Chapter 316: Mantou, Spicy Strips, Tang Song, Sleeping Together

Glimmer Coffee Shop.

After finishing the last batch of matcha chocolate box cakes, Qian Lele carefully tidied them up and placed them one by one in the corresponding spots in the display case.

Then, she returned the baking tools to their places, cleaned the floor and countertops, and only then entered the staff changing room to change into her own clothes.

"Sister Zhao, I'm off work now." Qian Lele said politely, carrying her backpack.

Baker Zhao Hongxia pulled out the freshly baked croissants, turned her head, and smiled: "You've worked hard, Lele. I had you work overtime again today."

"It's okay. I'm on summer break now, so my time will be more flexible. If there's anything you need me to do, Sister Zhao, just say the word."

"Alright, bye-bye."

"Bye-bye, see you tomorrow."

After saying goodbye to the other colleagues, Qian Lele walked out of the coffee shop's front door and headed toward the teacher's apartment along the sidewalk.

Although the weather was still very hot, it wasn't as scorching as before.

This summer was no longer as hard to endure as it used to be.

At least she didn't have to hand out flyers under the blazing sun or stand at the entrance for promotions.

As a premium business coffee shop, the working environment at Glimmer Coffee was excellent.

Cool, comfortable, clean, and tidy; working in baking, which she was interested in, was truly a pleasure.

"Ring-ring—" Her phone rang.

Qian Lele took her phone out of her pocket, checked the caller ID, and quickly answered, "Hello, Yaoyao."

A familiar voice came through the receiver: "Hello, Lele, you should be off work by now, right?"

"Mm-hmm, just got off."

The two chatted briefly about their recent lives.

Yaoyao smiled and said: "Alright, I'll keep it short. My birthday is on the 30th of this month, and I'm planning to throw a birthday party in the evening. You're a full-time baker now, so work won't get in the way in the evening, right? You must come."

Hearing this, Qian Lele pinched the corner of her shirt with her left hand, feeling a bit nervous: "How about I don't go? I'll prepare a gift for you in advance."

"Hey, hey, hey, we don't do that here! When it was your birthday, I accompanied you to celebrate. Lele, we're good friends; you can't not come!"

Qian Lele pursed her lips and whispered: "Mm, okay, I'll be there."

"Alright, it's a deal! I'm getting ready to go on vacation now. I'll find you to hang out when I get back! Bye-bye~"

"Okay, bye-bye."

After hanging up, Qian Lele's mood suddenly sank, and she felt a bit uneasy.

When she first entered university, she accidentally stumbled upon club recruitment.

The slogan of the "Innovation and Entrepreneurship Club" was that it could provide social practice work for its members.

While earning academic credits, one could also earn part-time wages.

At the time, she felt like she had found a treasure and actively applied to join the club.

The club hadn't lied; the "Innovation and Entrepreneurship Club" had a partnership with the school's entrepreneurship incubation base and was responsible for operating the coffee shop, bookstore, and print shop within the base.

After many efforts to communicate and apply, relying on her outstanding appearance, Qian Lele successfully secured the part-time job at the coffee shop.

Although the pay was very low, she could enjoy free coffee and snacks, which saved on living expenses.

It was also there that she learned simple baking techniques and coffee making.

Ding Yao was a club member who worked part-time with her, but she was from the Art Academy, and her family's situation was very good.

Her father was a plastic surgeon, and her mother owned a large hotel.

Coming here to work part-time was purely to make friends, gain experience, and relax.

Ding Yao had a fiery, enthusiastic personality; she was cheerful and outgoing and could chat with anyone.

After not spending much time together, Qian Lele became good friends with her.

That period was also the most leisurely and relaxed university life she had, and she also met some alumni.

However, good times didn't last long; there were many people in the club, and everyone took turns working part-time.

Qian Lele's job didn't last long.

Afterward, she began her busy life of studying and working.

Last year, on her birthday, Ding Yao came to Dorm 213 late at night carrying a cake and gifts.

She also called over several other classmates to celebrate her birthday and sing birthday songs together.

That was a very precious memory for her.

This year, the other party specifically called to invite her; if she didn't go, it really wouldn't be appropriate.

Qian Lele actually wanted to attend very much; she wanted to celebrate her birthday openly and happily.

But she had come into contact with some of Ding Yao's friends, and they were basically all rich people.

For example, there was a time they went to KTV to sing.

They carried designer bags, wore trendy clothes, held the latest flagship phones, and chatted about where to travel on the weekend and which internet-famous restaurant to check in at.

At that time, Qian Lele sat in the corner, wearing jeans that had been washed white, with a plain face, holding a bag that cost twenty-something yuan.

