Who Wants to Love Bad Girls - Chapter 18

It was already two in the morning, and the hustle and bustle of Bahe Road had gradually faded away. Only occasionally could you see a few drunken figures stumbling down the street. Most of the shops had closed by now, and the surroundings had become particularly quiet, with only the murmurs of drunkards in the distance.

Ting Wan led Chi Jianyue around the corner and into a smaller alley. This area was a residential district, and despite the late hour, there was still a dumpling shop open underneath one of the old residential buildings. The dim streetlights cast a golden glow on the rising steam from the pots, carrying with it the tantalizing aroma of food. Chi Jianyue could truly feel her hunger now.

“Off work already? And who’s this little girl you brought with you today?” There was only an old man in the shop, and from Ting Wan’s tone, it seemed like she was a regular customer.

Ting Wan smiled and cleverly avoided his question. She greeted, “Uncle, we’ll have two bowls of chicken soup dumplings, please.”

“Alright!”

The dumpling shop was quite small, with the cooking pot placed by the roadside. Inside the shop, there were only three tables, and the environment was simple. Chi Jianyue sat down without any hesitation. The old man was quick and efficient, and soon two bowls of steaming hot dumplings were placed on the table. “Enjoy your meal.”

“Thank you.”

The freshly cooked dumplings were still very hot. Ting Wan used her spoon to stir them, causing the hot steam to quickly dissipate. She noticed that Chi Jianyue imitated her actions after being scalded, stirring her own bowl as well. The sound of the porcelain spoon hitting the bowl was not a good etiquette.

“Is this your first time eating at a place like this, Jianyue?” Ting Wan thought that Ojou-sama, who was used to a privileged life, might not be accustomed to it.

Unexpectedly, Chi Jianyue shook her head. “Actually, when I first started high school, I was… rebellious. I was tired of my life at home and always wanted to see what was outside.” She reminisced, her gaze becoming distant. “There’s a famous snack street near my school, near Yizhong. Are you from N City? People from N City should know about it.”

Ting Wan didn’t say anything, lowering her gaze to the floating dumplings in her bowl as she continued stirring with the porcelain spoon.

“After evening self-study, I would secretly avoid the driver and sneak off to the snack street. There were so many things that I couldn’t eat at home, all sold at the roadside stalls. There were also internet cafes and arcade shops. I would play until my family came looking for me… Those were the happiest days of my life.”

“But later, I found out that someone was always following me whenever I went to the snack street, intentionally waiting for me to finish playing before appearing to take me home. I was curious at the time how they could always find me so coincidentally…”

Ting Wan’s eyes sparkled with a smile. “Well, if rebelliousness only went to that extent, then family members can understand.” She finished speaking and pushed her bowl towards Chi Jianyue.

Chi Jianyue looked at her in confusion as she took her own bowl back. “What’s wrong?”

“You said you were hungry, right? This bowl is not as hot anymore, you can eat it.” Ting Wan scooped a spoonful and brought it to her lips. As Chi Jianyue had said, the soup was warm, just the right temperature. Ting Wan had been stirring to cool it down while listening to her talk.

The chicken soup was delicious and not greasy, perfect for warming the stomach after drinking. The corners of Chi Jianyue’s lips curved into a smile as she sipped the soup, stealing a glance at Ting Wan while lowering her head. Her heartbeat involuntarily quickened.

Perhaps it was due to hunger, or perhaps it was because of the pleasant atmosphere, but this bowl of dumplings tasted better than any other dumplings she had ever eaten.

As they were about to leave and settle the bill, Chi Jianyue was about to pay when Ting Wan quickly intervened and paid instead. “Let me treat you to a late-night snack. It’s not right for you to pay.”

The two of them walked along Bahe Road again, and Chi Jianyue was curious. “Do you often come to this dumpling shop?”

“Not many shops are still open on Bahe Road at this hour when people finish work and get hungry. They usually come here for a bowl of dumplings… Which hotel are you staying at?”

“What?” Chi Jianyue didn’t understand the connection between the conversation topic shift.

They had reached a bustling intersection, and there was no need to walk any further. Ting Wan stopped and turned to face her, reminding her, “You’ve bought my time for tonight.”

“Oh.” Chi Jianyue seemed to have just remembered, smiling as she replied, “It’s already over.”

“It’s over…?” Ting Wan was taken aback.

“I bought your time to have a late-night snack with me. Since we’ve finished eating, it’s over,” Chi Jianyue said matter-of-factly.

Ting Wan was momentarily lost for words. Her long lashes trembled slightly as she blinked, but in the end, she didn’t say anything and bid her farewell.

“Well, goodnight, Jianyue.”

“Goodnight.”