A Secret Lunch and a Sharp Nose

During lunch break, Lin Yi had no intention of eating in the cafeteria this time. For the past few days, Chen Sishi had managed to find him with uncanny precision every single noon. This left Lin Yi somewhat unnerved, and even eating in his classroom felt unsafe. Thus, he resolved to buy his food today and seek out a secluded corner somewhere else.

Upon arriving at the cafeteria, Lin Yi coincidentally spotted a familiar face. The person was dressed in a summer school uniform, a gray skirt complemented by a pair of black stockings. Lin Yi’s gaze immediately fixated on those long, perfectly sculpted legs.

As if sensing Lin Yi’s intense stare, Xu Wei turned around, a flicker of confusion crossing her face, only to spot him in the distance. Her puzzlement vanished, replaced by an enthusiastic wave.

Seeing Xu Wei’s expectant gesture, he couldn’t very well ignore her. The moment he reached her side, Lin Yi overheard the voice of an unfamiliar girl, presumably Xu Wei’s best friend.

“Weiwei, is this your boyfriend?”

“Go on, you! Don’t talk nonsense!”

Xu Wei’s face instantly flushed crimson, causing the girls around them to exchange knowing, mischievous smiles.

“Oh, you’re shy now, huh? Alright, we won’t bother you then.”

With that, the girls accompanying Xu Wei departed, leaving her blush even more pronounced.

“What are you saying! Please don’t spread rumors!”

After a weak protest, Xu Wei turned to Lin Yi, a hint of embarrassment in her eyes.

“Um… Lin Yi, are you alright?”

“Cough, yes, I’m fine, really. I don’t pay attention to such things.”

Lin Yi awkwardly cleared his throat. He certainly had no desire to get involved in the thoughts of these young girls.

“Lin Yi, who was that girl yesterday? Are you… in a relationship?”

Xu Wei asked cautiously, and hearing the question, Lin Yi’s lips twitched. He had no time for romance these days; if he truly ended up dating Chen Sishi, he wouldn’t even know how he met his demise.

“I’m still single, so don’t jump to conclusions.”

Xu Wei gave Lin Yi a peculiar look. Ever since she’d known him, she’d noticed he always had many girls around him. For someone like him to still be single… it made a strange kind of sense.

In fact, it would be far more abnormal if Lin Yi *was* in a relationship yet maintained contact with so many other girls.

“Lin Yi, have you ever thought about dating? I could introduce you to someone.”

“Huh?”

Lin Yi was momentarily dumbfounded. Other heroines would try every trick to get closer to the male lead and start a relationship, but Xu Wei, on the other hand, wanted to set him up with someone else.

Could Xu Wei harbor some strange fetish? Something akin to a certain Prime Minister Cao’s preferences? Lin Yi immediately chastised himself for thinking too much.

In the original plot, Xu Wei appeared much later. Perhaps in this current timeline, Xu Wei hadn’t yet realized her own feelings, which was why she spoke of him as just a friend.

“What? You don’t agree?”

“No, that won’t be necessary. I don’t feel like dating right now.”

Upon hearing his answer, Xu Wei simply shrugged, unconcerned. She had only been joking with Lin Yi. If she were serious about setting him up, Xu Wei would be the first to introduce herself.

She had never dated before, not since birth, and had no idea what it felt like. Her male friends were pitifully few, and Lin Yi was one of the better ones. She wouldn’t give him up so easily.

“What are you having today?”

“Oh, I want to try something different today. I’ll probably get some dumplings or something.”

At the mention of dumplings, Lin Yi’s eyes lit up. He had been wandering the cafeteria for so long and hadn’t found a single stall selling them.

“They sell dumplings here? Where? Where?”

Watching his eager expression, Xu Wei smiled helplessly. It was the first time she’d seen Lin Yi so invested in food.

“They’re on the second floor. Come with me.”

Pushing through the bustling crowd, Xu Wei led the way. Lin Yi followed closely behind, as if terrified of losing her.

