The Merman I Picked Up Is Too Delicious - Chapter 8

For Luo Qingyan, running into Fang Tang or Huo Bowen didn’t really matter, they were just former classmates, and ordinary relationships didn’t require much interaction. However, seeing the two of them appear together in such a close manner inevitably left her feeling frustrated.

It was likely that past events would be brought up again.

Still, despite her frustration, she maintained a polite expression on her face.

She certainly wouldn’t have much contact with those two. She would simply eat and drink as usual. If someone deliberately picked a fight, she would deal with it as it came.

For now, she quietly stayed at the back of the crowd, there had already been enough small talk up front.

“Fang Tang, are you feeling better now? We were all worried when we heard you weren’t feeling well.”

“Exactly! Last time at Fanglin Garden, you nearly fainted. We were afraid you might be seriously ill.”

“How’s your health lately? If you need to recuperate, you should. A colleague recommended a really skilled traditional Chinese doctor, want me to share the contact?”

“What happened today? Was it serious? Don’t just brush it off if you’re feeling unwell. You should still go to the hospital if needed.”

Hearing everyone’s concern, Fang Tang smiled faintly, her tone grateful. “I’m fine now, really. It’s just an old issue. I’ve been to the hospital, and the doctor said I need long-term rest. That’s actually one of the reasons I returned to G City.”

“G City is a place of great fortune! Now that you’re back, you’re bound to get better and better!” Liu Yimiao raised an eyebrow, looking quite proud.

“Yeah, with a flower guardian here in G City, the flower is sure to bloom with vitality again.” A male classmate chimed in, nudging Huo Bowen with his elbow. “Hey, how does that classic old song go again? ‘Foul evening wind, do not comfort her, I’ve resolved to protect the one in my heart for life!'”

Huo Bowen didn’t speak, only giving the male classmate a look to stop him from joking around.

“Alright, alright, as long as you’re fine, let’s not just focus on teasing. Time to eat!” a female classmate quickly interjected. “Everyone must be hungry, let’s chat over the meal!”

“Right, let’s eat! A gathering is all about coming together for a feast!” Liu Yimiao promptly urged everyone to take their seats.

When seating arrangements were made, Fang Tang clearly fixed her gaze on Luo Qingyan. The other classmates understood and politely made way, so she ended up sitting next to Luo Qingyan.

“Qingyan, long time no see.” Fang Tang spoke first, her voice soft and delicate.

“Long time no see.” Luo Qingyan hoped for a peaceful interaction, so she responded politely.

“I heard you’ll be staying in G City for a while. How long will you be here?” Fang Tang blinked, wearing an innocent and friendly expression. “Everyone says you had a great job in S City, why did you suddenly come back?”

“Too tired, needed a break.” Luo Qingyan’s expression remained neutral. With her brief reply, she made it clear she didn’t want to discuss the topic further. The other party was smart enough to understand.

“You’re not unwell too, are you?” Fang Tang’s eyes flickered. She understood but didn’t want to end the conversation. “Or did something bad happen? It’s alright, as long as you’re back, your old classmates will be here for you.”

Luo Qingyan didn’t respond. Instead, she picked up her teacup and took a sip.

“Working in a big city does require more consideration. The more prosperous the city, the more complicated things become, and the more treacherous people’s hearts can be,” Fang Tang continued. “Take relationships, for example. Those who stayed in G City have either gotten married or at least have partners. Their lives are simple and steady, unlike those who went out to strive.”

Luo Qingyan held her teacup with one hand, her fingers gently tracing the rim. It was clear that Fang Tang’s outward reconciliation was merely superficial; inwardly, she likely held the opposite view. Even if she wasn’t planning anything outright malicious, she certainly intended to step on Luo Qingyan’s toes.

Some of the other classmates must have seen through Fang Tang’s true nature, but in adult interactions, people often see through things without saying them aloud. There’s no need for deep friendships, maintaining surface harmony and knowing one’s boundaries is enough. Ultimately, everyone is striving for their own interests. Interactions among classmates aren’t purely about emotional needs, and no one is inherently nobler than anyone else.

“But there are still good people out there! Besides, at least you’ve seen through that scumbag. Your good fortune is yet to come!” Liu Yimiao, clearly one of those who hadn’t grasped the situation, thought Fang Tang was lamenting her misfortunes and quickly tried to comfort her.

“Sigh… it’s true, there are more good people in the world. A lot of it comes down to luck. I hope my streak of bad luck ends soon, and better days are ahead.” Fang Tang’s gaze swept past Luo Qingyan, lingered on Liu Yimiao for a moment, and then returned to Luo Qingyan. “Hey, Qingyan, do you have a boyfriend? You’re so beautiful, and with S City full of talented people, you must have plenty of suitors, right?”

Luo Qingyan had been prepared to let Fang Tang perform her solo act, but since the question was directed at her, she had to respond. However, she was no pushover: “Well, there are quite a few suitors, but none of them are suitable.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Fang Tang’s expression visibly stiffened.

“Hahaha, that’s our stunning Luo Qingyan for you, so confident!” Liu Yimiao laughed, showing all eight of her teeth.

Fang Tang forced a smile. “If even S City doesn’t have anyone suitable, aren’t your standards a bit too high?”

