The Qinglin cafeteria was quite large. It was a square little building located on the east side of campus, its entire western face inlaid with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a view of the lake in the center of the school grounds. A few cranes were kept on the lakeshore, supposedly for the students’ biology class observations, but in reality, their aesthetic value far outweighed their practical purpose.
The cafeteria had three floors. The first floor sold breakfast and desserts, the second offered a variety of main courses, and the third served more refined foreign cuisine. Since the chefs were foreign and the ingredients were imported, the third floor was generally much more expensive than the first two.
The main reason for having a separate third floor was that a certain number of Qinglin students, like Shangguan Xianxian, had lived abroad for several years. There were also some foreign exchange students. The original intention was to accommodate everyone’s dietary habits.
But because the food on the third floor was plated with particular care, it gradually became the number one choice for campus couples on their lunch dates.
The girls had been delayed in the infirmary for quite some time, so by now, there were only a few scattered people in the cafeteria, which saved them the trouble of waiting in line.
Considering Song Zhiqing’s condition, Ye Yuhuan bought her a steamer of xiaolongbao and a bowl of shrimp congee. Looking at the food in her hands, Ye Yuhuan found it a little amusing; it felt more like breakfast than lunch. For herself, Ye Yuhuan bought a serving of Yangzhou fried rice, packed it all up, and hurried back.
Shen Wei’s bed was on the outer side, while Song Zhiqing’s was on the inner side, so one had to pass Shen Wei and the others to get there. Ye Yuhuan had assumed they wouldn’t stay in the infirmary for long and would have left by now, but to her surprise, they were still there.
Shen Wei looked a little better now, but her expression was still listless. Standing beside them was a tall, middle-aged man who was wearing a black suit despite the sweltering heat. Ye Yuhuan guessed he was probably a driver or a butler of some sort.
What caught Ye Yuhuan’s attention, however, was the sumptuous spread of food on their table. It seemed this man had made a special trip to deliver their meal.
Ye Yuhuan pursed her lips in annoyance. How could she have forgotten that these wealthy families had their own private chefs and personal drivers? She glanced at the items she was carrying in her right hand. They looked truly pathetic compared to the comprehensive feast next to them. She had no idea if Song Zhiqing would even like this kind of food.
Shen Wei watched Ye Yuhuan walk past her. She was filled with curiosity about Ye Yuhuan. After all, in her previous life, there had been no such person by Song Zhiqing’s side. This was the only variable she had encountered since her rebirth. She really wanted to get to know Ye Yuhuan properly. Judging from how she had helped them on the path earlier, Ye Yuhuan was a kind person. For someone like her to be associated with a vicious and domineering person like Song Zhiqing, she must have been led astray.
But just as Shen Wei opened her mouth to say hello, Ye Yuhuan walked past without stopping, leaving only her back in view. Soon, even that disappeared behind the curtain.
Forget it, I’ll talk to her later, Shen Wei thought, shifting her gaze to Shangguan Xianxian, who was eating gracefully beside her. She slowly took a sip of congee. No matter what variables appeared, as long as she was still by her side, that was enough.
Song Zhiqing had by now recovered from her embarrassment. She decided to forget the incident and demand that no one ever mention it again. That way, it would be as if it had never happened.
When Ye Yuhuan arrived, she was half-reclining on the bed, playing on her phone. The tight bun she had worn for the tennis match was now let down, her hair clinging to the side of her fair face, making her look very small.
Ye Yuhuan cleared her throat to announce her presence. When Song Zhiqing saw who it was, a trace of lingering awkwardness remained in her eyes—Why was I so confident just now, dammit!
“Are you feeling any better?” Ye Yuhuan asked.
“Much better. My stomach doesn’t have that heavy, dragging feeling anymore.”
One of them deliberately ignored the topic, while the other was unwilling to bring it up. The atmosphere gradually returned to normal.
Ye Yuhuan opened the small bedside table and placed the food and utensils on it. This was the first time she had ever brought food for Song Zhiqing; their previous interactions had never delved this deep into each other’s lives. Coupled with the veritable banquet she had just seen over at Shangguan Xianxian’s bed, she couldn’t help but feel a little anxious. She found herself asking, “This… is this okay for you?”
