When An Angst Writer Meets A Doting Writer

Story 60-62

【60.】

“But isn’t it unfair for you to bear all my negative emotions?” Xu Chi said with a teasing tone.

“That’s okay, no biggie...” Tang Yanzhi said. “Friend should be supportive at the critical moment. By the way, are there any food you don’t eat? I’ll buy us some sour & spicy rice noodles. Is that ok?”

“I’ll pass, thank you.” Xu Chi said, smelling the spicy taste in the air. “I don’t eat spicy food.”

“If you don’t eat it, neither do I.” Tang Yanzhi said, “Let’s go find another stall which you prefer to.”

“Never mind. You can eat as you like. I can watch you eating.”

“I’m bringing you here for fun!” Tang Yanzhi turned around and reached to Xu Chi, grinning, “I bring You, here, for fun! What matters is You, not me! You! You! Got it?!”

These words made Xu Chi amused, who pushed away Tang Yanzhi’s handsome face near him and compromised, “All right. All right. I got it!”

【61.】

Finally, they ordered two bowls of red bean soup and sat down at an empty table on one side of the road.

“Did you eat something before you came here?”

“Yep...” Xu Chi was squinting, satisfied with the sweet and soft soup, “I cooked some noodles...”

Tang Yanzhi pretended to be surprised, “Really? I don’t know that.”

“It’s yummy.” Xu Chi said seriously. “Don’t look down on me.”

“Okay. Okay...” Tang Yanzhi nodded. “Do you mind telling me how to cook it? I want to try it out when I am back home.”

“It’s quite simple. First of all...” Xu Chi was thinking about the specific recipe. “Wash the ingredients you like to eat and cut them into small pieces.”

“Why small pieces?” Tang Yanzhi asked. “May I just cut them into big pieces? Isn’t it easier?”

“Of course... But I prefer to small pieces, which could add a sense of ritual...”

“A sense of ritual? I don’t understand.”

“The sense of ritual for cooking.” Xu Chi continued. “Then pour the oil in the pan. Next are the ingredients. After they are cooked, add some water in the pan. At last put the noodles in. That’s it.”

“So, that’s more like one pot dish.” Tang Yanzhi struggled to hold back his laughter.

“No...” Xu Chi finally figured the real meaning of Tang’s words and became angry from embarrassment. “Are you trying to pick a quarrel with me?”

Finally, Tang Yanzhi didn’t hold it. Looking at the way Tang Yanzhi laughed, Xu Chi was also laughing.

“This is not funny at all...”

“Well, let’s talk about something funny.” Tang Yanzhi stopped laughing and asked while eating. “How about telling me what makes you unhappy?”

Xu Chi looked up and saw some couples or friends passing by with street kebabs, milk tea, octopus balls in their hands. Then he said in a daze, “You have already known it, haven’t you?”

“Known what?”

Xu Chi turned his head and looked at Tang Yanzhi, “You know I’m writing stories.”

“Hmm?” What Xu Chi said made Tang Yanzhi so stunned that he thought his alt account was exposed. Tang Yanzhi pretended to be calm, “What if I don’t know that?”