Juliana had no idea that the snacks she bought would spark a sliver of suspicion in Wang Qiqi; if she had known, she certainly wouldn't have done it.

Wang Qiqi stared at Juliana for a long time before finally looking away. Whether Juliana lived well or if her family was wealthy had nothing to do with her; in any case, her own future days were bound to be comfortable. Thinking this, Wang Qiqi lowered her head and continued with her math homework; there was no choice, as the other two were waiting for her.

Time ticked by with one person diligently working on assignments while the other two constantly referred to Wang Qiqi’s work. If they could understand it, all the better; if not, they planned to discuss it during the lunch break.

When Wang Qiqi finally penned the last digit onto the test paper, she let out a long sigh of relief. Although this exam was quite difficult, it wasn't bad; she felt at least fifty percent confident, another thirty percent somewhat certain, and the final twenty percent of questions she had left completely blank—those could wait for an expert consultation that evening.

Just as Wang Qiqi was relaxing, the bell for the break rang. Shi Man had been waiting for that sound, knowing it signaled time to rest and eat. In reality, resting was permissible at any moment, but from now on, conversation was allowed in the reading room—though eating lunch was still forbidden due to the mess that soups and liquids would make on the desks. For this reason, Wang Qiqi often brought dry snacks to save time.

“I made a little sushi this morning. It’s not much, so just make do,” Wang Qiqi said, pulling a plastic container from her plastic bag. Upon opening it, neat rows of sushi were revealed—preparations she had woken up early specifically to make.

Sushi? Shi Man hadn't expected Wang Qiqi to make such a thing. She glanced at the sushi, then at Wang Qiqi. “Qiqi, I’m genuinely jealous of you. You’re so capable—good grades and you can manage the house so well. Compared to me, I really can’t do anything.” Shi Man sighed mournfully.

Wang Qiqi ignored the one who was being dramatic again. After all, this person often spouted such strange things. At first, Wang Qiqi would offer a word or two of comfort, but after so many times, she stopped paying attention. If you want to act up, go ahead and act up.

Juliana was genuinely startled by Shi Man’s display; she knew Shi Man was usually quite cold and aloof in class—when had she ever seen such a childish side to her?

Wang Qiqi picked up a piece of sushi and started eating. After racking her brain all morning, she was truly hungry. Besides, by the time the other person snapped out of her mood, who knew how much would be left for her? The sushi was made with two people’s appetites in mind, and with an extra person now, it definitely wouldn't be enough. Wang Qiqi understood the saying: strike first and suffer later.

Seeing Juliana’s surprised expression, Wang Qiqi took pity and offered her a piece of sushi. “Eat it. Don't mind this drama queen.”

Hearing Wang Qiqi say that, and looking from Shi Man to the food in her hand, Juliana decided to let it go and just eat. She wasn't sure how it would taste, but the first bite revealed it was quite good. Although, judging by the ingredients, this was the simplest kind of sushi—just rice balls wrapped in seaweed with cucumber, carrot, and ham inside, then sliced. Still, the taste was pleasant. “Delicious, it’s quite tasty.” Even though Juliana had eaten better sushi before, this felt different.

Shi Man finally emerged from her fit of dramatics to find that the full container of sushi was already more than half gone. After calling out twice, she snatched a piece and began eating. After a few bites, Shi Man finally slowed her grabbing. “It’s good stuff, just a bit basic. Qiqi, you should bring some seafood or meat sushi next time, right, Juliana?”

Juliana looked between Shi Man and Wang Qiqi. She knew that if she remained as indecisive as she was during class, she shouldn't expect them to include her in future study sessions... As for who to side with, Juliana considered it. “Eating seafood sushi would be nice, but the problem is we don't have fresh seafood here. Sushi made with frozen seafood doesn't taste very good.” Juliana had once eaten sushi made immediately after fresh catches—however one put it, even though it was raw, the flavor was absolutely exquisite. Unfortunately, such opportunities were rare, at least for her now.

Fresh seafood? Wang Qiqi and Shi Man exchanged glances. In this inland city that wasn't too far from the coast, getting fresh seafood was a gamble. Of course, it wasn't impossible; shellfish could sometimes be sourced, but most ocean fish were dead upon arrival. The fact that Juliana could mention it implied her family was quite well-off.

“Alright, you two are eating what I made and still complaining that this isn't good or that isn't good. Why don't you two bring something nice for me to eat then?” Wang Qiqi said bluntly. “And you, Shi Man, you said you were bringing something delicious, where is it?”

