Chapter 157: Chen Shu, Hello, I'm Zhang Suannai (Thanks to Alliance Leader

"It's nine o'clock..."

"It's only nine..."

"It's ten o'clock..."

"It's only ten..."

Zhang Suannai lay on the sofa with her feet propped up high, admiring her pretty toes. From time to time, she would lift her left hand and glance sideways at her watch, wondering if she should set off at eleven. If she rode a bicycle, she could arrive by eleven-twenty.

By then, she could see Ning Qing's garden; she heard it had started blooming.

She could also play with Xiaoxiao for a while.

She could also observe their daily interactions and watch that sycophant surnamed Chen receive the cold shoulder from the aloof Goddess Qingqing—thinking of that silly jerk who always angered her in the group chat being frequently ignored by Qingqing made her feel amused, and the frustration she had suffered seemed to dissipate a little because of it.

But it was still an hour until eleven.

Right—

It would take five minutes to get downstairs.

So, she would leave at ten-fifty-five!

Ah, finding a shared bicycle would also take time, so she would leave five minutes earlier!

Maybe there would be delays on the way...

Then she would leave another five minutes earlier.

Ah, that is—

Zhang Suannai took out her Mobile Phone and opened Feixin.

Zhang Suannai: How about I buy you a cake?

Zhang Suannai: /hey hey hey

Zhang Suannai: Emergency call

Ning Qing: Chen Shu already bought one

Zhang Suannai: Then should I bring something over? I see that when other people have birthdays, they always give gifts. What do you want?

Zhang Suannai: Just say it, don't be polite. I just earned some money during the Hunting Festival.

Ning Qing: No

Zhang Suannai: I see that motorcycle of yours is so small, you look so awkward riding it. How about I buy you a motorcycle?

Ning Qing: I hate gifts

Zhang Suannai: hhh I hate them too

Ning Qing: If you really feel bad about coming empty-handed, buy a fish and bring it over. We're only missing fish now.

Zhang Suannai: You guys are still grocery shopping?

Ning Qing: No

Zhang Suannai: Then where are you?

Ning Qing: Already back

Zhang Suannai: Then you didn't buy the fish?

Ning Qing:...

Zhang Suannai: Alright, alright.

Zhang Suannai: What kind of fish do you want?

Ning Qing: About a palm wide and over a foot long. Just don't get silver carp or crucian carp; anything else is fine.

Zhang Suannai: Okay!

Putting down her Mobile Phone, Zhang Suannai's mood suddenly became very good. She couldn't help but bounce up from the sofa, clench her fist, and shout.

This way, she was no longer just purely sponging a meal; she had a little bit of participation.

Don't underestimate this little bit of participation. With Zhang Suannai's personality, thick-skinned as she was, she still felt a bit embarrassed to just go and sponge a meal. It was this little bit of participation that could make her feel much more at ease.

"Eh!"

Zhang Suannai suddenly realized—

Although Goddess Qingqing was aloof and didn't like to talk, in these kinds of matters, she always seemed to be able to make her feel comfortable.

It was as if she could see through her thoughts.

Could this be a tacit understanding?

If it weren't for that silly jerk Chen, perhaps Qingqing really would be like her, and as she thought, live alone for a lifetime. Then, as college roommates, they might really be able to be best friends for life. When they grew old, the lonely pair could take care of each other and keep each other warm.

This was what Zhang Suannai had imagined before.

"Emmm..."

Who said they couldn't do that just because of that silly jerk Chen?

The divorce rate these days was ridiculously high, let alone the fact that they weren't even official lovers, and Qingqing was an aloof goddess who naturally tended toward being single.

"Hmm..."

Zhang Suannai felt it was highly likely.

It was ten-ten.

It was about time.

She still had to go buy the fish.

Zhang Suannai changed her clothes, swapping her athletic shorts for long jeans and her cropped t-shirt for a normal white t-shirt that was neither loose nor tight. She then changed the slippers she had worn for many years into a pair of pretty flat sandals, feeling fresh and crisp.

Time to go out!

Her heart was full of anticipation, and her footsteps felt light.

