My Idol Turns Out To Be My Ex-Girlfriend - Chapter 33

The business at this Sichuan restaurant was booming, its large size owing to a prime location. It spanned two floors with a traditional Chinese loft aesthetic. Room Seven was a private booth, though the soundproofing left much to be desired. Since it was a weekend and the area was packed with tourists, boisterous chatter could be heard right through the walls.

As they headed up to the second floor, He Wenyu suddenly noticed Lin Sanyuan acting strange. She reached out to feel Sanyuan’s forehead. “Why is your face so red all of a sudden? You didn’t catch a cold playing in the snow, did you?”

Sanyuan was naturally fair,skinned, so any change in her complexion stood out immediately. Tang Hengzhi also turned to look at her. Sanyuan’s ears turned red as well, and she ducked her head, shrinking away from Wenyu’s hand.

She tried to defend herself, “I’m not that tired, and I wasn’t being… wild.”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?” Wenyu was confused, but then she heard Hengzhi let out a soft chuckle, the amusement in her eyes looking quite genuine. A moment later, Qiao Lian, who had been quiet most of the way, also let out a small laugh.

Wenyu stood there looking completely lost. Wait, what are you two laughing at? Why does everyone seem to understand her nonsense except me?

She was supposed to be Sanyuan’s future sister,in,law, they were supposed to be the closest ones here. Why did it feel like she was the “third wheel” dog caught between the three of them? Fine, fine, go ahead and form your little exclusive clique.

Before entering the room, Hengzhi gave her a sidelong glance, her voice light. “Try not to ‘drive’ so recklessly in the future.”

“Driving…”

Wenyu finally made the connection. Back at the ski resort, she had teased Sanyuan by asking why she was so tired, jokingly implying she had been “running wild” on Hengzhi’s lap all day.

“Holy crap! Does this kid really have such a long reaction soul?”

How was she supposed to hang out with them if she was always three steps behind? Yet, it was magical how the other two had picked up on the signal instantly.

Inside the booth, everyone had already arrived. Han Chun froze the moment he saw Tang Hengzhi walk in, looking completely caught off guard. He truly couldn’t imagine what a Sichuan restaurant like this had to offer that would entice her to make the trip.

Yang Jiayan, being quite calculating, didn’t look surprised by his reaction. She had clearly coordinated with her friend beforehand but hadn’t told him. Otherwise, he never would have chosen this place to eat. In a split second, Han Chun began to re,evaluate his opinion of Lin Sanyuan.

The booth was full of people, some familiar and others strangers. Han Chun was a master of social etiquette. He knew that in a public setting like this, it was better not to appear too eager or overbearing toward Hengzhi. He had to be patient. Opportunities to eat with her in private were rare, so he had to display his grace and cultivation. If he tried too hard and looked like a “simp,” it would backfire.

Han Chun pushed the menu toward them. “Does everyone want to add anything else?”

Since they were splitting the bill, they had already pre,ordered some dishes. Sanyuan didn’t stand on ceremony, she ordered some Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs and pushed the menu to Hengzhi.

Hengzhi didn’t order anything. She didn’t seem particularly interested in Sichuan cuisine and pushed the menu straight to Wenyu. Wenyu ordered Poached Sea Bass and asked Qiao Lian what she wanted. Qiao Lian just smiled and said the things she liked were already on the order. Hengzhi gave her a thoughtful look.

As the servers brought out the dishes, Han Chun and his friends opened a few bottles of beer to liven things up. Knowing Sanyuan didn’t drink, Yang Jiayan opened a bottle of Sprite to pour for the girls. When she reached for Hengzhi’s glass, Hengzhi waved her off with a smile, indicating she had hot water in her cup.

After playing all afternoon, Sanyuan was genuinely hungry. She usually liked Sichuan food, her uncle used to run a stir,fry shop with very strong flavors. However, since she started working, her irregular meals had left her with a sensitive stomach, so she couldn’t handle extremely spicy food anymore.

This restaurant was quite authentic. After just two bites of the Poached Beef, sweat began to bead on her nose. Even the green vegetables were coated in red chili oil. She didn’t touch the Sprite, she didn’t really feel like drinking it.

Hengzhi pulled out a tissue, wiped her hands, and then fished a blue,packaged can of Coke from her pocket, sliding it over to Sanyuan.

Sanyuan stared at her, stunned.

Hengzhi said softly, “I bought it this morning and forgot to drink it. Do you want it?”

Sanyuan took the Coke and popped it open. There was a faint hiss, but no bubbles surged out. Having been carried around in a pocket during a full day of snowboarding, the carbonation had long since vanished.

But Sanyuan actually liked it that way. She loved the taste of Coke but hated the carbonation, she always felt the bubbles were too harsh on her throat. She preferred the mild taste of flat Coke. In this weather, having been warmed in a pocket all day, it wasn’t hot, but it wasn’t ice,cold either.

“Teacher Tang, can you not handle spicy food?” Sanyuan noticed she hadn’t touched her chopsticks much. After just two bites, her lips were already bright red, making her look a bit pitiful.

“It’s alright,” Hengzhi murmured, pressing her lips together.

