Chapter 189 Lakeside at Yuda University

Chapter 189 Lakeside at Yuda University

Su Yingxue had just finished arranging the ingredients on the cart when she looked up and was stunned by the scene before her—Yuda's snack street was even more lively than Qingda's, with stalls one after another stretching from one end of the street to the other, and even several soup vendors, the steam and aroma weaving a hazy net in the cold air.

She remained unhurried, leisurely riding her stroller around the crowd, finally stopping at a corner where there was space.

Unlike Qingdao University, Yuming University is backed by a lake, and the words "Yuming Lake" are engraved on a stone tablet on the shore.

In the evening, students often stroll along the lakeside, couples cuddle and chat, and occasionally you can hear soft, sweet whispers of affection.

This time, instead of making freshly rolled pancakes, she focused on "heartwarming quick meals": a bowl of piping hot radish and beef brisket soup, paired with a freshly baked steamed bun or small rice pancake, which can be eaten on the go and warms you up from the inside out in the cold wind.

As soon as I set up my stall, several students bundled up in thick down jackets surrounded me, peering around and asking, "Boss, what's this? It smells so good!"

Su Yingxue smiled and lifted the lid of the thermos. White steam carrying a rich aroma of meat wafted out: "Freshly made radish and beef brisket soup, stewed fresh this morning. It's warming and filling." She ladled out a bowl and handed it over, "Try it first. If you don't like it, you don't have to pay."

The first boy to try it took a big gulp, his eyes widening instantly: "Wow, this beef brisket is so tender! The radish is as sweet as honey!"

Upon hearing this, people nearby immediately formed a queue. In less than half an hour, most of the soup in the thermos was gone.

While ladling soup, Su Yingxue mentally noted down the feedback—some people wanted more pepper to make it warming, while others suggested adding a "tofu puff" version to enrich the flavor.

Looking at the smiling faces flushed red from the steam, she suddenly felt that this kind of pre-cooked warm food might become another gentle connection between her and her customers during the cold season.

Just like this pot of soup, simmered slowly over a low flame, it becomes more fragrant the longer it cooks, and it can also warm the distance between people.

Business was better than expected. Students readily accepted the new flavors, and quite a few middle-aged people also came to patronize the restaurant. After drinking the hot soup, the chill was dispelled, and many people had a light sweat on their foreheads.

Su Yingxue glanced at the soup that was still half full in the pot and secretly clicked her tongue in amazement—this was her first time at Yuda University, and she hadn't prepared much food, but she didn't expect such a warm response. She thought she would have to cook more next time.

As I was pondering this, I suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure staggering towards the lake. It was a young woman in a black down jacket, her face streaked with tears, muttering, "I don't want to live anymore... I don't want to live anymore..."

This is Yuming Lake! Su Yingxue's heart tightened, she dropped the soup spoon in her hand and rushed over, grabbing the girl's arm.

The girl had already stepped into the water, thankfully it was just a shallow area, but her brown snow boots were already wet.

"What are you doing? Walking into the lake so late at night?" Su Yingxue's voice changed as she quickly pulled the girl back to the roadside, made her sit down on the stool at the stall, and stopped her from doing anything foolish.

The girl sobbed, her face streaked with tears and snot: "I've been dumped..."

"Out with the old, in with the new, the next one will be even better." Su Yingxue said as she handed her a napkin that was prepared for the guests.

"I can't come... My boyfriend cheated on me, he saw another woman behind my back, I'm so heartbroken..."

The girl's name was Sun Xiaonuan, a student at Yuda University. She was carrying a bright yellow backpack with cute charms hanging from it. Su Yingxue looked closely and saw a familiar face printed on the charms—short hair, handsome, with clear and bright eyes.

"Isn't this He Qianyu?"

"You like He Qianyu too? Look, this is my limited edition fan card!" Sun Xiaonuan wiped away her tears as she handed the card to Su Yingxue like a treasure.

Su Yingxue was stunned for a moment, and a name flashed through her mind—she seemed to actually have He Qianyu's WeChat.

"Don't be so dramatic about a man, finish this soup first." She said seriously, "I have a photo of He Qianyu here, clearer than a card."

"Really?" Sun Xiaonuan suddenly raised her head, a glimmer of light flashing in her teary eyes. She completely stopped her steps towards the lake, freezing in place as if she had grabbed the only piece of driftwood.

Sun Xiaonuan sniffed, her swollen eyes regaining their light as she stared at Su Yingxue as if grasping at a lifeline: "Really? You really have his rare photos?"

Su Yingxue couldn't help but chuckle at her appearance. She took out a group photo from a previous event from her phone—it was taken when she was filming a TV series at Chang'an Banquet. She had long, handsome hair, a clean smile, and a youthful brightness in her eyes.

She handed over the photo: "Here, although it's not an autographed copy, it's still him. Look how sunny his smile is."

Sun Xiaonuan took the photo, her fingers carefully tracing the image. Tears welled up in her eyes again, but this time it was no longer a cry of despair, but a sob mixed with heartache and cherishing: "It really is Qianyu. I've never seen this photo before. I love this photo so much."

Su Yingxue pressed her advantage, pushing the radish and beef brisket soup she had just served in front of her: "Drink some soup first to warm yourself up, so you don't catch a cold. You can't rush things when it comes to relationships. You're emotionally unstable right now, and you might regret any decision you make. Here, drink this bowl, it will warm you up and clear your head."

Sun Xiaonuan was stunned for a moment, then looked down at the steaming soup bowl. Amidst the swirling white mist, the aroma of beef brisket wafted into her nose.

Hesitantly, she picked up the spoon, scooped up a mouthful, and put it in her mouth. The warm soup slid down her throat, dispelling the chill from her body and seemingly melting a corner of the coldness in her heart.

"It's delicious. This soup is so good and warming!"

As she drank, she said haltingly, "I... I've been unable to breathe ever since I found out he was with someone else yesterday... My mind is filled with images of them together, and the more I think about it, the more it hurts... the more I think about it, the more miserable I feel. I feel so worthless."

“It hurts because you care, but that doesn’t mean you have to respond by hurting yourself.” Su Yingxue sat down next to her, her tone gentle yet firm.

"Look, this soup needs to be simmered slowly to become fragrant, and so does a relationship. If you encounter the wrong person, you need to cut your losses in time so that you can make room for the right person. Look at your favorite celebrity, He Qianyu, she is very outstanding and deserves to be genuinely liked, but the premise is that you must first learn to love yourself."

Sun Xiaonuan paused in her grip on the spoon, then looked up at Su Yingxue. The other woman's eyes were sincere and warm, without a trace of perfunctoriness.

She suddenly remembered what she had almost done, a chill ran down her spine, and she couldn't help but shiver: "I...I really went crazy just now, thank goodness you grabbed me...I...I feel like I just lost my mind."