Chapter 81: Visiting Bai Qingxia’s Home as a Guest! [Third Update]

Lu Yuanqiu reached out and pulled the textbook from Bai Qingxia’s arms, explaining, “Bai is helping me catch up. I’ve been in the hospital these past few days and missed class.”

Zheng Yifeng coolly exposed him, “That’s a first-year textbook.”

Glancing at the words “Biology, Compulsory I” on the cover, then at the girl’s increasingly flushed earlobes, Lu Yuanqiu insisted, “Exactly. I really can’t keep up with the current lessons, so I asked her to help me review the first-year material.”

Trying to seize the initiative, he asked, “So, what are you guys doing here?”

Zhong Jincheng raised a small fruit basket. “Visiting you, of course. The homeroom teacher said you got beat up by a dog owner for harassing a poodle on the street.”

Lu Yuanqiu forced a humorless chuckle.

“Come on in.” He moved over and took the fruit basket from Zhong Jincheng.

“I… I’ll go find my dad,” Bai Qingxia murmured, clutching her notebook as she headed for the door. At the threshold, she doubled back, face flushed, and quickly retrieved the biology book from Lu Yuanqiu’s hand before slipping out of the room.

Zheng Yifeng glanced over his shoulder at the departing girl, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

Trailing behind, Zhong Jincheng seized the chance to boast, “Let me tell you, Lu Yuanqiu, I chipped in twenty yuan for this fruit basket, Gao Qiang only gave ten, and Zheng Yifeng didn’t pay a cent. He doesn’t deserve any credit.”

“You visiting me is already a huge surprise,” Lu Yuanqiu replied.

Zhong Jincheng frowned. “Why’s that surprising? We’re brothers! Of course we’d come see you if you’re unwell.”

Lu Yuanqiu offered a dry smile. “What kind of brothers are you? Feels more like I’m being roasted.”

Once the three of them sat down by the bed, Gao Qiang mercilessly revealed, “Actually, Zhong Jincheng made a bet with Mao Sheng from Class 29 on the basketball game. Mao Sheng was sure the winners would be Class 1, because their captain is Zhang Yifei from the school team. Zhong argued that our Class 28 would win, and things escalated from there.”

Zhong Jincheng jumped in, “He said Class 28 would lose terribly, claimed he alone could crush us, and called Lu Yuanqiu nothing but a pervert who likes to strip and harass poodles on the street.”

Lu Yuanqiu couldn’t help but ask, “…Did Mao Sheng really say that?”

Zhong Jincheng nodded gravely.

Looking to Zheng Yifeng, Lu Yuanqiu noticed the so-called ‘Sleep God’ lounging at the bedside, struggling to suppress a smile.

In any case, it was clear Mao Sheng never missed a chance to mock Class 28.

Zhong Jincheng continued, “He went on about how Zhang Yifei can dunk and is a true basketball god. Damn, I almost bragged about you too, but I held back—just wait for the game! Time to slap his face. One’s a school team player, the other’s an amateur, but I believe in you, Lu—you’re unbeatable!”

Gao Qiang exposed him, “Truth is, Zhong Jincheng bet two hundred yuan on you. He’s just scared of losing money.”

“If you don’t shut up, I’ll throttle you!” Zhong Jincheng waved his arms, glaring at Gao Qiang.

Lu Yuanqiu asked, “So, who’s on our class team?”

Zheng Yifeng, leaning against the bed, raised his right hand.

Gao Qiang replied, “Me, Zheng Yifeng, Zhong Jincheng, Wang Haoran. We’re just one short—you. Please, bro, we need you this time. Liu Bu can’t play, he always gets penalized for using his feet, and you can dunk!”

Lu Yuanqiu nodded. “I was planning on joining anyway.”

Zheng Yifeng looked over in mild surprise. “Why the change of heart? You never used to be interested in these things—sports days, basketball games, you always kept your distance, but this semester you’re different.”

