Chi Qingya sat beside Chi Qingyao, watching her younger sister slowly savor the bento.
She still hadn’t ordered anything yet.
She didn’t know what she wanted to eat.
It felt like she didn’t know what to eat at all.
In the past, she just made do with whatever.
Of course, that making do had started after meeting Su Li.
During the time she spent with Su Li, she never settled for anything.
Her gaze swept across the dining hall. Or rather, from the moment Su Li left, Chi Qingya’s eyes had been fixed on Su Li.
She watched Su Li weave through the cafeteria carrying a steaming bowl of boiled fish.
The red oil surface in the white porcelain bowl floated tender white fish fillets, and the aroma of green Sichuan pepper drilled straight into her nose.
Even though they were far apart, she could still smell the boiled fish.
Maybe it was the scent from back then.
Back when she had snatched the expensive boiled fish from Su Li’s hands.
Arrogantly believing Su Li didn’t deserve something so costly.
Recalling those events now, Chi Qingya felt as if an entire lifetime had passed.
She wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
This bowl of fish was a hundred times prettier than the pot she had burned that time, and definitely much more delicious.
After all, back then, she hadn’t even managed to handle the boiled fish she’d spent so long preparing.
She hadn’t even eaten it.
She even watched Su Li place the bowl in front of Cat and patiently help her pick out the bones.
The boiled fish in the school cafeteria had very few bones, almost none.
Su Li didn’t know if Cat knew how to debone fish.
Because she had never trained Cat to do something like that.
Back when they were together, she always removed the bones before letting Cat eat.
Chi Qingya watched the chain dangling from Su Li’s sleeve glitter and found it a bit dazzling.
Cat used her chopsticks to pick up a piece of fish, slowly blowing on it.
The rising steam made the tip of her nose red. Su Li casually pulled out a paper towel and wiped it for her.
Afterward, Cat placed the now-cooled fish fillet into Su Li’s plate, a faint smile spreading across her face.
Chi Qingya sat stiffly in her chair, feeling that every scene of their interaction was painfully glaring.
Even so, she still didn’t get up to get a meal.
She just sat there, rooted in her seat.
The crisp sound of a porcelain spoon clinking reached her ears.
Cat scooped up a spoonful of fish soup and fed it to Su Li’s lips.
Their shadows merged into a blurry patch in the sunlight.
Chi Qingya bit hard on her lower lip and lowered her head, unwilling to watch the scene in front of her.
She gripped her sleeve tightly. The scenes of their interaction didn’t look like an act put on for her benefit.
It seemed more like this was just their daily life.
And that kind of daily life was supposed to belong to her.
“Big Sis, when did you buy Starbucks?”
Chi Qingyao noticed that her sister had been holding a bag in her hand the whole time.
When she looked over, she realized it was a Starbucks bag.
“Just… just now.”
Chi Qingya said quietly. The Starbucks in her hand felt scalding hot.
She had originally planned to buy some for Su Li, her little sister, and herself.
But she hadn’t expected there to be someone else with Su Li.
She should have thought of that.
After all, she’d heard a long time ago about the girl who prepared bento for Su Li.
If only she had bought four cups.
If she had bought four, maybe she could have smoothed things over with several people.
“Big Sis, give me the Starbucks.”
Chi Qingyao said, as if sensing her sister’s awkwardness.
When she handed the Starbucks bag over to her little sister, Chi Qingya felt a sense of relief.
The bag in her hand no longer felt so heavy.
She didn’t know why, but the thought of running away had just crossed her mind.
Or maybe she had never truly faced the problems she encountered.
Whenever she faced difficulty or setbacks, she wanted to flee.
It had almost become an instinctive habit.
‘Good thing little sister is here.’
“Su Li, this is for you and Cat.”
Chi Qingyao handed the two cups of Starbucks to Su Li and Cat.
Cat noticed there were only three cups of Starbucks.
Her gaze shifted to Chi Qingya, who was sitting beside Chi Qingyao.
She didn’t have one.
And it seemed this person was the one who bought them.
Cat didn’t understand why she was just sitting there.
Even Cat didn’t know what to do now.
She could only lower her head and silently eat the fish.
‘Good thing Su Li is here.’
That way she didn’t have to handle any problems.
She just had to obediently do whatever Su Li said.
“Thanks.”
Su Li glanced at Chi Qingyao, then pushed the Starbucks over to Cat without paying much attention.
Just a cup of Starbucks.
With that, Su Li lowered her head and began eating her bento.
As for whether Chi Qingya had Starbucks to drink or food to eat, Su Li didn’t care.
Chi Qingya wasn’t her client, so she wasn’t within her service scope.
“Sis, do you want some?”
Chi Qingyao looked at her sister, holding the last cup of Starbucks.
Chi Qingya shook her head.
Just as she had imagined.
Chi Qingyao didn’t ask further. Instead, she started to enjoy her Starbucks.
“Do you want to get some food, sis?”
“Okay.”
Chi Qingya mechanically stood up. Her gaze instinctively went to Su Li.
When she saw that Su Li wasn’t looking her way, she relaxed a little.
But she also felt a bit sad.
She still wished Su Li would look at her.
Even just once.
But it was so cold, as if they were strangers.
Last time, she could deceive herself by saying it was because Bai Huizi was beside Su Li.
But this time, she couldn’t find an excuse to lie to herself.
Chi Qingya thought sadly.
She looked at the 79-yuan boiled fish and suddenly felt like having some.
But if she ordered it now, wouldn’t it seem deliberate?
She dismissed that thought.
She randomly ordered a few things and returned to her seat.
The table was very quiet. Perhaps because everyone was following the habit of “no talking while eating and sleeping,” no one spoke.
She set her tray down and started eating slowly.
When someone gently nudged her arm, Chi Qingya snapped back to reality.
When someone gently nudged her arm, Chi Qingya snapped back to reality.
“Sis, stop staring at your plate. They’ve already left.”
“Ah… oh.”
Chi Qingya didn’t say anything, just felt a little down.
“It’s okay. I already asked Su Li. Her friend doesn’t mind preparing bento for us every day.”
“When I eventually leave S City, you can just go pick up your bento from their place.”
“Don’t worry.”
Chi Qingyao spoke, and Chi Qingya suddenly grew tense.
Back then, she used to order Su Li around, even after they had a conflict, she would brazenly appear in front of Su Li.
But now, she didn’t know how to face Su Li.
And yet…
Having bento should be a happy thing.
Being able to spend time with Su Li should be double the happiness.
But why… why had it turned out like this…