Xie Zhecheng put down his knife and fork, raised his head, and stared at the blond-haired boy. His voice was as cold as ice: "Get lost."
A single word, carrying an undeniable sense of pressure, instantly silenced the surrounding laughter.
The blond-haired boy's smile froze; he clearly hadn't expected Xie Zhecheng to get angry over a girl he'd just met. He gave an embarrassed laugh: "Just kidding, Young Master Xie, don't be angry..."
"Can't you understand human language?" Xie Zhecheng's gaze grew colder, his fingertips tapping lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound. "Or do you need me to have your coach 'teach' you some manners?"
The basketball team coach is an old friend of the Xie family elders, so this statement was undoubtedly a blatant threat.
The blond-haired boy's expression changed completely. He said sheepishly, "Let's go," and led his group away in a dejected manner.
The surroundings fell silent instantly, with only the soft clinking of cutlery remaining.
Yu Jiuyuan looked at Xie Zhecheng's tense profile, lowered her head at the right moment, and said in a slightly choked voice, "I'm sorry... It's all my fault for causing you trouble."
Her shoulders trembled slightly, like a frightened fawn, so fragile that one couldn't help but want to protect her.
Xie Zhecheng turned his head and looked at her reddened eyes and tearful appearance, feeling inexplicably irritated. He was silent for a few seconds, then picked up a tissue from the table and handed it to her, his voice softening slightly: "It's none of your business."
Yu Jiuyuan took the tissue, her fingertips "accidentally" touching his fingers. She quickly pulled back as if she had been electrocuted, her cheeks instantly flushing red. She said repeatedly, "Thank you... thank you."
She could feel Xie Zhecheng's fingertips pause almost imperceptibly.
【! Physical contact! He didn't dodge! His favorability rating must have gone up! At least 10 now!】007 shouted excitedly.
Xie Zhecheng didn't say anything more. He picked up his knife and fork again, but didn't continue cutting the steak. He just quietly looked at the food on his plate.
Yu Jiuyuan lowered her head, gently rubbing the corners of her eyes with a tissue, but a cold smile curled at the corners of her mouth from an angle unseen by anyone.
The first step was a success.
She looked up at Xie Zhecheng's cold profile, her voice filled with gratitude and trepidation: "Classmate Xie, you...you're so kind."
Xie Zhecheng paused for a moment, but didn't turn around. He simply gave a faint "hmm," his voice devoid of emotion.
But Yu Jiuyuan knew that a crack had appeared in the solid ice.
Next, all we need to do is wait patiently for the gap to slowly widen.
She lowered her head and began to eat her pasta in small bites, her movements elegant, as if the commotion from just moments ago had never happened.
Sunlight streamed through the glass window and fell upon her, casting a soft halo around her, making her look pure and beautiful, like an innocent angel.
Only she knew what kind of calm calculation was hidden in those seemingly clear eyes.
Xie Zhecheng's value lies in the control behind his indifference and the resources that the Xie family can provide; Rong Shenghan's value lies in his mystery and connections, and in his promise to "help" at any time.
These two people are like the two ends of a scale. What she needs to do is stand in the middle and gently adjust the weights so that they will pay more to "get" her.
As for sincerity? That's the least valuable thing.
After finishing lunch, Yu Jiuyuan took the initiative to clear away the plates and gave Xie Zhecheng a sweet smile: "Thank you so much for today, Xie. Next time... next time I'll treat you to coffee, as a thank you for helping me out of that situation, and also... to teaching me how to use a knife and fork."
Her invitation was tinged with shyness, yet also with an irresistible sincerity.
Xie Zhecheng looked into her bright eyes, remained silent for a few seconds, and finally nodded: "We'll see."
The fact that they neither directly agreed nor refused is already a huge step forward.
【!! He said "we'll see"! This means there's potential!】007 was so excited he almost fainted.
Yu Jiuyuan smiled and nodded, then turned and left without asking any further questions. Knowing when to stop is key to maintaining goodwill.
As she reached the entrance of the cafeteria, she stopped and glanced back at the corner by the window.
Xie Zhecheng had already lowered his head again and continued cutting his steak, his profile cold and hard, as if the person who had just come to her rescue was just an illusion.
But Yu Jiuyuan knew that some things had changed.
She turned around and met Rong Shenghan's gaze.
The boy had been standing there for an unknown amount of time, still holding the untouched Wellington steak in his hand. His amber eyes held no smile, only a bottomless darkness, like an ocean concealing a storm.
Upon seeing Yu Jiuyuan, he smiled again, stepped forward, and asked in a light tone, "Finished with work? Want some dessert?"
Looking at his perfect smile, Yu Jiuyuan felt a chill in her heart, but she put on an apologetic expression: "I'm sorry, Rong, I suddenly feel a little unwell and want to go back to my dorm to rest... I'll treat you to something another time?"
Her voice was a little weak, and her eyes were slightly red. She was clearly still recovering from the "fright" she had just experienced, and her reason was perfectly reasonable.
Rong Shenghan's gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds, as if judging whether it was true or false.
Finally, he nodded, his smile still bright: "Okay, go and get some rest. If you feel unwell, remember to tell me; I know a very good doctor."
"Thank you, you're so kind." Yu Jiuyuan gave him a dependent smile, and when she turned to leave, her steps were a little faster than when she came.
Watching her figure disappear at the end of the corridor, Rong Shenghan's smile vanished completely. He looked down at the steak in his hand; the crust had softened, resembling a lifeless lump of dough.
He picked up the knife and plunged it into the steak, a cold, menacing glint in his amber eyes.
Xie Zhecheng...
Yu Jiuyuan.
This game is getting more and more interesting.
As Yu Jiuyuan walked back to her dormitory, her mood was neither pleasant nor irritable, but rather one of calm as if she were in control of the situation.
Xie Zhecheng's defenses have begun to crack, and Rong Shenghan's interest is growing stronger. This game is progressing step by step, just as she had planned.
As for that so-called "favorability rating," it was merely a tool for her to achieve her goals. Love? Of course she would "love," with the most perfect demeanor and the most sincere expression, to "love" the way they wanted to see her.
After all, compared to ethereal sincerity, tangible benefits are her only pursuit.
She raised her hand and touched the gardenia hair clip in her hair. The maid had specially put it on her when she left home that morning, saying it would "attract romance."
Yu Jiuyuan smiled softly. Peach blossoms? What she wanted was never the peach blossoms, but the heavy fruit behind the peach tree.
This hunt, conducted in the name of love, has only just begun.
She originally thought that Saint Sakura Academy would be a safe haven for her to temporarily escape the pressure from her family, but she did not expect that the storms here would be bigger than she imagined.
And the strategy game she was drawn into had only just begun.
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