Before reaching the canteen, the two girls ran into Zeng Yan, who had clearly been called over by Li Tang. Compared to yesterday, the small canteen was much more crowded, but it didn’t bother them much. Since the canteen offered a takeout service, many people chose to bring their meals back to their dorms. Furthermore, during this “special period,” the school encouraged students to pack their food to go, so there was no need to worry about finding a seat.
Upon entering, Lin Xinyuan’s eyes immediately locked onto a tall, upright figure in the distance. Her heart leaped with joy, and she was about to walk over—until she noticed a girl standing next to him. Her little face instantly fell.
Though the girl wore a mask, her fashionable attire and silhouette suggested she was quite pretty. She was currently speaking to Qin Nanfeng, appearing quite “sincere and affectionate.” Meanwhile, in the seating area, some students were happily enjoying the drama along with their lunch.
Qin Nanfeng, maintaining the attitude of someone listening to a joke, passed the time by treating the girl’s flirting as entertainment. However, his peripheral vision remained fixed on the glass doors. The moment he spotted Xinyuan’s group, he waved them over.
After the greeting, Qin Nanfeng turned back to the persistent girl. His eyes held a smile that seemed polite, but his words were utterly ruthless: “Sorry, my girlfriend is here. Could you please get lost?”
“Uh…”
The girl froze, and once the weight of his words sank in, she was fuming. Her body trembled slightly, but in public, she didn’t dare lose her temper as she might behind closed doors. Doing so would ruin her image. Besides… she didn’t actually have the courage to get angry at him.
She had run into Qin Nanfeng by chance and had been thrilled to strike up a conversation, hoping to at least get his WeChat. She had heard he never rejected anyone, and since she was confident in her looks, she figured others had only failed because they lacked skill.
He was tall, handsome, and rich—being with him would bring so much prestige! And if things went well, she might even become the Young Mistress of the Qin family, living a life of luxury in high society…
Her fantasies were cut short by the harsh reality. Being shut down so immediately left her feeling humiliated and unwilling. Seeing Qin Nanfeng literally shooing her away, she gritted her teeth and gave a stiff, polite nod. “Then… I’ll see you next time, Junior Qin…”
She prepared to leave. She had planned to snag a free meal from him, but now she had no face left to stay. As she moved, her eyes involuntarily followed his gaze to the three newcomers, landing specifically on the slender, graceful girl.
Seeing Lin Xinyuan, the girl’s eyes widened. she could sense that this “girlfriend” was exceptionally beautiful, but she quickly followed that thought with a cold sneer.
Hmph… girlfriend… what a joke! Who at North Sky University doesn’t know that “Saint of Love” Qin Nanfeng changes girlfriends like clothes? No matter how pretty she is, she’s destined to be dumped in two weeks. Just another loser…
Despite her internal jeering, jealousy nearly overflowed from her heart. Catching Qin Nanfeng’s mocking gaze, she could only turn around and walk away in awkward disappointment, her back radiating resentment.
On the other side, Li Tang noticed Xinyuan’s expression was off and decided to make an exit. Honestly, these things were best handled by the couple themselves; outsiders were just a distraction.
“Cough… Brother Yan, I suddenly have a craving for lamb noodles. Come with me!” Li Tang said, giving Zeng Yan a pointed look.
Zeng Yan took the hint immediately. “Mhm, I haven’t had them in a while either. Let’s go.”
“Haha, A-Yuan, you coming?” Li Tang asked playfully, though internally she was annoyed by Qin Nanfeng’s tendency to attract “bees and butterflies.” As an outsider, she knew she shouldn’t meddle.
Lin Xinyuan understood Li Tang was giving her an “out.” She smiled, acting as if nothing was wrong. “Okay… you guys go ahead… I’ll… eat here…”
Watching them walk away, she took a deep breath and slowly approached the guy. She wasn’t actually angry at Qin Nanfeng—she trusted him, she always had. But seeing another girl standing by him had sent a jolt of panic and sourness through her heart.
She was unhappy. She… seemed to be jealous.
Under his gaze, she stepped closer until she was right beside him. She stared at him with her bright, almond-shaped eyes but didn’t speak.
“I don’t know her,” Qin Nanfeng explained decisively, his gaze tender and serious.
Lin Xinyuan simply blinked and lowered her head. “Oh…” Then, she reached out her fair, small hand and waved it in front of him.
Qin Nanfeng understood perfectly. With a smile in his eyes, he didn’t hesitate to reach out and firmly grasp her soft hand. Xinyuan’s body trembled slightly. She knew many people were watching them.
But so what?
She began leading him toward a window serving made-to-order specialties, joining the back of the queue. She shrunk close to his side in silence, her message clear: she wanted to eat here, he was to order, and she would only focus on eating.
Looking at her small head, Qin Nanfeng shook his head in a mix of helplessness and amusement. It seemed this girl was testing him; if the dishes he ordered didn’t suit her, she’d likely make a fuss. But even that was quite cute.
He ordered Spicy Chicken and stir-fried Water Spinach. Both were made-to-order and both were spicy. He knew she loved spicy food. Contrary to the stereotype of her hometown, her palate wasn’t light; she loved heavy flavors. The only problem was her weak stomach—spicy food usually meant multiple trips to the restroom later. Plus, her period was due soon, so she really shouldn’t be eating this.
But Qin Nanfeng ordered it anyway. If he didn’t, she’d probably be secretly cursing him in her head.
While they waited for their number, Lin Xinyuan never let go of his hand. She held on tight, as if afraid another girl would jump out and talk to him. Even with passersby staring, she persisted, refusing to let go despite the embarrassment.
Brother Feng is mine! How dare those people… how could they!
She bit her lip, staring intensely at the large hand holding hers. Seeing his little girlfriend acting so protective and “territorial,” Qin Nanfeng’s smile deepened. He was privately delighted that she hadn’t let go out of shyness like she usually did.
Xiao Yuan… you’ve grown some backbone… this is good.
“Number 25! Please come pick up your meal!” the canteen auntie called out.
Qin Nanfeng squeezed her hand and teased, “I’m going to get the food. Let go for a second, Xiao Yuan. You’ll have plenty of time to touch me tonight… heh…”
His low chuckle made her ears turn bright red. Embarrassed yet reluctant, she let go. But as he stood up, she gritted her teeth and stood up too, stammering, “I… I’ll help too…”
It was just one tray; he could have handled it alone. She just wanted to share the burden… it wasn’t because she wanted to stick to him like glue. Qin Nanfeng looked at her awkward, head-down expression and chuckled again. “Alright.”
They found a quiet corner table and took off their masks to eat. The sight of the spicy food made Xinyuan’s mouth water. She tucked into the Spicy Chicken with gusto, as if venting her frustrations through her food. To an observer, she looked both adorable and a bit childish as she tried to turn her “sorrow” into appetite.
Qin Nanfeng watched her while he ate, his own appetite improving as he saw her enjoying herself. The noise of the canteen seemed to fade away.
However, in that peaceful moment, a voice abruptly broke the silence—
“Eh? President Qin? And… Ol… Xinyuan?”