“Su Li, I… I still want to eat more.”
Miss Cat spoke a bit shyly.
Actually, she had never eaten spicy food before.
But the taste was different from what she imagined.
Vaguely, she found herself becoming a little addicted.
“Alright.”
Su Li nodded, but still placed a glass of cold water next to Miss Cat.
A Miss Cat who had never eaten spicy food before—how strange.
But, it wasn’t that strange.
Everyone has a first time.
She herself thought nothing of it.
Back when she first saw Boiled Fish and Pickled Fish, she also used to worry about whether the price was too expensive, and didn’t dare to try it.
It wasn’t until she tasted it for herself that she realized it wasn’t as expensive as she had imagined.
Since this was Miss Cat’s first time eating spicy food, it was perfectly normal to be caught off guard without any preparation.
“If it feels too spicy, just dip it in the cold water first.”
She watched Miss Cat eating spicy food, a bit of concern showing in her expression.
Especially since just now, Miss Cat clearly couldn’t handle spicy food, but still poured the fish soup into her own bowl.
Su Li worried Miss Cat might try to force herself to finish it even if she couldn’t.
After all, Miss Cat looked like the kind of person who would rather feel uncomfortable than waste food.
Su Li kept an eye on Miss Cat from the side, ready to help at any sign of discomfort.
“Mm, don’t worry about me!”
Miss Cat cheered herself up as if encouraging herself.
“Being able to experience things I never have before with Su Li makes me really happy.”
Miss Cat truly was happy!
She realized that after meeting Su Li, she no longer felt like she was all alone in this world!
This feeling… Miss Cat didn’t quite know how to describe it. Was it like being picked up and taken home by her Pooper-Scooper?
But when she was first picked up by her Pooper-Scooper, she seemed to still be just a Kitten.
Later, what she remembered most was being a bit wary of the Pooper-Scooper.
Until, eventually, she waited every day for the Pooper-Scooper to bring her home, keeping her close by.
Maybe this feeling was having someone to rely on, deep in her heart!
Miss Cat carefully picked up a piece of bright red fish, thought for a moment, then obediently followed Su Li’s suggestion.
She placed the fish into her bowl and dipped it lightly, then put it in her mouth and tasted it slowly.
It seemed…
It wasn’t as spicy as before!
And it was still delicious!
Like discovering a new continent, she began to dip the fish little by little, letting the spiciness gradually increase.
Seeing Su Li watching her with concern from time to time, she spoke her feelings:
“I don’t know if it’s because your cooking is so delicious, but every bite fills me with anticipation!”
As she said this, Su Li, seeing that Miss Cat really was alright, finally relaxed a little.
……
Chi Qingya poked at the fish slices in her bowl, slick with red oil. The soup clinging to the tip of her chopsticks soaked the rice in dark red spots.
The Dining Hall’s 89-yuan Boiled Fish wasn’t all that tasty; a greasy layer of MSG floated atop the soup, and the fish was so tough it stuck in her teeth.
She chewed the dry, stringy fish in a mechanical way, suddenly realizing she could taste the Thirteen Spice Seasoning, but couldn’t remember what Su Li’s fish soup truly tasted like.
Last time she’d eaten Boiled Fish here, it had seemed pretty good.
The owner hadn’t changed, either.
So why didn’t it taste as good? Chi Qingya couldn’t figure it out.
She stared in a daze at the floating dried chili peppers.
Back then, Su Li had sliced the ginger as fine as silver threads, soaked the Sichuan peppercorns in warm water before cooking—but Chi Qingya had only fussed that the soup base wasn’t white enough, that the fish slices weren’t thin enough.
Now, the industrial chili extract burning her throat was all that lingered, and only then did she recall Su Li’s spiciness always left a sweet aftertaste.
Just like when Su Li was scolded and lowered her head to clean up shattered porcelain, she still remembered to make sure the second bowl of porridge was just the right temperature.
She felt a bit wronged.
Chi Qingya suddenly realized that Su Li had always treated her so, so well, tolerating her willfulness time and again.
But she…
Why did she do those things?
Why did she break Su Li’s heart?
Chi Qingya stuffed the fish in her mouth mechanically, only stopping when she felt a fish bone and spat everything out onto the table.
The familiar sound of footsteps approached. Chi Qingya lowered her head, not daring to look up.
She noticed Caixiangxiang and the other two had somehow finished their meals and were passing by her, chatting and laughing.
She worried they might notice her, even thinking about what she might say if they did.
But as the footsteps faded, Chi Qingya realized none of them had paid her any attention.
Being ignored left Chi Qingya feeling a little disappointed.
But she soon shook her head. With so many people in the Dining Hall, not being noticed was only natural.
Besides…
Wasn’t that what she wanted?
She hoped not to be found.
So why, after not being noticed, did she feel a little let down?
Chi Qingya couldn’t understand. Maybe she was just being dramatic.
Not long after Caixiangxiang and the others left, they started gossiping.
“Did you see just now?”
Once they’d walked far enough, Caixiangxiang glanced back secretly and said.
“You mean Chi Qingya?”
“Seriously, eating something so good all by herself! That 89-yuan Boiled Fish bowl, even as a treat to myself, I can’t bear to buy it! Such a huge bowl—can Chi Qingya really finish it alone?”
Wei Yanxi was a bit upset that Chi Qingya ate alone behind their backs!
She had already maxed out her Huabei Credit this month and was worrying about what to do next.
If only she’d known Chi Qingya was eating so well, she would’ve joined her.
Then, as long as she dropped a hint about being out of money…
“With Chi Qingya’s appetite, maybe she really can finish it! Remember when we went to her house? She ordered so much Delivery Food, and probably finished it all by herself!”
“No way, Chi Qingya is pretty well off, maybe she just threw it out,” Chen Tangguan whispered, her gaze also sneaking toward Chi Qingya.
She still remembered when they’d gone to Chi Qingya’s house for a meal—everyone ordered thousands worth of Delivery Food.
After all, they didn’t have to pay, and Chi Qingya said to order whatever they wanted, so they did.
Too bad there wasn’t anything expensive nearby.
“Who knows! I said Chi Qingya was acting weird today. No wonder she didn’t want to eat with us—she just wanted to sneak away and eat good food alone, huh? What, is she afraid we’d ask her for a bite? It’s just a few dozen yuan Boiled Fish, does she think we can’t afford it?”
Caixiangxiang grumbled in annoyance, feeling Chi Qingya was being too stingy!
So stingy!