Chapter 144: Eating secretly
Shi Qiu Shui said that he was not considering anything else at the moment and only planned to study hard, and there was no exaggeration in what he said.
Although her mock exam score exceeded the admission score of the People's Public Security University last year by nearly 100 points, she heard Captain Xu from the Public Security Bureau say that the admission score for boys and girls is different for the People's Public Security University because there are fewer girls admitted. Therefore, if girls want to be admitted, they need to score much higher than boys.
So, in order to get into his ideal school, Shi Qiu Shui studied seriously, diligently, fiercely, and completely forgetfully in the last two months before the college entrance examination.
She studied so hard that she forgot to eat and sleep, and her face became thinner.
To be honest, Shi Qiu Shui has changed a lot over the years. Since she entered puberty, Shi Qiu Shui has started to grow taller. She is different from when she was a child. When she was a child, the meat she ate actually grew on her body, and she looked like a chubby, round girl. But after growing up, her limbs are slender and long. She is 1.73 meters tall, which is not short among boys of the same age. Her face has also changed from a round face with a little baby fat when she was a child to a melon-shaped face with a pointed chin, which makes her look even thinner.
Shi Qiu Shui's face, which was not big to begin with, became even smaller due to his hard work.
Shi Yue saw that this was not a good idea. The college entrance examination was coming soon, and the child could not get enough nutrition.
He couldn't help Shi Qiu Shui with his studies, but he couldn't let the child down when it came to food!
Thinking of this, Shi Yue began to prepare delicious food for Shi Qiu Shui in different ways every day. Today he would stew pork ribs, tomorrow he would make chicken soup, and the day after tomorrow he would make a meal of lamb ribs. He would make whatever was delicious and nutritious for Shi Qiu Shui.
But there is one thing, that is, he does not make spicy food for Shi Qiu Shui.
He refused to let Shi Qiu Shui cook anything spicy, sour, or heavy in oil or salt.
Because Shi Qiu Shui couldn't control her diet before and ate a lot of food from street stalls, which upset her stomach. Her stomach has always been in poor condition, so Shi Yue didn't dare to give her these irritating foods, for fear that Shi Qiu Shui would get sick and affect her review and the college entrance examination.
Shi Qiu Shui also knew that Shi Yue did this for her own good, but she was really greedy.
She hasn't eaten Malatang, Guizhou rice noodles, chicken pot, and hot and sour noodles for nearly two months, and she is really craving them!
After school that day, Shi Qiushui slammed the table, stood up and said to Zhao Ran, "Zhao Ran, I don't want to go home after school today!"
Zhao Ran: "Hmm?"
Shi Qiushui: "I want to go find my lover!"
Zhao Ran frowned: "What?"
Shi Qiushui: "My unforgettable, perfect lover - the spicy hot pot at the west gate of the school."
Zhao Ran's tightly furrowed brows relaxed quietly. He glanced at Shi Qiushui helplessly and said, "Didn't Uncle Shi forbid you from eating outside of school recently?"
Shi Qiushui: "Yeah, but I really want to eat spicy hot pot! I really want to eat Ximen's spicy hot pot!"
She blinked her big watery eyes and looked at Zhao Ran and said, "Zhao Ran, Ran Ran, Brother Ran, can you understand my love for spicy hot pot?"
"Hmm?" Zhao Ran asked softly through his nose.
Shi Qiushui smiled servilely and said, "Hey, Brother Ran, Brother Ran, you're so smart and clever, you must understand my love for spicy hot pot, right? Then can you help me?"
She pinched her thumb and index finger and said, "Just do me a small favor. I'm going to Ximen to eat some spicy hot pot. Can you please not tell my dad about this when you get home? When you get home, just tell my dad that we stayed at school a little longer to ask the teacher some questions, okay?"
Hearing Shi Qiu Shui's words, Zhao Ran raised his eyelids and glanced at her without saying anything.
Shi Qiushui: "Zhao Ran, Brother Ran, Brother Ran, thank you, please help me~"
She said, "I won't let you help me for nothing. How about this? I'll treat you to spicy hot pot. I'll pay for as much as you eat!"
"Forget it, I don't like spicy hot pot." Zhao Ran: "Besides, do you still have pocket money? Can we still have spicy hot pot for the two of us?"