Lu Yuanqiu glared. “Zheng Yifeng, you’re watching me a bit too closely. Be warned, I’m straighter than a flagpole!”

Zheng Yifeng instantly lost interest in further conversation.

…

October 5th.

Lu Yuanqiu had been discharged yesterday and after a night’s rest at home, there was something important he needed to do today.

He stood before the hallway mirror, combing his crew cut into a more mature style, then slipped on a sharp denim jacket.

Sitting behind him, Lu Tian reminded, “Just bring a simple, inexpensive gift. The cheaper the better—don’t go overboard. If you do, Xia definitely won’t accept it.”

Today was the day Lu Yuanqiu would bring gifts to the Bai family, to thank Bai and his daughter in person.

Expressionless, Lu Yuanqiu turned and asked, “…Where do I buy cheap things? I’ve never shopped for cheap stuff before.”

“The market.”

Half an hour later, Lu Yuanqiu materialized at the Youth Road market.

He swatted away a fly, surrounded by the noisy chorus of vendors hawking their wares, the clamor of bargaining, the thud of cleavers, and even the crowing of chickens behind him. Glancing back, he spotted a cage full of roosters.

He approached the cage and addressed the vendor, “Hello, I’ll take your cheapest chicken.”

“Hello, I’ll take your cheapest pork.”

“Hello, I’ll take your cheapest carton of milk.”

“Hello, I’ll take your cheapest tray of eggs.”

“Hello, I’ll take your cheapest case of eight-treasure porridge.”

…

Loaded down with bags, Lu Yuanqiu had indeed bought the cheapest of everything, but in such quantities that he hadn’t really managed to rein in his spending.

Reaching the roadside, he stood on a stone block and made a call.

Barely a second passed before the call was answered.

“Hello? I’m at the entrance to Gui Alley. When can you come get me?”

A girl’s voice replied, “Wait… wait a second, I’m shopping right now. Once I’m done, I’ll come find you.”

“Alright.”

She’s out shopping too?

…

Hanging up, Lu Yuanqiu gazed ahead at the city village before him, shrouded as if beneath a gray filter.

Dilapidated, decaying, chaotic.

In contrast to the steel forest behind him, it was like two different worlds, with Luzhou Avenue as a stark dividing line, clearly demarcating wealth and poverty.

Last night, after being discharged, he had told Bai Qingxia he would come by today to thank her father for saving his life. She had hesitated, but in the end lifted her head and smiled in agreement.

At that moment, Lu Yuanqiu understood—Bai Qingxia had opened her shell to him.

In the supermarket, a girl in school uniform gripped her money tightly, pushing a cart filled with meat and vegetables. After finishing with the meat and produce, she headed to the condiments aisle.

“Soy sauce, ten yuan… fourteen… seventeen…”

Muttering under her breath, Bai Qingxia’s eyes landed on a bottle of soy sauce priced at twenty-five yuan. She picked it up without hesitation.

It was the most expensive soy sauce on the shelf.

“The most expensive soy sauce.”

“The most expensive cooking wine.”

“The most expensive light soy sauce.”

“The most expensive chicken essence.”

“The most expensive vinegar.”

Bai Qingxia didn’t flinch, choosing the priciest version of every condiment.

It wasn’t that she was wealthy, nor that the best ingredients guaranteed a better meal.

It was that having the boy as a guest was something she’d never dared to imagine—a once-in-a-lifetime event. She treasured it deeply, determined to make a meal that would make Lu Yuanqiu smile.

Her father and brother had both praised her cooking. Of course she wanted Lu Yuanqiu to taste her best as well.

Because, apart from her father, Lu Yuanqiu was the best person in the world.

ps.
Please wait a moment; the rules for the upcoming bonus chapter will be posted soon.
Thank you to the reader ending in 3069 for the reward of 15,000 reading coins, and to You Shili, Gentle Under the Twilight, and I Like to Eat Air for 5,000 starting coins each, as well as to everyone else who contributed. There are so many, I can’t thank you all by name—apologies.

(End of chapter)