Prince charming, your persona has collapsed!

Jiang Xinyi was very protected by her parents when she was young, having little freedom. As she grew older, she became tired of her parents' arrangements, yearning for the ordinary life of common people.

Like now, around five in the afternoon.

It was December, and the days darkened quickly; the sun had already set in the west, leaving behind a sky tinged red with dusk.

The sky was dark but not completely dark; the campus was at its quietest, making the whispered conversations of students walking side by side along the roadside particularly clear.

Cars drove smoothly along Wutong Avenue at the school.

Under the Wutong trees, one lamp after another flickered on, casting a dim yellow light.

In the distance, the basketball court enclosed by a green wire fence was also lit with bright incandescent lights.

A group of boys played intensely on the court.

"Pass the ball!"

This was Jiang Xinyi's favorite moment; she lowered the car window halfway, looking out longingly.

She was a well-experienced girl, clearly aware of what she wanted.

When she was young, she always thought that when the time came, everything meant to happen would arrive.

And just as she had expected, everything did, except for love...

Which was frustratingly elusive.

In a blink, she was already about to turn 25.

On the side of the court, a petite girl awkwardly hid a newly bought bottle of mineral water behind her.

In front of her stood a tall boy wearing jersey number ten, grinning and scratching his head.

They were only eighteen or nineteen.

At such an age, obtaining love seemed effortless.

But for herself,

Already 25.

Where was my love?

"Sister, you shouldn't open the window if the heater is on..."

Zhou Yuwen's words snapped her out of her reverie.

Looking at Zhou Yuwen, Jiang Xinyi couldn't help but pout: "Stingy."

Zhou Yuwen said it was not about being stingy; using the heater contributed to global warming, and if it was on, it should be fully used, or else it should be turned off.

"Yeah, yeah, you always make the most sense."

The two bickered a bit more, and Jiang Xinyi rolled up the car window.

Jiang Xinyi felt that Zhou Yuwen was different from others in that he valued authenticity. Sometimes, Zhou Yuwen would pretend a bit, but his pretense was always noticeable, and when called out, he would openly admit it. Sometimes, she truly couldn't understand Zhou Yuwen or know what he had experienced, but he definitely didn't seem like he was only eighteen.

She said, "I saved you some heating costs and treated you to soup. What kind of feast are you planning to treat me to?"

Zhou Yuwen assured her not to worry.

"You'll be satisfied."

"We've known each other for so long, and you've helped me so much; I'll treat you to my favorite food."

"Your favorite?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xinyi's interest was piqued. She said she was eager to see what his favorite food was.

"Don't tell me it's some cliché five-star hotel."

"Come on, do you see me having that kind of money?"

Zhou Yuwen said.

Now, Jiang Xinyi was even more curious.

The car soon left the school, and on the road, Jiang Xinyi was curious about where Zhou Yuwen would take her. She had grown up in Jinling, and there was no delicacy in the city she didn't know about; apparently, this place was not next to the school.

Where could Zhou Yuwen, a newcomer to the city, possibly take her?

A fancy branded hotel?

Zhou Yuwen said no.

"Then you might at least tell me what cuisine it is?" Jiang Xinyi said.

Zhou Yuwen said it was Jinling cuisine.

"Jinling has its own cuisine?" Jiang Xinyi rolled her eyes, having never heard of any Jinling cuisine throughout her life.

The car drove on the highway for about twenty minutes, descended from the highway, and turned into a small road near Sanshan Street, yet it was a completely unknown little alley. Even Jiang Xinyi, a Jinling girl, had no memory of this place.

In Jinling, whether the streets were well-known or not, the oil-paved roads always had rows of Wutong trees. The buildings along this street looked old, all multi-story buildings of about four or five stories with peeling walls.

However, the street was bustling, with several small vendors under parasols, their little yellow lamps illuminating the cooked food they sold.

There were also many passersby, mostly on bicycles or electric scooters, buying vegetables after work, and some couples wandering hand in hand nearby.

