The cafeteria at Saint Sakura Academy features an open design with crystal chandeliers hanging from the dome, reflecting a dazzling light that makes everyone's face appear almost unreal and exquisite.
Yu Jiuyuan stood at the entrance, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the edge of her meal card, her gaze calmly sweeping over the bustling crowd.
Just now in the classroom, Rong Shenghan's invitation was filled with an irresistible enthusiasm, and the smile in his amber eyes was like honey, so sweet that it almost overflowed.
An ordinary girl would probably have her heart racing and shyly agreed, but Yu Jiuyuan's heart was only filled with a cold clarity. This was just another test, a power struggle in the name of "favor".
[Host! Rong Shenghan is still waiting for you! He specifically asked the waiter to reserve a window seat with the best view!]
007's voice urged impatiently, "Hurry up! This is the perfect opportunity to increase your favorability!"
Yu Jiuyuan didn't move, but instead turned her gaze to the food counter diagonally in front of her.
Xie Zhecheng stood there, his figure as straight as bamboo, slightly turned to the side as he spoke to the chef.
He wore a well-pressed dark school uniform with a low-key black tie at the collar. His profile was cold and hard, and even the sunlight falling on him seemed to be frozen into tiny ice crystals.
Several girls around him, carrying trays, stared at him, but none of them dared to approach him or speak to him. They even held their breath, as if afraid of disturbing this walking iceberg.
This is Xie Zhecheng, a man with his own protective barrier.
Yu Jiuyuan's lips curved into a barely perceptible smile.
Winning over someone like that is undoubtedly extremely difficult, but it is precisely because of this difficulty that the rewards are all the more enticing if successful. As for Rong Shenghan… she glanced at the boy waving at her not far away, a hint of caution flashing in her eyes.
Overly enthusiastic approaches often conceal deeper motives, much like a hunter's "friendly gestures" towards his prey, ultimately aimed at capturing it.
Instead of walking towards Rong Shenghan, she slowly walked towards Xie Zhecheng. Her high heels clicked crisply on the polished marble floor, like the tapping of some hidden rhythm.
【!!!! Host, you're going the wrong way! That's Xie Zhecheng! His favorability rating is still 0!】007 screamed in his mind, 【Rong Shenghan is practically dying to see him!】
Yu Jiuyuan ignored her. She walked to the food counter and stood right next to Xie Zhecheng. Her voice was soft and gentle, with just the right amount of shyness: "Excuse me... would medium-well be too tough for the black truffle steak here?"
Her questions were clumsy and down-to-earth, like a young girl who wasn't very familiar with Western food. Her eyes were clear, and there was even a hint of dependence in her gaze as she looked at Xie Zhecheng, perfectly matching her usual "innocent" persona.
Xie Zhecheng paused in his act of picking up the food and glanced at her sideways.
His eyelashes were long, casting faint shadows under his eyelids when they fell. When he looked up, his deep eyes were like a cold pool, without the slightest ripple.
"No." He uttered only two words, concise and to the point, then turned around, took the plate from the chef, and turned to leave.
The expected indifference.
Yu Jiuyuan seemed oblivious to his aloofness, taking half a step forward, her voice tinged with urgency and a slight upward inflection at the end, like a pleading kitten: "Classmate Xie, please wait a moment!"
Xie Zhecheng stopped and looked back at her, a hint of impatience in his eyes.
Yu Jiuyuan immediately lowered her head, her fingers nervously twisting the meal card, her voice barely a whisper: "Just now... thank you for your physics notes. Professor Zhang's lecture was too advanced, and I didn't understand many parts. Your notes were so clear and helped me a lot."
She deliberately brought up her physics notes, which she had glimpsed that morning when Xie Zhecheng "accidentally" knocked them over while she was leaving her seat, and then "frantically" picked them up.
This approach of "making a fuss over a topic" not only appears natural but also subtly builds closer relationships.
Sure enough, Xie Zhecheng's impatience lessened. He looked at the girl's reddened ears and her lowered, seemingly watery eyes, remained silent for two seconds before speaking: "Just noting it down, you're welcome."
His tone remained calm, but it had a touch more warmth than before.
[!! There's progress! He actually said three more words!] 007 was so excited he almost jumped for joy. [Quick, press your advantage! Invite him to dinner!]
Just as Yu Jiuyuan was about to speak, a smiling voice came from behind her, tinged with a hint of mockery: "So you're here. I've been looking for you for ages."
Rong Shenghan walked over at some point, his hair gleaming softly under the lamplight.
He walked naturally to Yu Jiuyuan's side, his arm almost touching her shoulder, their posture so intimate that it seemed they had known each other for years. He looked at Xie Zhecheng, a bright smile on his face: "Classmate Xie is here too, perfect, shall we sit together?"
Xie Zhecheng's gaze fell on Rong Shenghan's arm, which was almost touching Yu Jiuyuan's. His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly before returning to normal. He said calmly, "No, I'm used to being alone."
After saying that, he picked up his plate, turned around and left. His back view was crisp and clean, without the slightest hesitation, as if staying for even a second longer would be a waste of time.
[...The favorability rating is still 0.] 007's voice trailed off. [Rong Shenghan is just here to cause trouble!]
Yu Jiuyuan watched Xie Zhecheng's figure disappear into the corner, feeling no disappointment. Instead, she became even more certain that Xie Zhecheng was not indifferent to everything; he was just used to hiding his emotions very deeply.
The slight frown you made just now is the best proof.
“He’s still so cold.” Rong Shenghan’s voice rang in my ears, with a hint of helpless laughter. “Never mind him, let’s go sit over there. I asked the kitchen to save some Wellington steak, it’s fresh out of the oven.”
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
