Chapter 8

Shen Yuqing sent Xia Ruirui back to the hotel and drove home.

He sat on the sofa, looking at the Polaroid photo the waiter had just taken of them. Thinking of the chicken leg Xia Ruirui had picked up for him during dinner, he felt a little dazed.

When I was in high school, the school had a holiday every two weeks. During each holiday, Shen Yuqing would avoid going home if possible and would try to stay in the dormitory.

But because he had spent all his living expenses for that month and his aunt didn't call him again, he thought about it and took a bus back to his aunt's house during the holiday.

He stood in front of his aunt's house. The small light in the corridor flickered on and off. He stood in the darkness for a long time before knocking on the door.

"Who is it?"

Shen Yuqing didn't say anything, but straightened his collar again, waiting for the person inside to open the door for him.

The old-style houses in Xijing City all have wooden doors with an iron gate outside. When my aunt saw that it was him from through the iron gate, she leaned over and opened it.

"It's Yu Qing, come in quickly."

Hearing his aunt's rather enthusiastic tone, Shen Yuqing finally felt relieved.

"Excuse me, auntie."

After entering the room, he took a quick look and found that his aunt's family was having dinner, and his 5-year-old cousin was looking at him curiously at the table.

The aunt picked up her cousin and said gently, "Call me brother."

The cousin called him brother with a babyish smile. Shen Yuqing looked at him and smiled.

"Yu Qing, you haven't eaten since you came here, so why not eat at home? The more you save, the better."

Having said that, regardless of whether Shen Yuqing agreed or not, he turned around and went to the kitchen to serve him a bowl of rice.

"Come, eat it while it's hot."

Shen Yuqing took the bowl with both hands, went to the bathroom to wash his hands before coming back.

Because he was at someone else's house, he just ate the dish in front of him.

"Come, let's give Weiwei a big chicken leg." Auntie picked out the chicken leg from the meat dishes and put it into my cousin's bowl.

Shen Yuqing continued to eat with his head down, without looking up.

Suddenly, his aunt put a plate of vegetables in front of him and picked up some vegetables for him with her chopsticks.

"Our Yuqing should also eat more vegetables. Eating more green vegetables is good for the body."

Hearing this, Shen Yuqing's back stiffened a little, and he subconsciously looked at the dish he had just been picking up, stir-fried cabbage with pork.

Although he had been eating the dish, he didn't actually take much shredded meat, but instead kept picking at the cabbage.

Without looking up, he whispered, "Thank you, auntie."

After finishing the vegetables that his aunt picked up with his chopsticks, he just kept eating rice.

After dinner, he went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

After coming out, my aunt was holding my cousin on the sofa watching TV. He wiped the water stains on his hands and picked up the bag on the ground.

"Auntie, I have to leave first. I have to finish my homework when I get back to school."

Hearing this, the aunt looked at him, her expression still as gentle as at the beginning: "Is that so? Then, Yu Qing, is the living allowance enough..."

She paused and said, "The insurance money left by your parents after they passed away has been almost used up to pay for your tuition, and your uncle is a little short of money recently..."

Shen Yuqing's expression remained the same, and no emotion could be seen: "It's enough for living expenses."

"That's good. Let's go back to school before it gets dark, or we'll miss the bus."

"Um."

Only after closing the iron door did Shen Yuqing feel completely relaxed.

He took the last bus back to school.

When he arrived at school, it was already 6 o'clock in the evening and there were not many people in the cafeteria.

Shen Yuqing sat on a bench in the corner of the second floor of the cafeteria with his schoolbag on his back, looking tired.

The lights on the second floor of the cafeteria were not on yet, and he was sitting in the corner, so no one could see the expression on his face.

Even he himself couldn't see clearly, but he felt that he must be in a very embarrassing situation.

Xia Ruirui appeared at this time.

He remembered clearly that just when he was still trying to think of ways to make ends meet, she appeared.

"Chen Yuqing, you are here." Her voice was joyful, with her usual smile on her face.

