Chapter 75 Am I an outsider? You're not? Of course!

After dinner, An Fusheng and Xu Sannian took Bai Miaomiao to school as usual.

Bai Miaomiao walked into the classroom and saw Bai Xun sitting in her seat, and sighed almost imperceptibly.

Since Bai Xun shared the candied hawthorns with Bai Miaomiao last week, Bai Xun has become acquainted with Bai Miaomiao on her own. At first, she would only greet Bai Miaomiao casually. Although Bai Miaomiao is not an enthusiastic person, she would still politely respond when a classmate took the initiative to greet her.

As it turns out, whether Bai Xun was too outgoing or something went wrong, after she responded to her twice, Bai Xun started going to the tables around Bai Miaomiao's to chat with her whenever she had a chance.

Bai Miaomiao didn't really know how to chat with people. Other classmates would talk about their parents, what they played and ate, or what new and interesting things they saw at their grandparents' house in the countryside during winter and summer vacations, or where they went on trips and made new friends. Bai Miaomiao didn't have any of these things, so she was afraid of being asked these questions. She chose to keep her distance from everyone. Only when the distance was far enough could others not see into her life.

Bai Xun was listlessly sprawled on Bai Miaomiao's seat when he looked up and saw Bai Miaomiao approaching, carrying a bag. His eyes lit up instantly. "Miaomiao, what did you bring to eat today?"

Bai Miaomiao paused and said, "I didn't bring it."

Bai Xun said disappointedly, "You brought it last week, why didn't you bring it this week?"

What kind of logic is this? Just because you brought it last week, does that mean you have to bring it this week? Why didn't you mention that you never brought it before? Besides, it wasn't brought specifically for you last week.

Bai Xun persisted: "Then what's in your bag? Is this a food insulated bag?"

Bai Miaomiao said calmly, "School supplies."

Bai Xun got up from Bai Miaomiao's seat with considerable disappointment and offered it to her, saying, "Okay."

Bai Miaomiao sat down and began tidying her desk.

Before evening self-study time, the students ate snacks they brought from home and shared interesting stories from the weekend, making the classroom very lively.

Bai Miaomiao's table was unusually quiet.

Bai Miaomiao's deskmate was a studious girl who wore thick glasses at the age of thirteen and had to carry a book with her even when she went to the toilet, except when eating, sleeping, or going to the toilet. Bai Miaomiao did not take the initiative to talk to her, and she would not take the initiative to talk to Bai Miaomiao either.

From the moment Bai Miaomiao sat down until she tidied her desk, her deskmate kept her eyes fixed on her book. But if you looked closely, you might have noticed that there was actually a comic book inside her English book.

After tidying up her desk, Bai Miaomiao took the insulated bag out of the drawer, placed it on her lap, and sighed as she stared at the bag.

It was probably because she ran into a classmate at the school gate last time that her older brother got the wrong impression that she had a good relationship with her classmates. Her older brother insisted that she bring some food to share with her classmates. In fact, those three classmates had also tried to chat with Bai Miaomiao, but Bai Miaomiao's aloof attitude scared them away.

Who should I give it to? I should have just given it to Bai Xun.

After mentally preparing herself for a long time, Bai Miaomiao finally turned her gaze to her deskmate. Taking advantage of the moment when her deskmate was drinking water, Bai Miaomiao gently tugged at her sleeve and asked, "Do you want something to eat?"

The classmate didn't react for a moment, and asked blankly, "What?"

Bai Miaomiao said softly, "I brought some shumai. My older brother made them. He makes all kinds of delicious food."

Unexpectedly, my deskmate suddenly held the book up in front of us and exclaimed excitedly, "Yes, yes, I love shumai the most!"

Bai Miaomiao's heart finally settled down. Her deskmate's enthusiastic response even made her feel a little happy. She quickly took the lunchbox out of the insulated bag, then opened the lid and showed the shumai to her. "There are three flavors. The black one is octopus flavor, the yellow one is salted egg yolk flavor, and the white one is sausage flavor. What flavor do you want?"

