Chapter 56: Let Me Treat You to a Meal (Please Vote for Me!)

Lin Mengqiu’s words took Chen Shian by surprise.

He had mentioned to Wen Zhixia at lunch that his deskmate was Lin Mengqiu, but how did Lin Mengqiu know that his lunch companion was Wen Zhixia?

While Chen Shian pondered this, Lin Mengqiu made no effort to wait for his reply. She gathered her things and stood up to leave her seat.

As she passed by him, he finally responded:

“Because it’s our turn for classroom duty today. I told Xiao Zhile not to wait for me for lunch.”

Ha, “Xiao Zhile”…

It did suit her.

“Oh.”

Lin Mengqiu responded lightly, indicating she understood.

The two of them walked out of the classroom together.

Chen Shian asked, “Class monitor, how did you know I was eating with her?”

“I happened to see you at noon.”

That made sense. After all, they were on the same campus; he and Xiao Zhile hadn’t gone out of their way to avoid anyone, so it was perfectly normal to be spotted by chance.

“Class monitor, do you know Xiao Zhile?” Chen Shian asked, feigning ignorance.

“We used to be deskmates.”

Her frank answer was exactly like Wen Zhixia’s, and Chen Shian let out a long, meaningful “Oh—”.

Lin Mengqiu didn’t even turn her head, just shot him a sideways glare.

To Chen Shian, becoming lunch companions with Lin Mengqiu’s former deskmate was nothing worth hiding. Regardless of the relationship between Lin Mengqiu and Wen Zhixia, it wouldn’t affect his own connection with either of them.

In fact, this relaxed attitude made him seem especially open and aboveboard. If he tried to cover things up, it would only make Lin Mengqiu suspicious.

They were just good friends, after all. Who would feel guilty?

Since it wasn’t a mass break between classes, the stairwell was nearly empty. Chen Shian and Lin Mengqiu walked side by side down the stairs.

The campus at dusk had a special kind of romance. The broadcast played songs Chen Shian didn’t know the names of, plane tree leaves scattered dappled golden light across the paths, the evening breeze carried the scent of grass across the track, colliding gently with the orange glow of sunset.

After walking together for a while, Chen Shian invited Lin Mengqiu, who was on his right, “Class monitor, would you like to have dinner together?”

Lin Mengqiu didn’t reply, but the thought of heading back to the dorm for a shower faded away without a word. In silence, she continued walking straight with him, missing the turn to the dorm. Only then did she quietly say, “Alright.”

Even she wasn’t sure why she agreed.

Ever since middle school, she’d always eaten alone in the cafeteria. This was the first time she was willing to dine with someone else.

Maybe it was because, as he’d said, he’d told Wen Zhixia not to wait for him for dinner—it was his choice not to eat with Wen Zhixia this time. If Wen Zhixia had decided not to eat with him, and he’d come to her as a backup, she definitely wouldn’t have bothered with him.

Seeing Lin Mengqiu agree, Chen Shian was delighted. He smiled and said, “It’s a rare chance to eat with our class monitor. This meal is on me.”

“No need.”

“I insist. You’ve lent me so many books and workbooks, I haven’t even properly thanked you.”

“…At least you have some conscience!”

“Class monitor, you pick. Which cafeteria do you want to go to?”

“Number Two.”

“Alright.”

So together they headed to the second cafeteria, the one run by locals from Lin Mengqiu’s hometown.

Having dinner with Lin Mengqiu felt completely different from eating with Wen Zhixia.

Xiao Zhile was lively, chattering the whole way and even during meals. Even if Chen Shian was silent, she could keep a conversation going by herself.

The class monitor, on the other hand, was silent throughout. It was less like having dinner together and more like running into a passerby who happened to stand by your side. If Chen Shian didn’t initiate conversation, he was certain she could go from entering to leaving the cafeteria without uttering a single word.

Evening meals weren’t as rushed as lunch, so there was hardly a line at any window.

Lin Mengqiu stood in front of Chen Shian and ordered first.

The woman serving food at the window, wearing a mask, was a fellow townsfolk of Lin’s family. While Lin Mengqiu didn’t know how to address these elders, the woman recognized her.

Seeing the girl at the window, her eyes crinkled with warm smile lines.

“Sweetheart, what would you like?”

“This, this, and this. Thank you, Auntie.”

