Chapter 99: A Bowl of Instant Noodles

Chen Lin searched the kitchen, hoping to make something nice for Liying, but the fridge was empty.

Should he go to the supermarket for ingredients?

It felt like a waste of time, and he wasn’t comfortable leaving Liying alone in his apartment.

“My place only has instant noodles. How about ordering takeout? What would you like to eat?” Chen Lin asked. Liying was sitting quietly on his sofa.

“No need for takeout. I’ll be happy with instant noodles.” Liying answered right away.

Chen Lin thought for a moment, then decided to boil water with the kettle and make the noodles.

He had brought Liying home for a talk. Dinner wasn’t the main purpose, just a side note.

As long as it kept them fed. Instant noodles were a quick, no-fuss meal, good enough for a casual bite.

He checked the kitchen cabinet and took out three flavors. “Which one do you want?” he asked.

Liying raised her finger and pointed at the box on the left.

Chen Lin went back to the kitchen to prepare the noodles. “Prepare” was just tearing off the packaging and pouring in hot water.

Liying stayed alone in the living room, looking around from the sofa. This was her first time in a boy’s home, and the boy was the one she liked.

It felt like a dream. She never imagined Chen Lin would bring her back.

‘See? If I do this, he’ll care about me.’

She lowered her head.

Her reason told her this was wrong, whichever way you looked at it.

But she couldn’t control herself. She couldn’t lie to her own heart.

‘Rationality and all that? It doesn’t matter anymore.’

‘Being with Chen Lin. That’s the only thing that matters.’

The noodles didn’t take long. Soon Chen Lin carried the cups over to the table in the living room.

At his gesture, Liying came over.

Chen Lin opened the lid for her. Inside, the noodles were ready, but the seasoning had not fully dissolved. It sat on top of the noodle block, waiting for a fork to stir it in.

It obviously was junk food. Fried noodles, high calories, no nutrition. Liying normally wouldn’t touch that kind of thing.

She didn’t look up, just watched Chen Lin with her eyes.

Chen Lin had wanted the same flavor as Liying, but the last one had been claimed by her, so he had to take another.

He opened his own lid, stirred the noodles skillfully, and took a big bite.

Seeing this, Liying seemed to remember something. “Do you often eat instant noodles?”

“Not really. Only when I’m swamped and have no time. Mostly I cook for myself.” Since it wasn’t a secret, Chen Lin answered readily.

“If it’s okay…” Liying started, but Chen Lin cut her off.

He said bluntly, “If you’re thinking about cooking for me, I’ll pass. I don’t like others using my kitchen. I’m a neat freak.”

Actually, Chen Lin wasn’t sure if he had guessed right. Was Liying about to offer to cook for him? But he had to kill any such thought in the cradle.

Just one Yan was already enough trouble for him. He didn’t want Liying to follow Yan’s example.

Besides, today his goal was to talk to Liying, to make her keep her distance. Not to catch up.

Liying’s words were cut off before they even came out. Her mood sank.

Chen Lin noticed she wasn’t eating. “Didn’t you say you were hungry? Why aren’t you eating?”

Pressed by Chen Lin, Liying picked up the fork and listlessly poked at the noodles.

Chen Lin watched her and saw a big lump of seasoning stuck to the fork. It hadn’t been stirred in at all.

One bite of that would definitely be too salty.

“Wait!” Chen Lin stopped her and grabbed her hand with the fork. He stirred the noodles in the paper cup until the seasoning dissolved into the soup.

This way, Liying wouldn’t find it too salty when she ate.

“Now you can eat.” He let go of her hand.

Liying pulled her hand back, rubbed the spot he’d held, and then took a bite as he said.

At that moment, a resolution set firmly in Liying’s heart. She was no longer lost.

For a high schooler still growing, one cup of noodles wasn’t much. After they finished, Chen Lin asked Liying to sit back on the sofa.

He cleared his throat. Now that they were fed, it was time for the real topic.

He had tried the hard approach before. Since that didn’t work, he’d go soft this time.

He didn’t speak immediately. During the meal, scenes from his meetings with Liying kept coming back to him.

Thinking carefully, compared with Yan, Liying was truly a nice girl. Not to mention anything else, after being rejected, she at least showed no intention of hurting him. That alone was already very good.

Because of various reasons, his vigilance toward her seemed to have been too high. But that couldn’t be helped. Whoever lived under the kind of pressure he was under would be on edge too.

Suspecting others of ill intent was Chen Lin’s way of protecting his fragile self.

From another angle, merely guessing that others meant harm was already quite calm of him.

Looking at the facts, Liying had never hurt him. Maybe he should be kinder to her and lower his guard.

With that, his attitude toward Liying unknowingly softened.

“Do you know why I brought you to my home?” Chen Lin asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

“…No.” Liying thought for a moment, then shook her head.

What was the answer? Did she not know, or couldn’t she guess?

Of course, the answer was no. She just didn’t want to give Chen Lin the right answer.

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