Chapter 39

After leaving the Ruan Family’s Old residence, Ruan Xinyi wasted no time and drove straight to the school.

The dorm room didn’t have many belongings, and since she regularly tidied up, packing this time was relatively easy.

With the help of Cheng Yue and Jiang Yun, everything was neatly sorted and organized into storage boxes.

Before they knew it, Ruan Xinyi’s desk and wardrobe were gradually emptied, and all the packed items were placed in the car’s trunk.

After dealing with the last unused item, Ruan Xinyi dusted off her hands, bent down to pick up a small storage box, and grabbed the trash from the bin on her way out. Once she placed the storage box in the car, she exhaled softly.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, Ruan Xinyi closed the car door. With a smile, she said in a playful and generous tone, “What do you want to eat? Tonight, it’s on me.”

Among the three, Jiang Yun had the weakest constitution. After running back and forth carrying items from the dorm twice, she leaned against the car to catch her breath. Her face was pale, her breathing shallow, and her thin chest heaved noticeably.

Fanning herself with her hand and panting, she said, “Xinyi, just get me a bottle of water first. I’m exhausted.”

Ruan Xinyi chuckled and handed her a packet of tissues. “How about bubble tea?”

“Sure, sure.” Jiang Yun took two tissues and passed one to Cheng Yue, who stood beside her, looking unaffected. “Anything to drink is fine.”

Ruan Xinyi glanced at Cheng Yue.

Cheng Yue nodded slightly, her tone calm and unhurried. “Room temperature, less sugar.”

Ruan Xinyi flashed an “OK” gesture and jogged toward the bubble tea shop under the shade of a tree.

After four years of sharing a dorm, Ruan Xinyi was already familiar with her roommates’ preferences. She ordered two cups of bubble tea and got herself an iced, low-sugar lemon water.

The store wasn’t busy, so the drinks were ready in a few minutes.

Carrying the packed drinks, Ruan Xinyi walked briskly back to the shaded spot by the car.

Handing out the drinks one by one, she unwrapped a straw, popped it into her lemon water, and took a satisfied sip.

The lemon water was tangy and sweet, icy and refreshing. The cooling sensation spread from her mouth to her stomach, easing the heat she felt.

Rejuvenated by her bubble tea, Jiang Yun perked up immediately, her complexion regaining some color. “Are we heading back to the dorm?”

Ruan Xinyi nodded, letting out a soft sigh. “I worked up a sweat. I want to take a shower. You two think about what to eat tonight.”

“No rush, but now that you mention it, I want a shower too.” Jiang Yun tossed her trash into the bin and turned to Cheng Yue, who was silently sipping her bubble tea. “Cheng Yue, do you have any suggestions for dinner?”

“Hm?” Caught off guard, Cheng Yue paused, thought for a moment, and replied, “How about crayfish?”

Jiang Yun immediately agreed, and Ruan Xinyi had no objections.

After a short rest back at the dorm, Ruan Xinyi took a shower and changed into fresh clothes. Jiang Yun followed suit, and finally, Cheng Yue, who was persuaded to join in by the other two.

By the time they were all ready, it was nearly time to leave.

---

The crayfish restaurant was a casual place with a touch of street food flair. Known for its delicious and affordable dishes, generous portions, and proximity to the school, it was one of their frequent haunts. It only took about ten minutes to drive there.

Ruan Xinyi had reserved a table in advance.

Thankfully, it wasn’t rush hour yet, and traffic wasn’t too heavy. With steady hands on the steering wheel, Ruan Xinyi turned the car onto the main road.

At a traffic light, she saw the green countdown tick to the last three seconds. She slowed down and came to a smooth stop at the designated line.

While waiting for the light, Ruan Xinyi opened the glove compartment and pulled out a box of chewing gum.

“Want one?” she asked Jiang Yun and Cheng Yue in the back seat.

“Thanks!” Jiang Yun replied, taking two pieces and handing one to Cheng Yue.

With a quick twist of her fingers, Ruan Xinyi half-squeezed a piece of chewing gum into her palm. She returned the whole box of gum to its original place and rummaged through her storage compartment for a few packs of soft candies. Giving Jiang Yun a quick glance, she tossed them all over.

Ruan Xinyi tossed them lightly, but Jiang Yun still dropped one pack under the seat despite catching them with both hands. Bending down to pick it up, she asked curiously, “Xinyi, don’t you dislike eating overly sweet things? Why do you have so many candies stashed in the car?”

After unscrewing her thermos and taking a sip of warm water, Ruan Xinyi was about to unwrap the chewing gum in her hand when her gaze unconsciously drifted outside the window. Her movement abruptly halted.

It wasn’t until that familiar figure disappeared from her sight that Ruan Xinyi, as if nothing had happened, popped the gum into her mouth, pressed her lips together in a soft smile, and replied, "Just in case. It's always good to have some snacks in the car. You know, better safe than sorry."

Jiang Yun didn’t think much about it. Hearing Ruan Xinyi’s explanation, she nodded in agreement. "That’s true. It's better to have them than not, especially during low blood sugar emergencies."

Cheng Yue silently tore open a pack of soft candy and handed it to Jiang Yun, reminding her, “The light’s green.”

Along with her cold voice came the honking of a car horn behind them.

Ruan Xinyi snapped back to attention and quickly restarted the car, driving away from the intersection.

Jiang Yun, staring at the suddenly appeared soft candy in her hand, looked completely confused. “What’s this for?”

Cheng Yue gave her a brief answer, “Eat.”

