Chapter 8

Tang Tianman suddenly felt there was nothing left to ask.

Nothing left to say, either.

This junior sister wasn’t like the ordinary ones. Her tone was calm, her words crisp and clear. She didn’t need any pep talk from Tang Tianman.

Tang Tianman stood there stunned for a good long while, her mouth refusing to open.

From Zheng Xiyu’s end came the steady thump-thump of volleyballs smacking against the floor. The two lapsed into silence over the phone until Zheng Xiyu finally broke it.

“I want hotpot,” she said. “If I win, treat me to some.”

Tang Tianman’s brain kicked back into gear. “Sure, no problem. Win or lose—scratch that, you’re definitely winning. This hotpot’s on me.”

“I want lots of meat,” Zheng Xiyu added.

“No problem at all. As much as you want,” Senior Sister Tang said generously. “Any shop you like.”

“Okay, thanks, Senior Sister.” Zheng Xiyu’s voice came out soft and sweet.

Tang Tianman’s heart skipped wildly in her chest. After a pause, she asked, “Are you… acting cute with me?”

Zheng Xiyu sidestepped the question. “Coach is here. Gotta get back to practice.”

“Right, right, go for it. Train hard, make us proud.” Tang Tianman pumped her fist into the air from across the void.

The call ended, and Tang Tianman’s mood did a complete one-eighty. She felt great now.

She yanked open the door, dragged Li Tong back from the next dorm over, then called Ruan Ruan. “Where are you?”

“On the stairs. Need me to grab anything? Won’t make it in time.”

“Nope. Hurry up here—one minute flat. There’s a reward.”

Li Tong’s eyes went wide. “What reward?”

“Ruan Ruan’s reward. Nothing to do with you.” Tang Tianman teased her.

“Then why drag me back?!” Li Tong bolted for the door. “Let me go! Don’t stop me—this place isn’t fit to stay in anymore…”

Tang Tianman grabbed her arm and went for the ticklish spot under it. “Go on then, walk out that door and you win.”

The two tumbled into a giggling heap. Ruan Ruan walked in and jumped. “What are you two crazies doing?”

“Tang Tianman must be in love. She’s about to burst from happiness,” Li Tong tattled.

“With who?” Ruan Ruan shut the door.

“Who else?” Li Tong shot Ruan Ruan a sly wink.

Tang Tianman ignored the topic and checked the time on her phone. “Big Baby, you’re fast! Time to reveal the reward!”

The other two watched her. Tang Tianman spread her arms wide, grinning ear to ear. “Ta-da! A weekend all-you-can-eat hotpot pass for the whole city!”

Li Tong: “???”

Ruan Ruan: “!!!”

“Here’s the fine print,” Tang Tianman said. “Starting tomorrow morning, pick any hotpot joint in N City. Any dishes you want, as much as you want. I got the bill.”

Li Tong: “You always insist on paying when we go out anyway. What’s new?”

Tang Tianman kicked her lightly.

Li Tong: “All hail Tangdou! Being her roommate is the blessing I earned from saving the planet in my last life!!!”

Ruan Ruan eyed her with keen interest. “Weekend all-you-can-eat? So two days?”

“Yep.”

“Hotpot only?”

“Hotpot this week.” Tang Tianman crossed her arms, frowning cutely. “Next time, we can do something else.”

“What’s the point?”

“To find the absolute best one!!!” Tang Tianman jabbed a finger at the sky.

Li Tong: “You gonna be a food vlogger?”

Ruan Ruan sighed. “Nah, she’s probably treating someone to dinner.”

Li Tong swiveled her head back and forth. Tang Tianman clapped once. “Alright, reward announced. Back to whatever. Tomorrow’s our epic weekend!”

Li Tong and Ruan Ruan chatted as they headed to the bathroom. Tang Tianman sat primly at her desk, opened a folder, and got back to editing photos.

Saturday dawned bright and clear. The three slept until well past noon, then spent ages doing makeup and getting ready.

By the time they headed out, it was noon. Perfect timing for lunch right when they arrived.

When it came to food, Ruan Ruan was the expert. Over the past twenty years, she’d turned herself into a little round ball, happily packing on the pounds for the sake of good eats.

Tang Tianman kept saying eat whatever, but she still couldn’t help nudging Ruan Ruan now and then.

“Big Baby, wipe that oil off your mouth. Yeah, no rush—clean up and take a breather before the next round…”

“Hey, just eating with no chat is boring. Ruan Ruan, spill on that department drama last time. What happened?”

“Ruan! Enough! Okay? Eat some veggies! Greens!”

It nearly killed Li Tong laughing.

After lunch, they lounged a bit, then shopped locally, planning to eat dinner when hunger struck again.

Li Tong and Ruan Ruan knew Tang Tianman came from money, but she never flaunted it with luxury brands. A jacket from some budget store was good enough for her; she’d wear it two years running if it stayed comfy.

Li Tong and Ruan Ruan had hashed this out plenty of times. They figured the little princess was slumming it to fit in with their working-class lives, fostering dorm harmony and equality.

It touched them deeply.

They looped through a bunch of fast-fashion shops and ended up crashed in a milk tea shop, sipping away.

Tang Tianman suddenly stood. “Gonna hit the bathroom.”

Li Tong raised her hand. “Me too, me too.”

Tang Tianman looked at her. “Actually, not the bathroom.”

Li Tong: “Paying? We just settled the milk tea.”

“Buying something.” Tang Tianman headed off. “Gonna grab something.”

“We’re not guys—you don’t have to hide your shopping from us.” Li Tong waved her off and sat back down. “Go on.”

Tang Tianman bounced away. Li Tong watched her go, clearly miffed. “What do you think she’s buying that we can’t know about?”

