A Meal Shared, A Mystery Unveiled

Ming Zhong’s straightforward answer caught Fu Ziqing slightly by surprise.

She blinked, her mouth opening and closing soundlessly for a few seconds. Then, she slowly spoke.

“You’re quite honest, aren’t you?”

“I’d prefer you call me ‘sincere’,” Ming Zhong corrected, a smile playing on his lips. “The word ‘honest’ isn’t usually a compliment these days.”

Fu Ziqing merely pursed her lips, offering no further comment.

She glanced at Ming Zhong, her gaze drifting away before returning to him.

Her thoughtful expression suggested she had something she wished to say.

“Senior Sister?”

Ming Zhong looked at her, an inquiring expression on his face.

Fu Ziqing didn’t immediately respond. Her brows gradually furrowed towards the center of her forehead, and she habitually bit her lower lip before pressing them together.

Ming Zhong wasn’t in a hurry. In fact, watching his Senior Sister’s expression—a blend of cuteness and a hint of allure—was a unique pleasure.

A moment later, Fu Ziqing’s brows smoothed out, and she abruptly declared, “Time to eat!”

“Huh?”

Ming Zhong initially didn’t understand, standing bewildered for a beat before slowly replying, “Oh, I’ll go right away.”

“Goodbye, Senior Sister!”

He said with a laugh, realizing the hour was indeed late. Ming Zhong quickly turned and hastened towards the cafeteria.

“Hey! Stop!”

Fu Ziqing suddenly called out.

Ming Zhong immediately retreated, asking, “Is there something else, Senior Sister?”

“Hmph!”

Fu Ziqing lifted her head and puffed out her chest, looking rather pleased with herself. She pointed at Ming Zhong.

“What you said earlier, I agree to it.”

“Agree to what?”

Ming Zhong asked, puzzled.

Fu Ziqing’s eyes widened, a hint of fierceness in her gaze.

Ming Zhong suddenly understood why Senior Sister had hesitated for so long, only to inexplicably blurt out, “Time to eat!”

Coupled with her current declaration of “I agree to it,” Ming Zhong finally realized Senior Sister had omitted two crucial words before.

“To eat together?”

Ming Zhong uttered, his lips twitching as he struggled to suppress a laugh.

Fu Ziqing’s eyes narrowed. Instantly, Ming Zhong’s expression turned solemn. He stepped aside.

“After you, Senior Sister!”

“You lead the way!”

“As you command!”

The Heavenly Fragrance Tower had five floors. The first floor housed a supermarket, while the second and fourth floors served as both food service areas and dining spaces with tables and chairs.

The third and fifth floors were entirely dedicated to dining, accommodating most of the teachers and students.

At this hour, the second floor’s food stalls were already cleared, but a few options remained on the fourth floor.

Only a few dishes were left, and in small portions. Ming Zhong swiped his meal card, and the cafeteria auntie simply served him a bit of everything, reminding him to come earlier next time.

Ming Zhong thanked the auntie with a smile. After taking his tray, he swiped his meal card once more.

“Auntie, another serving, please.”

He glanced at Fu Ziqing, then turned back to the auntie. “Just a smaller portion this time.”

The auntie chuckled. “Getting it for a classmate? A girl, perhaps?”

As she spoke, the auntie deftly prepared a smaller portion of food in no time.

When she handed the tray to Ming Zhong, she even added two pairs of chopsticks.

“Yes, thank you, Auntie!”

Ming Zhong accepted the trays with a smile, then, balancing one in each hand, led Fu Ziqing up to the fifth floor.

A few scattered individuals still occupied the fifth floor. Fu Ziqing quickly made her way to a window seat and sat down. Ming Zhong followed, carrying the trays.

He carefully placed Fu Ziqing’s meal in front of her. After taking his own seat and aligning his tray, Ming Zhong picked up his chopsticks but didn’t immediately begin to eat.

He was watching Fu Ziqing.

Ming Zhong was incredibly curious: how would his Senior Sister eat?

However, Fu Ziqing, propping her chin on her hands, blinked her eyes and stared back at Ming Zhong.

“Why are you looking at me?”

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

Ghost and human spoke simultaneously.

They both paused, momentarily stunned, then…

“I’m watching you eat.”

“I can’t eat.”

Again, ghost and human replied in unison.

Ming Zhong wasn’t overly surprised; he had somewhat anticipated this, but he still sought confirmation.

“You really can’t eat?”

Fu Ziqing tilted her head, as if an amusing thought had crossed her mind, and a sweet smile suddenly bloomed on her face.

Ming Zhong mirrored her smile, asking, “What did Senior Sister think of that made you so happy?”

Fu Ziqing laughed. “I was thinking, if you enshrined me, maybe I’d be able to eat the food you offered me.”

“Ah, well…”

Ming Zhong was at a loss for words, unsure how to respond to such a remark. He lowered his head and silently scooped a mouthful of food.

“So? Why not consider it?”

Fu Ziqing’s smile remained. She continued, “If you burn incense and offer me food, I can guarantee your safety.”

After about ten seconds, Ming Zhong looked up. “After this mock exam, there are two days off. I’ll buy some incense, candles, and spirit money then. I’ll even find a master to carve you a memorial tablet.”

The sweet smile on Fu Ziqing’s face slowly faded. She saw the earnestness in Ming Zhong’s expression, which was clearly not a joke.

“Are you serious?”

Fu Ziqing’s eyes widened again.

Ming Zhong nodded with genuine sincerity. “Let’s give it a try. Senior Sister is my senior, after all. Burning incense and offering you food won’t harm me in any way. Plus, if it helps Senior Sister taste food again, that would be a truly good thing.”

