Chapter 373: Feng Nanshu Can Really Get Jealous

You can’t peek at the spare phone especially in broad daylight and when it’s cold.

Jiang Qin pinched Feng Nanshu’s cool, moist cheek to curb her cat-like curiosity. He led her out of the teaching building. Passersby might mistake them for a young couple due to their closeness.

Soon, Guo Zihang and Yang Shuan came down. They were accompanied by Kong Sisi, Duan Yan, and Shao Xianghao who had visited Jiang Qin’s home for a meal before. The group of seven strolled down the street and checked out the snack street, a billiard hall, and an internet café.

Although it was vacation time, many shops on the snack street were still open, ready to earn a last bit before the New Year.

Savory pancakes, North Korean cold noodles, pan-fried buns, and hand-grabbed pancakes were steaming in the bleak winter air, the scent of food even more enticing in the dry, cold season.

Feng Nanshu had never seen these delights during her high school days, as her life was always a simple journey between home and school.

“Just now… Chu Siqi was crying in the class and nobody dared to speak.”

“？”

As Feng Nanshu walked ahead, Guo Zihang whispered, “She started by silently shedding tears, and later, when she saw you and Feng Nanshu outside the window taking pictures, she couldn’t hold back anymore. It’s my first time seeing her cry.”

Jiang Qin looked up at the brilliant winter sun and sighed slightly, “Our alma mater is being demolished. It’s indeed heartbreaking and brings tears, showing that we all deeply value emotions and bonds.”

“But everyone says Chu Siqi cried because of you. She must be regretting now.”

“When you liked her back then, she was very proud. Now she is crying uncontrollably and the class doesn’t have much sympathy for her. It’s just some sighs, probably feeling that things aren’t the same as before.”

Just then, Feng Nanshu suddenly turned her face to look at Guo Zihang with a cool expression.

The little rich girl, who had been cool for three years, wore an expression so intense it felt almost oppressive, her gaze sharp as a finely honed blade.

Jiang Qin exclaimed, “Ah oh, Guo, congratulations, you’ve just lost your New Year’s money.”

Guo Zihang: “?????”

Yang Shuan came over and patted his shoulder, “Guo, you’re confused. Chatting about everything, huh? And on the verge of New Year’s too, can’t you differentiate the big from the small matters?”

“No, I didn’t mean anything else. Is there still a chance for me to save it?”

“No chance. Didn’t you see my uncle’s reaction? He didn’t even dare to pursue your chat.”

“But I think I could try to salvage it a bit…”

Guo Zihang, with his chubby body, ran after them and entered the billiard hall, and they ended up eating the signature noodles from Chengnan High School.

It happened to be a coincidence: they encountered Chu Siqi again while eating, alongside Wang Huiru and Yu Shasha. Chu’s eyes were indeed a bit red, confirming Guo’s words.

There was no helping it. After all, today was about revisiting high school days. Topics inevitably touched on past regrets, burdening the atmosphere and making past discontentments heavier and harder to overcome.

“I wish I had studied hard back then,” or “I wish I hadn’t broken up with him in a fit of pique,” or “I wish I hadn’t been addicted to games back then.”

Many people came to eat the noodles and many shared these sentiments. Chu Siqi’s mood fluctuated as her eyes were fixed on Jiang Qin.

“Need to add some more vinegar…”

Feng Nanshu murmured while holding the vinegar bottle, pouring it into her bowl.

Jiang Qin turned to look and seeing the dark soup in her bowl, he couldn’t help but swallow.

“Looks like it can’t be eaten now,” said the small tycoon confidently to Jiang Qin.

Jiang Qin narrowed his eyes, “Who told you to pour so much?”

“Jiang Qin, I’ll eat yours. Feed me.”

“……”

Seeing this, Kong Sisi, Duan Yan, and Shao Xianghao shared a look, thinking that the cool, celestial beauty really knows how to get jealous, truly a vinegar spirit.

After returning from Chengnan High School, the days quickly moved towards the end of the twelfth lunar month. The snow in Jizhou had stopped for a week before coming down heavily again. The white vastness of the landscape, paired with red lanterns hung by municipal departments and various sales in the malls, instantly stirred the festive spirit in this small town.

Year-end clearance, New Year shopping specials—they were all advertised from morning till night with colorful parade floats roaming the streets.

Often, children with incense sticks ran around, lighting firecrackers that burst and signaled the start of the New Year.

On a Friday morning, Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu went shopping for couplets and lanterns at the mall. Calling Guo Zihang and Yang Shuan for help, they drove to the little rich girl’s garden villa.

According to Uncle Gong, Feng Nanshu’s stepmother didn’t allow hanging spring couplets, so the villa never had any.

Jiang Qin declared, “Screw it!” and slapped a ‘fu’ character on the wall.

“Jiang Qin, it’s upside down.”

“Hmm, that represents fortune arriving—it’s a pun.”

Feng Nanshu opened her mouth wide, seemingly hearing this trick for the first time, looking both silly and adorable.

