Chapter 347: Scald
Chapter 347: Chapter 347: Scald
Li Huan nodded quickly. She had been in Xiangcheng for over a month, but between her worry for Su Qing and the whole ordeal with Cheng Beilin’s kidnapping, she’d had no appetite at all. Food was tasteless to her, and even when faced with a sumptuous meal, she would just take a few quick bites and be done with it.
So, if you were to ask Li Huan what good food Xiangcheng had, she really wouldn’t be able to answer. When Su Qing said she had learned to make these in Xiangcheng, Li Huan naturally believed her without a doubt.
When they returned to the dorm that evening, everyone was there. Seeing Su Qing and Li Huan come back, Song Yufang snorted, grabbed her washbasin, and went to the washroom.
Li Huan curled her lip. "She’s got issues."
Liu Juan said, "Just ignore her. She’s so passive-aggressive all day long, acting like the world owes her something."
Li Huan said, "But isn’t it tough for her? Making everyone hate her—how can she feel good about herself?"
Niu Wenying was a peacemaker by nature. Fearing that Song Yufang would come back, overhear them, and start another conflict, she changed the subject. "Did you two sisters go shopping today?"
"Nope," Li Huan said with a smile. "Qingqing and I went home for the day."
"That’s so nice. Your home is close, so it’s convenient to go back." Ye Qingqing smiled. "Our Yun Province is too far. It takes two or three days just by train."
"But your Yun Province is beautiful! So many flowers, and so much good food that Beijing doesn’t have." Speaking of Yun Province, Li Huan’s eyes lit up. She still fondly remembered the delicious food she had in Chuncheng.
Hearing Li Huan’s words, Sun Xiaowen and Ye Qingqing were pleasantly surprised. "Wow, you’ve been to Yun Province?"
"I have! I’m even planning to go again when I have time. The flowers there are so beautiful," Li Huan said with a laugh. As she spoke, she placed the snowflake cakes and dorayaki she had brought on the table. "These are snacks Qingqing made. We brought them for you to try."
"Wow, they look delicious," Liu Juan exclaimed in admiration upon seeing the snacks. "Su Qing, you’re amazing! You actually know how to make pastries."
Su Qing smiled. "I just messed around and figured it out myself. It’s nothing compared to a professional’s skills."
"It’s already amazing."
"I also have some fruit. I’ll go wash it." As Su Qing spoke, she put the fruit she’d brought into a small basin and headed for the washroom. On the way, she ran into Song Yufang, who was on her way back. Song Yufang shot Su Qing a resentful glare. Su Qing paid her no mind, walking past as if she wasn’t there, which made Song Yufang grind her teeth in anger.
Back in the dorm room, everyone was too polite to be the first to take a pastry. Seeing this, Li Huan started handing them out piece by piece. "Go on, eat! They’re really good."
The moment Song Yufang entered the dorm, she saw Li Huan handing out snacks to everyone. She was immediately displeased, thinking Li Huan and Su Qing had deliberately waited until she was gone to share the good food. Her face fell, and she slammed her basin down with a CLATTER, muttering under her breath.
That was it for Li Huan. "Song Yufang, who are you slamming that for?"
"None of your business!" Song Yufang gave Li Huan a massive eye-roll, snorted coldly, and turned to make her bed, banging things around noisily. She muttered, "Showing off all day long. Who do you think you are? Look at you, with your capitalist-missy airs. You’ll get what’s coming to you sooner or later."
"What did you say? Say that again!" Li Huan glared at Song Yufang. Don’t be fooled by Li Huan’s usual easy-going demeanor; she was not one to take insults lying down.
Sun Xiaowen was also displeased. "Song Yufang, we’re all classmates here. How can you just label people like that? You’ve gone too far."
"Exactly! What era do you think this is, still trying to slap labels on people? What are you trying to do?" Ye Qingqing also frowned at Song Yufang.
"Was I wrong?" Song Yufang retorted, not backing down. "Just look at the clothes they wear! A new outfit every day! What kind of family dresses like that? And these pastries—have you ever seen them in the supply-and-marketing co-op?"
"That’s because Su Qing made them herself. Of course they’re not in the co-op," Chen Meizhen chimed in. "Besides, every place has different kinds of pastries. You’re not from Beijing, so how would you know they don’t have this kind? Even the pastries in my Hai City are different from the ones in Beijing."
"Oh, she’s just so capable!" Song Yufang slammed her hand on her bed, then got up, went to the table, and poured a cup of water from a thermos.
"Song Yufang, are you crazy? All day long you’re either faking sick or acting like you’ve eaten gunpowder. Aren’t you tired of it?" Li Huan was sick of Song Yufang. Her good mood from the evening had been completely ruined.
"Yeah, I am crazy! So you think it’s okay to bully a sick person?" A flicker of malice crossed Song Yufang’s face, and she threw the cup of water in her hand at Li Huan.
The water in the thermos was what Liu Juan had just fetched that evening; it was still scalding hot. If that hit someone, it would definitely cause a burn. Sun Xiaowen and the others all cried out in alarm, "Li Huan, get out of the way!"
Li Huan never expected Song Yufang to throw boiling water at her. With no time to dodge, she hastily threw her arms up to protect her face. Ye Qingqing, who was closest to Li Huan, quickly reached out to pull her arm, trying to yank her away.
But the dorm room was too small, with nowhere to hide. The entire cup of boiling water splashed onto Li Huan’s arm and neck. Some of it even hit her face. Even Ye Qingqing’s arm was caught in the splash.
"AH—"
Everyone gasped. Li Huan and Ye Qingqing cried out in pain. Li Huan in particular was in agony; her arm, neck, and face were all scalded red by the boiling water.
The argument in the dorm had already drawn the attention of people from neighboring rooms. When they saw Song Yufang actually injure someone with water, they gasped, and someone shouted, "Quick, get them to the washroom and run cold water on it to cool it down! Otherwise, it’s going to blister!"
Seeing that both Li Huan and Ye Qingqing had been burned by the boiling water she threw, Song Yufang seemed to snap back to her senses. The cup fell from her hand, and she murmured, "I didn’t mean to."
Sun Xiaowen reacted the fastest. Ignoring Song Yufang, she grabbed Ye Qingqing and the tearful Li Huan and rushed them toward the washroom, running right into Su Qing, who had heard the commotion and was coming to check.
When Su Qing saw the state Li Huan was in, her face instantly turned cold. She took Li Huan’s hand and led her toward the washroom, secretly channeling green mist into her as she asked, "What happened?"
Li Huan was crying too much to speak, so Sun Xiaowen quickly explained what had happened. After listening, Su Qing’s expression grew even colder.
Li Huan felt the pain from her burns begin to lessen slightly. Seeing Su Qing made her feel even more wronged. "Su Qing, it hurts! Am I going to have a scar?"
"It’s okay, don’t worry. It won’t leave a scar," Su Qing comforted her. "Don’t forget, I have burn cream."