Chapter 7 – Paying for the Meal

Zhao Yu held back a laugh when she saw the situation. She was just about to get up and grab a few plastic bags to pack up the leftovers when a tall figure suddenly stopped in front of their table.

Zhao Yu looked up, her eyes widening slightly.

Ning Songyi?

Why was he here?

On the other side, Ye Heng walked over with his tray.

“Brother Yi, where’d you disappear to? I turned around and you were gone.”

As he spoke, his gaze swept over and landed on Zhao Yu and Ning Songyun sitting there.

“Well, if it isn’t the little Ning girl, and Comrade Xiao Zhao. Here for a meal, eh?”

With his free hand, Ye Heng gave Ning Songyi a sly nudge, his tone teasing. “So that’s why you ran off so fast.”

“What else would we come here for, if not to eat?”

Ning Songyun shot Ye Heng a glare, then rolled her eyes. In the blink of an eye, her earlier look of distaste shifted into a fawning smile.

“Brother, you haven’t ordered yet, right? Why not eat with us?”

Ye Heng took one look and immediately saw through it—the girls had obviously ordered too much and couldn’t finish.

“Ai, little girl, if you can’t finish, just say so. Why drag your big brother in to clean up your scraps?”

“No one asked you to eat,” Ning Songyun shot back. “Besides, we’ve only eaten from one side of the dishes, the other side hasn’t been touched at all. Haven’t you heard? Waste is shameful.”

“I just said one thing and you already—eh? Brother Yi, why are you sitting down?”

Before Ye Heng even finished speaking, Ning Songyi had already taken the seat next to Zhao Yu.

“You could’ve just found your own seat somewhere else.”

Ning Songyun smirked at Ye Heng and winked smugly.

“Then I just won’t leave.” Ye Heng plopped his tray onto the table and sat himself down beside Ning Songyun.

Zhao Yu sneaked a glance at the perfectly upright Ning Songyi sitting next to her, then quietly poured him a glass of water.

“If you don’t feel comfortable, you really don’t have to…”

Before she could finish, Ning Songyi had already picked up the bowl of rice from Ye Heng’s tray, pulled a pair of chopsticks from the holder, and started eating silently.

Zhao Yu blinked, then leisurely went back to picking up food herself.

When they had eaten most of the meal, Zhao Yu stood up. “You guys keep eating, I’ll go to the restroom.”

As soon as she left, Ning Songyi also set down his chopsticks and followed her toward the counter.

“Hello, I’d like to pay.”

Zhao Yu had just taken out her wallet when a large hand stopped her.

“I’ll do it.”

Before Zhao Yu could react, Ning Songyi had already handed over the money and meal tickets to the cashier.

“How can I let you… here, at least take my ticket.”

On the way back, Zhao Yu pulled the money and ticket from her pocket.

“No need.” Ning Songyi shook his head, then hesitated before speaking. “You… don’t remember me?”

Zhao Yu froze, her expression puzzled. She studied his gaze more carefully.

Suddenly—

A blurry face from her childhood sharpened in her mind.

“You’re… Brother Shitou!”

The tight frown on Ning Songyi’s face instantly relaxed, and an unfamiliar gentleness softened his voice. “It’s me.”

“Brother Shitou, didn’t your family move to Jing City? Why are you here?”

Realizing this was the childhood friend who had always looked out for her, Zhao Yu’s tone lightened.

“My parents were transferred here. I only found out after moving to Jing City with my grandfather.”

Ning Songyi leaned a little closer and asked quietly, “The letters I sent you—you didn’t read them?”

“Letters?”

Zhao Yu was stunned for a moment, then remembered. “After you left, my mom passed away. Even though my dad had divorced her, he came after the funeral and took me away, so…”

Ning Songyi nodded in understanding. Thinking of the kind auntie who had cared for him and knowing she had passed, his mood grew heavy. “My condolences.”

“It’s all in the past. I’m doing fine now.” Zhao Yu’s tone was light, and it didn’t sound forced at all.

“Fine? Then… what about Lu Jing?”

Having revealed who he was, Ning Songyi seemed to revert to his old habit of teasing her. His gaze carried a playful glint, his tone laced with mockery.

“Brother Shitou!” Zhao Yu flushed with both anger and embarrassment. “You’re making fun of me again. I’m not talking to you anymore!”

Seeing her stamping her feet, Ning Songyi pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh. He wanted to do what he used to as a child—reach out and pat her head.

But before he could—

“What are you two doing?!”

Lu Jing stormed over, angrily swatting away Ning Songyi’s hand just as it was about to touch Zhao Yu’s head.

“What are you doing!” Zhao Yu shoved him away hard, then turned to see Ning Songyi frowning and holding his wrist.

When he noticed her looking, he quickly lowered his hand and forced a smile. “I’m fine.”

Ye Heng and Ning Songyun, who had both walked over at the noise, sucked in a sharp breath at the same time.

Ning Songyun: This is my usually stone-faced brother, the one whose glare alone can stop kids from crying at night?

Ye Heng: This is my Brother Yi, who could break two ribs and still train without a change in expression?

Zhao Yu didn’t know about their shock. She only looked at Ning Songyi worriedly, noticing how tightly pressed his lips were from pain.

Lu Jing’s gaze lingered on the two of them, and realization dawned—mixed with sorrow.

“Brother Lu, you know each other?” Wang Lin, a comrade who had come with Lu Jing, walked up.

“Zhao Yu, my fiancée.” Lu Jing’s face carried a shadow of dejection.

He glanced at Zhao Yu, then quickly averted his eyes as if the sight of something shameful burned him.

“Zhao Yu, you didn’t suddenly break things off with me just because of Lin Shu. It’s also because of him, isn’t it?”

Wang Lin looked at the three of them in confusion, then his gaze landed on Ning Songyi.

“Isn’t this the commander’s grandson? Why’s he with your fiancée?”

As if something clicked in his mind, his eyes toward Zhao Yu turned scornful.

“What a joke.” Zhao Yu laughed coldly at his tone and expression.

“You chose to support the wife and daughter of the comrade who died for you, and now you want to drag me down with you? When I won’t go along, you turn around and blame me? Where’s your shame?”

“That’s my debt to repay. If you’re with me, why won’t you share the burden with me?”

“She’s not blind.”

Ning Songyi suddenly spoke. Just that one sentence was enough to snuff out the rest of Lu Jing’s words.

Zhao Yu, having grown up with him, wasn’t the least bit surprised by his sharp tongue.

In fact, because of that, the distance of nearly ten years apart seemed to vanish.

“No matter what, you can’t just toss aside Brother Lu for someone richer and more powerful like Ning Songyi!”

Wang Lin forced himself to speak, despite withering under Ning Songyi’s deadly stare.

“Yes, yes, I’m petty, I’m greedy, I chase after new things.”

Zhao Yu’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “But since you’re so righteous, when Lu Jing comes to borrow money or beg a favor to repay his so-called debt of gratitude, you’d better give him everything without hesitation.”

“Wha—what debt of gratitude?”