Chapter 150: Baima's Taste

Faced with Tang Zhi's indignant attitude, Wen Jing didn't know how to react.

"Wenjing, say something."

Tang Zhi was extremely anxious: "If you're afraid of Yan hope, I'll go and talk to her for you! This kind of thing can't be tolerated, she's your best friend, how can you..."

"Tang Zhi."

Wenjing finally spoke: "Thank you."

Tang Zhi was stunned.

Wenjing said earnestly, "I know you mean well, but could you please not make a fuss about it for now?"

Why?

"I'll handle it myself."

Wenjing forced a smile: "Don't worry too much, really."

Tang Zhi looked confused: "Wenjing, is there something you can't tell me? Is it... that Ding Heng threatened you? Or is there some other reason? Tell me, I..."

Wenjing shook her head: "No...it's not what you think."

"What does it look like?"

Wenjing remained silent for a long time, and finally said the same thing over and over again.

"Anyway... I'll handle it myself. Please keep it a secret, okay?"

"All right."

Tang Zhi saw Wen Jing's troubled expression and felt utterly helpless.

Wenjing was like that in junior high school; she would swallow everything and never ask anyone about it.

She sighed, "You'll have to figure it out yourself... If you need any help, feel free to contact me."

"Okay, thank you."

The two returned to their seats one after the other.

After sitting down, Tang Zhi continued to secretly observe Wen Jing, trying to glean something from her expression.

Ke Wenjing quietly ate her snacks, occasionally exchanging a few words with Li Yuqing, her expression unchanged.

Tang Zhi looked at Zhao Yanxi again, just as Zhao Yanxi raised her head, met her gaze, and smiled at her.

Zhao Yanxi's open and honest smile made Tang Zhi feel inexplicably choked up.

Ten minutes later, Tang Zhi made an excuse that she had something to do and dragged Li Yuqing away first.

Zhao Yanxi stretched lazily and leaned against Ding Heng: "Brother Ding Heng, where do we go next?"

"I'll take you home."

Ding Heng remained expressionless; he had come to Zhuzhou solely to see Zhao Yanxi.

Zhao Yanxi immediately blurted out, "What time is it? I finally managed to come out..."

"The day after tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve. If you don't stay home, won't your parents nag you?"

"Let him keep talking about it..."

Zhao Yanxi mumbled something, but her tone noticeably weakened.

"Stop fooling around."

Ding Heng reached out and gently patted the girl's head: "Go back and enjoy the New Year. There will be plenty of time after the New Year."

"Does she want you to be with her...?"

"It'll only be a few days, just bear with it and it'll pass."

Don't you want to spend more time with me?

"think."

"Then why did you kick me out..."

Ding Heng was both amused and exasperated. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, whispering something in her ear.

Zhao Yanxi's ears turned bright red instantly. She stepped out of Ding Heng's arms and glared at him: "You said it, you can't go back on your word."

"No regrets."

Ding Heng smiled meaningfully.

The three got into the car and returned to the residential area.

Zhao Yanxi turned to Wenjing beside her, leaned over and hugged her: "Little Jingjing, see you after the New Year!"

Wenjing was equally reluctant to part: "Yanxi, bye-bye..."

Zhao Yanxi got out of the car, took a couple of steps, then turned back and waved to them: "Drive carefully!"

As the car started, Zhao Yanxi's figure grew smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror.

Wenjing moved to the passenger seat and sat down, obedient and quiet.

Ding Heng glanced at her: "Do you want to go home and see your family? Or go see Wen Shu?"

Wenjing shook her head.

"That……"

"Ding Heng".

Wenjing suddenly spoke, interrupting Ding Heng.

"Um?"

"Tang Zhi just called me over..."

Wenjing hesitated and said, "She showed me Yan hope's WeChat Moments, as well as a photo of you two together."

Ding Heng didn't speak, waiting for her to continue.

"She thought Yan hope was having an affair with you behind my back..."

"What did you say?"

I told her I would handle it and to keep quiet.

"She meant well."

Ding Heng was both amused and exasperated, while Wen Jing sullenly lowered her head.

"That's why I don't know how to say it... Ding Heng, do you think we look strange to others?"

Wenjing twisted the seatbelt with her fingers, as if she wanted to braid it into a rope.

"Tang Zhi was my junior high classmate, we weren't that close, but she still thinks something's wrong. What about later? What if our family finds out? What if Yan hope's family finds out?"

"Quiet".

Ding Heng pulled the car over to the side of the road, turned to face her, and asked, "Are you scared?"

"I'm scared."

Wenjing honestly admitted, "I'm especially worried about Yanxi. Her parents are both prominent figures; they would never understand or accept this..."