Sanyuan said, “You shouldn’t drink hot water when eating Sichuan food, it makes the spice feel worse. Would you like a drink?” She remembered Hengzhi had refused the Sprite earlier and wondered if she just didn’t like soda. She thought about calling a server for some coconut milk or fruit juice.

“Okay.”

To her surprise, Hengzhi agreed immediately. She leaned over to pour the hot water from her glass into the waste basin and pushed the empty glass toward Sanyuan. Her gaze fell on the Coke in Sanyuan’s hand, and she smiled gently. “Thank you.”

Uh… does she want the Coke?

Sanyuan instinctively lifted the can and poured it into her glass. The table suddenly went silent.

Sanyuan felt several pairs of eyes snap toward her. She realized with a jolt that she had already been drinking from that can. Before her sluggish brain could react, the other woman took the filled glass.

Hengzhi acted as if she hadn’t noticed the sudden hush and took a sip. Qiao Lian kept her head down, eating a rib, her expression calm as she refused to follow the others’ gaze. Wenyu opened her mouth to speak, but then just let out a sigh.

Sanyuan felt a vague sense that she had just done something very stupid.

Han Chun cleared his throat and said with a smile, “So… you and Teacher Tang are pretty close, huh?”

“Not… not really…” The reflexive answer almost made Sanyuan bite her tongue. It was such an awkward thing to say. After the woman had spent the whole afternoon teaching her to snowboard and didn’t even mind sharing her Coke, saying they “weren’t close” felt ungrateful and rude.

Sanyuan quickly pivoted. “I mean, it’s mostly that I’m a big fan of Teacher Tang. I’ve liked her for a long time.”

It’s fine. If Han Chun can’t win her over, I can at least be a supportive fan. We’re both girls, so being a ‘fan’ is perfectly normal and not embarrassing at all.

“Is that so?”

It wasn’t Han Chun who spoke, but Hengzhi. She leaned back in her chair, holding the glass loosely in her lap. She turned her head, a slight curve at the corner of her lips. “How long have you liked me?”

Sanyuan was terrified she was going to follow up with something like, I like you too, I’m your fan as well. If she said that to Sanyuan in private, it would be fine, but if others heard it, Sanyuan felt she would look like a joke.

“Ah, hahahaha, I’ve been following you for over a year? I’ve been really lucky.”

Hengzhi’s gaze dropped. Her elegant, refined face was cast in shadow by the overhead lights, and she didn’t say anything more.

Han Chun, sensing an opening, raised his glass to toast Sanyuan. “You understand art as well?”

Sanyuan raised her Coke in return, not daring to mention she liked to draw. After all, there was a definite hierarchy of snobbery between drawing comics and “Fine Art.”

“I wouldn’t say I understand it. I just like creators who are beautiful and multi,talented.”

Han Chun was good at keeping the conversation going. He joked, “I agree, Teacher Tang is very beautiful. Even though she hasn’t been in a relationship for years, I hear she has no shortage of suitors. Actually, ‘suitors’ sounds a bit tacky for her. She has many loyal admirers, all of whom are very accomplished, the elites of their industries.”

Sanyuan felt like he was subtly bragging about being one of those “elites.” She gave a hollow laugh, truly not knowing how to talk to a high,EQ socialite like him.

“Have a shrimp.” At that moment, Hengzhi finished peeling a prawn and placed it in Sanyuan’s bowl, even thoughtfully dipping it in the vinegar sauce for her.

“Thank you.” Relieved by the distraction, Sanyuan focused on eating.

Hengzhi slowly peeled a second shrimp, asking casually, “Do you want some sweet and sour ribs? I can get some for you.” Once the shrimp was peeled, she placed it in Wenyu’s bowl.

Wenyu looked completely flattered.

Sanyuan shook her head. “No ribs for me, I’m not a fan.”

She preferred savory, braised styles. When it came to sweet meat dishes, she only liked Cantonese food. Anything else with too much sugar felt greasy to her. She had been this way for years.

Hengzhi hummed in response and went back to peeling shrimp in silence. She seemed to grow even quieter. There was a hint of… something indescribable, a faint sadness about her.

Sanyuan felt increasingly uncomfortable. Even though Hengzhi was just chatting normally, Sanyuan felt like the woman’s attitude toward her, considering this was only their second meeting, was polite yet carried a strange undertone.

Ugh, there I go being self-absorbed again.

It wasn’t like Hengzhi was only doing it for her. She was giving food to Wenyu and pouring drinks for Qiao Lian too. Even in a circle of strangers, she remained a very considerate person. Sanyuan told herself to stop overthinking, it was rude to just sit there and let people feed her without giving anything back.

She scanned the table and spun the lazy susan. She picked up a piece of steamed okra and placed it in Hengzhi’s bowl.

“Teacher Tang, do you eat okra? This isn’t spicy.”

After placing it, she suddenly worried if the woman had any dietary restrictions. It would be awkward to take it back, so she whispered, “If you don’t want to eat it, you can give it back to me.”

Hengzhi had been staring at the okra in her bowl, but hearing that, she couldn’t help but laugh. She gave Sanyuan a quick, playful glance. “I’m not giving it back.”

Sanyuan never had a large appetite. By the time the table was half,empty, she was full. Having drunk half a can of Coke, her stomach felt tight. She excused herself to Jiayan and headed to the restroom.

Support