Chapter 319 - 160: Don’t Be Like This, Okay?

Chapter 319: Chapter 160: Don’t Be Like This, Okay?

"Her husband, Qin Liheng, was an impressive man himself. A Tsinghua graduate from the ’50s or ’60s, he knew several languages. I heard he joined the army and made quite a name for himself during the Vietnam War. It’s just a shame... he never had any descendants."

「Meanwhile.」

Reba was on the phone with Su Ran, telling him that thanks to him, she had landed a high-quality role. She promised to treat him to dinner next time.

"A trashy show?"

"What are you talking about? It’s a high-quality xianxia drama."

"Oh."

"What do you mean, ’oh’?"

"It means it’s about a bunch of immortals, where the guys are all ethereal pretty boys in flowing white robes, and the girls are all sweet, simple-minded damsels. They spend all day talking about how it’s their duty to save the world, but in reality, all they do is chase romance, right?"

"...So you’ve got a real prejudice against xianxia dramas, huh?"

"A huge one. But I’m sure you can make something different."

They chatted for a little longer before hanging up.

’It was no trouble at all. Using my influence to help a friend create opportunities is a good thing.’

Su Ran: [Aunt Luo, thank you for giving Reba this opportunity.]

Aunt Luo: [If she can’t act, she’s out.]

’This old lady is pretty fierce.’

Su Ran didn’t chat any further. He replied, [Happy New Year], then went downstairs to go grocery shopping with Shan Weizi and the others so they could cook a meal.

His days with the Shan Family were quite leisurely. When he wasn’t eating, he was keeping the three generations of women company. Su Ran even started to feel like a male escort.

「Time flew. In the blink of an eye, the Spring Festival had passed, and the start of the semester was only a few days away.」

Su Ran had stayed with the Shan Family for a few days, leaving the day before New Year’s Eve. He was a traditional man; one should spend the New Year at home. Even though his house was cold and empty with just him, a home couldn’t be vacant during the New Year.

For his New Year’s Eve dinner, Su Ran invited Old Qin over to eat, thinking two bachelors could muddle through the holiday together.

’The old man is getting more and more eccentric,’ he thought. ’It must be his age.’

During his days at home, Su Ran often hung out with Ning Wenwen. Sometimes they’d go out for a nice meal, other times they’d catch a movie. Life was incredibly pleasant. ’I love this long-overdue single life. It’s fantastic!’

Winter gave way to spring, and all of nature began to reawaken. It was also the season for animals to go into heat.

In the Shanglin Fu District, two small poodles were doing things that couldn’t be described on this platform.

Chuyuan.

The snow had long since melted, and tender buds were sprouting from the withered branches. A cleaning company had tidied up the courtyard the day before Su Ran moved back in, leaving it spotless.

「Afternoon.」

In the courtyard.

One man, a cup of tea, a wicker chair, and a book.

Su Ran was basking in the lazy afternoon sun, flipping through an old book. It was one of several he had recently dug up at a used book market, all of them about food.

Su Ran was a foodie.

But having tried what felt like every delicacy under the sun, he found it wasn’t as exciting anymore. Lately, he wanted to try some ancient cooking methods and savor the cuisine of the past.

"...I wonder what this cherry-braised pork tastes like."

Su Ran licked his lips, his mouth watering at the thought.

As for whether the ingredients were in season, Su Ran couldn’t care less. With his kind of money, he could get his hands on anything. The joys of being wealthy were truly beyond the average person’s imagination.

"I’ll try this cherry-braised pork tonight."

Su Ran set down the book, got up, and grabbed the keys to his Yadea electric scooter to head out for groceries.

Sometimes he drove his sports car, sometimes his G-Wagon, and other times, his electric scooter.

As the start of the semester drew near, the streets filled with students lugging bags of all sizes. Their jeans seemed to be bulging a bit, too—everyone had eaten well over the New Year and put on some weight.

...

Shanghai Dance Academy.

A bus pulled up to the stop at the school gate.

"Ah... Don’t rush, don’t rush! This is so annoying..." The crowd was a sea of people with luggage. Liu Jinyu didn’t even know how she got off the bus; she’d probably just been squeezed out.

Oof!

