Age of Legends

Chapter 218 The Clown
The bus swayed and rocked until it reached the street where the bookstore was located. The two got off and went inside. They found a convenient spot to sit down; there was an acrylic menu on the tea table.

"What would you like to drink?" Shen Nuoyi asked.

"Let's have some tea. A cup of jasmine tea," Zhang Chen said.

"I want to order ice cream, do you want some?" Shen Nuo asked.

Zhang Chen shook his head.

Shen Nuo put down her bag, took out her wallet, got up and walked to the bar, where she ordered a cup of tea, a cup of grapefruit juice, and an ice cream cone.

When the waiter brought out the tea, drinks and ice cream, Shen Nuoyi took a small bite of the ice cream cone in one hand.

But a moment later, with an egg roll still in her mouth, she raised her eyelashes and looked at Zhang Chen: "Why are you staring at me like that?"

She then suspected there was milk foam on the corner of her mouth, so she wiped it with a tissue as she spoke. Although she did have a bit of milk foam, she still looked quite cute.

"I've never seen you eat ice cream before. I didn't know you liked it."

Zhang Chen seemed to have never seen this side of Shen Nuoyi before; she didn't even eat many of the snacks that girls liked at school.

"It's not that I particularly like it, I just suddenly had a craving for something sweet today." After a pause, Shen Nuoyi added, seemingly a little dissatisfied, "Is that not allowed?"

This side of Zhang Chen is something Shen Nuoyi has never shown before. Perhaps it's because she's lowered her guard around him, thus revealing a more authentic side of herself.

It turns out that the Shen Nuoyi who always seemed so composed and image-conscious at school was actually wearing a mask.

Zhang Chen laughed again, took a sip of tea, and said, "Make yourself at home."

This is good. The two of them have developed into a relationship without the awkwardness and reserve that often occurs when couples go from strangers to getting to know each other.

After all, the two of them have known each other since childhood. Although they are not really childhood sweethearts, they have witnessed each other grow up, so there is no awkwardness between them.

Or rather, Shen Nuoyi was actually trying to be more honest with him, to relax, and to show her true self. This was to better suit their way of getting along.

Although Shen Nuoyi took small bites, just like she does with regular meals, she quickly finished her ice cream. If it weren't for the inappropriate occasion, Zhang Chen would have loved to say, "Are you a little hamster?"
But he did offer her a tissue at the right moment, smiling at her, "Wipe your mouth."

Shen Nuo blushed slightly, took the food, said thank you, and wiped her mouth clean, seemingly a little embarrassed that Zhang Chen had seen her eating inappropriately.

So I quickly changed the subject, "Let's do some practice questions. You brought the '53 Simulation' B version, right? Do the timed advanced questions on page 56 of the chemistry book and the 'Cell Differentiation, Senescence and Death' questions on page 44 of the biology book."

Zhang Chen looked at Shen Nuoyi and asked, "Why are the questions you chose so precise? Why do you have to do these two sets?"

Shen Nuo raised a brow with her phoenix eyes, her black pupils lingering on him for a moment before looking away: "Because I looked at the points you lost in the last monthly exam. These are your weak points in chemistry and biology, and we'll target them to improve."

Zhang Chen was slightly taken aback. "When?"

The test papers were handed out to him, and Shen Nuoyi never looked at them during breaks or on her way home from school. How could she know his weaknesses?

Seeing his confusion, Shen Nuo said, "After the monthly exam, the teacher organized the grading of the papers, and I went too. I had some free time at that time, so I took a look at your paper and saw the points that were deducted."

So she saw his weaknesses in certain subjects and the problems that had been exposed. Therefore, before the tutoring session, she asked him to bring the corresponding practice books, as she had already made a corresponding practice plan for him.

No... you're not really here to do the questions?
Seeing Zhang Chen's slightly widened eyes, Shen Nuoyi reached out and shook Zhang Chen's hand in front of the table before withdrawing it, saying, "Alright, here's your reward." Zhang Chen hadn't yet reacted to the touch or Shen Nuoyi's actions, but a middle-aged man sitting at the bar reading a book noticed, adjusted his glasses, moved away, and crossed his legs in a different direction, probably feeling like he'd been force-fed something.

Zhang Chencai looked at Shen Nuoyi, "Huh?"

Shen Nuoyi felt her face burning again, but she tried to keep her expression calm and said, "Didn't you say that holding hands or something would be a reward..."

Zhang Chen nodded: "Yes, holding hands after you've finished is a reward. If you hold hands before you've finished, that's harassment. So it doesn't count, and you have to do it again after you've finished."

Shen Nuoyi's eyes widened, and the next moment Zhang Chen hurriedly dodged, but he still couldn't avoid Shen Nuoyi picking up a book and hitting him on the shoulder.

"You... shameless..."

Zhang Chen chuckled.

Shen Nuoyi's expression turned serious again, "Are you going to do it or not!?"

She looked like a pretty little tutor at home again, only her eyes were a bit sharp now.

"It's not like you're not going to do it, why be so violent? It's like you're trying to murder your husband." Zhang Chen made up a story off the top of his head.

Shen Nuoyi: "..."

"Let's get started!"

Seeing that Zhang Chen actually opened the book and started to straighten the pages, looking like he was about to tackle a tough challenge, Shen Nuo thought for a moment and then said, "Pei Yan asked me about my grades on QQ yesterday."

"Huh?" Zhang Chen looked up, not understanding what she wanted to say. "And then?"

“I told him… and then I didn’t say anything more,” Shen Nuoyi said softly. “I can’t completely ignore him, can I?”

Zhang Chen stared at Shen Nuoyi for a long time, until the latter seemed a little embarrassed, before he said, "I'm not a control freak. What do you take me for? You're my girlfriend now, and I completely trust you. Just handle it yourself."

"Mm." Shen Nuo nodded.

“But…” Zhang Chen looked at her face and smiled, “I’m still very happy, I feel like I can finish all these questions in one go!”

"Tch!" Shen Nuo snorted. But seeing Zhang Chen's delighted expression, she couldn't help but smile slightly.

Then Zhang Chen started working on his practice questions, and Shen Nuoyi also took out her own test paper and began working on it. Several text messages came in during the process, and she quickly replied to them.

Holding her phone, Qin Tangxi, dressed in a pretty little dress and with a crossbody bag, arrived at Xinglin Street by taxi. She texted her older sister, "I'm here! I want their milk tea, sis, order some for me!"

Qin Tangxi was in a very good mood today because her cousin Shen Nuoyi, whom she thought was still angry with her, finally texted her to invite her to the bookstore!
She was thrilled. Lately, when people at school asked about Shen Nuoyi, she hadn't dared to mention that her older sister was in a bad mood and hadn't spoken to her in a long time. Breaking the deadlock now was naturally excellent. Not long ago, Pei Yan had even asked her about her cousin. Qin Tangxi was only annoyed that she couldn't be an advisor to the top heartthrob at the Foreign Languages ​​School. Now, if she could break the deadlock with her older sister, then Pei Yan becoming her brother-in-law would be halfway guaranteed!

So she skipped and hopped open the bookstore door, then, full of anticipation, searched for her outrageously beautiful older sister to be in the bookstore and dazzle everyone. Just then, she saw Zhang Chen standing next to Shen Nuoyi.

Her bright, sunny smile suddenly froze, and her face, illuminated by the dappled sunlight filtering through the glass door, looked like the smudged paint on the Joker's face in an American movie.

(End of this chapter)