Free Web NovelChapter 664: Chapter 241: A Night Spent at the Huang Family (Part 4)
"Thank you, senior!"
Huang Panpan tried some herself and it was indeed not bad.
After drinking the soup, she continued to try the other dishes, which were also decent.
In terms of taste, it couldn’t compare to Qin Shiqing, of course. They’d been childhood friends who started cooking early on, while Huang Panpan most likely had been cramming only recently.
The meal time was a bit late, their appetites were wide open, but there were so many dishes for dinner that it was almost like a banquet.
No matter how good Su Zelin’s appetite was, it was impossible for him to finish everything. He could only help finish off the three dishes that wouldn’t keep well overnight; the rest were left untouched.
Seeing him eat so much, the junior was overjoyed, thinking Su Zelin was very pleased with her performance.
If I’ve won the senior’s stomach, I’ve won his heart!
Next time I go to his place, I, Huang Panpan, can help out too!
The junior cleaned up the table and even washed the dishes. Sitting in the living room watching the evening news, Su Zelin was surprised not to hear the sound of dishes breaking.
Remember, the first time Huang Panpan came to his house and helped the ’empress dowager’ wash dishes, in less than five minutes, three dishes heroically sacrificed themselves, causing Zhao Lixia not to dare let her into the kitchen again.
With the evening news over and Huang Hongbo and Li Juan not back yet, Su Zelin was about to leave, but Huang Panpan stopped him. The junior mysteriously pulled out a PS console, saying they should play a game together.
She connected it to the TV and opened "Metal Slug 1."
This is a side-scrolling shooter game released by the Japanese company SNK. The first version came out in 1996, featuring cute Q-version characters that many girls liked. The subsequent sequels and spinoffs have produced over a dozen more, making it a classic.
Su Zelin was pretty skilled at this game, able to clear through several generations of "Metal Slug" on a single life, while Huang Panpan died quite a bit. But it didn’t matter, as they could keep inserting coins indefinitely.
After finishing Metal Slug, the clock in the living room pointed to eight-thirty.
At this moment, the junior’s phone rang. It was Li Juan calling, the rich lady was worried and needed to confirm her daughter’s safety.
"Panpan, are you home?"
"Yes, Mom, I’m not going out tonight."
"That’s good, you have to take care of yourself. Your dad and I will be back by noon tomorrow."
"Huh? Can’t you come back tonight?"
Huang Panpan embodied a drama queen, her tone full of astonishment.
Actually, this was all said to let Su Zelin hear it.
Li Juan thought they had already told her before leaving, but she guessed maybe her daughter missed them or got scared being home alone, so she comforted gently, "There’s no way tonight. Your dad’s been drinking with some business friends; we can’t drive overnight."
"Dad’s been drinking, huh? Alright, safety comes first. Mom, make sure he doesn’t drink too much."
The junior continued her Oscar-worthy performance.
"I will, dear. Go to bed early, and if you’re scared, keep all the lights on in the house!"
"Mom, I know!"
"..."
After a few more words to ensure her daughter was safe at home, Li Juan hung up the phone relieved.
After the call ended, Su Zelin next to her asked, "What happened?"
"My parents went out of town to meet some business friends. They thought they could make it back tonight, but Dad had a bit to drink, so they can’t return."
Huang Panpan showed a worried face, intentionally or unintentionally saying, "With Mom and Dad not home, sleeping alone in such a big house at night is quite scary. I wonder if there’ll be burglars."
"Why don’t you call a girlfriend to keep you company, like Wei Xian?"
Su Zelin suggested.
"Right, I’ll check with Wei Xian!"
The junior took out her phone, pretended to look for Wei Xian’s number in front of Su Zelin, and dialed.
After a while, Wei Xian’s voice came from the other end of the line, "Hello, Panpan?"
"Xiaoxian, my parents are out of town tonight, and I’m home alone. Can you come over to keep me company?"
Huang Panpan got straight to the point.
"Tonight? Sorry, Panpan, I’m back in my hometown in the countryside."
"Gosh, what a coincidence? Alright then, never mind, bye-bye."
"..."
An old building in the East City District of Jianglan.
Wei Xian held her phone, feeling a bit annoyed.
Ah, I picked my friends poorly, I picked my friends poorly!
Why did I end up with a bestie who ditches girlfriends for guys?
I’ve basically become the usual tool, much like that good buddy of Su senior.
In truth, Wei Xian didn’t return to her hometown at all. In the afternoon, Huang Panpan called, begging her to play a role in this act.
Unable to resist Huang Panpan, she could only nod and agree.
After less than half a minute, as soon as I was of no use, she hung up the call without hesitation. Being a tool is really undignified...
Wei Xian was full of resentment.
"Senior, what should I do? Wei Xian went back to her hometown in the countryside too."
Huang Panpan asked.
"Why don’t you find another close female classmate to ask, like a former high school roommate."
Su Zelin furrowed his brow.
"Wei Xian is my only close friend. I’m not familiar with anyone else in the class."
The junior pouted.
This was actually not meant to fool Su Zelin.
She and the troublemaker were the odd ones out in their class, with rebellious, independent personalities.
Compared to Su Zelin, Huang Panpan was even more aloof and isolated.
The troublemaker at least had Lu Haoran, Qin Shiqing, and Xiaoyanzi as good friends, while Huang Panpan only got along well with Wei Xian. Many girls even didn’t like her.
The more reclusive a person is, the more they cherish those who treat them well, and the easier it is for them to give their genuine feelings.
Don’t be fooled by how the junior often treats Wei Xian as a tool; that’s only because of the more important Su Zelin. With anyone else, Huang Panpan would never let her best friend suffer the slightest grievance.
