A Young Woman's Heart

"We were just talking about everyday things."

"Oh—cheers!"

Seeing this, Mo Xueyao could only helplessly raise her beer bottle and gently clink it against Nora's vodka bottle: "You shouldn't drink so much too."

"what?"

Mo Xueyao realized she had spoken in Chinese as soon as she said it, and quickly explained it again in English.

"I didn't drink much, just this small bottle. I'll definitely have to drink a whole bottle at noon!" Nora put down the bottle and tore off a large piece of West Lake Vinegar Fish with her knife and fork. Mo Xueyao thought she would get a fish bone stuck in her throat, but she didn't expect that even after drinking, her tongue was still sensitive and she could easily pick out the bone.

Mo Xueyao scooped some fish soup with her spoon and felt that this was simply the most wonderful enjoyment in life.

One or two close friends get together, eat, chat, brag, and joke around...

Well, I do more of that kind of bragging and joking around with my best friends.

The taste of Song Sao Fish Soup is actually somewhat similar to that of borscht, but the flavors are different upon closer inspection. More importantly, there is no fish in borscht.

Of these four dishes, the most tempting is the crispy red Dongpo pork.

There were only three pieces in total, each cut into neat squares, and they looked very soft and tender, as if they had been cooked until mushy.

But when you eat it, it's very springy, the fatty parts don't feel greasy, and the lean parts don't get stuck in your teeth.

"This piece of meat is so beautiful, it's like agate." Nora picked up a piece of Dongpo pork with her fork, put it in her bowl, and exclaimed in amazement, "Oh my god, this is simply a work of art!"

"Has Nora never eaten meat like this before?"

"I rarely eat exquisite dishes, but I think Russia must have quite a few refined court dishes, I just haven't seen them."

"Try it, it tastes amazing!" Mo Xueyao took a small bite of the meat, which included the skin, fat, and lean meat. The three different parts had different textures, and when mixed together, they were quite intoxicating.

Although everyone says that Dongpo pork is not greasy, it can still get greasy if you only eat meat, so Mo Xueyao scooped up a few mouthfuls of fish soup with her spoon.

This was a rare and hearty meal, and the most Mo Xueyao had eaten recently—she ate three bowls of rice!

"Oh no, I'm going to gain weight again..." she said anxiously, pinching her thigh.

"Hahaha—Xiaoyao, are you afraid of gaining weight? Why don't you exercise with me! That way you won't get fat!" Nora laughed loudly. "I run five kilometers every morning and then three kilometers every evening, so I can eat whatever I want without worrying about gaining weight!"

"Huh? Running that much in a day?" Mo Xueyao was stunned. "I run at most one kilometer a day..."

"That won't do! You need to exercise more!" Nora patted Mo Xueyao's head. "Look how short you are. Only by exercising more will you grow taller."

"How tall is Nora?" Mo Xueyao asked.

"1.76 meters tall." Nora stood up. "Alright, I'll do the dishes. You've already gone to so much trouble by cooking, so I'll take care of the rest!"

She patted her chest and started clearing away the dishes.

Mo Xueyao didn't stand on ceremony with her and started rocking leisurely in the armchair.

"Sit down after you've eaten your fill, aren't you afraid of throwing up?" Li Wanyan walked to her side and teased her expressionlessly.

"Sigh, Wanyan is just like her mother, they say exactly the same things..."

Upon hearing this, Li Wanyan couldn't help but smile: "Get up, let me sit down."

"Eh—? Wanyan, sit in another chair."

"But there's only one armchair."

"I haven't had enough of swaying yet—"

"You're a boy, you should be more considerate of girls."

"Tch, I'm not now." Mo Xueyao muttered confidently, but still stood up.

Li Wanyan chuckled and sat down. When Mo Xueyao secretly glanced at her, she resumed her 'calm' demeanor.

Nora didn't seem drunk after drinking a bottle of vodka, so it seems that a bottle really is just a beverage to her.

What's worrying is...

As an engineer, she probably drinks while drawing design drafts, right?

If she drinks it, then others will build the bridge according to her design...

You can probably get a sense of what it's like to be drunk on the bridge.

Thinking about it carefully, it shouldn't be that unreliable, otherwise wouldn't all the bridges in Russia be unusable?

However, aren't most of Russia's bridges actually quite sturdy?

"Does Wanyan need a haircut?" Mo Xueyao touched her long hair, which was almost down to her waist. "My hair is growing too fast, I don't know why."

"Yaoyao is still developing, I won't cut it, I'll just trim it."

"Yeah, I really do need to get a short haircut!"