Song Zhiqing raised an eyebrow in surprise, then remembered the grand entrance the Shangguan family’s driver had made. She couldn’t help but laugh. “Do you have some kind of misconception about me? I eat at the cafeteria too when I’m at school, you know.”
With that, she jutted her chin in Shen Wei’s direction, her tone disdainful. “Usually, only the nouveau riche and fussy weirdos do that.”
Seeing her constant, instinctual need to put Shen Wei down, Ye Yuhuan figured this was probably just the clash of auras between a villainess and a heroine.
It seemed the path of getting Song Zhiqing to befriend the heroines was likely a dead end. It would be a blessing if they didn’t just try to kill each other. As for the rest…
Ye Yuhuan leaned closer and reminded her in a low voice, “Shangguan Xianxian is here too.”
The words made Song Zhiqing choke instantly, and she coughed until she was dizzy.
What had she just said!
That’s not what she meant!
Shangguan Xianxian probably didn’t hear that, right?
But she heard her before, sob sob sob!
Ye Yuhuan handed her some water. Song Zhiqing took a few large gulps and finally managed to calm down. She quickly finished her meal, and ignoring the faint ache that was starting in her lower abdomen again, she pulled Ye Yuhuan out of the infirmary.
It was the cusp of late summer and early autumn, and the midday sun was still scorching. Ye Yuhuan squinted at the world outside, took out a sun umbrella she had just bought, and opened it. She turned to Song Zhiqing and asked, “The school nurse said you need to rest for at least the whole afternoon. What do you want to do now? Go home?”
Song Zhiqing shook her head. She wasn’t fully recovered yet, and the thought of a ten-minute car ride home made her dizzy. She looked up at Ye Yuhuan, and an idea sparked in her mind. What about going to Ye Yuhuan’s dorm?
But the thought of what had just happened in the infirmary made her hesitate.
She had just implied Ye Yuhuan’s actions were misleading, only to turn around and do something even more misleading herself. Song Zhiqing couldn’t bring herself to do it.
But besides asking Ye Yuhuan, asking anyone else felt like too much trouble. As the school tyrant, Song Zhiqing had many followers but very few friends. She usually didn’t care about such things, but in a situation like today’s, it suddenly felt a little awkward.
Just as Song Zhiqing was about to decide to just get a room at a hotel off-campus—after all, it was owned by an acquaintance, so they would probably be accommodating—Ye Yuhuan took her by the wrist and started walking. “Let’s just go to my dorm then,” she said calmly.
Song Zhiqing’s indecision vanished instantly. This was Ye Yuhuan’s own suggestion; it had nothing to do with her!
Ye Yuhuan really is my brilliant strategist! Song Zhiqing praised her silently.
The walk from the infirmary to the dormitory required crossing the entire lake. As the two walked along the bridge, they found the umbrella wasn’t quite large enough, and specks of sunlight filtered through, illuminating the strands of Ye Yuhuan’s hair and her eyelashes until they shimmered. Her delicate features stood out even more. Song Zhiqing glanced at her once, then looked away. The cranes by the lake were squawking incessantly, disturbing the peace. Song Zhiqing frowned in annoyance.
What’s with them? It’s not even spring.
The two walked in silence to the dormitory building. Song Zhiqing had always been a day student, so she looked around curiously, discovering that it wasn’t much different from what she had seen on TV, just a bit more spacious. Still, it was much better equipped than her own nap room.
Upon entering Ye Yuhuan’s dorm room, Song Zhiqing’s first impression was one of shock at the sheer number of books piled on her bookshelf. There was a dazzling array, some with titles so profound that Song Zhiqing would have been deterred by the name alone. Wow, was this the self-discipline of the city’s top student?
It was truly a level the likes of them could never hope to reach.