Embarrassed, inferior, uncomfortable, and distressed, she felt she was very out of place.

Ever since then.

Whenever Ding Yao invited her, she would decline using part-time work as an excuse.

…

On the way back, the shops on both sides of the commercial street were dazzling, and the colorful signs were shining brightly.

Qian Lele unconsciously stopped in front of a high-end clothing store.

Through the bright display window, she saw the bling-bling clothes inside and the high-end bags placed next to them.

She clenched her hands and lowered her head to silently calculate her accounts.

She thought about her family's situation and thought about the new computer after the summer break.

The soft sunlight spilled onto the pedestrian street, covering the ground with a layer of warm golden light.

It also plated her with a layer of halo, pulling out a long shadow.

Less than half a minute.

The shadow started moving again.

Qian Lele, who had blended into the crowd, lowered her head and opened the shopping app.

She scrolled through her shopping cart for a while, hesitating about how to choose.

On this ordinary evening.

20-year-old Qian Lele encountered the first major difficulty of her summer break.

Ten minutes later.

Qian Lele stood in front of a small supermarket.

This Fugiang Supermarket was right next to the teacher's apartment.

The prices inside were not high, and there were often many clearance items of not-so-fresh fruit.

The cake base and the near-expiry croissant she brought from the coffee shop were enough for her to eat in the evening.

However, she still needed to pair them with some fruit to supplement vitamins.

Of course, it would be best to buy another pack of her favorite spicy strips.

She had loved spicy slices and spicy strips since she was a child.

Back in high school, because the cafeteria food was both expensive and not tasty, she would occasionally solve a meal with a mantou + egg soup + spicy strips.

She didn't lose this hobby in university either; sometimes when she had a craving, she would buy a pack.

It could be considered one of the few hobbies she spent money on.

……

"Tap-tap-tap—"

Tang Song, wearing sneakers, walked fast and rushed into Fugiang Supermarket.

He pushed a shopping cart casually and threw the shopping bag containing his own clothes into it.

His sharp gaze swept across the supermarket's shelves one by one.

A pile of invalid information popped up instantly.

"Special Vision" didn't give any hints about "props."

Tang Song instantly realized; no wonder it was called "Mystery Shop," it should be that he had to search bit by bit.

Time was tight; in order to prevent his goods from being snatched away by others, Tang Song pushed the shopping cart and started shuttling between the shelves.

When passing by a clothing promotion area, a faint green light entered his line of sight.

Tang Song quickly stopped his steps, his gaze looking at a pair of sneakers.

On special offer for 29.9 yuan, size 44, black and white color scheme, the style was a fake Nike, but the quality looked very rough at a glance.

He picked up the sneakers.

A pop-up message instantly appeared before his eyes.

【Boots of Swift Steps】: When the player is within the dungeon range, they will gain a movement speed bonus, helping you run maps and exercise faster, Agility +2.

Good stuff!

Put it directly into his pocket!

He also had the key 【Self-Discipline Aura】, which was essential for daily exercise and fitness, and this pair of shoes could also come in handy.

It was just that looking at this quality, he estimated he could wear them for at most half a month.

"Boom-rumble—" The shopping cart was pushed by him in a fiery manner.

The supermarket area wasn't considered large, but the items were very complete.

Fresh food, daily necessities, cooked food, snacks, clothing…

When Tang Song passed by a cooked food area, a white light flashed before his eyes again.

Seeing that there were still many customers around, Tang Song quickly put down the shopping cart and squeezed over.

His gaze looked straight at the staple food area.

A bag of white flour mantou was shining, looking exceptionally tempting.

Tang Song grabbed the plastic bag.

【Recovery Blood Pack】: When the player is within the dungeon range, eating this mantou will quickly restore physical strength and stamina, helping you return to a study state faster.

Nice!

The eyes behind Tang Song's lenses instantly brightened.

What he found most uncomfortable now was that he couldn't enter the super-god study state for a long time; his stamina and energy weren't enough.

If put into a game, it would be the health bar and mana.

And this mantou was equivalent to a small potion bottle for blood recovery.

There were 5 in total, but he didn't know what the effect was exactly; he needed to verify it.

Having obtained two props, Tang Song's mood gradually relaxed.

Acting out the posture of a "Study God," he continued to search.

Vaguely, there was a feeling of playing a game.

Just like the movie "Ready Player One," an immersive experience, and it also came with real-world interaction.

Very interesting.

And he also had the effect of the mask on him, making him more and more engaged.

……

"Hey! There are bananas in today's clearance." Qian Lele carried her shopping basket, her eyes shining.

