Noon.
Xie Yuling packed up her things and stood at the door of Class 8.
When the class ended, Lin Mo raised his brows and glanced over before walking toward her.
"Aren’t you going home for lunch?"
"I’m waiting for Miaomiao."
Xie Yuling lifted her head.
"Did Auntie Zheng cook for her?"
Hearing this, Xie Yuling’s expression stiffened.
"I... I forgot."
Just then, Chu Miaomiao emerged, pulling a suitcase behind her.
"What’s wrong?"
Lin Mo turned to look at Chu Miaomiao. "Put the suitcase back. She forgot to ask Auntie Zheng to cook for you, so you might as well come with me to Backstreet for lunch."
Chu Miaomiao didn’t seem bothered at all that Xie Yuling had forgotten to arrange her meal.
Instead, she was delighted at the prospect of Lin Mo taking her out to eat.
She pulled out a small wallet and said cheerfully, "My treat, my treat! Mom said I should treat today."
Lin Mo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How about this: from now on, Chu Miaomiao will have lunch with me at Backstreet, and you can take her home for dinner in the evening."
Xie Yuling frowned. "Why?"
"She needs to get a taste of the real world."
Remembering how Chu Miaomiao had struggled even with something as simple as eating mangosteen, Xie Yuling didn’t insist on taking her home for lunch.
Besides, there was no meal prepared for her today anyway.
After a quick goodbye, Xie Yuling headed home alone for lunch.
"Alright, take the suitcase back now," Lin Mo waved dismissively.
"Oh, okay!" Though confused, Chu Miaomiao obediently wheeled the suitcase back and left it at the rear of the classroom.
People like Chu Miaomiao—academically competent but lacking in life skills—were common in modern society.
It stemmed from overprotective environments and gaps in both family and school education.
That’s why all those "cold facts" and "hot tips" later became so popular—people were just trying to fill in the missing pieces of common sense.
As the two prepared to leave, Jiang Yunlu approached from behind.
She had been observing Lin Mo’s group from the start. Seeing Xie Yuling leave and Lin Mo and Chu Miaomiao about to head out, she decided to follow.
"Are you two going to eat together?"
"Yeah. Xie Yuling’s family didn’t prepare lunch for Chu Miaomiao today, so I’m taking her out."
Previously, Chu Miaomiao had meals delivered to her.
But it seemed the two girls had agreed last night to skip the delivery today.
As they walked, Jiang Yunlu suddenly spoke up. "Lin Mo, I want to eat..."
She trailed off, unsure what to choose. Truthfully, she had tried all the snacks around here before, but none had left a lasting impression—just fleeting novelty.
"I’ll decide for you," Lin Mo said, waving a hand to ease her hesitation.
"Great, I’ll leave it to you!"
At the school gate, someone delivered a meal to Jiang Yunlu.
It was common in high school—many students had meals brought by their parents, either eating quickly before leaving or taking the food back to the classroom.
Others, like Lin Mo, preferred to dash out for lunch and return afterward.
The shops along Backstreet were bustling.
The stationery store was crowded, and so were the snack stalls.
"What do you want to eat?"
"I don’t know. I’ll eat anything."
Lin Mo wasn’t sure about Chu Miaomiao’s dietary restrictions.
So he led her to a Cantonese roast meat shop known for its affordable lunch sets—8 yuan for two dishes, 10 yuan for three.
At the time, it was a great deal.
"One order, please: sweet and sour pork, shredded chicken, and char siu—extra rice."
The auntie serving the food grinned warmly. "Eat more rice, grow up strong!"
Cantonese aunties were always this hospitable, as if afraid you’d starve otherwise.
Chu Miaomiao hesitated before timidly piping up in a soft, accented voice, "Um... same for me, please, Auntie."
She hadn’t picked her own meal, but it was still a brave step forward.
The auntie beamed and piled her plate high with generous portions.
Lin Mo went to the counter to pay.
Meanwhile, Chu Miaomiao was led to their seats in a daze.
"Huh? Didn’t I say it was my treat?"
"I’ll cover it this time. Next time, you can pick first and pay then."
Chu Miaomiao nodded eagerly and dug in.
The sweet and sour pork was decent—nothing extraordinary, but passable for a quick, cheap meal.
The place was popular among students for its affordability.
Of course, Lin Mo’s price was the student discount—non-students paid two yuan extra.
He recalled that this shop rarely raised prices, likely because they owned the property and didn’t have rent to worry about.
The shredded chicken was particularly good, especially with the ginger-scallion sauce. Lin Mo ladled a spoonful over his rice, mixing it in for extra flavor.
Chu Miaomiao had a healthy appetite—being an "E-cup powerhouse" came with its demands.
But the auntie had been overly generous, leaving her with half a plate of uneaten food.
"I can’t finish this. Do you want it?"
Lin Mo’s appetite was no joke, so he nodded. Chu Miaomiao slid the remaining food onto his plate.
"Good. No wasting food. Next time, we can ask the auntie for a smaller portion."
"No need. I can handle it."
Remembering Lin Mo’s capacity, Chu Miaomiao quickly agreed. "Okay, all yours."
Then she propped her chin in her hands and watched him eat.
Lin Mo wasn’t exactly wolfing his food down, but he ate efficiently—spoon in one hand, chopsticks in the other.
As he ate, a group of office workers took the table next to them.
They kept sneaking glances at Chu Miaomiao, her figure unmistakable even in the school uniform.
Lin Mo sped up his meal under their lingering stares.
After finishing, he carried their trays to the recycling bin.
When he turned back, the men had surrounded Chu Miaomiao.
Lin Mo strode over.
"Hey little girl, give us your QQ. We’ll take you out this weekend—good food, good fun."
Chu Miaomiao stayed silent, biting her lip and clenching her fists, her eyes darting past them to Lin Mo.
Undeterred, one man reached for her shoulder.
Lin Mo clamped down on his wrist, applying just enough pressure.
"Do you know how long the sentence is for sexually harassing a minor?"
The man tried to speak, but a sharp pain shot through his arm, bending him over like a shrimp, his black suit now dust-covered.
Lin Mo swept a cold gaze over the group.
The others froze, not daring to move.