“Cencen, I’m hungry!” Leng Bingqin barged into the small dark room with a loud exclamation, leaping directly onto Ji Nanchan’s bed.
Just when Ji Nanchan had finally managed to snatch an afternoon nap, she was rudely awakened. She pulled the covers over her head, ignoring the intrusion, and rolled over flat, determined to go back to sleep.
Leng Bingqin pounced on top of her, chattering incessantly like a broken record: “I’m hungry, I’m hungry, I’m hungry.”
Hadn’t this woman just recovered from a fever? Where did she get all this energy?
Annoyed, Ji Nanchan pushed the covers aside and glared. “You’re so skinny, yet all you ever think about is eating. Where does all that food even go?”
Completely unfazed by Ji Nanchan’s grumbling, Leng Bingqin smacked a kiss right on her forehead, repeating the same plea: “I’m hungry.”
Leng Bingqin’s long hair brushed against Ji Nanchan’s face, tickling her, and that sudden kiss nearly made her soul leave her body.
Ji Nanchan froze on the bed, unsure whether to move or stay still.
Leng Bingqin, being stubborn, kept her lips pressed to Ji Nanchan’s forehead without budging. The two remained locked in their positions, one on top of the other, for what felt like an eternity.
Unable to endure the intimacy any longer, Ji Nanchan pushed the slender Leng Bingqin away, rubbing her forehead in surrender. “Get off. Let’s eat.”
“Hehe.” Leng Bingqin giggled foolishly, already imagining what delicious food Ji Nanchan would cook for her. But instead, Ji Nanchan simply threw on her jacket and headed straight for the yard.
Grabbing the hem of her jacket, Leng Bingqin worried she wouldn’t get her meal. “Where are you going? Aren’t you going to cook?”
“Since Miss Leng has just recovered from her illness, eating at home seems too shabby. Of course, we’re going out to a restaurant.” It was unclear what Ji Nanchan was implying with her sarcastic tone, but her reluctance to cook was genuine.
“Really? I want meat, lots of meat!”
“Eat, eat, eat. Are you a glutton? Is food all you ever think about?” Ji Nanchan tapped Leng Bingqin’s forehead playfully, teasing her until she scrunched up her nose.
.
The night market near the old city renovation area was bustling with crowds as dinnertime approached. Stalls lined both sides of the street, offering delicacies from all corners of the country.
Leng Bingqin held onto Ji Nanchan with one hand and gripped her arm with the other, afraid of being separated by the surging crowd.
“Little glutton, what do you want to eat?”
“I don’t know. There’s too much. My eyes are overwhelmed.”
Seeing her struggle with indecision, Ji Nanchan headed straight for the nearest stall. “Let’s have seafood wontons then.”
Leng Bingqin pressed a finger to her lips, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Is that really delicious?”
“Well, I like it anyway.”
They found an empty table, and Ji Nanchan pressed Leng Bingqin down by the shoulders, instructing her, “Sit here nicely and don’t run off. I’m going to buy you some brown sugar jelly. I’ll be right back.”
“You’re not going to abandon me, are you?” Leng Bingqin scrunched her nose, refusing to let go, her fear of being left behind ever-present.
Though Ji Nanchan had complained about her a thousand times, she had never once considered leaving her stranded on the streets. She patted the little glutton’s head reassuringly. “How could I ever leave you? Besides, you have your phone, don’t you? Sit here and play with it.”
“Okay~”
But the moment Ji Nanchan left, Leng Bingqin’s world seemed to slow to a crawl. Even the bustling crowd moved in slow motion. Resting her chin in her hands, she waited and waited, until she could bear it no longer. She pulled out her phone and dialed Ji Nanchan’s number.
“What’s wrong, little glutton?” Ji Nanchan answered the phone, her tone gentle and coaxing.
Leng Bingqin mumbled fretfully, “Why aren’t you back yet?”
“I’m waiting for the auntie to pack the cold cakes, I’ll be right back.”
“Are the cold cakes really that good?”
“They’re delicious, you’ll get to try them soon.”
“I miss you, I don’t want the cold cakes anymore.”
Hearing the longing murmur through the phone, Ji Nanchan was momentarily stunned, then covered the receiver and urged the vendor, “Auntie, please hurry.”
The feeling of being relied upon was unexpectedly heartwarming. Ji Nanchan took the takeaway bag and quickened her pace, continuing to soothe, “Alright, alright, I’m on my way back now.”
Leng Bingqin held her phone, listening as Ji Nanchan described the various stalls, until she reappeared right in front of her.
Ji Nanchan hung up the phone and sat down beside Leng Bingqin, offering her the cold cakes. “Try them quickly.”
Leng Bingqin carefully poked the cold cakes with a spoon they were jiggly, smooth, and springy, coated with sweet brown sugar. They looked utterly tempting. “I’ve never had these before.”
Coincidentally, the vendor from the neighboring stall brought over two steaming bowls of seafood wontons.
Ji Nanchan handed a pair of chopsticks to Leng Bingqin, her tone almost parental. “Let’s eat the wontons first. The cold cakes can be dessert.”
“Mm-hmm.”
The so-called seafood wontons were simply boiled dumplings placed in a bone broth sprinkled with a pinch of dried shrimp and seaweed. The broth looked clear and plain.
Though the presentation was unremarkable, Ji Nanchan ate with gusto. The first sip had to be the broth its savory, umami flavor was deeply satisfying.
Leng Bingqin mimicked her, taking small sips of the broth. One taste was all it took her eyes lit up, and she exclaimed how delicious it was.
And so, the little foodie buried her face in the bowl once more. Burp!
After the meal, Leng Bingqin finally got to taste the cold cakes.
