Chapter 154: Unpleasant words, 500 yuan deducted from salary.

Passing by every shop, Song Xinyao could rattle off something about each one.

"The egg rice rolls here are incredibly delicious, and the hot and sour noodles at that snack shop over there are divine. The filling in this place's buns tastes like dead pork; I hate it the most. Wah-ka-ka!" Suddenly excited, she grabbed Ling Yue's arm with one hand and pointed at a sign not far away with the other. "That milk tea shop is actually still open! Do you remember? You used to work part-time there."

Looking into the distance, the large characters for 'Yi He Tang' were particularly eye-catching.

"Oh, right." Song Xinyao opened her crossbody bag and rummaged around before pulling something out.

"Do you remember this?!" She held a card between her fingers.

It was a redemption voucher issued by Yi He Tang years ago.

For every order placed at the store, a stamp would be pressed onto the card. Once ten stamps were collected, a free cup of milk tea could be redeemed.

"Let's go, let's go, let's see if it still works. It's only one stamp away from being full!" Song Xinyao ran over excitedly.

Unfortunately.

They had ended that promotion long ago.

However...

"Ssss... Eh, you, I think I know you." The tall, thin owner in the shop pointed at Ling Yue, racking his brain but unable to recall her name.

Ling Yue smiled and said, "I used to work part-time here. Boss, you haven't changed a bit."

The tall, thin boss looked Ling Yue up and down carefully again, but still couldn't remember who she was.

The boss laughed sheepishly. "There are so many people at the school, a new batch every year. I really can't remember clearly."

"I remember one year it rained heavily, and the water flooded up to the doorway. We even helped you move things from the warehouse and put them on the tables. We were late for class that day." Song Xinyao remembered the past vividly.

With this reminder, the tall, thin boss suddenly slapped his head. "Right, right, right, I remember now! That was the biggest rain I've encountered since opening this shop. It even washed away my sign."

He first pointed at Ling Yue. "You seemed to be the quiet type, always keeping your head down and working."

Then he pointed at Song Xinyao. "The two of you must have been in the same dorm. No, there were four girls in your dorm in total, and you often came over to wait for her to get off work."

"On several occasions when your roommates ordered, I saw her secretly putting a lot of extra toppings in your cups."

Ling Yue was suddenly a bit embarrassed. "Ah, so you knew even back then?"

"Heh, it's just some pearls and coconut jelly, it's nothing. You were hardworking and diligent back then, never complaining. You were such a relief to have around."

"Besides, you guys helped me save a whole warehouse of stock."

After saying that, the boss glanced at Ling Yue's clothes and asked, "Are you back to visit?"

"Yes, we're back to see our alma mater. Seeing that nothing has changed here really makes me feel quite sentimental," Song Xinyao said, feigning an air of maturity.

The boss smiled and waved his hand generously. "Since we're old friends, whatever you want to drink is on the house. No need to pay!"

"No, no, we must pay. How can we fleece you when we're back at our alma mater?" Song Xinyao's skin was sometimes thin and sometimes thick.

Ling Yue took out Song Xinyao's phone, scanned the code, placed the order, and paid.

Yes, she even knew Song Xinyao's payment password. With a password like 123455, Ling Yue had seen it once and found it hard to forget.

This small amount of money was just a drop in the bucket for the present-day Song Xinyao.

She didn't just buy for Ling Yue; she bought a cup for everyone traveling with them today.

"Not bad, Eldest Miss Song is quite generous!" Ling Yue took a sip of the milk tea; the taste was pretty good.

Song Xinyao smirked and laughed. "I often worry that I'm too excellent, and that it causes a psychological burden for everyone."

Ling Yue: "If you speak out of turn, 500 will be deducted from your salary."

"That's not right!" Song Xinyao cried out in shock.

Entering the campus from the commercial street, they first arrived at a tree-lined road.

Every blade of grass and every tree here emitted a familiar scent.

"I've always found it hard to understand." Song Xinyao chewed on her pearls.

Ling Yue: "...What?"

This remark came out of nowhere.

Song Xinyao said, "Why are the lab building and the teaching building a hundred thousand miles apart? Every time class ends, I have to do a hundred-meter sprint to change locations."

"No wonder no matter how much I ate in college, I had a perfect golden ratio figure, firm calves, and not a trace of fat on my waist or belly."

Ling Yue glanced at her. "Then have you been eating too much animal feed in the years since graduation?"

Song Xinyao suffered a personal attack.

