A Strategic Dinner and Lingering Questions

Xi Ruo still remembered Madam Xi’s earnest advice just before she left for university.

Madam Xi had held her hand, repeatedly urging, “Your sister absolutely loves to eat now.

You should cater to her preferences.”

“Since she’s at school, she’ll be eating at the cafeteria every day, and the food there surely won’t be good.”

“If you bring her some delicious treats from time to time, she’ll definitely be delighted.”

Despite the advice, Xi Ruo, being a university student, knew that carrying a lunchbox to a high school girls’ dormitory would undoubtedly draw a crowd of curious JK (TL Note: A Japanese term, ‘joshi kōsei,’ referring to high school girls, often associated with their uniforms and fashion) onlookers.

Moreover, it would undeniably make her look like a delivery person.

Thus, she decided to forge her own path, opting instead to take Xi Yao out to a restaurant.

“This is a restaurant exclusively for the university division,” Xi Ruo explained.

“You need a student ID to book a private room, so high schoolers can’t just wander in.”

Xi Ruo sat upright on the plush chair, still in her previous outfit, having only added a light-colored jacket.

Her single ponytail remained in place, and her athletic wear made her appear exceptionally vibrant, her figure so striking it was almost alluring.

“You high schoolers don’t get to savor the special dishes from these private kitchens, so seize this rare opportunity to…”

“Don’t get distracted,” Xi Ruo gently tapped Xi Yao’s small hand.

“Look at the menu, not at me.”

Despite her words, she subtly straightened her back, deliberately showcasing the graceful yet dynamic curves of her body.

“I… I wasn’t looking,” Xi Yao’s small face flushed.

“I was just a little curious.”

‘How could such a beautiful girl with such a perfect figure harbor such terrifying strength within her delicate frame?’ she wondered.

‘When they said you’d go all out, you truly did.’

Xi Ruo felt a strange surge of happiness, asking with a smug air, “So, has your curiosity been satisfied? What do you think? How do I compare to your roommate?”

‘Uh, that’s quite the question.’

“Sister Xi Ruo possesses a more mature charm,” Xi Yao replied.

‘After all, she’s several years older, so her ‘figure’ should naturally be more developed.’

Xi Ruo let out a soft huff. “Then why were you whispering secrets with her, instead of watching me… watching me play the game?”

‘At that time, you were too far away, I couldn’t even see clearly,’ Xi Yao thought to herself.

‘If you were as close as you are now, so clear and fair-skinned, then of course I would have watched.’

‘I would have stared.’

After ordering several dishes that looked incredibly appetizing, Xi Yao put down the menu.

Remembering what her roommate had said earlier, she inquired, “Sister Xi Ruo, everyone says you rarely participate in these kinds of competitions.

Why did you join today?”

Xi Ruo cast a faint glance at her. “What do you think?”

‘Isn’t it obvious?’ Xi Ruo mused.

‘You’re asking me? Trying to act innocent again, are we?’

Seeing her expression, Xi Yao understood, rubbing her small hands together sheepishly.

‘It truly was for the sake of treating her beloved big-chested sister to a meal that Xi Ruo, the most popular goddess of Wenlu Academy, participated in the basketball game.’

“What about the student council election?” she asked.

Xi Ruo raised an eyebrow. “What does that have to do with me? I have no intention of running for student council.”

“Sister Xi Ruo isn’t running?” Xi Yao blinked innocently.

“But I heard the student council holds a lot of power…”

“The student council’s power is indeed considerable,” Xi Ruo stated calmly, folding her arms.

“They manage clubs, organize events, approve applications—they can oversee almost anything related to students.”

“However, it’s not as useful as you might imagine.”

Xi Yao paused, slightly bewildered. “Why?”

‘From what you’ve said, it sounds quite useful.’

“For university students, these powers are actually irrelevant,” Xi Ruo explained.

“A university student’s campus life merely means their physical presence on campus.”

“For the high school division, however, the student council is indeed more useful.”

“For instance, if an activity you don’t wish to attend is organized, a university student can simply choose not to go.”

“You could stay in your dorm, explore the campus scenery, or even leave school to do whatever you please.”

“But if you’re a high school student, you would be confined to your classroom for self-study.”

“Simply put, university students are free; high school students are not.”

“It’s the same in other aspects; anything concerning campus life holds vastly different levels of importance for high schoolers versus university students.”

Xi Yao finally understood. “No wonder the high school student council elections don’t start for another month, while the university division finished theirs these past few days.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Xi Ruo gripped her spoon, swirling the tremella soup in her cup. “Furthermore, if the student council wants to implement any new rules, both the university and high school student councils need to agree, which makes it utterly pointless.”

This created an awkward situation: for the university student council, if they wanted to achieve anything significant, not only would the students be too lazy to care, but they would also be constrained by the high school student council.

Therefore, Xi Ruo had never even considered running for student council; since that senior from the Yun family wanted the position, she might as well let them have it.

“I see.”

Xi Yao fully understood now.

‘Well, Jiang Li’s analysis wasn’t wrong, but she suffered from a lack of experience—after all, she hadn’t attended university yet.’

The dishes arrived at the table, steaming hot.

Xi Yao wasted no time on further small talk, grabbing her chopsticks and beginning to eat.

‘Om nom nom.’

Xi Yao was incredibly focused while eating, so much so that Xi Ruo couldn’t find a moment to interject.

Seeing that it was getting late, several friends had been trying to contact her.

They had initially been in high spirits, ready to return for a celebratory banquet, only to turn around and discover their team’s absolute core member had vanished.

Half an hour later, Xi Yao set down her utensils, contentedly patting her stomach. “I’m full.”

“Was it delicious?” Xi Ruo sipped her tea.

She herself hadn’t eaten much, knowing that she would have to attend her friends’ victory banquet later and would inevitably have to eat a few bites there.

“Delicious,” Xi Yao declared, leaning back in her chair.

“The taste was truly wonderful.”

‘The private kitchen’s food really is different from the cafeteria’s mass-produced dishes.’

“Then don’t you forget,” Xi Ruo told her, “I’ll come find you this weekend, so don’t tell me you’re busy.”

‘You ate my meal today, so in a few days, you’ll have to give me a little something in return, right?’

Xi Yao hummed in acknowledgment. “Got it.”

‘I was going to spend time with Sister Xi Ruo this weekend anyway, so getting a free meal today is quite nice.’

‘As long as that secret isn’t discovered.’

“Alright, you should head back now,” Xi Ruo said as she led Xi Yao out of the restaurant, speaking before they parted ways.

“Goodnight.”

‘Goodnight,’ she thought, implying ‘go back and get some good sleep, don’t go doing anything strange like opening prizes.’

“Mm-hmm, goodnight.”

The gymnasium was roughly equidistant from both the university and high school divisions.

With the sky not yet completely dark, walking back to the dorms served as a pleasant way to aid digestion.

Both young women were in excellent spirits.

For Xi Ruo, although there had been a minor setback during the match, the outcome was positive, and her predetermined goal had been achieved.

The only thing she needed to pay attention to was that girl next to Xi Yao; she was quite pretty, and apparently, she was also her roommate.

‘Wouldn’t that mean they could spend every day together?’ she mused.

‘Emmmmm, it shouldn’t be too big of a problem; after all, not every girl is a lesbian.’

The “Goddess Xi Ruo’s” footsteps became noticeably lighter.

On the other side, Xi Yao wasn’t thinking as much; only one question occupied her mind.

‘Who exactly is Sister Wan?’