Chapter 49 "Look, isn't it delicious?"...
Chapter 49
"Brother, I think that person is weird." As soon as she got into the car and closed the door, Yu Pan couldn't help but lean closer to Shen Yanzhou and whisper her feelings.
"President Qin?" Shen Yanzhou smiled upon hearing this, adjusting his posture to make Yu Pan more comfortable. "Tell me, what's strange about it?"
"Well... he said I've grown taller."
"Hmm, and then?"
"And then?" Yu Pan felt that Shen Yanzhou hadn't grasped the key point he was talking about, and slapped his thigh in a bit of anxiety. "I've been 1.76 meters tall since last autumn! I haven't grown a single centimeter! How could he think I've grown taller? Isn't that strange?"
Shen Yanzhou was amused by Yu Pan's serious demeanor, and the slight displeasure he felt due to Qin Yu's excessive attention dissipated somewhat. He nodded in agreement, "Yes, you're right, but it might just be a polite remark from President Qin. Let's just go have a meal; I'm here."
"Mm." Yu Pan nodded with relief after receiving approval, and leaned back against Shen Yanzhou's shoulder.
The car drove through the bustling streets and turned into a hutong area that looked quite old.
Chunmanyuan is located deep in a narrow alley that cars cannot drive into. They got out of the car at the entrance of the alley and were led in by Qin Yu.
Under their feet was an uneven cobblestone path, flanked by mottled gray walls and old courtyard gates, a world apart from the bustling streets they had passed through on their way here.
After turning three corners, they finally stopped in front of two slightly worn wooden doors. Above the doors was an inconspicuous bluestone slab with the three characters "Spring Full of Garden" engraved on it.
Qin Yu stepped forward and pushed open the heavy wooden door. Upon entering, he saw a smooth, jet-black screen wall stone, on which were carved several plump carp, rolling waves, and aquatic plants.
Upon seeing this, Yu Pan tugged at Chen Yanzhou's arm.
Shen Yanzhou leaned closer, head slightly lowered, and asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
"This fish is carved so plump," Yu Pan said softly, thinking that it would be delicious to roast it alive.
Shen Yanzhou knew exactly what he was thinking, and chuckled as she squeezed his hand.
After passing the screen wall, they came into view a small and exquisite courtyard, a typical siheyuan (traditional courtyard house) layout.
The main house and the east and west wing rooms are connected by a covered corridor with birdcages hanging under the corridor. A large, leafy tree grows in the center of the courtyard.
As soon as they reached the veranda, someone came out and led them into a small room in the east wing, then handed them a menu.
This was Yu Pan's first time eating at a restaurant hidden deep in an alley. From the moment she pushed open the wooden door, everything felt new and exciting.
As I walked in, I felt like I didn't have enough eyes to see everything, and I still am now, only able to look at the furnishings inside the house and the courtyard outside the window.
Knowing Yu Pan's tastes, Shen Yanzhou took the menu, flipped through it, and ordered clear soup bird's nest, egg drop chicken slices, cherry pork, and a few other classic and foolproof dishes.
Finally, he didn't forget to ask Yu Pan for a bowl of stewed pear with rock sugar to nourish her lungs.
Perhaps because she played in the hotel pool for too long yesterday afternoon, Yu Pan had a cough when she went to bed last night.
Yu Pan wasn't too concerned about what to eat next; as long as there was food, that was enough for him. After looking around the room, his attention returned to Qin Yu.
Ever since Yu Pan realized that Qin Yu was a strange person, she felt uncomfortable sitting at the same table with him.
However, once all the dishes were served, Yu Pan couldn't pay attention to him anymore; he had been completely absorbed by the delicious food.
The stewed pear with rock sugar was crystal clear. Yu Pan scooped up a spoonful, and the sweet soup melted in his mouth, making him squint his eyes in satisfaction.
The chicken slices were tender and smooth, the cherry meat was rich but not greasy, and the emerald shrimp were bouncy and chewy. Yu Pan ate one bite after another, her cheeks bulging, completely immersed in the delicious food.
Seeing that he was eating with relish, Shen Yanzhou put another piece of braised tofu on his plate and said in a low voice, "Eat slowly, be careful not to choke."
Throughout the meal, Qin Yu wore a smile on his face, casually chatting while steer the conversation towards them.
"Shen Gong is so young yet has such courage and vision. At your age, I wouldn't have the confidence to do things so readily." Qin Yu smiled and poured Shen Yanzhou a cup of tea. "However, judging from his accent, Shen Gong doesn't seem to be from Lanzhou."
Shen Yanzhou remained expressionless, his tone calm and unwavering: "President Qin, you flatter me. I am indeed not from Lanzhou."
