Chapter 10
“It’s been a while since I arrived. I didn’t want to interrupt your interview, so I didn’t come over.”
That crisp male voice came from behind her.
A sudden buzz echoed in Zhong Yin’s mind, her thoughts stalling like a jammed gear.
After a long moment of dazed silence, she sluggishly turned to look at the visitor’s handsome face. Only then did she recall to answer, “It’s fine. It’s already over.”
Lin Yinian nodded. “Then I’ll just take a seat.”
He stepped past Zhong Yin and sat in the empty spot next to Yi Chen, then went to the window to order food.
“Yinyin, let’s go,” Zhu Zhe, clearly annoyed with Yi Chen, said angrily, “Let’s switch tables.”
Yi Chen glanced at him and scoffed without expression.
Zhu Zhe glared back defiantly.
Originally, Zhong Yin intended to leave, but now… she wasn’t so sure.
She hesitated, standing still for a few seconds.
Yi Chen snapped irritably, “Weren’t you leaving?”
Endure.
She endured.
A few seconds later,
Zhong Yin managed a faint smile and softly called, “Yi Chen.”
Yi Chen was ungrateful. “If you have something to say, just say it.”
Zhong Yin slowly brought the microphone back to Yi Chen’s mouth. “Didn’t you just say to record one more time?”
Yi Chen fell silent.
Not giving him a chance to refuse, Zhong Yin signaled Zhu Zhe with a gesture: “Start.”
Before they began this time, Zhong Yin reminded, “Speak properly.”
Yi Chen glanced at her and said patiently, “Got it.”
Zhong Yin stared at him. “Manage your expressions, too.”
Yi Chen forced a one-pixel smile.
When Lin Yinian returned with the food, he noticed Yi Chen was recording the interview again. At first, he paid little attention until the rebellious roommate beside him, with a straight face, said something he would never normally say in his life:
“I like every dish in the cafeteria.”
“Every meal, including today’s lunch, was enjoyed happily and satisfyingly.”
“The cafeteria is clean, bright, delicious, and affordable, making me feel the warmth of home away from home. It’s the home for every student at S University. I hope the cafeteria keeps getting better.”
Yi Chen’s tone was as mechanical and flat as a robot’s, with a morbid kind of beauty.
Zhong Yin bit her lip to hold back laughter.
She glanced secretly at Lin Yinian and saw that not only he, but Cheng Song, too, had faces flushed purple, almost about to burst from suppressing their laughter.
“All done, wrap it up,” Zhong Yin finally signaled Zhu Zhe to turn off the camera.
At the same moment, the fake smile on Yi Chen’s face vanished, replaced by his usual indifferent expression. His voice turned rigid: “Satisfied?”
Zhong Yin gave a thumbs-up. “Much better this time.”
He cursed her: “Hypocrite.”
Looking at Yi Chen again, Zhong Yin no longer felt angry and said lightly, “Thanks.”
Yi Chen buried his head in his food.
Opposite them, Cheng An was already laughing so hard he was pounding the table.
Lin Yinian looked at her kindly. “Zhong Yin, hello, I’m Lin Yinian. Do you remember me?”
Suddenly addressed by Lin Yinian, Zhong Yin’s heart skipped a beat. Her mind bubbled like sparkling lemonade, fizzing uncontrollably.
“Of course…” Before she could finish, Yi Chen scoffed softly, drowning her out, “You’re a big shot in RMB, no one can forget you.”
“...” Did you just answer when no one asked you?
Lin Yinian didn’t get angry and timely rescued the situation: “It’s okay if you don’t remember. We can get to know each other again.”
Zhong Yin composed herself. “Hello, I’m Zhong Yin.”
“And me! We met before, under Building 39. I’m Cheng An. Nice to meet you.”
Song Xu added slowly, “I’m Song Xu.”
Zhong Yin’s heart fluttered, though her face remained calm as she greeted them politely one by one.
“Have you eaten?” Cheng An asked her attentively.
Zhong Yin shook her head. “Not yet.”
“Xu and I just finished. The cafeteria is too crowded, and there’s nowhere else to sit. Why don’t you sit here with that guy behind and eat together?”
Good heavens.
Zhong Yin looked at him gratefully.
What kind of ideal roommate is Cheng An? Why didn’t she meet him sooner?
She sincerely said, “Thank you both.”
Cheng An and Song Xu stood up, quickly clearing the table. “Please, sit down.”
“Yinyin…” At that moment, Zhu Zhe called her from behind.
“What’s up?”
“I want to pack my food to go,” he whispered.
Understanding that he was having another social anxiety moment, Zhong Yin nodded empathetically. “Then you go back. Just send the footage to post-production. Thanks for your hard work.”
Zhu Zhe nodded and ran off like he’d been freed.
They left, and now only—
Zhong Yin quietly glanced at Yi Chen, who was picking at the mushrooms on his plate but hadn’t eaten a bite.
He looked like he had finished eating—so why wasn’t he leaving?
Lin Yinian delicately wiped the table with a napkin for her. “Go order your food. We’ll save your seat.”
Zhong Yin felt touched. “Thank you.”
As she took her meal card from her bag, Yi Chen suddenly dropped his chopsticks.
Her eyes brightened. “You’re done eating?”
Yi Chen lazily said, “Bring me a portion too.”
A cold shower of reality hit. Zhong Yin twitched at the corner of her mouth. “Didn’t you order food already?”
Yi Chen barely touched his meal, pushing the mushrooms aside. “I don’t eat mushrooms.”
You ordered it but won’t eat it?
Reluctantly, Zhong Yin asked, “What do you want to eat then?”
