The situation was awkward.
And Shizuka, who was ahead, had clearly also caught the familiar aroma, her expression becoming a little unnatural.
Lin Feng, behind them, had already quickened his pace to catch up.
"Shizuka, do you smell something delicious?"
Lin Feng walked to where he was side by side with Shizuka and asked her with a smile.
"…No!"
Shizuka turned her little head, her two pigtails flipping halfway in the air, and then she said something that wasn't true, her eyes wide open.
There was no help for it, she had just said something like that to Lin Feng, and if she agreed with him now, Shizuka would feel a little unwilling.
"Come on, you're not still dwelling on what happened before, are you? Let bygones be bygones."
"If this aroma is anything to go by, there's some incredibly delicious food waiting for you up ahead."
Lin Feng, with his backpack slung over his shoulder, turned his head to look at Shizuka and said with a smile.
Hearing the words "delicious food," Shizuka's complexion became even rosier. She didn't respond to Lin Feng but instead quickened her pace, burying her head.
Seeing Shizuka's reaction, the smile on Lin Feng's face widened.
Especially since he could already see the mobile vendor selling Roasted Sweet Potatoes not far ahead.
"Shizuka, are you sure you don't want any?"
"This time, the Roasted Sweet Potatoes smell especially fragrant. They might even be sweeter and tastier than the last ones."
At the Library entrance.
Lin Feng held two packaged Roasted Sweet Potatoes in his hands, a smile on his face as he looked at Shizuka, gently persuading her.
Since eating and drinking were prohibited inside the Library, things like these Roasted Sweet Potatoes had to be dealt with outside before going in.
"Hmph, I said, I'm not hungry right now..."
Shizuka lifted her small head proudly, looking determined.
Although her nose twitched slightly when she caught the faint aroma of the Roasted Sweet Potatoes in the air, she remained firm in her stance.
"Alright then, if that's the case, I'll eat them myself."
Lin Feng saw everything: Shizuka's occasional twitching nose and the adorable way she carefully hid her swallowing.
So, he leisurely opened the packaging of one of the Roasted Sweet Potatoes. Then, he slowly peeled away the charred, soft outer skin, revealing the golden, glistening flesh inside.
As he peeled off the outer layer, an even more intense, sweet aroma wafted into Shizuka's nose.
Even though she had just finished lunch not long ago, she suddenly felt her stomach rumbling with hunger after smelling that sweet fragrance.
"Gulp~"
Shizuka quietly swallowed.
There was nothing she could do; the smell was simply too tempting. For anyone who loved Roasted Sweet Potatoes, it was an irresistible lure.
But since she had just told Lin Feng that she wasn't hungry, Shizuka could only suppress her feelings. Otherwise, it would be too embarrassing to reveal her true thoughts.
"Mmm~ It really does smell good."
"Shizuka, are you sure you don't want to try some?"
Lin Feng scooped a spoonful of the golden, soft Roasted Sweet Potato into his mouth, savored it, and nodded with a very satisfied smile. He then invited Shizuka again.
As the saying goes, it's okay to try twice, but not a third time.
Faced with Lin Feng's persistent persuasion and invitation, Shizuka was wavering on the edge of a decision.
If she ate it now, wouldn't everything she just said be for nothing?
But if she kept refusing, and seeing Lin Feng eat with such obvious enjoyment, it was absolutely impossible for Shizuka to say she wasn't tempted.
However, a lady's reserve couldn't be tossed aside so easily.
Oh dear, what should I do...
Taking advantage of Shizuka's hesitation and indecision, Lin Feng seized the opportunity to stuff another Roasted Sweet Potato into her hand.
"Just eat it, Shizuka, no one's watching."
"Have you forgotten? This is our little secret!"
At this point, Lin Feng winked at Shizuka and said with a smile.
Reminded by Lin Feng, Shizuka suddenly remembered the first time she went shopping with Lin Feng, accompanying him to buy those manga drawing tools.
The same people, the same situation, only the location was different.
Last time it was at the Shopping Street, and this time it was at the Library entrance.
Both times involved eating Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
However, this time, she didn't seem as shy and bashful as the first time.
This time, Shizuka's refusal of Lin Feng had more to do with being sulky. As for the embarrassment of eating the Roasted Sweet Potato, it seemed to have lessened quite a bit.
After all, it wasn't the first time the two of them had eaten Roasted Sweet Potato together. With this precedent, subsequent events naturally followed suit.
Thinking about this, Shizuka no longer had as many reservations as before, directly snatching the small spoon from Lin Feng's hand before he could even hand it over, and began to devour the Roasted Sweet Potato in her hand.
The incredibly sweet taste was indeed tempting; she had been suppressing her appetite since just now.
Now that she had let loose, Shizuka naturally saw no need to put on airs and restrain herself; she could just do whatever felt comfortable.
"Slow down, be careful, it's hot..."
Lin Feng could only offer a somewhat helpless, wry reminder.
However, this reminder seemed a bit unnecessary.
After all, Shizuka was a fifth-grader. If she needed someone to remind her to eat, that would be a bit ridiculous.
Moreover, she was eating her favorite food: Roasted Sweet Potato.
However, things don't always go as planned.
Just as Shizuka was happily finishing half of her Roasted Sweet Potato and preparing to devour the other half, a shout suddenly came from the street across the road.
"Hey~!"
"Shizuka~!"
Upon hearing this somewhat familiar voice, Shizuka looked up in a panic towards the direction of the sound.
Over on the far side of the street, a boy wearing round glasses, a yellow shirt, and dark blue shorts came running.
He was carrying a backpack, his left hand raised high, and his right hand cupped around his mouth like a megaphone. He was shouting Shizuka's name with excitement.
Leaving aside how shouting someone's name from across the street could be a bit embarrassing...
The thing was, Shizuka couldn't let anyone but Lin Feng know what she was doing.
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