Chapter 66

Page Sixteen! Work Hard, Li Jianlian!

With an empty stomach, I trudged wearily on the soft sand, heading towards “Sea House” alone.

The gazes of other tourists made me uncomfortable. I knew exactly what they were thinking: seeing a lone pretty girl and considering whether to approach her. But if they dared, I would take off my sunscreen jacket to give them a scare.

The nearest “Sea House” was a simple wooden shack with three open sides, only one serving as an entrance. The other two sides had waist-high railings. Even from outside, the smell of stir-fried dishes wafted over, stirring my appetite and making my stomach growl.

“Sea House” offered more than just meals; there was also a counter selling water-related items. On the walls hung swimsuits, inflatable rings, goggles, and even sunscreen jackets.

I found it odd that an indoor water park wouldn’t have sunlight yet sold sunscreen jackets. Was it for atmosphere? Swimsuits were unnecessary since everyone went through changing rooms, so who would come without one?

180 yuan… quite expensive, but I bought one anyway, planning to give it to Tan Linhua after eating.

There was a water trough at the entrance of “Sea House,” which flowed continuously to wash away sand from visitors’ feet or shoes before they entered.

It was 10 AM, not typically a mealtime, yet the restaurant was unexpectedly crowded.

A young girl with short hair, wearing a white one-piece swimsuit, sat at the bar struggling with a plate of cold noodles. Her striking chest drew attention, and I noticed her as soon as I entered.

This must be why the place was so busy—many diners lingered even after finishing their food, staring at her. Though somewhat inappropriate, as a man, I could understand their fascination.

Because Nako was right there!

(Because the mountain is right there.)

“Big Sister Qian?”

I approached her quietly and whispered in her ear, causing her to cough violently.

“Oh, oh, oh, Ling Meng Little Sister?”

Sure enough, she hadn’t mistaken me.

Startled, she choked, and half a noodle shot out of her nose. Tian Qian turned around with teary eyes, her mouth stained red.

Wow, spicy oil cold noodles. That’s not easy to swallow. Fortunately, she gulped down some lemonade and calmed down.

Wiping the dirt from under her nose, she punched me on the head, “Are you trying to kill me?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t expect such a reaction.”

Sitting next to her, I looked around, searching for the blonde idol with twin tails.

“If Big Sister Qian is here, does that mean Rai Miomio is here too?”

“Don’t look for her. They’re inside playing, I came here to eat alone.”

Tian Qian slurped up the cold noodles and smacked her lips contentedly.

“I was dragged out of bed this morning without eating. Starving, but now I finally have something to eat.”

Huh, this scenario seems familiar.

But Tian Qian has started calling herself “Old Lady.” She’s really adapting to it…

This is good news. When she stops rejecting it and decides not to change back, I’ll use the marker pen. This is a potential indicator.

“Oh, you must be Miss Chang Lingmeng?”

Just as I was about to ask Tian Qian, I heard a familiar voice from behind the bar.

Looking over, I first saw the black iron plate used for stir-frying. Standing behind it was…

Black and white speckled hair, and so on…

Hey? Isn’t this character description overdone? She’s just a supporting character.

In any case, standing behind the iron plate was Li Jianlian, wearing a blue cap with the logo of “Water World,” depicting a mermaid leaping out of the water.

Clearly, this guy changes jobs frequently.

“You switch jobs often… or are you everywhere?”

“The working environment here is better, and the part-time pay is high.”

“You’re in charge of the stir-fried noodles? Since I haven’t eaten breakfast, could I get some stir-fried noodles?”

“Coming right up! One order of beef stir-fried noodles!”

Despite looking exhausted, Li Jianlian worked energetically, flipping the noodles with two spatulas skillfully. It was hard to imagine where he got his energy from.

“Ling Meng Little Sister sure has a wide circle of friends.”

“Not really, she’s quite unique.”

Tian Qian finished her cold noodles and was fiddling with the ice cubes in her lemonade. She wasn’t in a hurry to drink, seemingly wanting to chat a bit longer.

“Big Sister Qian, you said you were dragged out of bed, right? Are you living with your brother and Rai Lao… I mean, your big sister?”

