"Oh, is that so? Then just tell us when you feel like talking!" Jian Dan said, smiling as she pulled Lai Wei’s hand to stand up, "Let’s go, today we are going to Lulu’s school to grab lunch. My class starts a bit late in the afternoon. How about you, Weiwei?"
Lai Wei thought about it, "My afternoon class is also quite late, let’s go."
Mi Lu and Zhao Linlin picked them up at the university’s west gate. Since it was nearby, Mi Lu and Zhao Linlin were in the same major and wouldn’t miss much class in the afternoon. They were headed to Cafeteria No. 3, rumored to be the best at Imperial University. Many graduates come back just to reminisce about their glorious campus days by eating at Cafeteria No. 3. Mi Lu praised it to the skies.
Jian Dan said with a cheeky grin, "Lulu, if it’s not good, you’ll have to eat it all."
Mi Lu retorted, "Do I look like someone who would lie? I told you it’s good, so it’s definitely good. Let me tell you, the garlic ribs at our No. 3 Cafeteria are ranked high. How about we try it later? For us four, a four-dish meal with soup is enough, let’s eat upstairs."
"Weiwei, is there anything in particular you’d like to eat?" Zhao Linlin asked Lai Wei, glancing over.
Lai Wei seemed a bit distracted and replied, "It’s up to you all."
Zhao Linlin was just as puzzled as Jian Dan. She leaned close to Lai Wei, causing Lai Wei to blink in surprise and look at her, "Wh-What’s up?"
Zhao Linlin linked arms with Lai Wei, "Weiwei, you’re acting a bit off today. You seem so distracted. Did something happen at home?"
Lai Wei looked at Zhao Linlin, suddenly at a loss for words, feeling embarrassed and guilty. Zhao Linlin shuddered at Lai Wei’s gaze, smacked her lips, "Weiwei, don’t scare me. Why do you look like that, as if you’ve done something wrong to me? Just say it, I won’t hold a grudge."
Jian Dan, Mi Lu: "..."
With such bold words coming out so easily, Zhao Linlin must be the naive type. Mi Lu pulled Jian Dan aside, asking quietly, "Little Jian Dan, do you know what’s up with Weiwei?"
Jian Dan shook her head, thoughtfully, "I don’t know. But these past few days, Weiwei has indeed seemed a bit distracted. I don’t know what happened, and she hasn’t said. When I asked, she seemed at a loss about how to start. She’s probably figuring out how to tell us. Let’s not force her."
Zhao Linlin was pulled aside by Mi Lu, "Linlin, let’s discuss what to order. How about the steamed pork ribs? The sticky rice on top is really delicious, and it’s also a specialty of our No. 3 Cafeteria. And let’s get that hand-shredded chicken, whatever it’s called."
The voices of the two discussing gradually faded away. Lai Wei and Jian Dan walked side by side, Lai Wei glanced at Jian Dan, "Thanks."
Jian Dan linked her arm with his, "Why thank me? We are good friends. They all understand you, Weiwei. No matter what, we’re all here with you, always."
A few beauties stepping into Cafeteria No. 3 were like the most striking scene. Mi Lu and Zhao Linlin were quite famous, having made it to the ranks of a freshman beauty contest and were top achievers from the high school division.
Now there were two more pretty girls. No one heard of any pretty girls from other departments in the freshman year.
Mi Lu and Zhao Linlin were blocked by someone, who inquired about which department Jian Dan and Lai Wei were from and asked for introductions. Zhao Linlin snapped, "Buzz off, even if you knew them, you wouldn’t be good enough."
The single guys: "...You didn’t introduce us, so there’s no hope."
"If you were introduced, I worry you couldn’t handle the heartbreak and might jump off the library building, too ashamed to see your folks. That would make me a criminal."
Your mouth just can’t cut us some slack.
Mi Lu was much kinder, "They’re not from our school, don’t even think about it, they’re from Diwai."
All the single guys, "..."
Alright, beauties from Diwai are indeed famous for being hard to pursue, can’t catch up with them at all. They’re all multilingual, so even if you get into a fight, you won’t win. They might insult you and you won’t even understand. Better to give up, not on the same level.
Mi Lu snorted, continuing to walk ahead with Zhao Linlin in tow, letting Lai Wei and Jian Dan find seats while they went to order food first.
Jian Dan and Lai Wei were lucky, finding an empty table in the second row near the window, next to a group of three to five male students. Their arrival drew frequent glances from the group.