Eat Less Fish in the Future - Chapter 7
Everyone searched the room and discovered a very strange thing.
“This is bad! The battalion commander is gone!”
The person who notified them had a particularly mournful face, making it seem as if the battalion commander had really disappeared.
The two company commanders were trying so hard not to laugh that they were hurting themselves. They waved their hands and said quietly, “He’s not gone anywhere. He went to complain to your principal.”
Everyone present was in an uproar, with a chorus of incredulous gasps.
“Look at you all. You could have just argued properly, but you made it so the battalion commander couldn’t save face. Didn’t you know he was just bluffing?” The company commander held his forehead, but secretly gave them a thumbs up and said quietly, “Well done.”
“The battalion commander was furious. He said if he doesn’t come back, you’ll be the death of him,” the other company commander said with a grin. “He also said if it weren’t for that Taekwondo black belt on the other side, he wouldn’t have left.”
“This is completely desertion!” Zhao Yuan was so angry he wanted to laugh. “He’s so pathetic, he doesn’t even dare to compete.”
“Exactly!” everyone chimed in. “The battalion commander is trash!”
“Anyway, we won,” Zhao Yuan waved his hand. “The other side surrendered without a fight. So lame.”
The company commander gathered everyone together. “You’d better be glad the battalion commander surrendered. Otherwise, if you really got into a fight and you won, I’d be in trouble. If he won, you’d have a hard time in military training from now on.”
Someone asked, “Company commander, why did you all suddenly leave and arrange for the battalion commander to teach us?”
“Someone complained, saying your discipline was lax and you were laughing every day during military training. The battalion commander thought we two weren’t capable enough, so he decided to come subdue you himself. In the end, he was subdued by you.”
“The one on stage was called Liang Yu, right?” The company commander smiled. “You’ve got some skills. Your aura completely overpowered our battalion commander.”
In the subsequent training, to save face for the company commanders, everyone was particularly “two-faced”.
On the fifth day, the battalion commander came to inspect and see how these unruly students were handling their instructors.
To prevent any accidents, the battalion commander even brought the regimental commander with him.
“Look how arrogant these people usually are.”
The company commander said quietly, “The battalion commander is here. Everyone, cooperate and put in some effort, okay?”
“At ease! Attention! Left turn! Straddle!”
At the moment of straddling, everyone obediently shouted the numbers with an imposing manner. “One! Two!”
Battalion commander: “…”
The regimental commander looked serious and said to the battalion commander, “They seem quite obedient to me.”
Company Commander: “Attention! Greet the regimental commander!”
Everyone: “Hello, Regimental Commander–“
“Greet the battalion commander!”
Everyone in a scattered chorus. “Tch–“
The regimental commander lowered his voice, his eyes stern. “It seems everyone has issues with you.”
Someone said, “He looks down on our Arts College.”
The regimental commander nodded, signaling them not to say more.
After the two had walked away, everyone finally heard the regimental commander say, “Reflect on yourself. Don’t always say how this or that college behaves. I think they’re all very obedient.”
Although the voice was lowered, most people heard it.
Li Min chuckled secretly. “Looks like he got criticized by the leader.”
Everyone started to gloat.
“Serves him right. Who told him to look down on us? We got into the Arts College, which means our cultural scores were at least good enough for a top-tier university. Who is he to look down on us?”
“Exactly, this is clearly a stereotype formed elsewhere. We won’t take the blame for this.”
“He probably won’t dare to come inspect us again. Look at how subservient he is now. It’s so satisfying to see.”
After the satisfaction wore off, it was soon lunchtime.
The cafeteria was too crowded, so Zheng Yimian and Li Min decided to eat outside of school.
They chose a place that served pan-fried meat, but when they went in, they found only one table for four left.
Just as the two of them sat down, they saw Liang Yu and Zhao Yuan come in.
Zhao Yuan looked around and said dejectedly, “There are no seats left…”
Zheng Yimian stood up and waved at them.
Liang Yu’s gaze moved to her face.
She pointed at their table, indicating that they could eat together.
Zhao Yuan was about to walk over, but Liang Yu bumped his shoulder and looked up ahead. “There are seats inside.”
Zhao Yuan was overjoyed and quickly found a seat inside.
