After Confessing To My Childhood Friend - Chapter 9
Chapter 9: Saturday Night
◎ “Want to sleep at my place?” ◎
Xie Zhirou finished her tutoring session, and under the banyan tree, Chen Mengyin was squatting on the ground, poking at the dirt with a stick as if carving out rooms and a living area.
Zhirou approached and called out, but Mengyin looked up on her own as if sensing someone. When she saw it was Zhirou, her face lit up in a brilliant smile.
“Ah, you’re finally here!” Mengyin dropped the stick, brushed the dirt off her pants, and hurried forward. “I brought roasted sweet potatoes for you. Eat one to fill your stomach, then we can go have dinner—okay?”
“Sure.” Zhirou flashed a sweet smile, the kind Mengyin had described as ‘even sweeter than the potato itself,’ complete with adorable dimples.
Mengyin was momentarily stunned by how cute Zhirou looked—she quickly glanced around nervously, relieved no one else could see that smile.
Zhirou looked at her questioningly. Mengyin quickly shook her head. “Nothing! Let’s go sit on that bench to eat.”
Zhirou knew she was lying, but didn’t push it—she trusted that eventually Mengyin would share what she was hiding.
The sweet potatoes had cooled from fresh-roasting, but Mengyin was worried Zhirou might burn her fingers nonetheless. She carefully wrapped one in a wet tissue and peeled back the skin to reveal the orange-red core, offering it to Zhirou.
Automatically, Zhirou thanked her softly, took a bite, and the tender sweetness soothed her hungry stomach.
They sat together on the bench—Mengyin with her long legs spread, feet palmed against each other—beneath the banyan tree’s leaves bathed in sunset light. As the breeze rustled the leaves, golden-orange patches of light danced across her face.
Mengyin glanced sideways at Zhirou, whose scaled shadows fell across her as she savored the sweet potato as if it were some rare delicacy.
“Good, right? I thought you’d love it,” Mengyin beamed.
Zhirou nodded, clearly savoring every bite. It was small but satisfying.
Mengyin noticed Zhirou’s fingers were sticky, so she pulled out a wet wipe—one she’d scavenged from Wang Xueling’s bag—meticulously cleaning Zhirou’s fingers one by one.
Zhirou smiled as Mengyin wiped: “Why did you suddenly want roasted sweet potatoes?”
Mengyin glanced around. “Oh, Xueling and Qingqing invited us, but since you were at tutoring, I just went by myself.”
“And hey, I heard there’s a new Japanese restaurant nearby with good sashimi. Since you like raw fish, how about dinner there?”
“Sure—my stomach’s definitely ready,” Zhirou said, standing and holding Mengyin’s hand to lead her along.
“Perfect,” Mengyin smiled. “It’s not far—let’s walk.”
Zhirou softly answered, “Okay.”
The fading dusk hadn’t yet lit the street lamps. Instead, tiny lamps wrapped around the flame trees flickered, casting a festive glow.
Their long shadows stretched behind them as they strolled along the riverside path.
“So—what’d you think of that tutoring session? Will you go back tomorrow?” Mengyin hopped in Zhirou’s shadow like a bunny.
Zhirou’s voice was soft but her words were firm: “No.”
Mengyin hopped closer, curious: “Why not?”
Zhirou tilted her head and said simply: “It wasn’t as helpful as school teachers—felt like a waste of time.”
Mengyin laughed. “Thank goodness the tutor doesn’t know—that’d be awkward!”
Zhirou shrugged, calm and content.
A few steps later they arrived at the restaurant—it was just before 6 PM. Thankfully, Mengyin had reserved a room because otherwise they’d still be waiting outside.
They checked in, naming their reservation, and were led to a cozy private room. They sat cross-legged on the wooden floor, close together as they examined the menu. After a short discussion, they ordered their usual dishes and decided to try some of the house specialties.
While waiting, Mengyin poured a cup of tea and asked: “Want to sleep at my place tonight? My mom’s on a team-building trip, so she won’t be back—come keep me company.”
Zhirou sipped her tea and nodded: “Sure. Where’s your mom off to?”