She took a bite herself, then insisted on feeding one to Ji Nanchin. They took turns, one spoonful after another, until the bowl was empty.
Suddenly, Ji Nanchan felt that those few minutes she had been away were worth it because the cool, sweet cold cakes had touched her heart.
Watching the little foodie rub her round belly, Ji Nanchan chuckled. “Were they really that good?”
“They were delicious. I want more.”
“No, you just got over a fever. Letting you have something cold was already an exception you can’t have too much.” Ji Nanchan refused, taking Leng Bingqin’s hand to leave.
“Alright, I’ll listen to Chenchen.”
Ji Nanchan mused that aside from being a little clumsy, Leng Bingqin was quite endearing obedient, well-behaved, and a bit clingy.
The thought sparked a strange idea in Ji Nanchan’s mind, a desire to always treat her well. “A walk after a meal helps you live to ninety-nine. Come on, let’s go for a stroll.”
“Live to ninety-nine!”
As they passed through the bustling food street, Leng Bingqin’s gaze was drawn to a balloon-shooting stall or more accurately, to the giant teddy bear as tall as a person displayed there.
Ji Nanchan followed her gaze and asked curiously, “Do you want to play?”
“I don’t know how, but that bear is so cute.”
“You really like it?” Ji Nanchan asked, already pulling cash from her pocket. “If you like it, we’ll win it.”
Just then, two energetic young men finished their rounds without winning any major prizes and stood nearby, looking disappointed.
Ji Nanchan approached the stall owner and asked, “Boss, how much does it cost?”
The owner adjusted his waist pouch, clutching a handful of change. “30 yuan for 120 shots. Pop all 120 balloons, and you can pick any stuffed animal you want.”
Ji Nanchan paid the money, picked up the toy gun to inspect its structure, then shouldered it and aligned the sights.
The two flashy young men nearby noticed her stance and seemed to be discussing something, occasionally letting out mocking laughs. Then they turned their gaze to Leng Bingqin, leering as they stroked their chins and slowly approached.
Ji Nanchan alertly turned her head, reached out to grab Leng Bingqin, and pulled her close. “Stand by my side.”
After saying that, she provocatively shot the two young men a disdainful glare.
Leng Bingqin, oblivious to the situation, focused all her attention on the wall of small balloons, muttering to herself, “Chenchen, we have to hit all of them, it’s so hard.”
“Don’t worry, I promise you’ll take the big teddy bear home.”
Shouldering the gun, Ji Nanchan aimed through the sight. Her shooting and reloading movements were not only precise, but every bullet she fired accurately popped the balloons, clearing them row by row.
The stall owner frantically blew up new balloons, unable to keep up with her pace.
The two flashy young men took advantage of Ji Nanchan’s focused shooting to sneak up to Leng Bingqin’s side.
One of them boldly reached out and draped his arm over her shoulder. “Hey beautiful, popping balloons is boring. How about coming clubbing with us?”
“Don’t touch me!” Leng Bingqin snapped in disgust, just as Ji Nanchan finished her perfect shooting streak and put down the toy gun.
Hearing her nanny’s voice, she immediately swung the gun butt around and smashed it into the man’s face. “You think you can get away with this?”
The harassing young man, humiliated by the blow, prompted his companion to step forward. “How dare you hit someone?”
“Then how dare he harass my girlfriend?” Ji Nanchan shoved the accuser aside and marched up to the young man, glaring down at his hands. “Which hand did you use to touch her?”
Intimidated by Ji Nanchan’s fierce demeanor, the young man covered his face and didn’t answer, backing away as if to flee.
Ji Nanchan grabbed him by the collar, veins bulging on her forehead and neck. Her furious expression even scared Leng Bingqin. “I asked you a question – which hand did you use?”
The young man swatted her hand away and played the victim. “What nonsense are you spouting? When did you see me touch her?”
“Yeah, stop making false accusations. We’ll call the police on you,” the other joined in, drawing a crowd of onlookers that soon blocked the area.
Ji Nanchan pressed her lips together, sucking in her cheeks until they hollowed, struggling to contain her rage.
Leng Bingqin hid behind her and spoke up: “You did touch me, you pervert!”
The young man spat and pointed at Leng Bingqin’s nose, cursing: “Hey, you bitch, what did you say?”
Ji Nanchan straightened up, grabbed him by the neck and forced his head down. “Apologize. I want you to apologize.”
“If you want to fight, take it somewhere else. Don’t ruin my business,” the stall owner interjected. Ji Nanchan shot him a deadly glare. “One hundred twenty perfect hits. Give her the big teddy bear.”
Cowed by her intensity, the owner didn’t hesitate, shoving the large bear into Leng Bingqin’s arms, just wanting to end the conflict quickly.
The captured young man seized the opportunity to push Ji Nanchan away and fled in the blink of an eye.
Clutching the teddy bear, Leng Bingqin looked miserable, feeling like she’d caused trouble again. “I’m sorry.”
“If you’re being harassed, you should speak up. Who’s going to put up with those jerks?” Ji Nanchan didn’t accept the apology and led her away from the crowd. “In the future, when you encounter such things, you have to face them bravely. Don’t let others grow more arrogant, understand?”
“But I don’t want to cause you trouble.” Seeing the little nanny pouting with lifeless eyes, Ji Nanchan wrapped an arm around her shoulder and walked forward. “How could it be trouble? You’re my girlfriend. If I don’t protect you, who will? Go home first. I have something to take care of.”
“It’s so late, do you still have work?”
“Yeah, I’ll be back soon. Hurry home, and take Fugui for a walk while you’re at it.”
“Oh right, I need to walk Fugui!” Assigned a household chore, Leng Bingqin seemed to find a sense of purpose. Hugging the large teddy bear, she ran toward the alley entrance.