Zhao Ran looked at Shi Qiushui with suspicion. Although Shi Yue was generous with children and gave Shi Qiushui a good amount of pocket money every week, Shi Qiushui was a person who could not save money. Every time Shi Yue gave Shi Qiushui pocket money, Shi Qiushui would spend it all, either on food or romance novels. In any case, there was never any money left in her hands.
Zhao Ran remembered that Shi Qiu Shui went to the bookstall in front of the school this week and bought two romance novels.
So does Shi Qiu Shui still have enough money to treat himself to a meal?
Zhao Ran was very skeptical about this.
Shi Qiushui: "Hey, Zhao Ran, do you look down on others?"
She pouted and said, "It's just a spicy hot pot meal, who can't afford it?"
Zhao Ran was surprised: "Huh? You still have pocket money after buying two romance novels? Did Uncle Shi increase your pocket money again?"
Shi Qiushui: "No."
Zhao Ran: "Then you..."
Shi Qiushui: "Hey, I found fifty yuan in the pocket of an unworn piece of clothing in the closet this week."
She pulled a fifty-dollar bill out of her pocket and said, "Look, it's new. I don't know when I put it in there."
Zhao Ran: "...Okay."
He said that Shi Qiu Shui should have spent all his pocket money this week.
Shi Qiushui: "Now you see, I can afford to treat you to a meal. So, how about we go, Malatang?"
Zhao Ran: "Let's go."
He put on his schoolbag, stood up, and said, "I'll go with you, but I don't want to eat."
Unlike Shi Qiu Shui who likes spicy and sour foods, Zhao Ran prefers foods with lighter flavors.
So he was not very interested in Shi Qiu Shui's favorite spicy hot pot.
Shi Qiushui: "Okay, then what do you want to eat?"
She held Zhao Ran's hand and said, "Don't tell me you don't want to eat anything. I can't let you watch me eat."
Zhao Ran thought for a moment and said, "Then you can treat me to some milk tea from the place next to the spicy hot pot restaurant."
"good!"
Shi Qiushui agreed readily. After nodding in agreement, she hurriedly pulled Zhao Ran towards the west gate of the school, saying as she ran, "Let's go, hurry up, or we'll be late and have to queue because of the crowds!"
Arriving at the spicy hot pot restaurant in Ximen, Shi Qiushui scanned the shop with his sharp eyes, accurately found the only empty table, pointed at it and said, "Zhao Ran, you go ahead and take up the space. I'll go buy some food!"
After saying that, she threw her schoolbag to Zhao Ran, asking him to take a seat, while she went to the stove in the middle of the store.
This spicy hot pot restaurant has a long stove in the middle of the store, on which skewers of ingredients are cooked. Customers can take a plate from the side and choose the skewers they want to eat.
Shi Qiushui took a plastic-wrapped plate and walked over, her bright dark eyes fixed on the various skewers cooking on the stove. "This meatball is delicious, take it!" "That crispy sausage is also delicious, take it!" "And the tofu puffs and dried orchids are must-trys, too. These fried soy products, soaked up the broth, are the best!" "And then there's the crunchy wood ear mushrooms and the rich, chewy mushrooms..."
Although he kept telling himself that he had to eat in the evening and should just take less, Shi Qiu Shui still took a big plate full in the end.
After picking up all the skewers, he went to the shop owner to pay. After paying, the shop owner picked up a large spoon and poured a spoonful of soup, a spoonful of sesame paste, and a spoonful of garlic juice on Shi Qiushui's skewers. He then asked Shi Qiushui, "Do you want vinegar?"
Shi Qiushui: "Yes!"
Of course you need vinegar, vinegar is the soul of this spicy hot pot!
Holding the spicy hot pot with all the seasonings, Shi Qiu Shui's saliva was unconsciously overflowing in his mouth.
However, you can't eat it now.
"Zhao Ran, wait for me a moment, I'm going to buy some milk tea!"
She put the plate of spicy hot pot on Zhao Ranzhan's seat, said something, and ran out in a hurry.
This time she left quickly. After about five or six minutes, she came back with her hands full of things.
Shi Qiushui: "Come here, Zhao Ran, I bought you the lemon tea you always drink. I just went over and found that the people next door have started making egg waffles. I bought two, one original and one chocolate flavored. Would you like to try them?"
Zhao Ran helped take the things from Shi Qiu Shui's hand.
He frowned slightly and said, "You bought so many things, aren't you going to eat dinner when you get home tonight?"
