About to Eat and Run

Chapter 48: About to Eat and Run

Su Ke didn't have much of an opinion about the Top Ten Campus Hunks poll at No. 17 High School. But people who were used to keeping a low profile didn't like drawing attention to themselves. If he could avoid standing out, he would.

Still, the thought of treating Liu Qingqing to a meal made Su Ke feel uneasy. He'd treated Li Feifei once before, but today he'd be facing a girl who had confessed her feelings to him. It was a completely different matter.

But Su Ke had already spent all his energy trying to figure out lunch. The moment class ended, Wang Xiaogang, that troublemaking jerk who seemed to live for stirring things up, came over and started preaching his ideas about publicity and how to work the system. It felt as if a swarm of flies were buzzing around him. By the time the morning dismissal bell rang, Su Ke still hadn't steeled himself.

"Ugh! If I don't go now, she'll probably be home already!" Su Ke muttered as he joined the crowd streaming downstairs. The senior freshman classrooms were on the first floor, but when he reached Liu Qingqing's classroom, he found it completely empty. There wasn't a soul in sight.

"Damn it! I really am too late!" Su Ke stood in the doorway, talking to himself with a wry smile.

"Brother Su Ke!" A familiar voice suddenly came from behind him, full of surprise and delight.

He turned around and saw the crew-cut Wang Huan and the tattooed Li Yan standing on either side of Liu Qingqing, like Wang Chao and Ma Han guarding Judge Bao.

"Brother Su Ke!" Liu Qingqing's fluffy golden hair framed her pure, delicate face. A blush rose on her cheeks as she looked at Su Ke, lips pressed together and a charming smile playing at their corners.

"Uh! You haven't gone home?" Su Ke was startled, but quickly recovered and smiled at the three girls.

"No, we just went to the restroom. We were waiting for you to treat us to lunch!" Wang Huan said, nudging Liu Qingqing with her elbow. "Qingqing, see? We didn't wait for nothing!"

Liu Qingqing had been standing there from the very beginning, her bright, limpid eyes fixed on Su Ke. There was tenderness in her gaze, a smile at the corners of her mouth, and a blush on her cheeks. She said nothing, yet seemed to have a thousand things on her mind.

At that moment, Su Ke and Liu Qingqing met each other's gaze. His heart pounded, and he didn't know what to say.

"Brother Su Ke, are we still going to eat?" Li Yan asked as she led Liu Qingqing forward by the arm.

"Uh! Lunch? Let's go! Let's get something to eat!" Su Ke nodded without thinking.

"Brother Su Ke, you won't mind having us two third wheels along, will you?" Wang Huan wore the same pair of big, gleaming hoop earrings as always. They swayed as she spoke.

"Of course not!" Su Ke waved his hand, pretending he didn't care. In truth, he wasn't sure. The task was to invite Liu Qingqing to dinner. Would bringing two more people along count as completing it?

"Brother Su Ke, you look really handsome today. Did you change just to take us out to eat?" Li Yan looked him up and down, clicking her tongue in admiration.

"Uh!" Su Ke's face instantly turned red. Li Yan had hit the nail on the head. He'd deliberately changed into a new outfit that morning: a white Vancl T-shirt and light gray jeans. They weren't new, but he looked fresh and neat.

"Okay, stop teasing him!" Liu Qingqing finally spoke, her voice gentle. Su Ke had always thought a girl like her ought to have long hair falling over her shoulders and wear a white pleated skirt, like an ethereal fairy. But she had fluffy golden short hair, and somehow it didn't look out of place at all.

"Mm! Let's go eat!" Su Ke figured he might as well not worry about how many people were coming. The important thing was to eat first. After saying that, he led the three girls out.

They went to the same California Beef Noodles shop by the school gate. Su Ke walked in with three younger schoolmates, immediately drawing countless glances. At an ordinary restaurant, it might not have mattered, but given its location, most of the customers were students. Naturally, they were extra curious and snuck several looks at them.

Wang Huan and Li Yan naturally sat together on one side, while Liu Qingqing followed Su Ke to the other side with her head lowered. Since her confession, this was the closest the two of them had sat to each other.

His heart raced. The hand holding the menu trembled slightly. He took a deep breath. Damn it, it was still shaking!

"Ladies first!" Sensing trouble, Su Ke quickly placed the menu in front of Liu Qingqing and said with a generous smile, "Order whatever you like!" But he was still terribly nervous, especially after Liu Qingqing accidentally brushed against his arm. The feeling left him flustered beyond belief.

Liu Qingqing was dressed rather unusually that day. She wore a fitted white shirt with a black-and-white striped tie scarf, giving her a distinctly schoolgirl look. She had paired it with a black-and-white striped miniskirt that showed off her long legs. Su Ke only had to lower his head a little to see her smooth thighs so close to him.

To make matters worse, the tables at California Beef Noodles had long sofas on both sides. If Su Ke shifted his butt even slightly, he could easily end up brushing against Liu Qingqing.

"Brother Su Ke, how about this?" After looking through the menu, Liu Qingqing obediently asked for his opinion, pointing to the kimchi.

"Uh!" Su Ke turned his head slightly and tilted it to look. To his surprise, her prominent breasts blocked his view, with the black-and-white striped tie scarf resting right over them.

Gulp! He swallowed. Su Ke hadn't even seen what Liu Qingqing had pointed to, but he nodded instinctively and murmured in agreement, his eyes still fixed on her breasts. Then he realized he could catch a glimpse of the enticing view beneath her shirt through the gap between its buttons.

Though that damned tie scarf was in the way, the more it only let him catch fleeting glimpses, the harder it was to suppress his excited nerves.

"Pure white! It has to be!" Su Ke muttered to himself, breathing quickly. He felt an urge to undo the buttons and take a closer look. Only when he heard Wang Huan and Li Yan across from him continue ordering did he pretend to shift his gaze elsewhere.

"Phew! Impulse is the devil! Impulse is the devil!" Su Ke tried hard to steady his breathing. He couldn't see himself, but the burning heat on his face meant he'd shamefully blushed again.

"Three bowls of California beef noodles, one serving of spiced peanuts, one serving of California kimchi, and one serving of pickled long beans. That'll be seventy-one yuan!" The server, who had been standing by the table, tapped a few times on the ordering device in her hand and quickly announced the total.

Su Ke had been prepared for this. As soon as he completed the task, he'd receive a five-hundred-yuan reward. It was absolutely worth it. He nodded at the server and reached for his money.

His right pocket was empty!

His left pocket was just the same!

He searched again, but the result didn't change. Su Ke was dumbstruck. His face flushed, sweat sprang across his forehead, and his breathing grew uneven.

Damn it! He'd changed his pants that morning and hadn't brought any money!