Zhao Lianmai spoke indifferently.
Xu Musen hadn't expected this girl, who was cold to everyone, to actually be quite attentive.
"Okay, then I'll take the front."
The two of them walked out the door.
Xu Musen mounted the electric bike, which wasn't very big. Zhao Lianmai managed to get on fine, and Xu Musen could still hold onto the seat cushion.
But when Xu Musen sat down, he took up all the space.
"You can hold on to the corner of my clothes, if you like."
Zhao Lianmai shook her head, steadied herself, and even crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking quite cool.
But Xu Musen thought to himself that there was really no need for her to do this.
Passing by an old district street, the scent wafting from a noodle shop was quite pleasant.
Lunch had been eaten in a strange atmosphere; he never felt full whenever he ate uneasy.
"Xiao Mai, you haven't had lunch either, right? Should we grab something together?"
Zhao Lianmai indeed hadn't eaten. She looked at the noodle shops and snack stands lining the street, all quite affordable.
Xu Musen always felt her tone of speaking was like that of a boss.
After parking the bike.
"Boss, give us a bowl of stir-fried noodles! And put extra green onions in it!"
Xu Musen called out and looked at Zhao Lianmai: "What will you have?"
"The same is fine." Zhao Lianmai was not picky.
"Then two bowls it is!"
They found a table under the shade of a tree. Xu Musen wiped the seats clean before both of them sat down.
Zhao Lianmai removed her hat, letting her long black hair cascade down. She rested her chin on one hand, glanced over at Xu Musen a few times, then gazed off into the street, lost in thought.
If it were someone else, they would surely take any opportunity to dine with the boss as a chance to show off themselves.
But Zhao Lianmai's nature was to neither fawn over nor indulge anyone.
She was a very genuine person.
Xu Musen also looked at her from up close.
He always felt that the girls he met were quite aloof.
Although Zhao Lianmai wasn't as beautiful as Yao Mingyue or An Nuannuan, she was definitely pretty enough to be considered a beauty on the street.
Her wheat-colored skin was eye-catching, her eyes bright, her features distinct, and she never had the affectation of a young girl.
Most of the time, she was so strong-willed that she made boys feel inadequate!
Though Xu Musen often jested internally that she was a divinely chosen hard worker, he could sense that it must have been the circumstances of her family that drove her to work so hard to earn money.
Perhaps Xu Musen's gaze was a little too direct.
Zhao Lianmai turned her head, meeting his gaze, and her lips moved slightly.
"Please don't stare at people like that."
"I just think that you, Xiao Mai, are actually quite good-looking. It would be even better if you smiled more often."
Xu Musen said with a smile.
Nowadays, Zhao Lianmai went to help out at the milk tea shop every day, and many young boys went there just to see her.
Of course, Zhao Lianmai never greeted even her own boss with a smile, let alone anyone else.
Zhao Lianmai just glanced at him quietly: "You should say those words to Nuannuan more often; she would love to hear them."
Not giving him a bit of face.
Xu Musen laughed helplessly. Still, he liked this about her; there was no pretense or sycophancy.
"You seem to be getting along with Nuannuan quite well lately. Surely you're not always so cold-faced with her?"
Zhao Lianmai spoke slowly: "Your Nuannuan, when dealing with others, acts about the same as I do now."
"Really?" Xu Musen was startled. Wasn't Nuannuan, that little girl, always a bit dopey?
"She's not cold-hearted in her manner towards others, but in her heart."
Zhao Lianmai thought for a moment: "It's like she has only reserved a place for you in her heart, and no one else can squeeze in. You think she's dopey because she trusts you. It's like a cat that only reveals its belly lazily to its trusted owner."
Zhao Lianmai's analogy was apt. She was now with An Nuannuan at the milk tea shop every day.
An Nuannuan seemed naïve and approachable to everyone, without putting on airs. Whatever others said, she would nod along.
But in reality, she never took anything others said to heart.
Even Zhao Lianmai herself, if she brought snacks for An Nuannuan, would find her trying to return the favor.
She never wanted to take even the slightest advantage of others.
"The relationship will improve with time. Nuannuan was the same with me; every time I treat her to something, she always thinks of bringing me something in return," Xu Musen said with a smile.
But Zhao Lianmai shook her head again.
"Nuannuan, with others, it's just about repaying the favor quickly. But with you, it's more like she's trying to build up favors, as if she's afraid of losing any reason to be with you.
It's merely politeness with others, but with you, it's about wanting to move forward."
Xu Musen fell silent.
Zhao Lianmai looked at him and then said softly, "But whatever the reason, Nuannuan really cares about you. Sometimes when you're not at the milk tea shop at night, she closes late, just so she can sell a few more cups of milk tea, then she pushes her wheelchair back to the dorm in the dark alone."
The boss brought the noodles.
They were steaming and looked particularly inviting.
Zhao Lianmai kept one bowl for herself and pushed the other bowl, with more meat, towards Xu Musen.
"I work overtime for the extra pay, but her overtime is purely for you."