“Then you eat it,” Jiang Yun pretended to hand the candy back.

Cheng Yue casually replied, “I’m eating gum.”

At Cheng Yue’s slightly meaningful glance, Jiang Yun reluctantly withdrew her hand, muttering under her breath, "As if I don’t eat gum too."

The buildings on both sides of the road rapidly retreated as Ruan Xinyi drove, though she still kept part of her attention on the side rearview mirror.

Only when the noticeable white building disappeared from her rearview mirror did Ruan Xinyi reluctantly pull her gaze back.

The XXX hospital — Ruan Xinyi easily recognized it. It was the best and largest third-tier hospital in City A.

But why was Wen Xihan there, and with Chairman Li?

After parking the car, the three of them walked into the lobster restaurant.

For peace and quiet, Ruan Xinyi had specifically requested the boss to reserve a private room. Since it was pre-booked, the dishes began arriving soon after they sat down.

Ruan Xinyi was the first to put on disposable gloves, picked up a spicy crayfish, peeled it, and didn’t forget to tell the others, “Call for what you want to drink, and order more if this isn’t enough.”

Jiang Yun seemed to be waiting for Ruan Xinyi’s cue, immediately ordering several bottles of ice-cold beer, and even thoughtfully ordering a glass of fresh watermelon juice for Ruan Xinyi.

Placing the peeled lobster meat in a nearby empty bowl, Ruan Xinyi picked up another one, peeling it slowly, with a tone clearly tinged with a smile. "You didn’t ask if Cheng Yue wanted some before ordering so many bottles of beer?"

Jiang Yun used her chopsticks to pick up a garlic-flavored crayfish and put it into Cheng Yue’s bowl, asking sweetly, "So, my dear Cheng Yue, would you like to drink a little with me?"

Cheng Yue rolled her eyes at Jiang Yun, disdainfully pushing a pair of disposable gloves toward her, and said in a slightly softer tone, “Just two bottles.”

"Got it," Jiang Yun replied in a tone that was both pleased and a little mischievous.

The meal lasted for over two hours, with the three of them chatting and laughing.

As promised, Cheng Yue only had two bottles of beer, as she was very good at handling alcohol. After drinking, she showed no visible signs of being affected, maintaining her calm composure. In contrast, Jiang Yun wasn’t as fortunate; her face flushed slightly, her energy levels clearly heightened, and she became much more talkative.

After paying the bill, Cheng Yue suggested they go for a walk.

One reason was to help with digestion; the other was to help Jiang Yun sober up a bit so she’d feel more comfortable when they returned.

Ruan Xinyi casually grabbed a few mint candies from the glass tray on the counter and murmured, “Shall we walk around the plaza ahead?”

The cool breeze outside helped Jiang Yun snap out of it a little. She tore open a mint candy and chewed it, taking the lead and saying, “Let’s go!”

Cheng Yue and Ruan Xinyi exchanged a glance and couldn’t help but laugh.

The plaza was lively at night, not only filled with people out for a walk but also with temporary stalls selling various trinkets and snacks.

Not far along, Cheng Yue was drawn to a stall selling sugar paintings.

The stall was surrounded by children, with a small spinning wheel where whatever it landed on determined which animal-shaped sugar painting you could get.

Jiang Yun elbowed her and encouraged, “Why don’t you try? If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll get the biggest one.”

Cheng Yue shook her head, refusing rationally, “You can’t get it. There’s a magnet under the wheel; they make sure you land on what they want.”

Jiang Yun made a "shh" sound. Though she was still encouraging Cheng Yue, she didn't move herself, instead standing with her arms crossed, watching the commotion. She saw a little kid almost get the biggest picture, and couldn’t help but shake her head in regret, “Such a shame, just a bit more and they would’ve had it.”

Ruan Xinyi watched for a while and found it uninteresting. She said goodbye to them and turned toward the flower stall on the opposite side.

The vendor was a young girl. When she saw someone approaching, she pointed to a sign saying, “All for 9.9.”

Ruan Xinyi chose a sunflower, scanned the QR code to pay, and showed the vendor the payment.

One hand holding the flower, she was about to walk back to Jiang Yun when she spotted that familiar figure again.

Without hesitation, Ruan Xinyi quickly walked toward the mall exit.

"Sister," Ruan Xinyi called out breathlessly as she walked quickly.

Wen Xihan raised her brows slightly, her voice calm, “What are you doing here?”

“I came to eat with my roommates and then stopped by to walk around,” Ruan Xinyi said with a gentle smile, before offering the sunflower she had just bought.

Wen Xihan didn’t take it. Her gaze lingered on Ruan Xinyi for a brief two seconds before quickly shifting away.

She wasn’t wearing her frameless glasses, and although her expression remained cool and distant, Ruan Xinyi still couldn’t discern the emotions hidden in her eyes. But after a moment’s thought, it seemed a bit unremarkable to give away something worth only nine yuan...

In the blink of an eye, she remembered the sugar art stall and immediately became animated. Her hands moved faster than her mind, grabbing Wen Xihan’s hand and pulling her in that direction. “Sister, there’s something even more interesting over there. You’ll definitely like it.”

Wen Xihan: “???”

With a helpless glance, she looked at Li Mo, who had been quietly observing the scene from the start. She called out, “Chairman Li—”

A feeling of guilt, like being caught skipping class by the homeroom teacher, made Ruan Xinyi freeze. She mechanically turned her head and saw Li Mo standing in the shadow near the mall entrance. Her throat tightened, and awkwardly but politely, she followed with, “Chairman Li…”

“Good evening…”

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