As he spoke, he naturally reached for the empty plate in Yu Jiuyuan's hand, his movements as practiced as if he had done it a thousand times.
Yu Jiuyuan subtly stepped aside, her innocent smile returning to her face, but with just the right amount of apology in her eyes: "I'm sorry, Rong, I suddenly remembered I have something to do, so I might... not be able to have dinner with you."
Her voice was soft, tinged with regret, like a feather gently brushing against one's heart, making it hard to refuse.
Rong Shenghan's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, a hint of surprise flashing in his amber eyes, which was then replaced by a deeper smile: "What a coincidence? Is it something important? Do you need help?"
"It's nothing major, just that the student union suddenly sent me a message asking me to pick up the club registration form."
Yu Jiuyuan lowered her head, twirling a stray hair behind her ear with her fingers, her posture obedient and innocent. "After I'm done, maybe we can still have dessert together?"
First refuse, then offer a vague "promise"—this maintains distance without completely offending the other person. This is a skill Yu Jiuyuan honed in social situations since childhood: always keeping the other person hopeful while maintaining the initiative.
Rong Shenghan looked at her lowered eyelashes and her slender, fair neck, his Adam's apple bobbing almost imperceptibly. He withdrew his hand, put it in his school uniform pocket, and smiled brightly as always: "Of course, I'll wait for you."
"Then I'll go first, thank you." Yu Jiuyuan raised her head and gave him a sweet smile, like a fruit candy with its wrapper just unwrapped. As she turned around, the hem of her skirt gently brushed against Rong Shenghan's trouser leg, leaving a faint scent of gardenias.
Watching her retreating figure, Rong Shenghan's smile slowly faded.
He raised his hand and touched the tip of his nose, where the scent of her hair still seemed to linger. A hint of amusement flashed in his amber eyes. This seemingly docile little rabbit had rather sharp claws.
Meanwhile, Yu Jiuyuan didn't go to the student council. Carrying her tray, she went straight to the corner where Xie Zhecheng was.
That spot was by the window, with excellent lighting. Outside the window were vast fields of lavender, the purple sea of flowers undulating in the wind, as beautiful as an oil painting.
Xie Zhecheng was cutting his steak with an elegant motion, as if everything around him was irrelevant.
Yu Jiuyuan sat down opposite him and gently placed her plate on the table, making a soft sound.
Xie Zhecheng glanced at her, his eyes filled with obvious doubt.
Yu Jiuyuan immediately gave a shy smile, placed her hands on her knees, and asked obediently, "Is this... empty? All the other seats are full. Can I sit here?"
She deliberately chose a "reasonable" reason, her eyes were clear, and she made a slightly hesitant request that would be hard for anyone to refuse.
Xie Zhecheng's gaze swept around, and there were still plenty of empty seats. But looking into the girl's expectant eyes, he finally gave a barely audible "hmm."
【!! He agreed! Host, you're amazing! That feint was brilliant!】007 was so excited he was almost in tears.
Yu Jiuyuan sneered inwardly, but put on a surprised expression and quickly picked up her knife and fork: "Thank you, Xie classmate. I'm not very good with a knife and fork, I always end up making a mess..."
As she spoke, she deliberately tapped her fork against the plate, making a soft "ding" sound, and her cheeks flushed slightly, as if she were genuinely embarrassed.
This is a sign of weakness. Men, especially men like Xie Zhecheng, are often more tolerant of "clumsy" women.
Xie Zhecheng paused in his steak-cutting motion, glanced at the almost untouched pasta on her plate, remained silent for a few seconds, and then said, "Hold the plate with your left hand, use the knife with your right, and apply even pressure."
His voice remained calm, but he unusually offered to "help".
Yu Jiuyuan immediately looked up, her eyes sparkling as if they held stars: "Really? Then... could you demonstrate again? I'm a little slow, I'm afraid I won't be able to learn it."
Her tone was filled with undisguised adoration, like a vine growing towards the sun, naturally leaning towards him.
Xie Zhecheng tightened his grip on the knife and fork.
He wasn't one to meddle in other people's business, nor was he good at dealing with such blatant "dependence," but looking into her clear eyes that seemed to reflect only his image, the words of refusal that were on the tip of his tongue turned into: "Watch carefully."
He picked up his knife and fork, slowing his movements, demonstrating clearly everything from the angle at which he cut the steak to the varying pressure he applied. Sunlight streamed through the glass window, illuminating his long, slender fingers and highlighting their distinct knuckles.
Yu Jiuyuan watched "seriously," nodding occasionally and exclaiming "So that's how it is" and "Amazing!" perfectly satisfying the other party's implicit sense of superiority.
Just then, several boys in basketball uniforms walked over carrying trays. The one in the lead, with blond hair, saw Xie Zhecheng and whistled, "Hey, Young Master Xie, you're not alone today? And this is... Miss Yu?"
His gaze swept over Yu Jiuyuan, his expression undisguised as he scrutinized her, his tone flippant: "I've long heard that Miss Yu's reputation is well-deserved. What? You've really taken a fancy to our Young Master Xie? Well, of course, the only one in Sheng Ying who's good enough for you is him."
The boys next to me burst into laughter, their teasing words like needles, making me uncomfortable.
Yu Jiuyuan tightened her grip on the knife and fork, but a wronged expression appeared on her face, and her eyes were slightly red, as if she had been frightened. She subconsciously looked at Xie Zhecheng, her eyes filled with dependence and pleading.
This was her second step: placing herself in a "vulnerable" position to force Xie Zhecheng to intervene. A man's protective instinct is often the breakthrough point for breaking down barriers.
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