The University Town Pedestrian Street was packed, and ninety percent of the crowd were freshmen. It was only their sense of novelty that made them willing to cross the road to eat there.
The older students were different. After living through the same routine day after day, they had grown increasingly rough around the edges. Forget the Snack Street outside campus—even going downstairs to buy food sometimes felt like too much trouble.
Of course, people with partners were the exception.
Anyone with a partner would drag themselves outside even if their legs were worn to the bone.
Jiang Qin took Feng Nanshu to a roadside eatery and ordered Stir-fried Eggs with Tomatoes, Twice Cooked Pork, Fish with Pickled Cabbage, and Hot and Sour Shredded Potatoes.
When eating out, deciding what to order had always been an eternal dilemma. If you had never tried something before, you feared it might disappoint. If it was too fancy, you worried it would not be worth the money. So Jiang Qin always ordered these four dishes. He almost never made a bad call—it was experience he had gained from eating takeout when he had been a wage slave in his previous life.
While they waited for the food, nearly everyone who passed by could not help stopping beside them and sizing up Feng Nanshu, who sat there obediently, their eyes flashing with amazement.
Some people were so stunned that they could not recover for a long time. In a daze, they even walked straight into someone's stall.
Jiang Qin clicked his tongue, his expression turning unpleasant.
Serves you right. How dare you set your sights on my rich woman? Why don't you walk straight into the Boss's wok while you're at it?
He withdrew his gaze, stacked the two sets of tableware together, scalded them with boiling water, and then turned his attention to Feng Nanshu.
"You said you were eavesdropping on your roommates outside the dorm just now. What did they say?"
"That you're so aloof, difficult to approach, and that they don't want to live with a Young Miss."
Feng Nanshu wiped the corner of her mouth, her eyes repeatedly drifting toward the wok in the roadside stall owner's hands.
Jiang Qin nodded after listening. He had more or less understood the mind-set of those five girls.
The Little Rich Woman was far too beautiful and seemed to come with her own halo. On top of that, she had made such an impressive entrance, with bodyguards clearing the way. Although cleaning the room looked like a kind gesture, it had actually created a sense of pressure for the entire dorm.
And this Young Miss, whom her roommates viewed as a female Dragon Aotian...
She was currently staring intently at that large black wok, salivating like crazy, completely unaware of how explosively she had acted.
Actually, resolving the matter perfectly was quite simple. Those girls were afraid of her rather than hating her. As long as she showed them a little kindness, it should be enough.
However, Feng Nanshu really was naturally vacant. She often failed to say the right thing, so relying on her to express goodwill to her roommates verbally was not dependable. They would have to find another way.
"Jiang Qin, I want that!"
Jiang Qin turned in the direction she was pointing and saw the little cart selling Rainbow Cotton Candy nearby. "No, you don't."
Feng Nanshu swallowed. "Can I buy it myself?"
"That stuff is all food coloring. Your tongue will change color after you eat it. Be good. Don't eat it."
"I'll buy one for you, too. What color do you like? I like pink. How about blue for you?"
Jiang Qin was barely holding it together. "Can you stop trying to bribe me with something so childish? What official could withstand a bribe like that? I said no, so no."
Feng Nanshu instantly returned to her aloof expression. "Childish? Hmph. You've ridden a Shaking Car before, too."
"?????"
Jiang Qin's eyes widened in disbelief. You can't learn how to make friends, but you're awfully quick to accuse others first. If it weren't for accompanying you, why would a man like Mr. Valiant ever ride a Shaking Car?
"Jiang Qin, are there any Shaking Cars nearby?"
"Don't even think about it."
Jiang Qin imagined the two of them riding a Shaking Car at a crowded intersection and immediately broke out in goosebumps.
As they spoke, the Boss had finished cooking and efficiently carried the dishes over to their table.
Feng Nanshu became cheerful once she saw the food and stopped making further demands.
