After the three of them came down from the rooftop, they decided to go have dinner together. It was Chen Liuyue's suggestion.
"I'm hungry. Shall we grab something to eat?"
Wei Miao nodded. "Let's eat."
Qin Xuanye: "Yeah."
So they went to the old clay pot noodle shop on the street behind No. 2 High School. As soon as Chen Liuyue entered, she waved at the proprietress.
"Three bowls of your signature clay pot noodles, add a duck leg to one."
"Right, just add it to my bowl. Don't add it to the other two."
Wei Miao was somewhat displeased. "I want a duck leg too."
Chen Liuyue looked at him with a mischievous grin.
"Brother Wei, your legs are long enough already. No need for extra nourishment."
Wei Miao's face instantly flushed red all the way to his neck, a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.
Qin Xuanye chuckled from behind.
"Then I won't have one either."
The proprietress came out following the voices, and upon seeing Chen Liuyue, a smile spread across her face.
"Oh my, isn't this little Yue?"
"You've already gone off to university. When did you get back?"
Chen Liuyue said with a smile, "Just got back today. I'll be leaving again after dinner."
As she spoke, she raised her hand to scan the payment QR code on the wall.
The proprietress quickly stopped her, saying, "No need, no need. This meal is on me."
But Chen Liuyue had already entered the amount.
"WeChat payment received: two hundred yuan."
The proprietress was stunned.
"You silly child, you entered the wrong amount, didn't you? The clay pot noodles are only ten yuan a bowl. Why did you send so much?"
She wiped her still-damp hands on her apron and was about to go find some cash.
"Wait—"
Chen Liuyue called out to stop her. "I didn't enter it wrong. I ate several free meals here before. I actually feel like I sent too little."
The proprietress paused, sighed, and said, "You child, you've had it tough."
"I'm doing quite well now, actually. It turns out I was the switched-at-birth child of a wealthy family. I'm really rich now!" Chen Liuyue said with a laugh, raising an eyebrow.
She skillfully found a table and sat down, then waved for Wei Miao and Qin Xuanye to join her.
The proprietress thought she was joking.
But Wei Miao and Qin Xuanye both nodded simultaneously.
"It's true."
The proprietress said incredulously, "Really?"
Chen Liuyue briefly recounted the story of being recognized by the Chen family in the provincial capital. The proprietress's gaze was complex, but she finally nodded with relief.
"Good, good, good. You've finally seen better days, child."
"Wait here, I'll go cook for you right now."
Then she disappeared into the kitchen.
Wei Miao glanced at the chairs and table with a hint of disdain, wiping them down with a tissue from the table before unhurriedly taking a seat.
Qin Xuanye's reaction was similar.
Both of them were pampered young masters.
After sitting down, Wei Miao couldn't help but ask, "Why did you eat several free meals here?"
Chen Liuyue smiled a relieved smile, not avoiding the topic at all.
"Because I was poor. Had no money."
"In high school, my adoptive mother only paid my tuition. For living expenses, she gave me ten yuan a day."
"She said she had it even tougher before, that she came through the same way, and that I shouldn't forget where I came from, so I would study even harder."
Wei Miao was taken aback.
Then he looked at Qin Xuanye sitting across from him, his gaze accusatory. "Weren't you her ex-boyfriend? You didn't even give her any pocket money? So stingy."
Qin Xuanye pursed his lips and said quietly, "We only got together after graduating high school."
Besides, he hadn't known about Liuyue's financial situation.
At school, she always carried herself with her head held high, like a proud little fox, never showing any sign of inferiority.
Wei Miao didn't hold back his criticism. "With the way you were as a boyfriend, you deserved to be dumped!"
Qin Xuanye remained silent.
He actually felt this made sense and couldn't even argue against it.
After a while, the proprietress brought out the clay pot noodles.
Each bowl had a large braised duck leg added on top.
Seeing this, Chen Liuyue exclaimed, "Oh dear, I only wanted it added to my bowl!"
The proprietress chuckled happily, looking at her with affection.
"It's fine, consider it my treat."
"I'm happy that little Yue brought two such handsome friends along."
After saying that, she left.
Chen Liuyue glanced at the two guys at the table, gave a light humph, and said, "The proprietress is kind. You're getting a treat. Dig in!"
Wei Miao took a tentative first bite.
Then his eyes lit up. It was delicious.
Qin Xuanye also lowered his head and silently ate the noodles.
His emotions were complicated inside.
Wei Miao was right. Why had he never known these things about Liuyue? His affection seemed somewhat superficial.
He had never truly understood her.
Feeling a lump in his throat, he couldn't help but ask, "Was Teacher Jin always like this towards you?"
Chen Liuyue took a bite of a meatball from the clay pot and raised her little face.
"Hmm? What did you ask?"
"You mean controlling my finances? Actually, she was trying to control my spirit, because I was quite unruly."
"Oh, right, come to think of it, I should thank you for pursuing me for three years. That's how I got to eat breakfast."
Hearing this,
Wei Miao couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.
While Qin Xuanye felt a sharp sting in his heart. So, the reason she didn't reject his pursuit was for three years of breakfast.
After finishing the clay pot noodles,
the three of them got up to leave.
Chen Liuyue took advantage of the proprietress not paying attention and scanned another thousand yuan.
Later, when the proprietress discovered it and tried to run out after them, Chen Liuyue immediately said fiercely:
"What?! If you don't take this money, I'll never come to your shop again!"
"Hmph! It's not like your clay pot noodles are the only good ones in town. I might change my mind tomorrow and go to another place!"
She thought she looked fierce and intimidating, but to others, her demeanor only added a touch of sincere cuteness.
The proprietress was both amused and exasperated, and really couldn't refuse.
She could only nod repeatedly, saying:
"Alright, alright, alright. Whatever you say, little Yue."
"But next time, you're not allowed to go to anyone else's place! My shop has the best clay pot noodles in the whole city!"
Chen Liuyue also smiled, lifting the corners of her lips, and nodded. "Okay."
The three of them walked from the back street towards the school parking lot.
They were strolling.
Qin Xuanye walked very slowly.
As if to greedily cling to this little bit of time spent together.
But in the end, Chen Liuyue still got into Wei Miao's car. Qin Xuanye, following behind, glanced at his own car, then at the car ahead.
Finally, he made up his mind, quickened his pace, and ran forward.
Before Wei Miao started the engine, he pulled open the passenger door.
Wei Miao frowned. "What are you doing?"
Qin Xuanye: "My car broke down."
Wei Miao: "What does your car breaking down have to do with me?"
Qin Xuanye turned his head to look at Chen Liuyue sitting in the back seat, lowered his eyes, and said pitifully:
"Liuyue, can you give me a ride back?"
Chen Liuyue tilted her head, smiling ambiguously.
"What's our relationship?"
"Why should I give you a ride?"
Hearing this, the corners of Wei Miao's lips lifted slightly in agreement. "Exactly! Why should we give you a ride?"
A flash of disappointment passed through Qin Xuanye's eyes.
Chen Liuyue: "Brother Wei, let's go."
Wei Miao tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "Qin Xuanye, take your hand back. I'm about to drive."
Qin Xuanye took half a step back. As he watched the car start up and the tires begin to roll,
he suddenly seemed bewitched. He took a couple of small running steps forward, opened the passenger door again, and forcefully squeezed himself in.