Six shumai were neatly arranged in the lunchbox. As the lid was opened, a rich aroma wafted out, causing my classmate's mouth to water instantly. He stammered, "Can... I have one of each flavor?"

"Can."

"hey-hey."

Then the two buried their heads under the table and started eating.

Wow, the egg yolk flavor smells so good!

"The octopus flavor is also delicious."

"My God, this is the best shumai I've ever eaten!"

"Everything my older brother cooks tastes delicious."

"Your older brother is amazing! You're so lucky!"

...

"Fine, Bai Miaomiao, you clearly brought food but you're telling me you didn't?!"

The two cats hiding under the table stiffened, and the sounds of sharing the delicious food came to an abrupt halt.

"I want one too!" Bai Xun said.

Bai Miaomiao and her deskmate slowly looked up at Bai Xun.

"You bring food and share it with outsiders but not with me?" Bai Xun pointed at Bai Miaomiao's deskmate and looked at Bai Miaomiao with a resentful expression.

My deskmate: "??? Am I an outsider? Aren't you?"

Bai Xun said arrogantly, "Of course!" Then he said to Bai Miaomiao, "What do you want to eat? I want some too!"

Bai Miaomiao and her deskmate exchanged a glance, and then slowly handed Bai Xun a disposable glove.

Bai Xun quickly put on gloves, smugly grabbed a yellow-skinned shumai from the lunchbox, took a big bite, paused for two seconds, and then exclaimed, "Wow, so delicious!"

Bai Xun was already the center of attention in the class, and everything she did easily attracted other people's attention. This howl drew the attention of the entire classroom.

"What's good to eat?"

"I want one too! I want one too!"

"Give me a bite."

...

These children, regardless of whether they eat well at home or are picky eaters who refuse to eat this or that, all become like starving ghosts when they get to school. Their eyes light up at the sight of food, and they have to grab a bite of everything. Sometimes, they even snatch other people's medicine to taste it.

Moreover, the aroma of the shumai gradually spread, and those nearby could already smell it. When they heard Bai Xun's shout and realized that the food was there, they all came over to beg for some.

Bai Miaomiao had never been surrounded by so many people before. There were only three shumai left. How should she divide them? She was at a loss for words.

"What are you all doing gathered here? I could hear you all from downstairs. Your class is the noisiest in the whole building!"

The homeroom teacher suddenly appeared at the door.

The onlookers scattered like birds and beasts.

Bai Miaomiao quickly closed the lunchbox, put it back in the table drawer, and sat down.

The homeroom teacher smelled the aroma as soon as he entered the room. He knew these kids always secretly brought food to eat in the classroom. He had been a student himself and usually tried to turn a blind eye, but today it was too obvious. If he didn't enforce the law, these kids would probably become even more unruly in the future.

The homeroom teacher slowly walked to Bai Miaomiao's desk, raised her chin, and gently tapped the desk. Bai Miaomiao resignedly handed over her lunchbox.

The bell rang for evening self-study. The homeroom teacher made a round of the classroom, and the classroom gradually quieted down. Then he took the confiscated lunch boxes and strolled back to the teachers' office.

Another teacher in the office saw him come in with a food box and teased, "You won't even let the kids have a bite to eat?"

The homeroom teacher said, "We've run into the line of fire, what can I do?"

The teacher shook his head helplessly.

The homeroom teacher originally planned to leave the lunchbox there and return it to Bai Miaomiao after class, since Bai Miaomiao was usually very obedient. However, the lid of the lunchbox was not closed properly, and the aroma of shumai wafted into her nostrils.

Okay, the food started it.

I already had a craving for it when I smelled the aroma at the classroom door, and now I can't resist.

The homeroom teacher lifted the lid of the box, grabbed a shumai with his bare hand, stuffed it into his mouth, and casually chewed it. "Hmm? Delicious!"

"There's even sausage inside! Not bad!"

I devoured one in a few bites, and then eagerly picked up a dark-skinned one and stuffed it into my mouth. It was delicious too!