Ding Heng said seriously, "There are some things we have to face sooner or later, but I can guarantee that no matter who asks or when they ask, I can clearly tell them that I am your man!"

Yan hope is the same; what's meant to happen will happen eventually. I never intended to hide it forever, and I'm confident I can handle it.

"Can……"

Wenjing wanted to say something more, but Ding Heng interrupted her.

"Let me ask you... when you were a kid, if you didn't do your homework, did you think you were doomed? Later in high school, if you didn't do well on a test once or twice, did you feel the same worry and fear? But now, looking back, do you just think you were childish and ridiculous?"

Wenjing nodded blankly, while Ding Heng continued muttering.

"It's the same now. You think that if our relationship is discovered, it will be a huge disaster because we are still freshmen in college who haven't entered the workforce yet."

When you, or rather I, have enough money and social status, I will simply smile calmly at the strange looks from others.

Ding Heng vigorously rubbed the round little face in front of him, his tone relaxed: "Sometimes you really need to learn from Yan hope. It's so much better to be carefree, and you even dare to play pranks on things like this!"

"Oh……"

Wenjing was confused and clueless.

Zhao Yanxi's behavior was completely different from hers; she wasn't afraid at all of outsiders discovering their abnormal relationship.

Ding Heng sighed and chuckled: "The reason Yan hope dared to do this is because she trusts me. She believes I can handle everything. Don't you trust me?"

Wenjing quickly and loudly replied, "I...I definitely believe it!"

"That solves it, doesn't it?"

Ding Heng released the girl, restarted the car, and drove onto the highway towards Xingcheng.

Wenjing leaned back in her chair, her unease somewhat alleviated by Ding Heng's words, but some lingering feelings remained.

She looked down at the gold bracelet on her wrist, then at Ding Heng's profile as he drove, and let out a soft breath.

Forget it, why think so much?

Just obediently follow Ding Heng.

……

The next morning, Ding Heng took Wenjing to her maternal grandmother's house.

The festive atmosphere in the old street was much stronger than in the city, with red couplets pasted on the doors of every household.

After finishing lunch, Ding Heng handed the little white rabbit over to his grandparents and then returned to the villa.

Upon entering, one is greeted by a lively scene.

Qu Zhen was wearing a dark blue apron with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and she was kneading dough in front of the kitchen counter.

Her movements were swift and precise; with a flick of her wrist, she pressed down, and the dough obeyed perfectly in her hands.

Ding Wenjie assisted from the side, responsible for chopping vegetables. His knife skills were average, but he was diligent.

Sister Jiang helped prepare the filling, handing over a bowl or spoon every now and then.

"Is Xiao Ding here?"

Qu Zhen looked up and smiled, "Perfect timing, come and help."

Ding Heng washed his hands and went over to take the rolling pin that Qu Zhen handed him.

"Auntie can make this too?"

"When I was a child, I lived in a pastoral area and had to do all kinds of work."

Qu Zhen's hands never stopped moving, and her tone was casual: "Herding cattle, milking cows, kneading dough, cooking... I can do it all, but I've become rusty in the last two years."

She pinched off a small piece of dough, rolled it into a thin sheet, wrapped it with filling, and with a few quick flicks of her fingers, a uniquely shaped "Gutu" was instantly formed.

Ding Heng praised, "Auntie, your skills are just like a professional pastry chef's."

"I don't have any skills."

Qu Zhen smiled and said, "This is called Gutu, which is a Tibetan dumpling. In the pastoral areas, it's considered good if poor people can eat it once during the New Year. I started helping my mother when I was seven or eight years old and have been making dumplings for more than ten years. I'm just good at it."

As she spoke, she shaped another one and placed it on the cutting board.

"Later, I was too busy with business to remember it. It was only when your dad said he wanted to eat some Tibetan food that I remembered it."

Having come from a poor background, certain memories are deeply ingrained in Quzhen's bones.

Pema peeked over at some point, glanced at the gutu on the cutting board, and pouted, "Mom, you're making this again?"

Qu Zhen didn't even turn her head: "What else should we eat during the New Year?"

Baima pouted: "Fine, I'll do it then, I'm not eating it anyway."

Qu Zhen turned to look at her: "What did you say?"

"It's nothing, it's nothing."

Baima quickly waved her hand and shrank back into her chair.

Ding Heng watched from the side and couldn't help but laugh.

Qu Zhen wrapped a few more dough pieces, using up all the dough on the cutting board, and patted the flour off her hands: "Alright, let's cook them."

Sister Jiang boiled the water in the pot, and Qu Zhen put the gutu into the pot one by one and put the lid on.