They reached an inconspicuous corner and ascended the stairs. The second floor was considerably quieter compared to the crowded ground floor. It was as if a new world had opened up for Lin Yi; perhaps he wouldn’t have to sneak outside to eat lunch today.

“This is the place, but they’re a bit expensive.”

Xu Wei led Lin Yi to a stall, where two aunties immediately rose to greet them when they saw customers approaching.

“What can I get for you two?”

“I’ll have a plate of vegetarian three-delicacy dumplings.”

Lin Yi pondered the menu for a moment.

“Auntie, I’ll have the pickled cabbage and pork dumplings.”

“Alright, please wait a moment.”

The auntie then disappeared into the back kitchen to prepare the dumplings.

Lin Yi and Xu Wei found a table and sat down to rest. After what felt like ages, two steaming plates of dumplings arrived.

Looking at the tiny dumplings, Lin Yi’s brows furrowed. Each dumpling was less than a quarter the size of his palm, and the quantity was disappointingly small. Lin Yi felt utterly swindled, and his aggrieved gaze locked onto Xu Wei.

“You’re not working for this place, are you?”

Xu Wei’s face flushed in embarrassment for a moment, then she retorted softly, “Didn’t I tell you that the second floor would be more expensive?”

While Xu Wei had indeed mentioned it, Lin Yi hadn’t anticipated the prices would be so exorbitant. This meager portion might suffice for a girl, but for a strapping young man like Lin Yi, it was barely a snack.

“Isn’t this price a little ridiculous?”

Xu Wei lowered her head, remaining silent. Lin Yi sighed inwardly. This truly was an aristocratic school; even a simple lunch was so pricey. No wonder the second floor was deserted.

“How about I treat you to this meal…”

After a moment of silence, Xu Wei finally voiced her suggestion. Lin Yi, however, shook his head. He had chosen to come here himself, so it had nothing to do with Xu Wei.

“Never mind, consider it a new experience.”

Since Lin Yi had said so, Xu Wei couldn’t insist further and simply nodded in agreement.

Taking a dumpling in one bite, Lin Yi couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about the taste. The ingredients were the same, but the flavor wasn’t familiar. He frowned and took another bite. Still, it wasn’t quite right.

Well, given they were from two different worlds, slight variations in taste preferences were to be expected. Though this meal was a financial loss, at least Lin Yi enjoyed it in peace, undisturbed by Chen Sishi.

After bidding farewell to Xu Wei, Lin Yi headed to the convenience store to buy a few sausages, eating them as he walked. The small size of the dumplings wasn’t his main concern, but the fact that they weren’t even enough to fill his stomach made him want to go back and argue with the vendor.

Alas, next time, he would just buy his meal downstairs and bring it up to eat.

Back in the classroom, Lin Yi didn’t spot Chen Sishi. She was probably still searching for him in the cafeteria. Lin Yi didn’t give it much thought, resting his head on his desk, ready for his afternoon nap.

Suddenly, a voice echoed beside him.

“Lin Yi, where did you run off to at noon? And I detect the scent of an unfamiliar woman.”

The cold words pierced Lin Yi, and he involuntarily shivered, quickly lifting his head to meet Chen Sishi’s gaze.

“Hmm? I ate in the cafeteria at noon, didn’t I?”

Chen Sishi’s cerulean eyes narrowed into slits, as if searching for a flaw in Lin Yi’s story. However, after a long moment, she found nothing amiss in his words.

“Alright, then did you eat alone today?”

“Yes… yes, I did.”

Unconsciously swallowing, Lin Yi felt nervous cold sweat begin to prickle. Chen Sishi’s delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly as she leaned in to sniff Lin Yi’s scent once more.

There was an unfamiliar trace, very faint, indicating minimal contact. Only after confirming this did Chen Sishi return to her seat.

Lin Yi finally exhaled a long breath. He brought his nose close to his clothes. There was no strange smell. Could Chen Sishi’s sense of smell be more acute than a normal person’s?