She picked it up and looked at it seriously.

Although the surface was black and had cracks, it still felt hard when pinched, so it definitely wouldn't affect eating.

And 6 of them were only two yuan, take them directly!

Then, she picked and chose for a while, and finally picked up a bag of apples.

2.6 yuan, a full 4 jin or more; even if some were withered, it was acceptable, at worst she would peel them!

And now that she lived in Teacher Jiang's apartment, with the magic weapon of a refrigerator, fruit could be kept for a longer time.

She left the clearance area with satisfaction.

Qian Lele started strolling around Fugiang Supermarket, her goal very clear.

Only looking at yellow labels, because this meant discount or clearance.

"Slippers for 9.9 a pair!"

Her own pair of slippers happened to have a slight crack, and after showering, she would step everywhere with water stains.

After all, she was in Teacher Jiang's house now, so she still had to pay attention.

She picked up a pink pair and looked at it, and after confirming there was no problem, she took them directly!

Immediately, her gaze looked at the sneakers next to them.

Whether men's or women's styles, they were 29.9 yuan, very tempting, and felt solid when pinched.

But in the end, she put them down.

She had just bought a pair of shoes on Pinduoduo last month, so she didn't really need them for now.

Money still had to be spent where it was needed.

For example… spicy strips!

Qian Lele licked her lips and headed straight for the snack area.

Her keen gaze swept across the shelves, focusing on a spot on the bottom row.

On the yellow label, it was written 2.3, and there was only one pack left.

It was a type of old-fashioned spicy strip she liked very much, with an original price of 3 yuan.

Qian Lele instantly showed a big smile, carrying her shopping basket and walking over quickly.

Just as her body was about to bend down.

She bumped into someone else lightly.

Qian Lele quickly stopped her movement and moved back, "Sorry, I didn't notice you just now."

Immediately after, she watched helplessly as the discounted spicy strips she had been thinking about were taken down by that person.

This was the last pack!

Immediately, her gaze looked at the boy who was slowly standing up.

He was very tall, half a head taller than her, in an ordinary T-shirt and jeans.

The boy turned around, his voice calm and peaceful: "It was me who didn't pay attention, sorry."

Soon, their eyes met.

Qian Lele was stunned; she felt the other party was very familiar, and the voice was also familiar, but she didn't react for a moment.

Sister Weiwei older than her, in his 20s, clean and fresh, wearing square-framed glasses.

His figure was tall and well-proportioned, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist.

Clearly dressed ordinarily, yet he had a confident, calm, and focused temperament.

Like… a study god who was keen on learning in school.

"Lele?"

Hearing the name pop out of the boy's mouth.

Qian Lele's face gradually showed a look of sudden realization, and she quickly said: "Brother Song! It's you! Sorry, I didn't recognize you just now."

Although she and Tang Song had communicated many times on WeChat, they had only met once in reality.

It was when signing the part-time contract; at that time, she helped pass a document bag and took a hurried glance.

In her impression, Tang Song was wearing a suit at that time and was quite handsome.

As for his specific appearance, she really didn't remember much; after all, she was trembling all over with nervousness at the time, just hoping to get that part-time job as soon as possible.

Being able to judge it was Tang Song was more because of his voice.

The two had just talked on the phone a few days ago; Tang Song helped her retrieve the deleted data and saved her "baker career."

Qian Lele bowed slightly and said sincerely: "I've always wanted to thank you in person, but I was afraid of being too intrusive. Thank you very much for your help last time, Brother Song."

Tang Song showed a gentle and elegant smile on his face, "You're welcome; after all, I'm the company's part-time technician, it's what I should do."

The two exchanged a few simple pleasantries.

Qian Lele suddenly realized, "Brother Song, I heard from Teacher Jiang that you are going to live here for half a month. Have you already moved in?"

"Mm, moved in at noon today."

Qian Lele's face turned slightly red, and she looked away, saying: "Then please take care of me in the future. If I do anything wrong, Brother Song, just point it out."

She had never lived in the same house with a boy before, so she inevitably felt a bit uneasy and shy.

However, she had a good impression of Tang Song, and he had helped her quite a bit.

"Lele, you're too polite. No need to use honorifics all the time; our ages aren't that far apart, just call me by my name."

"Okay, Brother Song." Qian Lele nodded quickly.

An accidental encounter, plus having to live under the same roof for the next half month.

Qian Lele felt embarrassed to leave, so she picked up a pack of 2.5-yuan spicy slices she often ate and followed Tang Song to stroll around.

…

【Blue-Recovering Spicy Strips】: When the player is within the dungeon range, eating these spicy strips will quickly restore mental power, helping you return to a study state faster.