She walked out of the Dormitory area.

Zhang Suannai stopped in her tracks while holding Taozi, looking at the intersection ahead, and pondered for a moment.

If she went left and down the slope, she would soon reach the school's Ximen, and not far outside there was a residential area where many students rented rooms; because of this, there were always farmers from outside the city bringing the vegetables they grew or the poultry they raised to sell by the roadside, and there was a certain chance of finding fish, though they were all things like carp, grass carp, or crucian carp.

Going right led to the East Gate, and it was very close to Lemon Mall.

There were more expensive fish for sale in the mall, including many new varieties bred only in recent times, which were said to taste better.

Going straight meant she couldn't leave the campus; it was the direction of Long Lake, where no fish were sold.

Wait!

Long Lake?

Zhang Suannai fell into deep thought.

……

At the entrance of Zhilan Garden.

Zhang Suannai, holding Taozi in one hand and carrying a large fish in the other, stood straight and raised her hand to check the time; it was surprisingly only ten-forty.

Hm?

What is going on?

How is it so different from the plan?

Zhang Suannai felt uneasy inside, but she still knocked on the door.

A burst of light footsteps came from inside, followed by the sound of a door bolt being pulled, and the wooden door creaked as it slowly opened for her.

The little girl stood inside the door, blinking her eyes as she looked at her, and upon seeing it was her, she looked clearly somewhat dazed.

"Hello, Xiaoxiao."

"Woof~~"

"Hello," the little girl replied politely, then lowered her head, "Hello, Taozi."

"Hm? Why aren't you calling me Sister Suannai anymore?" Zhang Suannai asked curiously, then poked her head in to peer inside, lowered her voice, and asked sneakily, "Are your sister and brother-in-law in the room?"

"In the kitchen."

"I think I smell something fragrant."

"What a coincidence."

"What's a coincidence?"

"I smell it too."

"Haha." Zhang Suannai threw her head back and laughed, "When did you guys get back?"

"This morning."

"What time this morning?"

"I came at eight-thirty, and my sister and brother-in-law at nine."

"Weren't you with them?"

"I was."

"How did you get separated?"

"Because we weren't together later."

"Why weren't you together?"

"Because I separated from them."

"Why did you separate?"

"I came back first."

"Why did they let you come back first?"

"You have so many questions..." The little girl's expression and tone when saying this were exactly the same as her sister's.

"Oh, I'm just curious! Tell me, tell me!"

"……"

"Tell me, tell me!"

"Because my sister's motorcycle can only seat two people, and my sister wanted to ride with my brother-in-law, so she made me take the things and take a taxi back first." The little girl explained to Zhang Suannai under duress, her face devoid of any expression.

"Hahaha, you're quite humorous..."

"Come in."

The little girl turned sideways, secretly eyeing Zhang Suannai, and after she entered, she closed the door again before leading Zhang Suannai through the courtyard.

Taozi struggled and landed on the ground, then scurried away and disappeared.

Zhang Suannai carried the fish, looking around as she walked.

So many flowers!

So, so many flowers!

All kinds of flower shapes, all kinds of colors, a riot of red and purple.

All sorts of fragrances, none of which were overly heavy, gaudy, or offensive, mixed together to make one feel relaxed and happy.

On the left was a wooden swing, still swaying slightly.

Clearly, Xiaoxiao had just been sitting on it.

Following the little girl, Zhang Suannai carried the fish to the outside of the kitchen, and looking through the kitchen doorway, she saw the two of them.

Zhang Suannai blinked her eyes, her gaze dropping to catch sight of the matching but different-colored flip-flops the two were wearing, then she raised her gaze again to see them standing side by side, silently busy with their work.

Goddess Qingqing was practicing her Cutting Technique.

Chen Shu was seasoning the meat.

The casserole nearby simmered softly, a long stream of steam rising from the small hole in the lid, carrying a faint fragrance.

On the other side, there was an iron pot, and the iron pot was also bubbling away; the sound was much louder, and the fragrance wafting out was even richer and more enticing.

The *thud-thud* sound of Qingqing's Cutting Technique was very rhythmic.