Shi Qiushui: "Eat. If you don't eat, my dad will definitely notice something is wrong."
Zhao Ran pointed at the food on the table and said, "You're eating so much now, and you still need to eat dinner when you get home tonight. Are you afraid that your stomach problems won't flare up?"
His expression instantly became serious. Shi Qiu Shui wanted to come out to eat secretly, and he didn't stop her, but he also didn't want Shi Qiu Shui to get sick.
Facing Zhao Ran, who had a stern face and was emitting a cold air, Shi Qiushui smiled brightly: "I still have you..."
She hugged Zhao Ran's arm and said coquettishly: "Zhao Ran, you will help me, right? You will help me eat together, right?"
Zhao Ran: “…”
Shi Qiushui: "Thank you, Zhao Ran~ Zhao Ran~"
Zhao Ran: "Okay, I'll help you eat."
"Hehe, I knew you were the best, Zhao Ran." Having achieved his goal, Shi Qiushui let go of Zhao Ran and said, "Hurry up, Zhao Ran, don't just stand there. Eat quickly so we can go home."
Zhao Ran: ...
He sat down and joined the "battle" with Shi Qiu Shui.
Shi Qiushui rolled up his sleeves, unpacked the disposable chopsticks, and buried his head in the attack on the spicy hot pot.
Zhao Ran opened the egg waffle that Qiu Shui bought for him, tore off a small piece from it and put it into his mouth. As the egg waffle went into his mouth, his eyebrows frowned.
He didn't look carefully just now, and what he took out was a chocolate-flavored egg waffle. The rich chocolate flavor rushed into his mouth, and it was so sweet that he felt a little greasy. He quickly picked up the lemon tea on the side and took a sip.
Shi Qiu Shui bought the three-tenths sweet lemon tea that he often drank. It did not have a strong sweet taste, but only had a slightly sour taste of lemon, which just alleviated the greasy sweet taste in his mouth.
After taking a sip of lemon tea, Zhao Ran's expression improved.
The chocolate egg waffles were not quite to his liking, but he knew that this one would definitely suit Shi Qiu Shui's taste, as Shi Qiu Shui liked this sweet taste.
He tore off a piece and handed it to Qiu Shui, saying, "Try it."
Shi Qiu Shui raised her head and ate the egg waffle handed to her by Zhao Ran in one gulp. Having grown up with Zhao Ran since childhood, she was used to being fed by Zhao Ran.
She chewed the egg waffle in her mouth, hummed, and said, "It's delicious, but isn't it a little too sweet for you?"
Zhao Ran: "Yeah, a little bit."
Shi Qiushui: "Don't eat the chocolate one. Try the original one. It's probably not as sweet as the chocolate one."
Zhao Ran: "Yeah."
He placed the chocolate-flavored egg waffles in front of Shi Qiu Shui and picked up the original flavor one to taste.
Shi Qiushui: "How is it? Is the original flavor better?"
Zhao Ran: "Well, the original flavor is not that sweet, much better."
Shi Qiushui leaned forward and said, "Let me try it. Tear off a piece for me to try."
Zhao Ran tore off a piece and fed it to her: "Try it."
Shi Qiushui chewed and chewed: "Well, the original flavor is not very sweet, but I don't think it tastes as good as the chocolate one."
Zhao Ran: "I prefer the original flavor."
Shi Qiushui: "Then just eat the original flavor."
Zhao Ran nodded and ate the original egg waffles in small bites.
Shi Qiu Shui looked at Zhao Ran who was eating in small bites, and felt emotional. No wonder her father always said that Zhao Ran looked more like a girl than her.
Indeed, when Zhao Ran eats, he takes small bites of food, piece by piece. He looks much more elegant and pleasing to the eye than her.
Feeling Shi Qiushui's gaze lingering on his face, Zhao Ran paused and asked, "What's wrong? Why don't you eat?"
"Eat, I'll eat!" Shi Qiu Shui lowered his head and continued to inhale violently.
Although her eating manners are not very pretty, she eats with great relish!
Shi Qiu Shui doesn’t care about her table manners, the most important thing is that she enjoys eating!
The meal was over in a flash, and Shi Qiu Shui had eaten up all the spicy hot pot egg waffles and the milk tea he had bought.
Shi Qiushui wiped his mouth with a tissue and said angrily, "Damn it, I think I'm full."
