Night had fallen. Not long after the young girl had finished her bath, and while she was still meticulously blow-drying her hair, her phone on the desk suddenly chimed.
“Come down, I’m waiting for you below.”
The moment she saw the message, Lin Xinyuan couldn’t help but beam with joy. She hadn’t seen that guy all of yesterday or today; to say she didn’t miss him would definitely be a lie. Of course, such shameless words… were clearly difficult for a thin-skinned girl like her to say out loud.
Lin Xinyuan hurriedly switched off the hair dryer and typed a reply: “Okay, Brother Feng! I’m drying my hair, wait for me a moment!”
“Mm, no rush, take your time. [Head-pat.jpg]“
Seeing this, the girl’s face flushed slightly, though thanks to the hot bath she’d just taken, it wasn’t too obvious. Even though he’d told her to take her time, Lin Xinyuan didn’t want to be slow and keep him waiting. She set down her phone and immediately sped up the drying process. Being late at night, there was no need for makeup, and since she’d been waiting for Qin Nanfeng’s message, she had long since changed into her clothes.
After tidying herself up and putting on a mask, Lin Xinyuan called out a goodbye to Liu Qingyan, who was still watching TV dramas in the dorm, and headed out. As for Li Tang, she had gone out early—one didn’t need to think twice to know she was with Zeng Yan.
The girl’s fair feet were tucked into a pair of grey-white slippers as she hurried downstairs, even skipping the elevator in her haste.
“Brother Feng!”
Almost the instant she spotted that tall silhouette, Lin Xinyuan lunged forward, proactively grabbing the young man’s large hand.
Qin Nanfeng silently looked the girl up and down several times. A flicker of something strange crossed his eyes, but on the surface, he remained unruffled. He gently patted Lin Xinyuan’s small head. “Have you eaten yet?”
“Mhm, I have!”
Lin Xinyuan nodded quickly in response, looking both obedient and adorable. She stared blankly at him like a soldier’s wife from ancient times, longing daily for her husband’s triumphant return.
Seeing the girl’s clingy behavior, Qin Nanfeng chuckled and shook a plastic bag held in his other hand. “I haven’t eaten yet. Want to accompany me to the canteen first?”
“Ah…” Hearing this, Lin Xinyuan was stunned for a moment before her expression immediately slumped. She couldn’t help but mutter under her breath with a hint of dissatisfaction, “Eating so late… and you used to lecture me about it… you stinky guy…”
“What did Xinyuan say?”
“Eek! No… nothing!”
Startled, the girl reflexively denied it. But seeing Qin Nanfeng’s eyes narrow slightly, she quickly backed down, though she naturally wouldn’t reveal everything. After all, if she really said it out loud… she feared this guy would start some more of his chaotic mischief.
“I just said… could you please not eat so late in the future…”
Qin Nanfeng knew her so well that he saw through his girlfriend’s guilt in an instant, yet he didn’t call her out. “When things are busy, I’ll try my best.”
“Alright then…”
Lin Xinyuan nodded helplessly. Despite her worry, there wasn’t much she could do. She knew this was the greatest assurance Qin Nanfeng could give her; he really was very busy.
Arriving at the small canteen, the two found a secluded spot to sit—coincidentally, it was the same spot they had occupied when they ran into Chen Ze and the others at the start of the semester.
“Is this… Ming-bo’s cooking?”
Almost the second Qin Nanfeng took the plastic containers out of the bag and opened them, Lin Xinyuan’s nose—seemingly as sharp as a dog’s—caught that inexplicably familiar savory aroma, and she reacted immediately. Come to think of it, it had been nearly a month since she last ate Ming-bo’s food. Compared to the school canteen, she naturally preferred the dishes from Ping Restaurant.
I… I want to eat it…
“Yes.” Qin Nanfeng nodded. He noticed the girl’s apricot-shaped eyes blinking rapidly in a daze; he even saw her swallow, looking quite famished. Yet, even so, he had no intention of asking her to join. Under her intense gaze, he began to eat unhurriedly.
