Xiaobai Is Also Troubled Today

You can't force feelings; my sister was always saying that, wasn't she?

 
Gu Junzhu didn't lose heart. Xiaobai admitting they were friends was a kind of progress, after all.
 

I'll take it one step further next time.
 
Thinking this, she took a few boxes from a nearby cabinet and handed them over. "Do you like blind boxes?"

 
Seeing Bai Tingzhi still wave his hand in refusal, Gu Junzhu realized she knew very little about Classmate Tingzhi. She knew nothing about what Xiaobai liked or what habits he had.
 

Should I ask my father's people to investigate...
 
The thought was suppressed the instant it appeared.

 
No, no! That's too rude!
 

"Classmate Tingzhi!"
 
"What's wrong?" Bai Tingzhi turned his eyes back to her and saw a hint of expectation on Gu Junzhu's face.

 
"Are you hungry?"
 
"...It's okay, not very hungry."

 
"That counts as hungry, right?"
 

"...Is Classmate Junzhu hungry?"
 
"No, but I just want to eat something," Gu Junzhu said and turned away abruptly.

 
He couldn't see her expression from this angle and didn't know what she meant. After thinking about it, he said, "Then where should we go to eat?"
 

Gu Junzhu turned around happily, grabbed Bai Tingzhi's hand, and ran outside.
 
The shopkeeper from behind saw them and seemed to want to say something as she chased after them, but she couldn't catch up.

 
The wind whistled outside, lifting their hair. Gu Junzhu's long hair, unlike Bai Tingzhi's ambiguous "long hair," carried the faint scent of flowers and plants as it brushed against his face.
 

In fact, it was only a few steps away. After leaving the bookstore and turning to the side, they had already reached the place Gu Junzhu wanted to go.
 
Several small stalls stood beside the stone bollards that blocked the road, forming a little street of their own.

 
Boneless chicken fillet, grilled squid, grilled cold noodles, stinky tofu, beef noodle soup...
 

"Want to eat something?"
 
Gu Junzhu asked excitedly, as if she couldn't wait.

 
Bai Tingzhi hesitated. "Does a young lady like you usually eat this stuff?"
 

"I rarely eat it!" Gu Junzhu feigned anger, putting her hands on her hips before adding embarrassedly, "Well, occasionally."
 
It wasn't like she ate junk food every day... She couldn't eat it because she was strictly supervised at home. She used to eat it secretly with her cousin, and later, she started coming alone.

 
"What do you want to eat, Classmate Junzhu? My treat."
 

Gu Junzhu held Bai Tingzhi to stop him from moving forward, only then realizing she had forgotten to let go of his hand the entire way here. She immediately released it, flustered.
 
"No, you just treated me to milk tea. This meal is on me."

 
"But..."
 

"I'm not short of money. Xiaobai can treat me next time."
 
Seeing that Gu Junzhu insisted, Bai Tingzhi stopped arguing and followed behind to see what she would buy.

 
Standing by the stall, the cooking fumes brushed past the girl's dark hair. A light veil of smoke and steam enveloped Gu Junzhu. She was right in front of him, yet she seemed to be behind a movie screen.
 

She was within reach, but Bai Tingzhi couldn't lift his hand, as if he couldn't touch her even if he tried.
 
The strange feeling lingering in his mind told him how unfamiliar they were with each other. In reality, Gu Junzhu had a very down-to-earth side, not the "cold" persona everyone saw.

 
Standing right here in front of him, Bai Tingzhi could feel it himself; he couldn't ignore it even if he wanted to.
 

Bai Tingzhi saw the girl talking to the vendor, then turn her head to look at him with a smile.
 
He nodded slightly in response, and the girl on the "screen" smiled and turned back.

 
It didn't take long.
 

"Here you go!"
 
Gu Junzhu handed Bai Tingzhi a piece of fried gluten covered in ketchup.

 
"Are we only eating this?"
 

