Charm point maxed out, inheriting game assets-Chapter 1712 - 589: Mending the Wall (Part

"Thump, thump, thump——"

His heart was pounding like a heavy drum, and his cheeks were so red they seemed to be steaming.

Tang Song felt the soft and slender hand in his, turned to look at Zhang Yan, and for the first time, seriously examined her in the sunlight.

His deskmate from junior high, perhaps because her mother was from the south, had skin that was creamy and smooth like a delicate ink painting.

Her eyes were classic almond-shaped, with slightly drooping corners, and her long eyelashes gave her an innocent and gentle charm.

At this moment, due to nerves and shyness, those almond eyes seemed to be brimming with misty vapor.

Zhang Yan finally noticed his gaze and, like a startled deer, quickly turned her head away, leaving only an ear, red as an apple, visible to him.

Tang Song chuckled softly, took her hand, and started walking, asking casually, "Where to eat?"

Zhang Yan still dared not look at him, pointing awkwardly towards the corner of the street, stammering, "There’s a rice noodle shop...over there...that’s pretty special."

"Alright, lead the way, just don’t get us lost."

"Oh, oh..."

Zhang Yan quickened her pace and walked a bit ahead.

With each turn, every time they avoided pedestrians, their hands would inevitably be tugged.

The intense and tingling sensation made her heart pound wildly.

Twisting and turning, the two of them eventually entered a small, long-standing rice noodle shop.

They ordered breakfast and sat down facing each other.

Zhang Yan immediately sat upright, placing her hands uneasily on her knees, head lowered, eyes fixed on the worn patterns of the table, not daring to meet his gaze.

Tang Song looked around and began chatting casually with her about the scenery, landmarks, and culinary culture of Yang City.

Having lived there for over two years, Zhang Yan was quite knowledgeable about these topics.

Gradually, she relaxed, blushed, and began to speak softly with him.

Seeing her change, Tang Song’s smile grew more radiant.

He understood quite well inside.

For the two of them now, the term "the most familiar strangers" might not be more fitting.

So many years had passed, with so much time and distance in between, that even if there was a bond from their youth, being alone together still felt a little awkward.

Especially for someone as introverted and sensitive as Zhang Yan, knowing that he had seen her secret feelings on QQ.

That embarrassment and unease needed time for her to slowly adapt to and digest.

So, he just wanted to start from the most ordinary details, like an old friend reunited after a long time, to get familiar with her again.

To slowly retrieve that natural closeness lost to time.

Soon, steaming hot rice noodles were served.

The white, tender, and slightly elastic rice wrappers were so thin they were almost translucent, allowing a glimpse of the tender beef and vibrant green scallions wrapped inside.

Drizzled with a special, slightly sweet soy sauce, and sprinkled with a layer of fragrant oil and sesame seeds.

The enticing aroma of rice, meat, and sauce instantly stirred Tang Song’s appetite.

He ate three servings in one go.

Finally, a smile gradually appeared on Zhang Yan’s face.

After finishing breakfast, the two of them took a stroll around the nearby vegetable market before returning to Zhang Yan’s rented apartment.

"Meow~" Orange shot out from under the sofa like a little cannonball.

Tang Song bent down with a smile, scooped up the hefty ginger cat into his arms, tickling its chin and playing with it for a while.

Then, casually, he said, "The weather is really nice today. Let’s go to the balcony and read some manga together."

Zhang Yan instinctively looked toward the mottled walls and rust-streaked old windows of the balcony, an embarrassed expression once again crossing her face.

"The walls aren’t clean, don’t, don’t get your clothes dirty."

Like any ordinary white wall, baked by the sun and rain over the years, the balcony’s wall wasn’t much better than those in the bathroom or kitchen.

Tang Song looked at the wall, then at her, his eyes growing increasingly gentle.

"It’s alright, we can sit close to each other, so we won’t touch the wall."

Then, he pulled the first volume of "Dragon Ball" from the bookshelf and, familiar as ever, moved two small wooden stools to the small balcony.

Zhang Yan bit her lip, gazing at the two nearly-adjacent stools, her face flushing as she walked over.

Sitting stiffly beside him, their arms were almost touching.

"Last time we saw... Bulma had Goku dress as a little girl to trick Oolong, but he got found out because he stood to pee..."

Tang Song was talking as he flipped open the manga to that page, naturally placing it between the two of them.

The clean scent, a mix of sunlight and soap unique to Zhang Yan, wafted to his nose.

He turned his head to look at her delicate features, feeling the warmth of the girl beside him. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

His own heart started to speed up gradually.

...

Before they knew it, they finished the first volume of "Dragon Ball," reaching the last page.

The story paused, and the balcony fell into a brief silence.

Zhang Yan quickly and secretly glanced up at Tang Song beside her, with a hint of inquiry and trepidation in her eyes.

The book was finished; maybe he should be leaving too?

Tang Song gently closed the manga, turned to meet her nervous gaze, and flashed a relaxed and natural smile.

"I have something to do, I’ll be back soon."

Zhang Yan wanted to ask him where he was going and what for.

But as the words reached her lips, they were blocked by her deeply ingrained shyness.

In the end, she only managed a soft "mm."

Tang Song waved to her and Orange, then walked out the door, his steps light and brisk.