Unlike Wen Zhixia, who preferred spicy dishes, Lin Mengqiu chose lighter fare: stewed chicken with potatoes, tomato-braised meatballs, and garlicky bok choy.

“Anything else, dear? Eat a bit more, you’re so slender.”

“No, thank you, Auntie.”

Since Lin Mengqiu didn’t ask for more, the woman generously heaped extra portions of each dish onto her tray, piling it high.

So much food—Lin Mengqiu was sure she couldn’t finish it all. Faced with such enthusiasm from “her own people,” she felt a bit helpless and thanked the woman again as she took the tray.

When the woman keyed in the price on the card reader, Lin Mengqiu habitually took out her meal card, but Chen Shian quickly tapped his card first.

Noticing that his card was a teacher’s meal card, different from a student’s, Lin Mengqiu suddenly realized—he was treating her with the card her father had given him!

“I’ll pay. I promised to treat you,” Chen Shian said.

“…Th-thank you.” Lin Mengqiu shot him a glare; her thanks came out through gritted teeth.

The woman noticed their interaction and was curious. She’d never seen Mengqiu eat with any classmates before. Clearly, this boy had a special relationship with her.

“Young man, what would you like?”

“I’ll have this, this, and this. Thank you, Auntie.”

Chen Shian ordered whatever caught his fancy. Thanks to Lin Mengqiu, he got bigger portions than ever before.

When he left the window carrying his tray, Lin Mengqiu had already walked away on her own. She hadn’t gotten soup and, after picking up her chopsticks and spoon, found a seat by herself, without waiting for him at all.

Chen Shian didn’t mind. He fetched some soup, brought her a bowl, then took his own utensils.

Carrying her soup in his left hand and balancing his own bowl atop his tray with his right, he moved with the steadiness and speed of a seasoned waiter.

Though Lin Mengqiu hadn’t waited for him outside, she didn’t start eating either. It was clear she was unaccustomed to dining with others; sitting alone at the table with untouched food, she seemed uncomfortable.

Fortunately, Chen Shian didn’t keep her waiting long. He set the bowl of soup beside her tray as soon as he sat down.

Noticing he had brought his own utensils, Lin Mengqiu, who was about to hand him an extra pair of chopsticks and a spoon, quietly withdrew her hand.

“Oh, you brought me utensils?”

“I grabbed them on the way.”

“Thank you, class monitor. Sorry, I didn’t notice.”

As Chen Shian spoke, he set aside his own chopsticks and spoon. Before her hand finished drawing back, he naturally took the set she’d picked up, using what she had brought for him.

Lin Mengqiu’s expression didn’t change, but the brief, inexplicable frustration in her heart quietly dissipated.

“Here, class monitor—your soup.”

“...Thank you.”

“Don’t you usually get soup?”

“Rarely.”

In truth, Lin Mengqiu didn’t really care for soup.

Maybe it was because she’d had too much of it at home. Her father always worried she wasn’t getting enough nutrition, and from childhood he’d made her drink soup. Even now, living in the dorms, if he happened to cook at home, he’d bring her a thermos of soup.

Her health hadn’t really improved, but she’d grown tired of it. Cafeteria soup couldn’t compare to home, so she almost never took any. Though she didn’t want to admit it, she was a bit of a picky eater.

Accepting the soup Chen Shian had brought her, Lin Mengqiu took a sip with her spoon.

“Yam and corn soup helps strengthen the spleen and appetite. It’s good to have some now and then,” Chen Shian said suddenly. He took a sip as well—not with a spoon, but by raising the bowl to his lips.

There was yam and carrot in the soup, and the corn was quite ordinary—if it had been sweet, it would have been scooped out long ago.

Lin Mengqiu didn’t know why he brought this up, but given his habit of talking to himself, she decided she didn’t need to answer.

She didn’t wait for him to start eating. As soon as he sat, she picked up her chopsticks and began her meal.

Lin Mengqiu ate with quiet grace. Her legs were neatly together under the table, her body slightly leaning forward but her back straight. She ate without speaking, eyes fixed on her food, not looking around. She ate quickly, her chopsticks and mouth never pausing.

Occasionally, in the midst of her efficient meal, she would pause to pick out scallions from the chicken and potato, remove leaves with insect holes, or set aside chicken skin she wouldn’t eat.