Picking up a piece of trembling braised pork, Qin Nanfeng slowly brought it to his mouth. He even went out of his way to make occasional smacking sounds as he ate, sighing in appreciation: “I’m telling you, this braised pork is delicious. I feel like I could never get tired of it…”
At this, Lin Xinyuan grew even hungrier. She watched with wide eyes as he sent piece after piece of meat into his mouth, while she could only watch silently. The sensation of seeing it but being unable to taste it was agonizing. Moreover, having eaten canteen food for so many days, she was already a bit bored of it. Since it had been over three hours since her own dinner, her stomach felt quite empty; she felt she could definitely eat more.
“Xinyuan, do you want some?”
Suddenly, Qin Nanfeng asked nonchalantly, as if it were just a passing thought. But the girl, long since immersed in the aroma, didn’t think twice. Almost the second the words left his mouth, she nodded eagerly: “Yes!”
But as soon as the word left her lips, she immediately regretted it.
It’s over…
What did she just say? By saying that, wouldn’t she be seen as a glutton? If she got fat… would Brother Feng lose interest in her?
The thought of herself turning into a human meatball made her shudder. That scene was simply too embarrassing to imagine.
“No, I don’t…” The girl spoke contrary to her heart, her expression torn.
“Is that so? Then I guess I’ll have to enjoy it all by myself. What a pity…”
Qin Nanfeng arched an eyebrow and feigned regret. As he spoke, he took a gentle bite of the braised pork, his expression slightly exaggerated and blissful.
Seeing this, Lin Xinyuan hesitated for a long time. But as she watched the delicious food in the box dwindle, she finally lowered her poor little head to her taste buds. With an embarrassed look, she gritted her teeth: “Maybe… I’ll just have a little taste…”
“Of course, it’s not that I really want to eat!” Lin Xinyuan explained hurriedly, her face turning away with an unnatural blush as her voice grew smaller and smaller. “I’m just testing the flavor… that shouldn’t count as ‘eating,’ right?”
“Definitely not.”
Qin Nanfeng looked as if he completely agreed with her answer, causing those watery eyes to light up as she looked at him expectantly. He unhurriedly picked up a piece of braised pork, held it to her lips, and said, “Mm? Open up.”
At those words, Lin Xinyuan quickly opened her mouth and bit down eagerly. She didn’t even care if the piece of meat was a bit large for her; she just started chewing. Her cheeks puffed out, her fair face looking like a little squirrel hoarding food. She ate with her eyes narrowed in delight, looking extremely happy.
Qin Nanfeng just watched her, his expression carrying an unreadable sense of mischief.
Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for the girl to realize something. Her expression froze, and her already flushed face turned a deep shade of crimson. However, she could only pretend she hadn’t noticed until she had finished swallowing.
After that, Lin Xinyuan stopped talking. She absentmindedly scrolled through videos on her phone, occasionally stealing glances at the young man beside her, her face still burning uncontrollably.
By the time Qin Nanfeng finished his meal, the canteen was nearing closing time. Hand in hand, they walked out and began to stroll through the campus, as they usually did when they had free time.
The crescent moon hung in the sky, its gentle light silvering the ground like a veil of light silk, creating an exceptionally alluring atmosphere. Lin Xinyuan walked aimlessly, letting herself be led by the hand. For her, as long as she was with him, nothing was ever boring.
But before she knew it, they had arrived at a place that felt somewhat unfamiliar. It was only then that she slowly snapped out of it.
“Brother Feng… where is… this?” An uneasy feeling rose in her heart, and alarm bells began ringing in her mind.
“Xinyuan doesn’t need to know. However… seeing as you’re so full of curiosity, I’ll reluctantly tell you.”
In the dim corner of a school building—a blind spot for the security cameras—the young man’s handsome face was full of tenderness, but the words he spoke filled her with a sense of impending doom.
“This place is… of course, where I’ll punish you.”