Baima turned to Ding Heng: "Brother."

"Um?"

"After we finish eating, can you take me out for a late-night snack?"

"Didn't Auntie cook kutsu?"

"Come on!"

Pema rolled her eyes: "You haven't tasted the Tibetan food my mother makes. Can you even call that food?"

The little girl's voice was quite loud, and Ding Wenjie couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Qu Zhen raised her hand to teach Bai Ma a lesson, but Bai Ma shrank back and hid behind Ding Heng, peeking out half of her head.

"I didn't say anything wrong! Try your own tsampa and that butter tea, they taste so fishy..."

"Pema!"

Qu Zhen blushed with anger.

Pema stuck out her tongue, then pulled it back in.

Ding Heng smiled and shook his head, he could probably understand Baima.

Tibetan cuisine is indeed rustic, with dishes like tsampa, butter tea, and dried meat being developed for survival and warmth on the plateau.

Quzhen grew up in a pastoral area and has a deep-rooted affection for these foods. Even though she is now quite wealthy, she still occasionally misses them.

Like a certain Party Secretary, who in the end still missed the eight-cent Chifeng sandwiches.

But Baima is different.

She went to Chengdu at the age of fourteen, and her stomach had long been spoiled by the spicy and fragrant Sichuan cuisine. When she looked back at the rough Tibetan food, she naturally found it extremely unappetizing.

Faced with her quirky daughter, Qu Zhen finally gave up and served Ding Heng a bowl of gutu, saying, "Here, little Ding, have a taste."

Ding Heng took it, blew on it, and took a bite.

The dough was chewy, and the filling was made with shredded beef and radish, but the seasoning was rather bland; it was indeed quite ordinary.

However, she still praised it verbally: "Mmm...delicious."

Qu Zhen smiled and said, "Eat more if you like it."

She ladled out another bowl and handed it to Baima.

Baima took it, her expression subtle.

Seeing her daughter's reluctant expression, Qu Zhen said impatiently, "If you don't want to eat, then don't. Nobody's forcing you."

Baima immediately put down her bowl: "Then I won't eat."

"you……"

Qu Zhen was both angry and amused: "Can't you give me any face during the New Year?"

Baima said innocently, "You're the one who told me not to eat it."

Qu Zhen took a deep breath, as if she was suppressing something.

Ding Heng quickly tried to smooth things over: "Bai Ma, Auntie has been busy for so long, you should at least eat a few more bites."

Baima pouted, picked up the bowl again, grabbed a gutu (a type of food), chewed it a couple of times, and mumbled, "Okay, okay, I'll eat it."

Qu Zhen shook her head helplessly, then served herself and Ding Wenjie each a bowl.

The family sat around the dining table, enjoying a lively and cheerful time.

Ding Heng suddenly asked, "Where's Secretary Huang? I haven't seen her."

"I'm going home for the Chinese New Year. I left yesterday and will be back on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year."

Qu Zhen sighed, "This young lady doesn't get much vacation throughout the year, so she should be allowed to rest during the Lunar New Year."

Baima put down her bowl: "Mother, I'm full."

Qu Zhen glanced at her: "Is that all you ate?"

I'm really full.

Bai Ma patted her belly.

Qu Zhen ignored her and turned to chat with Ding Wenjie.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Baima lightly kicked Ding Heng under the table and winked at him.

Ding Heng pretended not to see it.

Baima kicked again, this time with more force.

Ding Heng finally turned to look at her.

Pema mouthed, "Take me out of here."

Ding Heng sighed and put down his bowl. "Auntie, shall I take Baima out for a walk tonight?"

Quzhen looked at him, then at Baima: "What does she want to eat out for this time?"

Baima immediately straightened her back: "No, no! I just wanted to go out with my brother. There are so many places in Xingcheng I haven't been to yet!"

Qu Zhen said expressionlessly, "Secretary Huang told me that when you came back from your last outing, you smelled like crayfish."

Bai Ma choked.

Ding Heng tried to smooth things over, saying, "Don't worry, Auntie, I'm watching her. I'll just take her out for something light to eat, and make sure she doesn't do anything reckless."

Qu Zhen hesitated for a moment, then sighed, "Alright, keep an eye on your sister."

Perhaps it's because of the "other people's child" filter, but Qu Zhen seems quite at ease with Ding Heng.

"Wuhu!"

Baima jumped up from the chair, grabbed her coat, and ran towards the door, yelling, "Brother, hurry, hurry!"

Ding Heng put down his chopsticks, said goodbye to Ding Wenjie and Qu Zhen, and followed them.