"Where is this place? I don't remember it at all."

Jiang Xinyi, who always thought she knew every corner of Jinling, suddenly felt a sense of alienation when she entered this alley, but this unfamiliarity didn't scare her.

Zhou Yuwen parked the car and said, "It's too crowded inside, let's just get out here."

Jiang Xinyi was naturally willing. The street was brilliantly lit, filled with the shouts of vendors and the noise of pedestrians everywhere, and the scent of fireworks was strong, giving Jiang Xinyi a sense of adventure.

Jiang Xinyi was very satisfied with the place Zhou Yuwen had chosen.

She could at least be sure it wasn't one of those opulent big restaurants.

"So you said we were having a feast, and we're coming here?" Although she thought this, she still had to complain on the surface.

"What good food could there possibly be here?"

"You'll know once you come with me," he replied.

"You're definitely just messing with me."

Yet Jiang Xinyi pouted and followed Zhou Yuwen into the crowd.

It was already getting dark, and this unknown street was bustling with noise, even someone making candy figures, which instantly attracted Jiang Xinyi, ah.

She quickly took out her money to buy one.

Zhou Yuwen rolled his eyes at her, "We're about to eat, and you want candy?"

"Well, who made you bring me here, do you want any?"

"I don't want any."

"Then get me one."

While waiting at the stall, Jiang Xinyi, who wasn't dressed warmly, usually just went back and forth between her dorm and office, a coat was enough, but it really got cold out on the street.

Squatting there waiting for the candy figure to be ready.

In between breaths, you could even see a white vapor.

After a struggle to finish it, she was once more attracted by another vendor's novelty, leaving Zhou Yuwen speechless, thinking how this young lady seemed as if she hadn't seen much of the world.

"Hurry up and go!"

Zhou Yuwen directly grabbed Jiang Xinyi's hand, refusing to let her linger any longer.

"Hey, wait for me, I want a candied haw."

"Candied what now? Aren't we eating a feast!?"

...

"So, this is the feast you were going to treat me to?"

Jiang Xinyi looked at the building in front of her, clearly from the last century, a former hall converted into a storefront, still hanging a seemingly ancient sign 'Jinling Special Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup.'

With a candy figure in hand, Jiang Xinyi was momentarily at a loss for words.

She should never have believed in the so-called feast!

"I might as well go eat my candied haw~" Saying this, Jiang Xinyi ran off.

However, she was firmly grabbed by Zhou Yuwen, who said, "Hey, don't rush, you're here already, try it first."

"Get lost! I grew up in Jinling, haven't I had duck blood vermicelli before!?"

"This place is different!"

"What, does this place have ginseng fruit or something?"

"No!"

"Then what the heck am I eating for!?"

"This place has me,"

"???"

"It has my wholehearted recommendation..."

Jiang Xinyi was utterly speechless for a moment, but she couldn't resist Zhou Yuwen's thick skin.

Fine, fine, I'll go with you.

"Let go of my hand!" Jiang Xinyi shook off Zhou Yuwen's hand.

Zhou Yuwen laughed lightly: "Come on, Sister Xinyi, give me some face."

"Handsy." Jiang Xinyi glanced at Zhou Yuwen reproachfully, thinking, you're so skilled, and even my teacher hasn't held my hand like this.

It's mainly because of their statuses, what Zhou Yuwen was doing wasn't holding, it was pulling.

And he pulled suddenly.

Jiang Xinyi couldn't suddenly change her tone and say, "Are you taking advantage of me?"

Jiang Xinyi wasn't that kind of girl, besides, being six years older than Zhou Yuwen, it wouldn't be appropriate to say that.

Sigh, coming here, Jiang Xinyi was frustrated, but having been out in the cold too long, her body was indeed getting chilled, and drinking a steaming bowl of old duck soup in this December winter,

also felt rather wonderful.

But.

"I'm telling you, this meal doesn't count, you still have to treat me to another meal."

"No, one meal isn't enough, for the next month, you have to treat every meal!"