She fell on her butt, rubbing it as she stood up and patted the dust off her jeans. "What’s with all the pushing?" she muttered. She put on her mask, grabbed her suitcase, and blended into the massive crowd of returning students heading into the school. Taking a deep breath, she was greeted by a familiar scent. Liu Jinyu had been waiting for this day for a long time. At home, it was nothing but visiting relatives, one after another. Or worse, her mom would trot her out: ’Jinyu, dance a little for the aunties.’ She was almost twenty, yet her mom still used her as a bragging right, just like when she was a little girl. Liu Jinyu was truly at a loss for words.

Dragging her heavy luggage back to the women’s dormitory building, she arrived at the door of Room 404 and kicked it open with a BANG. "Lalala, this young lady is back..."

Inside the dorm room.

Xiao Wanqing was lying on her bed with her legs crossed, counting how much New Year’s money she’d received. The more she counted, the more excited and happy she became; she had no time to bother with "the fish."

Aina, who had just showered, was wrapped in a bath towel and blow-drying her hair. She looked toward the door, her eyes scanning the newcomer from top to bottom.

’Her legs are a little thicker. Makes her look even better in those tight jeans.’

’Her waist is a bit thicker, too. A little more meat on her bones.’

’Her chest is still the same. A C-cup, I’d say.’

’Overall, she looks fuller than before. Starting to get that soft, curvy look like Nai Xiao.’

’This holiday weight is a death blow for a dance student. But it’s no big deal; two weeks of intense practice and she’ll be back to being whip-thin.’

Aina walked over. "What’s with the mask?"

Liu Jinyu said, "I ate too much hot pot and got a few pimples. Yiren, did you miss me?"

"Nope."

"Heh." Liu Jinyu let go of her suitcase and stalked forward. Xie Yiren clutched her bath towel and backed away two steps until she was cornered. Liu Jinyu yanked the towel away. Xie Yiren spun in place twice, trying to cover herself. "Liu Jinyu, are you trying to die? Came back with a big temper after eating a couple of hot pot meals, did you?"

Liu Jinyu reached out and groped her ample chest. "Gotten bold, have we? How dare you not miss me! Believe it or not, I could take you right here, right now!"

’Holy crap...’

’Xie Yiren really had to hand it to them. It was bad enough that Western Aina was a pervert who liked these kinds of lesbian games, but now Liu Jinyu was into it too. Did they really think she, Xie Yiren, was some kind of ’public bus’ for the three of them to fool around with whenever they pleased?’

’You want to play, do you?’

’It wasn’t like Xie Yiren didn’t know how to play back.’

She boldly dropped her hands from her chest and shoved Liu Jinyu, who stumbled back and fell into her gaming chair. Before Liu Jinyu could get up, Xie Yiren pinned her there, planting one long leg domineeringly on a nearby suitcase. She lifted Liu Jinyu’s chin with one hand. "You stinking fish, feeling bold now, are we? Believe it or not, ’Daddy’ is gonna play you to death tonight."

Liu Jinyu covered her nose and waved her hand in front of her face. "Phew. The ’white tiger’ from Guizhou is pretty pungent."

Pfft!

Up on the top bunk, Xiao Wanqing, who had been counting her money, let out a snort and lost it. She poked her head over the edge to look at the exposed Xie Yiren, her laughter devolving into a goose-like honk.

Xie Yiren immediately flared up. "I just took a shower! I’m perfectly clean! Pungent my ass!"

With that, she snapped her head up and pointed angrily at Xiao Wanqing, who was still laughing. "And you, Miss ’Sliver-of-Sky,’ can shut up!"

"Holy crap, you are so dead."

Blushing furiously, Xiao Wanqing grabbed a pillow and hurled it at Xie Yiren.

BAM!

The door was thrown open again.

Aina returned with the body wash she’d bought from the convenience store, freezing at the door, dumbstruck. "Yiren, since when were you so uninhibited?"

"I... This is all Liu Jinyu’s fault." Xie Yiren grabbed for the bath towel to cover herself.

"Where do you think you’re going?" Liu Jinyu pulled Xie Yiren into her lap. Xie Yiren struggled, but Liu Jinyu held her in a death grip.

The door clicked shut.

Xie Yiren glanced around in terror. She saw Aina approaching, cracking her knuckles, and Xiao Wanqing climbing down from her bed to join in.

"What are you guys doing? I’m warning you... Hahaha, that tickles...!"