Zheng Yimian and Li Min were sitting face to face, which meant there was an empty seat next to each of them.
Zhao Yuan, obliviously, plopped down next to Zheng Yimian.
It wasn’t until Liang Yu gave him a forced smile, with his eyes half-lidded and arms crossed over his chest.
Zhao Yuan turned his head to look, and inwardly shouted a hundred capitalized and bolded “OH NO”s. He quickly stood up.
Zheng Yimian, who was looking at the menu, looked at him curiously. “What’s wrong?”
Liang Yu continued smiling.
Zhao Yuan shook his head, laughed dryly, and sat next to Li Min. “I like sitting by the window… haha.”
Zheng Yimian was about to speak again, but Zhao Yuan shook his head vigorously. “Don’t talk to me anymore! Let’s order quickly!”
“Are you hungry?” Zheng Yimian turned another page of the menu, smiling. “I’ll treat you all today. What do you want to eat?”
Liang Yu sat opposite Zhao Yuan, lifting his eyelids slightly to look at him.
As if to say — Her first three sentences today were all directed at you.
Zhao Yuan expressed his trembling through his eyes: I didn’t… I haven’t…
Zheng Yimian looked up and asked them. “Hmm? Should we order a set meal for four, or we can order individually. What do you choose?”
Zhao Yuan: “I choose death.”
“Don’t be silent. I still need to thank you, especially Liang Yu,” Zheng Yimian propped up her head, showing a slight smile. “Last time you stood up for me and helped me get some rest time. I don’t know how to repay you…”
Zhao Yuan blurted out. “How about with your bo…”
The words “body and soul” were pushed back in by Liang Yu’s gaze. Zhao Yuan scratched his head and said, “I mean, do they have sashimi here?”
“A pan-fried meat restaurant doesn’t have sashimi,” Zheng Yimian frowned. “Should we take a car to go outside…”
“No need,” Liang Yu lowered his eyes to look at her, his voice tinged with an unconscious softness. “Just order whatever you like. I’m fine with anything.”
Since Liang Yu showed a tendency to order, Zheng Yimian simply pulled the menu between the two of them and moved a bit closer to his side.
“Let’s order a set meal first. It includes dessert and cheese. Then we’ll add a plate of fried chicken and rice cakes, a fruit platter, and some drinks. We can order more if it’s not enough. What do you think?”
Liang Yu wasn’t really listening to what she was saying. He felt her elbow barely touching his arm, the sensation soft and warm.
Her voice sounded as if it had been steeped in the soft dialect of a water town, each syllable gentle and clear, every inch and thread tinged with a soft, sweet smile.
He swallowed, cleared his throat, and asked a question he already knew the answer to. “Which fried chicken?”
Zheng Yimian pointed her finger at the only fried chicken on the menu. “This one.”
Her fingers were fair, but the tips, visible through the nail beds, had a hint of pink.
Liang Yu’s heart fluttered. He reached out and put his finger on the menu picture as well. “…This one?”
He touched her finger.
He couldn’t feel the temperature, but it seemed warm.
Just this simple touch made him feel like he needed a great deal of strength to suppress the restlessness welling up inside him.
Zheng Yimian was completely unaware of this premeditated “touch”. She nodded. “This one, will you eat it?”
Liang Yu’s voice was slightly hoarse. He watched her lips move, and after a long while, he finally said. “Yes.”
…..
On the side, Zhao Yuan was frantically typing on his phone.
He was messaging his roommate: [Your bro Liang Yu is getting all mushy, tsk tsk tsk.]
[I’m completely baffled, watching him sneakily touch someone’s fingertip thinking no one noticed. Oh boy, he’s really gone soft.]
[Damn, I’ve known him for years, but I’ve never seen him… kind of… biting his lip to hide a smile?]
[I can’t take this, I’m going blind.]
During the meal, Zheng Yimian remembered something and asked Liang Yu with a smile. “By the way, I’ve always been curious… Are you really a Taekwondo black belt?”
If he really was a black belt, it would explain why he was so good at fighting during the gathering.
“It’s fake,” Liang Yu said without changing his expression, pushing some octopus towards her plate. “I’ve never learned Taekwondo. Zhao Yuan made it up.”