“It’s better to have high standards than to settle for less,” Luo Qingyan took another sip of tea. The underlying message in her words was unmistakable, and she hoped the other party would stop pestering her.

“Exactly, better to have high standards than to settle!” Liu Yimiao chimed in. “Look at Fan Shuxin, she was single for twenty-eight years before she started dating, and her first love ended in marriage! Oh! I almost forgot, Luo Qingyan, Fan Shuxin asked me to tell you that she’s getting married next month and wants to invite you. She couldn’t make it today at noon, but she’ll bring the invitation when she comes this afternoon.”

“She’s getting married? I remember she was still single at the last gathering, and someone was trying to set her up with someone,” Luo Qingyan said, surprised. Fan Shuxin had never shown much interest in romance, and the last time someone suggested a potential match, she had turned it down. Truly, life is unpredictable.

“It must be fate! Her husband is three years younger than her and quite handsome. They look really well-matched!” Liu Yimiao said with certainty. “I ran into her and her boyfriend at the cinema once, and they were so sweet together, enough to make anyone envious. Hey! When she tosses the bouquet, everyone should try to catch it. It’ll bring good luck!”

As Liu Yimiao spoke, the waitstaff began serving the dishes, and the group started their meal.

Luo Qingyan was eating with great focus. Fang Tang seemed to have been put off by her earlier blunt remarks and didn’t attempt to continue the conversation. However, it was clear that Fang Tang was unhappy, probably silently calculating how to make sarcastic remarks later.

Whatever, it didn’t matter. Food first, everything else could wait until after the meal.

…

After lunch, the group moved to a KTV to sing.

Luo Qingyan naturally rode in Liu Yimiao’s car, but unexpectedly, Fang Tang also decided to join them.

“Fang Tang, why aren’t you riding in Huo Bowen’s car?” another female classmate in the backseat spoke up first. Her tone wasn’t particularly gentle, as Liu Yimiao’s car already had four people, and there were empty seats in other cars—there was really no need to squeeze in a fifth person.

“The guys are all riding together, so of course I’ll ride with the girls!” It was unclear whether Fang Tang had picked up on the other girl’s implication, but she still made to get into the car.

“Why don’t you ride in Fan Zhenzhen’s car? She only has three people in her car, and it’s a bit cramped with three in the backseat here.” Although the other girl was slowly shifting to make room, she still voiced her opinion casually, without any hint of resentment.

“Oh, I just saw that Yimiao’s car was closer and didn’t notice how many people were in it.” Fang Tang paused for a moment, her voice noticeably dropping.

“I’ll go ride in Fan Zhenzhen’s car,” Luo Qingyan said, reaching to open the car door. If it meant staying away from drama, she was willing to walk a bit farther.

“Hey! Fan Zhenzhen’s car just started moving!” Liu Yimiao, sitting in the driver’s seat, looked outside before turning to the others in the backseat. “Ah, it’s fine if we squeeze in a bit. It’s livelier this way!”

In the end, Luo Qingyan couldn’t get out, and Fang Tang ended up in the car.

Surprisingly, the atmosphere in the car was decent afterward. Everyone chatted and laughed, and since the reserved KTV wasn’t far from the restaurant, they reached their destination in just ten minutes.

Inside the private room, some were picking songs and singing, others were eating and drinking, and a few were chatting while the party hadn’t fully warmed up yet.

Luo Qingyan didn’t want to sit too close to Fang Tang, but unfortunately, Liu Yimiao’s car had hit nothing but red lights along the way, making them a few minutes later than the others. As a result, the only available seats left in the room were in one area, making it impossible to keep her distance. At least there was one person between them, if Liu Yimiao hadn’t immediately headed to the song selection screen and joined the liveliest group, there might have been more separation.

Just as a sentimental song started playing, a male classmate walked over to the latecomers.

“Fang Tang, what do you think of Huo Bowen?” The male classmate had come specifically to talk to Fang Tang. His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but those nearby could still hear. “He spent five years in City F and only transferred back at the end of last year. You were in City A for several years too, right? And you just returned at the beginning of this year. That’s fate! As his buddy, I know he likes you. What are your thoughts?”

Indeed, at the last class reunion Luo Qingyan attended, neither Fang Tang nor Huo Bowen had been present, which was precisely why she had happily agreed to come this time. Just then, she suddenly realized Huo Bowen wasn’t in the room, probably out using the restroom or having a smoke.

“I don’t want to be in a relationship right now,” Fang Tang spoke up, her voice loud enough for those nearby to hear. “I’ve made that clear to Huo Bowen, but he… Today, he was the one who reached out to me. I didn’t want to trouble him, but he insisted on coming. I… I really don’t know what to do.”

Though she caught a whiff of gossip in the air, Luo Qingyan, wary of getting caught in the crossfire, stayed alert. Just then, the restroom inside the private room was occupied, so she told the classmate beside her that she would use the one outside and stood up, leaving the room without a backward glance.

Even though it was a sentimental song, the noise in the private room was still quite loud. Stepping out, she felt as if the entire world had suddenly fallen silent.

Luo Qingyan let out a soft sigh as she walked. After just a few steps, she ran into Huo Bowen, who was on his way back. She gave a slight nod in greeting and brushed past him.

Unexpectedly, he stopped, turned around, and followed her.