Chapter 255: Song Jingyu's Pampering

Hao Manru understood better than anyone that she had come in a hurry this time, with no valuables packed in her luggage, yet she was unwilling to just let Su Ruo go like that.

So she grew even angrier and said, "You randomly move other people's things, and yet you think you're in the right? My money is all in the dorm—if it gets lost, can you take responsibility?"

Su Ruo gave her a cold smile and said, "What, you want to frame me, saying I stole your things?"

The commotion was not small; by now it had attracted quite a crowd, and everyone turned to look. After all, stealing could be a big or small matter, but for a girl who had just arrived on her first day to be called a thief by Hao Manru was utterly vicious.

Hao Manru's face flushed red with anger; she actually wanted to point at Su Ruo and label her a thief, so that Su Ruo would be driven away.

She had no evidence, and now Song Jingyu was present; after their previous encounters, Hao Manru knew that if she mishandled this, she herself would end up disgraced and ruined.

So she said irritably, "I never said that—don't try to frame me."

Su Ruo smiled and said, "If you didn't say it, then fine. Do you have anything else? If not, we're leaving."

In Su Ruo's view, Hao Manru was the classic type—weak but eager to fight, unable to beat her yet always trying to provoke her; this time, Hao Manru had the sense not to outright accuse her of stealing, otherwise Su Ruo would surely make her regret it.

Su Ruo's smile, landing in Hao Manru's eyes, was a naked provocation; she looked at Song Jingyu, feeling wronged, and said:

"I don't like her, I don't want to share a dorm with her. Jingyu brother, could you let her stay in another dorm?"

Song Jingyu's expression remained cold and firm: "The dorms in the medical wing are uniformly assigned by superiors; no one has the right to change them privately, but I will report your request to the higher-ups."

Song Jingyu had originally been unwilling to let Su Ruo share a dorm with Hao Manru, and after today's incident he was even more opposed.

Now, Hao Manru had already picked a fight with Su Ruo as soon as she arrived; if they were to live together, who knows what trouble Hao Manru's temperament would stir up.

Song Jingyu naturally did not want Su Ruo to feel wronged; now that Hao Manru had voluntarily suggested switching dorms, if she could actually move out because of it, that would be perfect.

Hao Manru had originally wanted Song Jingyu to decide in her favor and make Su Ruo move out, but she never expected Song Jingyu to actually tell her to move instead; instantly she felt even more wronged and angry.

"This is clearly her dorm, she arrived first—why should she have to leave?"

But seeing Song Jingyu's expression grow ever colder and harder, she finally fell silent, fearing that if she kept causing trouble she would only make him dislike her more.

Hao Manru ran back to the dorm, feeling utterly wronged, tears streaming as she packed her belongings.

With Hao Manru's departure, the farce finally ended, but everyone present knew that the medical wing would from now on be far from quiet.

Wang Na and Zhou Hong instinctively moved a little farther from Su Ruo, both fearing that getting involved with her would bring them trouble.

Song Jingyu said nothing more, then led Su Ruo and the others to the cafeteria to get their meals.

The cafeteria food was simple and bland, but everyone knew the conditions were harsh; having something to eat was already good, so no one complained.

After eating, Wang Na and Zhou Hong headed back first, since the cafeteria was not far from the dormitory and the compound posed no danger, so Song Jingyu did not stop them.

After the two left, Song Jingyu looked at Su Ruo, who had barely touched her food, and said, "Wait a moment, I'll go fetch something and be right back."

Su Ruo didn't know what Song Jingyu intended to do; she wanted to ask, but he had already walked away.

Su Ruo had nothing else to do, so she simply sat there and waited.

Song Jingyu returned quickly, placing a glass bottle in front of Su Ruo and saying, "This is homemade seafood sauce from an old fellow villager—try it; if you like it, I'll get you more next time I go out."

Su Ruo looked up at Song Jingyu; he was slightly out of breath, fine beads of sweat on his forehead, and his clothes were damp with sweat.

Su Ruo hadn't expected that his hurried departure and return were just to fetch her the seafood sauce; a warm current instantly welled up in her heart.

Seeing Su Ruo unmoved, Song Jingyu smiled and urged, "Go on, try it."

Then he asked the kitchen for two steamed buns, saying, "This seafood sauce tastes best with hot steamed buns."

After saying that, Song Jingyu naturally took the cooled pancakes and vegetables from Su Ruo's hand and began to eat them.

Song Jingyu said, "Conditions on the island are harsh; wasting food is punishable."

Song Jingyu ate quickly, yet it didn't seem rude; instead it gave a feeling of ease.

Su Ruo smelled the fragrant seafood meat sauce and saw the steaming white bun before her; her stomach began to growl involuntarily.

These past few days she had been rushing, only able to grab whatever she could; now she was truly hungry, so Su Ruo didn't hesitate, picked up the bun and ate it with the sauce.

After one bite, Su Ruo's eyes lit up instantly; she was already a big eater, and over the past few years her palate had been refined by Bai Xinya and Li Zhaodi.

So although Su Ruo was indeed hungry, facing the hard, dry pancakes and the oil-free boiled vegetables, she found them hard to swallow.

But Su Ruo had to admit, the sauce was truly delicious—no fishy smell at all, fresh and spicy, whetting her appetite; after one bite she couldn't stop.

Seeing this, Song Jingyu feared Su Ruo might choke, so he quickly asked for a bowl of soup for her.

Only after the two large white buns had settled in her stomach did Su Ruo, feeling satisfied, pat her belly and finally feel alive again.

Song Jingyu's deep eyes were filled with indulgent smiles; if anyone else were this picky about food, he would surely have kicked them away, telling them to roll as far as they could—having something to eat was already good enough, yet they still complained.

But for Su Ruo, he inexplicably wanted to give her the best of everything, not wanting her to suffer the slightest grievance; seeing her happy filled his heart with an indescribable joy.

Song Jingyu took a stack of tickets from his pocket and gave them to Su Ruo, saying, "These are white-flour tickets; if you don't like the pancakes, you can use them to exchange for steamed buns, noodles, or other staple foods."

Although Su Ruo and the others had subsidies, wanting to eat white flour at every meal was obviously impossible.

Moreover, the unit's meals were uniformly provided; unless family came to visit, hardly anyone would spend money to buy white flour to eat—doing so would be too conspicuous, easily drawing criticism as hedonistic and lacking in hardship and simplicity.

Su Ruo neither wanted special treatment nor to wrong herself, so the tickets Song Jingyu gave her were like timely rain, instantly relieving her urgent need.