top student at medical school

Chapter 279 Reminiscing (Please Subscribe)
The room wasn't very big, but with Fang Ziye and Luo Tingzhu working at full speed, they finished cleaning and wiping it down in just over two hours.

Although the spring cleaning is finished, there is still no solution for what to eat.

Even if we want to cook in the kitchen, we'll probably have to wait until tomorrow for the staff to come and reactivate the gas card before we can use the gas stove.

Naturally, Fang Ziye and Luo Tingzhu hadn't planned to eat at home in the first place.

It was originally a two-bedroom apartment, but Luo Tingzhu had previously converted it into a bedroom and a study. Today, they only cleaned up the study, but fortunately, Fang Ziye had packed his luggage beforehand.

This means that Fang Ziye only needs to use his own quilt to make the bed.

"Shall we eat hot pot or grilled fish?" Fang Ziye asked, taking off his gloves, while glancing at Luo Tingzhu, who was still washing a mop in the bathroom.

"Oh wow, I've only been gone for less than a year, and I didn't expect the grilled fish restaurant on Han Street to have already closed down..." Fang Ziye said.

Luo Tingzhu was taken aback upon hearing this and looked up: "Both companies have gone bankrupt?"

Previously, there were two decent grilled fish restaurants in Han Street: one was the chain Tan Yu, and the other was a non-chain grilled fish restaurant.

"correct."

"Maybe it went out of business because we stopped going there."

"Hmm, but it seems a new hot pot restaurant has opened in Chongqing, though it's not a directly operated store..."

"What is it, Senior Brother Zhou? Or Sister Pei?" Luo Tingzhu perked up instantly at the mention of hot pot.

She herself is from Chongqing. Although she loves hot pot, the hot pot restaurants in Wuhan she used to frequent weren't very good.

When she was in Chongqing, Luo Tingzhu never visited these chain hot pot restaurants, but if she was outside the province, she felt it was okay if she could find a familiar taste.

"Sister Pei, wanna go?" Fang Ziye and Luo Tingzhu had been abroad for half a year, and the two of them often went out to eat hot pot to improve their meals.

However, if you want to find a hot pot restaurant of the same standard as those in Seoul, you have to be careful.

Because hot pot restaurants abroad aren't just from China; some from all sorts of other countries also use the "hotpot" name...

About an hour and a half later.

Luo Tingzhu and Fang Ziye ate until they were about 70-80% full.

"The taste is alright, although it's not quite as good as I remember, but it should be considered above average in the whole of Han City." Luo Tingzhu said, acting as a review expert.

"I also think it's alright. It's just that the hot pot I've eaten since I was a child wasn't exactly authentic." Fang Ziye himself wasn't very familiar with hot pot brands or flavors, but he had learned some evaluation methods from Luo Tingzhu.

"Shall we order more dishes?" Luo Tingzhu looked at the two remaining plates of vegetarian dishes and lost her appetite.

When Luo Tingzhu ate hot pot, she was purely a carnivore. She left almost five or six portions of a plate of winter melon and a plate of pea shoots uneaten.

"Let's not add any more. Let's just walk around a bit more and see if we can find any good milk tea or something."

"Plus, it's almost Chinese New Year, so we might have to buy some things, like toiletries and kitchenware. Otherwise, in a few days, we won't even be able to order takeout." Fang Ziye, who spent the New Year in Han City, knows just how empty Han City is during the holiday.

There are quite a few local residents in Wuhan, but during those days, apart from Lanzhou noodles, there really weren't any other takeout options available. I wonder if things will be any better this year.

Fang Ziye returned on the first day of the Lunar New Year last year, so he didn't stay for the New Year and therefore had no right to speak.

Upon hearing this, Luo Tingzhu glanced at Fang Ziye, nodded without blushing, but still lowered her head slightly. However, after only a short while, she raised her head again, looking very happy.

After leaving the hot pot restaurant, Luo Tingzhu asked without using any formality, "Will you regret it?"

After Luo Tingzhu met Fang Ziye again abroad and they officially established their relationship, she gradually stopped calling Fang Ziye her senior brother.

However, unlike Fang Ziye, Luo Tingzhu did not give Luo Tingzhu the nickname "Nuonuo" or "Little Nuomi".

I still occasionally use "senior brother" instead, and there are no other nicknames.

Especially when there's something important to discuss, Luo Tingzhu will omit the title "Senior Brother," but when she's particularly happy, she'll bring up the word "Senior Brother" again.