Well! Mantou paired with spicy strips! The system really knows how to play!

Tang Song looked at the three props in the shopping cart and couldn't help but complain.

But he was still very happy in his heart.

With these two things, he could immerse himself in the ocean of knowledge as much as possible.

As a study god who loved learning, nothing made him happier than this.

Just then, a prompt sounded: "Ding! The Mystery Shop has disappeared!"

Tang Song turned to the side and said: "Lele, I've finished buying everything here, what about you?"

"Oh oh, I've finished buying too! Then let's go out." Qian Lele said while looking at Tang Song's shopping cart.

In the empty shopping cart, there were only 3 items.

Big mantou, spicy strips, sneakers.

And those sneakers were the same style she had looked at before.

Qian Lele's gaze toward Tang Song changed again.

She had heard from colleagues at Glimmer Coffee headquarters before that Tang Song had a formal job.

With outstanding technology, plus the part-time pay here, he should be earning quite a bit.

She didn't expect him to be so frugal in his daily life.

Maybe it was a habit formed over a long time, or like her, his family had some difficulties.

After checking out, they walked out of the supermarket.

Qian Lele took off her backpack, pulled the zipper, and first put away the things she bought.

Then she said politely and enthusiastically: "Brother Song, put your things in my backpack; it's tiring to carry them."

There was only some food she brought from the coffee shop in her bag, and there was still plenty of space.

"Thank you." Tang Song nodded and put the mantou and spicy strips inside, "It's quite heavy, I'll carry it."

After saying that, Tang Song took the initiative to carry the backpack, smiled at Qian Lele, and strode toward the teacher's apartment.

Looking at his firm and tall back, Qian Lele showed a bright smile on her face, and the high ponytail behind her swayed from side to side.

She was the type who didn't like to add trouble to others, and she was also afraid of being looked down upon.

This Brother Song was a really good person, and very easy to get along with, and their consumption views were also very compatible.

This made her heart, which had been hanging, settle down.

……

"Click—" Using the key to open the door lock, Qian Lele gently pulled open the door, "Brother Song, you go in first."

As the door slowly closed.

In the quiet living room, there were only the two of them.

Qian Lele's face was a bit unnatural.

After taking the things out of the backpack, Qian Lele greeted him and walked quickly to the balcony.

She tidied up her underwear, socks, and clothes.

Returning to her secondary bedroom, looking at the warm and familiar environment, she finally calmed down gradually.

Although it was nothing, she still wasn't used to it.

Maybe it was because they weren't familiar yet; this was only their second meeting, a bit like netizens meeting.

It should be fine in a couple of days.

"Sizzle—" She opened the spicy slices and ate one piece in small bites.

Qian Lele finally finished her psychological construction.

She simply washed up.

She took out all the cake and fruit from the backpack and walked quickly to the kitchen.

Two croissants and a bag of cake base were just enough to be divided into two plates and heated in the microwave.

She peeled the apple, removed the bad parts, and cut them into small pieces.

She also took out two bananas.

Soon, two dinners plus a fruit platter were done!

After putting the things on the dining table, Qian Lele sat on the chair and waited for a long while.

Seeing that Tang Song still hadn't come out.

Only then did she muster the courage to stand in front of the master bedroom door.

"Knock-knock-knock—" She knocked lightly, and the door, which wasn't closed tightly, revealed a gap.

"Brother Song."

"I'm here, what's wrong, Lele?" Tang Song's speaking speed was fast, his speech calm and urgent, and he was decisive.

Qian Lele quickly replied: "Brother Song, I brought cake base and croissants from the coffee shop, do you want to eat some together?"

"No need, I'm not hungry now, thank you."

"Oh, okay, okay." Qian Lele pursed her lips and scanned inside through the gap in the door.

Her mouth opened slightly, and her pupils trembled slightly.

On the desk were stacks of books and materials.

In the corner of the desk, there was a half-open plastic bag, inside which was half a mantou missing, and the spicy strips had also been torn open.

Tang Song sat on the chair, his body straight, reading books quickly and seriously.

Qian Lele took a deep breath, her gaze lowered, and she was deeply moved in her heart.

Returning to the dining table, she finished her own sumptuous dinner.

Qian Lele picked up the plate, came to Tang Song's door again, and said softly: "Brother Song, can I come in for a moment?"

"Please come in."

"Creak—" Qian Lele gently pushed the door open with her elbow and placed the plate on the corner of the desk with light steps.

"This is what I made myself at the coffee shop, Brother Song, try it, this is fruit, it tastes better paired with it."

