21 Chapter 20 – Yan Du Xian Salted Pork Soup 5 (2/2)
”Haven't they 'connected' for two months already… before they decided to meet-up?” Wwwwk apparently thought he was well-informed.
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Gu Sheng felt that she absolutely, most certainly could not stay here with these people any longer. She had thought that she was capable of handling the things of the 2-D world, but now, she was not even able to utter a single word and had basically been teased to pieces.
”I… have something going on at school this evening.” She determinedly decided she was going to flee. ”I can't join you guys for dinner.”
”Come on, Sheng Sheng. We're counting on you for us to have some fun tonight…” Fei Shao blurted out.
”Yeah. We'd never dare make fun of Toupai normally,” Feng Ya Song added, joining in on the protesting. ”Plus, we can never find anything to make fun of him about anyways. What a rare opportunity now that you came.”
”Make fun of him? Yeah right. We'd be too scared of him telling us how to properly slice open a chest.”
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”I'm so sorry. I really do have something to do.” Gu Sheng interrupted them, tears almost forming in her eyes. ”Next time. Next time, okay?” While she was still talking, she was already pulling on her down jacket and tying on her scarf.
She was about to reach for her clothing and snack-filled backpack, but a hand had already beaten her to it and lifted it up.
Mo Qingcheng had also just put on his black down jacket. ”It's on my way. I'll accompany you back to your school.”
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DaRen… Wha-… What are you doing carrying my bag for me?
I'm going to kill myself for making Toupai carry such a heavy backpack, k? T T
Unfortunately, after Mo Qingcheng said this, he very simply threw out the statement, ”I'm leaving first; don't wait for me for dinner,” and then, holding her massive, light blue backpack with one hand, he opened the door and headed out. Gu Sheng did not even have time to weigh out the pros and cons of the situation and could only run after Toupai and her backpack. Right as the door was closing behind her, she clearly heard someone let out a wolf-like howl. Apparently, the blood in them that fed off gossip was boiling to the point they could no longer control it.
The door closed.
Toupai was walking especially quickly, and Gu Sheng had to work hard to catch up to his footsteps
As she was about to tell him, ”DaRen, you can give me my schoolbag back,” she noticed that girl from reception gawking at her with a look that made her hair stand on end. So, she could only pretend to be oblivious and, with head lowered, follow Toupai out the main doors. Even when they were standing in front of the elevator, her eyes were still glued to her bag that was in Toupai's hand…
A light happened to be burned out in that elevator lobby at the end of the corridor, so the space was rather dim.
Mo Qingcheng raised his arm and glanced at his watch. ”It's still not too late. Is your school far from here?”
”Not too far,” Gu Sheng answered truthfully. ”If all goes well with the bus schedule, it'll take about 20 minutes to get there.”
”That's not bad.” His voice was light and pleasant.
Gu Sheng still could not believe that she was here like this with him, like they were familiar friends.
They were standing there, just the two of them, casually having a conversation.
She glanced him over from bottom to top, continuing her struggle over coming up with a way to get her schoolbag back.
Just as the elevator doors were sliding open, Mo Qingcheng happened to lower his eyes to look at her. ”They are a bit too rowdy. Since you aren't actually in a hurry, I'll grab something simple to eat with you first before I take you back to school.”
”Huh?” This suggestion was too frightening. She did not know how to handle it.
”What would you like to eat?”
”Huh?” Did she agree to his request?
Mo Qingcheng could not help letting out a laugh. ”How about yan du xian [salted pork soup][1]?”
... She swore, she was going to cry right then and there...
”No objections?” He motioned for her to enter the elevator first. ”Then yan du xian it is.”
[1]腌笃鲜 ”yan du xian.” A dish belonging to the Jiangnan area. 腌 ”yan” means salted/cured . 笃 ”du” means to stew over low heat. 鲜 ”xian” describes the flavour and means fresh and delicate. The soup is made from a combination of both salt-cured and fresh pork