The teacher who had just spoken came over after smelling the aroma. "What are you eating? It smells really good. Give me some too."

Before the homeroom teacher could reply, he picked up the last one himself, quickly stuffed it into his mouth, and mumbled with a mouthful of food, "You know what, even though it's cold, it still tastes pretty good."

"Why are you stealing other people's food?" The homeroom teacher looked down and found the box was empty.

"What's wrong with eating some? Didn't you also steal it from the students?"

"Those are my students too, why don't you go and steal from your own class?"

“You think I don’t want to? Every time I go, he keeps it safe and doesn’t give me the chance at all.”

"So you're going to try and steal mine?"

"Why don't you just tell me whose it is? I'll just go and snatch it next time, not yours."

"You wish!"

...

On the other side, as soon as the homeroom teacher left, whispers began to circulate in the classroom.

Bai Miaomiao's deskmate: "It's all Bai Xun's fault. If she hadn't yelled so loudly, no one would have noticed, not even the homeroom teacher. There are still two flavors I haven't tasted yet. What flavor did you just eat? Was it good?"

Bai Miaomiao: "Octopus flavor, delicious."

"Oh my god, I really want to eat this! Will you bring some next time?"

"I don't know if they'll still have any at home next week."

These shumai were made by my eldest brother for his younger siblings to have for breakfast. Although he made quite a lot, there are many people in the family, so they should all be eaten by the time we go back next week.

"Could you ask your older brother to make some more?"

“My older brother said that eating the same thing repeatedly can make you tired of it, and once you’re tired of it, you lose your passion for it. So he usually waits a while before making the same food again.”

My deskmate sighed regretfully.

"But my older brother also said that there are many delicious things to try, and I'll bring you some other things next week."

My deskmate immediately perked up, "Really?"

Bai Miaomiao nodded.

The two people in front were having a great time, but in the last row, Bai Xun was angrily complaining: "Bai Miaomiao is so unfair. She brought delicious food but told me she didn't have any. And to make matters worse, she gave the food to outsiders."

Bai Xun's deskmate: "You talk as if you're not an outsider."

Bai Xun: "No, that's not true. You can see we both have the surname Bai, and we're already friends."

Bai Xun's deskmate: "...She never said she was friends with you."

Bai Xun: "She gave me all the candied hawthorns, isn't that a friend? She even greeted me and smiled at me, isn't that a friend?"

Bai Xun's deskmate said, "You clearly stole the candied hawthorn. Isn't it normal for classmates to smile when they greet each other? Does anyone greet you with a straight face?"

Bai Xun snapped angrily, "Shut up!"

...

That evening, the three-person study group gathered again in Wen Min's office, looking miserable.

"How come you two never finish your homework?" An Fusheng asked, looking at Bai Mangmang and Wen Xingmou, who were slumped over the table.

"The homework is both difficult and plentiful," Bai Mangmang said.

Wen Xinglin: "Yes!"

An Fusheng said weakly, "Learning to type is so difficult, there are so many words to type."

Bai Mangmang: "Sister Niannian said that after you learn typing, you will also learn to make spreadsheets and keep accounts."

An Fusheng: "Yes, because these are all skills needed to open a restaurant. Why doesn't Father Lin just donate money to us? That way we would have money directly, and we wouldn't need to open a restaurant to make money."

Bai Mangmang: "I know, this is called teaching a man to fish rather than giving him a fish."

An Fusheng looked at Bai Mangmang with a leisurely air: "Aren't they all fish? What's the difference?"

Bai Mangmang said in a serious tone: "Yes, the first fish is a fish in the water. Once you eat it, it's gone. The second fish refers to fishing skills. Once we have fishing skills, we can catch a lot of fish and have more fish than we can eat."

Although An Fusheng was a poor student, he still understood this principle. He was just complaining because he was tired of studying. When he saw Bai Mangmang explaining it to him seriously, he couldn't help but praise her: "Mangmang has studied and understands great principles. That's really great!"

"Hehe!" Bai Mangmang was flattered by the praise.