At this time, the dessert shop was still quite crowded. After asking Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhang Yutong what they wanted to eat, Yan Wei told them to go find seats first while she and Jiang Youyi went to the counter to order.
Yan Wei ordered a signature taro ball dessert for Jiang Youyi, specifically requesting extra ice and small glutinous rice balls.
“Want anything else?” Yan Wei turned her head and smiled at Jiang Youyi. “Their double-layer milk pudding is also pretty good.”
Their relationship had been strained for half a month. Although Jiang Youyi was still acting awkward, she had finally stopped wearing a sour expression, which put Yan Wei in an excellent mood.
Compared to Yan Wei’s relaxed cheerfulness, Jiang Youyi’s expression was complicated. “Are you trying to fatten me up like a pig?”
“I never said that.” Yan Wei smiled, her eyes crinkling, and ordered a red bean double-layer milk pudding for herself.
Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhang Yutong found an empty table near the floor-to-ceiling window. While waiting for their order, Zhou Xiaoxiao lowered her head to scroll through her messages. Zhang Yutong nudged her shoulder lightly. “Xiaoxiao, isn’t that Hu Hao from No. 3 High School?”
“Huh? Who?” Zhou Xiaoxiao looked in the direction Zhang Yutong pointed, not immediately registering the name. “Who’s Hu Hao?”
“You know, that notorious troublemaker from No. 3 High.” Zhang Yutong shrank back a little nervously, pulling up a photo from her chat history to show Zhou Xiaoxiao. “Last month, our class group chat mentioned a big fight at No. 3 High that almost turned deadly. Someone even posted photos of the students involved. Don’t you remember?”
After seeing the photo, Zhou Xiaoxiao finally recalled who Zhang Yutong was talking about.
She didn’t usually pay much attention to the class group chat, but the fight incident had caused quite a stir last time. Plus, the troublemaker had a very distinctive look, so Zhou Xiaoxiao vaguely remembered him.
“The bald guy in the leather vest?” Zhou Xiaoxiao glanced through the window at the delinquent leaning against the railing not far away, smoking a cigarette. She clicked her tongue. “I heard he got into that fight because his girlfriend cheated on him. He brought a bunch of people to confront the other guy, but it turned out the guy had connections. Instead, he got beaten up himself and even got disciplined by the school for fighting and dating too early. Pretty rough.”
Just as Yan Wei and Jiang Youyi arrived with their desserts, they overheard the two whispering. Surprisingly, Jiang Youyi, who usually kept to herself, suddenly chimed in, “Rough? They broke up months ago. He lied to her, saying he wasn’t in school anymore. When she found out he was underage, she dumped him. He couldn’t accept it and kept harassing her, even tried to corner her. Turns out he picked the wrong person to mess with. He deserved that beating!”
Zhou Xiaoxiao was surprised not only by the twist in the story but also that Jiang Youyi had actually spoken up and with such a long sentence! That was rare.
Zhang Yutong took her taro ball dessert from Yan Wei and thanked her. After hearing Jiang Youyi’s words, she noticed something else. “Jiang Youyi, do you know Hu Hao?”
“Hmm? Why?” Jiang Youyi sat by the window, put down her things, and pushed Yan Wei’s double-layer milk pudding back toward her.
Zhang Yutong glanced at Yan Wei again and shook her head. “Nothing, just asking.” She had wanted to say it was better to avoid getting involved with such aimless troublemakers, but since she wasn’t close to Jiang Youyi and the comment might offend Yan Wei, she decided against it and didn’t press further.
“Oh.” Jiang Youyi gave a meaningless response, scooping a purple sweet potato taro ball into her mouth with a small spoon. It was soft, chewy, cool, and sweet—truly delicious and just to her taste.
“Do you like it?”
Jiang Youyi heard Yan Wei ask her. She bit the spoon and pouted slightly, swallowing the small bite of taro ball in her mouth before replying coolly, “It’s okay.”
That meant she liked it.
Yan Wei mentally adjusted the true degree of that statement based on Jiang Youyi’s attitude, unable to hold back a smile that crinkled her eyes. How could someone be so adorable?
Zhou Xiaoxiao had ordered the same new item as Jiang Youyi, but without the extra toppings Yan Wei had added out of favoritism. After tasting the signature dish recommended by her idol, she immediately burst out with a foodie’s exclamation: “Wow! This is so delicious!”
“I think so too,” Zhang Yutong agreed.
Jiang Youyi averted her gaze, scooping up a small glutinous rice ball with her spoon. As she put it in her mouth, the corner of her lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
Sitting side by side with Jiang Youyi, Yan Wei took a small spoonful of double-layer milk pudding. It still tasted just like before.
“Do students from No. 3 High School often go to that internet café?” While everyone was eating, Yan Wei suddenly picked up the topic again, tilting her head slightly to ask Jiang Youyi.
Jiang Youyi stirred the colorful taro balls in her bowl. “Just Hu Hao and his gang.”
Yan Wei: “You stood up to him today. Will he cause trouble for you?”
Jiang Youyi didn’t even lift her eyelids. “Let him try.”
It was just a fight—she wasn’t afraid.
Yan Wei: “…” She was suddenly speechless.
“They’re a bunch of troublemakers, and you’re just one girl. What do you mean, ‘let him try’?” Yan Wei was a bit angry. “Those guys are capable of anything. Don’t provoke them.”
Jiang Youyi suddenly put down her spoon.
Yan Wei thought she was going to argue back, but Jiang Youyi only said one word: “Okay.”
The sudden compliance caught Yan Wei off guard, and Jiang Youyi was pleased to see the stunned expression on Yan Wei’s face.
She curved her lips slightly and suddenly reached into Yan Wei’s bowl, scooping out a spoonful of double-layer milk pudding. “Don’t get too smug.”
The meaning of this sentence was unclear to anyone but Yan Wei.
Jiang Youyi was referring to how she had been teased and embarrassed by Yan Wei repeatedly during this time. Now that she had seen Yan Wei’s other side, she wouldn’t naively believe Yan Wei’s previous actions were unintentional.
She held grudges.
As Jiang Youyi turned her head away while eating the milk pudding, Yan Wei caught another glimpse of a small, reddened ear tip peeking through her hair.
Yan Wei didn’t say anything, unable to suppress the smile on her face. She lowered her head and scooped up a spoonful from the small hole Jiang Youyi had made in the pudding, right next to the edge of the bowl, and put it in her mouth.
“What kind of secret code are you two speaking?” Zhang Yutong tilted her head, confused and complaining.
Yan Wei smiled, her lips curving. “It’s nothing.”
Zhou Xiaoxiao withdrew her gaze, lowering her head to stare blankly at her small spoon, lost in thought.
Taking advantage of Jiang Youyi turning away, Yan Wei also scooped a spoonful from Jiang Youyi’s bowl, picking out Jiang Youyi’s favorite purple sweet potato taro ball. At the same time, she didn’t forget to add, “Then don’t go to the internet café tonight. Why not come back to school with us?”
“Doesn’t Jiang Youyi live in Fudu?” Zhou Xiaoxiao suddenly spoke up.
Jiang Youyi didn’t respond, so Yan Wei answered instead: “Her parents aren’t home often. It’s pretty boring being alone.” After saying this, she looked at Jiang Youyi. “Right?”
“Hmm.” Jiang Youyi’s expression remained unchanged. “But I’m used to it.”
After speaking, she glanced down at her wristwatch. “It’s about time. I’ll walk you out to catch a taxi.”
The bald man had been staring at them for quite a while.