raknovel 083 It's easy for a woman to pursue a man.
083 It's easy for a woman to pursue a man.
While Wang Zhe and Zhu Qi were eating hot pot, two other girls were enjoying their meal at a nearby Japanese restaurant.
The environment here is tranquil, with warm yellow light spilling onto the natural wood tabletops, and the air filled with the subtle aroma of rice vinegar and seaweed. Compared to the hustle and bustle of a hot pot restaurant, this place is more suitable for quiet conversations.
Song Zhiyi and Su Xiaocheng sat facing each other, with an exquisite sushi platter and sashimi in front of them.
The restaurant was recommended by Su Xiaocheng, and she also ordered the dishes. As a local who grew up in Shanghai and Hong Kong, she knows the food scene around the school like the back of her hand.
"How is it? The salmon here is very fresh, isn't it?" Su Xiaocheng picked up a thick slice of salmon, dipped it in some soy sauce, and put it in her mouth with a satisfied look on her face.
Song Zhiyi took a bite, nodded, and smiled, "Hmm, it's really good, the texture is very smooth. And the environment here is very quiet, unlike some noisy shops."
She glanced around, noticing that the surrounding tables were filled with either whispering couples or men and women in the early stages of a relationship, and added meaningfully:
"This place is quite suitable for a date."
Su Xiaocheng was focused on dealing with a huge California curl when she heard this and vaguely agreed: "Yeah, there are definitely a lot of couples here."
Song Zhiyi put down her chopsticks, rested her chin on her hand, and narrowed her almond-shaped eyes slightly, asking as if casually, "Xiao Cheng, have you ever been on a date?"
"Dating?"
Su Xiaocheng swallowed the food in her mouth and shook her head. "No. High school is strict, I don't have time."
Song Zhiyi feigned surprise: "But it's already been half a month since freshman year started! You're so cute, and you sing so well, there must be a line of guys chasing after you in the cafeteria, right?"
"I do have a few guys pursuing me..." Su Xiaocheng pouted, poking at the wasabi in her plate with her chopsticks, "But those guys are all so immature, we run out of things to talk about after a few sentences. My standards for choosing a partner are very high and I'm quite unpredictable, so it's usually hard for me to meet someone I click with."
"It's very ethereal, what does that mean?" Song Zhiyi became interested.
Su Xiaocheng thought for a moment, but still shook her head: "It's hard for me to describe it to you..."
The two chatted while eating sushi, their conversation always revolving around relationships. Song Zhiyi was like a patient hunter, guiding Su Xiaocheng little by little to open up about her feelings.
After a while, Song Zhiyi probed again, "So, haven't you met anyone you like yet? There are so many people in university, surely there's someone who catches your eye, right?"
Su Xiaocheng paused, her hand holding the sushi, narrowed her eyes, and said softly, "Well, I've already run into her... It's a pity, it's really hard to win her over."
really.
A glint of light flashed in Song Zhiyi's eyes.
She picked up her teacup and took a sip, concealing the smile on her lips: "What's so difficult about it? It's easier for a woman than a man to pursue a man. Xiao Cheng, you're so cute, as long as you show a little affection, you'll definitely win over the boy you like."
Su Xiaocheng gave a wry smile, but still refused to answer, abruptly changing the subject: "By the way, Zhiyi, do you architecture students also have to study painting?"
Song Zhiyi noticed her evasiveness but didn't press the issue. The bait had already been cast; there was no rush.
She sighed as well, her face falling. "That's right. Our sketching class starts next Monday, and the instructor reminded us to buy sketching paper, pencils, charcoal pencils, erasers, craft knives, drawing boards, and stuff like that. They said we need a set of pencils from 2H to 8B, that's a necessary professional setup..."
When Su Xiaocheng heard that it was her area of expertise, she immediately perked up.
"What's there to worry about! Sketching is indeed the foundation of drawing, but these tools are easy to buy; there are stores near the school. I can take you to buy them tomorrow or the day after!"
Song Zhiyi's face lit up with surprise, and she grabbed Su Xiaocheng's hand: "Really? That's wonderful!"
She noticed that Su Xiaocheng looked melancholy when talking about the person she liked, a kind of anxiety and uncertainty unique to young girls in the throes of first love. This seemed normal, and she didn't think much of it, only assuming that Su Xiaocheng was too shy to take the initiative with Wang Zhe.
As Song Zhiyi continued eating her sushi, she secretly marveled at Wang Zhe's charm. He had captured the heart of a cute girl like Su Xiaocheng so quickly.
But that's what makes it interesting.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
After finishing their sushi meal, the two seemed to have grown even closer.
Song Zhiyi and Su Xiaocheng walked hand in hand back to campus, chatting and laughing all the way. They didn't separate until they reached the stairwell of the girls' dormitory building.
"I'm going up now! See you tomorrow!" Su Xiaocheng waved from the top of the stairs on the third floor.
"See you tomorrow, get some rest." Song Zhiyi stood on the second floor, smiling as she watched her go upstairs.
Only after Su Xiaocheng's figure disappeared around the corner of the stairs did Song Zhiyi's smile slowly fade, returning to her usual cool and calm demeanor.
She took out her phone and glanced at the screen.
There is a missed call from Jiang Di, which occurred half an hour ago.
Song Zhiyi did not return to her dormitory immediately, but instead took her phone and walked to the window at the end of the corridor.
She dialed back.
The call was answered quickly.
"Hey? Sister Song!" Jiang Di's voice came through the receiver, tinged with anxiety and anticipation. "Why didn't you answer the phone earlier?"
"I was doing laundry with my roommate just now, I didn't hear you. Is there something you need?" Song Zhiyi lied without batting an eye.
Jiang Di: "How's your university life lately? Are you tired?"
"It's alright. Military training was a bit tiring, but it's over now. Classes are quite easy, much easier than in high school."
"Then..." Jiang Di paused, her voice becoming somewhat cautious, "What about Wang Zhe?"
Looking out at the dark night, Song Zhiyi said softly, "Although we're in the same class, university is different from high school. Classes are in large classrooms, and after class, everyone goes back to their own dorms. Apart from class activities, classmates don't actually have that much time to spend together."
But then, Jiang Di asked the question that concerned her most:
"So, are there any girls in your class who like Wang Zhe? Or any from other classes?"
This question made Song Zhiyi think back to Su Xiaocheng, whom she had just parted ways with, and even to Zhu Qi, the senior who started her own company.
A playful smile curved her lips as she spoke into the phone with absolute certainty, "Of course not. You know Wang Zhe's personality; he's usually aloof and doesn't talk to girls much. Don't worry, he's very well-behaved at school; nobody pays any attention to him."
Hearing this assurance, Jiang Di on the other end of the phone let out a long sigh of relief, her voice becoming much lighter:
"That's good, thank you, Sister Song!"
"Okay, study hard and try to pass the exam next year."
After hanging up the phone, Song Zhiyi watched the light on the screen gradually fade away, but the smile on her lips grew deeper and deeper, even carrying a hint of eerie pleasure.
There's none?
Of course there are.
But as long as I don't say it, then it doesn't exist.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.