Like a Stand
“Susu-jie just said she went looking for me.”
Sun Miao wouldn’t let it go, leaning against Su Ruixi. Su Ruixi reached out and pressed on Sun Miao’s shoulder, trying to get her to sit up straight. In a moment of carelessness, Su Ruixi had misspoken. She had indeed gone to secretly find Sun Miao after she started selling fried rice with egg, but how could she let Sun Miao know about something like that?
If she found out, she would get incredibly smug, just like she was now.
So Su Ruixi refused to admit it. “You heard wrong. Hurry up and watch TV.”
“Susu-jie~”
In the end, Su Ruixi had to give Sun Miao a kiss to make her sit up straight and proper. Sun Miao could only drop the subject and continue watching TV. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to make Su Ruixi admit it, but just those few sentences had already made Su Ruixi’s cheeks flush bright red. If she really pushed Su Ruixi too far, she would be a rabbit biting someone.1
Sun Miao was a good partner; she would never push Su Ruixi to that point.
On the TV, Li Yue’s interview continued, but the director’s editing was very crafty. One second, Li Yue was saying, “First, let’s take a look at the customers’ reviews,” and the next second, it cut to that clowning regular customer, shouting for everyone not to come eat there.
A bullet comment even floated across the screen: “Shocking! They’re all actors!” But then the scene switched again, showing everyone laughing and telling the regular to stop pretending. After that, the formal interviews began. Everyone expressed their love for the food Sun Miao made, even stating that “no matter how long the line is, we’ll wait to eat it.”
Among those interviewed was, unexpectedly, the beef pancake toxic solo Tong Yuwei. Facing the camera, she gave a faint smile and truly had a hint of “Lin-meimei,”2 but the next moment, the words she spoke sent a shiver down even Sun Miao’s spine.
“Boss-jiejie, no matter where you go, I will follow you. I will always follow you! I must see the day the beef pancakes make a comeback.”
This wasn’t “Lin-meimei” at all; this was clearly a female ghost incarnate. That resentful tone was like she was delivering some kind of horror declaration.
Her resentment wasn’t the strongest, however. The strongest, by far, belonged to the student faction. The group chat owner, as the students’ representative, was interviewed. As she spoke in the foreground, the background was filled with the sound effects of other students: “Exactly, exactly!”
“That’s right! That’s right!”
“We won’t give up!”
“Boss, you just wait! We’ll definitely catch you!”
Su Ruixi couldn’t help but glance at Sun Miao. “You…”
“I didn’t do anything, really,” Sun Miao replied, seemingly having seen through the question Su Ruixi wanted to ask. After those two plaintive interviews, the program became much more positive. Following that segment, they inserted a piece on this sale’s huaihua fen.
Father Su’s hand appeared, holding up the introductory version.
Su Ruixi had some understanding of her father. When she saw that hand appear as a support bracket, she found it somewhat familiar. The expensive suit was completely insignificant next to the huaihua fen; even his emerald cufflinks lost their luster.
In the eyes of the audience watching TV at that moment, there was only that one bowl: huaihua fen that looked like a chrysanthemum in full bloom.
But Su Ruixi, looking at the background, at the fingers holding the bowl of huaihua fen so tightly that even the fingertips were white with strain, could feel her father’s social death.3
“…” Su Ruixi couldn’t hold back a small sound. Sun Miao looked over, but Su Ruixi feigned composure and said, “It’s nothing.” Turning her head, she immediately pulled out her phone and sent a message to her dear mother: 【Channel Three, quick. Dad’s on.】
【What’s so interesting about your dad being interviewed?】 Shen Yiqiu replied.
Father Su was a regular on television interviews, but it was usually on financial channels or in the news for things like donations, grand openings, or summits. So Su Ruixi replied: 【It’s an interview related to Miaomiao’s little stall.】
This time, Shen Yiqiu’s reply was much faster: 【OK.】
Sun Miao scooted closer and watched Su Ruixi messaging. Seeing that the TV was still showing the huaihua fen, Su Ruixi asked, “What did they ask my dad during the interview?”
“I don’t know, I wasn’t paying attention.”
Su Ruixi ruffled Sun Miao’s hair. “I knew it. You’re always completely focused on your little stall.”
“Hehe.”
Normally, Su Ruixi didn’t even want to acknowledge Sun Miao’s little stall. She never thought she’d one day be jealous, and of a food truck of all things… But today, she didn’t feel that jealousy.
The two of them snuggled together again, just in time to see the interview with Father Su. This time, Su Ruixi absolutely couldn’t hold it in anymore. She burst out laughing and said to Sun Miao, “Look at my dad, his expression is so stiff. I can’t believe he could say something like that so frankly…”
Su Ruixi was laughing happily, which made Sun Miao happy to see.
Father Su’s stiffness was so obvious that even she, who didn’t know him well, could see it. The filming for the huaihua fen was over, but Father Su was still holding the bowl rigidly, exactly as he had in the previous clip, without moving an inch.
He just stood there, like a stand.
And that wasn’t all. He stood ramrod straight, not relaxing in the slightest, as if his entire body were a pine tree. Though he was standing straight, it still gave off a feeling of “Wow, he’s so stiff.” On top of that, his facial expression barely changed at all while answering questions.