Suddenly, her face changed. Embarrassed, she glanced up at Chen Shian—seeing he wasn’t paying attention, she hurriedly spit out a piece of ginger disguised as a potato…

Of course, Chen Shian had noticed and was struggling not to laugh.

Ginger truly was the master of disguise in the world of food—even the picky class monitor could be fooled.

When Chen Shian ate, he wasn’t as chatty as Wen Zhixia, nor as silent as Lin Mengqiu. He ate while asking, “Class monitor, when were you and Xiao Zhile deskmates?”

“First year.”

“I thought you always sat alone.”

“…”

“So what was it like being deskmates?”

“…”

Lin Mengqiu lowered her head, ignoring him. But she could feel his gaze fixed on her—just as always, he would keep looking until she answered.

After mentally deducting a point from him, Lin Mengqiu finally spoke.

“We were just deskmates.”

“And?”

“…She’s a good student, cheerful and enthusiastic, very smart, gets along with everyone, and is thoughtful.”

After speaking, Lin Mengqiu looked up at him, her eyes saying plainly: [Are you satisfied now?]

Chen Shian was both surprised and not surprised by her answer. Her words were full of praise—just like how Xiao Zhile described her.

With such similar comments, Chen Shian didn’t even have to think of a reply. Acting as if he hadn’t noticed her “forced performance,” he chuckled, “Seems like you two are close. All compliments.”

“…”

So sarcastic! Annoying! That’s two points off this time!

Lin Mengqiu was actually quite curious. She remembered Wen Zhixia’s warmth but also her tendency to keep a distance from boys. Back in their first year, even when classmates ate at separate tables, she never saw Wen Zhixia share a meal with a male classmate. Yet now, she was eating with Chen Shian from another class…

She couldn’t figure out what Wen Zhixia was thinking, nor could she explain why she herself cared so much.

But since Chen Shian brought up the topic so frankly, Lin Mengqiu followed her curiosity and asked the question that had been on her mind—

“How did you meet her?”

She didn’t look at him as she asked, just kept eating, as if it was a casual, indifferent question.

“We met on the long-distance bus when reporting for school.”

“You two really were fated.”

“If you put it that way, class monitor, then every encounter between people is fate. That goes for you and me as well.”

“…”

Lin Mengqiu wanted to argue, but his words were flawless—she couldn’t refute them at all.

In fact, his reply, compared to a simple “yes,” was somehow… more pleasing, more satisfying.

“She’s your study partner too?”

“Yes.”

“That’s good. Her English is excellent—studying with her should help a lot.”

“I owe my math progress to your help, class monitor. I’ll be working on your workbook again during evening study.”

“~~~”

Lin Mengqiu put down her chopsticks—she’d finished eating.

Though plenty of food remained on her tray, she had finished the bowl of soup Chen Shian brought her.

Looking up, she saw that Chen Shian still had nearly half his food left, eating at the same steady, unhurried pace as always, unaffected by how quickly she’d finished.

Lin Mengqiu took out a napkin and handed him a sheet.

Chen Shian accepted it, and just as she was about to pull out another, he tore his napkin in half and handed one piece back to her.

Lin Mengqiu froze for a moment. Did this recently “down-from-the-mountain” priest also have the habit of sharing napkins?

“No need, I have plenty.”

“Take it. We both have small mouths—half a napkin’s enough.”

“…Thank you.”

She responded instinctively, then realized—she’d given him a napkin, and yet she was thanking him?

“You’re welcome.”

“…”

She shot him a fierce glare—she had never met anyone so shameless.

“Class monitor, do you always eat this fast?”

“You’re just slow.”

After wiping her mouth, Lin Mengqiu saw that Chen Shian wouldn’t finish anytime soon, so she began to tidy her tray.

“I’m heading back to the dorm for a shower. Take your time.”

With that, she picked up her tray and left.

Chen Shian didn’t mind at all. In fact, her strong sense of independence and self-direction made him see her in a new light.

As Lin Mengqiu walked away, his voice called out behind her—

“If your stomach’s not strong, you should eat slowly and chew well. Best to rest a bit before showering.”

“…”

Talking to himself again?

Probably not.

Because her stomach really wasn’t very strong.

But how did he know?

Lin Mengqiu turned around; Chen Shian was still seated, eating his dinner at ease…