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墨書 Inktalez
Meng Taoyu got off the bus at the entrance of Rain River Alley and saw Feng Ning waving from a distance. Her eyes lit up, and she happily jogged over.
"Have you had breakfast?" Feng Ning asked, holding a small plastic bag containing several freshly steamed buns.
Meng Taoyu smiled shyly, "I had a bowl of noodles with soybean paste this morning."
Feng Ning led her inside, "What do you have in your hand?"
"Oh, this is some nutritional supplements I bought for Auntie."
"How thoughtful of you!" Feng Ning laughed, "My mom isn't home."
Meng Taoyu felt a bit embarrassed, "I rarely visit other people's homes since I was little, so I don't really know."
On the way, they ran into Zhao Weichen, who dashed past them and suddenly skidded to a stop, then backed up. "Sister Ning! Who's this?" Feng Ning was still chewing on a bun; she swallowed and introduced him, "This is my deskmate, she's here to hang out with me. Where are you going?"
"I'm going to the post office to pick up a package for my mom." He scratched his head foolishly. "I'll bring your classmate along to build a snowman later."
Qilan went to the hospital for a check-up in the morning, and there were no adults at home. Feng Ning pushed open the slightly ajar door, and a big yellow dog squeezed through the gap, panting as it ran around them.
A few seconds later, Meng Taoyu let out a shriek, dropped what she was holding, and frantically tried to dodge to the side. The big yellow dog excitedly chased after her, jumping up playfully.
Feng Ning shouted sternly, "Feng Beibei! No jumping on people, come here!"
Meng Taoyu had always been afraid of dogs since she was little and was now so frightened that her soul felt like it was leaving her body. Spotting a container that was half her height, she hurriedly climbed up and curled her legs up while gasping for breath.
Feng Ning managed to hold down the big yellow dog.
In a state of shock, she suddenly heard Feng Ning call out, "Brother."
Meng Taoyu turned her head slowly to see a man in a black jacket standing a few meters away, silently watching her while holding a dripping fish.
As their eyes met, her mind was still a bit hazy.
Feng Ning tied Big Yellow Dog to the side and asked, "Brother, what brings you here?"
Meng Hanmo had just styled his hair, with short sideburns. He frowned slightly and said, "Didn’t you ask me to come bring you fish?"
"Oh right, I forgot," Feng Ning replied, turning her head with a hint of laughter in her voice. "Meng, I’ve tied up the dog. You’re being too dramatic; come down now."
After a moment of hesitation, realizing her embarrassing situation, Meng Taoyu felt her ears turn red. She bit her lip and climbed down from the container. As she passed by Meng Hanmo, she kept her head down.
She was a bit afraid to look at him.
Meng Hanmo took the fish to the pond while Meng Taoyu cautiously asked, "Why... why didn’t you tell me your brother would come too?"
"Huh?" Feng Ning said with a teasing tone. "You don’t want to see him?"
"Ah?!" Meng Taoyu shook her head vigorously. "No..."
Feng Ning led Meng Taoyu around to show her the various vegetables and fruits she had planted in pots.
Zhao Weichen shouted from outside, panting, "Sister Ning, the stuff is really heavy; lend me a hand."
Meng Taoyu also wanted to go along but was stopped by Feng Ning. "You stay here and watch the house. With those thin arms and legs, don't break anything."
The faucet in the corner was running, water splashing as fish were washed underneath. The icy water felt piercing against Meng Hanmo's hands, as if he were numb.
Just as he had made an outline in the snow, a voice suddenly came from above. "What are you doing squatting there?"
Meng Taoyu looked up, feeling awkward for two seconds. His gaze flickered a bit as he quietly said, "I... I'm playing in the snow."
After a moment of silence, Meng Hanmo seemed slightly confused. "Why are you stuttering? Are you afraid of me?"
"No, no." Meng Taoyu stood up, burying his head like an ostrich. "I get a little nervous talking to strangers."