It was soft with a slight chewiness; Xiaobai also thought it was good. But just eating this? Her appetite is too small.
 
"Nope," the girl pointed to a small shop not far away. "Let's go eat there."

 
She lightly pushed the door open and skillfully walked to the front desk to order.
 

"Sister, one bowl of black rice with pork floss, and one bowl of clear soup noodles, please."
 
Hearing this, Bai Tingzhi figured it wasn't just an ordinary bowl of clear soup noodles. After all, the soup base here was known for being fresh and pure, without heavy additions like mutton.

 
And that was the case.
 

Before the dishes were served, Gu Junzhu and Bai Tingzhi chatted casually.
 
"Xiaobai, do you eat black rice? Or do you prefer noodles? If you want something else, feel free to order it. I really like these two dishes from this restaurant, so I took the liberty of ordering them." Gu Junzhu had loosened up a bit, holding her face with both hands and staring at Bai Tingzhi.

 
"It doesn't matter, I'll eat either."
 

Besides, this meal was Gu Junzhu's treat; he had no grounds to be picky.
 
"That's good!"

 
Gu Junzhu clasped her hands together as ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ the waiter brought over the rice.
 

"So fast."
 
"Right?!" She smiled and picked up the spoon and chopsticks, separating them.

 
A moment later, the noodles were served. There was nothing special about them, but they had all the right components.
 

Perhaps when it came to food, Miss Gu wasn't picky at all and was no different from ordinary people.
 
Adhering to the principle of "ladies first," Bai Tingzhi waited for Gu Junzhu to start. But Gu Junzhu, with her thoughts going a little beyond friendship, also waited for Bai Tingzhi to choose first. The two of them just sat there, staring at each other.

 
If the shopkeeper hadn't kindly reminded them that the food wouldn't taste good if it got cold, there's no telling how long they would have sat there.
 

"Well... how about rock-paper-scissors?" Bai Tingzhi was still too embarrassed to choose first and proposed this after a long pause.
 
"Okay!"

 
The two of them wound up behind their backs for a moment and then threw their hands out. The result was that Gu Junzhu won.
 

"Not happy even though you won?" Bai Tingzhi said, not knowing what he was thinking, probably just trying to keep the mood from getting awkward.
 
Gu Junzhu wasn't very happy about winning, but she also wasn't the type to insist on the winner's privilege. Hearing Xiaobai say this, her spirits lifted a little, and she finally moved the bowl of noodles in front of her.

 
Actually, I really like black rice.
 

Bai Tingzhi looked at the bowl of black rice in front of him and picked up the spoon he hadn't used in a long time.
 
The soft, sticky fragrance of the rice blended perfectly with the savory aroma of the pork floss. It felt like a moment of extreme peace in daily life. It wasn't incredibly delicious, but it could be considered a "delicacy" of ordinary life.

 
"Next time we have a chance, we'll order something else."
 

Bai Tingzhi saw Gu Junzhu naively talking about her expectations, and he wondered if he would deliberately avoid her in the future.
 
Classmate Junzhu is actually very cute, but it's impossible to fall in love with someone just like that. I have someone I like, and I won't change my mind easily.

 
I'm a boy, and I have a girl I like. I sincerely hope Classmate Junzhu won't get so hung up on me.
 

Once the outer layers are peeled away, if you get close enough, you always have a chance to see the sincere heartbeat within.
 
Bai Tingzhi had always understood the meaning of being dedicated, just like him and Lin Yunian.

 
But sometimes he wasn't very good at it and didn't have strong opinions, just like with this ignorant love of youth.
 

A love that isn't allowed. An affection that isn't clear.
 
If the teacher found out, they would definitely call our parents!

 
Bai Tingzhi was just complaining in his heart.
 

Watching Gu Junzhu eat her noodles, one small bite at a time, the desire to take care of a child sprouted involuntarily.
 
He didn't like taking care of kids.

 
It's just that "kids" are sometimes... really cute.