"I'm skipping the exquisite dishes at Chunfeng Deyilou to brave the cold wind and eat street food... My brain must have been stuck in the door!" Su Ying muttered, shivering in the biting wind as she held two skewers of grilled meat.
"Miss Su?" Just as she was debating whether to hail a cab or continue her stroll, a familiar voice called out from behind her.
Su Ying hastily hid the skewers behind her back. "Fu Zheng?"
"I didn't expect to run into you here," Fu Zheng said, looking pleasantly surprised. "Miss Su, are you also out exploring the night market?"
Su Ying blinked, a little bewildered.
Was this a night market?
She had asked Su Lin to drop her off anywhere and hadn't paid attention to the exact location. She hadn't eaten enough for dinner, and seeing food stalls nearby, she had followed the enticing aromas.
"Mm," Su Ying mumbled vaguely. "You... live around here?"
Noticing the bag of daily necessities he was carrying, Su Ying couldn't help but ask.
"Yes," Fu Zheng scratched his head. "Miss Su, are you alone?"
He had been observing her for a while, and seeing no one else with her, he had seized the opportunity to greet her.
"Yes, I'm just wandering around by myself," Su Ying silently prayed he would leave soon; otherwise, her skewers would get cold.
"Miss Su, haven't you finished dinner yet? I know a noodle shop nearby that's really good. People travel from far away just to queue up for it. Would you like to try it?" He had noticed the hand she was hiding behind her back, but he hadn't pointed it out.
Su Ying raised an eyebrow.
Noodles? What was so good about noodles that people would travel from other places to queue for them?
Seeing her skeptical expression, Fu Zheng continued, "It's true! I studied at a university around here and came here with classmates. I highly recommend it!"
Seeing his earnestness, Su Ying decided to trust him this time.
So, led by Fu Zheng, they walked through a narrow alley and arrived at the foot of a residential building. Just as Fu Zheng had said, a long queue had already formed at this hour, with the faces of the patrons filled with anticipation.
Su Ying thought to herself,
There's a saying, isn't there? Good wine needs no bush!
If this shop could attract so many customers despite its secluded location, it must be truly exceptional.
"Miss Su, please have a seat for a moment." Fu Zheng knew her time was precious and didn't want to keep her waiting. He intended to ask the owner to make an exception and serve her first.
Su Ying glanced at the red plastic stool nearby and didn't seem to mind. She simply wiped it clean with a tissue and sat down.
She wasn't sure what Fu Zheng had said to the owner, but when he returned, he was carrying a steaming bowl of noodles. He remembered Su Ying's preferences, knowing she disliked cilantro and liked spicy food, so he had specifically instructed the owner on what to include and exclude.
"You're so thoughtful, young man. Are you buying this for your girlfriend?" The proprietress, a woman in her early forties, couldn't resist teasing him when she saw him going to great lengths, even offering to stay and help wash dishes.
Fu Zheng blushed and stammered in denial, "No, no, it's not..."
"Oh, you're shy!"
Fu Zheng couldn't handle the teasing and his face turned bright red.
Smelling the aroma wafting from the takeout box, Su Ying suddenly felt that her grilled skewers tasted rather ordinary. She decisively tossed the half-eaten skewers into the trash bin and accepted the bowl of noodles from Fu Zheng.
"It smells so good!" Su Ying's mouth watered.
But as she looked around, she couldn't find a place to eat, which was a dilemma.
"Um, I live in the building next door. If Miss Su doesn't mind, you could come up and eat there before leaving," Fu Zheng bravely invited her to his place.
Looking at the boy whose ears had turned red, Su Ying took a moment to process his words.
"Wouldn't it disturb anyone if I went to your place at this hour?" Su Ying asked tentatively.
Fu Zheng quickly explained, "No, it wouldn't. This is a place I rent, and I live alone... there's no one else."
Su Ying glanced at the building next door and thought to herself, the rent in this area must be quite high! For someone who just graduated and is new to the working world to rent a place like this, isn't it a bit extravagant?
His monthly salary is just over ten thousand yuan, and the rent alone is seven to eight thousand. Is the remaining money enough for food?
Despite her thoughts, Su Ying followed him.
Fu Zheng's room was very clean, just like him.
The room was tidy and everything was arranged in an orderly fashion, so much so that even someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder would be impressed. The floor was so gleaming it reflected her image.
Su Ying stood at the doorway, hesitant to step on it.
"Uh, not many people come here, so there aren't any new slippers," Fu Zheng said shyly, taking out a pair of men's slippers from the shoe cabinet.
Su Ying looked at them, which seemed as good as new. After a moment's hesitation, she took off her shoes and put them on.
As she had suspected, the apartment was a two-bedroom, one-living room unit, estimated to be over seventy square meters. It had an open-plan kitchen next to the living room. Unlike ordinary rental units, this place, though small, had everything one could need. Besides appliances, there were many colorful and beautiful flowers and plants on the balcony.
In a corner, there was even a treadmill. This suggested that the owner was someone with a passion for life and lived a leisurely life.
Su Ying surveyed the room and sat down on the sofa with her noodles.
"Hmm, the noodles are great. Thumbs up."
"No strange odors in the room. Thumbs up!"
While Su Ying was eating, Fu Zheng, with a pounding heart, cut fruit in the kitchen. He hadn't expected Su Ying to actually come home with him and sit in his usual spot, eating.
He pinched his face hard. The pain confirmed it.
This wasn't a dream!
This was all real!
Fu Zheng grinned, unable to contain his joy.
After turning away for a good while to compose himself, Fu Zheng finally managed to control his excitement. He brought the freshly prepared fruit salad to the living room.
"I don't have much to offer, so I made this," he said, pushing the plate towards Su Ying. He then took out a box of toothpicks.
Su Ying, looking at the beautifully arranged fruit salad, couldn't help but praise, "I didn't realize you could make these!"
"I grew up with my grandparents and learned a little bit along the way."
"Were your parents very busy with work?" Su Ying guessed.
Fu Zheng nodded truthfully. "They were busy with their own affairs and rarely home. So, they sent me to my grandparents' place until I finished primary school and then picked me up."
Su Ying was about to remark that children from poor families grow up fast, but she swallowed her words when she saw the wristwatch on his wrist.
Something was wrong!
He wasn't poor at all!
That watch was a limited edition and quite expensive.
Furthermore, if a family's financial situation were poor, they would surely be frugal. How could he afford such an expensive apartment? And the renovation in this place must have cost at least a million yuan!
Which landlord would be so generous as to rent out such a luxurious place?
It was clear he hadn't told her the whole truth.