Chapter 12: Why Did You Eat My Steamed Bun… Wuwu
“Teacher, what’s wrong with her?”
Zhang Chen carried Bai Xiruo to the infirmary, where the teacher briefly examined Bai Xiruo.
“Nothing serious, just a bit of malnutrition and low blood sugar. She probably didn’t eat breakfast.”
Zhang Chen glanced at Bai Xiruo lying on the bed, put his hands on his hips, and said, “Most likely… yes.”
The infirmary teacher said, “Go buy her something to eat.”
“Oh, oh.”
Zhang Chen turned to head towards the snack shop, but Bai Xiruo, still somewhat weak on the bed, spoke up: “No need, I have food in my backpack.”
Saying this, she forced herself to sit up, despite her head still spinning and her limbs feeling weak.
Zhang Chen raised an eyebrow, looking at Bai Xiruo’s frail appearance, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.
She wouldn’t die here, would she?
But then he saw that the teacher on duty in the infirmary didn’t say anything, so it didn't seem like a big problem.
“Then don’t move, I’ll get it for you.” Zhang Chen reached out and pressed on her head, stopping her from trying to get off the bed.
“Tha-thank you.” Hearing Zhang Chen say that, Bai Xiruo lowered her head, not looking at Zhang Chen, feeling a bit reluctant and embarrassed.
No matter what, she didn't want to trouble Zhang Chen.
But at this moment, she had no other choice.
“It’s nothing.” Zhang Chen waved his hand, then quickly left the infirmary and ran towards the teaching building.
Back in the classroom, he found Bai Xiruo’s seat.
He rummaged through her backpack and found what she called “food.”
Two completely cold steamed buns.
Zhang Chen was stunned.
This was her so-called food…
Steamed buns?
In the original novel, the most frequent description of Bai Xiruo’s family difficulties involved steamed buns.
After all, they only cost 5 mao each.
If it were anyone else, Zhang Chen’s mind would definitely be thinking: How much does she love eating steamed buns…
But if this person was Bai Xiruo, Zhang Chen could guess: Could it be that steamed buns are all she’ll eat for the whole day…
Thinking this, Zhang Chen looked around the desk, then checked Bai Xiruo’s drawer and backpack.
Sure enough, he didn’t see the lunchbox she had brought yesterday.
Having confirmed in his heart that Bai Xiruo hadn’t brought lunch today, and that it was highly likely steamed buns were all she would eat for the entire day, Zhang Chen took the two steamed buns and started to gobble them down.
He walked back while eating…
When he arrived at the infirmary again, Bai Xiruo had already recovered a bit and was standing at the infirmary entrance, looking in the direction of the teaching building staircase.
The two were separated by a short corridor, their eyes meeting.
Bai Xiruo stared blankly as Zhang Chen munched on her only two steamed buns for the day, even stuffing the last bite into his mouth right in front of her…
She immediately felt wronged, her nose tingled, and she weakly squatted on the ground, burying her face and sobbing…
This was the only thing she had left to fill her stomach…
He even snatched this.
What’s so good about steamed buns! Why does he always bully her!
“Hey, hey, hey, no, I brought you something else, don’t cry!!”
Zhang Chen quickly took out his chocolate and several packs of biscuits from his bag, and “slid on his knees” in three steps to Bai Xiruo’s front!
He also lowered his head to see if she was really crying…
He looked, and sure enough, she was crying. She really was a crybaby, just like in the original novel…
“Here, look, eat some of these first to fill your stomach.”
As he spoke, he dangled the chocolate in front of Bai Xiruo’s eyes.
Bai Xiruo sniffled and saw the chocolate and biscuits. These things were definitely more expensive and tastier than her steamed buns.
But she still choked back her sobs, tears clinging to her eyelashes, and asked: “Why did you eat my steamed buns… wuwuwu…”
Zhang Chen: “…”
No? What’s so good about steamed buns?
They were cold, hard, and made him choke. He had choked several times on his way back, almost dying on the road.
But, if he didn’t eat them, how could he have a legitimate excuse to take her out to eat?