“You didn’t even flinch when he said it, so I thought it was true.”
He’d never even learned Taekwondo, yet he could easily subdue two people. The title of “Demon Incarnate” wasn’t undeserved.
Zhao Yuan grinned. “This guy is really good at making fake things seem real and real things seem fake. For example, his li… Ow!”
Zheng Yimian: “What’s wrong?”
She looked down under the table.
“It’s nothing, nothing,” Zhao Yuan smiled. “My fault, I talk too much.”
Li Min finally chimed in. “For example, his li… what? You didn’t finish.”
Zhao Yuan was at a loss for words. He looked at Liang Yu for help.
Liang Yu raised an eyebrow: You dug this hole yourself, you fill it.
Zhao Yuan ate some salad while laughing dryly. “For example, like showering. We always say he has an eight-pack, but he insists he doesn’t. He’s just being modest, haha…”
Liang Yu: “…”
Zheng Yimian tilted her head, inquiring. “Do you guys… usually shower together?”
Before Zhao Yuan could speak, Liang Yu coldly distanced himself.
“I don’t know about him, but I’m straight.”
Zhao Yuan: ?? Why don’t I know you clearly??
After returning to the dormitory in the evening, Zhao Yuan received a message from someone and asked Liang Yu, “Brother Yu, a friend of mine said they still need two models for the welcome party fashion show. They’re asking if you’re willing to go. You can skip military training. You just need to walk around in clothes made of paper.”
Liang Yu didn’t even think about it. “I won’t go.”
After a pause, remembering that Zheng Yimian had said she didn’t want to do military training, he added, “Do they also need female models?”
“Let me ask.” After a while, he replied, “Yes, they do.”
Liang Yu found Zheng Yimian’s QQ and WeChat through her phone number, killing three birds with one stone.
After she agreed, Liang Yu explained the situation to her.
Soon, she asked: [Are you going too? If you go, I’ll go.]
Zhao Yuan passed by and looked at Liang Yu strangely. “What are you looking at? Why are you smiling for no reason?”
Why shouldn’t I smile?
She now had a slight, unusual dependence on him. Although it was shallow, it was better than nothing.
Liang Yu smiled as he typed: [If you go, I’ll go.]
In the end, both of them went, of course.
Before going to rehearsal, they first needed to get their leave forms stamped by the student union.
Following the address given by others, Zheng Yimian and Liang Yu went to the fifth floor of Building 3 to find the office.
After matching the room number, Zheng Yimian knocked on the door and pushed it open.
Even the security door made a creaking sound. After pushing the door open, Zheng Yimian took two steps inside.
The inside was as spacious as a dance studio, with only a large mirror.
The curtains were blown into a ball by the morning wind, looking like two blue laundry balls hanging on the wall.
The wooden podium was empty except for a chalk box.
Zheng Yimian asked in vain. “Is anyone here?”
As expected, no one answered. Zheng Yimian stood by the window and closed it.
The blue curtains fell obediently, just brushing her ankles.
At this moment, a message came from her friend: [Wrong, wrong! The office is on the third floor of Building 4. Have you arrived at Building 3 yet? Come out quickly! That senior practicing dance inside is super fierce!]
Zheng Yimian hurriedly said to Liang Yu, “Let’s get out first.”
As they stood at the doorway, hurried footsteps came from outside.
“I’m so angry! Don’t tell me someone’s in this classroom too?!”
Zheng Yimian’s heart tightened. Influenced by her friend’s nervous tone earlier, without thinking, she pulled Liang Yu behind the door with her.
Hiding behind the door, Zheng Yimian felt something wasn’t quite right.
Breathing sounds intertwined in the corner behind the door. Zheng Yimian’s ears burned.
The person outside entered tentatively. “There shouldn’t be anyone here, right?”
As soon as the words fell, the person outside pushed the door inward forcefully.
Zheng Yimian had no choice. Following the pressure from behind, she stumbled forward a few steps and bumped into Liang Yu’s chest.
His arm was propped up beside her. The cool snow fragrance mixed with a faint scent of leaves entered her nostrils, stirring up her insides.
She was slightly stunned. She looked up at him, but accidentally bumped into his chin.
He lowered his head, a hint of a smile on his lips.
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