Chapter 33: In the Northeast, Skip the Small Talk, Eat the Food

Liaoshun City was a prefecture-level city in the Northeast.

It wasn’t big, but it was full of life.

After soaking in the hot springs, the four Astronomy Club members came out for a walk.

Northeastern restaurants with red lanterns hung everywhere on the street, the sweet and sour aroma of Guobaorou filling the air.

Xiao Yan walked at the very back of the group, holding Han Hanhan’s hand, their fingers interlocked in her pocket.

The evening breeze was chilly, but inside the pocket, it was warm.

“Your hands are so cold.”

Xiao Yan frowned.

“Did you get chilled outside just now?”

“…A little.”

Han Hanhan said softly.

Xiao Yan gripped his hand tighter, her other hand reaching over to tuck the wind-tousled strands of Han Hanhan’s hair behind his ear, her fingertips brushing his earlobe.

Han Hanhan shrank his neck, his ear burning as if on fire.

He buried his face in Xiao Yan’s shoulder, mumbling:

“I know.”

Xiao Yan smiled, rubbing her cheek against the top of his head.

“You two are so sticky!”

A voice suddenly popped up from behind, laughing, soft like cotton candy.

Han Hanhan jumped, springing away from Xiao Yan’s shoulder and turning around.

Bai Lu stood three paces away, holding two candied hawthorn skewers.

The hawthorns were coated in a crystalline sugar glaze, sparkling in the sunset.

She tilted her head, the almond-shaped eyes behind her round gold-rimmed glasses curved into crescents.

“B-Bai Lu, Senior?!”

Han Hanhan’s tongue tied.

“And me.”

Another voice came from behind Bai Lu, cool, with a hint of a lazy tone.

Lin Ming stepped out from behind Bai Lu, her right hand in her trench coat pocket, her left hand holding up her phone, the screen still lit.

On it was a freshly taken photo:

The moment Xiao Yan lowered her head to nuzzle Han Hanhan’s crown, their shadows stretching long in the sunset.

“Not a bad shot.”

Lin Ming adjusted her glasses, her tone as if commenting on observational data.

Xiao Yan froze for a second, then pulled Han Hanhan behind her, the tips of her ears turning red.

“Senior, sneaking photos isn’t nice~”

“It was taken openly~”

Lin Ming said without changing her expression.

“You were just too absorbed to notice.”

Bai Lu walked over smiling, stuffing one of the candied hawthorn skewers into Han Hanhan’s hand.

“Don’t be nervous, we’ve been following you for a while. Since you started holding hands.”

“A- a while?”

Han Hanhan’s voice floated.

“Mhm-hmm.”

Bai Lu took a bite of her own candied hawthorn, her cheek puffed out.

“We wanted to call out to you earlier, but Lin Ming said, ‘Let’s see when they’ll notice.'”

Lin Ming glanced at her.

“You were the one who said that.”

“I did not.”

“You did.”

“I did not.”

The two bickered under the sunset, one expressionless, the other smiling.

Song Tao ran back from ahead, seeing Lin Ming and Bai Lu, her eyes wide.

“Senior Lin Ming? Senior Bai Lu? What are you doing here?!”

Bai Lu swallowed the hawthorn and said with a smile.

“Jingshi University’s Astronomy and Meteorology departments have a joint observation project, the site is at the National Astronomical Observatory in the suburbs. We came two days early to scout the location, and to soak in the hot springs.”

She paused, glancing at Lin Ming.

“And you posted your group photo in the club chat.”

“The original, with the location tag.”

Lin Ming added.

“Bai Lu said she wanted to come see. And to eat some Guobaorou. Coming to the Northeast without eating Guobaorou is a wasted trip.”

Bai Lu’s ears turned red, and she turned to Han Hanhan.

“Suan Cai Bai Rou isn’t greasy, if you’re afraid of spicy, just tell the owner.”

Xiao Yan immediately chimed in, still holding Han Hanhan’s hand, her thumb drawing circles on the back of it.

“Hanhan doesn’t eat spicy, thank you, Senior!”

Song Tao leaned close to Bai Lu, staring at the candied hawthorn in her hand.

“Senior Bai Lu, where did you buy this? The berries are huge!”

“From the old grandpa at the B&B entrance. I snatched the last skewer.”

Bai Lu shook the remaining half-skewer in her hand.

“Want some? I’ll give you one.”

Song Tao nodded vigorously.

Bai Lu smiled, plucked one off, and handed it to her.

Song Tao stuffed it into her mouth, her cheek bulging, saying indistinctly.

“So sweet!”

Li Li stood to the side, her face red as she whispered.

“Song Tao, eat slowly…”

Bai Lu looked at Li Li, then at Song Tao, and smiled.

Li Li’s ears turned bright red.

Lin Ming adjusted her glasses.

“There’s a Northeastern restaurant near the B&B, their Guobaorou is authentic. I saw it on a niche review app, the rating is quite high. There are many Northeastern restaurants in Liaoshun, but this one has the best reviews. We booked a private room. Join us?”

Bai Lu immediately added.

“Yes, yes, yes, let’s all go together! It’s livelier with more people, and we can order more dishes. Coming all the way to the Northeast, we can’t just live on onsen eggs.”

Song Tao was the first to raise her hand.

“I’m in, I’m in! I want to try the legendary Basidi!”

Xiao Yan looked down at Han Hanhan.

“Do you want to go?”

Han Hanhan nodded, his eyes bright.

“Then let’s all go together.”

Xiao Yan looked up and said to Lin Ming.

“Sorry for the trouble, Senior.”

Lin Ming waved her hand, turned, and started walking ahead, her right hand hanging down, naturally taken by Bai Lu.

Bai Lu looked back at them with a smile.

“Let’s go, or we’ll lose the table.”

Everyone laughed and walked towards the restaurant.

Lin Ming walked on the outside, slowing her pace to match Bai Lu’s small, quick steps.

Bai Lu hadn’t finished her candied hawthorn, taking bites as she walked, her cheek moving.

Song Tao skipped along beside Bai Lu, chattering away.

“Senior Bai Lu, is the food at Jingshi University’s cafeteria good? Are the telescopes in the Astronomy Department super big? Can you see stars normally?”

Bai Lu patiently answered one by one, her voice soft.

Li Li followed behind Song Tao, straightening the hair clip that had gone crooked.

Xiao Yan walked at the very back, holding Han Hanhan’s hand.

Their fingers were interlocked in the pocket, warm.

“That scared me to death just now.”

Han Hanhan whispered.

“Scared of what?”

Xiao Yan looked down at him.

“It’s not like we haven’t met them before~”

“They popped out from behind so suddenly…”

Xiao Yan laughed, reaching out to wrap an arm around his waist, pulling him closer.

Her lips brushed his ear, her voice very soft.

“Such a jumpy little rabbit.”

Han Hanhan glared at her, his face red.

Xiao Yan gave his waist a gentle pinch.

Han Hanhan shrank his neck, but didn’t pull away, his fingers secretly tightening their grip on the hem of Xiao Yan’s clothes.

Laughter from Song Tao came from ahead, mingling with Bai Lu’s gentle voice.

Lin Ming occasionally interjected with a sharp remark, getting her arm swatted by Bai Lu.

Leaning against Xiao Yan’s embrace, Han Hanhan watched the lively group ahead.

The badge in his pocket felt slightly warm.

He didn’t take it out, just leaned a little closer to Xiao Yan.