Chapter 2 — Icebergs Also Know Red Eyes

“How do you know so well?”

“Basic knowledge.”

I half-heartedly picked up a cauliflower and put it in my mouth to chew. Bland and tasteless, like chewing paper. But he was watching me eat, those eyes were as quiet as a wall, making me no longer have the face to touch that bowl of malatang anymore. In the end, I ate half a plate of cauliflower and drank half a bowl of hot pot broth. The fried balls and small intestines are still intact. On the way home, I sent a voice to To Niem: "Does your brother treat everyone the same way? Seeing others eat junk food is a problem?" To Niem texted back hahaha: "He doesn't even care what I eat, don't think too much, he's the type of person who finds unreasonable things annoying." I'm reassured. No special treatment for me, that's good. On Friday, I officially proposed a date with To Nghien. The location was in front of the library, the time was five o'clock in the afternoon, the sunset reflected the profile of his angular face.

“Senior, be my boyfriend.”

Not a question. I learn the way you speak. He stood there, holding the Data Structures book in his hand, looking at me for about five seconds. After five seconds he said: “Are you serious?”

“Seriously.”

“You know I have a bland personality.”

“I don't mind.”

He was silent for a long time. I was mentally prepared to be rejected - To Niem said, two hundred percent disagree.

“Okay.”

I was stunned.

“Yes?”

“I can say it.” He tucked the book under his arm, "But I have the means."

“You say it.”

“Eat the same food as me every day.”

The smile on my face stiffened for an instant.

“…What are the items like?”

"Chicken breast, brown rice, green vegetables. Don't drink milk tea, don't eat fried food, don't touch junk food."

This is not a date, this is going to jail! But looking at that face — jawline so sharp it could cut butter — I gritted my teeth.

“Successful communication.”

To Niem's text message exploded on the screen three minutes later. To Niem: *He agreed???* To Niem: *Are you sure that's my biological brother?* To Niem: *It's impossible, it's impossible, it's impossible* To Niem: *I'm going to test his fingerprints now* I texted back: *You don't tell me what two hundred percent disagreement means?* To Niem: *I'm sorry, but this is so strange, my brother has never been in contact with me redundant with anyone, why did he agree with you?* I thought for a moment, texted back: *Maybe he wanted to find someone to supervise us eating healthy food together.* To Niem: *…You two really get along.* I put the phone away, exhaled. Okay, starting now, I have a boyfriend. A cool, self-disciplined boyfriend who doesn't eat snacks or drink milk tea. My weight loss plan has officially begun. 03 The first day we met, To Nghien sent me a menu. Morning: 2 boiled eggs, 1 slice of wholemeal bread, 1 cup of black coffee. Lunch: 100g brown rice, 150g boiled chicken breast, vegetable salad. Dinner: 1 sweet potato, 100g steamed fish. Looking at the menu, I felt like I was reading a prison sentence. But I refrained. The first day, I performed perfectly. The second day, still able to endure. At noon on the third day, the smell of sweet and sour fried ribs drifted in from the next counter in the cafeteria, making my whole body tremble. To Nghien sat opposite, pushing a box of pre-cut fruit: "Eat more of this in the afternoon." I stared at the left box tree, then looked back at the line of people lining up to buy ribs.

“To Nghien.”

“Um.”

“I want to eat ribs.”

“No way.”

“Just one piece.”

“One piece is 300 calories.”

I put my face down on my arms, my voice sad: "Love isn't like this..." He didn't answer. But a few seconds later, I felt something gently touch the top of my head. I looked up, he had retracted his hand and continued to eat with chopsticks, his expression unchanged.

“Did I just touch your head?”

“No.”