"Has it been decided yet?"

"It was decided a long time ago."

The two chatted leisurely after dinner. Not long after, Nora finished washing the dishes and came out, taking out a set of Ludo from under the TV cabinet.

"Xiaoyao, let's play Ludo!"

"Coming, coming." Mo Xueyao hurried over. "By the way, Nora, aren't you planning to look for a job?"

"Let me rest for a few more days~" Nora said leisurely. "These are rare days of leisure. There's no homework, no classes, and no need to worry about exams—my graduation certificate has arrived."

"It would be better to contact them as soon as possible." Mo Xueyao likes to plan ahead.

"Okay, I'll contact them tonight and schedule an interview." Nora confidently tossed her red hair. "Don't worry, I'll definitely pass the interview. I'm very confident in my skills, haha!"

Cicadas chirped outside the window, while the air conditioning blew inside.

There's ice-cold beer and water to drink, and ice cream in the fridge.

The three sat cross-legged on the ground, watching TV and playing various board and card games.

Nora even ran out to buy a Go set halfway through, but she didn't even know the rules.

Mo Xueyao only barely knew the rules, yet she was already acting as a teacher to instruct her.

Of course, the most formidable one is Li Wanyan. Mo Xueyao and Nora can go toe-to-toe with her, but even together they can't defeat Li Wanyan.

According to Li Wanyan, her skills are at best only at the amateur level...

……

Chapter Four: Tian Tingchan and Zhou Yong's Summer Plan

"Come here~" Tian Tingchan beckoned to Zhou Yong with a playful smile in front of the lotus pond by West Lake.

Standing at a distance, Zhou Yong, who was still a little unsure if it was her, immediately ran over to her.

"Wow, you're so rich today! You invited me to West Lake, but the tickets aren't cheap."

"It's nothing, the tickets were a gift from Sister Ziya." Tian Tingchan smiled. "Are you on summer vacation?"

"I've already released him, what about you?"

"Me too," Tian Tingchan said softly, taking light, graceful steps as she walked forward.

The lotus leaves and lotus flowers seemed to perfectly complement her elegant beauty.

“You look quite like Sister Ziya.” Zhou Yong paused for a moment, then quickly followed.

How is it similar?

"Perhaps it's a kind of temperament? Uh... I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel there's something similar, or rather... we're both quite elegant? Uh... I'm not really sure."

Tian Tingchan paused slightly, then turned her head and smiled, "I think maybe not."

"Uh... what's that?"

"Hmm—I can't quite put my finger on it either," Tian Tingchan replied, but she clearly had something in mind, only she was deliberately keeping it from Zhou Yong, as if she were teasing his curiosity.

"Hey Chan, are you going to get a job this summer?"

"Ah."

"Are there any places that hire minors? I want to work so I can buy some things I like." Zhou Yong scratched his head. "If I work for two months, I should be able to earn about 500 yuan, right?"

"It should be five hundred a month." Tian Tingchan thought for a moment, "But since you're underage, the salary might be lower."

"That would be even better!"

What would you like to buy?

"I haven't decided yet, but it's always good to save up for now. Then I can buy whatever I want when the time comes." Zhou Yong touched his short hair, which was about the length of a fingernail. "So that I won't just be envious of other people's."

"Yeah, it's never a bad thing to save some money."

"Brother Chan, what kind of job do you think would suit me?"

"What can you do?" Tian Tingchan and Zhou Yong walked all the way to the Broken Bridge. The passing tourists seemed to have become an insignificant background. At this moment, the two seemed to only have eyes for each other.

"Does knowing how to use a computer count? I... uh, does that count?"

"That's true, but there aren't many places where computers are used now, except for companies."

"Yeah...does this mean I can only do manual labor?" Zhou Yong covered his head. "Actually, I'd like to find something easier..."

"Restaurant."

"Would a restaurant hire me? I'm not handsome, they probably wouldn't want me."

"At least she's not ugly." Tian Tingchan put her hands behind her back. "How about trying out an amusement park?"

"An amusement park?" Zhou Yong touched his cheek. "We even have an amusement park in Hangzhou?"

"Yes, at the Children's Palace."

"Oh, that's a place for kids to play."

“There are more children in the summer, so we might need part-time workers.” Tian Tingchan turned to look at him, her black hair draped around her neck fluttering in the wind, exuding a slightly messy allure.

Zhou Yong was so engrossed in watching that he took a deep breath and it took him a while to come to his senses: "Well... remember to call me when the time comes, I also want to go work, if we go together, I'll have company, hehe, Brother Chan, you have to take me with you!"