The campus was huge.

After walking about half a circle, it was almost noon.

The business of that Braised Chicken over Rice shop was still booming.

Fortunately, they arrived at 11:30.

There weren't many people yet.

Ling Yue ordered Set B, paired with a cup of Hand-Smashed Lemon Tea.

Song Xinyao, while saying she needed to lose weight and couldn't eat too much, ordered an extra-large portion of Braised Chicken over Rice, with added beef balls, potatoes, and extra chicken.

The food had just been served, and the clay pot was still sizzling with oil.

"This is the taste!"

As Ling Yue spoke, her mouth was watering.

First, a bite of chicken thoroughly coated and flavored with the rich sauce.

Then, mix the soft potatoes, fresh and tender shiitake mushrooms, and the hot, thick gravy with the plump and bouncy rice!

She took a spoonful and put it in her mouth.

Sublime.

It was so delicious she wouldn't let go even if she were slapped!

On this trip back to her alma mater, being able to eat such a bite made it completely fulfilling.

"Look, does that person's silhouette look familiar?" While eating, Song Xinyao pointed at a man at the front counter who was scanning a code to pay.

Ling Yue looked in the direction she was pointing and made eye contact with the man.

"The Counselor."

"Hmm? The Counselor?" Song Xinyao squinted her eyes, which had a prescription of 1.0 and were currently without glasses.

Once she saw him clearly, she raised her hand and waved. "Over here, over here! Counselor, over here!"

When Ling Yue was in college, the Counselor was a 28-year-old young man who had just been promoted to the position.

Now... from the degree of baldness, it could be seen that children in the last couple of years were not easy to manage.

"Ling Yue, Song Xinyao, why are you two back?" It had to be the Counselor; he recognized them at a glance.

"Come, come, sit, sit." Song Xinyao pushed her tray forward, naturally sat down next to Ling Yue, and left the seat opposite for the Counselor.

She giggled and naturally started chatting with the Counselor. "We came back for a visit. Do you not have classes today?"

Being talkative is a talent.

Song Xinyao belonged to that kind of divine person who could strike up a conversation even with a dog on the side of the road.

"I have classes in the afternoon." He first answered Song Xinyao's question, then said, "I remember you went back to Suzhou, right? Are you here to visit this time?"

"No, I'm here to work." Song Xinyao was serious for only a second before becoming unrestrained again. "Old Liu, what's the deal with you? Three years ago you were in your prime, and three years later, who has ravaged you like this?

Tell the truth, has our teacher's wife not looked down on you all these years?"

"What, are you going to crowdfund a hair transplant for me?" Old Liu had a face full of weariness.

Song Xinyao said, "Don't look at me, I'm your most unsuccessful student."

Old Liu had always been easygoing.

He often joked around with students.

He glanced at Ling Yue, who was buried in her food. "Ling Yue, how have you been lately? I see your state of mind is much better than when you were in college."

"Life is manageable," Ling Yue said with a face full of humility.

Song Xinyao added a punchline: "Her life is quite comfortable. Look, she actually dares to order a set meal now!"

"I can't compare to you; the food in your pot is about to overflow. You dare to eat so much for one meal; your monthly salary must not be small," Ling Yue retorted with a smile.

"That's for sure, who told me I have a good boss~" Song Xinyao made a wretched finger heart.

Ling Yue made a gesture like she was going to vomit.

A smile touched the corner of Old Liu's mouth. "It seems you're doing well; you've even learned to joke with people."

In Old Liu's eyes, Ling Yue saw... kindness?

For a thirty-five-year-old teacher in his prime, she didn't know if this was a good or bad thing.

"Teacher Liu, your takeout is ready." The restaurant owner came over carrying a takeout bag.

Old Liu stood up and said to the two of them, "I have things to do, so I'll be going first. If you encounter any difficulties working in Hangzhou, just find me on WeChat. I can't say I'll have everything perfectly arranged for you, but at least there'll be enough Braised Chicken over Rice."

"So confident! Did the teacher's wife increase your pocket money?" Song Xinyao said with a mischievous face.

"Go, go, go." Old Liu brushed her off, but the smile on his face had already betrayed everything.

Old Liu left.

When he was far away, Song Xinyao was heard saying, "When Teacher's Day comes this year, I must definitely gift Old Liu a warm hat."

Ling Yue took a mouthful of rice and said indistinctly, "A teacher for a day, a father for a lifetime. You're such a rebellious child, going for the throat like that."