Chapter Thirty-Six: An Uninvited Guest?

Chapter 36: Uninvited Guests?

Walking to the entrance of the cold drink shop, I hesitated for a long time, but ultimately could not summon the courage to step inside. It wasn't because of any shattered dreams, but rather the memory of her departure.

I told Goddess Su to take Xiao Ya inside for whatever she wanted to eat and to just call me when it was time to pay. Su Xuefei didn’t seem surprised by my sudden change of plans; she simply nodded and, holding the hand of a confused Xiao Ya, walked into the old-fashioned shop.

I sat alone on the carpeted steps outside, lit a cigarette, and tried to empty my mind, passing the lonely time in idle boredom.

After a yawn, I lost track of how much time had passed until Su Xuefei finally emerged with Li Xiao Ya. I stood up naturally, ready to go in and settle the bill.

"It's already paid," Su Xuefei said, waving her hand while tugging at my sleeve. "Did you really think I’d come to your place just to eat and drink for free?"

I scratched my head and chuckled sheepishly. "How was the drink?"

Su Xuefei hesitated for a moment before answering, "It was quite good, but still falls just a little short compared to yours."

I knew she was being sincere, not just trying to be polite. Regardless of how things were now, I remained quite confident in Yang Xiaoyu’s craft.

"It’s not just the flavor, really. It’s that something is missing from the drinks here," Su Xuefei added after a moment of thought.

"What’s missing?"

"It’s hard to say. It’s like there’s a philosophy inside. For example, before I left your shop, I once ordered a drink called 'Survival After Disaster.' After drinking it, it gave one a sense of the ups and downs of life, the bitterness giving way to sweetness." Su Xuefei gazed at the shop’s sign, lost in thought. "It’s hard to express in words—it’s just that kind of feeling that brings a moment of enlightenment."

I nodded, not denying it. When the shop first opened, I often sampled Yang Xiaoyu’s creations and had felt the same way. That was precisely what I admired most about her: the ability to convey such intricate human emotions through nothing more than the sense of taste.

Afterward, I took Su Xuefei and Li Xiao Ya for a tour of my old middle school. Because my grades were poor and I couldn't get into a good school, I had spent four years at a run-down junior high in Jinlan. I only went to another province for high school, which was where I met Su Xuefei.

The afternoon wasn't exactly filled with surprises, but it was fulfilling. Before I knew it, evening had arrived—the time when most families sat down for dinner.

I remembered that Naonao had invited us to dinner, so I pulled out my phone to check the time and location. Before I could even find her number, Su Xuefei gently pulled my arm.

"What's wrong?"

"I think... I’d better not go."

I looked at a hesitant Su Xuefei in surprise. "How did you know I was calling Naonao and not someone else?"

"Do I look that stupid?"

"No, no, Goddess Su. I just think you’re too smart. You knew exactly what I was about to do without any hint."

"It wasn't without a hint. You looked at the time on your phone, then put it away, which meant you hadn't remembered the dinner until then. Then you took it out again to make a call, which meant you remembered something you’d forgotten that had to happen at this time... Connecting that to earlier events, the answer was obvious!" Su Xuefei explained her thought process as if it were nothing.

Though it was a simple deduction, it was enough to shake my "bad student" heart. I gave her a thumbs-up. "Top-tier student totally crushes the underachiever!"

"What top-tier student... you're just too slow," she teased, sticking out her tongue before returning to the previous topic. "Yang Chen, I really don’t think I should attend. This is a reunion between two childhood sweethearts after a long time apart. It would be awkward for an outsider like me to show up... besides..."

"Are you still bothered by the little friction between you and Naonao earlier today?" I saw right through her. All that talk about "childhood sweethearts" was nonsense.

Hearing that, Su Xuefei stopped trying to explain and looked at me, waiting for an answer.

I patted her soft shoulder and laughed, "Don’t take it to heart. Naonao has that kind of personality—straightforward and blunt—but she’s a good person. She won’t hold a grudge over something so small. Come with me." Su Xuefei didn't answer, still hesitant, so I added, "Besides, surely Goddess Su isn't a petty person, right? Like she said, it wasn't a big deal. Let’s make peace?"