Jiang Qin pinched her cheek and strode upstairs, sneaking into Feng Nanshu’s princess room for a quick look.

It was beautiful, tidy, and spacious. But its very beauty and tidiness made the room feel lifeless, no wonder the little rich girl preferred sneaking into his house.

“Look at our place. It’s barely bigger than a bathroom, clothes everywhere, socks mismatched—now that’s life!”

Yuan Youqin wasn’t around, otherwise she’d have heard Jiang Qin’s rebellious claim and the multimillionaire would surely be sleeping on the couch.

Jiang Qin brushed his hand over the writing desk, as if he could see the high school Feng Nanshu working on homework, reading novels, her pure eyes holding a trace of longing for freedom.

When Jiang got back downstairs, he found an additional ‘Qin’ character next to the ‘Fu’—both upside down like his earlier placement. Feng Nanshu held a brush, seemingly pleased with her work.

“Uncle Gong, thanks for having me. I’m heading home now. See you next time.” Feng Nanshu handed him the brush.

“Ah? Oh, going home, huh?”

Uncle Gong scratched his head and glanced back at the grand villa, wondering if the young lady could even tell what ‘home’ meant.

Watching Feng Nanshu run out, Jiang Qin couldn’t help but smile, “Uncle Gong, come to my place for dinner on New Year’s Eve?”

“Is it appropriate?”

“Absolutely, my mom just got a bigger table. The more, the merrier!”

Uncle Gong faintly smiled, “Thank you, Young Master Jiang.”

After bidding farewell to Uncle Gong, Jiang Qin called Guo Zihang and Yang Shuan and left. They caught up with the little rich girl, “How was it? Did you have a good time today?”

“It was fun. Uncle Gong’s place is really beautiful. But our tiny home is lovely too.”

“？”

Feng Nanshu sat in the passenger seat, glanced at Jiang Qin, and then began fiddling with her large jade bangle.

Guo Zihang and Yang Shuan exchanged glances in the back seat, thinking they hadn’t eaten lunch yet but already felt full.

“What should we eat for lunch?”

Jiang pondered, “Kang Mailang instant noodles, the 1.5-liter pack.”

Yang Shuan coughed, “Uncle, we eat instant noodles every day at school. Aren’t you tired of it? Can’t we change it up?”

“My home’s Kang Mailang isn’t like what you’ve had at school.”

“Really?”

Jiang Qin nodded, “Yeah. We don’t have boiled eggs.”

Hearing this, Yang Shuan’s mouth twitched as he remembered last year’s Spring Festival at Dog Uncle’s place.

Because Auntie loved boiled eggs, Dog Uncle made two bowls of eggless noodles and one with three boiled eggs, claiming it was just luck, no cheating involved.

Of course, that’s what he said, but Jiang wasn’t that stingy.

Feng Nanshu’s villa was huge, and they had spent four hours just hanging spring couplets, leaving them exhausted. So, Jiang took them to a restaurant and ordered a table full of dishes as a treat.

The next day, Yuan Youqin got up early and instructed Jiang Zhenhong and Jiang Qin to do a big clean. Jiang Zhenhong handled the communal areas outside, while Jiang Qin took the three bedrooms.

Then she and Feng Nanshu were responsible for making dumplings over the next three days.

Snowflakes fluttered outside the window, the heater warmed the house, and the TV played a comedy review from past years titled “The Three Whips,” filling the air with a cozy ambiance.

After wrapping a batch of dumplings, Yuan Youqin couldn’t help glancing at Feng Nanshu beside her.

She was kneading the dough and stuffing it with filling, focused and efficient, and her handiwork was both fast and fine.

“It’s amazing. Last year you said making dumplings alone was too tiring and urged Jiang Qin to hurry up and find you a daughter-in-law. Now, here we have everything.”

Yuan Youqin sighed quietly, then suddenly saw her son emerge from their bedroom holding a broom and a newspaper rolled up like a cylinder.

“What’s this, rolled up so thick and stuffed under the bed? If you don’t want it, I’ll throw it out!” Jiang Qin waved it around, a smug look on his face.

Jiang Zhenhong paled, “You little rascal, how do you always find where I hide things?”

“Hide?”

Yuan Youqin snapped back to reality, her expression turning stern, “What have you hidden?”

Jiang Zhenhong snatched the newspaper and stuffed it into his pocket, “Nothing, nothing at all. I’m off to clean the toilet.”

Feng Nanshu, after finishing a dumpling, looked curiously at Yuan Youqin, “Auntie, what was that?”

“Your uncle’s private stash. He’s been saving for three or four years. He thinks he’s so clever. I’ve known all along—I just played dumb. Keeping private money has almost become his hobby, and I just pretend not to know, playing along.”

“Auntie, I know. I sometimes play dumb too.”

Yuan Youqin dabbed a bit of flour on her small nose, “These big men, sometimes they’re quite childish. Little do they know how clever we women are.”

Feng Nanshu nodded, “Jiang Qin is quite childish too. He still loves riding on seesaws.”