Qin Yu nodded thoughtfully, then turned his gaze to Yu Pan, who was eating heartily beside him. "Yu Pan looks quite young, still in high school, right? Is she eighteen yet?"
Yu Pan was enjoying his meal when he heard the question. He looked up, his cheeks puffed out, his eyes still a little confused. He was about to swallow his food and answer when Shen Yanzhou picked up a napkin, wiped the sauce from the corner of his mouth, and took over the conversation.
"Yes, I'm starting my senior year of high school, so I'm not exactly young anymore," Shen Yanzhou replied, putting down his napkin.
Qin Yu chuckled, as if it were just a casual expression of concern, yet he also asked unintentionally, "But your brother's surname is Yu? Does he take his mother's surname? That's quite rare these days."
Shen Yanzhou took a sip of tea, his tone still calm, "It's a name given by my family, just make sure it's easy to pronounce."
Qin Yu laughed again, "It seems that the parents who raised such a talented person as Chen Gong are truly extraordinary. I will definitely visit them when I have the chance."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yu Pan coughed violently as if she had choked.
Shen Yanzhou quickly patted his back and replied to Qin Yu's words, "If President Qin wants to see my parents, I'm afraid it will be a hundred years from now."
Qin Yu: "..."
After the meal, Yu Pan was full. The two said goodbye at the entrance of the alley and got into their respective cars.
Qin Yu got into the car, his smile slowly fading. After a moment's thought, he instructed the driver in the front seat, "We're not going to the company. We're changing our route to the Wu family's old residence."
The car traveled through most of Beijing and finally came to a slow stop in front of a traditional courtyard house with gray bricks and tiles.
As soon as Qin Yu got out of the car, someone respectfully led him inside. A short while later, a maid dressed in plain clothes hurried over and said in a low voice, "Mr. Qin, it's really unfortunate. Madam has been feeling unwell recently and has just taken her medicine and is resting. She is not able to entertain guests today."
Upon hearing this, Qin Yu showed just the right amount of concern and regret on his face, and nodded slightly, "It was my bad timing. Please let Aunt Su rest well. I will come to visit her another day."
As Qin Yu was about to get into his car after leaving the courtyard, he heard the sound of a car engine and a clear shout from the side.
"Brother Yu!"
Qin Yu turned his head and saw a spirited young man jump out of the car that had just come to a stop. It was Wu Chongzhi, the youngest son of the Wu family.
Wu Chongzhi rushed up to Qin Yu, his face beaming with excitement, "What brings you here today? I was just about to look for you!"
"Oh? What do you want?" Qin Yu asked with a gentle smile, but his gaze remained fixed on Wu Chongzhi's face.
The contours of the eyebrows and eyes on this youthful face do indeed bear a striking resemblance to Yu Pan, whom I saw not long ago at Chunmanyuan.
However, Wu Chongzhi's demeanor was more flamboyant and outgoing, while Yu Pan appeared calm and introverted. This comparison confirmed Qin Yu's suspicions.
Wu Chongzhi chuckled a few times, "My birthday is coming soon! Don't forget to come, I've already told my friends, Brother Yu, you'll definitely come to support me!"
"Okay." Qin Yu readily agreed, patting him on the shoulder, "I'll make you a backup gift later."
"Brother Yu, you're the best!" Wu Chongzhi immediately beamed and waved his hand. "Then I'll go see my mom first, and I'll come find you later!"
After saying that, he skipped and hopped into the inner courtyard with light steps.
Qin Yu stood there, watching Wu Chongzhi's retreating figure, his expression growing even more somber.
-
On the other side, Shen Yanzhou saw that Yu Pan had slept for a while in the car and was in good spirits, so he instructed the driver to turn around and head to the Peking University campus.
In summer, the Kyoto University campus is shaded by green trees, with the Weiming Lake shimmering in the sunlight, reflecting the Boya Pagoda, creating a tranquil and solemn atmosphere.
Even during holidays, you can still see many students carrying books and hurrying around the campus, or young people sitting in twos and threes by the lake discussing their books.
Yu Pan looked around curiously.
The atmosphere here was completely different from that of high school. The red brick buildings covered with vines, the open lawn, and the scholarly atmosphere that seemed to permeate the air all felt novel to him.
As he followed Shen Yanzhou to the library, Yu Pan suddenly stopped. He tugged at Shen Yanzhou's sleeve, his voice filled with disbelief and amazement, "Brother, this library...it looks even bigger than the biggest library in Lanzhou!"
Yu Pan couldn't even imagine how many books such a big room could hold.
Shen Yanzhou stood quietly beside him, observing all his reactions. He asked softly, "Do you like it here?"