No matter what time it is, or what setbacks she encounters, Xia Ruirui always looks happy.

He is a person who lives as warmly as the sun.

Every time he saw her, Shen Yuqing didn't understand what happy things could make her happy all the time.

Because her brightness always made him look darker, he was extremely repulsed and hated her even more when he first met her.

He also hated her very much when he was sitting at the same table with her, but he could not help but be attracted to her.

He repels her yet is attracted to her.

So complex and contradictory.

But even though he sent her signals of resistance from time to time, she always acted against the norm.

Not long after the classes were divided at the beginning of the first year of high school, he was arranged to speak on behalf of the freshmen because he was the top scorer in the college entrance examination.

After the flag-raising ceremony, he returned to the classroom. Before he could even sit down in his seat, Xia Ruirui at the table in front of him turned to look at him.

That was the first time she spoke to him, as if it was the first time she noticed him.

She first asked him for correction tape and eraser, laying the groundwork for a long time before getting straight to the point.

Her smile was flamboyant, and her eyes were full of determination: "Shen Yuqing, what's your phone number?"

He had seen through her intentions from her eyes long ago, and rejected her mercilessly after hearing her words.

Shen Yuqing remembered that his original words should be - 'I like smart partners.'

She would never know that he had noticed her the first moment she stepped into the classroom.

The first name he remembered in this class was also Xia Ruirui.

He didn't like her brightness, nor did he like that she couldn't remember him.

So he mocked her.

When others confessed their love to him, he would at most choose to respond indifferently, but he never treated them in a venereal way.

But for some reason, that sarcastic remark came out of his mouth towards Xia Ruirui.

He originally thought that they would never have any intersection from then on, but she had a more unique way of thinking than others.

It seemed that she was still brooding over his rejection, and like a rebellious child, she was determined to win him over.

For this reason, even though he treated her coldly every time, she always acted as if she would not be hurt and would rush forward without hesitation the next time.

Although he didn't know that it was her desire to win that was at work, he always chose to ignore her passionate pursuit.

But today he was too tired and too hungry, and a tiny hole was torn in the iron wall of the past.

He looked at Xia Ruirui and was too lazy to deal with her. He didn't say anything, silently waiting for her next words.

"Chen Yuqing, I just saw you at the school gate, why didn't you go home?"

She sat down across from him in a familiar manner, her tone sounding a bit complaining: "I called you several times but you didn't answer me."

"I guess you didn't hear it." Shen Yuqing covered his abdomen with his hands, trying to relieve the pain in his stomach.

Because of the dining table blocking the view, Xia Ruirui couldn't see or know anything.

He cleared his mind, trying to forget about being hungry.

Just skip a meal, it's okay.

“Chen Yuqing, let me treat you to a meal.”

Xia Ruirui spoke so suddenly, so suddenly that Shen Yuqing forgot to hide the surprise in his eyes.

But he didn't speak immediately. Instead, he hesitated for a moment, his eyes a little complicated: "Why?"

Why are you treating me to a meal?

Did you see through my predicament?

Xia Ruirui did not avoid his gaze, but looked directly into Shen Yuqing's eyes: "Because I want to pursue you."

She said it as a matter of course, as if it was a natural thing.

Although this answer was outrageous, he felt relieved.

fine.

"No, I'm not hungry yet." He said it calmly. Although he hated her, he didn't want to take advantage of her love.

He has his pride and will not sell his soul even if he is poor.

However, Xia Ruirui on the opposite side looked a little strange.

Not hungry yet.

Then why come to the cafeteria?

Shen Yuqing also realized the loophole in his words, but he did not explain, and did not try to stop her when he saw her leave.

It wasn't until Xia Ruirui came over with two plates of food that he looked up at her.

She chuckled twice: "Shen Qingli said to persevere."

“…”

The two plates were heavy and very hot. Shen Yuqing looked at Xia Ruirui's red fingertips, stood up, took the plates from her hand and put them on the dining table.

