CHAPTER 312: CHAPTER 304: SUMMER VACATION BEGINS

Ever since being humiliated in the cafeteria, Tang Anzhi never looked for Sisi again. The actress playing Si Feng was replaced by a girl from another department, a new student as well, who, although not as delicate-looking as Sisi, was pretty in her own right.

Due to Tian Xinhua’s proclamation in the cafeteria, the entire school now knew that the beautiful ’White Rose’ was taken and even had an engagement. In those days, an engagement was practically the same as being married, forcing those who lusted after Sisi’s beauty to suppress their desires and look for new targets, not daring to provoke Tian Xinhua’s woman.

Under Shangguan’s dominance, Liu Xuelian and Song Mengshi also became much more subdued. Whenever they saw Sisi and Shangguan, they would turn away. Even in the dorm, they kept silent, not daring to speak a word against Sisi. Li Anqi still acted gentle and virtuous as if nothing had ever happened—a truly cunning character.

However, since Li Anqi was willing to play the part of a good classmate, Sisi didn’t mind keeping up the act. It was enough that everyone was clear on the situation.

With these troublesome people and issues gone, campus life suddenly became wonderful!

Time flew by, and the semester swiftly ended. Summer vacation began, and Tian Xinhua was routinely sent out by Mr. Yun. Though reluctant to part, there was no helping it. To provide a better life for Ah Nan, he had to work hard.

He knew Ah Nan would definitely go to Hong Kong for the summer break. Although the overseas relationships were not as tense as before, they still couldn’t be openly maintained. However, judging by the current situation, opening up to the overseas seemed inevitable, and then Ah Nan wouldn’t have to sneak around to see her mother anymore.

Shangguan and Zhu Yunxiu had already gone home, while Mo Liu was waiting to leave with Sisi. When he found out Sisi was also heading to Guangzhou, he was so happy his little cheeks blushed. He deliberately waited for Sisi to get ready so they could leave together.

First, Sisi had to visit He Xuewen in Shanghai, as it had been two or three months since she last visited Daddy. Most importantly, she needed to give He Xuewen some nourishing wine to take to Yuequan Village for Tian Manjin and the others.

Mo Liu had no objections to stopping by Shanghai first. After all, he was following Sisi—wherever Sisi went, he would go, and then he could take her to visit his home! The very thought filled him with joy!

Sisi traveled with Hu Weiwen and the rest, the same group as when they had arrived, only now they had the addition of the little follower Mo Liu. They often ate together, so they weren’t strangers. When they learned that Sisi was going to Guangzhou again, none of them found it odd.

Regarding Sisi’s trip to Guangzhou, He Xuewen explained to others that he had a good friend in Guangzhou who was very fond of Sisi. Every summer, Sisi would go to keep that friend company and incidentally learn some arts like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

On the train, they surprisingly ran into Song Mengshi in the same carriage. Song Mengshi stared at Sisi for a moment before snorting and finding her own bed.

Mo Liu told Hu Weiwen and the others about Song Mengshi, "That ugly woman often speaks ill of Sisi. I think she’s definitely jealous that Sisi is prettier than her. But she doesn’t even look at herself in the mirror. She’s not even as pretty as me, yet she dares to compare herself with Sisi?"

Everyone laughed: Brother, anyone who looks like you would be a peerless beauty capable of toppling cities and nations!

".....Later Shangguan beat her up, and she settled down. Some people just need a good thrashing!"

Mo Liu added this sentence, but he forgot that Song Mengshi was sleeping right next to their compartment. She heard him loud and clear and was so angry that her nose almost became crooked. She wanted to rush out and settle accounts with Mo Liu, but she was alone and there were several people with him. She had no choice but to swallow her anger.

This time, Zhuge Yun wasn’t in the same compartment as the others. He had made it clear that he was in a standard compartment, along with Zhong Anping and Tian Shouhua. Mo Xiaomi originally wanted to accompany Tian Shouhua to the standard compartment but was sent back to the sleeper by Tian Shouhua.

Hu Weiwen and Hu Weichao had also planned to go to the standard compartment, but Tian Shouhua said that the girls had no one to look after them, so they went back to sleep in the sleeper instead. However, the brothers only slept the first half of the night and swapped with the three men outside for the second half. Mo Liu joined them, too. With three people exchanging places with three others, everyone actually found it to be more amusing.

Song Mengshi, hearing the commotion, disdainfully snorted: Bunch of paupers!

He Xuewen was waiting for them at the exit of the station and had an old jeep ready, though it was unclear where he had obtained it. Having a car made things a lot more convenient.

"Everyone must be tired. Let’s go have a meal at a restaurant first and then rest at home," He Xuewen said. "Shouhua, Anping, Zhuge Yun, you’ll have to wait a few more hours. Man Tong called me yesterday, saying he’ll only be able to arrive in Shanghai around two in the afternoon."

He Xuewen took them to a rather grand restaurant for lunch, spending a total of 70 to 80 yuan. The most extravagant dish was the large crab for each person—one crab costing one yuan and five cents (fictitious). It wasn’t actually the best season for crabs; they were quite skinny, but Sisi saw that the restaurant had crabs and coaxed He Xuewen into getting some.

As a doting father, of course, He Xuewen agreed without a second thought. It wouldn’t even matter if each crab cost fifteen yuan—he’d still buy them!

Grinning, Hu Weiwen said, "Uncle He, if Mama knew we spent so much on this meal, she’d definitely scold Wei Wen and me."

"Then, don’t let your Mama find out. When you go back, just say Uncle He only treated you to a bowl of plain noodles, stingy as can be!" He Xuewen, peeling crab for Sisi, joined in the joke.

"Mama definitely won’t believe that. Uncle He, your generosity is well-known," Hu Weiwen pouted.

The group laughed and joked around, with Zhuge Yun remaining calm and composed, eating neither too much nor too little. He also carefully observed how others ate. He had never eaten dishes like crabs before—meatless and unsatisfying. If he found one in the river, he’d toss it back instead of keeping it. Yet in the restaurant, it turned out to be the most expensive dish.

Faced with the fearsome pincers, Zhuge Yun wasn’t sure how to begin. He carefully hid his uncertainty, waiting to see how Hu Weiwen and the others finished their crabs before he started on his own. Liu Qiqi, sitting beside him, couldn’t help but smile. If she didn’t know him better, she might have been fooled by his composed demeanor!

But thinking about how Zhuge Yun had never eaten crabs, Liu Qiqi felt a pang of sympathy for the man beside her. He must have had a very hard life in the past!

Liu Qiqi gently nudged Zhuge Yun, then slowly began to peel the crab as if in slow motion. First, she lifted the shell, revealing the shiny crab roe inside. She scooped a full spoonful of the roe, dipped it in the sauce, and savored it slowly, then proceeded to the pincers one by one.

The beautiful girl’s delicate and fair hands gracefully dissected the bright red crab, delicately sucking the meat, taking small bites. After finishing one empty pincer, she moved on to the next, her movements still slow.

Zhuge Yun gave Liu Qiqi a grateful smile and began to eat the crab, mimicking her. Although his actions were clumsy, they almost looked proper.