If she gets home after eating, she will definitely not be able to eat anymore, and her father will find out that she is cheating on her with food!
Shi Qiushui's eyes darted around as he said, "Zhao Ran, do you think if we run back soon, it will speed up my digestion so I can have dinner when I get back?"
Zhao Ran: "No."
He said seriously, "Running back home after eating will not only not speed up digestion, but will also make your stomach uncomfortable due to the strenuous exercise."
Shi Qiushui pursed his lips: "Okay."
She successfully dismissed the idea of running back.
But she rolled her eyes and came up with an idea: "Well, how about we not go home for a while and go out for a walk? Walking a few more steps can help digestion. Besides, if we go back later, I might be hungry again."
Zhao Ran: "Okay."
Shi Qiushui: "Okay, let's go!"
Shi Qiu Shui wiped his mouth, stood up with his schoolbag on his back, and Zhao Ran stood up as well. The two of them walked out of the Malatang restaurant together.
On the way to the bookstore, they passed by a newly opened cinema. Looking at the big poster of "The Lord of the Rings" outside the cinema, Shi Qiu Shui poked Zhao Ran next to him.
"Hey, Zhao Ran, have you heard? This movie seems to be very popular recently!"
Zhao Ran: "Yeah, it seems to be very popular."
Shi Qiushui: "I saw a report about this movie on TV yesterday! I heard it's really good, but it's a pity we don't have time to see it."
Zhao Ran: "I'll be able to watch it when I have time after the college entrance exam."
Shi Qiushui sighed and said, "But by the time we finish the college entrance exam, the cinema will probably no longer be showing this movie!"
Zhao Ran: "Then rent a disc and watch it later."
Shi Qiushui: "It's different. Renting a disc is not as good as watching it in the cinema!"
Zhao Ran pursed his lips and said, "Then wait until the college entrance examination is over, and then see if there are any cinemas that are still showing it. Some small cinemas that are a little out of the way might still have screenings."
Shi Qiushui: "Well, that's what you said."
She turned around, looked at Zhao Ran with a smile and said, "Then when the time comes, you have to come with me to find a movie theater!"
"Okay." Zhao Ran agreed readily.
"Zhao Ran, you're so nice! I knew you were the best! I love you the most!"
Shi Qiu Shui's clear laughter and sweet coquettish voice blew into Zhao Ran's ears with the wind, and his ears turned red unconsciously.
Just like Zhao Ran's ears, the sunset glow in the sky was also covered with red.
The setting sun dyed the clouds in the sky red with its last rays of light. Shi Qiushui said, "Wow, Zhao Ran, look at the clouds in the sky. They are so beautiful!"
Zhao Ran looked in the direction of her finger.
"Mm, beautiful..."
Shi Qiu Shui and Zhao Ran admired the sunset, then went to the bookstore to pick out two exercise books. When they returned home, it was already past eight o'clock.
"I'm back."
Shi Qiushui pushed open the door, and Shi Yue, who was sitting on the sofa watching TV, turned around and said, "You're back? Why are you back so late today?"
Shi Qiushui: "Oh, Zhao Ran and I stayed in school for a while today to ask the teacher some questions. After that, we went to the bookstore."
Shi Yue: "Oh, that's fine. Hurry up and wash your hands and get ready to eat. I've made the meal and it's been warming in the pot."
Shi Qiushui changed into slippers and walked towards the bathroom, clacking on them. As he walked, he asked, "Dad, what did you cook today?"
Shi Yue also stood up from the sofa. He went to the kitchen to bring out the food and said, "I bought some steak and stewed it with the spring bamboo shoots that your uncle Zhao sent over earlier. Don't tell me, these spring bamboo shoots are so delicious."
Shi Qiushui: "Wow, I want to try it!"
She quickly washed her hands and came out of the bathroom.
Although they had a meal at the school gate after school, it took another two or three hours, and Shi Qiu Shui had almost digested the food. When she saw her father bringing out the steak, she walked in with her eyes shining, waving her chopsticks.
The steak was chopped into relatively large pieces, and it was a little difficult for Shi Qiu Shui to pick it up with chopsticks. She had picked up the ribs twice in a row, but they slipped off the chopsticks. Her patience was exhausted, so she chose to just go for it directly.
She grabbed a piece of pork ribs and started chewing on it.
"Mmm! Delicious!"
