Translator: Larbre Studio
Editor: Larbre Studio
Grandma had passed away. Fu Hengyi had gone on a business trip.
And school had also started.
Though she had completed all the courses as a senior, and it was not necessary for her to go to school, Shen Qinglan had still decided to go.
“Qinglan, you finally show up! Why have you been up to? I have called you but your phone was off all the time,” Yu Xiaoxuan asked, full of worry, as she arrived at the dormitory.
Yu Xiaoxuan didn’t know that Shen Qinglan’s grandmother had passed away. She didn’t even know that Shen Qinglan was the younger miss of Shen family. Since Shen Qinglan was usually very low key and didn’t appear in public, a few people in the capital knew her. Even though Yu Xiaoxuan had a lot of friends, as long as Shen Qinglan didn’t spill it out, she definitely would not know.
“Something happened at home. My grandma passed away.” Shen Qinglan said faintly. There was no more visible sadness on her face that day.
Yu Xiaoxuan was stunned, looking at Shen Qinglan with growing concern. She could see from Qinglan’s increasingly cold temperament that her grandma must have been very important to her.
“Qinglan, are you fine?”
Shen Qinglan shook her head slightly, “I’m okay.”
Shen Qinglan believed that she was indeed fine. Though grandma’s death had been a great blow to her, she still kept in mind that her grandma had expected her to live a happy life and she did not want to let her down.
“By the way, Qinglan, I’ve found a newly opened spicy hot pot restaurant outside the school. Let’s eat spicy hot pot tonight!”
“What’s spicy hot pot?” Fang Tong’s voice came from outside.
“We are talking about the newly opened spicy hot pot place outside the school. It seems to have attracted a lot of customers. Let’s try it tonight! You won’t come with us, will you?” Yu Xiaoxuan squinted at Fang Tong, who had not wanted to be with them since she had gotten herself a boyfriend.
“I’ll go with you. Who says I won’t?” Fang Tong said in a loud voice. Realizing that she had overreacted, she then smiled gently, moving her fringe aside in a coquettish way, “I decide to choose you two, my beloved mistresses. Are you ready?”
“Eww…” Yu Xiaoxuan pretended to be vomiting. Shen Qinglan turned away, as if she hadn’t seen it.
“Fang Tong, talk like a man.”
Fang Tong snorted, “Ding Minghui went to find an intern position in a company several days ago. He has officially started work today, so no one will accompany me to restaurants.”
Ding Minghui was Fang Tong’s boyfriend.
Yu Xiaoxuan rolled her eyes and said, “I know that’s the thing—you really are a guy. Putting ho before bro.”
“Well, you are just envious, jealous, and hateful. You can also have one if you are able to find it.”
They were confronting each other again. Shen Qinglan had long been used to it and she felt quite calm inside. Maybe that was the best way to lead a familiar life: having familiar people around.
“Eh, where’s Wu Qian? Wasn’t she always the first one here?” Fang Tong suddenly said.
Only then was Yu Xiaoxuan reminded that Wu Qian, the one who had always been early in previous years, had not yet arrived at school.
“Maybe the car is late. She may have been delayed on her way here since the traffic in the capital was so heavy.” Yu Xiaoxuan didn’t care at all.
Fang Tong frowned, “It shouldn’t be. Wu Qian didn’t go back home this summer vacation at all. I even met her in the summer, when she was working at a KFC as a waitress. Since she hasn’t gone back, she should have arrived early.”
“Maybe she has just worked all month and decided to go back home. If we really want to know, we can just give her a call.”
Fang Tong thought it was fair. She took out her mobile phone and called Wu Qian. Soon the phone call went through, and Wu Qian explained that she was already downstairs.
Soon Wu Qian appeared in the dormitory, wearing a light yellow shirt with short sleeves and a pair of jeans, whose color had faded after frequent washing, as well as a pair of canvas shoes worth several tens of yuan. She seemed to be no different than usual.
“Wu Qian, we plan to have spicy hot pot at the newly opened place outside the school this evening. Are you coming with us?” Fang Tong asked. Although she knew the answer already, she still wouldn’t have felt good if she hadn’t asked her.
“That’s nice. Wait for me. I’ll sort out my luggage and then go with you. It won’t take long.”
The unexpected answer surprised both Fang Tong and Yu Xiaoxuan.
“Oh, well, no need to hurry. Take your time,” Fang Tong came to her mind quickly and replied.
Wu Qian, with her back to them, didn’t see Fang Tong and Yu Xiaoxuan winking at each other—but Shen Qinglan clearly had.
“Why does she want to have dinner with us today?” This was what Yu Xiaoxuan implied.
“I don’t know. I was just being polite,” Fang Tong rolled her eyes.
“What should we do now? It’s going to be embarrassing with her there.”
“You ask me? Who should I ask then?”
“By the way, this is the specialty of our hometown. Have a try,” Wu Qian said, putting three bags of snacks on the table and scratching her head shyly, “I had intended to bring them to you before, but…”
But what? The other three knew perfectly well that it was because her economic conditions did not allow her to.
“Wu Qian, why are you being so polite? We have no gift for you after all,” Fang Tong said with a smile.
Wu Qian smiled, amazing the other three. Actually, Wu Qian was good-looking, nice, and delicate. Probably because of her previous lack of confidence, she used to like looking down. Even when talking with others, she still looked down and dared not look at them, and her nice appearance was made somewhat plain. Now she looked up with a smile, indeed looking pretty.
“In the past three years, you have been tolerant and generous toward me. I know that in my heart. Thank you.”
Fang Tong and Yu Xiaoxuan exchanged a look.
“Well, we are classmates and roommates. No need to mention tolerance,” Fang Tong replied and patted Wu Qian on the shoulder, “Since it’s your good will, we will feel free to accept that.”
Saying so, she went to pick up a bag of snacks and opened it. “Wow, it’s duck tongue. Wu Qian, you are so sweet.” Fang Tong smiled more brightly, certainly with some kind of politeness.
“Come, come, have a taste. It’s delicious.” Fang Tong took the duck tongues and gave them to Shen Qinglan and Yu Xiaoxuan.
Seeing them enjoying the snacks, Wu Qian seemed to feel relieved, the smile on her face becoming even more brighter.
Shen Qinglan looked at the duck tongue in his hand, with a glimpse of Wu Qian. She was full of thoughts. It was only two months since she disappeared, and now there was such a big change in her temperament. Wasn’t that weird?
However, Wu Qian’s change was not a matter of concern to Shen Qinglan. Frankly speaking, Wu Qian was only a little more familiar to her than the passers-by. After all, they could be said to know each other.
Shen Qinglan did not pay much attention to Wu Qian’s change.
In the evening, four people went out for dinner together for the first time. However, with one more person, they three did not feel at ease as before. After the meal then, Yu Xiaoxuan, who had intended to hang out there, dismissed the idea and went back to the dormitory with them.