Huayu: That year, I withdrew from the Super Boy competition.

The door clicked shut, shutting out Dou Xiao's laughter and chatter.

The room suddenly became very quiet.

Su Wei sat for a while, and then began to slowly put the things in the box away.

Back in the dorm, this was the time when everyone was at their craziest.

Back then, he always longed for some peace and quiet.

But it's really quiet now.

He felt a little out of place again.

Just then, Su Wei's cell phone rang.

He stopped what he was doing, took out his phone and looked at it.

It's Cai Wenjing.

He pressed the answer button, and as soon as he put the phone to his ear, the voice on the other end came through:

"Su Wei! I heard you're back at school!"

Her voice clearly carried a hint of excitement, yet she deliberately feigned nonchalance.

Su Wei leaned back on the sofa and chuckled.

"Are you that well-informed? I've only been back for a short time. Did you put a tracking device on me?"

"There's no need for clothing or location tracking; the campus network is already flooded with it."

Cai Wenjing gave a soft hum.

"I heard someone saw you moving today?"

"Yes, I just finished cleaning the room."

"Oh, so you've moved to an off-campus apartment. Are you planning to completely distance yourself from us ordinary students and become a big star from now on?"

Su Wei sensed the probing in her words and deliberately dragged out her tone:

"From what you're saying, you miss me?"

"Tch, who misses you! Stop patting yourself on the back!"

Cai Wenjing didn't admit it; instead, she retorted.

After she finished speaking, she realized she had overreacted, so she said:

"You've moved to a new house, it's such a big event, shouldn't we have a nice meal to celebrate?"

It's settled then.

Fukouju Restaurant in Beitaipingzhuang, hot pot with copper pot meat, see you in a bit.

After saying that, he added, with a self-righteous air:

"You're paying."

Su Wei looked up and glanced around the empty room.

I've been busy moving all afternoon, and I'm really starving right now.

He smiled and readily agreed, "Sure, I'm actually hungry. I'll be there in about ten minutes."

Cheers immediately erupted from the other end of the phone.

He quickly pressed down again, said "Hurry up" and hung up.

The busy tone beeped.

Su Wei put down her phone, finding it somewhat amusing.

Ten minutes later.

As Su Wei turned the corner, the red lanterns at the entrance of Fu Kou Ju came into view first.

A figure stood under the lantern, looking very thin, and it was unclear why he didn't go into the shop.

The cold wind whipped her long hair and smeared it against her face.

She raised her hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, but as soon as she loosened her grip, the ends of her hair were blown up again.

Despite this repeated cycle, she remained unperturbed, only occasionally tiptoeing to peek towards the intersection.

Su Wei paused in her steps.

I didn't recognize Cai Wenjing at first glance.

When I see her at school, she's either wearing a windbreaker and sneakers, or her hair is tied in a high ponytail and she has a bare face; she's always in a great mood.

But she was so different today than she is at school.

Her hair was clearly styled; it fell smoothly over her shoulders with the ends curled inwards.

She also applied a thin eyeliner to the outer corners of her eyes, making her almond-shaped eyes appear bright and expressive.

However, this also caused her to become more reserved than usual.

Her lips, which had been coated with lip gloss, were a little dry from the wind, so she subconsciously pursed them.

Needless to say, it goes without saying that it's on his body.

Su Wei wore a thick cotton coat when she went out, but she still felt cold afterward.

She was only wearing a khaki trench coat, slim-fit white jeans, and clean white sneakers.

This outfit is indeed stylish, but it clashes with the biting cold.

They were freezing and could barely stand it, yet they stood outside waiting like idiots.

Su Wei's throat tightened inexplicably.

Cough cough--

As he got closer, he deliberately coughed.

Upon hearing the sound, Cai Wenjing turned around.

She instinctively placed her hand on her chest, her breasts rising and falling slightly.

When they recognized him, their eyes lit up for a moment, then vanished in an instant.

"Why are you walking so quietly? You scared me to death!"

She patted her chest twice, her tone tinged with resentment.

She quickly tidied her wind-blown hair, tilting her chin up as if she didn't care.

"I just arrived not long ago. It was too stuffy inside, so I came out for some fresh air."

The lies were fabricated without any real effort.

Su Wei didn't expose it.

He looked at her nose, red from the cold, and swallowed the teasing remark that was on the tip of his tongue, only turning his head slightly towards the shop door:

"Hurry up and go inside, you'll catch a cold if you stand there any longer."

Cai Wenjing responded and turned to walk inside first.

Su Wei followed half a step behind her.

Back in school, her attempts to win over people were far too obvious.

But at that time, all he could think about was signing the contract.

My heart is hanging in suspense, neither rising nor falling.

So even though they see things clearly, they always pretend to be deaf and dumb.

As soon as the curtain was lifted, a wave of warm air, carrying the rich aroma of hot pot, rushed out, instantly dispelling the chill.

The store was noisy.

The bubbling sound of the pot boiling, the laughter of people at the next table, and the shouts of the waiters mingled together, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

The two looked at each other through the mist, their outlines somewhat blurred.

Su Wei chose a booth by the window and sat down.

The streetlights outside the window cast a dim, yellowish glow, and pedestrians on the street walked briskly with their necks hunched, a stark contrast to the warmth inside the house.

Cai Wenjing took the menu and began to recite the names of the dishes:

"Hand-cut mutton, sliced ​​beef, tripe, frozen tofu, and a side of cabbage."

After she finished speaking, she pushed the menu towards the center:

"What else do you want to add?"

"No need, whatever you order is fine, I'm not picky."

Su Wei shook her head.

She didn't refuse any further, ordered two more vegetarian dishes, closed the menu, handed it to the waiter, and casually said:

"Two more beers, please."

The waiter finished writing down the order and turned to leave.

Because the two suddenly fell silent, the surrounding noise was amplified.

Cai Wenjing's fingers rested on the glass, her fingertips circling along the rim of the glass, round and round.

Her eyes were lowered, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

She used to be a very cheerful girl, but now she seems a bit lost and helpless.

Su Wei watched her fingertips twirling the cup, but didn't say anything.

A short while later, the waiter came over with two bottles of beer.

Su Wei took the bottle opener, and with a slight push of her fingers, the bottle cap popped open with a "snap".

The golden liquid, covered with fine foam, slowly filled the two glasses.

He picked up his cup and took a sip.

As he put down his cup, he looked up at the person opposite him.

His gaze first fell on her face, then swept over her reddened nose and tight lips, and finally settled on her somewhat evasive eyes.

This person seemed quite carefree when they called him to dinner earlier.

Now that the two are sitting face to face, they've fallen silent.

Just then, the steam from the hot pot rose up and blurred her face.

He knew perfectly well that the so-called celebration was just an excuse to meet Su Wei and have a meal together.

Su Wei tapped the side of the cup, making a soft sound.

He looked into her eyes as she finally raised them, and slowly began to speak:

"Tell me, you asked me out as soon as I arrived. It can't just be for this hot pot meal."