Yu Pan nodded vigorously, "I love it! Brother, this place is so nice, it's big and beautiful, and... it feels so quiet and comfortable."
“Hmm,” Shen Yanzhou had planned to bring Yu Pan to Peking University on this trip anyway. “It’s one of the best universities in the country. Panpan, would you like to study here in the future?”
Yu Pan was not unaware of Peking University's reputation; he knew it had produced many literary figures, and some of the authors of the books he had read were Peking University graduates. However…
"But can I pass the exam?" Yu Pan asked hesitantly.
"Yes, you can." Shen Yanzhou patted Yu Pan's head. "Our Panpan can definitely do it if she studies hard, so does Panpan want to study here?"
Looking at the expectation and encouragement in Shen Yanzhou's eyes, Yu Pan felt inexplicably happy at the thought of studying and living in a campus with an endless supply of books.
He nodded again, his tone more serious: "Yes, brother, I want to study here."
-
Back at the hotel after returning from Peking University, Yu Pan was still immersed in the awe and anticipation brought by the Peking University campus, and kept talking to Shen Yanzhou.
Shen Yanzhou listened with a smile as he chattered on about what he had seen and heard that day. When they returned to the suite, Yu Pan kicked off her shoes, ran to the floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down at the night view of Beijing.
Shen Yanzhou bent down and picked up his shoes, which he had kicked all over the place, and neatly arranged them. Instead of urging him to wash up as usual, she let him lean against the window and watch for a while before reminding him, "Panpan, go take a shower first."
"Oh, okay." Yu Pan obediently turned around, her gaze sweeping over the small refrigerator embedded in the cabinet in the corner of the living room. Without stopping, she asked naturally, "Brother, do you think there's ice cream in here?"
"Open it and take a look." Shen Yanzhou said, walking over and opening the refrigerator door. The refrigerator compartment was filled with various imported drinks and snacks. He looked directly at the freezer compartment, took out a box of chocolate ice cream, and looked at the ingredient list. "This looks good, chocolate sauce filling."
"Okay, this one will do." Yu Pan took it and eagerly opened the box, inside which lay eight small and exquisite scoops of ice cream.
He forked a piece and took a bite. The cool, silky chocolate melted in his mouth, and Yu Pan squinted his eyes in satisfaction.
While eating, he spotted a pretty bottle of purple juice in the refrigerator and pointed at it with his fork, saying, "Brother, I want to eat this too. It looks delicious."
“No way.” Shen Yanzhou refused without hesitation, glancing at the ice cream box in Yu Pan’s hand that was already missing one ice cream. “We still have to eat later, so you can only have four ice creams.”
"..." Yu Pan held up the ice cream she had just taken a small bite of, protesting, "This ice cream is so small! It'll be gone in one bite!"
“Then eat two.” Shen Yanzhou raised an eyebrow and readily agreed.
"!!!" Yu Pan was about to throw a tantrum, holding up the ice cream as if it were some kind of evidence, "You clearly said four! Bro, you're cheating!"
“Hmm,” Shen Yanzhou looked at his sulky face, a smile hidden in his eyes, “Now you can only eat two.”
"No..." Yu Pan looked at Shen Yanzhou for a while, then put the ice cream box on the coffee table, put all the ice cream in her mouth, stood on tiptoe, and hugged Shen Yanzhou's neck.
With a mouthful of cool, sweet chocolate-flavored ice cream, I kissed him without saying a word.
Shen Yanzhou was taken aback by his sudden attack, but then accepted the chocolate-flavored kiss.
The ice cream melted in their mouths, and they only separated when the last trace of sweetness disappeared.
Yu Pan's cheeks flushed, and she was slightly out of breath. She looked at Shen Yanzhou with a hint of smugness. "See? It's delicious, isn't it?"
Shen Yanzhou savored the sweetness of the kiss, his smile deepening. He wiped the trace of chocolate sauce from Yu Pan's lips with his thumb and nodded, "Hmm, it was indeed quite good, with a unique flavor. Well then... I'll reward you with one, and you can have three."
Yu Pan's lips immediately pouted so high they could hold an oil bottle. Her smugness vanished instantly, replaced by a look of utter grievance. She then tried to push Chen Yanzhou away.
Seeing that he was really getting angry, Shen Yanzhou tightened his arms and pulled him closer to his chest. He lowered his head and rubbed his nose against Yu Pan's puffed-up face. "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. Be good, finish what you want to eat. But promise me, I'll let you stop eating later if I tell you to, okay?"
Yu Pan felt ticklish from his rubbing, and her little temper disappeared instantly. She squirmed in Shen Yanzhou's arms and obediently replied, "Mmm... I know."
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Author's note: Panpan: Joking around is joking around, but you can't joke about food.
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