"Alright then..." Su Xuefei was finally convinced and let go of my hand.

I dialed Naonao’s number and asked for the time and location. Even though she had told me earlier to pick anywhere, I wasn't shameless enough to actually do it. Even though we used to be close, years had passed, and the bond had faded.

We took a taxi, dropping Li Xiao Ya off at my home first before heading to the restaurant. We didn't do it for any other reason than the fact that the occasion wasn't suitable for a child; the conversation might touch on topics with a negative influence. People grow up eventually, but no adult has the right to alter a child's innocence or force a change in their psychology.

When we entered the restaurant, to our surprise, Naonao and her boyfriend, Liu Yi, hadn't booked a private room but were sitting at a table in the main hall. Even more baffling, there was a group of strangers sitting with them.

As we approached, I frowned at the sight of the table.

The food was mostly gone, and piles of beer bottles littered the floor. It was clear that this gathering had nothing to do with me. Without thinking, I had walked into the room only to become the biggest joke of the night.

"Oh... I’m so sorry. I didn't think you two would actually come. I thought Brother Yang would take the Goddess to some high-end place for a candlelight dinner or something. I never expected you to really show up at our little joint!" Seeing us standing there, Liu Yi offered a mocking, insincere smile.

"Liu Yi, are you tired of living, you idiot?" Naonao pouted and playfully slapped his arm, then turned to me with a sheepish smile. "Yang Chen, this is my fault. I agreed earlier, but then my friends suddenly wanted to get together, and I just..."

"It’s fine," I said, my voice calm. "Everyone, enjoy your meal. We were a bit presumptuous. I’ll treat you all to a meal another time. I have things to attend to, so I’ll be going."

"With such a pretty babe in tow, what could you possibly be busy with? Probably heading off to..." A fat man who was clearly drunk stood up and made a lewd gesture.

"Say that one more time?" I sneered, stepping forward. I was half a head taller than him and looked down at him coldly.

"Yang Chen?" Liu Yi stood up, wearing the same mocking expression. "Siqi used to tell me how great you were, how kind and gentle. Looking at you now, is this all there is to it?"

I looked toward Naonao, who sat beside him, but she was busy looking down at something, refusing to meet my eyes.

"What I’m like has nothing to do with you. Just worry about yourself." I finished, tightened my grip on Su Xuefei’s hand, and started to walk out.

"What a waste, a beautiful flower trampled by a pig!" The fat man let out a boisterous laugh, staring lewdly at Su Xuefei’s back. "Those legs, that ass—I could play with that for a month!"

"You’re dead meat!" I told Su Xuefei to go on ahead and lunged forward.

I had been annoyed the moment I saw the mess on the table; any excuse was just bullshit. This was a blatant insult! I didn't care what they did to me, but how dare they insult Su Xuefei? She was so clean and pure—how could trash like them speak her name?

"Yang Chen..." Su Xuefei called out softly from behind, but I ignored her. I grabbed the foul-mouthed fat man and slammed him onto the table, sending beer bottles and plates crashing to the floor.

"Hypocrite, resorting to violence now?" Liu Yi sneered, turning to Naonao. "This is the guy who used to chase after you so desperately. Take a good look at what he’s turned into."

"Yang Chen, let him go..." Naonao looked up at my angry display, stood up, and whispered, "Let’s talk this through. Just let him go."

"Talk it through? Your friend just talked to her like that, and you—what do you take me for?" I looked at Naonao, my grip loosening slightly.

"Can you stop disappointing me?" Naonao seemed not to hear me. She walked up to me and pleaded.

"Naonao, what is wrong with you?" I shoved the fat man away and turned to the pale-faced Naonao, grabbing her shoulders tightly. I couldn't help but roar, "What is wrong with you! My friend was insulted, didn't you hear?"

"Yang Chen... let’s go home." Su Xuefei, who had been standing at the door, walked over and gently took my trembling hand, offering me a faint smile. "Let’s go."