Ruan Ruan slurped her milk tea. “If she doesn’t want us to know, we shouldn’t pry.”

“I can’t for the life of me figure out what she’d buy that needs hiding… Oh shit, I got it.” Li Tong’s eyes bugged out. “Only one thing it could be!!!”

Ruan Ruan leaned in low. “What?”

“You were all nonchalant about not knowing.”

“Then keep it to yourself.”

“Okay, fine—Tangdou’s all grown up now. Bet she’s buying birth control stuff…”

Ruan Ruan: “…”

“With who?”

“You tell me.”

“Don’t put words in my mouth, Li Tong! Say it to Tianman’s face if you’re so sure!”

“I’m just guessing! What else could it be?!”

They bickered right up until Tang Tianman returned.

She’d only been gone a few minutes, but the vibe was weird now.

Li Tong glanced at Tang Tianman’s hands—empty. So whatever it was must be tucked in her little bag.

That bag was tiny. Phone, keys, and it was full. Not much else fit.

Li Tong shot Ruan Ruan a meaningful eyebrow waggle.

Ruan Ruan was tight with Tang Tianman, but the fight had her worked up. She blurted, “What did you even buy?”

“Nothing much. Just some daily essentials.” Tang Tianman sat and sipped her milk tea.

Li Tong signaled Ruan Ruan frantically. See? Daily essentials.

Ruan Ruan slumped over the table, thoroughly bummed.

Ever since meeting Tang Tianman in college, admirers had never stopped chasing her.

Girls like that usually didn’t have great friendships with other women, but Tang Tianman was straightforward and unpretentious. Aside from her killer looks, she was just like any other girl.

So Ruan Ruan became her best friend—the inseparable, heart-to-heart kind.

Tang Tianman was small and drew a lot of unwanted attention, so Ruan Ruan always felt protective. Especially against shady guys and girls; she’d remind Tang Tianman to watch out.

Now Tang Tianman had this big secret and wasn’t sharing. It really got under Ruan Ruan’s skin.

Dinner was a bit glum because of it.

And in her sadness, she scarfed down extra desserts after.

As dusk fell, the three headed back to school.

Ruan Ruan sent Li Tong up first and tugged Tang Tianman along for a walk.

Tang Tianman was happy to see Ruan Ruan get some exercise. They circled the track on the little plaza.

Ruan Ruan beat around the bush for a while before getting to it. “You meet anyone new lately?”

“Nah, anyone I know, you know.” Tang Tianman glanced at her.

“So it’s Zheng Xiyu then.” Ruan Ruan pouted.

Tang Tianman burst out laughing. “Why bring her up out of nowhere?”

“Look at that face! That face! Oh my god!” Ruan Ruan whisper-shouted. “I thought you were a pro at this stuff, all worldly and smooth. How’d you turn into this?!”

Tang Tianman: “???”

Ruan Ruan twisted her hands. “You two moved way too fast!”

Tang Tianman: “???”

Ruan Ruan: “When did you get together? Who suggested… that stuff?!”

Tang Tianman: “!!!???”

Ten minutes later, Tang Tianman finally pieced it together.

She unzipped her little bag, yanked something out, and tossed it into Ruan Ruan’s lap. “This is what you two fantasized a whole two hours of porn over?!”

Ruan Ruan’s face went beet red. The thing bounced in her hands like a hot potato until she held it up for a close look.

A sleek little jar, covered in lettering from who-knows-where.

“What is this?” Ruan Ruan asked.

“Face cream!” Tang Tianman was about to explode.

“Why can’t you let us in on the face cream!” Ruan Ruan puffed up indignantly. “Why can’t we all go buy it together!”

“I…” Tang Tianman was at a loss for words.

Ruan Ruan mulled it over for a moment, then deflated. “This… how much does it cost?”

“Two thousand… eight.”

Ruan Ruan: “…”

Five seconds later, she handed the item back to Tang Tianman with exaggerated respect. “Um, it’s good—really good. No problem at all. Yeah, it’s definitely better if we don’t buy it together…”

She felt mortified after saying it and turned to walk back, only for Tang Tianman to grab her.

“It’s not like that. I don’t usually use stuff like this.”

For the moment, Ruan Ruan couldn’t recall what skincare products Tang Tianman normally used.

Tang Tianman kept a firm grip on her wrist. “If you don’t believe me, go back and check. This… this isn’t for me.”

“???” Ruan Ruan turned her head. “For your aunt?”

“…No.”

“A gift for the teacher?”

“…No.”

“Then…”

Their gazes locked. The glow of the streetlights danced in each other’s eyes like ripples on water.

True best friends could read each other’s minds without a single word spoken.

Ruan Ruan raised a hand and let out a breath. “Alright, alright, let’s head back. I’m dead tired.”

Tang Tianman hurried to match her pace, clutching the little jar. “Their training is way too intense. They get so many wounds that never get a chance to heal before they reopen. The skin where they hit the ball is especially rough. It’s fine now, but come winter, it might crack open…”

“This is even more thrilling than the idea of you hooking up with someone,” Ruan Ruan muttered. “You’ve only known each other a few days. Are you really into her already?”

“No… I guess not.”

“Then why don’t you give me a two-thousand-eight face cream? The kind I could use as body lotion.”

“You want it? Here, it’s yours.”

“Get lost. You’re not my girl anymore—your heart’s already tainted.” Ruan Ruan sniffed dramatically, full of emotion. “Don’t ask us to tag along for dinners anymore. Go find her instead.”

“I… I was supposed to meet her today…” Tang Tianman’s voice was barely a whisper. “She had something come up at the last minute and went to a competition…”