He knew that she was spoiled and probably the delicate and tender eldest daughter of the family.

But this idiot knew that he couldn't stand the heat, but he was still stupid enough to hold two such hot plates in one hand.

He looked at the chicken drumstick in the meal Xia Ruirui bought for him, his eyes a little complicated: "You bought a nutritious meal."

Nutritious meals are the specialty of Jincai High School. They taste better than ordinary meals, but they are also more expensive.

"Yeah. Don't you like the dishes I picked?" Xia Ruirui scratched her head. "I bought them according to my taste."

"no."

"I like it very much." But he still didn't say the rest of the sentence.

He is not her gigolo, so how could he possibly eat her food for free?

But if he doesn't eat, how can Xia Ruirui finish two nutritious meals? If she can't finish them, it will be wasted.

Thinking of the little change left in his pocket, he suppressed the pain and had already decided to put the money for the nutritious meal into her bag later.

This meal should cost 15 yuan, just give her 15.

This way it wouldn't be free food and free drinks. Thinking of this, Shen Yuqing stopped worrying about it and lowered his head to eat.

He ate very quickly because he was hungry, but his eating manners were not vulgar and he looked very gentle.

“Shen Yuqing, I haven’t touched this sweet and sour pork ribs. It’s super delicious. Try it.”

Before he could object, Xia Ruirui put the sweet and sour pork ribs on his rice.

Looking at the extra sweet and sour pork ribs on the plate, Shen Yuqing was stunned. He raised his eyes to look at Xia Ruirui and found that the other person's eyes were full of anticipation.

He moved his lips and was in a trance for a moment.

Logically, he should feel disgusted or annoyed, after all, that was consistent with their relationship.

But looking at the spareribs in the bowl, he felt genuinely confused.

He didn't understand why his aunt, who was related to him by blood, asked him to eat vegetables, but Xia Ruirui, who was always rejected by him, gave him a piece of pork ribs.

This doesn't make sense, does it?

He was a little absent-minded. Xia Ruirui, who was sitting opposite him, saw that he didn't say anything and thought he was disgusted with his saliva.

She has always been thick-skinned, but this time she was a little embarrassed: "Sorry... I forgot I licked the chopsticks..."

Before she finished speaking, Shen Yuqing picked up the ribs, tasted it, and looked at her seriously: "It's delicious."

He usually speaks with a sharp tongue, and this time he is in a rare good mood.

Xia Ruirui pursed her lips after hearing this, not daring to let herself smile too proudly.

After a long while, she couldn't help but said, "Right, that's what I said."

Shen Yuqing smiled, knowing that she was being too aggressive, and did not respond. She was dazzled by his smile and buried her head in her food.

Shen Yuqing finished eating quickly and sat down to wait for Xia Ruirui to finish.

He looked down at the remaining chicken leg bone on the plate and suddenly thought of his cousin.

So this is what it feels like when someone picks up a chicken leg for you.

Thinking of something, he glanced at Xia Ruirui, who was concentrating on eating with only the back of her head exposed, lowered his eyes and said nothing more.

It was a rare moment of tenderness for the two of them. After finishing the last bite, Xia Ruirui finally raised her head.

“Chen Yuqing, I’m done eating.”

"Then let's go."

When the two of them were on their way back to the dormitory from the cafeteria, Xia Ruirui suddenly grabbed him and said, "Chen Yuqing, can I borrow your meal card?"

Shen Yuqing thought of the few dollars left in the card. After a moment of silence, he took it out of his pocket and handed it to her: "But I don't think there is much left in my card."

She didn't say what she was going to do with his meal card, and he didn't ask.

"I'll return it to you tomorrow." Xia Ruirui waved her hand after receiving the meal card and ran away towards the girls' dormitory.

*

Morning reading the next day.

Shen Yuqing was sitting in his seat memorizing words, but when he looked up, he saw Xia Ruirui and Shen Qingli being scolded by the head teacher for being late at the door.

The head teacher was talking with saliva flying everywhere, and Xia Ruirui lowered her head and acted like a quail.

