The two walked side by side towards the snack street.
Along the way, Pei Jiangmu chatted with Meng Ruozhao casually as if he were completely at ease, but he had his own agenda.
He secretly rejoiced that the security guard had stopped Meng Ruozhao. Otherwise, if she had entered the school, she might have discovered that he didn't attend No. 1 Middle School.
Although he hoped that she would know he wasn't a student there, he didn't want her to dig deeper.
The snack street was bustling with activity, and the aromas of various snacks intertwined.
Meng Ruozhao's attention was drawn to the surrounding scenery, and she temporarily forgot the disappointment she had felt at the school gate. Especially when she saw the various special - flavored snacks on the street stalls, a hint of curiosity unconsciously showed in her beautiful eyes.
Pei Jiangmu noticed her expression and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
"Sister, the grilled sausages from this stall are especially delicious. I often bought them when I was in school."
As he said this, he walked up to the stall, bought two grilled sausages, and handed one to Meng Ruozhao.
Meng Ruozhao took the grilled sausage and took a bite.
The familiar taste spread on the tip of her tongue, as if it had touched a certain string in her heart. Some fuzzy images flashed through her mind, but before she could grasp them, they disappeared again.
She frowned, trying hard to recall something.
Seeing this, Pei Jiangmu pretended to ask casually, "What's wrong, sister? Is the grilled sausage not to your taste?"
Meng Ruozhao shook her head. "No, I just seemed to remember something, but I can't recall it clearly." After a pause, she asked, "But how do you know the grilled sausages here are delicious? Did you often come here before?"
Pei Jiangmu nodded. "Yes, it's quite close to Haicheng International."
But it wasn't that he liked coming here; it was Meng Ruozhao who did.
Her adoptive parents were quite health - conscious. The food at home was mainly light, and they didn't allow Meng Ruozhao to eat junk food.
As teenagers have big appetites, sometimes after school, Meng Ruozhao liked to come here. At first, she did it behind Pei Jiangmu's back, but later, after he found out, she had to take him with her.
The two could be said to have eaten at every store on this street.
Pei Jiangmu didn't really care; his main purpose was to accompany Meng Ruozhao. But the driver who came to pick him up was always extremely nervous.
The driver was afraid that something might happen to the young master after eating such food and always tried to persuade them. So later, the two came secretly, which added a sense of mystery.
As they continued walking, they passed by a milk tea shop.
Meng Ruozhao remembered her previous promise. "Come on, let's go in. I'll treat you to milk tea."
The interior of the shop was decorated with a youthful atmosphere, and the walls were covered with sticky notes left by students.
Pei Jiangmu looked at those notes and his heart skipped a beat.
In the past, Meng Ruozhao also liked to write such notes, things like "May the exam - god bless me in the monthly exam" or "May I have divine help in the final exam."
Every time, Pei Jiangmu would laugh at her, saying that it would be better to ask him for tutoring than to pray to gods. Moreover, it was really strange to pray for blessings in a milk tea shop.
And Meng Ruozhao would roll her eyes and say, "As long as you're sincere, it'll work anywhere."
Later, he also learned to pray. He prayed that she would love him a little more, just a tiny bit more, even if it was just to comfort him.
Unfortunately, perhaps God didn't believe in his sincerity...
While he was in a daze, Meng Ruozhao had already ordered two cups of the signature milk tea.
Since school hadn't ended yet, there weren't many people in the shop, so the milk tea was made quickly.
After they got their milk tea, they found a window seat and sat down.
Pei Jiangmu helped her insert the straw into the milk tea and handed it to her. Suddenly, he asked, "Sister, if you could go back to your school days, what would you most like to do?"
Meng Ruozhao was slightly taken aback and fell into deep thought. "I don't know. Maybe I'd want to make up for some regrets."
A complex look flashed in Pei Jiangmu's eyes. "Then what do you think your regrets are, sister?"
Meng Ruozhao sighed softly. "I'm not sure either. I just have a very strong feeling."
Just then, Meng Ruozhao's phone rang. It was a call from Yan Qiubai.
Pei Jiangmu watched as she took out her phone. His face instantly darkened, and a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes.
Meng Ruozhao glanced at the caller ID, hesitated for a moment, and then answered the call.
"Hello, Qiubai."
It was unclear what was said on the other end of the phone, but Meng Ruozhao's face changed slightly.
"I'm out now and I'm a bit busy. I'll talk to you later when I get back."
After saying that, she quickly hung up the phone.
Pei Jiangmu pretended to ask casually, "Is it your boyfriend? Why didn't he accompany you to the hospital today?"
Meng Ruozhao was a bit annoyed. "I don't need his company."
After these four simple words, she twirled the straw in her hand, not even realizing how tightly her eyebrows were furrowed.
Actually, Yan Qiubai didn't say much on the phone. He just said that his parents wanted to meet her and asked when she was available.
Probably the news that he had taken her to the banquet had reached his parents' ears.
Pei Jiangmu watched Meng Ruozhao's annoyed look, and a secret jealousy welled up in his heart.
What right did that guy who had taken his place have? How could a single phone call disrupt her mood?
The aroma of milk tea filled the shop. Pei Jiangmu leaned back against the rattan chair, and his fingertips unconsciously rubbed the bottom of the milk - tea cup.
"It's fine that he didn't accompany you to the hospital, sister."
Pei Jiangmu's voice was as sweet as milk tea, but there was a hint of coldness in his eyes.
"How come a single phone call can make you so unhappy? Is your boyfriend that annoying?"
Meng Ruozhao was stunned for a moment and instinctively retorted, "He just didn't know I was going to the hospital..."
Before this matter was clarified, Du Feng wouldn't allow her to tell Yan Qiubai.
She felt annoyed simply because she didn't want to meet Yan's parents.
After all, since she had woken up from the car accident, she hadn't formally visited them. She had only met Yan's mother once in a restaurant.
She had greeted her, but the woman hadn't even given her a proper look.
That day, Yan's mother had also come to the restaurant with friends.
In front of her friends, Yan's mother had said with a smile, "Qiubai, go home early. Don't always eat all sorts of junk food outside. It'll ruin your health."
Meng Ruozhao had been stunned at that moment.
What did she mean by "junk food"?
She probably meant that she didn't want Yan Qiubai to be with someone like Meng Ruozhao.
Fortunately, Yan Qiubai had smoothed things over by saying that his mother was also eating at this restaurant, which barely managed to save the situation.
But Meng Ruozhao knew very well that Yan's mother's attitude meant that the Yan family didn't accept her.
After Yan's mother left, she immediately asked Yan Qiubai that since his family didn't accept her, how could she have become his fiancée?
She had thought that the status of a fiancée meant at least the family's approval.
Yan Qiubai had been stunned for a moment before explaining, "Chaochao, my mother is just like this. She's not targeting you. She really just cares about my health."
Even Yan Qiubai himself probably didn't believe this.
Fortunately, after that, she hadn't had any more contact with Yan's parents.
Now, suddenly being asked to meet them, she had no idea what it meant, but it definitely wouldn't be a good thing.
Seeing her defend Yan Qiubai like this, Pei Jiangmu felt a rust - flavored jealousy well up in his throat.
The way she frowned but still spoke up for Yan Qiubai was like a poisoned dagger, stabbing his retina painfully.
Pei Jiangmu suddenly felt like laughing.
So the rose he had nurtured had bloomed so beautifully for someone else.