Chapter 381: Chapter 381: Gotta Be More Proactive
Song Yiluo clearly understood that if she continued as before, Cheng Yijin, Deng Yiyi, and earlier Li Xipei, might end up the same way.
Zheng Zhongping from the Zheng Family beside her was indeed someone Song Yiluo didn’t particularly fancy, but the Zheng Family held a noteworthy position in Jing City.
Xu Zongyin’s maternal family, the Zheng Family, was a transformed merchant family, and couldn’t compare to this Zheng Family. Hence, when people in Jing City mentioned the Zheng Family, the first thought would be of the family with three officials.
It wasn’t the first time the Song Family dealt with the Zheng Family. Previously, Song Yiluo had obtained Lingzhi, and indeed, the largest piece was given by the Zheng Family. However, currently, the family closest to the Zheng Family is the Gu Family, Gu Shizhao’s family, after all, the family saved the elder of the Zheng Family with something Gu Shizhao acquired.
"Yiluo, my mom invites you to dinner at our place next Sunday." Song Yiluo was lost in thought when she suddenly felt a warm breath near her ear. It was Zheng Zhongping leaning in to speak to her, his unpleasant breath wafting by her ear, leaking to her nose. Song Yiluo forced a smile and nodded.
After the movie ended, Yi Roujing stood up and saw Song Yiluo walking with Zheng Zhongping. The two made eye contact, and Song Yiluo surprisingly nodded peacefully at her before turning to leave.
"She’s changed," Yi Roujing murmured.
"A painful lesson nearby, how could she not change?" Xu Ancheng chimed in.
Yi Roujing raised her eyebrows. True enough, Li Xipei wasn’t part of Song Yiluo’s circle, but people from higher circles like Cheng Yijin and Deng Yiyi also had issues; she had to behave.
"I feel like having noodles tonight." Yi Roujing stopped thinking about irrelevant people and started planning dinner. She enjoyed lunch earlier and wanted something with noodles for dinner.
"How about adding some fritters and wontons?" Xu Ancheng pampered her.
"They have fritters at night?" Yi Roujing was surprised.
"Yeah, I know a place where they make great noodles."
"Similar to the place we went at lunchtime?" Yi Roujing asked curiously.
"Sort of."
"Another place you’ve helped out?"
"Not this one, Zhou Zeyuan took me there once."
"Then let’s go, I’m getting hungry."
This private noodle place was in town, just next to the Yuanxue Lane where Yi Roujing and the others were staying. It was a small four-house courtyard, packed with tables and chairs, with many patrons dining.
"Can it be so blatant now?" Yi Roujing whispered so only Xu Ancheng could hear.
"It’s more open, but diners are mostly regulars or brought by regulars. Strangers are rarely allowed in," Xu Ancheng explained, "since there’s no clear official regulation."
"Oh, I see."
A blackboard was hanging on the wall of the main hall, listing the day’s offerings. Yi Roujing took a glance, and everything was noodle dishes: soup dumplings, fritters, beef noodles, pork rib noodles, mantou, wontons, vegetable buns, and flaky pastries.
Quite a variety, Yi Roujing perused and said, "I want the pork rib noodles, fritters, and pastries."
"Okay, I’ll order. You find a place to sit."
Yi Roujing chose a spot against the wall. The lighting was bright, but the corners were dimmer, offering more privacy, which was nice.
Xu Ancheng soon returned and sat down. "I ordered a lot. If we can’t finish, we can take it back and reheat it later tonight."
"Okay, up to you."
The broth of the pork rib noodles was rich, the ribs tender, the noodles chewy. Yi Roujing finished half a bowl and drank a lot of soup, and the remaining half went into Xu Ancheng’s stomach.
Soaking the fritters in wonton soup gave them a unique flavor, and the flaky pastries were stuffed with pork, making Yi Roujing’s mouth water.
Xu Ancheng also ordered two bamboo steamers of soup dumplings: one with shrimp and scallop stuffing and the other with meat, so tasty that Yi Roujing couldn’t stop.
Three vegetable buns were ordered, filled with cabbage, mushrooms, some dried shrimps, and finely chopped and appetizing pickled green beans, offering a rich palette of flavors. Even the hand-sized buns were a treat for Yi Roujing.
The beef noodles had beef brisket, marbled and tender, which Yi Roujing tried a few bites before she could eat no more.
The rest was cleared by Xu Ancheng. Although they thought there’d be leftovers, everything was unexpectedly finished.
Seeing Yi Roujing relish the soup dumplings, Xu Ancheng ordered each flavor to go, along with three vegetable buns.
Initially worried about leftovers, Yi Roujing realized after witnessing Xu Ancheng’s enthusiasm that these would perfectly serve as night snacks for the two of them. With only the two of them, they might have gotten a bit noisy and playful until Yi Roujing didn’t even know when she passed out.
But upon waking up the next day, she felt dry and comfortable except for some soreness in her waist and back. The instigator wasn’t in bed, but upon opening the door, she smelled the aroma wafting, knowing Xu Ancheng was making breakfast.
"Why are you cooking after just one night? Wouldn’t it be easier to buy something from outside?" Yi Roujing commented while drinking a sip of white rice porridge, savoring the unique freshness of the rice.
"Just for a change of pace, to add a bit of life to it." Xu Ancheng peeled a boiled egg for Yi Roujing, handed over a slice of steamed pumpkin, then gave her a piece of cornmeal pancake.
"There’s no food here. Did you buy it from outside? You must have gotten up really early."
"Yes." Xu Ancheng nodded, "It’s only right for me to do this since you worked hard last night."
"Honey, you’re the best." Yi Roujing cooed to Xu Ancheng, and caught by his intense gaze, she obediently ate her breakfast. This guy was truly a wolf.
After breakfast, Xu Ancheng took care of washing the dishes, while Yi Roujing went to fold the blankets, and then the couple headed towards Jing University. Since it was close, it only took them five minutes on foot.
As soon as the couple parted, Yi Roujing was stopped by Shu Yujie.
"Roujing, you know Ding Xingye, when can you introduce us and we all have a meal together?" Shu Yujie asked with bright, sparkling eyes.
"You really like him?" Yi Roujing asked.
"Do you think I’m like that bad woman Song Yiluo, leading someone on without real feelings?" Shu Yujie scoffed, "I genuinely like him and want to get to know him more. I don’t mess around."
The last time someone was so proactive in seeking their happiness, it was Feng Lishu, who also took the initiative with Ding Anguo.
"Does your family agree?" Yi Roujing asked again.
"Yes, they let me decide. No need for an arranged marriage," Shu Yujie replied honestly, "I also want someone honest, who treats me well, and who I like."
"Will you make the first move?"
"I have to be proactive." Shu Yujie said matter-of-factly, "Ding Xingye was hurt by Song Yiluo and knows the difference in social standing, so he’s surely hesitant. If I don’t take the initiative, how will we get together?"
"Besides, he’s already made the first move. That day he didn’t even look at others," Shu Yujie said, slightly blushing.
