Before their wontons arrived, Qian Ling asked Yang Mo, who was sitting across from her, “By the way, how are you going to get a phone SIM card? Don’t you need some sort of ID?”
She still remembered that in her previous life, not only did you need an ID to get a SIM card, but if you were a minor, you also had to be accompanied by a guardian.
Yang Mo blinked twice upon hearing this.
“ID, huh?” She thought for a moment before continuing, “Oh… I think I saw on the news that some places require it, but around here it’s still pretty easy to get one.”
“I see.”
Qian Ling understood. The winds of reform hadn’t reached this animated world yet.
After a while, two steaming bowls of wontons were brought to their table.
The large wontons were completely submerged in red, oily broth. On top of the soup floated bits of dried chili skin, red and black.
It looked like a spicy dish, but Qian Ling didn’t hesitate—she used her chopsticks to put a wonton on her tongue, then quickly put it back into the bowl.
After that dinner with Yang Xia, Yang Mo was no longer surprised by Qian Ling’s antics.
“Burned your tongue again?”
Qian Ling stuck out her tongue and nodded silently.
Yang Mo smiled at her, “Don’t always be in such a rush.”
Then she left her seat to get a plate of pickles.
Both the plates and the pickles were on a table by the wall. According to Yang Mo, the pickles here were self-serve, with no extra charge.
Even so, they weren’t made carelessly—the pickled radish slices were crisp, tangy, and had a faint lingering sweetness. They made for a perfect appetizer.
After eating a bit, Qian Ling figured the wontons had cooled enough and stuffed a whole one into her mouth.
Yang Mo’s slightly worried voice sounded in her ear, “What if it’s still too hot…”
Fortunately, that worry turned out to be unnecessary—or at least, almost.
It was still a bit hot, but Qian Ling managed to endure it to savor the flavor.
The seasoning of this bowl of wontons had a subtle similarity to Yang Xia’s boiled pork slices—both focused on peppers and numbing spices, though the aroma of oil was stronger here, and the heat just added a little kick.
Beneath the thin wrappers, the meat filling was fresh and firm, blending with the fragrance of the oily broth.
With flavors like this, it was no wonder the noodle shop’s business was booming.
Seeing Qian Ling devouring her food, Yang Mo felt there was no need to ask if she liked it; the only thing left to consider was whether the portion was enough.
She smiled contentedly, rolled up her sleeves, and dug into her own bowl.
After leaving the noodle shop, the two of them headed to a nearby telecom provider.
As expected, they were able to buy a new SIM card without any trouble.
Judging from Yang Mo’s conversation with the clerk, the two of them seemed to know each other; the clerk easily understood Yang Mo’s request and seemed to be aware of her circumstances.
Qian Ling wondered whether the process really was this simple, or if Yang Mo had used “connections” to make things easier.
In any case, Qian Ling waited by the door, and before long, Yang Mo came out pinching a fingernail-sized card between her fingers, flashing a victory sign at Qian Ling with her other hand.
Is she imitating me? Qian Ling wondered.
Now came the crucial moment.
Qian Ling inserted the SIM card into her phone and pressed the power button.
She and Yang Mo huddled together, eyes fixed on the phone screen.
When a full signal bar appeared at the top right corner, both of them lit up with excitement.
“Alright.”
“Great, it works!”
Yang Mo smiled and held out her palm to Qian Ling, who instantly understood and reached out her own.
Pa!
They high-fived, completely in sync—just like two kids getting their first phone.
But soon Yang Mo wasn’t as happy.
Now that she had internet, Qian Ling stared at her phone non-stop, even while walking.
Yang Mo stood ahead, wearing a look of grievance as she said, “Qian Ling, if you keep this up, I’ll confiscate it.”
“I know, I know.”
Reminded, Qian Ling immediately put her phone away without the slightest reluctance.
After all, she could play with her phone anytime…
But today was the first time—her first time going out alone with Yang Mo.
If she missed out on this rare moment, it wouldn’t come again.
Just as she always had, Qian Ling wanted to enjoy the present as much as possible.
On the other hand, Yang Mo was a little surprised by her reaction.
She’d used such a stern tone with her, but Qian Ling just smiled and came right over.
Yang Mo was stunned for a moment.
“Let’s go.”
Only after Qian Ling’s reminder did she respond with a soft “mm,” then led Qian Ling on to their next destination.
Though Xinghu Town was considered a fairly large township, Yang Mo still thought they should go somewhere busier to shop for clothes.
The bus they were on was heading toward the city center.
It was the weekend, and this was the bus going downtown, so it was no surprise that it was packed.
Yang Mo had to grab a strap and stand in the aisle.
Qian Ling rose on tiptoe, also trying to reach for a strap, but her fingertips only made them swing wildly—she just couldn’t get a steady grip.
She exchanged a silent look with Yang Mo, then acted as if nothing had happened and leaned against a vertical pole.
Unlike other passengers, they planned to get off between Xinghu Town and the city center.
“Let’s just go out and have fun with a light heart!”
That’s what Qian Ling remembered Yang Mo saying before they set out—probably the reason they weren’t going all the way downtown. After all, long trips can be tiring.
That suited Qian Ling just fine; she didn’t have to worry about running into people like Huang Ya and the others.
What did make her uneasy, though, was the thought of what she’d be wearing next.
Are we heading downtown just to buy special clothes… some super-trendy style? Will that really suit me?
While she was worrying, she suddenly heard soft whispers from the seats behind her.
“Hey, look, that girl over there’s wearing a maid outfit. Is it cosplay?”
“Wow, it really is a maid outfit! Is there a convention downtown today?”
Two young men in glasses and plaid shirts were whispering together, eyes glued to Qian Ling, pointing at her as they talked.
Qian Ling turned around and shot them a fierce glare, and only then did they quiet down.
It was then she realized—
Actually, the outfit she had on now was pretty “trendy” too… though she’d long since gotten used to wearing it.
She absently pinched a piece of fabric at her chest and rubbed it between her fingers. Without noticing, her worries about what she’d be wearing next had faded away.
As the bus started moving, the tree shadows cast by the morning sun began rolling along beneath their feet.
Qian Ling thought about pulling out her phone to pass the time, but seeing Yang Mo by her side, she didn’t have the heart to leave her alone.
In the end, she just spun the phone in a circle in her hand.
Her actions seemed to remind Yang Mo of something. After blinking once, she asked, “By the way, Qian Ling, did you find anything on your phone?”
The question made Qian Ling hesitate.
Should she tell her or not?
Though she’d originally planned to keep quiet about the photos, they might have been left by Yang Xia especially for Yang Mo.
If that was the case, was it really up to her to decide?
With that thought, she decided to answer honestly.