Chapter 93: The Same Choices

Right outside the photography studio was a staircase. Luo Xiaoyun was still holding the orange cat plushie with its cheeky expression. Her other hand was held by Su Muxue, and they walked down the stairs briskly.

On the third floor, right across from the stairwell, there was a milk tea shop. The sign glowed with warm yellow light. But a long line stretched from the counter to the corner of the corridor. It looked like at least a twenty-minute wait.

Luo Xiaoyun took one look and turned decisively.

“Let’s try another place. Can’t wait that long.”

She led Su Muxue further down, through the second-floor corridor, past the Christmas tree in the atrium, to a quieter corner on the other side of the mall. There was another milk tea shop there, with far fewer people, only two or three customers waiting.

Luo Xiaoyun stood at the counter, staring at the menu in hesitation. Taro bubble tea, taro mochi, taro thick milk… Every drink had “taro” in it, and every one looked delicious.

“One taro bubble tea, warm, 70% sweetness.” She finally decided, then turned to Su Muxue. “Muxue, what do you want?”

Su Muxue shook her head.

“We’re going to eat good food later. I’ll share yours.”

Luo Xiaoyun nodded and ordered just one.

The milk tea was ready quickly, the paper cup warm in her hands. Luo Xiaoyun inserted the straw, but instead of drinking first, she held the straw to Su Muxue’s lips. Her eyes sparkled.

“First sip for you. Try it.”

Su Muxue glanced at her, then lowered her head and took a sip. She savored it and nodded.

“It’s good. The taro is smooth.”

“Really?” Luo Xiaoyun took the cup back and drank. The warm milk tea, the sweet taro melting on her tongue. She squinted in satisfaction. “Delicious!”

Hand in hand, chatting and laughing, they went back up to the west building.

Luo Xiaoyun, confident in her memory, walked in the direction she thought they came from. She turned a familiar corner…

They both stopped in their tracks.

Where was the bustling buffet? Instead, there was an elegantly decorated Western restaurant with dim lighting. It was quiet at the entrance, barely a soul in sight. A sign on the window read: “Today’s Special: Wellington Steak.”

Luo Xiaoyun was dumbfounded. She stood there for a few seconds before turning back in confusion.

“That’s not right… I clearly remember turning in here. How is it a Western restaurant now?”

Su Muxue leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a hint of teasing in her tone.

“Can’t you find your way, silly?”

Luo Xiaoyun’s face flushed slightly. Her voice grew quieter, with a hint of defiance.

“I’m not… I remember it was this way…”

Su Muxue frowned slightly, scanning the surroundings. Her tone also carried a bit of uncertainty.

“In my memory… I think we came this way too?”

When Luo Xiaoyun heard that, her confidence immediately returned. She turned and pointed at Su Muxue.

“See! You don’t know either! And you’re calling me names! Big dummy!”

Su Muxue was taken aback by the sudden counterattack and couldn’t help laughing. She didn’t rush to argue, but looked around carefully, observing the surroundings.

“We went the wrong way, silly.” Su Muxue reached out and ruffled Luo Xiaoyun’s long hair. “When we bought milk tea on the second floor, we ended up on the other side of the mall. Coming up from that escalator shifted our position. We should go the opposite direction.”

Luo Xiaoyun’s hair was messed up, but she didn’t bother fixing it. Her eyes darted, and she puffed out her chest.

“I know! I just wanted to test if you could find the way.”

Su Muxue looked at her, clearly lost but stubbornly saving face, and couldn’t help a soft laugh. There was no mockery in that smile, only deep affection.

Luo Xiaoyun’s cheeks warmed under that smile. She muttered quietly, “This mall’s layout is so weird… Each floor isn’t a loop, full of dead ends and turns. Did the designer have a grudge against people with bad sense of direction?”

Su Muxue didn’t call her out. She took her hand and led her in the opposite direction.

They walked along the corridor, through the atrium, past a few familiar shops. Finally, on the other side of the mall, they saw the buffet restaurant’s sign. The people waiting at the entrance had dwindled. Luo Xiaoyun checked her phone, one table left.

“Perfect!” She pulled Su Muxue excitedly and hurried over.

They waited less than five minutes before their number was called. They were led into the restaurant. As soon as Luo Xiaoyun entered, she was stunned.

This buffet was ridiculously huge, stretching as far as the eye could see. Seafood section, BBQ section, meat section, Western section, dessert section, fruit section… Each area was brightly lit, filled with a dazzling array of food.

“It’s so big…” Luo Xiaoyun couldn’t help exclaiming.

“I’ll go get food. Wait here.” As Luo Xiaoyun stood up, Su Muxue also rose.

“Let’s go together. We can see what we want.”

The two split up and headed to different food areas. Soon, they returned to the seats one after another. When they both set their plates on the table, they froze, then exchanged smiles.

In Luo Xiaoyun’s plate: beef rolls, shrimp, shrimp paste, enoki mushrooms… several items. Su Muxue’s plate held almost exactly the same items, even arranged in a similar order.

Luo Xiaoyun looked at her own plate, then at Su Muxue’s. She blinked.

“…How did you get the exact same thing as me?”

Su Muxue sat down calmly and picked up her chopsticks.

“Because I wanted to eat these too.”

Luo Xiaoyun was unconvinced. She pursed her lips.

“This time is a coincidence. I’ll go again, it’ll be different for sure.”

With that, she got up and went to the fruit area. A minute later, she returned with slices of watermelon, orange, strawberry, and pineapple, all fruit.

Immediately after, Su Muxue also returned from another direction. Her plate also had slices of watermelon, orange, strawberry, and pineapple, exactly the same.

Luo Xiaoyun was a bit surprised.

“How did you know I was going for fruit, and even knew which fruit I’d pick?”

Su Muxue sat across from her, reached over, and picked up a piece of cooked shrimp paste to put in her bowl. Her smile was gentle.

“This is called having a connection of hearts. No matter what we choose, we think alike.”

Luo Xiaoyun’s cheeks reddened. She lowered her head and bit into the shrimp paste, not arguing further.

After eating for a while, Luo Xiaoyun patted her slightly full stomach and looked at the dessert section.

“Muxue, I’m going to get dessert. Let’s try again and see if we pick the same.”

Su Muxue nodded. They walked together to the dessert area.

Luo Xiaoyun deliberately slowed down this time, wanting to see what Su Muxue would pick. She went to the dessert section and picked up a small cake. She turned, Su Muxue also picked up a small cake. She picked up a piece of tiramisu. Su Muxue also picked up a piece of tiramisu. She picked up a crème caramel. Su Muxue also picked up a crème caramel.

Luo Xiaoyun stopped. She stood in the middle of the dessert area, speechless, staring at Su Muxue.

Su Muxue held her plate, looking innocent.

“What’s wrong?”

“Are you copying me?” Luo Xiaoyun squinted.

“No.” Su Muxue shook her head, her tone sincere. “I just think these are really good.”

Luo Xiaoyun didn’t believe it, but she had no proof. They carried their desserts back to the table and ate slowly.

The pudding melted in her mouth, the tiramisu was rich and smooth, the small cake soft and sweet. Luo Xiaoyun ate contentedly, leaning back in her chair, watching Su Muxue’s profile as she ate her dessert seriously. She suddenly felt that days like this were wonderful.

“Full?” Su Muxue looked up at her.

“Full.” Luo Xiaoyun patted her stomach. “80% full. Just right.”

Su Muxue nodded and glanced at her phone.

“The movie isn’t for a while yet. No rush.”

They sat in the restaurant a little longer, ate some fruit, then got up and left.

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