"Regret what? Regret finding a girlfriend, or regret not going home for the New Year?" Fang Ziye subconsciously hooked his right hand and skillfully took Luo Tingzhu's hand in his palm.

Luo Tingzhu's hands were not the kind that were soft and boneless; although they were very white, they were also a little rough.

Perhaps it's because Luo Tingzhu wears gloves for a long time, or perhaps it's because she needs to use hand sanitizer frequently, which irritates her skin and makes it a little rough. Or perhaps it's because she often goes in and out of the kitchen, so her skin isn't as soft as that of girls her age.

"No, what I meant was that you could have stayed abroad longer. You could have integrated into the team better."

"You can even get a green card, which many international students look forward to," Luo Tingzhu said, getting back to the main point.

Fang Ziye's trip abroad lasted only six months, which put him in a very awkward position.

Embarrassingly, just as Fang Ziye was about to demonstrate his true abilities and gain the attention of the research team, he had to consider his return trip, thus having to refuse and give up some opportunities that were originally very good.

The past six months have been the period with the lowest output for Fang Ziye.

Fang Ziye himself was unwilling to fully integrate into the overseas team, not even to feign cooperation, so naturally he wouldn't provide much in terms of resources.

Once Fang Ziye's overseas supervisor saw that he was confident of graduating, he didn't force him to do anything and gave him a great deal of freedom.

"What's there to regret? I had planned this a long time ago."

"Going abroad was just for this experience, to broaden my horizons, and to help me settle down," Fang Ziye replied with a smile.

Then, changing the subject: "Don't think about this anymore. There aren't many people who can really make a name for themselves abroad by going overseas."

"Science has no nationality, but the nationality of those who practice science is inherent."

"We can never get involved in the core tasks of our team, just like international students from our country can't get involved in the most core areas. It's the same principle."

"Therefore, there is no such thing as regret or not regret."

"Instead of worrying about that, we should be thinking about what to do for our New Year's Eve dinner this year, and which teachers we should visit to offer New Year's greetings after the holiday..."

Thinking back on his six months abroad, Fang Ziye didn't feel like he had lost out.

Although I didn't gain many knowledge points, only around 10,000, which is less than the daily welfare I received back in China.

But the leisure time I've had during this period is incomparable to what I experienced back home.

During this period, Fang Ziye not only wrote his graduation thesis, but also had time to read many books, literature, and materials. He also calmed down and read some books outside his major that Luo Tingzhu recommended to him.

Fang Ziye found the process of enjoying reading very comfortable.

"Moreover, as you said, once your professional knowledge has accumulated to a certain depth and your learning speed has reached a certain level, we will definitely think about how to enjoy the process of learning and reading."

"To be honest, for many years I was busy pursuing my career, profession, and education, and I never thought about reading a few books properly."

"Reading is for the sake of reading, not for any other purpose."

Fang Ziye spoke frankly, and after he finished speaking, he saw a stinky tofu shop in front of him.

"Nuonuo, want to eat something together?" Fang Ziye suggested. The two of them had tried many exotic foods abroad, some of which smelled bad but tasted alright.

Stinky tofu is famous throughout the country, and it's actually worth trying.

Luo Tingzhu instinctively wrinkled her nose, but after her eyes darted around, she said, "Okay."

"There's a newly opened milk tea shop over there. I don't think I've seen it before. There's quite a long queue. Shall we go and give it a try?" Luo Tingzhu obediently stopped thinking about whether she would regret it later.

In the process of going both ways, there will inevitably be a process of mutual abandonment to some extent.

But you can gain a lot by giving up.

For example, if Fang Ziye chooses to stay abroad, many of his resources in China will be lost and never be usable again, and his reputation may be ruined.

Luo Tingzhu's own plans were not based abroad.

If Fang Ziye chooses to return to China, then it is inevitable that he will have to give up some good opportunities abroad.

As Luo Tingzhu has spent more time with Fang Ziye and gotten to know him better, she is now completely at ease.

Because Fang Ziye didn't mind her family background, and even told her that he was willing to let Luo Tingzhu believe that there is still true love in this world.

But promises are just empty words. Life is long, and whether a promise can be kept can only be proven by time.

However, apart from this point, Luo Tingzhu did not feel that she had any other major shortcomings.

"Okay!" Fang Ziye quickly went to queue up for stinky tofu.