Upon arriving at the garage, Ding Heng habitually headed towards his beat-up Chang'an, while Bai Ma plopped down in the passenger seat of the Mercedes.

She patted the car window, looking completely at ease: "Brother, drive this one!"

Ding Heng glanced at her: "You certainly know how to pick."

Baima made no attempt to hide anything: "Your old car is uncomfortable to sit in. This one is much better; it's spacious and warm."

Ding Heng was both amused and exasperated, and went around to the driver's seat to get in.

As the car drove out of the villa area, Baima leaned back in her seat, swinging her short legs back and forth, in an extremely good mood.

"What would you like to eat?"

"casual."

"The hardest thing to do is to be casual."

"Brother, just take me to eat whatever you usually eat."

Baima then asked, "Can I call another friend?"

"Who?"

"What friends can I possibly have in Changsha?"

"Lin Man?"

"hey-hey……"

Baima said with a grin, "Sister Man is quite good to me, Brother, you don't mind, do you?"

How could it not be good? You're the cash cow of her escort service!

Ding Heng's mind flashed back to Lin Man's alluring face, and he sighed softly, "As long as you're happy."

Bai Ma's eyes lit up, and she immediately took out her phone to send a message to Lin Man.

Ding Heng turned around and drove towards Xie Baoyang's food stall in the west of the city.

Xie Baoyang's family food stall has been open for more than 20 years, and its taste is well-known. Now it can be considered a popular online store.

The day before Lunar New Year's Eve, the store was bustling with business, with cars parked all outside and people everywhere.

Ding Heng drove his Mercedes around the alley for half a turn but couldn't find a parking space. He simply called Xie Baoyang and asked him to help arrange a parking space and a seat to avoid queuing.

Pema peered out the car window: "So many people!"

"There will be even more people later."

Ding Heng found a parking space as instructed by Xie Baoyang. As soon as he got out of the car, a familiar voice came from behind him.

"Ding Heng?"

Two young girls walked slowly towards them.

The person speaking was wearing a beige coat, had long hair flowing down her shoulders, delicate features, wore light makeup, and had a sweet smile.

The other girl was shorter, wrapped in a black down jacket, and was looking down at her phone.

"Bai Zhiya?"

Ding Heng had a deep impression of Bai Zhiya, after all, she was the most outstanding student in the class.

In the dormitory, Liu Chiwang would often talk about who in the student union had pursued her and been rejected, and the gossip would come one after another...

Bai Zhiya greeted her: "Is it really you? I thought I had mistaken you for someone else."

"What a coincidence."

Ding Heng greeted him politely, "You're here for dinner too?"

"Yeah, I came out for a walk with my classmates."

Bai Zhiya's gaze fell on the Mercedes behind Ding Heng, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, before she looked at the little girl beside Ding Heng.

"Who is this...?"

"My sister."

"Oh……"

"Hello, sister."

Baima greeted him politely.

Hello, little sister.

Bai Zhiya smiled in response, then turned her gaze back to Ding Heng: "The two of you?"

"Yes, I'll have a simple meal with my sister."

No sooner had Ding Heng finished speaking than Xie Baoyang emerged from the shop and complained, "Old Ding! Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I had to make room for you at the last minute!"

"Should I leave?"

"Go! Go! Go……"

Xie Baoyang put his arm around Ding Heng and walked inside, when Bai Zhiya suddenly spoke up.

"Um... Ding Heng, the restaurant is so crowded, we've been waiting in line for ages and there aren't any seats. Could we share a table with you?"

After she finished speaking, she smiled shyly and said, "If it's inconvenient, I won't force you."

Before Ding Heng could speak, Xie Baoyang interjected, "No problem at all! We're all classmates, no need to be so polite. There's plenty of room upstairs!"

"Thank you..."

Bai Zhiya immediately thanked her and pulled her classmate to follow.

As they went upstairs, she deliberately lagged behind by two steps, then leaned close to her classmate's ear and whispered, "Wu Lan, isn't your family in the used car business? Did you recognize that Mercedes?"

The classmate named Wu Lan glanced at her and said, "It's an S-class, and it looks like the new model. It must cost at least seven or eight hundred thousand."

Bai Zhiya said "Oh" and looked at Ding Heng's back in front of her.

She wasn't very close to Ding Heng; they were in the same class and had spoken a few times, that was all.

She noticed Ding Heng when school started; like her, he was a local from Xingcheng.

He was tall and good-looking, but his clothes and appearance were quite ordinary. He drove a dilapidated Chang'an car, and didn't seem like a wealthy person.

Later, she heard that he seemed to have a girlfriend, so she stopped paying attention.

Looking back now, it seems I misjudged things a bit.