“I was just tasting them. Look at you, so stingy.” Zhang Chen tore open the chocolate wrapper for her, then held it directly to Bai Xiruo’s mouth, “Ah.”
Bai Xiruo opened her mouth by a tiny margin, just enough to bite the chocolate, and the sweetness instantly enveloped her entire taste buds.
At this moment, having had her steamed buns eaten and then being called stingy by Zhang Chen, she accepted Zhang Chen’s feeding much more naturally.
Seeing this, Zhang Chen raised an eyebrow and said, as if showing off, “How is it? Better than your steamed buns, right?”
Bai Xiruo savored the chocolate slowly, not wanting to chew, and didn’t respond to Zhang Chen’s words.
Zhang Chen’s hands weren’t idle either; he continued to tear open biscuit wrappers for her, still feeding them directly to her mouth.
However, this time Bai Xiruo didn’t directly open her mouth to take them. She lowered her head and reached out to take the biscuits from Zhang Chen’s hand…
Seeing this, Zhang Chen handed her the items, then clapped his empty hands. Then, seeing Bai Xiruo still with her head down and not getting up, he lowered his head again, somewhat annoyingly, to look at Bai Xiruo’s face.
Seeing that she wasn't crying anymore, he finally relaxed and asked in an irritating tone, “So, Sister Xi? Can we stand up now?”
Upon hearing this, Bai Xiruo stood up silently, like a robot…
“…”
“Class is almost over. Want to eat together later?” Zhang Chen asked.
“I, I brought lunch, thank you.” Bai Xiruo slowly ate her biscuit, carefully declining Zhang Chen’s invitation.
“Did you really bring lunch, or do you just not want to eat with me?” Zhang Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, feigning suspicion as he spoke to Bai Xiruo.
Upon hearing this, Bai Xiruo’s body trembled, her gaze flickered, and her hand, which was feeding herself, paused…
“Your lunch was just those two steamed buns, I saw them.” Zhang Chen admitted, “Don’t try to lie to me.”
“Or are you not going to give me face again?”
“I didn’t.” Bai Xiruo quickly waved her hands in fear after hearing him, half of the biscuit in her hand already eaten, “I…”
“What ‘I’?” Zhang Chen saw her stammering, and being familiar with the original novel, he naturally knew what Bai Xiruo meant.
Firstly, she had no money, and secondly, she didn’t want to trouble others.
As someone also living under someone else’s roof, he naturally understood this psychology of not wanting to trouble others, yet being extremely fragile and insecure inside.
“I ate your breakfast and lunch, two steamed buns. The biscuits and chocolate in your hand now are just breakfast. I still owe you a lunch.”
“No—” Bai Xiruo was about to speak but was immediately interrupted by Zhang Chen.
“Don’t talk nonsense with me. This is how it’s calculated with me. Your steamed buns are breakfast, and my biscuits are also breakfast. Breakfast equals breakfast, there’s no price distinction!”
“Don’t tell me lunch is more expensive either. Your lunch equals my lunch; both are just for filling your stomach.”
“Now I owe you a lunch, so I will compensate you according to my lunch standards. You have to accept it, whether you want to or not!”
“If you don’t accept it, you’re looking down on me!”
“Are you looking down on me?!”
After speaking, Zhang Chen widened his eyes and simultaneously raised his fist, as big as a sandbag…
“I didn’t.” Bai Xiruo was utterly bewildered by Zhang Chen’s logic and repeatedly shook her head.
How could he talk so much?
But faced with Zhang Chen’s “naked threat,” she seemed to have no choice but to agree.
Although she didn’t know what Zhang Chen wanted to do to her again, from him carrying her to the infirmary and giving her biscuits and chocolate to eat…
She no longer felt that terrifying aura from him…
“Good, then it’s settled. Follow me later.”
Zhang Chen hummed twice in satisfaction, saying with considerable arrogance, hands on his hips.
Just then, Su Yu, also suffering from low blood sugar, was helped to the infirmary by a classmate…
……
……