Shi Yue: "Isn't it delicious? I cooked the ribs today in a pressure cooker first, and then put them in a stew pot to collect the juice."
Shi Qiushui nodded like a rooster pecking at rice: "Delicious!"
After two processes in a pressure cooker and a stew pot, the ribs are stewed to a tender tenderness that separates the meat from the bones with a gentle bite. The long stew not only softens the ribs but also allows the fat in them to melt into the broth, making the lean meat no longer dry and the fat less greasy.
While eating, Qiu Shui squinted his eyes happily.
After finishing a large piece of spareribs, Shi Qiushui smacked his lips and commented: "It's delicious, but it's still a little less."
Shi Yue: "What's missing?"
Shi Qiushui: "It's a little short of chili."
She said, "If you add some chili peppers, it will taste even spicier."
Shi Yue: "Put chili peppers in it?"
"Yeah, yeah." Shi Qiu Shui nodded heavily and looked at Shi Yue expectantly.
Shi Yue: "Forget about chili peppers now. You have less than two weeks left before the college entrance exam. I dare not let you eat such irritating food now. What if your stomach problem comes back?"
Shi Qiushui instantly became depressed. She wailed, "Ah, damn the college entrance examination—"
Because of the college entrance examination, she lost a pot of spicy and delicious steak!
Shi Yue corrected: "It shouldn't be the damn college entrance examination, it should be the damn stomach disease."
He said, "It's your fault that you have a bad stomach. If your stomach was fine, I wouldn't be controlling you like this."
"ah……"
Speaking of this, Shi Qiu Shui felt a little guilty.
Sure enough, the next second, Shi Yue started to grumble: "Who told you to be disobedient? You had to secretly buy spicy noodles from outside and got a stomachache from eating them. I told you before that the spicy noodles from the stalls outside are not good stuff and the hygiene is not guaranteed, but you just didn't listen..."
Shi Qiu Shui hung his head and stopped talking.
When she was in junior high school, there were often stalls selling spicy strips in front of the school. Every time Shi Qiu Shui passed by, she would be attracted by the fragrant and spicy smell, but Shi Yue never let her eat it, saying that it was unhygienic.
Shi Qiu Shui was so greedy that he secretly used his pocket money to buy food.
She ate it without telling Shi Yue for two weeks before he found out.
It was because of the gastroenteritis caused by eating spicy strips that Shi Yue discovered it.
Shi Yue, who always doted on his daughter, was very angry after knowing this. He gave Shi Qiu Shui a rare serious lecture.
He never got angry when Shi Qiu Shui was naughty and got into trouble, because he knew that Shi Qiu Shui would not harm his body. But that time was different. He got sick from eating spicy strips secretly, and it was Shi Qiu Shui himself who was harmed.
Moreover, once you have gastrointestinal problems, it is difficult to recover.
Take Shi Qiu Shui for example. She had gastroenteritis in junior high school. After that, Shi Yue gave her various stomach-nourishing soups for two months, but she was not completely cured. As long as she ate something irritating, Shi Qiu Shui's stomach would easily feel uncomfortable.
Shi Yue kept nagging Shi Qiu Shui, but Shi Qiu Shui didn't dare to say a word and just lowered his head and took the scolding.
Of course, she had to be scolded, but she still had to eat. She chewed silently.
I thought to myself, wow, this stewed pork ribs with spring bamboo shoots is so delicious!
"Eat about two more pieces and then stop eating."
Hearing Shi Yue's sudden words, Shi Qiu Shui suddenly looked up at Shi Yue.
No, you can nag her if you want, but why don’t you let her eat?
She felt wronged! Very wronged!
Shi Qiushui pursed his lips and was about to complain about his grievances when he heard Shi Yue say, "You must have eaten a lot outside today. Eat less when you come back, otherwise you will have indigestion and feel uncomfortable at night."
Shi Qiushui was stunned: "Huh?"
She poked her finger and said, "Dad, how did you know I ate outside today?"
Shi Qiu Shui brainstormed frantically, but he didn’t feel that he had done anything to expose himself today.
So how did her father find out she was cheating on him? Did he have a third eye?
Shi Yue's words broke Shi Qiu Shui's wild thoughts.
"Next time you eat, be careful and don't get all greasy."
Shi Qiu Shui took a moment to react and then looked down at the clothes on his body.
Wow, there are really a lot of oil spots...
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