Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

968  The spice showdown

Natsukashi.

Alix and Jin, both, finished eating two servings of the spicy lobster curry without any qualms.

Jian gasped, impressed. "You can hold your spiciness, aye?"

Nuo zoomed in too by closing in on her chair. "I have never seen customers go beyond one serving, but you are passing like flying colors! Only Jin has the appetite for really spicy food."

"Sis, please. We have not even started. Don't get so impressed by her."

Jian chuckled. "You should be careful, little brother. Ren Alix seems to be a formidable opponent."

Alix shrugged.

"Yeah, we will see about that," he snorted.

Jinhai watched their silly competition and quietly focused on his own meal.

The third serving was finally beginning to tingle their tongues with the fiery zest while the fourth one formed sweat to their foreheads. They took quick, short breaths with their tongues becoming hotter and hotter.

Jin gritted his teeth.

Damn, she is matching up to me!

Jian clapped in delight. "Are we seeing a winner here?"

"Don't be so quick to judge, Bro," Jin sneered.

Alix smirked. "Spicy is not just my tolerance level but my way of life, Liu Jin. You will never defeat me at my forte."

The elder siblings whistled.

"See, that is the attitude that I am talking about!" Jian beamed and clapped merrily. "Ren Alix, I am your fan now. My money is on you~"

Jin's jaw dropped. "Even if you are an idiot brother, you are still my brother, idiot brother!"

"That dialogue was really cool, okay? Ren Alix, you have to win this!" He chirped. "I can think of a prize too. If you win, you get the special privilege to call him Jini-boy~"

Jin - "..."

The threat suddenly seemed very imminent to Jin.

Nuo laughed. "Aw, Jini-boy. That's cute."

"...Sis, you are on my side."

She innocently blinked. "Of course, Jin."

He sighed in relief.

"But I feel like rooting for her just for today," she sheepishly grinned.

"..."

Traitors…

Jin clutched his chest, feeling a sense of backstabbing he never suffered before.

"Is it already hurting?" Alix sneered, seeing him hold his chest.

The blazing determination to win stoked Jin and he served the fifth serving himself. "You should start thinking about those acidity pills, not me."

They confidently took the first bite of their fifth serving and both erupted into a series of violent coughs. Their mouths, at this point, were two small balls of fire.

"Alix, Alix! Here, here! Drink some chilled milk~ Quickly!" Jian slid a big glass of milk towards her.

Jin fanned his burning lips, throwing an incredulous look to Jian.

Have at least some shame!

Alix swiftly gulped down two big sips of milk and felt relief washing over her with the chill. She gave Jian a thumbs up in sincere appreciation to which he grinned.

Jin did the same on his side too and both heaved breathlessly. They stared at the bowls before then.

Jian cheered. "Go for it Alix! Remember, there is no other such joy than earning the privilege to call him Jini-boy!"

"You are…right. I cannot…lose here…"

Nuo nodded, impressed with her will.

"That will…never happen!" Jin exclaimed breathlessly.

They tremblingly took a few more bites with their eyes now beginning to redden and tear up.

"I thought…you were the…king of spice, Liu Jin," Alix sneered, albeit her expression breaking at regular intervals. "Look at you…crying already."

"Speak for yourself!" Jin exhaled sharply. "Who said that…spice was her…way of life?"

"Alix, you are very close!" Nuo pointed at her bowl.

"You go girl!" Jian announced.

Alix nodded breathlessly and popped the next bite in when she felt her mouth exploding like a volcano with lava bursting in every corner. The fiery and spicy sweats shook her hand that slipped the chopsticks off upwards. They lightly smacked against the corner of her eye, a tinge of the spicy curry entering it.

"Ouch!!"

Jin glanced at her side and his eyes widened. He dropped his own chopsticks and grabbed her face, pointing it towards him.

"What? Did some curry go in?"

It was evident that it had with how her eye was reddening more and more and tears gushing out with irritation.

"Oh, no!" Jian and Nuo jumped from their chairs. "Wait, let me bring some ice-"

Jin grabbed a tissue before anybody could even move. He dipped a part of it in a glass of cold water and squeezed it. He bent closer and gently stretched her eye with his fingertips.

"Hurts, hurts!"

"Stay still," his gaze darkened.

With his other hand holding the wet tissue, he lightly pressed the thin paper in her eye, absorbing and wiping off the spice with it. The chilly moistness provided Alix with some relief.

He did so a few more times and asked, "Is it okay now?"

Alix blinked twice and felt the burning sensation subside. "Yeah…"

He glared at her. "Chopsticks' place is in the bowl, not in your eyes. Do I have to teach you how to use chopsticks now?"

She looked away. "It was an accident…"

"Which almost took your eye," his gaze darkened again. "You don't have to win every damn competition. Look at how your hands are trembling!"

"You are just as competitive as me."

He sneered. "But not stupid enough to get the chopstick into my eye."

Her brow twitched.

"Clearly, you have the energy to throw comebacks so better use it to go to the washroom and wash your face."

Alix cleared her throat and got up from her chair. "Excuse me."

"Wait, wait, I will come with you too," Nuo said.

"I will be fine."

"Don't be silly. It's our fault for pushing this silly contest too far. You even got hurt," Nuo hung her head low guiltily.

"Sorry…" Jian scratched his chin. "D-Don't kill me please?"

Alix smiled. "I was fooling around by my choice. Why would I kill you for that?"

Jin sneered. "Yeah, but I should kill you for sure."

"Your feelings are rejected!"

"Get lost!"

Nuo and Alix left the table together. Jin shook his head and pushed his bowl away as he had lost his appetite.

Jian chirped. "Wow, Jin. That was quick thinking. You didn't waste a second there."

He frowned. "Of course, I wouldn't. She was hurt."

"So hurt that you completely forgot your own burning face, aye?"