SATURATION CHAPTER 9

 

Chapter 9: No more opportunities in the future

Translator: Abo Dammen

Ji Ling really was planning to eat hot pot alone.

Before leaving work, Louis and Lin had specifically come to his classroom to ask if he wanted to join them for dinner. Ji Ling thought about it for a moment but ultimately declined their invitation.

First, because Ji Ling felt that Louis had feelings for Lin, and although Lin didn’t seem interested in Louis, Ji Ling didn’t want to be caught in the middle. Social situations like that made him uncomfortable.

Second, because Ji Ling really wanted to eat hot pot, but Lin would most likely choose to eat Korean barbecue, as she had mentioned during lunch that she was craving Korean food.

The smell of the boiled purple cabbage in the lab this morning had been so enticing. Ji Ling only wanted hot pot today, but he also didn’t want others to compromise their preferences for his sake.

So, he decided to treat himself to a hot pot meal alone, as a reward for the day.

Before Sui Cannong arrived at his classroom, Ji Ling had already planned out what he wanted to eat tonight.

Ji Ling loved mushrooms, so he would order a plate of mushrooms. He also wanted to order some hand-pulled noodles so he could watch the noodle performance—something he had been wanting to see for a long time.

He would also order a plate of meat and a plate of vegetables. If he still had room after that, he would finish with a serving of mochi ice cream.

The mochi came in a set of four. He planned to eat two on the spot and take the other two home as a late-night snack. That was what Ji Ling had originally thought.

But now, the situation was completely different. Ji Ling looked at Sui Cannong sitting across from him—

Maybe he shouldn’t order the noodles after all, and perhaps just half a plate of mushrooms. He thought carefully, not wanting to leave Sui Cannong with the impression that he was a big eater or wasteful.

Ji Ling handed the tablet for ordering to Sui Cannong.

"You choose, Teacher Sui," Ji Ling said, opting for the safest approach. "I’m not very good at ordering."

Sui Cannong, who had been munching on watermelon, was taken aback but agreed.

Sui Cannong was an expert when it came to hot pot. He opened the menu and glanced at what Ji Ling had already ordered: half a plate of mushrooms, a plate of vegetables, and a serving of mochi. Sui Cannong was momentarily speechless. He thought even a temple’s vegetarian meal wouldn’t be this plain.

Eating dinner alone was normal, but standing at the door of Ji Ling’s classroom earlier, Sui Cannong suddenly remembered that the last time he saw Ji Ling in the school cafeteria, he had also been eating alone.

Although Sui Cannong recalled Sherry and Cindy telling him that it was because the science fair meeting had run late, Ji Ling’s current behavior made Sui Cannong extremely wary.

He felt uneasy and, without really thinking, found himself instinctively wanting to accompany Ji Ling for this hot pot meal.

It was normal for colleagues to occasionally eat out together, and besides, Ji Ling had gotten hurt while helping him supervise the experiment. Sui Cannong was definitely treating him to this meal.

So, Sui Cannong went ahead and ordered all the must-try dishes, including a few new items. He felt it was necessary to let Ji Ling experience the joys of life.

"Take a look. How’s what I ordered?" Sui Cannong asked after selecting a few items, handing the tablet back to Ji Ling. "If there’s anything else you want, just add it. If there’s something you don’t like, feel free to remove it."

Ji Ling took the tablet, glanced at it, and said it was fine. Sui Cannong then placed the order.

Haidilao’s service was top-notch. Every time Sui Cannong came here, he felt like he was being treated better than by his own mother.

After placing the order, the server immediately brought over a plate of sliced watermelon. Each of them took a piece.

Sui Cannong was the type to devour watermelon in one bite. He quickly finished two pieces and looked up to see Ji Ling slowly chewing his piece, having only taken a small bite.

Sui Cannong’s hand, reaching for a third piece, reluctantly withdrew.

"I’ll go get dipping sauces," Sui Cannong said, standing up. "I’ll get yours too. What kind of sauce do you usually like?"

Ji Ling, still chewing his watermelon, looked up in surprise.

His mouth was full, but he was eager to answer Sui Cannong’s question. He mumbled, "Anything’s fine… same as you…"

Sui Cannong almost laughed. "No rush, take your time."

Ji Ling finally swallowed the watermelon and said, "...Same as you is fine."

As Sui Cannong walked back with the sauces, he saw that Ji Ling had finally finished his small piece of watermelon.

Ji Ling was tilting his head slightly, intently watching the noodle performance at the next table.

The noodle performance was part of the hot pot restaurant’s entertainment. Sui Cannong watched as Ji Ling’s eyes followed the dancing noodles, completely absorbed.

After a while, Ji Ling blinked and looked over at Sui Cannong.

Sui Cannong sat back down, placing the sauces on the table, and asked, "Do you want to try the hand-pulled noodles?"

Ji Ling shook his head. "We’ve already ordered a lot."

Sui Cannong didn’t press further and just nodded.

Haidilao’s efficiency was terrifyingly fast. As soon as they finished mixing their sauces, the hot pot base and dishes arrived.

"What do you want to eat? I’ll help you cook it," Sui Cannong said, picking up the serving chopsticks. "Try to avoid the steam near your injury."

He watched as Ji Ling’s eyes scanned the dishes on the table, hesitating for a long time before finally looking up and saying, "Mushrooms."

Sui Cannong was momentarily surprised but agreed, dropping a few mushrooms into the pot.

The round mushrooms tumbled in the broth. Sui Cannong also added some meat and shrimp paste. When he felt it was about time, he fished out a mushroom and placed it on Ji Ling’s plate.

