Chapter 98

### Chapter 98: A Bowl of Snow Swallow Memories Su Qi finished reading the book in under two hours. She had to admit, after her intelligence boost, her reading speed had improved significantly. Although not quite at the point of photographic memory, she could comfortably skim through a page in about three to five seconds. It reminded her somewhat of the brain development pamphlets that were all the rage a couple of years back. After finishing the book, Su Qi just wanted to see An Ning, one last time, and prove her superiority, show her what a real ‘高手’ (master) looked like. Gurgle~ Her stomach protested audibly again. Su Qi found it strange; even though she didn't have to use the toilet, her stomach digested food by itself. It felt rather magical! If anyone found out about this, she’d probably end up being thoroughly studied by some researchers! She climbed off the bed and slipped into her pink duck slippers, noting how they made her feet look even more fair and delicate, like beautiful glass artifacts. If it weren’t for the fact that her legs nearly gave way as she stepped down, she might have felt even better. With her knees pressed together, she slowly moved towards the coffee table. Previously, Su Qi had thought of this action as somewhat cute, but now she did it simply because it was the least energy-consuming way to move. Thankfully, she was alone in the room; otherwise, she'd die of embarrassment if anyone saw her. Impatient to open her takeout, she could already smell a faint, pleasant scent through the packaging as she got closer, making her stomach growl even louder. However, the restaurant had tied a dead knot on the packaging. Su Qi struggled to untie it for a long time without success, and in her frustration, tried to tear the plastic bag apart. But the bag was incredibly strong; even when stretched to its limit, it didn’t break, leaving red marks on Su Qi's hands. Angrily, she tried the other side, but the same thing happened—a long stretch without breaking, and the large food container inside couldn’t be pulled out. Not only did she fail to open the takeout, her hands were now marked, and the delicious meal was right in front of her but inaccessible because of a sturdy white plastic bag. At that moment, Su Qi felt utterly weak. Cheering herself up with the thought that a little wait could make the food taste even better, she tried once more to tear open the Chinese-made white plastic bag, only to realize she had greatly overestimated her strength and underestimated the quality of Chinese products! After several attempts left her face red and still no closer to her goal, Su Qi finally gave in and used her sharp little teeth. The bag finally tore apart, and she retrieved the food containers from it. Su Qi marveled at the quality of modern takeout bags and packaging alike. There were two boxes inside, labeled ‘Genuine Fresh Buddha Jumps Over the Wall·Abalone Rice.’ It seemed to be the name of the restaurant. What a simple and straightforward name. "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall" plus "Abalone" immediately suggested high cost to Su Qi. Placing the containers on the table, Su Qi glanced again at the white plastic bag she had just battled. There was a small paper slip attached—the order summary. Signature Meal for One: Rice + Snow Swallow + Buddha Jumps Over the Wall Abalone + Spicy Prawns Total: 158 RMB. And to Su Qi's surprise, An Ning hadn’t used any discount coupons. Is this the world of the rich? Not even using coupons for takeout. Su Qi, who had been living in financial constraints for years, felt a strong sense of condemnation for An Ning’s lavish behavior. Opening the finely packed containers, Su Qi noted that over 100 RMB takeout indeed stood out. The rice wasn’t in a disposable bowl but a small clay pot, and the rice bowl itself could be washed and reused. The prawns were deheaded and deshelled, spicy in flavor, and it even came with a tray. The most outstanding part was the Snow Swallow, served in a cup with a cup holder included. Su Qi found this cup to be much better than the ones in her dormitory! Opening the lid, she saw a bowl full of transparent, glistening Snow Swallow garnished with three goji berries, exuding a faint sugary aroma, making Su Qi swallow her saliva; it looked delicious. As soon as the thought entered her mind, Su Qi couldn't help but laugh. How had her taste changed so much after becoming a girl? She used to despise Snow Swallow! Her mother used to chase her, trying to get her to eat it, but she always refused! Recalling those times, her eyes suddenly felt a bit teary. Looking at this bowl of Snow Swallow, Su Qi's memories began to unfold. It was several years ago, back when she was still in middle school near her parents’ home. The Su family had a military background, with Su Qi’s great-grandfather being an old Eight Route Army combatant. The family had always upheld military traditions. Su Qi’s grandfather and father were both qualified soldiers. Soldiers live to achieve their objectives; thus, the three brothers of Su Qi’s father imparted strict military upbringing to their children. In Su Qi's generation, children were named numerically, from the eldest Su Weiyi to the youngest Su Qi. The three couples had seven children in total, and Su Qi was the youngest. Being a premature baby, Su Qi had always been frail and sickly, prone to frequent illnesses due to weak immunity. Su Lujun, a veteran, wasn’t particularly fond of Su Qi’s sickly demeanor. He believed boys should be lively and energetic, not frail and delicate. Su Qi understood this, but sickness was beyond his control. What child doesn't want their parents to like them? Knowing he couldn’t meet their physical expectations, Su Qi focused on excelling academically. This brings us to Su Qi’s elder brothers. Whether it was due to strict teachers or strong familial traits, Su Qi's elder brothers were all top students. Even though Su Qi ranked first in his grade, he never got his father’s approval. Although his mother, Lu Ran, always comforted him, Su Qi, still a boy at the time, longed for his father’s acceptance. Su Qi doubled his efforts to prove himself. By the second semester of his first year in middle school, he had self-studied and advanced to the second semester of the second year, placing 29th in the grade, a significant achievement. But Su Lujun, upon seeing the results, merely stated flatly, “Still not in the top ten! Not as good as your fourth brother!” Those words pierced Su Qi's heart like a sharp sword. From then on, seeds of rebellion were sown. His decision to enroll at Su University without his father’s consent stemmed from these events, leading to estranged relations. Su Qi remembered, before he left for college, his mother Lu Ran had prepared a bowl of Snow Swallow for him. Unlike now, he couldn’t stand the sweetness then and had refused. Now, thinking back, he regretted it deeply, vividly recalling the scene where he pushed the bowl away, and his mother’s hesitant look. Shortly after, his father ordered him out of the house. That was over a year ago. Although his parents had called a few times, his mother always played the peacemaker, urging him to reconcile with his father. Though Su Qi was physically weak, he had inherited his father’s stubborn spirit, leading to continued estrangement. As for conversations with his father, aside from the one at school opening, they usually lasted no more than a minute. Looking at the gleaming bowl of Snow Swallow, Su Qi felt a wave of longing for his mother and wished to taste her homemade Snow Swallow once more. This time, he would finish it obediently!