As he spoke, he suddenly chuckled. “Haha, I know Senior Sister had excellent grades back then, practically a study god! So, if I burn incense for you, please ensure I perform exceptionally well in next month’s college entrance exam! How about it?”

“You really are…”

Fu Ziqing had never imagined such a possibility. It had been a mere joke, yet as she looked at the dishes on the tray…

Kung Pao chicken, shredded pork with green peppers, bok choy, and scrambled eggs with tomatoes.

Damn it, these were precisely the dishes she had enjoyed most in life!

Fu Ziqing suddenly felt a peculiar stir of temptation at Ming Zhong’s suggestion.

“I really am what?”

Ming Zhong asked, smiling.

“Wise!”

Fu Ziqing gave him a thumbs-up.

Ming Zhong’s smile stiffened slightly.

He wanted to tell his Senior Sister that ‘wise’ wasn’t always used as a compliment in many contexts these days either.

But he decided against it, choosing to take it as praise instead. He then focused on devouring the food on his tray.

Watching Ming Zhong eat with such relish, Fu Ziqing felt a pang of envy, so she simply turned her gaze to the window.

Once Ming Zhong had nearly finished his portion, Fu Ziqing pushed her own tray towards him.

“Here, there’s still some left.”

She smiled at Ming Zhong, speaking softly, “Help me finish it.”

Ming Zhong’s eyes immediately widened into perfect circles.

Privately, however, he was relieved; he had wisely taken a smaller portion earlier.

Feigning an expression of utter agony, as if “generously sacrificing himself,” Ming Zhong slowly, bite by bite, devoured Fu Ziqing’s share as well.

Seeing both trays relatively clean, Fu Ziqing clapped her hands and laughed. “Not wasting food! What a good young man!”

“Ooooh!”

Ming Zhong let out a long wail, his face contorted in misery. “I’m stuffed to death!”

Fu Ziqing chuckled. “You worked hard!”

Then, she pursed her lips and said, “Now, do you need my help?”

“How would you help?”

Ming Zhong asked.

Fu Ziqing stood up. “Come, you stand up too.”

Ming Zhong complied, rising somewhat laboriously.

It was clear his stomach was quite distended.

Fu Ziqing bent slightly, extending a hand to press it, without touching, against Ming Zhong’s stomach. She made a stroking motion, softly chanting:

“Tummy, tummy, go down, don’t get chubby!”

“Tummy, tummy, go down, don’t get chubby!”

“Tummy, tummy, go down, don’t get chubby!”

After chanting three times, Fu Ziqing clapped her hands. “There!”

Straightening up, Fu Ziqing saw Ming Zhong staring at her with an inscrutable gaze.

“What kind of look is that!?”

Fu Ziqing glared, biting her lip, looking incredibly fierce.

“Does… does that really work? Who taught you that?”

Ming Zhong hesitated, but eventually voiced his question.

His Senior Sister, at times, truly seemed like an innocent child.

“My grandma taught me when I was little!”

Fu Ziqing didn’t specify that it was her grandmother from her previous life.

I remember being greedy as a child, eating too much, getting stuffed, and crying because my stomach hurt. Grandma would do this for me. She’d say it was magic taught to her by mountain immortals, and then she’d tell me stories about them.

Perhaps it was a placebo effect, or maybe I was simply captivated by Grandma’s enchanting tales of immortals, or perhaps Grandma truly possessed magic? My stomach would genuinely feel better!

These were precious memories etched into her soul, the purest and warmest moments.

Sharing this treasured beauty now brought her a similar warmth and joy.

A gentle smile returned to Fu Ziqing’s face as she asked, “How is it? Do you feel any better now?”

Perhaps influenced by Fu Ziqing’s warm and gentle smile, Ming Zhong suddenly exclaimed in surprise, “Huh? Hey! It really doesn’t feel stuffed anymore!”

“Hehe! I told you it would work!”

Fu Ziqing was delighted.

“This… is it really that miraculous?”

Ming Zhong still found it hard to believe.

Fu Ziqing looked at Ming Zhong’s dumbfounded expression and suddenly laughed. “Haha! I’m not sure if Grandma had magic, but I really do have ‘magic’!”

Upon hearing Fu Ziqing’s words, Ming Zhong instantly had a realization.

“What did you do?”

He asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

“Feeling uncomfortably full means you’ve eaten too much, and your body can’t digest it all at once,” Fu Ziqing explained. “But I cast a ‘spell’ on your stomach to speed up the digestion process.”

Ming Zhong nodded. “I see…”

No wonder he hadn’t felt any immediate effect at first. Now, his stomach was gradually feeling better, and he could even see his bloated belly slowly receding.

“Thank you!”

Ming Zhong smiled gratefully, then began clearing the trays from the table.

“You’re welcome!”

Fu Ziqing’s smile was soft.

She followed Ming Zhong, who was taking the trays away, her steps light and airy.

After leaving the Heavenly Fragrance Tower, Fu Ziqing walked beside Ming Zhong, then suddenly tilted her head and asked, “Hey, I have a question for you.”

“Ask away, Senior Sister.”

“Have you been able to see unusual things since you were a child?”

Hearing this, Ming Zhong slowed his pace slightly and said to Fu Ziqing, “It’s been recently…”

He paused mid-sentence, then changed his answer. “I can’t be sure.”

“Can’t be sure?”

Fu Ziqing blinked.

“Yes.”

Ming Zhong nodded, then frowned. “My own memories from before I was twelve years old, and some things my grandma occasionally mentioned, never quite match up. I used to think it was just Grandma getting old and forgetful, but now, it seems I might be the one with the problem.”