Chapter 488: Jujube Forest

Bo Yanching didn’t tense up and sat down leaning next to her.

The table was old, its edges chipped in several places, its corners rounded and faded from touch, and a layer of grease that couldn’t be cleaned off floated on the surface.

Bo Yanching showed no signs of disdain, pulled out two tissues, first wiped the area in front of Nan Jiaojiao, then folded the tissue to wipe his own side.

“Didn’t eat enough tonight?”

“Now that we’re here, it’s appropriate to eat something.

If you feel uncomfortable, then I won’t eat.”

Bo Yanching smiled lightly, “Let’s eat, I’m hungry too.”

Nan Jiaojiao crossed her legs.

The chair was so low that her knees reached up to her chest.

Resting one hand on her knee and cradling her face, she scrutinized him, “You can even handle street food; you must have never touched this kind of stuff before.”

Nan Jiaojiao was merely curious.

Logically, Bo Yanching was supposed to live a pampered life, where every bite of food he was fed was meticulously screened, especially since he also had a cleanliness obsession.

Bo Yanching was just about to pour her some tea, but the tea cup was too dirty.

What should have been a white-bottomed cup was stained yellow at the base from years of soaking in poor-quality tea, with a ring of uneven tea stains near the lip.

He couldn’t help but frown.

He asked the owner to send over two bottles of mineral water.

“As a child, I was not well and was sent to the countryside to recover.

The servants in the manor thought I was banished there, and initially, they did not take good care of me, skimping on the food.”

Nan Jiaojiao’s eyelid twitched, unaware of his past experiences.

“And then?”

“The Old Lady personally made a visit, flew into a rage, fired everyone in the manor, and had new staff and chefs sent over from the Bo Family.

I had been used to eating simple porridge and dishes, and suddenly switching to rich foods was too much for my body, and I actually became weaker for a while.

Later, I grew fond of the local food, and the chef went to learn how to make it, and I ate quite a bit of it.”

At this moment, the owner came over with a bowl of rice noodles.

Bo Yanching asked for an extra small bowl.

He broke apart the disposable chopsticks, picked some noodles into the small bowl, added some soup, and set it in front of Nan Jiaojiao.

“So, I have eaten rice noodles too.”

Nan Jiaojiao pursed her lips, her feelings complex.

The “simple porridge and dishes” he mentioned must have been an understatement.

Children not favored in wealthy families often receive perfunctory treatment from the servants.

“What’s the name of the village?”

“Jujube Forest, a very beautiful village with many hand-painted murals on the walls.

I’ll take you there sometime.”

Jujube Forest.

Nan Jiaojiao suddenly felt a certain tension in her mind, which then abruptly snapped.

Fragments of memories flashed by too fast to grasp, and a part of her subconscious fiercely resisted, giving her a growing headache the more she tried to remember.

“What’s wrong?” Bo Yanching noticed her sudden change in complexion.

Nan Jiaojiao shook her head, “Nothing, I thought of a place that seemed familiar, but I can’t recall it.”

“Then let’s not think about it, just eat the noodles first.”

They had ordered only one bowl and shared it, leaving a little at the bottom when they finished.

Nan Jiaojiao left a stick of candied haw for the owner and hand in hand with Bo Yanching, they strolled to the end of the food street and took a shortcut back home.

…

Mo Tingshen washed his hands, shook off the droplets, and quickly followed behind Chu Yao.

The corridor was silent, the sound of high heels echoing.

Having had a drink, Chu Yao became more unstable with each step after the disturbance, swaying as she walked.

Suddenly, she took a large step and hastily reached out to support herself against the wall.

Mo Tingshen kept his distance, neither too far nor too close.

She paused, and he paused as well.

He frowned as he watched her slightly panting silhouette.

Silent.