After dinner, Jiang Qin took Feng Nanshu to a supermarket, picked out snacks from the shelves, and divided them into five bags.
"No, no, I don't want them. I can't eat that much."
"They're not for you."
Feng Nanshu froze at that, and her little face instantly fell.
Jiang Qin did not notice the change in her expression. He simply continued putting sweets into the bags.
"You're not good at talking, so you don't need to say much in the future. Just smile more in the dorm."
"Your roommates don't hate you, either. They just think you're a little too unattainable, which makes them feel pressured. So you need to take the initiative and show them some goodwill."
"People say that after eating someone's food, your mouth becomes soft, and after taking someone's things, your hands become weak. Give them these snacks, and they'll realize that you're easy to get along with."
Jiang Qin pulled her to the checkout. As they walked out of the supermarket, he suddenly remembered what Guo Zihang had said. "Damn, I really do sound like your father now."
Feng Nanshu panicked. "No, I already have a father. I only want to be friends with you."
"It was just a metaphor!"
"Oh... You scared me. You really scared me."
By the time they returned to campus from the Pedestrian Street, night had fallen. The entire school was filled with the scent of hormones, and young couples could be found in every shadowy corner.
Jiang Qin carried the bags of snacks in front, while Feng Nanshu followed behind in her Small Leather Shoes. The two of them strolled beneath the moonlight, with willow branches swaying in the breeze to their left and shimmering water to their right.
As they walked, Jiang Qin suddenly stopped. The Little Rich Woman, unable to brake in time, unexpectedly collided with his back—round, warm, soft, and springy.
Jiang Qin raised the corners of his mouth, certain that someone as naturally vacant as Feng Nanshu would never notice his true intentions.
So he repeated this shameless trick seven or eight times along the way, only stopping when they reached the girls' dormitory.
"Here, take these. Remember to hand them out when you get back." Jiang Qin put on the air of an upright gentleman.
"Okay." Feng Nanshu took the bags. "Can I sneak a little bit?"
"No."
"Oh."
Jiang Qin put on a serious expression and instructed her word by word, "I mean this seriously. If you sneak some food and end up with everyone else having something while one person doesn't, the consequences could be troublesome."
Feng Nanshu was silent for a while before she finally understood a little. "Then can I choose one kind and eat five of them?"
"You... really are a clever little devil."
Jiang Qin could not even tell whether he was praising her or complaining. He waved goodbye to the Little Rich Woman, then walked out of the girls' dormitory area beneath the moonlight.
After watching him leave, Feng Nanshu lowered her head and looked at her chest. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and her expression grew thoughtful.
What's so good about this? Looking isn't enough for him—he even has to find ways to touch it.
The Little Rich Woman was silent for a while. Then she carried the five large bags of snacks upstairs. The girls in Room 503 had been chatting animatedly, but the moment she pushed open the door, the voices inside came to an abrupt halt. Everyone turned to look at her, their eyes flickering with nervousness and uncertainty.
Feng Nanshu took a deep breath, walked inside, and placed the snacks on their desks one bag at a time. Then she bit her lip and said nothing.
After a while, Fan Shuling suddenly coughed and gave the other four girls a meaningful glance.
"Um, Feng Nanshu, we're going to register at eight tomorrow morning. Want to go together?"
"Yeah, let's go together. If we're free in the afternoon, how about we have a meal together?"
Feng Nanshu smiled and nodded happily. The five girls in the dorm immediately relaxed and hurriedly pulled her to sit in the middle.
The atmosphere in the dorm began to grow lively. The pleasant sound of laughter rang out like silver bells, but Feng Nanshu was still not good at conversation and merely listened quietly.
Jiang Qin was probably worried about her situation, because before long he sent her a QQ message asking whether she had handed out the snacks.
Feng Nanshu replied with an "Mm," then turned her gaze toward the pitch-black window.
She felt an indescribable flutter in her chest. It was very similar to the loneliness she had felt last time, yet somehow different.
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