Especially when he said, “The flavor suits my tastes very well,” the corner of his eye twitched involuntarily, a clear sign of his reluctance.
Su Ruixi and Sun Miao were laughing, and Shen Yiqiu was laughing too. Father Su, sitting on the side, grew even more awkward. For him, this was nothing short of a public execution. Fortunately, the segment passed quickly. After a few more clips, it was time for Sun Miao’s interview.
This time, it became Sun Miao’s public execution.
In that moment, Sun Miao experienced what Father Su had felt. Originally, Sun Miao had been sitting rather casually, occasionally getting clingy with Su Ruixi. But as her own interview segment played, Sun Miao sat up straighter and straighter, no longer sticking to Su Ruixi.
Her hands rested flat on her legs, her entire body a little stiff.
Being seen by Su Ruixi was one thing, but saying something that sounded like a confession in front of so many people, and then having the person in question hear it, inevitably made Sun Miao feel awkward.
Su Ruixi even let out an “ahem” and repeated, “The person to walk hand-in-hand with for life.” The moment she said it, the tips of Sun Miao’s ears turned red. She whispered, “Susu-jie!”
Su Ruixi leaned in. “I’m here. What’s wrong? Am I not the person you want to walk hand-in-hand with for life?”
She said it in a teasing, playful tone, but at that moment, Sun Miao became very serious. “Yes, Susu-jie is that person.”
Sun Miao understood Su Ruixi all too well. If she were to deny it or act shy now, Su Ruixi’s desire to tease her would only grow stronger. But with Sun Miao being so serious, the situation began a two-pole reversal4. The one who was shy was suddenly Su Ruixi.
Her face reddened at a speed visible to the naked eye, all the way to the tips of her ears. Her reaction was much bigger than Sun Miao’s; even her toes curled up unconsciously. Su Ruixi instinctively averted her gaze, looking away. At this moment, Sun Miao pressed her advantage.5
Sun Miao moved closer, cornering Su Ruixi on the sofa. She then asked, with a death wish, “What about Susu-jie, then? Is the person Susu-jie wants to walk hand-in-hand with for life… me?”
Su Ruixi swallowed. She held her neck stiff but kept her head turned, refusing to look at the earnest expression on Sun Miao’s face. But the words still floated out lightly: “Asking something you already know.”
“No, Susu-jie, say it. When you say it like that, I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
When it came to being mischievous, Sun Miao could hold her own against Su Ruixi; she was not to be outdone. Su Ruixi resorted to her old trick—one kiss to seal her lips. As Sun Miao chattered on with her questions, Su Ruixi wrapped her arms around Sun Miao’s neck, pulled her down a little, then tilted her own neck up and pressed her lips forward.
Su Ruixi’s lips were soft and a little cool. But as their kiss deepened, they slowly grew warmer. Tomorrow was Friday, and Su Ruixi still had to work. At this point, Sun Miao knew she should stop. She pulled back a little, and just as she was about to say something like, “Susu-jie has to work tomorrow,” Su Ruixi grabbed her hand and guided it downward.
In that instant, Sun Miao’s face flushed red too.
Su Ruixi’s hand cupped the back of Sun Miao’s neck, pressing her closer. “Aren’t you going to lick it for me?”
——What kind of words of tigers and wolves6 was this!
Sun Miao felt her ears go numb. She bit her lip and let out a soft “Mhm.” Su Ruixi continued, “But don’t take too long. I have to work tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
After saying that one word, Sun Miao stood up and lifted Su Ruixi into her arms, bridal style. Su Ruixi reached out, turned off the TV, and wrapped her arms around Sun Miao’s neck.
Su Ruixi was using her actions to show just who the person she wanted to spend her life with was.
The two of them went off to be lovey-dovey, but the group chat exploded.
【For real, while we’re busy waiting in line, someone has snatched Little Boss Sun and taken her home to eat.】
【Wuwuwu, I’m so jealous. Tell me who this lucky person is. They get to eat Little Boss Sun’s cooking every day!】
【To be real, I knew Boss Sun had a partner for a while now, but I never thought they met while she was running the stall!】
【Doesn’t that mean they can eat Little Boss Sun’s beef pancakes every day? Damn it, who is it! Don’t let me catch you!】
【But for real, Little Boss Sun is really thinking of us. She even knew to tell the viewers at home not to come and compete with us for food.】
【But Little Boss Sun is right. Even if they come, they won’t get a spot in line. There are too many enemies.】
Among these messages, one was quickly singled out by the onlookers. It was posted by a helpful netizen: 【By the way, have you guys seen the clip online? One of the people interviewed was the CEO of the Su Group, and his interview has gone viral.】
Everyone clicked the link the person had shared. Sure enough, the post had been liked many times. The hashtag was #SuGroupCEOFacingStreetInterviewSoAwkwardHisToesAreDiggingIntoTheGround#.7 It seemed his wife and daughter weren’t the only ones who noticed Father Su’s extreme awkwardness; the vast netizens had picked up on it as well.
Even the Hip-Hop Yabi Duo saw this trending topic. Hip-hop Mei’s fingers were much faster than her brain; in a flash, she had forwarded it to her family group chat.
The author has something to say:
How did this happen! How is there only one day left, wuwuwu, I don’t want to go to work.
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