Chapter Seventeen: Was It Deliberate?

"Uh, how should I put it? I really wasn't woken up by you. Actually, I usually sleep quite deeply. At that time, I just felt a very strange, wonderful sensation, and then I woke up on my own. Did I scare you? If I did, I apologize." With a particularly aggrieved tone, Chongchong felt as if she had done something wrong and made Fang Yuan angry.

Heavens, could you please not go into such detail about these things? Please, I beg you. Fang Yuan felt like kneeling before Chongchong—how was he supposed to go on living after this?

"Don't apologize to me. I don't want to hear your apology. Really, let's just go out to eat something—I'm so hungry I could faint," Fang Yuan quickly changed the topic. Since he had caused this mess, he would have to clean it up, even if it meant crying over it.

Fang Yuan truly couldn't tell if this was a blessing or a curse. Along with his rebirth, why did he have to be saddled with this little tagalong? Couldn’t he be like the male protagonists in those other novels—born with cheat codes and without any burdens?

It was already close to evening, the sky growing dim. Fang Yuan gathered up his few belongings and headed out. Seafood was the staple here, and it was the peak season for it.

He stopped at a small restaurant that looked relatively clean and hygienic, though Chongchong seemed a bit dissatisfied with the choice.

"You know, the smaller the place, the more authentic the food can be. This one looks decent—let’s give it a try. If it’s not good, we can always leave. After all, money isn’t an issue, right, Chongchong?" Fang Yuan joked. In his view, he couldn't always be the one getting teased; it was time to reclaim a little dignity.

"Fine, I’ll listen to you. I want something spicy," Chongchong said, eyeing a plate of spicy crayfish with obvious appetite.

"You’re sure? That’s really spicy," Fang Yuan pointed out, spotting the words "Super Spicy Crayfish" on the menu.

He hadn’t been much of a fan of spicy food before, but seeing Chongchong’s request, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

So he ordered the crayfish and a seafood noodle soup. The noodles came topped with plenty of fresh shrimp, making them look quite appetizing. Once the order was placed, Fang Yuan found a quiet corner and sat down to wait.

The restaurant wasn’t large, but it was spotless, which had been a major selling point for Fang Yuan. Because there weren’t many customers, the food arrived quickly. Just as he was about to dig in, he felt someone sit down across from him.

Fang Yuan hated having a stranger sit opposite him while he ate. He put down his chopsticks, intending to have a word with this tactless person. But when he looked up, he was stunned.

"Pei Xi? Why are you here?" The person sitting across from him, oblivious to social cues, was none other than Pei Xi.

"Why not? I was eating across the street and happened to see you here alone. There’s someone over there I’d rather avoid, so I came to join you. What, are you that attached to your bowl of noodles?" Pei Xi said, pulling the bowl over in front of her without the slightest hint of shame.

She grabbed the chopsticks from Fang Yuan’s hand and started eating.

It wasn’t about the noodles. It was about the noise she made while eating—why did it sound like she was feeding pigs, slurping so loudly? Fang Yuan’s appetite vanished. Looking at the plate of super spicy crayfish, he reminded himself that it was Chongchong’s order, so he might as well eat it for her.

To his surprise, it didn’t taste super spicy at all, just a bit hot. The slight kick actually made the crayfish quite delicious—at least Fang Yuan thought so.

"How about it? I picked well, didn’t I?" Chongchong was delighted to find something tasty, exactly to her liking.

And yet, Fang Yuan felt distinctly wronged. Sure, the food ended up in his stomach, but it was meant for Chongchong. Meanwhile, the noodles he’d ordered for himself had been snatched away, and he could only sit and watch as someone else enjoyed them.

To have sunk so low as a man—what was the point of living?

Once Pei Xi finished the noodles and Fang Yuan polished off the, well, Chongchong’s crayfish, he paid the bill and prepared to leave. He really didn’t think much of it—he and Pei Xi weren’t exactly kindred spirits.

"Hey, this is your phone." Pei Xi picked up the brand-new phone from the table and deftly dialed a number on it. In moments, her own phone rang.

"Nice number. If you need anything, remember to call me. And if you get any fresh fish, you have to call me first. Trust me, I won’t let you down," she declared grandly, but to Fang Yuan, it sounded more like she was just looking to take advantage.

"When are you leaving? Aren’t you still a student?" Fang Yuan asked, only to realize that if he’d reversed the order of those questions, it might have sounded more natural.

"That’s right, I’m still in school, but I’m graduating this year. So I’m not in a rush to go back. Honestly, I came here out of boredom, but I never expected to run into you. I think you must be an angel sent to keep me entertained. So I’ve decided—I’m not leaving until you teach me how to free dive," Pei Xi said with a childish, innocent smile.

"And what makes you think I’ll agree? Didn’t I already tell you I won’t teach you? Besides, this is a coastal city—if you really want to learn to free dive, there’s no shortage of instructors," Fang Yuan said, clearly displeased.

"Things always turn around in the end. I’m sure you’ll agree soon enough. My number’s in your phone now—call me if you change your mind. No matter how late, I’ll be waiting for your call," Pei Xi said with a bright smile as she left, taking her laughter with her.

What a cheerful person. People who laugh easily are always kind, but kind people always seem a bit dim-witted. After eating someone else’s food, the least she could do was pay.

Or if not that, she could at least say thank you.

Just as Fang Yuan finished grumbling, his phone buzzed. It was a text from an unfamiliar number. He used to get all sorts of random messages, probably just more spam. But wait—this was a brand-new number; it was too soon for spam, wasn’t it?

He checked the number. Could it be Pei Xi’s? It probably was, but what on earth did she mean by this message?

"Your lips… are quite something." That was the entire text. What did that mean?

Fang Yuan picked up his phone and switched to the selfie camera, only to find that his lips had swollen at some point. At first glance, it looked as if two sausages had been stuck to his face.