At 3 a.m., the landmines in front of the station

Su Che was cutting onions by hand; it stung his eyes but he didn't sneeze.

An Qing silently watched his retreating figure.

An unprecedented sense of security, as sweet as honey.

It has rusted deeply into the heart and organs that have long since stopped beating and become sluggish.

……

……

Chapter Nine: Devil's Claw Rice

When was the last time you had dinner with a beautiful person of the opposite sex?

What does it feel like to be secretly watched or observed while dining?

Su Che couldn't quite remember.

Because of the long time that has passed, it has become so distant that it is blurred in my memory.

A person's life is like a cart axle, spinning and grinding across flat, uneven land.

When you focus all your energy on what's in front of you, everything else will become a background, gradually becoming indistinct and invisible.

"You only eat this little bit?"

Looking at the reserved and timid girl across the table...

Su Che was somewhat surprised.

A small half bowl of staple food, about three bites.

They only eat vegetables and don't eat much meat.

Like feeding a cat.

"Um…"

"A small appetite?"

"That's about all we usually eat!"

How many meals do you eat a day?

Upon closer inspection, Su Che noticed that the girl's face, hidden beneath her makeup, appeared somewhat pale, and he became slightly concerned.

"One meal..."

"?"

I was about to blurt out, "Aren't you afraid of starving to death?"

But the words were on the tip of my tongue before I realized what I meant—

It seems like I'm like that too.

"Alright. What do you usually eat at home? You're so thin and small, you probably don't even weigh 100 pounds."

"Hmm... I definitely don't, I eat more staple foods," An Qing replied obediently.

"Staple food?"

"Mmm. Staple foods are cheap, so I just eat them with some simple things."

"for example?"

"...rice with tea, rice with ice, rice with beverages, and so on."

The girl looked to the side and lowered her voice.

"?ha?"

It wasn't that Su Che wanted to check the water meter; it was mainly because he had already vaguely guessed this outcome.

He frowned and asked on the spot:

"Can you soak rice in a beverage?"

"Yes... although the taste is just so-so... but for me... as long as it's edible, it's fine."

An Qing smiled faintly.

After Grandma passed away, eating alone could almost be called "eating".

Quality is not a concern, nor is quantity necessary.

Just eat until you're full.

"..."

Su Che frowned more and more as he listened, and continued to ask, "So where do you usually spend your money?"

"As for living expenses... I'll buy pretty clothes and dresses."

She thought for a moment and then said in detail, "There are also essential skincare and makeup products, but they are all cheap; I can't afford the expensive ones."

"understood."

Su Che nodded slightly, "You can skip meals and downgrade your daily necessities, but the dress has to be the cutest, right?"

"Eh..."

The girl blushed slightly for some reason. "Are you praising me?"

"No."

Su Che denied it and continued eating.

The two chatted intermittently.

He secretly observed her movements and expressions, studying her habits.

She would also suddenly bring up a question that she was particularly concerned about during the breaks.

For example, what are the things Cheche does every day?

It seems she wanted to avoid disturbing him while he was working.

Su Che understood, and so he shared his thoughts without reservation: "Besides part-time jobs, I also write books."

"Writing books is my top priority, but inspiration doesn't always come on time, so sometimes I might stay up all night writing."

Upon hearing this, the girl exclaimed "Eh?" and asked in return:

"Won't people die suddenly if they don't sleep? That's unhealthy..."

Although it was somewhat amusing to hear her say the word "unhealthy,"

But Su Che still answered her question in a very serious manner:

"There's a little-known fact that I don't know if you're aware of."

"What's 'greasy'?"

"The lifespan lost due to long-term sleep deprivation is already being made up for by long-term sleep deprivation—'staying up late adds to your youth and reduces your old age,' so it's a worthwhile trade-off. Therefore, for me, it's like switching lives, reducing costs and increasing efficiency."

"what?"

An Qing opened her mouth slightly, taking a long time to process his words; her brain was overloaded.

After thinking for a long time, he denied it again:

"But...but you're sleeping late and waking up late, so you're still wasting your time and energy! You're not increasing your total waking time! Sleeping late and waking up late is wrong!"

"Who told you I got up late?"

Su Che interrupted her.

"Huh...?"

The girl was taken aback at first.

She then narrowed her beautiful eyes, suddenly remembering...

He woke up incredibly early this morning…

Even though she looked haggard and listless, she still washed her face and went out to do her part-time job as usual.

"........."

The girl fell silent.

Sleeping late and waking up early.

[As expected, your argument is based on truths within your own worldview.]

There's no way to refute that.

-

The first debate between the two unhealthy individuals ended with Su Che gaining a slight advantage.

...

...

The afternoon sun was very warm.

The girl offered to wash the pots and dishes.

This time, Su Che did not refuse.

After observing her, I found that she was indeed quite experienced in her work and could be described as efficient and neat.

She put the bowls and chopsticks back in their place, preserved the remaining ingredients, and thoughtfully boiled water and brewed a pot of black tea, placing it on her computer desk.

【good.】

Su Che finished today's manuscript without incident.

During this time, the girl nestled up beside him like a cat.

Although curious, they didn't come closer to peek.

This put Su Che at ease.