Wu Na arrived at the library early in the morning and was shocked the moment she saw Lin Miaomiao.
“You… how did you…”
Lin Miaomiao gave a self-deprecating smile. “Quite a difference from how I looked at school, isn’t it?”
Lin Miaomiao’s cheeks had sunken in significantly, there were dark circles under her eyes, and a shallow wrinkle had appeared between her brows. Although she was wearing her old clothes, she was clearly a size smaller underneath; the bones protruding from her wrists looked frighteningly thin.
Previously, the two of them had always made pacts to lose weight together, but they had never succeeded. Now, after not seeing each other for just over a month, Lin Miaomiao had become this thin?
However, this unhealthy thinness didn’t make Wu Na envious; instead, it made her heart ache.
“Weren’t you just preparing for exams? Why do you look like you’ve been drained dry?”
Lin Miaomiao spoke listlessly. “Waking up at six every morning, going to bed at one at night, reading intensely all day, and never seeing the sun—you’d look like this too.”
Unlike finals week at school, the pressure now wasn’t just academic; it was laced with the panic of an uncertain future. Even when she slept, Lin Miaomiao couldn’t rest peacefully. She often woke up in a cold sweat after dreaming about being in an examination hall over and over again.
The pressure was like a mountain. That was why she had broken down so badly yesterday when her parents suggested she prepare several backup options. She had wanted so badly to scream at them, Do you have any idea how much pressure I’m under?
But in the end, Lin Miaomiao said nothing and simply went back to her room for a good cry.
Wu Na suggested, “…How about we go out and have some fun?”
Looking at Lin Miaomiao’s state, Wu Na wondered if taking her out to clear her head would be better. Karaoke? An internet cafe? Or maybe an amusement park? But having known her for so long, Wu Na knew Lin Miaomiao had no interest in those things. Their favorite shared hobby was buying a cup of milk tea and finding a good place to eat.
Lin Miaomiao truly didn’t want to go anywhere, but she didn’t want to eat anything either. For some time now, it felt as though she had lost her sense of taste. Every day she woke up with pressure and went to sleep with pressure; everything she ate tasted dull, just like her life.
Wu Na thought for a moment. “I’ll order takeout for you at noon.”
Recalling that her own “summer lack of appetite” had been cured by the food from the Wen family’s shop, Wu Na felt a rare sense of determination. She couldn’t help Lin Miaomiao with her exams, but wouldn’t making her appetite a bit better be a form of help too?
Lin Miaomiao asked, puzzled, “Why not go to a restaurant to eat?”
Wu Na rolled her eyes. “Have you looked at the temperature outside? It’s breaking records today. You can walk around in the morning, but going out for lunch in forty-degree heat? Your skin would be sunburnt before you even got there.”
The two of them wandered from the first floor to the fourth floor of the library. Wu Na couldn’t help but click her tongue at the sight of rows upon rows of students.
“Are all these people studying for exams?”
“What do you think? It gets harder to ‘land’ a job every year. If you don’t fight for it, you have no chance. There are people in here who have been studying for two or three years.”
Lin Miaomiao led Wu Na to the fifth floor. There were two wide terraces there where she usually went to rest when she was tired. Having spent so much time here, Lin Miaomiao had made a few friends.
When they stepped onto the terrace, they saw a few familiar faces chatting. After brief introductions, Wu Na asked what they were discussing.
One of the boys chuckled. “We’re just sharing info on today’s rations.”
The days of preparing for exams were repetitive. If there was anything that could lift everyone’s spirits, it was the daily takeout. If someone found a delicious place, they would recommend it to others; if it was terrible, they wished the library had a public screen where they could write in giant letters: “STAY AWAY FROM [TAKEOUT NAME], IT’S AWFUL!”
Lin Miaomiao had also noticed that the ratio of good to bad food was usually three to seven. After all, besides one large shopping mall nearby, there weren’t many good snack shops.
However, today the group was surprisingly in agreement. One of the girls mysteriously showed her phone to Lin Miaomiao.
“We’re eating this today. Da Huang found it. This shop is delicious.”
The boy called Da Huang interjected, “I told you not to call me Da Huang… My mom ordered it for me. She said it’s a small restaurant across from her school.”
Lin Miaomiao was surprised. “Is this a ‘Small Lunch Program’?”
One look and she could tell it was a set meal meant for kids. It wasn’t even listed on any delivery app; it was just a group chat!
Da Huang explained, “This place originally has its own restaurant. Since it’s summer break, they deliver to the library every day. You order a day in advance, and the next day the owner posts photos in the group. It’s definitely not pre-packaged food.”
Wu Na marveled, “People really know how to do business these days.” Just moments ago, she had been getting a headache from the noise of the elementary schoolers in the first-floor reading room; who would have thought a small restaurant had already targeted this place?
Lin Miaomiao asked, “…Is it enough food?” Children had smaller appetites, so it might not be enough for an adult.
“Definitely enough! If it’s not enough, you can tell the owner to add an extra container of rice for just one extra yuan. So, should I add you to the group?”
“Add me,” Lin Miaomiao said.
Once she joined the group, Lin Miaomiao burst out laughing at the nicknames. She handed the phone to Wu Na. “Look at this.”
The nicknames were one more abstract than the last. Wu Na couldn’t stop laughing either. But when she saw the restaurant’s name, Wu Na stopped laughing.
