179 - I Don’t Want to Be Turned Into the Female Protagonist by the System

### Chapter 179: Giant Beef Noodle (Fifth Update - Please Vote) What does a person desire when they lack something? While Su Qi was a man, she genuinely wanted to train her body to be as robust and dark-skinned as a truck driver's, muscles exuding immense power! Even now, as a girl, that hasn't changed. Officer Zhang Ru observed Su Qi, her face full of admiration as she gazed at a burly truck driver, with eyes so large they seemed to twinkle with stars. Zhang Ru thought the preferences of this little girl were a bit peculiar. Shouldn't someone her age prefer handsome guys? Later, she watched the little girl bend her arm to check her bicep. Even through her traditional dress, Zhang Ru could tell Su Qi's bicep was somewhat soft. Zhang Ru felt somewhat bewildered; initially, she thought the girl liked muscular men. But after seeing this, she guessed the girl most likely wanted to build muscles herself. Imagining how the little girl would look with prominent biceps, Zhang Ru concluded it might be better for her to stay soft and delicate. She patted Su Qi on her little head, signaling her to quickly sit down and order! Su Qi sat down, picked up the menu. It contained few dishes, mostly soups and noodles, without any small or large size options — everything was served in a massive bowl. Feeling a bit shy as the owner approached, Su Qi asked, "Do you have smaller bowls? That's too much for me to eat." The owner looked at Su Qi’s pure big eyes, blinking as if silently pleading with him, finding the little girl simply adorable. But his shop truly didn’t have smaller portions. After thinking a bit, he said, "How about this, little girl, I'll give you less noodles and add more meat instead!” Usually, if a customer made such a request, he’d decline. But who could resist such an adorable little girl? Just as he was about to agree, Officer Zhang Ru chimed in, “No need, just serve it as usual. We can share one bowl and that way, nothing goes to waste!" Only then did the owner take notice of Zhang Ru. Her fair and clear skin, delicate features, yet lacking the demeanor of a traditional lady, carried a unique spirited charm instead. He guessed she must be the little girl’s sister. After all, it would be quite dangerous to leave such a young girl alone on the highway! The owner didn’t mind the reduced income from just one shared bowl. Having been a long-haul driver himself, he started this noodle shop because his body couldn’t handle it anymore. The main goal was to fill and relax the drivers, not focused on profits. Thinking of Su Qi’s adorable look, the owner, while his wife wasn't watching, intended to sneak in two extra large pieces of beef into the noodle soup. But he was caught red-handed, all evidence in sight. “Speak up, are you trying to sneak a bite again!” His wife raised a rolling pin menacingly, clearly indicating his repeat offenses. “No, wait, don't hit! If you hit, I might just retaliate. Okay, stop hitting!” Within seconds, the owner found himself easily subdued by his 160-pound wife, unable to resist. After explaining the situation, his wife stepped out of the kitchen and indeed saw Su Qi, who's as engaging as a feast for the eyes. Amused by the odd tales told by Officer Zhang Ru, she found herself quite entertained. She laughed quietly, her smooth and delicate cheeks blooming with dimples that invoked an irresistible urge to poke them. Returning to the kitchen, she looked at her husband, who was just getting up, and recalled how the sweet-smiling girl with slender arms resembled her younger self! Back then, her family was too poor to afford meat, and as conditions improved, she gained weight without realizing it. Contemplating how a bit of chubbiness looks good on girls, she nonchalantly added two more large pieces of beef into the giant noodle bowl! When the owner brought out what could be termed a ‘basin’ of giant noodles to the table, Su Qi was thrilled to see the numerous pieces of beef, especially the two particularly huge chunks. Her large eyes sparkled with delight, such that even the dining men nearby noticed how happy the little girl was. The owner's wife also emerged from the kitchen, watching the little darling happily devour the noodles, her heart warmed by the sight. The noodles were chewy, and the broth was rich. If one took a bite of the noodles accompanied by a piece of braised beef, it became an exquisite experience. Officer Zhang Ru watched the satisfied face of Su Qi as she ate, thinking how easily pleased this girl was. During her high school dorm days, her roommates fussed endlessly about what they wouldn’t eat. In contrast, she found this little girl infinitely more endearing. As she spoke, she snapped a pair of chopsticks apart, tucked her bangs behind her ears, and started eating as well. This action made Su Qi think it looked extremely elegant. Especially when it revealed the exquisite earlobes usually hidden by her hair, she even noticed Zhang Ru wore a little diamond that appeared brilliantly against her black hair. Watching Su Qi daze off again, Zhang Ru helplessly tapped her on the head, saying, “Focus on your meal, before your mind wanders off again!” Awakened by the tap, Su Qi returned her attention to the noodles, though she occasionally stole glances at Zhang Ru’s sparkling earring, finding it exceptionally attractive. As a police officer, how could Zhang Ru not notice Su Qi’s gaze? After confirming it several times, she discovered the girl’s attention was on her ears. Looking at Su Qi’s adorable pink earlobes under her short hair, Zhang Ru finally understood why Su Qi, who had always presented as a boy, never wore earrings! What girl wouldn’t want lovely earrings of her own? Feeling a twinge of pity for the little girl, Zhang Ru decided that once back in Zhejiang, she’d take Su Qi to have her ears pierced! Unaware of Officer Zhang Ru’s internal musings, Su Qi slurped the noodles vigorously, perhaps because she hadn’t eaten all day, finding them incredibly delicious! But as big as the bowl was, despite how much she ate, there seemed to be little reduction. Suddenly, Su Qi realized one of the strands she was slurping was being slurped by Officer Zhang Ru, pulling them together towards that classic mathematical moment of a straight line being the shortest distance between two points. Seeing the noodle they’d both caught, Su Qi felt her thoughts drift to scenes from anime, her face blushing a shade akin to cherry blossoms. Officer Zhang Ru watched the situation unfold, noting how the girl blushed again, thinking Su Qi had quite the wild imagination, to become embarrassed over such a trivial matter. If you’re this shy, why not break the noodle? Su Qi did consider biting through the shared noodle, but wouldn’t that mean Zhang Ru would inadvertently share her saliva? This thought held her back. Zhang Ru, slowly drawing in the noodle, couldn’t understand why the girl was so red. Both of them being girls, what was there to be embarrassed about? Then it hit her, Su Qi had long pretended to be a boy after all. From a male perspective, wasn’t this analogous to— Zhang Ru pondered before asking, “So, would you say this counts as a date?” In the next moment, she saw Su Qi’s face bloom a color reminiscent of vibrant March peaches, reaching a lively spring shade of red. Watching Su Qi’s flustered demeanor, Zhang Ru couldn’t help but recall the most brilliant peach blossom poetry—the radiant, vibrant flowers of spring. For some reason, knowing the little girl liked girls, Officer Zhang Ru actually felt relieved. Why, you ask? Because this meant, at the very least, the little one wouldn’t fall for a boy’s tricks!