When the head teacher turned to scold Shen Qingli, Xia Ruirui took the time to look at him.

Noticing that he was also looking at her, she was stunned for a moment, then blinked at Shen Yuqing when she realized what was happening.

“…”

Just as Shen Yuqing was about to remind her, the head teacher next to her had already noticed Xia Ruirui's little action.

"Xia Ruirui! Are you so happy even though you're being punished to stand?"

"...No, an eyelash just fell into my eye."

"..." The head teacher couldn't help but take a deep breath, "Why don't you two go back to study."

"Okay."

head teacher:"......"

As soon as Xia Ruirui returned to her seat, she winked at Shen Yuqing. She didn't look back at Shen Yuqing until she was sure that the head teacher had left.

"Chen Yuqing, your meal card." As she said that, she handed him a meal card with stickers on both sides.

"......" Shen Yuqing looked at the meal card with kittens on both sides, pursed his lips and said nothing.

Ever since he rejected Xia Ruirui at the flag-raising ceremony, the two of them had a subtle "tit-for-tat" attitude.

But after yesterday's nutritious meal, perhaps because she felt guilty or because she witnessed his embarrassing situation, the way they get along has changed a little.

To be precise, he had somewhat 'accepted his fate'.

In the past, when Xia Ruirui came to bother him, even if he didn't mock her, he would still look at her coldly.

Indicated that she'd better restrain herself.

But now, although he still felt annoyed, he was willing to tolerate her.

For example, this meal card with cat patterns on both sides, if it were normal times, Shen Yuqing would definitely sneer at it.

"Why don't you put your ID photo on my meal card? Wouldn't it be more eye-catching?"

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back when he thought of the tenderness on Xia Ruirui's face when she picked up some ribs for him yesterday.

"How do I put it? Do you like it?" Xia Ruirui grabbed the back of the chair with both hands, her eyes full of 'praise me quickly'.

Shen Yuqing: “…”

He opened his mouth, still not knowing what to say.

Her deskmate Shen Qingli also turned around and looked at him with sympathy: "Actually, if you don't like it, you can ask her to tear it off."

Shen Yuqing glanced at her when he heard this and found that she had become like a frost-bitten eggplant again.

Subconsciously, I blurted out the words against my will: "It's okay."

After he said this, he regretted it and could even foresee someone's tail rising to the sky.

Xia Ruirui looked at Shen Qingli proudly: "See, I told you he would like it."

Shen Qingli: "The clown is actually me."

Xia Ruirui did not turn around to study, but took out 15 yuan from her schoolbag and put it on Shen Yuqing's desk.

"Chen Yuqing, I'm just treating you to a meal. Why did you give me money yesterday?" She added, "I have a lot of pocket money."

"......" Shen Qingli turned around again at this time, "Xia Ruirui cried yesterday because she felt that you didn't treat her as a friend."

Someone immediately retorted: "Why am I crying?"

As if she felt something was wrong, she added: "But I am indeed a little sad..."

Shen Qingli looked down at Shen Yuqing and said with her eyes: "See, I'm right."

Shen Yuqing's eyes were complicated. He put away the money on the table and was silent for a long time: "That's not what I meant."

Xia Ruirui blinked her eyes and said, "I know you don't mean that." She dragged out the last word as she spoke.

It sounds like a silent teasing.

After saying that, she turned back to memorizing words.

Jincai’s morning self-study session only lasts 20 minutes. Once the morning reading bell rings, you can go have breakfast.

Everyone rushed out when they heard the bell for the end of morning reading. Within a few seconds, the classroom was empty, with only a few day students left in the classroom eating breakfast they brought from outside.

Xia Ruirui and Shen Qingli were naturally at the forefront and had already disappeared long ago.

Shen Yuqing took his meal card to the cafeteria for breakfast, but when he swiped the card, he found that the balance had increased from 5.6 at the beginning to 405.6.

Thinking of a possibility, he held the meal card in a daze...