My Idol Turns Out To Be My Ex-Girlfriend - Chapter 47

The specialty snacks of South Town are famous, and usually, many visitors from out of town make a point of driving here just to buy them. But the point was, today wasn’t a usual day, it was only two days before the Lunar New Year.

Lin Sanyuan sensed that Tang Hengzhi wasn’t being entirely honest.

She frowned, her tone slightly cautious as she asked, “Is Teacher Tang spending New Year’s with He Wenyu too?”

Tang Hengzhi froze for a moment, then let out a low, soft laugh. “You’re quite good at catching the important details.”

Sanyuan found it a bit much to handle when Hengzhi laughed like that, standing amidst the brilliant city lights. Her ears began to burn, and she lowered her head, whispering, “So, did you manage to buy any?”

“No,” Hengzhi shook her head gently. “The shop on Hongyang Road seems to be closed.”

That shop on Hongyang Road was tiny and old, but it had been there for years. It wasn’t exactly famous; it was just a small place run by an elderly grandmother. Tourists wouldn’t typically go to a back-alley shop like that for dengzhan ciba, they’d head to the local specialty stores. Only a few locals knew that the grandmother’s snacks were handmade and tasted much more authentic and delicious than the commercial versions.

Sanyuan was surprised that Hengzhi was so familiar with this small town, but she was also a bit speechless. “Her grandson is probably coming home for the New Year. How could she still be open at a time like this? You came too late.”

Hengzhi tilted her head slightly, her smile appearing somewhat absentminded. “I forgot.”

How could you forget that? Are you even Chinese? Should I report you and see if you’re a spy sent from another country? Sanyuan thought jokingly.

She stood up from the bench in the corridor. “There are some for sale in this mall too, though the texture and taste are a bit worse since they’re machine-made. But since we’re already here, we shouldn’t leave empty-handed. How about I show you, Teacher Tang?”

Hengzhi blinked and looked at her. “Would that be too much trouble for you?”

Sanyuan answered instinctively, “It’s no trouble at all, I’m not doing anything…”

Wait. Actually, she was doing something. She was on a blind date.

Help… Sanyuan’s habit of feeling awkward flared up again.

The words Hengzhi had said to her that night suddenly flashed through her mind: ‘You said you didn’t want to be a lesbian, you wanted to go home for blind dates and have kids, and then you dumped me.’

The first time she had ever dumped someone in her life, her reason was exactly this: a blind date. And now, she was actually on a blind date, and she had been caught red-handed by the very ex she had jilted.

Sanyuan felt incredibly guilty, her eyes darting repeatedly toward the guy in the pool hall. As luck would have it, the young man who had just leaned over to make a shot stood up, and his gaze collided directly with Sanyuan’s.

He saw the person standing next to her and paused, his expression full of surprise. He quickly pushed open the door and stepped out.

“Sanyuan, did you run into a friend? Do you want to come in and play together?”

In truth, it wasn’t just him. From the moment Tang Hengzhi had stopped in front of the pool hall, her presence through the thin glass windows had already attracted the stolen glances of many people inside. Even in a place as glitzy and distracting as Shanghai, her looks would be considered a rare masterpiece. In a small county town nestled against the mountains, her ethereal aura and appearance were nothing short of striking.

The guy Sanyuan was meeting today wasn’t a talkative person. He was low-key and steady, but that steadiness usually came with a fair amount of calm confidence. Among his circle of friends, he played pool with effortless skill. Yet, despite his clear interest in Tang Hengzhi, he didn’t dare let his gaze linger on her for too long.

Tang Hengzhi was just that kind of magical presence. She was so exceptional that she didn’t need words or actions to make a confident man feel small and cautious.

Sanyuan didn’t ask if Hengzhi wanted to go in and play, she didn’t want the secondhand smoke inside to touch her. “We won’t play. You should get back to hosting your classmates and friends.”

Since they were from the same county, there wasn’t really much “hosting” to do. The guy caught Sanyuan’s underlying meaning. He explained somewhat unnaturally, “She and I… we aren’t in that kind of relationship.”

Hengzhi lightly picked at the milk tea bag, poking a tiny hole with her finger, and glanced at Sanyuan. We… she thought. She let out a subtle, silent smile.

Sanyuan didn’t notice this and continued, “We both have friends here today, so we’re even. I won’t tell our parents about this.”

The guy froze, and after a long moment, he exhaled and laughed. “Same here.”

After saying goodbye to her “target” for the day, the weight on Sanyuan’s chest lifted considerably. She turned to Hengzhi. “Ready?”

She wasn’t entirely sure. She didn’t know if seeing her on a blind date would make Hengzhi feel disgusted or resentful.

“Let’s go,” Hengzhi handed the milk tea back to her, her lips curving into a smile. “After all, I’m not very familiar with this place.”

Sanyuan didn’t believe her for a second. She seemed to know the old Hongyang Road area well enough, and this was the only large shopping mall in town, so how could she not know it? But Sanyuan didn’t bother calling her out.