After a tennis match, the sweat on Song Zhiqing’s face and arms had been wiped away by Ye Yuhuan, but her body still felt sticky and uncomfortable. She couldn’t take a shower on the first day of her period, but a quick wipe-down wouldn’t be a problem. However, Ye Yuhuan looked at the clothes laid out to the side and fell silent for a few seconds. They had only grabbed a spare school uniform from Song Zhiqing’s locker. It had been a force of habit, but they hadn’t considered how uncomfortable a uniform would be to sleep in.
Ye Yuhuan stopped Song Zhiqing, who was heading toward the bathroom, and asked with some hesitation, “Do you need pajamas?”
Song Zhiqing had been struggling with the same thought. Borrowing someone else’s pajamas seemed a bit suggestive, but if she didn’t, the school uniform, though made of soft fabric, was a slim-fit style and would be uncomfortable for sleeping. Thankfully, Ye Yuhuan had once again taken the initiative.
Song Zhiqing nodded emphatically.
Ye Yuhuan picked out a set of pajamas from her closet that she had barely worn because the design was too cute. When she faced Song Zhiqing’s surprised gaze at the little rabbit pajamas in her hands, Ye Yuhuan couldn’t help but explain, “My family bought these for me. I haven’t really worn them, so…”
Before Ye Yuhuan could finish, she heard Song Zhiqing say excitedly, “How did you know I love rabbit pajamas the most!”
Shocking! The school tyrant of Qinglin’s favorite type of pajamas was secretly this!
Ye Yuhuan shook her head to clear the sarcastic comment from her mind, unwrapped a new towel, handed it to Song Zhiqing, and then sat down in the chair at her desk to read while she waited.
When Song Zhiqing stood before her, Ye Yuhuan suddenly understood those people on the school forums who were obsessed with taking pictures of themselves. She, too, wanted to raise her phone and capture this moment.
It was just… too cute.
Dressed in the little rabbit pajamas, Song Zhiqing looked like a bunny spirit. Her pink cheeks, her dewy eyes—everything was so cute. The only slight imperfection was that Song Zhiqing hadn’t put on the little rabbit hood. Oh well, Ye Yuhuan consoled herself, she’s already cute enough like this.
As if sensing Ye Yuhuan’s thoughts, Song Zhiqing put on the hood. Two floppy bunny ears immediately drooped down on either side. Seeing Ye Yuhuan’s stunned expression, Song Zhiqing smiled to herself. She knew no one could escape her charm.
Song Zhiqing walked up to Ye Yuhuan, her voice seemingly laced with moisture. “What happened in the infirmary today… you can’t tell anyone, okay!”
Ye Yuhuan was left with only the instinct to nod. By the time she came to her senses, Song Zhiqing was already comfortably tucked into her bed.
Ye Yuhuan let out a deep breath and pressed a hand to her forehead. She truly couldn’t imagine how Shangguan Xianxian had managed to be so heartless as to send Song Zhiqing to prison.
To describe Ye Yuhuan’s feelings, it was a sentiment of, Qingqing is so cute, how could anyone do that to Qingqing?
After calming down from this state of being overwhelmed by cuteness, Ye Yuhuan turned to pack her things, intending to leave. She usually took a nap in the afternoon, but it was clearly too late for that today. Besides, there was only one bed in the dorm, which made things even more inconvenient.
Seeing her turn, Song Zhiqing tugged at the corner of Ye Yuhuan’s shirt in dissatisfaction. She was nestled in Ye Yuhuan’s bed with only her fluffy head poking out, looking like some kind of rodent.
“You’re just going to leave me here alone?”
Ye Yuhuan crouched down, looking into Song Zhiqing’s shimmering almond eyes, and sighed. “I’m going to find a teacher to ask for leave and pick up today’s homework.”
The tips of Song Zhiqing’s ears turned red. Ugh, why did she keep misunderstanding Ye Yuhuan today!
“Oh. Well, come back soon.”
“Mm. Or not so soon is fine too. Don’t rush.”
A glint appeared in Ye Yuhuan’s eyes. Now didn’t seem like the right time to explain that she had changed her mind because Miss Song was just too cute. A certain someone would most likely get a big head.
