Dating My Drama Queen Girlfriend On A Slow-Paced Variety Show - Chapter 38

“Mmph, mmph!”

“Mmph…mmph..mmph! Wuu-wuu…” Luo Mingzi patted Li Yue’s wrist, delivering a frantic sequence of sign language.

Passing pedestrians looked back at them curiously, offering friendly, amused smiles.

“Mmph!” Luo Mingzi signaled: If you don’t let go, I’m going to start clawing and biting!

Li Yue finally released her hand. She calmly watched the girl, who was now purposely opening her mouth to take exaggerated gulps of air. Li Yue pulled a tissue from her pocket and began to wipe her fingers with slow, methodical precision.

She started it, and she has the nerve to act disgusted by me! Luo Mingzi hummed indignantly at Li Yue, then looked around with curiosity.

They were standing on a backstreet behind the bars. A river wound its way behind a green stone railing, its banks lined with willow trees. The neon atmosphere of the nightlife suddenly felt more classical here, besides the quiet bars, the riverside was dotted with various elegant restaurants.

Luo Mingzi’s eyes darted around. Seeing Li Yue crumpling the tissue and looking for a trash can, she asked with a giggle, “Li Yueyue, are you hungry?”

Who is Li Yueyue? Li Yue glanced back at the beaming Luo Mingzi and raised her arm.

Swish.

The paper ball arched through the air in a perfect white curve, hitting Luo Mingzi square on the head. Luo Mingzi let out an “Ouch,” caught the falling paper, and said huffily, “You’re so mean.”

“If I’m so mean, why are you still following?” Li Yue said suddenly. Adjusting her guitar bag, she turned and walked away. Luo Mingzi hurried to keep up, whispering, “I’ll follow, I’ll follow.”

She followed Li Yue onto a bridge. Suddenly, Li Yue stopped, surveyed the street, and eventually walked into a Japanese ramen shop.

The shop was very quiet. The staff politely and warmly led them to a small booth. The booth was right by the water, opening the window revealed pleasure boats drifting across the river, their red lanterns reflecting the lights of the shops on the banks.

Li Yue handed the menu to Luo Mingzi and said, “Order.”

Luo Mingzi held the menu, her beautiful eyes fixed on Li Yue’s face. The light in the ramen shop was a warm, cozy yellow, bathing Li Yue in a soft glow. She had taken off her hat, her medium-length hair was casually tied back, the dark strands shimmering under the light. Under the warm glow, her expression lost a bit of its usual coldness.

“Wait!” Luo Mingzi said immediately, grabbing her phone to snap a photo of Li Yue.

Li Yue: “Tsk.”

“You’re just too good-looking, I couldn’t help it!” Luo Mingzi’s tone was cheerful as she admired the photos on her phone. It was as if her finger was glued to the shutter button, she even captured the moment Li Yue frowned and turned her head away in annoyance. She giggled, put her phone down, and teased, “Have you finally melted? Are you actually treating me to dinner?”

Li Yue rested her chin on her hand, looking out the window. She said softly, “My treat.”

Luo Mingzi froze for a second, stealing a glance at Li Yue. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, her face felt a little warm, and her heart began to thump. Unable to suppress her excitement, she said, “Then I won’t be polite!”

Li Yue turned her head, her gaze landing on Luo Mingzi.

Since their first meeting, when Luo Mingzi’s shoe got “stuck” in a manhole cover, she had never worn high heels again. However, her outfits never repeated, she appeared before Li Yue every day meticulously dressed.

Li Yue lowered her lashes, took a sip of the barley tea on the table, pulled out her phone, and opened the campus forum.

The page was still on the search results for “Luo Mingzi.” The top post asked curiously if Luo Mingzi was in a relationship, noting how she dressed up beautifully for class every day, leaving everyone in a state of “unrest.”

Li Yue scrolled down and clicked on a few related threads. Among countless photos, her finger stopped on one: the girl in a military green short-sleeved shirt tucked into her waistband, her hair slightly messy after taking off a hat, blown by the wind as she looked back with a look of pure, innocent confusion, the quintessential “first love” look.

She scrolled up again. In many photos, Luo Mingzi wore simple yet beautiful clothes. Perhaps because she was naturally beautiful, everything looked good on her, but in the photos, Luo Mingzi often relied on her exquisite features and went out with a bare face. The photos were taken in various corners of South Sea University.

Li Yue turned off her phone and looked across the table.

The meticulously made-up Luo Mingzi was frowning slightly, her hydrated pink lips parted as her dark eyes focused intently on the tablet. Her fair fingers swiped back and forth on the ordering screen. Li Yue watched as she added a side dish, then removed it.

“Order if you want it,” Li Yue raised an eyebrow. “I have money.”

Luo Mingzi looked up warily. “Is there another 200,000?”

“…”

Li Yue reached for a tissue, calmly crumpled it into a ball, and threw it at Luo Mingzi’s face amidst her apologetic laughter.

