Chapter 188: Chance Encounter at the Food Stall, Just Hungry
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Shen Qiannan received a call from Xie Dingyuan. Before he could even speak, he was bombarded with a string of complaints from the other end.
“…Who are you talking about? What woman?” Shen Qiannan managed to interject.
Through gritted teeth, Xie Dingyuan spat out a name: “Jiang… Fu… Yue!”
Shen Qiannan was perplexed. “What happened with Jiang Fuyue?”
Xie Dingyuan’s brow furrowed. “Why didn’t you tell me beforehand?”
“Tell you what? She just used the lab for a bit, why are you being so petty? Would you refuse if it were Jiang Fuyue?”
There was a moment of silence.
If it were Jiang Fuyue…
Xie Dingyuan thought for a moment. He probably would have still agreed. Last time he apologized, and they had somewhat reconciled.
There was no reason he would agree to let “Shen Qiannan’s friend” use the lab but refuse when that friend turned out to be Jiang Fuyue.
Hmm, that logic made sense.
Realizing this, he suddenly wasn’t angry anymore.
So what if it was Jiang Fuyue?
Treat her like any other person, no need to dwell on it.
Little did he know, as he kept thinking about it and subconsciously convincing himself, the more he dwelled on it, and the “ordinary person” naturally became “extraordinary.”
Unfortunately, Xie Dingyuan was oblivious to being caught in his own thoughts.
“It’s nothing.” He said, then ended the call.
Shen Qiannan: “?”
Utterly bewildering!
…
In the afternoon, Jiang Fuyue went to attend the NOI training class at University B.
She finished the twelve questions in half an hour, submitted her paper, shut down her computer, and left directly.
Fan Ye: “Sister Yue seems to be even faster today?”
Huang Hui: “Maybe she’s always been this fast.”
Gao Zhaoming: “Or maybe even faster.”
Everyone: We’re tired of saying “amazing”!
At three o’clock in the afternoon, Jiang Fuyue rushed back to the lab, where she stayed for six hours.
When she looked up again at the window, it was already dark outside.
Her stomach began to protest.
It was late at night, and she hadn’t ordered takeout.
After recording the data for the second session, which was done quite efficiently, she decided to leave early and grab something to eat at the school gate.
After tidying up the workstation, putting all the equipment back in place, checking all the equipment power sources, and double-checking everything, Jiang Fuyue signed her name in the “Lab Usage Record Book” along with the date and exact time.
Then, she turned off the lights and locked the door.
Xie Dingyuan’s light was still on, but Jiang Fuyue only glanced at it before retracting her gaze.
…
Outside the school gate, there was a wonton stall.
“Here’s your big bowl, enjoy.” The landlady brought it over and placed it in front of her.
The fresh and lovely wontons floated in the big bone soup, adorned with green onions, making them even more tempting.
Jiang Fuyue couldn’t help but salivate.
The reason she abandoned so many formal restaurants and chose this little stall was because she was tempted by the smell, standing in front of the stall unable to move her legs.
Then…
She boldly ordered a large portion.
This bowl was indeed large, but she could finish it.
One wonton, one sip of soup, the taste was indescribably wonderful!
No matter how many years human society developed, the satisfaction of being full was always so easily obtained.
Everything was fine until…
A shadow cast over her, and before Jiang Fuyue could refuse, the person had already taken a seat across from her.
Their eyes met, and compared to the confusion and embarrassment at noon, Xie Dingyuan’s expression now was calm and steady, as steady as an old dog.
“Meeting again,” he said.
Jiang Fuyue: “There are other seats available.”
“I’m used to sitting here.”
Used to it?
At that moment, the landlady approached with a smile. “Professor Xie, it’s been a while! Would you like a small portion as usual?”
“Sure.”
“All right! Stick with the usual, with scallions, ginger, and garlic, and more cilantro?”
The man nodded. “Thank you.”
“You’re too polite, it’s nothing!”
“Wait a moment…” Jiang Fuyue suddenly spoke up, “Why don’t I have any cilantro?”
The landlady paused for two seconds, then smiled even brighter. “Little girl, do you like cilantro?”
Jiang Fuyue nodded.
“Why didn’t you say so earlier! I would have added some for you!”
“But you don’t have any in the condiment area…”
“It’s rare for anyone to add cilantro to wonton soup. To ensure freshness, we usually cut it fresh. Since both you and Professor Xie want some, I’ll cut some extra!”