"Strangers..." Meng Hanmo repeated, seeming amused. "Kid, you don't recognize me anymore?"
*
Feng Ning returned to the yard and found that Meng Hanmo was already gone. She looked around and asked, "Where's my brother?"
Meng Taoyu explained, "He said he had something to do and left first."
Feng Ning didn't mind and rolled up her sleeves as she headed to the kitchen. "My mom won't be back for lunch, so I'll show you Feng Xiaochu's cooking skills."
Meng Taoyu's eyes widened in surprise. "You can cook?"
Feng Ning confidently replied, "That's right!"
At noon, there were three people for lunch. Feng Ning made four dishes: tomato and egg soup, stir-fried beef with garlic sprouts, steamed fish, and stir-fried asparagus. The flavors left Meng Taoyu praising them endlessly.
After the meal, Shuang Yao called Zhao Weichen over to prepare for a game of mahjong with the four of them, but it turned out that Meng Taoyu didn't know how to play.
"You don't know how to play mahjong?" Feng Ning pondered for a moment. "What about poker? Do you know how to play poker?"
Meng Taoyu shook her head. "I... I don't know how to play either. I've never played before; my mom doesn't allow me to gamble." She was worried about dampening their spirits and quickly added, "You all can play; just ignore me. I'll watch TV over here."
"How can that be? You finally came out to have fun."
In the end, they unanimously decided to go to the newly opened arcade in Zhenwu Shopping District. Most students were on break, and with it being the weekend, the place was especially lively.
They went to the service desk and bought two hundred yuan worth of tokens. Feng Ning was a little gambler at heart and loved playing the Fruit Machine the most. After that, it was the Basketball Machine; every time they came, they had to shoot hoops for at least half an hour.
By the time they finished using their tokens, they were all sweating profusely. Feng Ning's face was flushed as she took off her down jacket, wearing only a low-neck sweater. Fortunately, the central air conditioning in the mall was strong enough that they didn't feel cold.
Shuang Yao fanned herself with a flyer and said, "Shall we go home for dinner?"
"Since we're already out, let's eat outside."
Feng Ning asked Meng Taoyu, "Meng, what do you want to eat?"
"I’m fine with anything." This was Meng Taoyu's first time visiting an arcade with friends, and she felt both curious and excited.
Zhao Weichen raised his hand and suggested, "How about Hunan Cuisine? I know a place that's really good."
The store was a recently popular Internet Celebrity Store. It was located on the second floor, and during this meal time, there were quite a few people in line. They took a number and noticed there were still four or five tables ahead of them. A few of them, tired from playing, sat on the chairs at the entrance chatting idly.
"Did you know that Sister Ning has loved bullying me since we were kids?" Zhao Weichen complained to Meng Taoyu. "Shuang Yao is the same. When I was little and hadn’t grown much, they would chase me around and beat me up. There were several times they made me cry."
Feng Ning impatiently dug at her ear. "Xiao Zhao, as a man, you’re so petty. How long are you going to talk about these trivial matters?"
Shuang Yao kicked him. "Zhao Weichen, why do you act like a girl?"
Zhao Weichen nearly jumped up. "Hey, don’t step on my shoes! Stepping on a man's shoes is like stepping on his face!"
Just as they were all laughing together, a puzzled voice rang out, "—Feng Ning?"
Feng Ning stopped laughing and turned her head to look.
"It really is you," Zhao Binlin confirmed. He had his left arm around Jiang Wen and his right hand resting on Xi Gaoyuan's shoulder. The three of them stood not far away. "Are you guys eating here?"
Shuang Yao caught sight of them and froze, her eyes widening.
After a few days apart, Jiang Wen looked even slimmer, with more defined features on his face. His dark hair contrasted with his pale lips. He appeared somewhat weary, but his eyes met hers directly.
Feng Ning quickly adjusted her expression. "Yeah, are you guys here for a meal too?"
"What a coincidence," Zhao Binlin said, glancing at Jiang Wen. "How about we join forces?"
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