Although she could only see their backs, and neither of them was speaking, inexplicably, Zhang Suannai felt as if she were witnessing the tacit understanding of an old married couple.

"!!"

Zhang Suannai blinked her eyes, shook her head vigorously, and cast this illusion aside.

At this moment, the little girl's voice sounded beside her, soft amidst its coldness: "Brother-in-law, Sister, Sister Suannai is here."

The two of them turned around almost simultaneously.

Their movements were identical.

Zhang Suannai stood there blankly, looking at her roommate, then looking at Chen Shu, blinking her eyes with her mouth slightly agape, yet she didn't know what to say for a moment, nor did she know where to put her hands, so she could only scratch her head.

Instead, that silly vegetable flashed a brilliant smile: "You're here so early. Give the fish to me, thank you, sorry to have made you run an errand."

Zhang Suannai instantly sobered up.

Damn it!

She had actually behaved so miserably just now!

This silly vegetable must be laughing at her in his heart!

Having regained her senses, Zhang Suannai also revealed a smile, instantly displaying superb acting skills; as she walked forward to hand him the fish, she pretended not to know him and greeted him: "You must be Qingqing's childhood sweetheart, right?"

"Yes."

"Haha, I always hear Qingqing and Xiaoxiao talk about you; we've finally met today, and you look quite spirited." Zhang Suannai laughed heartily, then very generously introduced herself to Chen Shu, "This is our first time meeting, right? Let me introduce myself, my name is Zhang Suannai, I'm Ning Qing's roommate, and you can also affectionately call me Grandma."

Excellent!

Zhang Suannai gave her performance full marks.

Especially that last sentence, "you can also affectionately call me Grandma," which she had only thought of last night.

She had to say that line.

Because she had also said this when she first met Ning Qing, so it would seem very natural.

Exquisitely brilliant!

Zhang Suannai secretly peeked at their reactions—

Ning Qing was looking at her expressionlessly.

Xiaoxiao was looking at her expressionlessly.

Even that long-haired white cat had appeared at Ning Qing's feet at some point, lifting its head to stare at her without blinking.

"Eh?"

Zhang Suannai was somewhat puzzled.

Chen Shu, however, suppressed his laughter, raised his hands in a cupped-fist salute: "So it is classmate Grandma, nice to meet you, nice to meet you."

"Long admired, long admired."

"I also often hear Ning Qing mention you; I didn't expect you to be so pretty."

"Really? She often mentions me?"

"..."

"Okay."

"Haha..." Under the cover of the situation, Chen Shu finally laughed out loud, then warmly greeted her, "Go sit in the living room, watch some TV, or go look at the flowers in the garden; we'll be eating in a little while."

"Okay."

"Xiaoxiao."

"Hmm?"

"The kitchen is smoky, go keep Sister Suannai company and show her around."

"Okay."

The little girl obediently agreed, then turned to say to Zhang Suannai: "Follow me, the kitchen is smoky."

"Alrighty."

As Zhang Suannai walked out, she asked her: "How do you plan to show me around?"

"..."

The little girl silently walked a few extra steps until they were at a distance from the kitchen, then she said:

"Stare into space."

"Staring into space is great! Where should we stare into space?"

"In the garden outside."

"Alrighty!"

Zhang Suannai readily agreed.

So the little girl led Zhang Suannai into the garden, sat on the swing herself, and said to Zhang Suannai: "Sister Suannai, just play however you like; you can pick any flowers you like in the garden, they aren't planted by me anyway, but don't pick these three."

"Eh, you called me Sister Suannai again!"

"..."

"Fine, fine, which three?"

"This one, this one, and this one."

"Why?"

"Because Brother-in-law likes this one the most, this one is very hard to bloom, and Sister always brings this one back for Brother-in-law to put in a vase lately."

"So that's how it is..."

Zhang Suannai had no intention of picking flowers, so she began to wander around the garden, peeking here and looking there, sniffing this and smelling that; sometimes when she discovered Taozi hiding behind a flower bush staring at her, she would run off to chase Taozi for fun.

The little girl sat on the swing, swinging her lower legs back and forth, quietly watching her.