Dark Light Chaser.

Chapter 288 Invitation
On Monday morning, it was already bright outside, before many people had even woken up.

Anyway, Ai Liang didn't have to attend morning self-study sessions. As usual, he was woken up by his biological clock, got up to wash, and then changed his clothes.

While Ai Liang was brushing her teeth, one after another, the faint alarm clock sounds, which even an ordinary person could hear, rang out.

These messages came from next door.

Although the soundproofing of the house isn't great, it shouldn't be this bad.

The reason they could hear the alarm clock next door was mainly due to the building's structure; Ai Liang's room and Ye Qing's room were adjacent, and the two could chat simply by opening their windows.

The weather is still very hot.

To save electricity, Ye Qing often left the windows open, only closing the screens and drawing the curtains.

It's inevitable that there will be sounds coming from her side.

Ai Liang ignored the ringing and started changing her clothes.

When he changed his clothes and came to the living room, Ye Qing didn't come to call him.

This guy is probably still washing up.

While waiting, Ai Liang packed up all the remaining ingredients in the kitchen refrigerator, as well as the takeout boxes from last night, and put them into garbage bags.

After Ai Liang finished everything, Ye Qing finally messaged him: [I'm already changing my shoes, what about you?]

Ai Liang didn't say anything, but simply took a picture of the garbage bag and sent it over.

Not long after, a soft thud of a door closing and the clicking of a lock came from the hallway outside.

Ai Liang knew that Ye Qing had already come out.

He got up from the sofa, hooked the trash bag with his finger, and walked slowly toward the door.

In the corridor, Ye Qing approached Ai Liang with a grin: "Hey, I thought I could get up earlier than you, but I almost overslept again. Luckily, I set several alarms."

Ai Liang, carrying a trash bag, walked towards the elevator: "Didn't you already get up when the second alarm went off?"

Ye Qing looked at Ai Liang with a surprised expression: "Huh? How did you know?"

“Our rooms aren’t far apart, and you didn’t close the window,” Ai Liang said casually.

Before she finished speaking, Ye Qing's face flushed slightly.

She didn't know what she was thinking, and asked in a slightly flustered tone, "You...you actually..."

"Don't worry, the curtains are drawn. It's just that my hearing is quite sharp."

Ai Liang explained expressionlessly.

Ai Liang's calm and composed attitude also calmed Ye Qing down.

However, she still slapped Ai Liang's arm in an annoyance: "Can't you just finish what you're saying at once!"

Ye Qing didn't doubt Ai Liang's words much.

This is thanks to Ai Liang's consistently cold and aloof image.

The elevator has arrived.

The two walked into the elevator side by side.

"Working so hard all the time, be careful not to ruin your health."

As Ai Liang spoke, she pressed the elevator button for the first floor.

Ye Qing raised her hand and patted her cheeks, as if to refresh herself: "Don't worry, don't worry, I'm in good health. Although the subsidies and scholarships from the honors class are enough to live on, I still want to go to university, so it's necessary to save some money for that."

Seeing Ye Qing's energetic appearance, Ai Liang didn't try to persuade her further.

He knew very well how difficult it was for someone to make a living as a migrant worker.

The only thing Ai Liang could do was share some of her dinner with Ye Qing to improve her meals.

No one would be happy to interfere and meddle in someone else's business without asking for their help.

But if Ye Qing keeps pushing herself to the limit and it eventually breaks her body, Ai Liang won't just stand by and do nothing.

The key is to grasp the line in interpersonal relationships.

Where are you planning to have breakfast?

Leaving the residential building, Ye Qing pulled him onto a bus that was half an hour earlier than usual.

Ai Liang originally thought the place for the dinner party would be a nearby snack shop, but it was clearly not.

"Hey, last Saturday I found a super delicious ramen shop on the food street near the school. I'd like to invite you to try it and see how it tastes."

"You want to invite me... to try it?" Ai Liang didn't understand what Ye Qing was trying to say.

Sitting next to Ai Liang, Ye Qing nudged her with her shoulder: "Yeah, when I see something delicious, I immediately think of you. Aren't you a good friend?"

So that's what it meant.

Ai Liang finally understood Ye Qing's thoughts.

It's perfectly normal for classmates and friends to share good finds, like game easter eggs or delicious snack shops.

This is very common during student days.

Unlike in society, where people politely nod to each other and rarely have private conversations except for work-related matters.

Or perhaps there's more selfishness involved; we rarely see the innocence of student days.

It's not surprising that Ai Liang, who has spent most of her time dealing with society for over a decade, didn't react immediately.

"Thank you." Ai Liang nodded slightly in thanks.

Ye Qing blushed slightly and replied in a bright and energetic voice, "You're welcome."

The bus arrived at the station soon.

Ye Qing walked ahead with light steps, while Ai Liang, wearing headphones, followed behind her.

The two crossed the school's main gate and headed straight for the food street outside the school.

The ramen shop Ye Qing mentioned wasn't far from the side gate; after eating, you could walk directly through the side gate to the teaching building.

Ye Qing turned around and pointed to the signboard: "Look, this is the shop."

Ramen in broth.

Yes, it's a very simple name.

The noodle shop has a fairly large interior space; even excluding the kitchen and front desk, it's about 60 or 70 square meters, and it's a storefront.

With such a large space, the rent must be quite high if it's located near a school.

What surprised Ai Liang even more was that despite the large size of the store, there weren't many empty seats.

When he and Ye Qing entered the store, there were already quite a few students from the accelerated class having breakfast.

The two sat down at a window seat.

Ye Qing pushed the menu on the table towards her: "I had beef the day before yesterday, and I'm planning to try pork bone today. What would you like to eat?"

Ai Liang glanced at the menu, which only featured ramen and no other snacks.

An authentic ramen restaurant.

Ai Liang thought for a moment and said, "Give me a bowl of mushroom soup ramen."

"Big bowl or small bowl?"

"Small bowl".

"Okay, I'll go to the front desk to order. Wait for me."

After Ye Qing finished speaking, she rushed to the front desk.

Not long after, he returned with the invoice.

Ye Qing excitedly told Ai Liang, "Let me tell you, the soup at this restaurant is delicious, and if you don't have enough noodles, you can get a free refill!"

"How did you find this shop? Logically speaking, if you saw ramen for thirty-one yuan a bowl, you should have turned around and left."

To keep the conversation going, Ai Liang casually asked a question.

The fact that Ye Qing, who is always frugal, came a second time is enough to prove that the ramen must taste pretty good.

More than the taste, he was curious about why Ye Qing was willing to try the food after looking at the menu.

"Oh, you mean this? Last week, Shana dragged me here."

Ye Qing wasn't embarrassed at all and said frankly, "At first I was reluctant, but when I heard that I could get refills, I decided to give it a try. Anyway, a regular bowl of ramen costs twenty yuan, so I'll just treat it as buying two bowls."

(End of this chapter)