458. I Might Be a Trash Can【10/60】
==============================
After waking up from a deep slumber, Lin Nan felt unusually lively; it had been a while since she enjoyed such a sweet sleep all by herself.
Usually, when she slept alongside Chen Yao, that guy couldn’t resist poking and prodding her before bed, completely indifferent to her sleepiness. But today, this afternoon nap had been pure bliss.
“Time to head out! To Zhongshan Street!” She flung open the door across from her and excitedly barged into the room, only to find Chen Yao and the others still sitting on the bed, engrossed in a game of Landlord.
“What’s the rush? We’re finishing this round!” Tu Junhui had a grumpy face, his hands slightly trembling, and his cheeks were plastered with paper notes—clearly, he had suffered a crushing defeat.
On the other hand, Chen Yao and Xiong Da had a few notes on their faces, and their moods were in stark contrast to Tu Junhui’s.
Lin Nan scooted closer, sitting on the bed’s edge, peering at the three playing cards and casually asked, “Did you guys bully Tu?”
“No choice, he’s got a big gambling itch and keeps wanting to be the landlord.” Chen Yao cheerfully finished his hand, “If we were betting money, he might’ve lost his pants by now.”
“Pshaw! I’m the undisputed king of happy Landlord! Today my luck just stinks!”
If it weren’t for the fact that his face was nearly covered with notes, Lin Nan might have almost believed him.
Once the game ended, Tu Junhui gathered the cards and removed the notes from his face, hurrying to the bathroom to wash his hands, fearing that the bad luck from the game might stick with him. Xiong Da stretched, bent over to put on his shoes, and Chen Yao stood up, chuckling at Lin Nan, asking, “How did you sleep?”
“Pretty well,” Lin Nan unabashedly displayed a satisfied grin.
“Well then, let’s tidy up and head out.” Chen Yao glanced out the window; although it was already six, it was still quite bright outside. He estimated it wouldn’t get dark until around seven. “Let’s find something to eat first, grab a light dinner.”
After washing his hands and face, Tu Junhui emerged from the bathroom, still mumbling about the game, “d*mn! I washed my hands three times; let’s go for another round!”
“Let’s hit the road!”
Compared to the sweltering midday heat, the evening air had noticeably cooled down, but after the rain, it didn’t feel refreshing at all; rather, it was filled with an oppressive humidity that weighed down on people’s hearts.
Lin Nan hated this feeling, frowning as she followed behind the others, her earlier enthusiasm from the inn faded into silence.
The ground floor of the inn had plenty of shops, and after strolling only a short distance, they came across a noodle shop specializing in braised noodles. Adhering to the principle of “eat, eat, eat” before heading to Zhongshan Street, they all opted for some easy-to-digest noodles.
After their noodle feast, Chen Yao looked at his phone map and led the way toward Zhongshan Street, revealing Tu Junhui’s chronic sense of directionlessness; they dared not let him lead again.
As they walked, the modern skyscrapers gradually transformed into shabby buildings reminiscent of the 1990s. The structures became smaller, around seven to eight floors, and the crowd thickened. Chen Yao pocketed his phone and decided to follow the flow of pedestrians. After about a kilometer, Lin Nan noticed everything around her had taken on an extraordinary vibe.
“This is Zhongshan Street?” She curiously eyed the rows of uniquely styled buildings, her eyes sparkling with interest.
“Isn’t this style called ‘arcade’?” Chen Yao, not really into architecture, recalled having heard of it somewhere.
The buildings stood in a row, their walls glowing with colorful lights in the evening, typically three or four stories high. The sidewalks were tucked under the buildings, supported by large square columns, making for a narrow path alongside the street.
This street seemed off-limits to vehicles; the dense crowd ambled along the casual streets, with shops lining both sides selling everything from clothes and local specialties to mouth-watering snacks, including food carts peddling delightful treats.
As dusk drew closer, the lights shone brighter, creating a stark line between the illuminated arcade and the darkening sky.
“So many people!” Lin Nan remarked while walking next to Chen Yao, marveling at the bustling street.
“Tourist spot; it’d be weird if there weren’t many people.” Tu Junhui and Xiong Da strolled ahead, instructing, “Don’t get separated! Everything here looks the same, and with so many people, it’d be tough to regroup.”
Despite usually being a goofball, Tu Junhui surprisingly displayed concern for his friends?
“Especially you three, since you still owe me for the inn! If you get lost, I’m done for!”
What a character!
Lin Nan rolled her eyes silently and scanned her surroundings, only to suddenly spot a little shop swarmed by people. She tugged at Chen Yao’s sleeve, happily making her way toward the hubbub.
As she squeezed through, she realized it was an ice cream shop, the kind famous for Turkish ice cream that was all the rage on Douyin. Among the crowd, a customer was being playfully teased by the shop owner, while onlookers erupted into laughter.
Not sure if the victim was genuinely paying to be pranked or if the owner had hired a stooge for the spectacle.
“Can’t see…” Lin Nan stood on her tiptoes at the edge, craning her neck and raising her phone to snap a photo.
Chen Yao followed closely behind her, noticing her anxious demeanor, and without hesitation, slipped his hands under her arms, lifting her up.
Lin Nan was startled to find her legs dangling in mid-air. Thankfully, Chen Yao had a habit of giving her princess carries, and she was already used to this surreal feeling. After a moment of surprise, she looked up to see clearly the scene amidst the crowd and excitedly began filming the action.
“What’s so great about this?” Tu Junhui and Xiong Da approached, mysteriously holding several gigantic meat skewers.
Just glancing at what they had made Lin Nan forget all about the spectacle and heaved impatiently, eagerly asking Chen Yao, “Where did you get those?”
“Diagonal opposite.”
Following Tu Junhui’s gaze, Lin Nan quickly spotted a store boasting a massive display of skewers. Just one look, and her mouth nearly watered.
She yanked Chen Yao in that direction, bubbling with excitement.
“If you occasionally travel, you’d see this kind of skewer everywhere. It’s nothing special.” Chen Yao felt like he was dragging a hyperactive kid.
“Regardless, I’ve never had it! Anything I haven’t had before is good!” Lin Nan glared back at him, “What’s the matter? Annoyed?”
“How could that be? Just watch your step, there’s pedestrians.” Chen Yao yanked her back just in time as a person staring at their phone almost bumped into her.
Had Chen Yao not stopped her, they might have collided directly.
This skewer was so big that a single piece of meat was almost too much for Lin Nan’s mouth. She initially intended to take a big bite, but upon trying, realized the skewer was excessively massive. So, she had to take small bites as she tore off pieces.
Mainly, opening her mouth too wide while stuffing an entire piece in was not the most elegant look, especially with so many people around who frequently glanced in her direction.
Even though Lin Nan knew onlookers meant no harm, merely admiring her youthful beauty, she still couldn’t help but want to maintain her image.
“Ugh, not great.” After just two bites, she immediately lost interest and shoved the skewer into Chen Yao’s hands.
“I told you…” Before Chen Yao could finish his thought, he saw Lin Nan take off running toward another shop at the end of the street.
“Crab roe buns! Crab roe soup dumplings!”
Ten minutes later, she returned with a grimace, placing the box of crab roe soup dumplings into Chen Yao’s hands.
“They’re not great either…”
I’m definitely Lin Nan’s trash can, not her boyfriend.
Chen Yao sighed.