With that, she turned and headed to the stall, took out a cutting board and a knife, and swiftly began chopping.
Finally, she placed the chopped cilantro in small bowls in front of both of them. “Just call me when you’re done eating, I’ll be here to help!”
Xie Dingyuan glanced at the small bowl. “You first?”
Jiang Fuyue didn’t hesitate, since his wonton hadn’t arrived yet.
“It’s rare for girls to like cilantro.” He suddenly spoke up.
“Maybe you haven’t met enough girls. You need to catch up.” Jiang Fuyue replied with a smirk.
“?”
Failed attempt at conversation.
After that, the two ate their wonton quietly without speaking again.
The man’s eating manner was very elegant, clearly indicating a good upbringing.
Even the way he held his chopsticks was pleasing to the eye.
Sitting across from each other, while Jiang Fuyue “inevitably” glanced at the man, Xie Dingyuan also “casually” observed her.
The girl seemed hungry, ordering a large portion, and when she lowered her head to eat, it was clear that the bowl was bigger than her face.
The rising steam blurred her features, but her peach blossom eyes still sparkled with a gleam.
She seemed to enjoy the taste very much, with a contented expression on her face and a hint of coquetry.
The hot soup made her lips rosy, highlighting her flawless, porcelain-like skin.
But he wondered how her hands felt…
Xie Dingyuan’s eyelids twitched, as if he had been startled by his own fleeting thought. He quickly averted his gaze and focused on eating.
However, the taste he once enjoyed now seemed somewhat bland and uninspiring.
In comparison, Jiang Fuyue was much more focused.
Yes, focused on eating wontons and filling her stomach.
“Aren’t you supposed to be attending the physics training camp?” Xie Dingyuan asked.
Jiang Fuyue nodded.
“Then why did you borrow the lab?”
“There is some experimental data that needs to be analyzed.”
“You? Analyzing experimental data?”
Jiang Fuyue raised her chin slightly and smirked. “Is there a problem?”
“If I recall correctly, you haven’t graduated from high school yet.”
No high school experiments, including those so-called competitions, would require the high-spec lab like A1. Unless…
Jiang Fuyue countered, “Professor Xie, when you were in high school, did you only study high school knowledge?”
“…I never went to high school.”
“?”
“I skipped grades.”
“….Oh.” Although your expression is blank, I still feel a hint of pride from you.
Xie Dingyuan: Is that so? Even if it were, I wouldn’t admit it.
“What topic are you researching?”
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow. “You believe me? Don’t you think I’m just talking nonsense?”
“Anyone who can use all the equipment in the lab properly should have knowledge and research capabilities beyond high school level.”
Xie Dingyuan had seen her “Lab Usage Record” and “Equipment Usage Record,” both of which were very standardized.
As for why she didn’t eat in the lab this morning…
In hindsight, she probably didn’t do it on purpose to set him up for a joke; she just hadn’t planned on doing so.
Jiang Fuyue was familiar with the rules and could conscientiously follow them.
Xie Dingyuan had to admit that.
“When you’re not looking down on people, you finally have the intelligence that a professor should have.”
“?”
Me? Look down on people? No intelligence?
Jiang Fuyue said, “It’s about the physical analysis of bacterial movement, requiring the use of biochemical experimental equipment for data observation and recording.”
As for which aspect of physics it was, she didn’t elaborate.
Xie Dingyuan wisely didn’t ask further.
After finishing their meal, Jiang Fuyue took out her phone to pay, only to be cheerfully informed by the owner, “Professor Xie has already paid.”
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow and looked at the man. “You’re treating me?”
“Yes.” He nodded. Under the light, his black pupils reflected scattered light, unable to conceal the inherent arrogance and accumulated indifference in his eyes.
“As the saying goes, ‘no gains without pains.'”
Xie Dingyuan pondered for a moment. “Consider it an apology.”
Jiang Fuyue didn’t refuse anymore and thanked him generously. “I’m going back to school.”
“Okay.”
The man watched her walk through the school gate until she disappeared from view. Then, he retracted his gaze and turned to walk towards where his car was parked.
In fact, his car had already left the school gate and was quite far away, but eventually, he turned around and drove back, parking across from the stall, walking over to order a bowl of wonton.
Xie Dingyuan thought to himself, he wasn’t doing it for anyone, he was just hungry.
That’s all.
Xie 99: I couldn’t resist, but I won’t admit it.
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