"Ding Guo, are you born in the year of the dog?" Zhou Wanwan pursed her lips, the way Ding Guo had just leaned in to sniff her made her feel quite uncomfortable.
"No, I was born in the year of the rat, not the dog," Ding Guo explained earnestly.
Fei Jiayi laughed so hard her stomach ached, her laughter ringing out far and wide. She said, "Pistachio, what Wanwan meant was that your action just now resembled a dog’s behavior, she wasn’t really asking what your zodiac sign was."
"When did I act like a dog just now!" Ding Guo frowned, pouting in displeasure, as she looked toward Fei Jiayi.
"You did." Fei Jiayi nodded affirmatively.
Ding Guo glared at her, then turned to Xu Nianhua and asked with puffed cheeks, "Nianhua, tell me, did I really act like... that thing just now?"
Xu Nianhua touched his nose, unable to lie and say it wasn’t so.
Ding Guo: "You’re bullying me."
Ding Guo exaggeratedly wiped her eyes.
"Ding Guo, I don’t think it’s like that, it’s just very alike, it’s not like we’re really insulting you." Liao Jinling tried to comfort her, but it seemed the more she tried, the angrier Ding Guo became.
Ding Guo turned and walked away in a huff.
Chang Hui hurried forward, grabbing her and saying, "Come on, our dorm’s pistachio, here’s a candy for you, and you’ll be happy again."
Round lollipops, Fei Jiayi recognized them at a glance as the kind she usually ate.
"Eh, Chang Hui, did you keep all the candy I shared with you?" Fei Jiayi stared at the candy, remembering that every time Chang Hui took candy, she was too reluctant to eat it.
If Jiayi hadn’t insisted, Chang Hui would have been unwilling to take any candy at all.
"Yeah." Chang Hui blushed a little, then took out five more candies from her pocket and said, "Here you go, offering Buddha something borrowed."
"Chang Hui, next time I’ll give you more, that way, I’ll always have candy to eat." Fei Jiayi took the candy and happily peeled off the wrapper before popping it into her mouth. As the sweet strawberry flavor melted in her mouth, she felt like all her troubles were gone.
"Isn’t it the same if you keep them on you?" Chang Hui looked at her with puzzlement.
"Well..." Fei Jiayi said somewhat sheepishly.
Xu Nianhua cleared his throat and replied, "Because if she keeps them on herself, not a single one would remain; every time she wants some they’re all gone."
"Nianhua!" Fei Jiayi, hit right in the soft spot, immediately felt embarrassed.
She just couldn’t control herself, okay? She really loved candy, and it seemed that having one would make all her worries disappear.
That’s why she could never keep candy on her for long.
Sometimes when she was out and wanted some, she’d find that not a single piece was left in her pocket.
"Eating so much candy, you should be careful with your teeth," Xu Nianhua warned as he handed a piece of candy to Fei Jiayi, "Here, my candy is yours now."
"Mine," Fei Jiayi accepted without demur, knowing Xu Nianhua wasn’t particularly fond of sweets.
Their merry chatter evoked envy from the passersby.
"Nianhua, my brother asked you, when are you going to treat him to the meal you owe him?" Pei Yining had been especially busy lately. Apart from her photography class, she also had music lessons and was learning to sing. She had to practice singing every day, leaving her no time to seek out Xu Nianhua.
"Ah..." Xu Nianhua had just picked up the translated documents, when he was caught off guard by Pei Yining’s question and took a moment to respond.
Seeing her reaction, Pei Yining knew she had forgotten and reminded her, "This."
Pei Yining pointed at the documents in her hand.
Xu Nianhua suddenly remembered. Previously, to thank Pei Yicheng for helping her find a job, it seemed she had promised to treat him to a meal, but later, she had forgotten.