacing slowly indoors. "After eating our fill, the best thing would be a bath and a good night's sleep. Life couldn't be sweeter." Just imagining it was blissful, let alone actually doing it. "As for the hot pot being slow, it's acceptable. We can just eat more." Smelling a delicious aroma but being unable to eat creates an anxious anticipation that makes one feel more devout toward the food. In Shi Hongrui's mind, this 'devotion' simply meant stuffing as much food into her stomach as possible.

"It would be even better to lie in the bathtub with a couple of glasses of red wine," Zhao Rongrong said, watching the other two walk around aimlessly after dinner without lifting a finger. This life was too easy. "Maybe we should start having meals delivered directly to your beds?"

Shi Hongrui and Shi Man thought, Uh oh, Rongrong is angry. They better behave, or real trouble might erupt. "Then we'll help clear the dishes. Rui Rui and I washed the vegetables earlier." Shi Man spoke with a slight pout. Even though they hadn't physically done the cleanup now, they had washed the vegetables before the meal. To have that effort completely overlooked felt like bullying.

"I'll handle cleaning the table," Shi Hongrui docilely agreed without protest. It wasn't that she didn't want to argue, but this issue—being reminded once—was enough. Arguing further would be excessive.

Seeing the two suddenly becoming so diligent, Wang Qiqi stopped them. "No need, you two should keep walking." It was already half-past nine, and they were still indulging their appetites. Wang Qiqi estimated they had eaten to absolute capacity and suggested some movement would help accelerate digestion; it wouldn't be good for their stomachs otherwise. "And drink some tea to aid digestion."

Drinking green tea this late might keep them awake, but for Shi Man, a seasoned tea drinker, any tea that wasn't too strong was acceptable; she could fall asleep quickly after getting into bed. "You two really shouldn't eat so much." Their combined capacity was definitely equal to the other three.

Wang Qiqi had always maintained a habit of eating only until she was about 90% full, usually stopping at 80%. She never stuffed herself, finding it uncomfortable and stressful for the stomach. However, Wang Qiqi was genuinely curious: it was just a hot pot meal. While the food cooked in it had a certain taste, Wang Qiqi didn't believe food cooked this way was exceptionally delicious. Zhang Yan's sauces were good, but for Qiqi, the pure flavor was still superior.

Shi Man and Shi Hongrui pouted. They couldn't let the others think they were competing over who could eat the most, though their stomachs were indeed a bit uncomfortable now. "Manman, how about we go out for a walk?" Although it was dark outside, the complex had streetlights, and the security was decent; it didn't seem like the kind of hour where trouble would arise.

Shi Man looked at the dark sky outside, feeling tempted but also slightly worried about safety. "Qiqi, are you coming?"

Wang Qiqi shook her head. "I need to wash dishes and then do homework." She had read some books in the morning, but after someone reminded her this afternoon, Qiqi couldn't possibly slack off now; she had to work hard. "I have a report due the day after tomorrow; I've already drafted it." Submitting the draft would be acceptable, but Qiqi had borrowed more books from the library this afternoon, wanting to see if anything inside could broaden her perspective.

Homework again? Shi Man fell silent. How long had they been studying here? Shi Man couldn't even remember how many reports she had written. She heard the current difficulty wasn't too high, but soon the reports would be as challenging as a graduation research thesis—a crucial part of the university career. Given that what they were doing now was standard work, it showed the difference here. "Then we'll go out for half an hour." She also needed to read when she returned. Even though her homework was done, the professor's pace was quick. If she didn't work harder, Shi Man worried she might actually have to repeat a year, which would be humiliating.

Hearing Shi Man agree, Shi Hongrui immediately walked to the door, opened it, and stepped out. Zhao Rongrong chased after her. "Take your phone!" In case anything happened, they could call back. Although the surrounding apartments were occupied at this hour, one couldn't rely on foreigners to be heroically helpful. Getting someone to call the police would be a good outcome; they wouldn't likely step out themselves.

Shi Hongrui waved her hand. "We'll just circle the building." They weren't fools; they wouldn't go far. However, she turned back to the door and grabbed a baseball bat. Qiqi had found it while cleaning the attic. Though a bit worn, Wang Qiqi thought it was quite useful as a self-defense tool. A hard swing could definitely knock someone out. Abroad, one advantage was that if you seriously injured an intruder, the homeowner wouldn't be charged with negligence, especially with five women living there and being foreigners. Wang Qiqi naturally prioritized some level of preparedness. So, sometimes when they were tired of studying late at night, they would pick up the bat and swing it a few times. Although it looked weak and lacked force, it could at least teach someone a lesson.

Zhao Rongrong stood at the doorway watching Shi Man and Shi Hongrui's retreating figures. Seeing them turn a corner shortly after leaving the entrance, she knew they were genuinely just circling the building, and she confidently went back inside to start washing dishes. The professor had assigned homework today. Although it wasn't due until Monday, the research materials needed were extensive. She needed to check later to see what resources she should borrow from the library. After starting university, Zhao Rongrong finally understood why university libraries could have staff 24 hours a day—it wasn't student diligence, but pressure. Once you entered the library, seeing it packed with people yet hearing almost no sound, even if you wanted to speak, you wouldn't dare.

Zhao Rongrong returned to the kitchen to find Wang Qiqi and Zhang Yan washing dishes while discussing the content of the day's lecture. "I say, you two are being too serious." Not even sparing this little time; the pressure felt immense.

Zhang Yan placed the rinsed bowls on the drying rack. "How was your gathering today?" She envied Zhao Rongrong and the others for being able to socialize with classmates so soon after starting school. If she wanted to socialize, she couldn't even hope for it. Under their professor, there were only two girls—herself and Qiqi. Even if the male students had gatherings, they wouldn't invite them. So, she was very interested in Zhao Rongrong's party.

Zhao Rongrong yawned. "It was just a club meeting. We joined a club that’s organizing a fundraiser, so we all got together to discuss how to mobilize people to donate."

So that’s what it was for. Zhang Yan and Wang Qiqi hadn't joined any clubs; they hadn't been particularly interested before. Then Qiqi started working, and Zhang Yan, being alone, wouldn't join activities either. Seeing how busy Zhao Rongrong and the others were, Zhang Yan thought about perhaps finding a part-time job or looking into assistant teaching positions. Hearing what Zhao Rongrong said about the afternoon, Zhang Yan became curious. "Fundraising? You’re not going to stand on the street with a collection box asking every passerby to donate, are you?" While it was a meaningful endeavor, Zhang Yan felt it was somewhat embarrassing.

Wang Qiqi's dishwashing paused for a moment. She was wondering if she should go stand on the street to observe and then use her camera to capture someone's glorious moment. That sounded quite entertaining.

Zhao Rongrong imagined the scene Zhang Yan described and shivered. "How could I do something like that? Honestly, don't assume fundraising means standing on the street; that's too low-level." Zhao Rongrong then explained to Wang Qiqi and the others how their fundraising campaign would work.

Wang Qiqi immediately understood. "So, it's an event with another club—a dance, and you charge admission, then make money by selling drinks. But are you sure you can secure sponsorship for the beverages?" Still, that seemed plausible. Given the detailed process, Wang Qiqi suspected this wasn't their first time doing this; there was definitely an experienced hand involved.

"That part isn't our responsibility," Zhao Rongrong replied, admitting her ignorance. "Rui Rui and I will go when they look for sponsors, too." It would be good experience, after all.