Ji Ling said, "Thank you."

Every time Sui Cannong fished out a mushroom, Ji Ling would eat it. He ate quietly and attentively, his cheeks constantly puffed up.

Finally, Sui Cannong had to grab a large spoon and scoop a heap of mushrooms into Ji Ling’s bowl. He couldn’t help but laugh and ask, "Do you really like mushrooms?"

Ji Ling paused and put down his chopsticks.

"Because mushrooms look cute," he said thoughtfully. "They’re round, like little umbrellas, and they’re good for preventing cancer."

Sui Cannong noticed that no matter how small or casual the question, Ji Ling would always think carefully before giving a detailed answer.

To others, such answers might seem strange or even a bit socially awkward, but Sui Cannong found this trait quite endearing.

"Right," Sui Cannong immediately agreed. "Mushrooms contain polysaccharides, which can indeed help fight viruses and tumors. So, eating more of them is definitely good for you."

Ji Ling nodded.

They quickly finished the plate of mushrooms. However, when Sui Cannong started cooking the beef, he noticed a small detail.

Every time a noodle performance happened at a nearby table, Ji Ling’s hand holding the chopsticks would pause. He would subtly tilt his head toward the performance, quickly glancing over.

Then he would immediately look away and continue eating from his plate.

Sui Cannong had a hunch.

But this time, he didn’t ask directly. Instead, he stood up with his sauce bowl and said, "I’m going to get more sauce. Do you want any?"

Ji Ling shook his head.

So, Sui Cannong walked toward the sauce station, but instead of getting more sauce, he turned around and looked back at their table.

Sure enough, from a few tables away, he saw Ji Ling no longer hiding his interest. He had put down his chopsticks and was staring intently at the noodle performance in the distance.

Sui Cannong had his answer.

When he returned to the table, he picked up the tablet and said he wasn’t full yet and wanted to add a few more dishes.

Five minutes later, a cheerful noodle chef stood at their table with a ball of dough. Ji Ling finally realized what was happening and looked at Sui Cannong.

"I felt like we were missing something without a main dish," Sui Cannong said casually. "So, I ordered some noodles. Don’t mind me, I just have a big appetite."

Ji Ling paused, then said, "It’s fine."

The noodle chef’s skills were impressive. The soft noodles flew through the air like ribbons, and Ji Ling watched, mesmerized.

Even after the noodles were cooked and served, Ji Ling seemed a bit dazed. Sui Cannong smiled and asked, "What, do you want to learn how to do that?"

Ji Ling shook his head. "I was thinking about the physics of the noodles."

Sui Cannong almost couldn’t hold back his laughter. "...And what did you conclude?"

"It’s a very complex skill. The shape of the noodles changes during the process, so controlling the force is difficult."

Ji Ling looked at Sui Cannong and said, "To make the noodles fly instead of falling to the ground, I think the noodle chef must have practiced many times."

Ji Ling spoke a lot in one go, his eyes shining.

The noodles themselves were fairly ordinary—their flavor depended entirely on the dipping sauce—but Sui Cannong knew he had made the right choice by ordering them.

As Sui Cannong picked up the serving chopsticks to cook the last round of dishes, he noticed Ji Ling holding up his phone, taking a photo of the hot pot.

Sui Cannong was momentarily surprised and was about to move his hand out of the way when Ji Ling said, "It’s fine, Teacher Sui. You can keep cooking."

"There’s not much left in the pot," Sui Cannong said as he continued cooking. "You should’ve taken the photo earlier."

Ji Ling looked up, and Sui Cannong noticed his cheeks were slightly flushed from the steam.

"It’s okay," Ji Ling said. "I just wanted to keep a memory."

The noise in the hot pot restaurant was loud, and Ji Ling’s voice was soft. Sui Cannong almost didn’t catch what he said.

Sui Cannong didn’t understand. "A memory of what?"

Ji Ling seemed caught off guard by Sui Cannong’s persistent questioning. He visibly hesitated.

"Just a memory of this hot pot meal," Ji Ling said evasively, avoiding eye contact. "Because in the future… there might not be another chance like this."

Sui Cannong almost dropped the food he was holding into the pot.

"What do you mean?" Sui Cannong stammered. "No, the school isn’t far from here. This place just opened. How could there not be another chance…"

But Ji Ling didn’t respond. He remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a soft "Mhm."

Ji Ling couldn’t explain to Sui Cannong that the "chance" he was referring to was the opportunity to eat hot pot and watch the noodle performance with Sui Cannong.

Ji Ling knew that if his hand hadn’t been injured, he could still have eaten the mushrooms and noodles he wanted, but his evening would have been a completely different story.

He looked down at the photo he had just taken on his phone.

—The still-steaming tomato broth, two bowls of sesame sauce mixed with chili oil and crushed peanuts, and Sui Cannong’s right hand, which had accidentally been captured in the frame as he reached for food.

Ji Ling carefully saved the photo. Then he moved his finger to the bottom of the screen and lightly tapped the heart-shaped "favorite" button.

"Even though the line might be long," Sui Cannong was still saying, "newly opened restaurants are always like this. If you want to eat here, just come early on a weekday. You can come every day if you want…"

Ji Ling put down his phone and looked up.

He felt a warmth in his chest, perhaps from eating so many noodles.

"I know, Teacher Sui," he said. "But for me, eating this once is enough."

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Author's Feed:

Xiao Ji: I’m already very satisfied.

Sui Cannong: Help… help…