Growing Fond of You, Mr Nian

Jiang Yuning was nervous after hearing her.

It was a rare opportunity to buy her a meal, but she didn’t sound excited about canteen food.

He felt dejected, “Where are you going then? I’ll just follow along.”

It didn’t matter where they went, he just wanted to have a meal with her.

Nian Xi grinned. It seemed as if he was following them for lunch for sure, “Well, we’re going back to the police station. Are you going to come along as well?”

Jiang Yuning blinked his innocent eyes. Would he run into her ex-boyfriend at the station? He wondered if they had gotten back together; it had been a long while, after all. They were probably back together by now, he thought to himself. Would they act all intimate and lovey-dovey in front of him?

He was in a dilemma.

He didn’t know if he could handle watching her hug and kiss another man; it was a difficult problem.

Fang Qi watched Jiang Yuning contort into an awkward expression and finally said to Nian Xi, “Come on, stop teasing Professor Jiang. He did give us a hand, after all, so let’s join him in the canteen. It’s nearly lunchtime, and I heard they have a great variety of dishes in this school. The environment and ambiance are nice too.”

“Really?” Nian Xi said in disbelief.

“Why would I lie to you? I used to be in charge of the area around here. I’m always here when a student gets into a fight with another classmate,” Fang Qi said.

Nian Xi finally agreed. Jiang Yuning was grinning now. He offered to lead the way to the new canteen.

There were plenty of students who recognized Jiang Yuning on the way there. Most of them greeted him politely. He acted as if he didn’t hear them as he was too busy explaining things to Nian Xi while walking next to her, “That’s the basketball court; everyone is playing basketball now. That’s the soccer field over there; everyone is kicking the football. That’s the library; everyone is studying…”

“…”

It was the most boring tour she had even been on! Why did he have to explain all those things? She could see what people were doing with her own eyes.

But she didn’t interrupt him since it was rare for him to talk so much voluntarily.

When they walked by a snack bar, Jiang Yuning asked shyly, “Would you like some water?”

Nian Xi shook her head.

“I’m going to have some. I haven’t talked so much in a long time. My mouth is really dry,” Jiang Yuning walked to the snack bar and bought a bottle of water. He finished the entire contents in one gulp.

Fang Qi was staring at him in disbelief and then turned to say to Nian Xi, “Professor Jiang really talked a lot. He gave us a tour of everything, even the benches by the pedestrian walkway.”

“…”

Nian Xi thought about how challenging it must have been for him.

She looked as if she was deep in thought…I was so unlike him. He’d never spoken so much in the past.

When they arrived at the canteen, Nian Xi was impressed with the interior design. The lights were warm-toned and the floors were lined with wooden planks. It was like a quaint little cafe.

Indeed, there was a huge variety of dishes, from all over the world.

Jiang Yuning escorted the two of them to the staff counter, where the canteen lady seemed to know him well, “Professor Jiang, what are you having today? The usual?”

Jiang Yuning shook his head and handed her a slip of paper he had already prepared, “I have friends with me. I’d like the tastiest foods. I’ll have one of everything.”

The canteen lady turned to look at Nian Xi and grinned as if she had just comprehended something. She followed Jiang Yuning’s instructions and served them a little of every signature dish on the menu.

Nian Xi said, “There’s no need to order so much food.”

Jiang Yuning shook his head and stared at her, “It’s not too much, because… you lost a bit of weight.”

His voice was soft and gentle, Nian Xi blushed quickly.

Sometimes, she wished he would stay mute.

…