EAY Chapter 3

Go to my house for breakfast.

Go to my house for breakfast.

3

Qi Ye’s self-assessment is that he’s insignificant, which is quite objective and not self-deprecating. He often feels like a speck of dust; wiping him away might make the world clearer.

He’s never had anything he particularly wants to do, and he himself isn’t special. He often gets “swallowed” when he walks into a crowd, and this “swallowing” actually makes him feel safe.

However, he’s never been troubled by his ordinariness. Perhaps, that’s his only good fortune.

Recently, Qi Ye’s monotonous school route has changed slightly. He now leaves for school half an hour earlier than before, riding his bicycle.

To put it this way, he used to just turn right when he left his house and ride for about ten minutes to get to school. Now, he turns left and takes a large, complicated detour to school.

Last Sunday, Qi Xue was sick and wanted casserole rice porridge from a certain breakfast shop, which was a bit far away. Qi Ye took a taxi to buy it in the morning, and right after he bought it, he ran into Shi Ran, who was also there to buy breakfast. According to Shi Ran, he comes here every morning to buy breakfast.

That was truly a lucky morning.

After that, Qi Ye also locked down his daily breakfast spot. The people at that breakfast shop are very nice. Every time Qi Ye arrives on his bike, there’s a long queue at the door. And every time, Shi Ran is always a few places ahead of him.

In the cool and bright mornings, at the bustling and busy shop, the steam from the buns constantly rises, disappears into the air, and vanishes. Qi Ye stands calmly in the queue, watching the back of the person he likes, not feeling that the time is long at all.

Shi Ran’s hair is always a mess in the morning from sleep, and the cowlicks that stick up look so cute, so cute in Qi Ye’s eyes.

Long after, the first protagonist in Qi Ye’s comic was just such a cute boy with cowlicks.

Shi Ran probably buys breakfast to take back and eat with his family, so he doesn’t wear his school uniform. He wears black and white home clothes and slippers, looking very relaxed. The proprietress of the breakfast shop seems to have known him for a long time. Qi Ye hears them chatting, and when the proprietress is in a good mood, she even gives him an extra meat bun.

Shi Ran says thank you obediently.

At that time, Qi Ye was thinking, should he open a breakfast shop in the future, or set up a stall, near Shi Ran’s residential complex, specializing in meat buns, fried dough sticks, soy milk, and all kinds of porridge that Shi Ran likes? He would also sell tea eggs. He would give Shi Ran an extra meat bun every day, so he could get a sweet thank you.

Ah, just thinking about it is really satisfying.

Qi Ye ate at that breakfast shop for two months in a row, without saying a word to Shi Ran. His original plan was not to let Shi Ran notice him, because he’s ordinary enough, and there are so many people. Everyone values their morning time, buying their breakfast and leaving in a hurry, not wasting it on other people at all.

Among those people, Qi Ye felt that he was the happiest.

Unexpectedly, on this day, it was Qi Ye’s turn, but he still didn’t see Shi Ran’s figure.

Why didn’t he come for breakfast? Did he change places? Isn’t he sick?

“Little lad, the same as always, huh?” After coming here for so many days, the proprietress recognizes him too.

Qi Ye’s usual order is two meat buns, one vegetable bun, one fried dough stick, one egg, and a cup of soy milk.

“Yeah.” Qi Ye accepted this disappointing breakfast.

However, before he could turn around, he heard the sound of slippers hurrying along, Shi Ran had arrived.

Qi Ye’s mood improved all at once.

The proprietress exclaimed, “Why are you so late today? The meat buns are gone, the last two were bought by that little lad.”

Qi Ye: “?”

He felt that he was too awful, especially when he turned around and saw Shi Ran’s disappointed expression.

After the disappointment, Shi Ran was surprised, “You come here to buy breakfast too?”

“You still remember me?” Qi Ye said foolishly.

This was later brought up by Shi Ran to tease him. How could he not remember? They’re classmates, even if they haven’t spoken, he would still remember, right? How low is your self-esteem?

Shi Ran: “Oh, I don’t have amnesia.”

Qi Ye watched Shi Ran walk back carrying other, less desirable breakfast items, and in a rush of blood to the head, he chased after him and said, “That, you can have mine, I’m not very hungry.”

He stuffed all of his breakfast into Shi Ran’s hands.

He had taken Shi Ran’s share of meat buns anyway, so Qi Ye didn’t think it was a big deal.

Unexpectedly, Shi Ran also took it seriously, blocking him in front of his bicycle: “No way.”

Qi Ye thought he would insist on returning the breakfast to him, but unexpectedly, Shi Ran said, “Then come to my house for breakfast.”

Qi Ye felt like he was dreaming again. How could Shi Ran invite him to his house?

Damn dream, wake up quickly!

Standing in front of Shi Ran’s house, Qi Ye pinched himself hard. After going inside and Shi Ran handing him slippers, Qi Ye pinched himself again.

Meeting Shi Ran’s grandfather, sitting down to eat, Qi Ye didn’t know how many times he had pinched himself.

Qi Ye was still dizzy and didn’t know what was going on, and couldn’t taste the breakfast either, but Shi Ran slowly opened his mouth: “Our house is too simple, isn’t it?”

Qi Ye: “Huh?”

Shi Ran: “Aren’t you shocked speechless by the simplicity of our house?”

Qi Ye: “Cough cough cough cough cough.” He choked half to death on the porridge.

Shi Ran’s grandfather leisurely opened his mouth: “Shi Ran, don’t talk while eating, accidents can happen. There isn’t much time for breakfast anyway, you scared him.”

Shi Ran handed Qi Ye a tissue: “Sorry.”

Qi Ye quickly said: “No, no, you misunderstood, our family’s situation is similar.”

Shi Ran: “How is that possible?”

Qi Ye: “Really, really, our house is the real humble abode.”

Shi Ran actually believed him at the time, until the two of them were together and Shi Ran went to Qi Ye’s house, looking at their two-story detached villa, he realized that he had been deceived, and pinched someone’s lower back hard.

Qi Ye quickly begged for mercy: “Really, really, my family was very poor when I was little, my parents said this house was bought with borrowed money.”

Qi Ye’s parents smiled slightly: “It’s a loan, but it’s about the same.”

“Shi Ran?” On the way back to school soon after finishing breakfast, Qi Ye mustered up his courage to stop him, “Why did you let me go to your house for breakfast?”

Shi Ran put his hands in his pockets and looked up: “Because you gave me all your breakfast, and there were meat buns that I couldn’t refuse. My grandfather said that skipping breakfast is bad for your health.”

“I see.” Qi Ye thought to himself, his health actually has nothing to do with Shi Ran, but Shi Ran still cares.

How could the person he likes be so kind?

Shi Ran asked, “Do you often come here for breakfast? This place is quite out of the way.”

Qi Ye said nervously: “No, I don’t come often, I come occasionally, the casserole rice porridge here is very famous.”

Shi Ran made a gesture at him: “You have a good eye, but the meat buns are still the best!”