"Thank you, Lele." Tang Song stopped his movements and nodded with a smile.

"Then I won't disturb you, I have to go out later, I'll be back before 10 o'clock in the evening, if you need to find me, just call me directly."

"Okay, bye-bye."

Qian Lele waved her hand and walked out.

Before closing the door, she looked back one more time.

Tang Song was already completely immersed in the ocean of knowledge, and he was reading English books.

His side profile was focused and persistent, and he radiated a brilliant temperament of thirst for knowledge.

Learning is an endless journey of the soul.

He must be the kind of person who spends all his free time on learning.

He is the study god in university who buries his body and mind in the library.

Qian Lele was both admiring and envious.

She also wanted to be like this, but the heavy pressure of life forced her to rush around.

Returning to her room, she took out her handbag from under the bed.

Qian Lele tidied up her things briefly and set off for the pedestrian street outside the school to set up a stall selling bracelets.

The coffee shop side was the morning shift, and the evening time was just right to earn some extra money.

If she was lucky, she would buy a more expensive outfit, so that when she went to attend Ding Yao's birthday party, she wouldn't be too embarrassed.

……

Yanjing Huating, Building 6.

"Cheers!"

"Ding~~"

As the cold and slightly bitter beer went down her throat, Zhao Yaqian quickly picked up a piece of juicy sweet potato skin and took a big bite.

The secret sauce, chili, cumin, and the fragrance of the ingredients themselves were mixed together.

Zhao Yaqian's eyebrows curved instantly, and she shook her legs happily.

Although she was successful now, she really loved this taste.

The first date with Tang Song was also eating fried skewers, all precious and beautiful memories.

He Liting and Lin Empress Mu Xue also started eating happily.

Today was the weekend, He Liting rarely didn't have to livestream, and the 3 of them each had happy events.

They hit it off, gathered directly, ate, drank, talked, and laughed.

Zhao Yaqian's investigation of Yisha Beauty Industry had been completed, and she had initially confirmed her investment intention.

He Liting's self-media account "He Yiyi" had surpassed 200,000 followers, and her livestream sales were rising steadily.

As for Lin Empress Mu Xue, she was about to happily receive a new car, a Porsche 911.

Of course, she didn't dare tell the two that the car was a gift from Tang Song.

She could just be happy about this kind of thing secretly.

"Qian Qian, Seeing Xiao Xue!" He Liting put down the beer bottle and smiled: "I plan to livestream outdoors for two days next week, do an interesting activity, randomly invite passersby girls to answer questions, and if they answer correctly, I'll give them the clothes I'm selling, and there are special grand prizes.

At that time, I will also link up with some local big internet celebrities for promotion.

I'll send the address to the group later; if you have friends who want to participate, you can also come over."

"Yo, not bad, He Yiyi." Lin Empress Mu Xue smiled and patted her shoulder, "So grand, worthy of being someone who wants to build a big IP!"

"Hehe, it's all thanks to Tang Zong's appreciation."

The three of them had a burst of giggling and playing.

They continued to drink, chat, and eat skewers.

The night grew deeper, and the three girls were all slightly tipsy.

Seeing He Liting go to the bathroom.

Lin Empress Mu Xue leaned on the sofa and asked lazily: "Qian Qian, has Tang Song said when he will be done?"

"Brother Song said it will take about half a month."

"So long..." Because she drank alcohol, there was much less concealment and affectation in Lin Empress Mu Xue's words.

Tang Song suddenly wanted to go into seclusion for half a month, and not being able to see him, she would really miss him.

Zhao Yaqian was silent for a moment, then suddenly stepped forward to wrap her arms around her shoulders, her tone serious: "Seeing Xiao Xue, are you reluctant to let him go?"

The expression on Lin Empress Mu Xue's face stiffened, then she smiled and teased: "Tang Song is also my boss; with him gone, I can just be lazy, haha."

After saying that, she smiled and pushed the beautician's shoulder.

Zhao Yaqian blinked, leaned into her ear, sniffed, and smiled sweetly: "The perfume on you and the scent of the long-lasting shower gel are very unique; I also smelled them on Brother Song that day."

"Uh..., maybe I touched him by accident."

"His hands are full of your scent; my nose is particularly sharp."

Lin Empress Mu Xue's body shook, her eyes became flustered, and she didn't know what to say.

Zhao Yaqian smiled and kissed her cheek, her tone natural: "Seeing Xiao Xue, stay here and sleep with me tonight."

"Mm." Lin Empress Mu Xue nodded obediently, her face slightly pale, and she had a brand-new understanding of this beautician friend. ===== CHAPTER 317 =====