Chapter 171

Chapter 171: Buffet

The last time Mei Fang and company saw Guo Yun was nearly four months ago, during their visit to the Five Ancestors Temple.

Four months may not seem long, but it’s also not short. According to common sense, it’s impossible for Guo Yun to have lost so much weight in that time.

She was still a bit chubby, with a round face, but now in autumn clothing, she no longer appeared fat.

Her face used to be dotted with acne, but now her skin had a rosy glow. Her eyes were always big, but before, her face was too large, making her features less prominent. Now, after losing weight, her facial features were quite delicate, and “cute” could no longer be an excuse for describing her appearance.

Mei Fang and Xia Yuan’s shock was expected by Guo Yun. She stammered, “I… I’ve been on a diet and exercising because the doctor told me to during my health checkup. I think I’ve lost some weight…”

“You call that a little? Let’s take out our graduation photos and compare! You look like a completely different person!”

“I can’t even recognize you.”

Mei Fang nodded and waved his hand, “This must be what they call ‘women change greatly as they grow up.’ Your perseverance is amazing. Losing weight must have been tough.”

“It’s… okay. Controlling your diet is key during fat loss; exercise is just supplementary.”

Guo Yun couldn’t bear Mei Fang’s praise and lowered her head, mumbling.

Xia Yuan, ever alert, kept her eyes on Guo Yun.

An uneasy thought surfaced in her mind.

“Mm, I think it’s fine. Guo Yun looks exactly how you described her!”

Xiang Bingbing stood with her hands on her hips, exclaiming, “Forget that, let’s go to the restaurant and eat! I’m starving.”

“Let’s go upstairs and sit down to chat,” Mei Fang suggested, looking at Xia Yuan and Liu Xiaoyu supporting You Xi, “Find a place for You Xi to sit too.”

Outgoing Xiang Bingbing chatted non-stop with Guo Yun while they rode the mall elevator, introducing herself and Liu Xiaoyu to Guo Yun.

They were both from Baimei County, so there wasn’t much pressure in communicating. Liu Xiaoyu was curious about how Guo Yun met Mei Fang and the others and found out she was once Mei Fang’s deskmate.

Xia Yuan helped You Xi to the restroom on the same floor. When they came out, You Xi no longer needed support.

“How are you feeling, You Xi? Better?”

“Yeah… much better.”

You Xi seemed to have washed her face, and her condition improved. They arrived at the buffet early, so they didn’t need to wait until 11 AM. Everyone sat outside.

Xiang Bingbing shamelessly peeked through the restaurant window at the ladies arranging food inside, while the other girls chatted amicably. Xia Yuan held Mei Fang’s arm but kept him out of the girl’s circle.

“Class monitor, long time no see… You and Xia Yuan look much prettier.”

Guo Yun, who hadn’t seen her junior high school classmates in a while, felt a bit shy. Compared to her timid past, she seemed more confident now, obviously due to her improved appearance.

You Xi smiled at Guo Yun, “You’ve changed a lot. If you go back home for the New Year, your friends will be surprised.”

“I probably won’t go back this year… We’ve settled in Jiangcheng.”

“Oh, is that so…”

“So… how did you lose weight? Can you teach me? I feel like I have a lot of fat around my stomach.”

“I followed a meal plan and kept my daily calorie intake below my expenditure. My family supports me and helps me make healthy meals.”

“Do you just eat salads and grass? How can you be full?”

“Mainly protein, low oil, low sugar, and less refined carbs and fats. It’s still pretty filling…”

Liu Xiaoyu shook her head, “Boarding students hardly have access to such food.”

“Why do you need to lose weight? Your figure is great already.”

“Aaah… Not really about losing weight, it’s about healthy eating. The school’s meals are… problematic.”

Guo Yun enthusiastically shared her weight loss secrets, and Mei Fang listened intently. After a while, he found it boring and went over to Xiang Bingbing.

“Are you really that hungry?”

Xiang Bingbing nodded vigorously at Mei Fang.

“I’ve been in Jiangcheng for so long, but today is my first time in the city center. I’m so excited. You have your phone, right? Take lots of pictures for me. I’ll show them to my family later so they know I’m doing well here.”

“Why are you being so melancholic… I see you smiling every day, aren’t you happy?”

Xiang Bingbing suddenly looked “sad.”

“In fact, that’s just the surface. You don’t know how vulnerable I am inside.”

Mei Fang felt like he had stepped into a girl’s heavy inner world.

Xiang Bingbing actually had two sides—half was bright, half was gloomy—

What a load of nonsense!

Mei Fang stared at Xiang Bingbing disdainfully, “If you have worries, tell someone immediately. How could you keep it bottled up?”

“Hey… Mei Fang, are you really so indifferent to girls other than Yuan Yuan and You Xi? I seem cheerful, but I’ve been struggling. Since you’re saying this, I might as well tell you my pain!”

Xiang Bingbing covered her stomach, her eyes filled with sorrow, “I’m always hungry. I have to pretend to be happy when leaving the cafeteria, but if I eat too much, my meal card won’t cover it. I have to eat chestnuts from Shennongjia late at night in my dorm.”

I knew it…

Mei Fang patted Xiang Bingbing’s shoulder gently.

“You have your chance today. Eat as much as you want at the buffet. If you don’t finish everything, I’ll look down on you.”

“I won’t finish everything, but I guarantee I’ll eat enough to make sure all leftovers are gone!”

Xiang Bingbing patted her chest, making a promise as a foodie king.

Soon, the restaurant staff verified Mei Fang’s online voucher and let them in. Xiang Bingbing ran ahead to look at the food.

This buffet focused mainly on grilled meat but also offered many ready-to-eat dishes. The group found seats and sat together. Xia Yuan made You Xi sit in the middle and signaled Mei Fang to sit on the other side.

“You Xi, sit there. I’ll get you whatever you want.”

“No, I’ll come too. I’m not dizzy anymore.”

You Xi glanced at Guo Yun, who was chatting amicably with Liu Xiaoyu, then patted Xia Yuan’s shoulder, “Let’s go get some food.”

“Let’s go see together,” Liu Xiaoyu and Guo Yun stood up.

“I’ll stay here and hold the seats.”

Mei Fang guessed Xiang Bingbing would bring a lot of food and penalize him if she couldn’t finish it. He wanted to see her real strength first.

(End of Chapter)