Chapter 18: An Unexpected Encounter in the Cafeteria

In the Yunqi cafeteria at three in the afternoon, the number of people was surprisingly low as it wasn’t mealtime. During this period, the cafeteria staff would usually take a short break. The students eating there were not as noisy or chaotic as they were during the peak lunch hour. In a way, this was an unofficial rule at Yunqi Academy.

Today, however, the tranquil atmosphere of the cafeteria was disrupted by the arrival of a hormone-packed beautiful girl. The girl was none other than Huangpu Pingqing, who had just confirmed a strategy with Ye Yu via message.

At this moment, she sat opposite Ye Yu, her gaze fixed on the food in front of her, lost in thought. As one of the school beauties chosen from nearly ten thousand students at Yunqi Academy, Huangpu Pingqing’s charm was undeniable.

However, due to her misandry, she had never accepted a boy’s invitation, had never had a boyfriend, and until today, she had not even experienced her first kiss. While she disliked boys, as a girl, especially one in the bloom of youth, Huangpu Pingqing naturally had a girlish heart.

Thinking about how it had been eight or nine years since she last had a meal with a boy, Huangpu Pingqing, despite knowing Ye Yu was her friend’s husband, found herself fantasizing and hoping that something out of a TV drama might happen. In her imagination, Ye Yu, as a neighborly younger brother, might order a few sweet dishes that girls love, even if the cafeteria’s options were limited.

But upon arriving at the cafeteria, seeing the three dishes in front of her, the leftover specials from lunch, Huangpu Pingqing fell silent.

As Ye Yu noticed Huangpu Pingqing’s shock and her reluctance to eat, he put down his chopsticks and spoke. ‘Pingqing, you should eat too. I ordered three dishes, so there should be enough for both of us!’

Unlike Huangpu Pingqing, who was lost in her thoughts, Ye Yu genuinely didn’t think much about it. Unlike other boys who pursued girls, Ye Yu had been influenced by Tang Yue, who had a big sister personality from a young age, and was a blood maid who only fed on his blood. Thus, the idea of eating with a girl was a blind spot for Ye Yu; he simply couldn’t grasp the concept, let alone order the right dishes.

After a brief pause, Huangpu Pingqing lifted her head from the three special dishes and looked at Ye Yu, ready to discuss the main issue at hand. As she did, her amber eyes, which had dimmed with the shattering of her fantasy, suddenly sparkled again.

Perhaps because she hadn’t eaten in the past two days, Ye Yu had eaten hurriedly. His jade-white, moist cheeks were now stained with a pink tomato egg soup. Due to his slightly sharp canine tooth on the right, Ye Yu usually chewed on the left side. This habit made his left cheek puffy, and combined with his bewildered eyes and the pink sauce on his face, he looked like a little hamster caught stealing food.

Seeing this, Huangpu Pingqing felt her mood improve. Ye Yu’s expression was too adorable, and he lacked the powerful aura that usually surrounded him. Amidst her joy, Huangpu Pingqing instinctively reached into her chest pocket, taking out a handkerchief and gently wiping his face.

With this small gesture, the boys in the Yunqi cafeteria, who had been quietly observing the table, clenched their teeth. Damn, they had chosen this time to eat for some peace and quiet. Why did this couple without boundaries have to showcase their affection?

Just as everyone was inwardly sighing, Ye Yu’s next words caused their hearts to race. ‘Pingqing, don’t do that. If my wife sees, it won’t be good!’

Seeing her hand, which held the handkerchief, being pushed away by Ye Yu with a hint of disgust, and hearing him address her as ‘Pingqing’ with exaggerated politeness, Huangpu Pingqing, who had a rebellious streak, lightly furrowed her elegant brows. Why was Ye Yu treating her like a natural disaster? He had deleted her resources on his own, and this morning, despite her own involvement, he had essentially kissed her, clearly putting her at a disadvantage!

Thinking this, Huangpu Pingqing’s chest rose and fell slightly. ‘Don’t want me to wipe it? I’ll do it anyway! Wipe!’

After a moment of inner turmoil, Huangpu Pingqing continued the face-wiping action she had started. Seeing Ye Yu’s shocked expression, with his eyes widened and rounded, the look on his face was like that of a girl being molested. In that moment, Huangpu Pingqing felt a small sense of satisfaction.

After wiping Ye Yu’s jade-white face clean, Huangpu Pingqing, who had been observing him, discovered something surprising. Ye Yu only had a faint, soft mustache. After hanging up with her friend Tang Yue earlier that day, Huangpu Pingqing had pondered not only the implications of her friend’s words but also why her misandry didn’t affect Ye Yu. After some thought and considering Ye Yu’s soft body, Huangpu Pingqing had a bold hypothesis: perhaps Ye Yu, this neighborly younger brother, wasn’t a ‘real’ man.

And now, seeing the faint, soft mustache at the corner of his mouth, which was even lighter than some girls with heavy body hair, Huangpu Pingqing felt even more certain of her guess. To confirm her hypothesis, Huangpu Pingqing, who was naturally curious, looked towards the center of Ye Yu’s white sweater after a moment of consideration.

Feeling Huangpu Pingqing’s unusual gaze on his chest, Ye Yu, who was used to boys looking at him in various ways, was still experiencing this direct, girlish scrutiny for the first time. How should he describe the feeling? It wasn’t pleasant; it was more embarrassing. Ye Yu quickly picked up his rice bowl, blocking some of Huangpu Pingqing’s view, and then subconsciously shrugged his shoulders. After swallowing a mouthful of rice, he spoke softly to avoid disturbing others. ‘Pingqing, why are you looking at me like that? Aren’t you going to eat?’

Ye Yu’s voice carried a hint of displeasure, and his body language showed defensiveness. If it were yesterday, before she had dressed in female attire, Huangpu Pingqing would have stopped. But now, seeing the sweater that could almost pass for a dress, and Ye Yu’s upper body completely wrapped in it, with even half of his sleeve covering his small hand, Huangpu Pingqing, with her slightly sly nature, saw this as a frightened rabbit. Remembering the incident at the library earlier, she thought for a moment, and with a slight curve to her lips, she teased. ‘Don’t call me Pingqing. I just talked to Tang Yue, and she agreed that I could be your little wife, you know, little husband!’

Huangpu Pingqing’s voice, unlike Tang Yue’s mature tone, was more of a soft, sweet girlish sound. It was naturally pleasant to listen to, and now, with a playful tone, her voice was even more electrifying, like a gentle current. Usually, Ye Yu enjoyed listening to Huangpu Pingqing’s voice. But now, he found no pleasure in it. The reason was simple: behind Huangpu Pingqing, a familiar figure had appeared.

It was a figure Ye Yu knew all too well. Huangpu Pingqing, who had been waiting to see Ye Yu’s panicked expression, waited for two seconds, but the expected reaction didn’t come. Instead, she saw Ye Yu drop his chopsticks, his lips slightly parted, as if time had stopped, staring at something behind her. Seeing this, and smelling the familiar scent behind her, Huangpu Pingqing’s hand still holding the handkerchief, suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. Oh no, I think I’ve played too far!