Qin Tian's stall sold small portion dishes, so customers could pick and pay with their trays, making the queue move faster.
After selecting a few dishes, he ordered two small bowls of rice and found an empty table to sit down.
"Tian Ge, where's your Xia Nuannuan?"
Chen Zhuang walked over with a large bowl of ramen and asked curiously.
"Still queuing over there!"
Qin Tian replied with a smile.
"Can I sit here?"
Chen Zhuang made a move to sit in the seat opposite him.
"We'll have a high school classmate joining us later. If you're not afraid of Shen Siqi misunderstanding, you can sit here!"
Qin Tian chuckled.
"A girl? Is she pretty?"
Chen Zhuang asked in surprise.
"Reasonably so!"
Qin Tian nodded.
"Uh... then perhaps not."
Chen Zhuang gave a sheepish smile and glanced at the adjacent table.
On that table sat two young men facing each other, eating rice. They weren't wearing camouflage uniforms, so they were likely upperclassmen.
"Hey, seniors!"
Chen Zhuang called out.
The two seniors looked up at him, their eyes narrowing slightly. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Are all the new students this intimidating?
"Wh-what do you want?"
One of the young men frowned, forcing himself to speak calmly.
His mouth was full of food, making his words slightly slurred, but Qin Tian detected a slight tremor, which almost made him laugh.
Chen Zhuang grinned and asked, "Can I share this table?"
The two young men visibly relaxed at his words.
"Suit yourself!"
The senior replied reluctantly.
"Thanks, seniors!"
Chen Zhuang, completely oblivious to the man's resistance, unceremoniously sat down beside him. He was a whole head taller than the senior, and his sturdy physique seemed to take up two seats.
The senior subtly shifted away with a look of disdain, nudging his tray to the side, and buried his head in his food again.
"I'm starving!"
Chen Zhuang mumbled, eagerly grabbing his chopsticks and slurping his ramen with a wide-open mouth.
"Tian Ge!"
A familiar voice called out.
Qin Tian followed the sound and saw Xia Nuannuan walking towards them with a sweet smile, side by side with Su Yan. Both held trays laden with various dishes.
The presence of two beautiful women with distinct auras drew the attention of many young men around them.
Even the two seniors at Chen Zhuang's table widened their eyes, their gazes following the pair.
"Seniors, you can stop staring. They're already taken!"
Chen Zhuang said with a chuckle.
"Two of them?"
The senior opposite him asked in surprise.
"Not two, the pretty one!"
Chen Zhuang corrected with a smile.
"They're both pretty!"
The senior sitting next to him interjected.
"Are they?"
Chen Zhuang turned to look, and then he too was stunned, muttering in disbelief, "What kind of school is Yuchéng No. 4 High School? How can it be full of such handsome men and beautiful women? It's just not fair."
The two seniors exchanged a bewildered glance.
"Go sit next to Qin Tian!"
Su Yan nudged her chin, signaling Xia Nuannuan, who wanted to sit with her, to take the opposite seat.
"Can't I sit next to you?"
Xia Nuannuan looked at her with a hint of a pout.
Su Yan chuckled and teased, "What? Afraid I'll be a third wheel and you'll be uncomfortable?"
"No way!"
Xia Nuannuan's face flushed instantly. She shot Su Yan a playful glare before complying, moving to sit beside Qin Tian.
Su Yan, under the gaze of many onlookers, took the seat opposite Xia Nuannuan.
"Tian Ge, that auntie said this Roujiamo is delicious, so I bought two. And this crepe looks really good too."
Xia Nuannuan said to Qin Tian with a beaming smile.
"Mhm, eat up. Have some of these dishes first!"
Qin Tian nodded with a smile and handed her a pair of chopsticks.
"You guys still have such good appetites after the strenuous military training this morning!"
Su Yan commented with a hint of envy.
She herself had little appetite and had only bought a bowl of spicy and sour noodles. After finishing it, she planned to head back to the dormitory to rest.
"Hehe... I think it's alright, not that tiring. Our instructor is quite nice."
Xia Nuannuan chirped happily.
"Our instructor is very strict, but it's mainly because our physical condition isn't good. I wish I had followed you two and exercised more in high school."
Su Yan mused.
"Then you should eat more nutritious food. The temperature will be higher this afternoon, and you'll be even more tired."
Xia Nuannuan picked up a piece of braised pork from Qin Tian's small portion dishes and placed it in Su Yan's bowl.
"Thanks, but I really don't have much appetite. I'm too tired."
Su Yan said with a wry smile.
"It's just the beginning. You'll get used to it in a couple of days."
Qin Tian took a large bite of the Roujiamo and offered words of comfort.
The three of them ate and chatted. Xia Nuannuan even introduced Chen Zhuang at the next table to Su Yan.
Chen Zhuang gave a憨厚 (simple and honest) greeting.
Su Yan looked surprised at his imposing physique and politely smiled and nodded in response before continuing her conversation with Xia Nuannuan.
At the adjacent table, one of the seniors mustered the courage to tap Chen Zhuang's arm.
"Brother, can you do me a favor?"
"What is it?"
Chen Zhuang looked at him curiously.
"Since you guys know each other, can you ask that pretty girl for her QQ number?"
The senior replied with a grin.
"No way, if you want it, go ask yourself!"
Chen Zhuang refused without hesitation.
"Are you stupid? If you get it, you'll have a chance too! This girl is still single!"
The senior said with an exasperated tone.
Chen Zhuang glanced at him disdainfully. "You're the one who's stupid. I already have someone I like. I'm not someone who falls for anyone I meet."
"You have a girlfriend already?"
The senior's voice suddenly rose a few octaves, revealing a look of existential doubt.
He considered himself more handsome and talented than this big lunk, yet he was still a virgin in his third year of university.
Qin Tian and the two girls overheard their conversation and looked over curiously.
"Hey, senior, what do you mean by that? What do you mean I have a girlfriend? Are you looking for trouble?"
Chen Zhuang glared at him.
The senior realized he had misspoke and timidly shrank his neck, forcing a sheepish smile and conceding, "No, no, I misspoke."
"Hmph! And I never said I had a girlfriend. I said I have someone I like, understand? Maybe your ears have problems too!"
Chen Zhuang pouted.
"Heh heh... I guess so!"
The senior managed a strained smile.
What else could he do? This junior looked formidable and could easily overpower the two of them.
"Zhuang Ge, what's up?"
Qin Tian asked curiously.
"The senior wanted your beautiful classmate's QQ number and was asking me to help him!"
Chen Zhuang answered directly, ignoring the senior's panicked attempt to stop him.
Qin Tian and Xia Nuannuan looked at the senior beside him in surprise.
The senior smiled sheepishly and shamelessly admitted, "I do have that idea."
The two of them looked at Su Yan opposite them with playful smiles.