Don't you have a boyfriend at all

"Is something wrong?"

Shang Ming sat down across from Tang Manman. Separated by a table, he worked hard on his expression management, trying his best to offer a warm smile that could put people at ease.

Tang Manman glanced up at him, then quickly lowered her head again. She wiped her red-rimmed eyes with her hand, shook her head, and said softly:

"No."

"Uh..."

The conversation hit a dead end. Shang Ming felt awkward, but he wasn't discouraged. He continued according to his prepared script:

"Spring is here. The student council is planning a spring outing recently, if you're willing."

"I'm not willing."

Tang Manman's voice was small, but her refusal left no room for negotiation.

Shang Ming's smile froze on his face. This time, he was genuinely at a loss for words, truly embarrassed.

He twitched the corner of his mouth into a stiff smile, stood up, and said:

"Sorry to bother you."

After saying that, he made a sheepish exit.

Tang Manman raised her hand to wipe away the tear at the corner of her eye again. She looked up at the long line ahead and, after a moment's thought, decided to have her meal here before leaving.

Bracing her hands on the edge of the table, Tang Manman was just about to stand up to buy food when an arm draped over her shoulder.

Tang Manman instinctively turned her head and saw it was her roommate, Wu Ling.

Wu Ling raised an eyebrow at Tang Manman, then gestured with her chin towards a certain direction, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she asked:

"Was that Shang Ming trying to chat you up just now?"

Tang Manman nodded.

"What did he say?"

The fire of gossip burned in Wu Ling's eyes. Shang Ming was famously handsome at A University and a member of the student council in his third year. He could often be seen hosting events on stage during regular activities—a real celebrity! Such an outstanding senior taking an interest in Tang Manman could truly be called a perfect match.

Tang Manman shook her head, not wanting to say much to this gossip-loving roommate, and just perfunctorily replied:

"He didn't say much."

Tang Manman wasn't willing to talk, but Wu Ling didn't need her to; she had already picked up on some clues. She teased:

"Really, he didn't say anything?"

"He wasn't hitting on you, was he?"

After saying this, Wu Ling noticed there was no smile on Tang Manman's face. Her own teasing grin stiffened for a moment before gradually fading.

"Let's go."

"Get food first."

Wu Ling scratched her head and joined Tang Manman in the line to buy lunch.

As usual, Wu Ling bought a main dish of sour and spicy noodles, then added a grilled sausage and a meat pie as sides.

They were both from ordinary families with limited monthly allowances. A typical lunch usually cost just over ten yuan. Occasionally, for a luxurious treat, ordering something more expensive would max out at around thirty-something yuan.

Watching the noodles being dropped into the pot by the canteen auntie, Wu Ling instinctively glanced at Tang Manman beside her to see what she had bought today.

Taking a closer look, Wu Ling was greatly surprised.

Tang Manman had bought stir-fried dishes and rice.

One serving of tomato stewed beef brisket, and one of braised prawns.

Although it was just two dishes and a bowl of rice, both dishes were quite pricey. The cost of these two meat dishes alone approached thirty yuan each, totaling nearly sixty yuan together!

Although the clothes Tang Manman wore and the shoes she had on were often in the high three-digit or low four-digit price range, her daily life was actually quite frugal. Especially when it came to food, she was almost the same as them, and often even more sparing.

What was up with her today?

Did something good happen?

"Win the lottery?"

Wu Ling blinked, asking jokingly.

Tang Manman shook her head gently, a faint smile finally appearing at the corner of her mouth:

"No, I just felt like eating it."

Tang Manman was too embarrassed to say she'd been craving this for a while now...

...

A short while later, Wu Ling's sour and spicy noodles were ready. The two of them carried their trays and found a spot to sit.

Wu Ling first took a bite of the sizzling, oily volcanic stone grilled sausage. Then she picked up her chopsticks, inserting the tips into the reddish, oily sour and spicy noodles. She lifted her hand, twirling up a large bunch of noodles. After pursing her lips to gently blow on them to cool, she was just about to take a bite when, looking at the elegantly eating Tang Manman across the table, a sudden question arose in her mind. She asked curiously:

"Manman, do you really have a boyfriend?"

Tang Manman's hand holding the chopsticks trembled slightly.

Fortunately, she wasn't holding anything with them, so the small tremor wasn't very noticeable.

"I do."

Tang Manman tried hard to put on a calm front to handle Wu Ling's interrogation.

But what she herself didn't realize was that whenever she lied, she would get nervous, and when nervous, she seemed a bit spacey.

"Really?"

"You're not lying to me, are you?"

Wu Ling put down her chopsticks, leaned her face forward slightly, and narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Tang Manman.

"I'm not lying."

Tang Manman even forgot to shake her head, only managing a weak rebuttal.

"Then how come I've never seen you on the phone or video call with your boyfriend?"

Wu Ling pressed further.

"We... we usually text."

Tang Manman was so nervous she started to stammer.

"And you never make a single phone call?"

Wu Ling didn't believe it. She gave an example:

"Wang Xue in our dorm, she's on the phone with her boyfriend every night until eleven! They even study with the video on."

"How come I've never seen you video call your boyfriend?"

"Not just video calls, I haven't even heard his voice once!"

"Tang Manman."

Wu Ling's butt left the stool. She slowly leaned forward, her head getting closer and closer to Tang Manman. She narrowed her eyes, a gleam of suspicion flashing in her dark pupils as she asked:

"Are you..."

"Mmph."

Wu Ling's half-open mouth was stuffed with a piece of beef by Tang Manman, instantly cutting off her words.

"Eat!"

Tang Manman's ears were red as she scolded loudly.