573. Dinner
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After lugging a bunch of bags back to Pan Maoxin’s home, Lin Nan, who had previously offered to help, was now sprawled out on the sofa, comfortably glued to the gigantic fifty-something-inch TV.
Not that she was particularly interested in the show; her gaze kept wandering over to the open kitchen.
I must say, Pan Maoxin’s cooking looked quite skilled—at least it seemed halfway decent!
Lin Nan joyfully stretched, kicked off her slippers, and plopped down horizontally on the couch.
With Pan Maoxin’s father out of the picture, she felt a bit freer; otherwise, there’s no way she’d be this rude.
The open kitchen was all the rage; it was spacious and looked good, but the downside was the smell of smoke and oil wafting into the living room when Pan Maoxin was frying up all sorts of delicious aromas, making Lin Nan’s mouth water.
“Lin Nan, come and set the table!”
“Call me Teacher Lin!” Lin Nan shot back without hesitation.
Yet this student looked utterly unconcerned: “Wasn’t the last class over already? You’re no longer my teacher.”
“Whatever.”
Beyond the teacher-student label, Lin Nan didn’t have much else to keep Pan Maoxin in check.
She was just two years older, that’s all.
As she walked into the kitchen and casually grabbed a pair of chopsticks to taste the freshly cooked black pepper beef, her eyes squinted in delight. “This is even better than most restaurants!”
“When I have nothing else to do, I like to experiment with this stuff,” Pan Maoxin said, not even looking up as he busied himself with the next dish.
Lin Nan carried the dishes to the dining table, plopped herself down, propped her legs up, and stared at Pan Maoxin in the kitchen.
To be honest, she wasn’t all that keen on having dinner with Pan Maoxin, but after all, they had known each other for a semester, and once this was over, it was highly unlikely they’d see each other again.
Plus, he paid her well for tutoring, so it would be rude to decline a farewell dinner.
Checking the time, it was nearly five o’clock; class had ended around four.
“How about I teach you while you’re cooking? If you do well on the final, I won’t be embarrassed to say I’m your teacher later.”
“No way.” Pan Maoxin shook his head vigorously, obviously rejecting the idea of studying.
After about an hour, he laid out four meat dishes and one vegetable dish on the table, and even kindly scooped a small bowl of rice for Lin Nan, setting the table and popping open two bottles of cola.
“It’s ready to eat.” Pan Maoxin sat down directly opposite her, but the joy didn’t quite reach his face; he seemed more bothered by the fact that Lin Nan was leaving soon.
He brought up an idea he’d had before: “Why not come back next semester to teach me again?”
“I already said no.” Lin Nan firmly rejected him, picking up her bowl and digging into dinner.
Normally, she would take her time eating, but with Pan Maoxin, she wanted to wrap this up as quickly as possible.
But I must admit, the food was really good; Pan Maoxin’s skills only lagged a fraction behind Chen Yao’s.
Clearly, Pan Maoxin noticed Lin Nan’s thoughts, but he had an expression of helpless resignation.
“I’m going to get something.”
“Hmm?” Lin Nan glanced up but quickly went back to her food.
Eat fast, ten minutes to bolt, and get out!
But Pan Maoxin hesitated in his bedroom, staring at a bouquet of roses, pondering whether to go through with his plan.
Lin Nan was leaving; whether they’d see each other again was still up in the air.
The boy who hadn’t quite left his phase of teenage angst made up his mind, grabbed the flowers from his bedside, and turned toward the dining area.
Meanwhile, Lin Nan had almost finished eating; when she heard footsteps, she turned to see Pan Maoxin approaching her with the bouquet she had seen earlier.
She froze for a moment, her brow furrowing immediately.
Pan Maoxin’s heart raced to an alarming degree, his face flushed bright red, and as he stood before her, biting his lip and looking down, he fumbled for a moment before gritting his teeth and thrusting the flowers forward.
“What’s this? Aren’t flowers for teachers supposed to be carnations?” Lin Nan frowned as she took the bouquet, casually setting it aside.
Looks like the effects of love’s magical side effects had finally kicked in.
On the last day of their tutoring sessions, of all times.
Fortunately, Lin Nan had somewhat anticipated this and wasn’t too shocked; she quickly regained her composure and looked at Pan Maoxin to see what he’d say.
“I… I like you.”
The rebellious student who had once caused headaches for parents and teachers now spoke in a voice as timid as a little girl.
“Got it.” Lin Nan’s brow began to relax, “Let’s eat.”
“Then you…”
“I have a boyfriend and I’m already engaged.” Lin Nan laughed, “You’re still young; don’t think too much about these things.”
Pan Maoxin protested unhappily, “Not that young! You’re not that much older than me, yet you still treat me like a kid!”
“Are you not a kid?” Lin Nan said with a smile while chewing.
She felt nothing like she did when Chen Yao confessed to her—more like she was watching a little kid throwing a tantrum.
Pan Maoxin returned to his seat across the table, looking down, utterly dejected: “I just thought, if we can’t meet in the future, I won’t have the chance to say this again.”
I bet plenty of boys confess to girls after the college entrance exams think the same way.
Lin Nan looked at his gloomy face and chuckled, “Every gathering has to end sometime; I hope when we meet again in a few years, you’ll get into a good university.”
“You still see me as a kid…”
“Dinner’s done, I should head back.” Lin Nan stood up, turned, and plucked a flower from the bouquet, “I’ll take this as a gift, as for yours…”
She rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a lollipop: “Here, a reward for you for finishing your training.”
“Crazy! You keep giving me sweets every day; I’m gonna get cavities!”
“I’m leaving now?”
Pan Maoxin turned away, ignoring her: “If you’re going, then just go. No need to make a big deal about it.”
This little brat was in a mood.
Lin Nan shook her head, exasperated, taking the flower and turning to go without hesitation.
When she closed the door behind her, Pan Maoxin suddenly jumped up, rushing to the door, peering through the peephole to catch a glimpse of Lin Nan waiting for the elevator not far away, playing with the rose.
His throat felt dry, and for some inexplicable reason, his nose tingled.
Outside, Lin Nan stepped into the elevator, prompting Pan Maoxin to rush over to the living room window, peeking down.
Moments later, he saw Lin Nan’s figure leaving.
The sense of loss weighed heavier on his chest, a hollow feeling, until Lin Nan was obscured by the neighboring building, and he took a few steps back, slumping onto the sofa.
“What about my English now…”
He muttered to himself, the empty room no longer echoed with that soft voice reciting English, nor would he get unwarranted beatings anymore.
He should be happy, but instead, he felt a deep pang of sadness.