“What do you want?”
“Dumplings,” she answered casually.
Yi Chen grudgingly agreed, “Fine, I’ll have that too.”
Zhong Yin said, “I can’t carry two portions alone.”
“Forget it.” Yi Chen suddenly stood up.
Zhong Yin’s eyes lit up. “You’re going? Then bring mine too.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Yi Chen scoffed. “Everyone orders their own.”
Zhong Yin: “...”
Lin Yinian smiled at Zhong Yin. “That’s just his temper. Don’t mind it.”
Zhong Yin waved her hand. “I’m not taking it personally.”
“Are you coming or not?” Yi Chen asked impatiently, turning his head.
Zhong Yin slowly moved. “I’m coming.”
Absentmindedly following Yi Chen, her mind was still in a daze—was she really about to share a table with Lin Yinian?
The next moment, Zhong Yin caught sight of Yi Chen ahead.
Almost forgot, there was also a 20 million-watt spotlight.
Sigh.
Zhong Yin never expected that when she returned carrying her tray, Lin Yinian was the one leaving.
He had finished eating, head bowed over his phone, and upon seeing them said apologetically, “The professor needs me for something. I might have to leave early. You all enjoy your meal.”
Yi Chen responded with an indifferent “Hmm,” while Zhong Yin was stunned for a long time before softly saying, “Oh.”
Before leaving, Lin Yinian politely waved to Zhong Yin. “See you next time.”
“Okay.” Zhong Yin lowered her head, stirring the dumplings in her bowl.
After Lin Yinian left, the table was suddenly left with just her and Yi Chen.
Before she could feel lonely, a snort of laughter came from across the table.
Zhong Yin looked over in confusion.
Yi Chen looked at her without expression, tugging his lips into a smirk. “See you next time? Where?”
Zhong Yin was caught off guard and honestly replied, “That depends on you.”
Without Yi Chen, she might not even have the chance to meet Lin Yinian again.
“You…” Yi Chen was speechless for a moment, then asked, “What if I refuse?”
Zhong Yin took a sip of soup and absentmindedly said, “Why would you refuse me?”
“Why do refusals need a reason?”
Lowering her eyes, Zhong Yin said, “Then I guess I’ll have to ask Aunt Gu what I should do.”
Yi Chen: “...Are you using my mom to pressure me?”
If Zhong Yin had hesitations before, after meeting Lin Yinian today, she was certain she wanted to hold onto Yi Chen’s support.
“Well, not exactly,” Zhong Yin propped her chin up, a subtle upward curve at the corners of her eyes as she met his gaze. “I thought we were friends. Friends don’t refuse each other, do they?”
One second, two seconds.
A tingling electric sensation ran down her spine again.
Yi Chen abruptly looked away, quickly finishing his food in a few bites.
“Your friends are easy to be,” he said indifferently after a moment, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “I’m done eating. I’m leaving.”
That wouldn’t do; she hadn’t finished speaking.
Zhong Yin grabbed his sleeve. “I’m not done yet.”
Yi Chen’s gaze landed on her hand holding his sleeve, then looked at her. From his eyes, she read a teasing thought: “Are you a baby? Can’t you eat on your own?”
Zhong Yin withdrew her hand and found an excuse. “I don’t like eating alone.”
Seconds passed, feeling like an century.
Yi Chen sat down again.
He froze there, his expression somewhat empty.
After a few seconds, he muttered a curse under his breath.
Was he under some kind of curse?
Zhong Yin didn’t pay attention to his expressions and brought up her earlier plan. “I might need to trouble you for something else.”
Yi Chen glanced at her cautiously. “Say it.”
“We still have a few special episodes to shoot later, and one requires visiting a few dormitories, divided by male and female residences. For the male dorms…”
“No.”
Zhong Yin hadn’t finished when he flatly rejected her.
No surprise there.
But Zhong Yin didn’t give up. “I’m not close to other guys, so I can’t ask them for help.”
Though selfish, it was true. Zhong Yin didn’t want to cross boundaries with any other males her age.
But Yi Chen was different; she trusted him completely.
Yi Chen almost laughed.
What, does she think he’s some fool outside she can deceive? Zhong Yin had plenty of fools throwing themselves at her.
After saying all this, it was just to get him on her side.
Damn it.
She just wanted to court him.
A wave of irritation rose in his heart. “So you can ask me, but not others?”
Zhong Yin spoke honestly. “You’re not like them.”
Yi Chen was at a loss for expression, licked his lips, unusually speechless. “You’re blunt.”
Zhong Yin asked, “So, do you agree?”
She lowered her head and ate the last dumpling leisurely, not in a hurry. She’d faced too many refusals from Yi Chen before; nothing fazed her anymore.
She chewed slowly, prepared for him to push back.
After swallowing the dumpling, Zhong Yin finally said, “If not, then forget it…”
“Mm.”
Huh? He agreed?!
Zhong Yin was genuinely stunned for a moment.
“Then it’s a no,” he changed his mind.
“Hey!” Zhong Yin hurriedly said, “I just heard that.”
He glanced at her. “Even if I agreed, it wouldn’t matter. Everyone else has to agree, too.”
Zhong Yin smiled. “I believe they will.”
“Done eating? I’m leaving now.” He turned his face away, standing up hastily.
Zhong Yin didn’t stop him anymore and said cheerfully, “Don’t worry, I’m just asking. I’ll only trouble you if it’s really necessary.”
He waved his hand dismissively.
Zhong Yin propped her chin, watching him walk away, then suddenly laughed aloud.
Seems like—
He’s actually quite easy to persuade.