She inserted the straw, getting ready to drink the tea, when she noticed the small hole poked in the bag. She couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Hengzhi looked at her in confusion.

Sanyuan pressed her lips together to stifle her laughter. “It’s nothing, I just didn’t expect Teacher Tang to be so much like a child.”

She poked her finger through the small hole, wiggling her pale knuckle slightly. Her soft eyelids drooped, hiding a faint smile. “Do you know? When we have banquets in the countryside, with those big round tables, they always cover them with disposable plastic cloths. Kids love to use their fingers to poke holes in them.”

Hengzhi’s eyebrows twitched, looking a bit lost. She had never been to a countryside banquet and didn’t know what those table covers looked like. Being compared to a child by Sanyuan made her feel a little bashful.

Once they left the corridor belonging to the pool hall, the foot traffic increased significantly. A mall in one’s hometown was always bustling during the New Year. As Hengzhi turned a corner near the arcade, a group of children of all ages were laughing and running around the mall.

A sturdy-looking kid bumped into her. Hengzhi instinctively reached out to steady him so he wouldn’t fall, but she lost her own balance, staggering backward as her body leaned out of control.

Sanyuan, who was usually a step behind, reacted quickly this time. She reached out to support her, her palm not making full contact, instead using her forearm to catch Hengzhi around the waist.

The child laughed and ran off. Once Hengzhi found her footing, she whispered a thank you.

Sanyuan frowned slightly. “Why are your clothes damp?”

“It’s raining.”

Sanyuan’s frown deepened. “Did you not drive here?”

“I did.”

Sanyuan didn’t understand. It had been raining on her way here too, a misty drizzle mixed with sleet, but if you drive directly into the mall’s underground parking, you don’t get wet.

Hengzhi was wearing a high-quality, deep gray wool coat that complemented her slender, tall frame. But when Sanyuan had held her just now, the fabric felt damp, not like she had only been in the rain for a moment. Rain in this weather was bone-chillingly damp; wearing it for half an hour could lead to a serious illness. That cold moisture seeping into the bones was dangerous.

Sanyuan bit her lip and asked, “Aren’t you cold?”

Hengzhi tucked her hands into her pockets. “I’m not cold.”

Sanyuan had already put the straw in the milk tea, but she hadn’t taken a sip yet. She handed it back to Hengzhi. “Here, you drink it.” The tea was hot.

Hengzhi shook her head. “No, it’s fine.”

“The cup is too big, and I can’t handle things that are too sweet. Could you help me finish half of it?”

Hengzhi dazed out for a second. Sanyuan’s preferences were just like her personality: moderate and steady, never wanting anything to exceed the limit. Not too sweet. Not too spicy. Not too salty. Not too much.

When she was alone, she always ordered medium cups with thirty percent sugar. She actually couldn’t even finish a medium cup, but since she hated waste, she’d force herself to finish it, which would then ruin her appetite for a real meal. So, she rarely ordered milk tea.

Then she met Tang Hengzhi. Someone to share milk tea with.

Hengzhi didn’t like extreme flavors either; she enjoyed the thirty percent sugar level. She liked the tea Sanyuan couldn’t finish, or even the slightly sweet pudding left at the bottom.

When Hengzhi first met Sanyuan, things weren’t like this. Sanyuan had a strong sense of personal space, and her boundaries were frighteningly clear. Being someone who hated to disturb or trouble others, Sanyuan basically never gave anyone a reason or an opportunity to eat her leftovers.

Perhaps even Sanyuan didn’t know that Hengzhi was actually quite obsessed with these small daily habits formed after Sanyuan broke her own psychological rules. These habits were a form of “reliance.” While common for most people, they were incredibly precious coming from Sanyuan. Because they were so rare, this reliance was something Sanyuan only showed to her.

But now, Sanyuan had reverted to that well-behaved person from when they first met, cautious and polite. She wouldn’t offer her a drink she had already touched, fearing it would be offensive.

Sanyuan blinked and said, “I haven’t drank from this cup yet. If you mind…” she could go buy a second one.

Hengzhi reached out to take the cup from Sanyuan’s hand, cutting her off. “I don’t mind.” She didn’t want to buy a second cup when she was with Sanyuan.

As she took the tea, Sanyuan’s finger seemingly accidentally brushed against the back of her hand. The touch was indeed icy. The unexpected contact made Hengzhi stiffen slightly.

Sanyuan’s frown grew deeper. “Don’t just hook the bag with your finger, hold the cup properly, okay?”

Hengzhi suddenly realized Sanyuan’s true intention for giving her the tea. She pressed her lips together and obediently cupped the warm tea, lowering her head to take a small sip.

After they bought the dengzhan ciba in the mall, the rain outside grew heavier. It was only five-thirty, but the sky was darkening. In the distance, the faint sound of winter thunder echoed, and looking through the window, Sanyuan felt a wave of worry.

Support