Chi Nuan guessed that Gu Ningzi didn’t like heavy flavors. Last time Chi Qingchuan treated them, she ordered Yangchun Noodles too, and the day before that, she mostly ate light tofu soup and baby greens, barely touching two pieces of Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs.
With that in mind, Chi Nuan told Du Min, “Light oil in the noodles—no scallions for Gu Ningzi. Tell the boss.”
Du Min glanced at Chi Nuan, then at Gu Ningzi, and spread her hands. “If you insist on the discount, fine…”
She circled two veggie dishes, stood up, and handed the order to the boss.
Food was like a shot of adrenaline. Xu Dan perked up, propped her elbows on the table, and asked Gu Ningzi, “Doesn’t it feel happy when someone remembers your tastes like that?”
Chi Nuan’s mind buzzed. Without thinking, she kicked Xu Dan under the table.
Gu Ningzi smiled but said nothing.
Xu Dan didn’t bat an eye. “I just think it’s super happy. I love everything Minmin ordered, ying ying ying.”
Chi Nuan: “…”
The dishes arrived quickly. Xu Dan was dramatic all day and starving. She grabbed her chopsticks and wolfed down the food. Du Min exclaimed, “I’m treating you for once, but don’t eat like that…”
Xu Dan shoved another chopstick of pig kidneys into her mouth. “It’s good…”
Chi Nuan thought the dishes were pretty tasty too and ate with relish. As she reached for food, her eyes met Gu Ningzi’s unexpectedly.
Gu Ningzi switched her chopsticks to her left hand and tapped her lips with her right, reminding Chi Nuan.
Chi Nuan wiped as indicated—a tiny speck of chili clung to her finger.
Gu Ningzi pulled out a tissue and covered Chi Nuan’s stained fingertip.
Chi Nuan balled the tissue in her palm, and her ear tips slowly turned red again.
…
The veggie dishes arrived, completing the spread. Zhao Jingjing picked up some stir-fried loofah and was about to eat when her mobile phone on the bowl’s edge pinged with a WeChat notification. She glanced at it and said in a complicated tone, “Check the group.”
Du Min patted her pockets, then rummaged in her bag. “Hey, where’s my mobile phone?”
Zhao Jingjing: “Didn’t you leave it charging in the dorm at noon and forget to bring it?”
Du Min: “…Damn, my brain must be overworked lately—my memory’s shot!”
Zhao Jingjing: “Gotta brain-boost then. Order some spicy pig brain.”
Du Min: “…”
Xu Dan opened the group chat. Xue Wen had asked what they were doing.
Xu Dan snapped a photo of the table and sent it. “Group dinner, smooches A-Wen.”
Xue Wen: “Looks good!”
Xu Dan: “Not bad. Pig brain later.”
Zhao Jingjing and Xu Dan grinned at each other over their mobile phones.
Xue Wen: “More people? Who’s with you?”
“Ah, A-Wen, sharp eyes— you can even spot an extra person?” Xu Dan sighed, already typing the answer: “Gu Ningzi.”
The other three roommates simultaneously turned to Xu Dan, who was oblivious and hit send.
“…”
Chi Nuan turned away, unzipped her bag, and pulled out her mobile phone on vibrate. She caught Xue Wen’s “Oh.”
The atmosphere froze instantly.
Xu Dan sensed something off and looked up belatedly.
Gu Ningzi glanced at her indifferently.
Xu Dan: “…” Damn! Damn! How did she forget?! Gu Ningzi cracked Cao Pinhui’s head open and kicked him out of No. 1 Middle School, and Xue Wen was part of his friend group! After Cao Pinhui’s incident, Xue Wen even skipped school to accompany his mom!
Xu Dan frantically withdrew the message.
Chi Nuan: “………………………………”
Zhao Jingjing was exasperated and amused. “Xu Dan, you’ve had a rough day—how could you…”
Xu Dan sent a dumbass emoji in the group and nervously watched Gu Ningzi’s reaction.
Gu Ningzi ate her noodles unhurriedly, showing no particular response.
Caught between two sides, Xu Dan decided to appease the Big Boss first. She stammered, “Um… Gu Ningzi, Xue Wen… she’s pretty close with us. She’s her, Cao Pinhui’s him. But if you mind, we promise never to mention her in front of you…”
Chi Nuan smiled and kicked Xu Dan again.
“Not at all.” Gu Ningzi set down her chopsticks and took out her mobile phone.
Under Du Min and Zhao Jingjing’s barrage of glares, Xu Dan chuckled nervously. “I knew you wouldn’t mind something small like this~”
Gu Ningzi tapped her phone a few times and subtly glanced at Chi Nuan.
Chi Nuan received two new messages in a row.
“Painful…”
“Don’t kick anymore.”
Chi Nuan’s heart skipped. She glanced under the table and then: “…………”
The spot where she thought Xu Dan’s foot was—why was it propped against Gu Ningzi’s long leg???
—So who did she kick the first time? Gu Ningzi or Xu Dan!?
Chi Nuan stared at the messages. Don’t kick anymore, don’t, anymore…
“…”
Utterly embarrassed, she said, “Sorry, sorry, I thought it was Xu Dan’s…”
Gu Ningzi: “What’s wrong with Xu Dan?”
Chi Nuan: “She talks too mu—”
Gu Ningzi: “What she said was pretty good.”
Pretty, good? Chi Nuan propped her arm to touch her earlobe, tilted her head slightly, and glanced at Gu Ningzi from the corner of her eye. Gu Ningzi looked normal, still typing on her screen. Chi Nuan’s gaze returned to her phone.
“Having someone remember your tastes really is a happy thing.”
“…………”
So yeah, the first kick had hit Gu Ningzi too, right?