“Someone said she’s gone to Guilin, but Mom didn’t give details.” Just then, the waiter opened the door and carefully placed trays of sashimi and sushi on the low table. Mengyin grabbed a slice of salmon, dipped it in sauce, and exclaimed: “Mmm, the salmon is good, but the wasabi is super strong!”
Her eyes watered from the wasabi, her tongue tulip-pink and her cheeks stinging. She fanned the air with her hand to dissipate the heat.
Amused, Zhirou passed her a cup of tea: “You ate a ton of wasabi—want me to ask if they have a milder kind?”
Mengyin gently grabbed Zhirou’s hand to keep her from getting up, shaking her head: “No, no—next time I’ll just use less. You focus on eating.”
Zhirou hesitated, “Are you sure?”
“Definitely! I just didn’t expect it this time. I’ll remember next time.”
Satisfied, Zhirou went back to eating.
They chatted between mouthfuls—Mengyin picked up a piece of sweet shrimp, commented that it’d be better in a creamy sauce than raw sushi. Zhirou teased: “You’re wasting royalty! Even the best sashimi wouldn’t go raw in your mouth.”
Soon, Mengyin leaned back, full: “Ah—I shouldn’t have ordered that extra bowl of ramen. My stomach feels like it’s about to come out my throat.”
Zhirou sighed: “Don’t eat too much next time—bad for your stomach.”
Mengyin weakly replied: “Yes ma’am~”
“Words are easy, but actions…” Zhirou laughed. She understood Mengyin all too well: promises were never enough.
Despite everything, Mengyin loved good food. To her, eating well lifted her spirits—so she couldn’t resist just one more bite. That night, the sashimi and ramen were so good she ended up with a full, round belly that made it hard to walk.
Curious, Zhirou poked her soft tummy with her forefinger. It was so plush, she couldn’t resist poking again.
Suddenly, Mengyin grasped her wrist, turning their fingers into a gentle intertwined grip. The gesture felt intimate; the small private room and warm air pressed close to their flushed cheeks. They couldn’t meet eyes, but their intertwined fingers were impossible to let go.
Zhirou quietly changed the subject, pretending all was normal: “Let’s head home. Don’t you have homework to finish?”
Mengyin snapped out of the moment: “Ugh—I don’t want to do homework!”
She slumped face-first onto the low table. “I want to go to the movies instead… wah…”
Zhirou tenderly patted her fluffy head: “Finish it tonight. Then you can rest tomorrow.”
Mengyin knew it was true—but in this cozy after-dinner moment, she just wanted to go to the movies with Zhirou, to feel like they were on a date.
“I promise,” she pleaded, “Go to the movie with me tomorrow night—or else I won’t get out of bed!”
How could Zhirou refuse? She smiled softly and agreed.
Happy and relieved, Mengyin, like a content little pup, followed Zhirou home, wagging her metaphorical tail.
“Let’s go up to my place and finish homework. Need to get these done anyway,” Zhirou said as she unlocked her gate. Mengyin shook her head.
“I’ll go with you—I forgot the title of that book I needed. Maybe once I’m upstairs I’ll remember.”
Zhirou smiled: “Sure.”
Their houses were next to each other, both villas with similar layouts. Zhirou’s home was decorated in cool, gray tones—minimal and elegant, but a bit cold. Mengyin’s house, on the other hand, was bright and warm, with cushions sewn by her mother scattered on the sofa.
Mengyin had visited many times and quickly slipped into the guest slippers meant just for her before heading upstairs to Zhirou’s room.
Zhirou’s room was entirely white—the desk, the shelves, the bed, the carpet—like a pristine show home. Mengyin sighed: “Every time I come in here I feel like I’m in a model room.”
Zhirou only laughed softly—she loved the clean aesthetic of white everything. A decade later, it still looked brand-new, which always made her happy.
Zhirou tucked away her homework into her tote bag and asked: “Did you find the book you were looking for?”
Mengyin stood by the bookshelf, propping her chin and frowning: “Nope, drew a blank. Guess I’ll try next time. Gotta do homework anyway.” She glared at Zhirou in mock accusation of her indifference.
Zhirou acted unbothered, carrying her homework: “Okay, let’s go. You still have math, physics, and English to do.”
Mengyin gasped: “Three subjects left? Already?!”
Zhirou gently patted her head: “It’s only three—good job so far.”
Mengyin whimpered: T_T