Tian Qian hesitated, her gaze drifting to the floorboards, looking embarrassed.

“In fact, my brother changed her name to Rai Keli. Of course, her public stage name is still Rai Miomio.”

Rai Keli? Where is she pitiful? I think this sounds like a stage name.

“Then, Sister Yuan Yue took me in as her adopted daughter… Now I should call my brother ‘sister.'”

This family dynamic is really complicated. “Sister Yuan Yue” seems to be my invention, and Tian Qian never corrected me… Although called that way, Sister Yuan Yue must be happy.

After all, being called “mom” versus “sister” sounds younger, right?

Of course, Rai Miomio, as a biological daughter, can’t be called that… it’s too disrespectful.

Stir-fried noodles produce a lot of smoke during cooking, and even from several seats away, the aroma of soy sauce is irresistible. Li Jianlian is skilled; he can toss a clump of noodles into the air, flip them with a spatula, and catch them without scattering.

Should I applaud?

“Here’s your beef stir-fried noodles, enjoy.”

Suddenly realizing I hadn’t asked the price, I glanced at the menu on the wall.

No wonder it’s an internal restaurant of “Water World,” the stir-fried noodles cost 38 yuan. But seeing Li Jianlian’s impressive cooking skills, I felt it was worth it.

“Crack!”

I broke apart the disposable chopsticks and took a bite, expecting something special. But…

The stir-fried noodles weren’t particularly surprising. Maybe all stir-fried noodles taste the same.

Since no other customers ordered, Li Jianlian washed his hands and wiped his sweat, then came over to chat.

“Miss Ling Meng, how is the taste?”

Though called many times, this title made me feel awkward.

“Tastes ordinary but good.”

“So, I need to continue refining my stir-fry skills.”

“Senior Li, if you don’t want to answer, pretend I didn’t ask… Why do you work so much? Is your family struggling?”

He sighed deeply before speaking.

“Our family situation is complicated… I actually have five younger siblings.”

“What? Five?!”

“Yes, I also have an older sister.”

“So your family has seven children?”

My poor mother, how did they manage to have seven kids? Twins? Like the Seven Brothers of the葫芦娃 (Hulu Bros)?

So, the parents couldn’t afford the expenses of seven children, forcing Li Jianlian to work part-time.

“Pretty much. Life was manageable until last year when my father fell ill and is now bedridden. Without him, everything depends on my mother and sister.”

“So you’re working to support the family?”

“That’s partly true, but mainly for my own tuition fees… My mom wants me to work after high school, but I want to go to college. So, I’m saving up for university.”

Li Jianlian’s situation… it seems the beautiful girl notebook can’t solve his problem.

After all, his main issue is lack of money, and becoming a girl doesn’t help with that!

…No, it might help. Just wear a school uniform and find rich-looking uncles near the subway station. But I won’t let that happen!

Although the notebook brings happiness, relying on such uncertain luck is…

“I…”

Listening quietly, Tian Qian finally spoke up.

“Why not run away from home or cut ties, start anew on your own?”

This is typical of her, though not everyone can do such cold-hearted things.

While I don’t fully agree with Tian Qian leaving her mother, I can’t preach like a saint either. Who knows what might happen?

Not all matters are simply right or wrong.

“It’s impossible. They are still my family.”

Li Jianlian shook his head in denial.

“No matter how good someone was, they become twisted and ugly under life’s pressures. Have you considered that your hard-earned tuition might end up helping the family?”

These words sounded cruel. Her mother, driven mad by debt collectors, must have been gentle once.

Li Jianlian frowned, unsure how to respond.

“Ah, let’s not discuss such heavy topics. We’re at a water park, be happy. The stir-fried noodles will lose their flavor.”

“Acting like it’s none of your business, isn’t it all because of Ling Meng Little Sister?”

She slapped my back gently, causing a wave of discomfort in my chest.

“I should go now. Big… Sister is waiting for me. Goodbye.”

As Tian Qian left, those male tourists followed…

“Sorry, asking strange questions affected your mood.”

“It’s okay. Though harsh, I appreciate her sharing these experiences with me… These are probably things she’s been through.”

I tasted the stir-fried noodles.

Ugh, bitter.