“Wen Family Restaurant”—wasn’t this her treasure of a shop? They were even doing set meals!
Wu Na was instantly unsettled. She had a hard time choosing every day because there were so many toppings, yet she could only eat one per meal. But with this lunch program, she could eat three types in one sitting!
Wu Na felt a wave of “betrayal” and grievance. “Why? Is it just because I didn’t come to the library?” She didn’t even know these set meals existed!
Seeing Wu Na’s indignation, Lin Miaomiao’s mood miraculously improved a bit. Even though she hadn’t tasted the legendary food yet, she had a new goal.
“Well? Why don’t you come to the library too? We can eat lunch together.”
Wu Na replied petulantly, “Don’t they deliver to houses?”
“You can ask their delivery guy when he arrives at noon.”
When noon came, Yang Tao and Qu Xiaoyu arrived, braving the scorching sun. After only two days, Yang Tao’s arms had been tanned into two distinct colors, divided sharply between black and white. He shouted the names with a booming voice at the entrance.
“Is ‘Potato’s family member’ here? ‘Potato’s family member’?”
The crowd nearby burst into laughter. Someone chimed in, “Was it a boy potato or a girl potato?”
Yang Tao immediately quipped back, “A big fat boy, six liang! Delicious whether you steam him or fry him!”
Da Huang stepped forward with a thick skin to claim his meal. “Ah, thank you, Doctor!”
The crowd roared with laughter. Once everyone had their meals, Yang Tao looked into his box and saw two portions left.
“Ms. Wu! Your rice platter is here!”
When Wu Na collected her meal, Yang Tao grinned. “Hey, I was wondering why the address changed today.”
Wu Na pouted. “You have set meals, why aren’t they on the delivery apps?”
Yang Tao chuckled. “This is a ‘Small Lunch Program.’ The boss didn’t expect a group of university students to order them.”
“I don’t care, I want to eat them too.”
Yang Tao pointed to the library behind her. “I suggest you just come to the library then. We only deliver the set meals for orders of ten or more.”
The profit margin for set meals was smaller, which was why Mother Wen had decided not to put them on the delivery apps. If they were on the app, the time between preparation and delivery couldn’t be guaranteed, which would affect the taste. Secondly, the price for individual delivery would definitely go up, and it would slow down the shop’s operations. Thirdly… her daughter would be back in school soon, and they wouldn’t have time to make the set meals then. Would they have to take them off the menu again? It was simpler to just do the lunch program with unified delivery.
Yang Tao pulled two bottles of mineral water from the delivery box. “Here, for the two reviews yesterday.”
Wu Na took the water. “Goodbye!”
So annoying, she’d have to wake up early tomorrow.
Looking back at Lin Miaomiao, she was no longer gloomy. Holding her rice platter, she was busy swapping dishes with the others.
“Wow, this rice platter is actually really good. I’m going to order one when I go home tonight!”
“I never used to eat intestines, but these smell so good.”
“Give me a bite of the chicken.”
“Lala-la, these scallion-sauteed broad beans are amazing.”
Wu Na: “…” I’m coming here to study tomorrow!
Wen Fan made several Shaobing. She sliced open the hollow flatbreads and stuffed them with stir-fried fatty intestines and green peppers.
The intestines had been cleaned thoroughly until there was no odor, then braised in a master stock for two days until they turned a deep savory color. The pot now had a thick layer of fat, and the bold aroma of the braised intestines spread everywhere. Only then did Wen Fan fish them out.
She sliced the intestines and stir-fried them with green peppers over high heat. The braised intestines were exceptionally fragrant, fatty, tender, and springy. The outer skin had a good bite while the inside was soft and rich. Each bite felt like a layer of fat encased in a springy texture. It was delicious, but easy to find greasy.
However, when paired with the perfectly toasted Shaobing, that richness turned into pure fragrance. It was so delicious it made one lose their bearings.
Wen Fan stopped after eating one palm-sized Shaobing sandwich. She wiped her fingers and went to adjust the ratios of the master stock.
Father Wen ate three and was burping from being so full. Mother Wen ate two large ones and was too full to even sit down, so she went to clean up. Yang Tao stuffed four down his throat and stared blankly at Qu Xiaoyu. Qu Xiaoyu was already on his fifth.
Mother Wen didn’t feel as though the boys were eating her out of house and home; she just marveled at their appetites. Intestines were, after all, quite fatty. After eating two sandwiches, she felt the richness rising.
“…You two should eat some greens later,” she said, worried they might get sick.
Both the rice and noodles had sold out at noon, so Wen Fan had used the shop’s stove to make Shaobing for their own meal. Who would have thought that the flatbread paired with intestines would be this delicious?
It instantly took Father and Mother Wen back to the hard years of their past. Back then, life was difficult, and eating a piece of fatty meat was a sign of a good day. There was no such thing as worrying about grease or high blood pressure; fatty meat in the mouth was nothing but pure fragrance. Now that meat was no longer scarce, they could never find that same sense of satisfaction. Who would have thought that eating intestines today would bring back those old feelings?
After finishing the intestines, both of them simultaneously decided to eat light for a few days.
On the side, Wen Fan dropped a few things into the braising pot. She smelled the aroma and nodded with satisfaction. “Dad, keep this master stock well-maintained. We’ll start putting things in it today.”
“Okay, what should we put in?”
“Anything except seafood. Tomorrow the shop will have two new items: a braised platter and a cold dish.