Shi Man had intended to show off a treasure, but the issue was, “What I brought smells really bad, even though the taste is excellent. Do you think we can eat it here?” Although the reading room was large, it was still a contained space. If she brought it out to share with everyone, Shi Man could just imagine becoming an unpopular figure.

Delicious but smelly? Wang Qiqi immediately thought of one thing. “Durian?”

Shi Man nodded. “It was a gift someone gave my mom. Even if the aroma isn’t great, the taste is truly good. I brought a bit. We can eat it when we go back tonight.”

Wang Qiqi shook her head. “I’ve tried it, I don’t much care for it. You eat it yourself.” The fruit wasn’t cheap, but Wang Qiqi simply didn't enjoy it. Oh well, she just didn't have the fortune for it.

Wang Qiqi might not like it, but Juliana beside her certainly did. Her eyes lit up. “Durian? Do you know what variety it is?” When the young lady got excited, she would start discussing durian varietals with Shi Man, adding a brief critique or two, mostly focusing on the flavor profile.

This made Shi Man’s mouth water uncontrollably. She hadn't realized a single durian could have so many nuances. Lost in thoughts of fine food, she forgot why Juliana knew so much about it while she herself had never known.

Wang Qiqi didn't know much about Juliana’s background, only that the girl came from a good family, though likely one that was quite low-key. Otherwise, she would have known from Gao Kai, who, despite having some money, was always showing off at school with an air like his father was the richest man in the world.

The three of them talked as they finished all the sushi. Though their stomachs weren't completely full, they had managed to put something in them. When Wang Qiqi brought out pre-cut watermelon, Shi Man didn't hesitate at all; fruit was the best kind of food. Juliana finally understood why Wang Qiqi had brought two bags to class—it turned out she had brought so much food.

Don’t let the amount of food Wang Qiqi brought fool you; it couldn't stand up to the number of people eating. In no time, all four containers were empty.

Wang Qiqi stood up and paced in place for a moment, while Shi Man obediently pulled Juliana along to wash the food containers. The ones who ate for free needed to do labor—that was Wang Qiqi’s constant mantra.

Juliana had originally planned to treat them to lunch, but instead, she ended up eating their meal. She felt quite bad. “I’ll buy something next time.”

Shi Man sized Juliana up. “Just because you have money doesn’t mean you have to spend it like that. And you have so many snacks already; there's no need. Besides, Qiqi isn't someone who craves snacks; a few preserved plums are usually enough to satisfy her.”

Juliana realized the things she bought that morning were a complete misjudgment of the situation. She had initially thought Wang Qiqi hadn't eaten them because she was busy studying. Now she understood—it wasn't a lack of time, but a lack of preference, otherwise she wouldn't have only eaten a few preserved plums. “I’ll go buy some Coke to drink.” Surely Wang Qiqi would like that? Juliana remembered seeing Wang Qiqi drinking Coke on the street a few times; this time, she shouldn't be wrong, especially if she bought it iced—a cold gulp in this weather would be the best enjoyment right now.

Juliana had intended to buy something to treat Wang Qiqi to lessen the debt of obligation, but after lunch, she somehow felt she owed even more, having consumed everything Wang Qiqi brought.

Coke? Shi Man thought Wang Qiqi used to like it, but she really couldn't figure out the current Qiqi. She preferred tea now, warm tea, in fact—she was beginning to seem like an old tea connoisseur. “Qiqi brought tea leaves. She doesn't drink much Coke anymore, saying too much is bad for your health.” Although Shi Man didn’t know why Qiqi said that, the fact was she had stopped drinking Coke.

Juliana looked at Shi Man suspiciously; didn’t Qiqi used to drink Coke?

Shi Man hadn't wanted to elaborate, but Juliana’s expression made her feel as if she were being accused of lying. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Qiqi said foreigners always eat fast food and drink Coke, so they get fat. She doesn't want to end up as overweight as a foreigner someday, so she’s quitting the habit of eating Western fast food and drinking Coke.” Shi Man really didn't want to say it, but Juliana was a little plump girl—though not extremely so.

When Juliana heard Shi Man say that, she was skeptical, but upon careful reflection, she realized that perhaps her own slight weight gain was due to frequently drinking Coke and eating Western fast food. Before Coke was available locally, her father would always bring back bottles from his business trips. Once Coke hit the market, she’d drink at least two cans a day. Juliana also loved Western fast food. Could this be the reason she was gaining weight? (To be continued)