Luo Tingzhu, on the other hand, knew more about milk tea. She first went to the entrance of a milk tea shop and looked around for a while, then searched for it on Xiaohongshu (a Chinese social media platform), and then ordered two cups of osmanthus rice wine...

When Fang Ziye brought a medium-sized takeout box containing ten slices of stinky tofu to Luo Tingzhu, he noticed that Luo Tingzhu's milk tea contained rice wine. He paused for a moment, then said, "Aren't you allergic to alcohol?"

"You still dare to drink rice wine?"

Fang Ziye clearly remembered that on the night of his graduation, Luo Tingzhu had only drunk one beer before becoming completely drunk and unconscious.

"The rice wine should be fine." Luo Tingzhu's cheeks were flushed.

"Besides, you're still here."

Fang Ziye skewered a piece of stinky tofu with a stick and handed it to Luo Tingzhu while standing very straight: "I estimate that I am now your biggest danger factor."

"You need to understand, I'm a man, and you're still my girlfriend, so?"

Fang Ziye's eyes were uneasy as he scanned the person up and down.

After six months abroad and six months of living together, Fang Ziye had taken full advantage of Fang Ziye, except for the final boundaries, by hugging, kissing, and touching him.

Especially when they went on group tours, Fang Ziye realized that girls in Chongqing, once they truly let go of their inhibitions, could be quite bold even with a persona like Luo Tingzhu.

Even Luo Tingzhu occasionally "goes berserk," but so far she hasn't acted like the violent dragon described online.

"So what?" Luo Tingzhu raised her chin arrogantly.

"Whee!"

But after saying that, Luo Tingzhu regretted it a little: "I was just kidding, don't take it seriously."

After saying that, he took a bite.

The pungent smell of stinky tofu instantly filled Luo Tingzhu's nasal cavity, and Luo Tingzhu, who was not used to the smell, almost vomited on the spot.

Fang Ziye also tried a bite.

The taste was quite addictive, but it shouldn't have elicited such a strong reaction from Luo Tingzhu.

"Throw it away, just throw it away." Luo Tingzhu's face was a little pale, and for a moment she couldn't tell whether it was fear from her boldness just now or the overpowering smell of the stinky tofu.

“I also think it doesn’t taste good. Maybe we’ll get used to this kind of food in the future.” Without hesitation, Fang Ziye threw the stinky tofu, along with the bowl, chopsticks, and bag, that he had bought for twenty yuan into the trash can.

Of course, stinky tofu was a disaster.

However, the "Osmanthus Rice Wine" milk tea still tastes very good.

The rice wine is sticky and chewy, and the milk tea is sweet.

"You won't get drunk, will you?" Fang Ziye asked.

"Probably not." Luo Tingzhu chuckled, pouting as if thinking only of food.

……

Two hours later, Fang Ziye and Luo Tingzhu arrived at the rented room with bags and packages. Fang Ziye did see that Luo Tingzhu was in good condition.

He then asked, "You and Mi Niang are alright? You got into trouble just from drinking a little bit of baijiu?"

"This doesn't seem scientifically sound, does it?"

“We’ve been eating sweet rice wine dumplings since we were kids in Chongqing, so this kind of rice wine is definitely fine.”

"But when it comes to drinking, whether it's beer or liquor, I can't touch a drop..." Luo Tingzhu said.

"alright."

"Let's put some things away first," Fang Ziye said.

"Once we're done with this, the two of us will start preparing for the New Year tomorrow."

"Ban Nian" is another name for preparing the New Year's Eve dinner before the New Year. Fang Ziye had explained it to Luo Tingzhu before, so she should be able to understand it.

"Senior brother, if you don't tell your aunt and uncle that you went back to Wuhan, what will happen to the video of you from New Year's Day?" Luo Tingzhu asked.

A twelve-hour time difference is hard to fake.

When Fang Ziye video chats with his family, it won't be dark here.

"We'll see when the time comes. If it really doesn't work out, we'll just bring you out to make an appearance."

Fang Ziye snapped his fingers as he said this: "Let alone if I'm not abroad, even if I'm not on Earth, my parents probably wouldn't care much."

"Hey, didn't you see the jokes online?"

"Then how confident do people who bring their girlfriends home have?" Fang Ziye joked.

It's obvious that he intends to have Luo Tingzhu appear in his family group chat as his girlfriend.

Once you're in a relationship, there's no need to hide it.

(End of this chapter)