“Nuan Nuan, have you and Qin Tian been staying here these past few days?” Shen Siqi whispered into Xia Nuan Nuan’s ear.
Xia Nuan Nuan understood the deeper meaning behind her words and nodded, her face flushing slightly.
“Staying together?” Shen Siqi asked again.
Xia Nuan Nuan’s pretty face reddened further, and this time she didn’t answer. However, her expression had already said it all.
A playful smile spread across Shen Siqi’s face, and she turned her gaze to Lu Lei, who was sitting on the other side.
“Why are you looking at me?” Lu Lei asked with a gentle smile.
“Sister Lei, don’t you have anything to say?” Shen Siqi asked.
“It’s a normal thing, what’s there to talk about?” Lu Lei smiled dismissively.
“Alright, it seems only I am making a fuss,” Shen Siqi shrugged with a smile.
“Don’t misunderstand, we just slept together, with our clothes on, we didn’t do anything,” Xia Nuan Nuan hurriedly explained.
“With clothes on? Really?” Shen Siqi’s expression was full of disbelief.
“Really!” Xia Nuan Nuan nodded earnestly.
“Then Qin Tian is quite capable,” Shen Siqi said meaningfully, glancing at Qin Tian, who was busy in the kitchen. It wasn't just for men; even women would find it hard to resist the allure of Xia Nuan Nuan's figure. When they occasionally showered together in the dormitory, she couldn't help but reach out and touch her, which is why Xia Nuan Nuan now firmly refused to let her shower with her anymore.
“Nuan Nuan, will you be staying at home often in the future?” Lu Lei asked.
“Occasionally, I will still try to stay in the dormitory,” Xia Nuan Nuan replied.
“That’s good, otherwise the dormitory will be too quiet. It seems Lü Yanran is also moving out soon,” Lu Lei said with a smile.
“She’s moving out?” Xia Nuan Nuan looked surprised.
Shen Siqi leaned into her ear again and whispered, “I heard she found another boyfriend and rented a place outside.”
Xia Nuan Nuan’s expression became even more shocked.
“It’s good that she’s leaving, otherwise it would be awkward to see each other every day in the dormitory,” Lu Lei said slowly, taking a sip of her tea.
Xia Nuan Nuan nodded slightly, agreeing with her words. Since their complete falling out, the atmosphere in the dormitory had sometimes been awkward whenever Lü Yanran was present. For instance, when the three of them discussed certain topics, they didn't want Lü Yanran to hear. Also, Lü Yanran rarely participated in dormitory cleaning. Shen Siqi would sometimes say a few words, but it was useless.
…
…
As Qin Tian was nearing the end of cooking dinner, the doorbell rang.
“It must be Cao Mangliang, I’ll get it,” Chen Zhuang said loudly, putting down his game controller and getting up to open the door.
As expected, it was Cao Mingliang.
“You’re finally here, dinner will be served soon if you didn’t come any later,” Chen Zhuang said with a smile.
“Damn it, if it wasn’t for that female driver, I would have arrived at noon,” Cao Mingliang grumbled indignantly.
“Why did you have to show off your new car?”
“Show off what? What's there to show off about a broken Mercedes? My dad forbids me from buying a too-good car before graduation, otherwise who would drive this thing!”
“Are you even speaking human words? Then why did you post on your social media? You even deliberately exposed the logo and took such a large picture.”
“You don’t understand, that was for the girls on my friend list. They only recognize this logo, and several have already asked me to take them for a ride. Now look, before the car even reached the school, it was sent to the 4S shop.”
“Heh, serves you right.”
“Get lost!”
While the two were bickering, Cao Mingliang took off his shoes and walked into the living room. Everyone greeted each other.
“Brother Tian, your apartment is really nicely decorated!” Cao Mingliang exclaimed, looking around.
“It’s alright, I did it all according to my ideas,” Qin Tian replied with a smile, flipping the wok.
“Amazing, amazing. If I buy a house and decorate it in the future, I’ll just find you,”
“Don’t look for me, find a professional.”
“No, no, no, your place is much better than what those professional designers do.”
“This is my first apartment, so of course I had to put my heart into it.”
“Brother just got a car, and your apartment is already done. I can never catch up to your pace!” Cao Mingliang said with a laugh.
“Ask your dad for more money, then buy one too,” Chen Zhuang said with a smile.
“Forget it, I’ve been pestering my dad for this car for a long time. Before graduation, I can’t think about anything else,” Cao Mingliang shook his head.
“Are you perhaps a fake rich second-generation? You’re not as carefree as Brother Tian.”
“Nonsense, Brother Tian made his own fortune. I rely on my dad. How can they be compared?”
“Cao Thief, you truly live up to your name, being so open about relying on your dad.”
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? I’m lucky to have been born into a good family, should I hide it?”
“Awesome!” Chen Zhuang gave him a thumbs-up, full of admiration.
“Is there a game console too? Let me play,” Cao Mingliang’s eyes lit up, and he excitedly moved towards it.
“Qin Tian’s cooking is too good! The aroma alone makes me salivate,” Shen Siqi said longingly, looking towards the kitchen, impatient.
“You all have eaten his skewers before. His home-style dishes are the most delicious,” Xia Nuan Nuan said with a proud smile.
“Oh, I know, I know, stop showing off, as if you cooked them,” Shen Siqi pouted.
“I’m not talking to you, I’m going to help serve the dishes,” Xia Nuan Nuan rolled her eyes and got up to head towards the kitchen.
“Let’s help too!” Lu Lei followed with a smile.
Shen Siqi nodded in agreement and followed. Soon, dishes were placed on the table, along with bowls, chopsticks, and drinks.
“Everyone can sit down, I’ll be right there,” Qin Tian called out loudly. In the living room, Chen Zhuang and the other two, who were already starving, quickly put down their game controllers and walked over with cheers.
Everyone sat around the dining table. Qin Tian brought over the last bowl of soup and placed it in the middle of the table, saying with a smile, “I just made a few dishes, please excuse the lack of hospitality. Eat well and drink well.”
“Brother Tian, what you said sounds a bit strange?” Cao Mingliang said with a peculiar expression. Chen Zhuang and the others nodded in agreement, thinking he was deliberately saying it. In the popular internet slang of a few years later, it would be considered too much bragging.
Xia Nuan Nuan, with a sweet smile, walked behind Qin Tian and helped him take off his apron. This scene made everyone feel like they were a model couple who had been together for many years; everything was so natural. Since there was a late roll call later, they didn’t plan on drinking to their heart’s content, only opening two bottles of red wine so that both men and women could have some.
“Come, let’s all toast our Chef Qin. It’s so comfortable to have such a grand meal right after arriving in Jiangcheng,” Cao Mingliang raised his glass and proposed a toast.
Everyone else followed suit, raising their glasses and smiling in agreement.
“To Chef Qin.”
“Cheers, cheers!!”