A Bento of Gratitude

“Wow, Xiao Xi, your bento looks delicious.”

Xiao Xi opened her bento box. The food inside was neatly layered, exquisitely made, and gave off an enticing aroma. Xiao Lu’s eyes lit up as she stared at Xiao Xi’s bento, swallowing her saliva.

“It’s nothing special. Senior Xiao Lu, why don’t you try some?”

Ai Xi’s face flushed slightly. She shyly pushed the bento toward Xiao Lu.

“Really? Then I’ll help myself… Mmm, so delicious!”

Xiao Lu unceremoniously picked up a bite and ate it. After finishing, she praised Xiao Xi endlessly.

“Hehe, thank you, Senior Xiao Lu.”

Xiao Xi also took a small bite and ate, clearly confident in her cooking.

I looked at Xiao Xi’s exquisite bento and swallowed. Hers must taste great too. I never expected that among us, my meal was the worst. It wasn’t that it tasted bad, but cold food just lacked something.

“Um, Senior, would you like to try some?”

Xiao Xi picked up a bite and brought it to her mouth. Then, as if noticing me secretly eyeing her bento, she pushed it towards me.

“That wouldn’t be appropriate.”

I scratched my head awkwardly. After all, Xiao Xi and I hadn’t known each other long. Eating a girl’s bento without permission was somewhat rude.

“What’s wrong with it? Senior Xiao Lu already tried it. If you don’t, are you implying you dislike my cooking?”

Xiao Xi glanced at my bento and pouted.

(I had already given up on trying her bento, but I didn’t expect her to say that. If I refused, wouldn’t that make Ling Yan and Xiao Lu unhappy? After all, it would mean I was rejecting the bento that Xiao Lu had praised.)

“Of course not. Then I’ll have some.”

I glanced at Xiao Lu and Ling Yan. They were both quietly eating, occasionally glancing our way with no sign of concern. Relieved, I carefully picked up a small bite and brought it to my mouth.

Perhaps because I’d been eating cold leftovers, the moment I chewed, I felt as if I were in paradise.

“This is amazing! Junior Xiao Xi, you’re incredible.”

I gave Xiao Xi a thumbs up. She giggled happily.

“It’s not as amazing as you say, Senior.”

Xiao Xi bit her chopsticks, her face flushing.

“If you want more, you can have some.”

Xiao Xi didn’t take her bento back, but continued to offer.

“That wouldn’t be right. If I eat more, you won’t have enough.”

I looked at the small bento box before me and shook my head. I didn’t know how much she usually ate, but with her petite figure and the small box, it seemed just enough for her.

“Alright.”

Xiao Xi disappointedly pulled her bento back. Then, as if struck by an idea, she looked at me excitedly, her big eyes sparkling.

“How about I make bento for Senior every day? I cook breakfast every morning anyway, so I’ll just make an extra portion. Besides, I said I wanted to thank you, so consider this my gratitude.”

Xiao Xi nodded firmly as she spoke. Her twin ponytails bounced with the movement, looking extremely cute.

But she seemed to have already decided. It made me both amused and exasperated—I hadn’t even said a word.

“I…”

I was about to refuse, but a cold voice cut me off.

“No!”

It was Xiao Lu, head lowered, shouting.

I froze, then broke out in a cold sweat. Xiao Lu’s reaction was too intense.

“Xiao Xi, don’t be so nice to Chenzi. He already has a girlfriend, you know.”

Xiao Lu lifted her head, revealing a gentle smile as she spoke softly to Xiao Xi.

But I only felt a chill run down my spine.

“Um, Senior Xiao Lu is right.”

Xiao Xi gave a stiff smile, shrinking her neck. She stopped talking to me and obediently started eating her bento.

For a moment, the whole space felt oppressively heavy. I sighed. I hadn’t expected Xiao Xi to have captivated Xiao Lu this much.

It seemed I needed to keep my distance from Xiao Xi. Thinking it over, she had been a bit too close to me. I couldn’t handle that. Probably it was because I’d helped her a few times. But anyone would have done the same; it was nothing. I would have to explain it to her properly later.

Afterwards, the mood wasn’t pleasant. Xiao Lu calmed down a bit and tried to lighten the atmosphere by finding topics, but in the end, Xiao Xi still said goodbye timidly.

It seemed she wouldn’t come again. That was for the best—it would spare me from Xiao Lu’s jealousy and anger.

“Zhou Chen.”

I moved my table back and sat down. Ling Yan’s cool voice came from beside me.

“What’s the matter?”

Ling Yan hadn’t spoken during the meal. Her calling me now could only be about Xiao Xi.

“…I never noticed before. Your bento… should I make one for you from now on?”

Ling Yan sat upright, not looking my way. She wrapped her bento in a light blue cloth, tying it into a beautiful bow.

What did Ling Yan just say? Were my ears playing tricks on me? Was I hallucinating?

“Um, Ling Yan, what did you say? I didn’t catch it.”

I hesitated, suppressing the flutter in my heart. (I must have misheard. There’s no way Ling Yan would say something like that.)

“Mm, I said, should I make you a bento from now on?”

Ling Yan put her packed bento into the drawer and turned to look at me.

Even though Ling Yan spoke softly, her words seemed to boom in my ears, making my mind go blank.

(I absolutely wanted Ling Yan’s homemade bento. But she probably didn’t understand what it meant for a girl to make bento for a boy. I couldn’t accept it against my conscience.)

“Don’t bother.”

I repressed the urge to agree and shook my head.

“But, Zhou Chen, your bento looks a bit…”

Ling Yan furrowed her beautiful brows, puzzled by my refusal. She didn’t finish her sentence, probably out of consideration for my feelings.

“It’s fine. I like it this way.”

I didn’t dare meet Ling Yan’s eyes, afraid she’d see through me.

“Mm, I understand.”

Fortunately, Ling Yan just nodded and didn’t press further.

“Also, Zhou Chen…”

Just as I breathed a sigh of relief, Ling Yan seemed to think of something. She smoothed her bangs with one hand and fixed her dark eyes on me.

“When Xiao Xi offered to make you bento earlier, did you want it or not?”