The Sweet Scent of a Single Dog
Mala Xiangguo (Spicy Hot Pot) is a dish with strong flavors, where the enjoyment comes from the combination of various seasonings and ingredients, resulting in a spicy, numbing, and fragrant taste. It's fine to eat it occasionally, but Liu Chang'an always felt it was a bit of a waste of ingredients, as the original flavors of each ingredient were completely absorbed by the spices... Of course, the quality of the ingredients displayed by the vendor was predictable; they weren't exactly delicious to begin with. Liu Chang'an didn't comment on it, but the radish and lamb tripe stew was surprisingly tasty, showing that the vendor had put effort into it.
As for An Nuan meeting Bai Hui, Liu Chang'an paid no attention to the conversation between the two old women. He was more focused on eating all sorts of small animals and plants to do justice to the privilege of being born human.
An Nuan went to get another set of bowls and chopsticks. There was no reason for her to eat with Liu Chang'an while Bai Hui sat beside her watching. Even if she didn't like the food, it would be more polite to do so.
"Why did things suddenly start arguing?" An Nuan asked with concern, her serious gaze even more focused than when Liu Chang'an was explaining her technical shortcomings.
"His words were so awful..." Bai Hui's cheeks flushed slightly. Zhao Wuqiang's voice got a little louder at the end, An Nuan probably didn't hear it. She wondered if Liu Chang'an would hear it.
Since it was insults, An Nuan felt somewhat indignant. After all, countless vulgar things had been said about her behind her back online. For a girl like Bai Hui to blush and turn against someone, it would probably require extremely obscene and vulgar imagery... However, it was also possible that Zhao Wuqiang had touched a nerve with Bai Hui in some way. An Nuan analyzed it objectively. After all, they were classmates, and An Nuan couldn't completely side with Bai Hui.
"Forget it, Zhao Wuqiang is pretty pathetic too, let's not stoop to his level," An Nuan said comfortingly.
"I only did it because he helped me earn a bonus." Saying this, Bai Hui couldn't help but glance at Liu Chang'an beside her. Liu Chang'an had 200,000 yuan, but Liu Chang'an didn't seem to be the type to spend lavishly on his girlfriend. He even made the dress for An Nuan himself... She wondered if An Nuan had received it yet. Judging from what An Nuan was wearing today, she probably hadn't received it yet. Otherwise, if they were on a date and An Nuan liked it and felt comfortable wearing it, why wouldn't she wear it?
"Don't agree to meet him alone again in the future," An Nuan reminded Bai Hui from a girl's perspective. "There are so many cases of girls getting killed or attacked because of failed confessions and breakups these days!"
Thinking back to Zhao Wuqiang's ferocious expression and the meaning in his eyes, Bai Hui couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine. She chuckled awkwardly, "It can't be that bad, can it?"
"You shouldn't have the heart to harm others, but you can't be without the heart to guard against them. No matter what, it's always better to be careful. You're not very familiar with Zhao Wuqiang, so just stay away from him." An Nuan glanced at Liu Chang'an, who was engrossed in eating. "Zhao Wuqiang is still looking for you. If all else fails, you can Qian Ning and Lu Yuan with you."
First, a reminder to Bai Hui: the people she's looking for are Qian Ning and Lu Yuan. Don't just tell Liu Chang'an, or An Nuan won't be happy about it.
"No, I will never see him again." Bai Hui shook her head firmly. "We'll both be university students now, while he's still a high school student. We won't have much interaction."
Girls often have a mindset that the man should ideally be in a dominant or advantageous position. Bai Hui is about to go to university, so naturally she feels superior to Zhao Wuqiang. The idea of a high school student pursuing a university student makes Bai Hui feel somewhat disdainful.
"By the way, which school are you planning to apply to?" An Nuan asked.
"I originally planned to study in Taiwan, but after inquiring, I found out that universities Taiwan don't directly recruit students from South Hunan. My cousin also disagreed; she thinks the job market for overseas returnees isn't good, and besides, who knows what might happen to me, a girl living alone abroad for several years. I've read a lot of negative news about studying abroad, and I'm a bit apprehensive." Bai Hui sighed. "I've decided to apply to Xiangtan University instead."
An Nuan ate a bite of sauerkraut, then two slices of potato, a pinch of broccoli, and then drank some water.
"We're all planning to apply to Xiangtan University too," An Nuan finally smiled. "We'll be alumni after all."
"That's great. I heard Miao Yingying mention it. Didn't Liu Chang'an say that whatever you fill in, he'll fill in too?" Bai Hui glanced at Liu Chang'an, who seemed oblivious to worldly matters and focused solely on his spicy hot pot.
"Qian Ning and Lu Yuan must be the same, right? It's the same as you filling in the blanks, and they fill in the blanks too." An Nuan tried her best not to show her smugness.
Bai Hui nodded somewhat awkwardly, then glanced at Liu Chang'an. She remembered what Liu Chang'an had told her last time; Liu Chang'an seemed quite averse to the situation where Qian Ning and Lu Yuan were constantly around her.
"I've already told them that I don't plan to date until my job is stable." Bai Hui raised her voice slightly, paying attention to Liu Chang'an.
How sensitive are girls in front of the person they like? An Nuan counted, and from the moment Bai Hui sat down, she had looked at Liu Chang'an four times! Just now, she deliberately said so loudly that she was distancing herself from Qian Ning and Lu Yuan! What did that mean!
"Liu Chang'an, when are you planning to start dating?" An Nuan placed a tiger-skin chicken foot into Liu Chang'an's bowl.
An Nuan was very angry. Of course, it was Liu Chang'an's fault, so Liu Chang'an had to make amends.
Liu Chang'an, holding a tiger-skin chicken claw between his fingers, remained silent.
An Nuan couldn't help but feel a little flustered. Had she been too confident? What made her think that Liu Chang'an would definitely give her face and help her get back at him in this situation?
He really likes Bai Hui too.
"I'm asking you," An Nuan persisted.
"Aren't we talking right now?" Liu Chang'an asked doubtfully, sounding somewhat uncertain. "Am I just imagining things?"
"Ugh! Who's talking to you?" An Nuan couldn't help but feel both embarrassed and delighted. This person was so annoying! He always liked to scare people and take advantage of them, and he had never even made a proper confession!
Bai Hui ate a bite of pickled cabbage, then two slices of potato, a pinch of broccoli, and then drank some water, followed by a few more sips.
"You two are just never-ending with your lovey-dovey displays. It's like this at school, and it's happening again today. What kind of fragrance should we single people emit to resist this stench of romance?" Bai Hui laughed, generously picking at her food. The spicy hot pot seemed much tastier than usual today, making her blood boil and her appetite soar!
"No way?" An Nuan's cheeks flushed slightly because the food was too spicy today, but she didn't want to deny it too much in front of Bai Hui, lest Bai Hui take it seriously. She didn't want Bai Hui to think that Liu Chang'an was single and that she could have an ambiguous relationship with him at will.
The fact that she and Liu Chang'an had an ambiguous relationship, without any clear definition, was a matter between them. However, in front of outsiders, she had to firmly assert her position and assert her dominance, so that women who lacked self-awareness would have the self-awareness to keep their distance from Liu Chang'an.
Bai Hui ate a little something, then left on the pretext that she had something to do. She couldn't stand An Nuan's "innocent and naive" attitude. If she hadn't been there, An Nuan would probably have fallen asleep in her arms fully clothed.