“Fine, I really won’t be polite then!” Luo Mingzi thought to herself: I’ll order first, then sneak out to pay the bill later.

Li Yue placed her phone face down on the table. “Order. I’m going to the restroom.”

By the time she returned, the staff had already begun serving the food. Luo Mingzi jumped up. “I’m going to wash my hands!”

Li Yue gave a non-committal hum and took the hot towel from the waiter to wipe her hands.

The blue and white bowls held steaming tonkotsu ramen. Three slices of fatty chashu pork lay atop the broth, and other delicate fried side dishes were arranged on pretty small plates.

Li Yue set down the towel. Just then, she heard the “thump-thump-thump” of footsteps. Someone ran up from behind and flopped down beside her, saying huffily, “How could you do that!”

“What?” Li Yue feigned ignorance, tilting her head to look at Luo Mingzi.

Luo Mingzi tilted her head too, her pout deepening as she stared straight at Li Yue.

The warm yellow light fell quietly over them. Luo Mingzi’s arm was pressed against Li Yue’s body. She puffed out her cheeks and whispered, “Nothing.”

Her face gradually turned red as she crawled back to the opposite side to sit cross-legged.

Li Yue seemed not to notice and lowered her eyes to pick up her chopsticks.

Ten seconds later, her brow furrowed.

Opposite her, Luo Mingzi also wore a shocked expression. She pulled a tissue to cover her mouth. Li Yue looked at Luo Mingzi, the two stared at each other.

“Um… it’s a bit strange,” Luo Mingzi whispered. Her gaze moved from the noodles to the exquisite-looking side dishes. She tentatively reached out with her chopsticks.

Two minutes later, Li Yue wiped her mouth, grabbed her guitar bag, and stood up. “Let’s go.”

Not eating? Even though it was terrible, this was the first time Li Yue had invited her to dinner! And she had already paid so much money!

Luo Mingzi thought with a bit of heartache: Something this nasty is going to cost Li Yue the wages from two songs!

Seeing she wasn’t moving, Li Yue stood at the door and said impatiently, “Are you coming or not?”

“Oh… okay.” Luo Mingzi was reluctant to leave, thinking maybe she should just pretend it was delicious so they could stay a bit longer.

Li Yue said, “We’re switching places.”

Luo Mingzi’s eyes lit up. “Coming!”

As they walked out, the staff behind the counter looked mournful. Without saying much, they pleadingly handed over a feedback form. “We are in our trial period. Please help us by filling out a review.”

Li Yue had intended to leave directly, but seeing Luo Mingzi smilingly accept the form, she stopped. After Luo Mingzi finished writing, she handed the pen and paper to Li Yue, clearly wanting her to write something too.

A bit curious about what she had written, Li Yue didn’t refuse. She looked down.

Luo Mingzi had written: “The environment is very beautiful, very beautiful, very, very beautiful! The service is very thoughtful, very, very thoughtful!”

“Heh.” Li Yue’s lips curled slightly. Below the pretty handwriting, she wrote with a flourish:

“Change professions as soon as possible.”

As they handed the form back, Luo Mingzi grabbed Li Yue’s hand and rushed out, laughing. She said to Li Yue, “You are so blunt!”

Having spent 650 but effectively earning 400, Li Yue had no intention of being polite. She had originally thought the shop would be peaceful, but after leaving, she realized it was too quiet compared to the other shops.

Learning her lesson, Li Yue asked Luo Mingzi, “What do you want to eat?”

Luo Mingzi rubbed her hands together and squinted her eyes.

Half an hour later, a taxi pulled up at a restaurant facing the street. Li Yue got out and followed Luo Mingzi. A waiter in a white shirt and waistcoat opened the door with a smile, asking warmly, “Do you have a reservation?”

Luo Mingzi produced a gold card. The waiter’s smile grew even warmer as he led them through the foyer. Passing the elegant front desk, they heard a staff member politely tell two other guests: “Are you two a couple? This month is our founder’s 20th wedding anniversary. Couples visiting us not only get a discount but also a bouquet of roses as a blessing for your love.”

Luo Mingzi looked curiously at the young man and woman holding hands. The boy said shyly, “We are a couple.”

“Then could you please kiss each other to prove it?” the staff member asked with a smile.

The girl stood on her tiptoes and kissed the shy boy on the cheek.

Luo Mingzi’s eyes widened instantly. She whipped her head around to stare at the waiter leading them. She had been so distracted watching the others that she didn’t realize there was a chair pulled out right in front of her. Fortunately, Li Yue, who was behind her, reached out and pulled her back just in time to avoid a disaster.

“Thank you,” Luo Mingzi said bashfully.

Li Yue’s gaze fell on Luo Mingzi, a flicker of light in her eyes. Finally, she reached out, turned Luo Mingzi around, and placed her palm on her shoulder, pushing her forward.

“Watch where you’re going, Sima Mingzi.”