Chapter 127 - 127 There’s still a chance
After the aesthetic assessment concluded, it was already getting late.
As college students, Yue Linger and Cheng Bingxin were confronted with a profoundly serious challenge—what to have for dinner?
College is not high school.
Not only are there many cafeterias in college, but each cafeteria also operates on a franchise basis, offering a wide variety of options.
Moreover, college students are not restricted from leaving campus. Turn left at the gate and in a hundred meters, there’s a snack street dedicated to serving college students.
Even Yue Linger, who had been at Lotus University for a year, hadn’t managed to eat at every shop.
What’s more, college students tend to have more leisure time. Thus, it’s not strange at all that choosing a place to eat could take longer than the meal itself.
“Linger, when are you going to bring that 1016 over for a look? I couldn’t see his face clearly before because he was too far away,” Cheng Bingxin said to Yue Linger.
In her mind, Yue Linger thought: Spare me. I was busy all summer vacation, and every time I saw him, there was a bunch of stuff to do. Now that school has finally started again, can’t I catch a break?
“We’re not that close; it’s not convenient to call him over. Let’s wait for an opportunity,” Yue Linger decisively declined with three no’s.
An ordinary person might not understand, but Cheng Bingxin knew Yue Linger, and if Yue truly didn’t want to do something, no amount of persuasion would work.
She simply dropped the subject, as there was plenty of time in college and plenty of opportunities would come.
Just as they were about to find a place to eat, Yue Linger’s communication talisman rang.
Cheng Bingxin watched as Yue Linger took out the talisman and instinctively stood up straight and tensed. It seemed that whoever was calling Yue Linger on the talisman was some boss or elder worth her respect.
“Oh, alright, I have no issues,” Yue Linger resignedly agreed in triple.
Then she said to her bestie Cheng Bingxin, “Sorry, I’ve got something on tonight and can’t join you for dinner, I’ll treat you next time.”
“Huh?”
Before Cheng Bingxin could react, Yue Linger had already hurried away in a fluster.
Cheng Bingxin stood where she was. Watching Yue Linger’s retreating figure, she couldn’t help feeling that Yue Linger had changed a lot since the summer vacation.
She seemed less arrogant and even a bit insecure. She stopped worrying about spending money and sometimes even splurged.
Often daydreaming, sighing without reason, and occasionally smiling to herself without explanation.
Could all this have something to do with 1016?
On the second floor of a grilled fish restaurant near the Jade Lake Ming’an neighborhood.
Yue Linger rushed to the appointment.
“Yue,” Jiang Cheng called out with a smile as he greeted her.
Seeing Jiang Cheng, Yue Linger’s cheeks were rosy, and she was slightly out of breath, perhaps from the jogging.
Jiang Cheng and Liu Qing looked the same as they always did, and of course, so did she, Yue Linger.
After taking her seat, Yue Linger asked, “What made you decide to invite me out for dinner today?”
“We didn’t just call you out to eat; we specifically invited you to dinner!” Jiang Cheng corrected.
“Yue,” Jiang Cheng said earnestly, “We really inconvenienced you by asking you to draw all night the other time. Thankfully, with your help, I did well on my aesthetic assessment today, so I wanted to take you out to dinner to thank you.”
Yue Linger’s gaze flickered, “Ah, is that so? It’s great that you did well. I had classes all afternoon, so I couldn’t be there to support you. Sorry about that.”
Sniff, sniff.
Liu Qing gently sniffed and then slowly lifted her head.
In the air, she could sense a whiff of lies.
Yue Linger was lying.
But the lies emanating from Yue Linger weren’t malicious.
It was a sweet lie.
Liu Qing had smelled this scent before. It was on a night at the end of June when Jiang Cheng walked her home. She had picked it up from him.
Back then, she was still sleeping in the trees.
Afterward, once Jiang Cheng found out, she never slept on a branch again; instead, she always slept in the house Jiang Cheng had bought for her.
Each house had warm sunshine and a big, soft bed.
Liu Qing didn’t think a bed was better than tree branches, but Jiang Cheng liked her to sleep in a bed, so that’s what she did.
Beside Liu Qing, Jiang Cheng and Yue Linger were discussing something about talismans.
And she, from beginning to end, just quietly sat beside him.
Listening to Jiang Cheng’s voice, she blinked lightly and looked out the window.
Under the hanging moonlight was the glistening water of Jade Lake. The circular shore of Jade Lake, dotted with the bright lights of homes.
Yeah, it’s beautiful.
“Jiang Cheng, for the grilled fish, do we want it spicy or not spicy?” Yue Linger asked.
“Not spicy. Liu Qing doesn’t like spicy food.”
“Oh.”
But I like it spicy, Yue Linger thought to herself.
So, does the daughter really can’t compare with a roommate? Yue Linger thought again.
It’s so annoying, I’m supposed to be the protagonist of this gathering, right? Yue Linger thought once more.
“Yue,” he said, handing her a small plate with the seasoning adjusted.
Jiang Cheng handed Yue Linger a small plate with seasoning.
Yue Linger glanced at the chili in the small plate and then looked up at Jiang Cheng.
“How did you know?” she asked in surprise.
Jiang Cheng said matter-of-factly, “You told me yourself. Last time we ate with Sister He, you said you like spicy food, especially numb-spicy and then fragrant-spicy. But you’re afraid that too much oil isn’t good for the skin, so you always pretend to pour the oil back, but actually, you don’t pour much back…”
“I just mentioned it offhand, you remembered all that?”
Jiang Cheng naturally said, “Of course. Why wouldn’t I remember? It wasn’t that long ago, right?”
“I…”
Yue Linger herself had forgotten about her preference for spicy food, but she hadn’t expected Jiang Cheng to remember her casual remarks all this time.
Yue Linger propped her chin in her hands, her pretty face turning as red as if she had eaten chili, and heat seemed to emanate from her forehead.
She glanced at Jiang Cheng’s side, where Liu Qing’s face looked cold and distant as she gazed at the lake. She was stunningly beautiful as if not of this world!
Keep calm, Yue Linger, you don’t stand much of a chance in front of her!
But then…
Yue Linger gazed at the plate of seasoned chili on the table in front of her.
But that doesn’t mean there’s no chance at all, right?
“So, what subjects do you have for tomorrow’s exam?” Yue Linger asked.
“Tomorrow is only combat; my number is early, so I’m in the morning session,” Jiang Cheng said.
“Oh, if I’m free tomorrow, I might come to watch,” Yue Linger murmured.
“You’re welcome to, and I’ll have to perform well.”
“Because I’ll be watching?”
“Of course, I can’t let Yue down.”
Yue Linger looked down: “Oh.”
At the crossroads in front of Lotus Cloud University, Cheng Bingxin successfully caught a little mother cat sneaking out on her own for a meal.
“Linger!”
“Bingxin? Hey? What are you doing?”
Cheng Bingxin leaned on Yue Linger and took a sniff, mingling the pleasant scent of the girl with a hint of the aroma of food.
She said, “Oh look at you, claiming you’re busy but actually just sneaking out for a solo feast? Abandoning your family and messing around outside! Yue Linger, you’ve changed! Tell me, who were you eating with?”
“It’s not what you think. Just a friend, someone you don’t know.”
“I don’t know them? Can I get to know them then?”
“Why do you want to meet him?”
“Oh? Let me guess Jiang Cheng!” Cheng Bingxin whispered into Yue Linger’s ear in a low but rapid voice.
Yue Linger’s eyes suddenly widened.