Chapter 328: What’s Up with This Tang Xiaohu
Ning Xiyue glanced at the two girls suspiciously, already understanding their true feelings, and smirked teasingly: “You’re really not afraid to go back?”
Their expressions, movements, and the elaborate excuses they gave all pointed to two words: scared.
Any sharp-eyed person could tell—they were still afraid of the eels they had just carried, yet here they were, living in the same hostel.
Wang Mengmeng and Liu Yao felt awkward under her gaze and wanted to protest that they weren’t really that scared.
Just then, Wang Mengmeng looked up and saw the new youth running toward them. She immediately changed the subject: “Look, they’re here! Let’s go—the canteen’s about to close.”
“Yes, yes, it’s getting late. Let’s hurry. Yechu’s almost off duty,” Liu Yao said, grabbing Wang Mengmeng and turning back.
Ning Xiyue, feeling playful, chuckled lightly, then turned to wave at the four newcomers running with lunch boxes behind her: “Keep up! If you dawdle any longer, you’ll be eating nothing but the northwest wind for lunch today.”
She jogged a few steps to catch up.
When the three older youth led the four newcomers to the canteen, they arrived just in time to meet Chen Yechu, who was tidying up to leave.
“Yechu, wait! These four want to exchange some meal tickets,” Ning Xiyue called out, stopping Chen Yechu in her tracks and taking her hand.
She truly worried for the newcomers’ chance to eat; next time she met the captain, she’d have to explain her efforts. There wouldn’t be another older youth so conscientious as to personally bring new arrivals to eat.
“You’re just in time. I was about to leave. Whoever wants to exchange, hurry up,” Chen Yechu said, glancing at the four newcomers behind Ning Xiyue, then sat down and handed over the registration book.
The four newcomers thanked her and lined up to exchange their meal tickets, each initially taking only three days’ worth.
The canteen was almost empty by then, but there was still one serving window with food available.
The four queued to get their food, but instead of eating there, they carried their lunch to follow Ning Xiyue back.
The talkative ones praised the canteen’s convenience, the brigade, the hostel, and how nice everything and everyone was.
The quieter Sun Meimei seemed to have absorbed Ning Xiyue’s words, showing some improvement compared to the morning, occasionally murmuring agreement.
Chen Yechu walked ahead, starting to get a sense of the four newcomers. She leaned close to Ning Xiyue and whispered, “These four are so different—each has their own style. The lively ones are lively, the aloof ones are aloof, and even their voices are distinctive.”
“Hmm. You don’t know the reason they came to the canteen so late—it’s even more unusual,” Ning Xiyue whispered back.
“What?” Chen Yechu asked.
“They were catching eels in the ditch,” Ning Xiyue said.
Chen Yechu was taken aback, then burst into laughter: “Ha! That’s certainly unique.”
Back at the youth hostel.
Wang Mengmeng and Liu Yao, eyes darting in all directions, ears alert to every sound, avoided all pots and buckets and darted into the room like rockets, slamming the door shut.
“What’s with them?” Chen Yechu stared in disbelief at the door banging shut.
Ning Xiyue shrugged. “Both are afraid of eels.”
“Should I kill the eels first?” Li Dadan asked sincerely, holding his lunch box. He looked ready to drop it and start killing the eels if Ning Xiyue nodded.
Ning Xiyue glanced at the lunch box in his hands. “You’d better eat first.”
At that moment, Ning Qingyuan, Yu Zhiyu, and Wang Jiandong returned, each carrying a large fish basket.
Ning Qingyuan grinned from afar, teeth bared, and shouted, “Little sister, bring a big tub out!”
Ning Xiyue looked up, surprised to see the three coming back, all smiles and pride. “Oh! When did you set the baskets?”
“They went this morning,” Chen Yechu said, smiling. “What did you get in the baskets?” She brought over a large wooden basin.
“There’s a grass carp you like,” Yu Zhiyu said warmly, smiling.
The newcomers sitting inside the hostel looked up as they heard this.
Tang Xiaohu, shoveling rice from her box, glanced up and saw Yu Zhiyu’s gentle eyes and warm smile—so different from the rough men she was used to. She couldn’t look away.
Swallowing her food, she followed the other two new boys and, after introducing herself, also gave her name: “Hello, I’m Tang Xiaohu,” her eyes occasionally flicking toward Yu Zhiyu.
Yu Zhiyu noticed her gaze, nodded politely, then turned back, shaking the fish basket for Chen Yechu to see the grass carp inside.
Chen Yechu noticed Tang Xiaohu’s glance too, her expression darkening slightly as she went with Yu Zhiyu to place the basin on the side.
Of course, Tang Xiaohu’s look didn’t escape Ning Xiyue, who observed everything.
Ning Xiyue’s thoughts churned: Oh, what’s up with this Tang Xiaohu?
