My first full day in China started with a breakfast buffet that didn’t disappoint. It wasn’t a full Western spread, but I had eggs, decent sausage (which is surprisingly rare here), spicy wonton noodle soup, some Chinese vegetable dishes, and of course—watermelon. Believe it or not, watermelon is huge in China—always fresh, always sweet, and always available. I totally get the obsession.

Xue is still on her way. She’s easing her way out of her mom’s care. Her mom doesn’t want to let her go just yet, and I can understand that. There’s a lot of love wrapped up in that hesitation. She’s still a train ride away, so I won’t see her until later tonight.

With some quiet hotel time and a late checkout, I dove back into work. Our investor deck is finally rounding the corner. It’s gone through several revisions—new strategy, sharper messaging, investor slides—and today I pushed through the latest version and sent it off to my partner. We’re getting close.

In the afternoon, I headed to Xue’s apartment. It’s on the fifth floor of a five-story walk-up. No elevator, so yes, it’s a workout. But inside, it’s full of her energy—decorated in bright, creative colors, with little details that reflect her 15 plus years in the dance world. She still plays piano here (there’s a whole row of colorful designer-style bunny dolls sitting proudly atop it). It’s got her soul all over it.

This place carries some memories for me. I’ve stayed here before—some great moments, and a few hard ones too. One particular visit comes to mind, when she was spending long nights out trying to establish herself in the Chinese business world. The dynamic here is intense—bosses and clients often expect all-night drinking and socializing, sometimes for days. That would be unheard of in the U.S., but here it’s part of the game. At the time, it left me alone in the apartment for several nights. I didn’t fully understand it then. I do now. It wasn’t easy for either of us, just different kinds of hard.

We won’t be here long. We’re looking for a slightly bigger place—somewhere better suited for the baby, and with space for my daughter or maybe even my son and his wife to visit. That’s the dream.

For now, though, the place is quiet—and hot. First thing I did when I stepped inside? Cranked the AC. Xue likes it warm, but she’s not here yet… so I make the rules for now 😁

One thing that never fails to amaze me about China is the sheer number of restaurants. And yes, I actually did use an app to help me decide which one to try—there are that many to sort through. But once I picked my spot, I set out. On the way, I was reminded I’m not in the Pacific Northwest anymore—cicada bugs filled the air with their constant hum. You rarely see them, but you always hear them. It’s their world—we just walk through it.

The restaurant—Three Wild Barbecue in Jinshitan—was easy to miss. Just a nondescript doorway in a row of many. But inside, it had a gritty, unfinished charm. Tables with simple settings, a freezer full of skewers, posters of sizzling BBQ along the walls. As I went to take a picture, the owner insisted she be in my video. 😂 A few minutes later, she came back and snapped her own photo of the two of us. I’m not sure if I made a fan or a friend, but I’ll take either.

I might’ve over-ordered a bit. Still learning how to eyeball Chinese BBQ portions. I passed on the grilled grasshoppers and beef tripe for now—one step at a time. The skewers I did get were flavorful and hit the spot. Some of the meats were great, others leaned a little too far into gristle and fat. The spice rub is solid—simple and earthy—but I found myself wishing for a splash of lime or some grilled veggies to break it up. A few tomatoes, mushrooms, or red bell peppers would’ve gone a long way.

It reminded me of how my dad used to cook—everything in one oven tray at 350 degrees: meats, potatoes, vegetables, salt and pepper. This? Same idea. Everything on a stick, spice-rubbed, and grilled over coals until done. Simple, effective, and tasty enough.

The whole meal came out to 94 RMB, which included the skewers, a large Tsingtao, and a big Coke. That’s a little on the high side for a local BBQ stop, but mostly because I overdid it on the ordering. 😅 Normally, you can eat well here for 30 to 50 RMB, so yeah… I went a little overboard tonight. But for around $13 USD, I’m not complaining.

Tonight I’ll rest and try to reset the body clock. It’s the middle of the day here, but my brain still thinks I’m somewhere over the Pacific. It’ll take a few days to adjust—but I’m here, and this is where our next chapter begins.