With Shizuka's shy personality, if she were really made to blush and give such an embarrassing reason, she might actually break down.
Although encouraging her to bravely face the food she loves is a trivial matter, today is only the first day they've met.
They still have a long time to get to know each other. There's no need to push things so absolutely right away.
Even if she's just a fifth grader, she still needs a little face.
At this moment, he needed to show his gentle, considerate, and understanding side. What Lin Feng needed to do now was to make Shizuka relax her guard and enjoy the delicious food in front of her.
"Okay..."
After hearing Lin Feng's words, Shizuka blushed a little shyly and gently agreed.
Since Lin Feng had already spoken so frankly, it would probably seem affected if she continued to decline.
So, Shizuka silently opened the Roasted Sweet Potato wrapper and began to eat it in small bites.
For some reason, after Lin Feng had said those words, Shizuka didn't feel as embarrassed or shy about eating the Roasted Sweet Potato in front of him anymore.
If that was the case, then there was no need to hide it anymore.
Just as Lin Feng had said, Roasted Sweet Potatoes were best eaten while they were hot.
Especially when they were fresh out of the oven, still steaming, with a rich aroma that filled the nostrils. This was when the Roasted Sweet Potato was at its soft, sweet, and delicious best.
Watching Shizuka eat the Roasted Sweet Potato with her face flushed, Lin Feng couldn't help but smile. It seemed that his words had had some effect.
At the very least, he had gained Shizuka's initial approval. Otherwise, she wouldn't have set aside her shyness and accepted the delicious Roasted Sweet Potato in front of him.
"How is it, Shizuka? I didn't lie, it's really delicious."
To help Shizuka relax, Lin Feng ate several large mouthfuls in front of her before smiling and speaking.
"Mmm…"
"Um, Lin Feng, can you…?"
Shizuka blushed and nodded in agreement with Lin Feng's words. Then, she looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated.
"I understand. Don't worry, Shizuka, I won't tell anyone else that you like Roasted Sweet Potato."
"Let's keep it as a little secret between just the two of us."
Lin Feng could tell what she wanted to say just by looking at her.
So she immediately nodded, looking like she would keep his secret. She gently patted her chest and said, "Um... then thank you, Lin Feng..."
Shizuka was a little shy that Lin Feng had guessed what she wanted to say.
But this way, she didn't need to say it herself and ask Lin Feng to keep her secret.
For Shizuka, it was easier to accept.
And Lin Feng's understanding and thoughtfulness also made Shizuka feel comfortable around him.
If it were Shizuka herself, it would be difficult to overcome this hurdle. After all, eating a Roasted Sweet Potato, which would cause her to constantly fart, in front of someone she knew, really took a lot of courage.
But with Lin Feng's words, Shizuka was indeed given a lot of courage.
Letting her overcome that mental hurdle, she dared to express her true preferences and hobbies in front of people she knew.
For some reason, after this experience, Shizuka's initial unfamiliarity with Lin Feng gradually faded away.
Even though they had only just met today, it felt as if they were old friends reuniting after many years.
This made Shizuka increasingly curious about Lin Feng. This new transfer student seemed truly different from the other classmates.
If it were any of Shizuka's usual friends, like Nobita, Gian, or Suneo, she definitely wouldn't have felt comfortable revealing her fondness for Roasted Sweet Potatoes, a thing she found a little embarrassing.
But with Lin Feng, it didn't feel that way at all.
Girls tend to have more delicate thoughts, so as Shizuka ate the delicious Roasted Sweet Potato, she was also pondering in her mind.
She suddenly wanted to understand just what kind of person Lin Feng, the new transfer student, was.
Lin Feng, on the other hand, wouldn't have imagined that something he considered insignificant would cause Shizuka to overthink so much.
"It's nothing, no need to thank me. After all, I'll be relying on you to show me the way, Shizuka-san."
Lin Feng smiled slightly, indicating he hadn't given the matter much thought.
"Right, next, we go this way..."
Shizuka nodded gently, her face flushing again. Then, she quickened her pace, walking ahead of Lin Feng to lead the way toward the shopping street.
"Doraemon!"
"Shizuka rejected me again!" Nobita shouted as soon as he opened the door, delivering his signature line.
Doraemon, who was sitting cross-legged on the Tatami mat in his second-floor room, eating Dorayaki and reading a comic book, heard the voice that was so familiar it felt like it was going to wear out his ears.
The expression on his face once again became one of helplessness.
There was nothing he could do; Nobita was like a child who would never grow up.
Whether he was scolded by the teacher at school, beaten up by Gian on the way home, humiliated by Suneo in front of his classmates, or encountered difficulties in his interactions with Shizuka.
Or even if he was scolded by his mother at home, he would come to Doraemon to complain.
He just didn't expect that it was only the first day of the new school term, and he didn't know what kind of suffering Nobita had encountered, but he started wailing as soon as he got home.
If Doraemon was still very willing to help Nobita when he first encountered difficulties and came to Doraemon for help…
So now, after experiencing so many pleas for help and becoming familiar with Nobita's tendency to whine…
Doraemon had developed a certain immunity to Nobita's tearful requests.
(End of chapter)