“Shen An, want to grab lunch together?”
The class meeting had just ended when Yang Bin dragged Li Yun over.
“Next time. I’ve got something else to do.” Shen An waved him off.
“Got it. We’ll make plans for next time then—there’s some great food down in the South District.”
Yang Bin grinned at him with a conspiratorial wink, but just as he opened his mouth to say more, Shen Lianyao shot him a sidelong glance from nearby. He froze on the spot and bolted, pulling Li Yun along with him.
“Don’t stare. Some people just aren’t cut out for the spotlight—they’re way more enthusiastic in private.”
Shen An chuckled lightly at the sight. Then he added, “By the way, sorry I couldn’t convince her for you.”
Something stirred in Shen Lianyao’s heart. She pouted and said, “It’s fine. I wasn’t going to get picked anyway.”
She hadn’t expected Shen An to actually try talking Song Rui into it for her.
“What, you want to thank me? Too bad I’ve got things to handle.” Seeing the dazed look on Shen Lianyao’s face, he teased.
“I’ve got stuff to do too.”
Shen Lianyao snapped out of it, her expression turning disdainful once more.
She tossed out the line flatly and stood up.
“Hey, take good care of me from now on, Shen Discipline.”
At Shen An’s teasing words, Shen Lianyao quickened her pace and slipped out the back door in a flash.
Heh heh.
Shen An laughed as he turned his head—right into Wang Yuqiong’s amused little smile.
Uh…
Shen An’s grin faded gradually. Why did this girl always have to glance back like that?
If he were the teacher, he’d definitely stick Wang Yuqiong in the back row.
“We’ll have to rely on each other more from now on, Shen.”
The way Wang Yuqiong said “Shen” dripped with girlish charm and gentleness, like a refreshing spring breeze that soothed the soul.
Everyone but Shen An.
“Of course, of course, Class President.” Shen An flattered her right back.
“What do you all want to eat?” Wang Yuqiong nodded in satisfaction and turned to chat with her roommates.
Song Rui sneaked a cautious peek at Shen An before piping up first. “How about oden?”
“Oden again? Song Rui, how do you never get tired of it?”
Zhang Tong burst out laughing.
“Uh… actually, we don’t have to have oden. I’m kinda sick of it too.” Song Rui ducked her head quickly, withdrawing her suggestion.
“I heard from Senior Sister there’s a great Shandong cuisine place in the South District. What about that?”
“Sure.” Song Rui nodded.
“Shandong cuisine? Why not Sichuan?” Li Li shot back.
Song Rui hesitated. “Sichuan sounds good too.”
“You trying to spice us to death? You’re the only one who can handle the heat.” Zhang Tong rolled her eyes.
Li Li stuck to her guns. “I haven’t tried the Sichuan spots around here yet.”
Girls seemed to have a natural knack for choice paralysis—once they started debating, it never ended.
Wang Yuqiong crossed her arms and held off on chiming in.
Song Rui bobbed along agreeably, nodding at whatever was suggested—Li Li’s Sichuan or Zhang Tong’s Shandong.
Shen An watched the whole exchange, gaining a deeper understanding of Song Rui.
They debated for a few minutes without reaching a decision.
All three girls turned their eyes to Wang Yuqiong. It was starting to feel like a habit.
Zhang Tong and Li Li weren’t just asking for her opinion or approval—they were waiting for her to decide.
“Let’s do Sichuan. I want to try something spicy too.”
Wang Yuqiong settled it with one word.
The four of them got up and headed out.
Song Rui trailed at the end again. She sidled up to Shen An and whispered, “Thanks.”
A faint fragrance lingered as she slipped away. Shen An blinked in mild surprise, then chuckled softly. He leaned back in his chair, hand propping up the back of his head.
He mulled over one thing in particular.
From the start, Wang Yuqiong had treated him differently.
Her proactive chats carried a hint of something extra.
Especially that faintly resentful look she’d given him from the stage.
Even accounting for his good looks, Wang Yuqiong was coming on a bit strong.
She was a knockout herself—she didn’t need to try this hard.
And even after his repeated brush-offs, she kept at it. That was some serious persistence.
Had he overlooked something? Did they cross paths before school started?
But rack his brains as he might, Shen An was sure he’d never met Wang Yuqiong before.
Hm. Was she just a natural social butterfly?
Shen An couldn’t help but smile wryly.
It made sense. Some girls matured early, savvy with people and quick to leverage their assets.
Come to think of it, Wang Yuqiong was pretty warm with the other girls too—they all got along great.
Whatever. Shen An wasn’t planning to stick around long anyway.
Once his month-long commission wrapped up, he’d find a way to leave.
He hadn’t crossed into a new world just to relive high school.
So whether Wang Yuqiong was playing some game, habitually schmoozing, or nursing a personal interest, he couldn’t be bothered to dig into it.
But… what was there even to do here?
As he pondered, a trace of bewilderment crossed Shen An’s face.
For now, this world seemed utterly ordinary.
No monsters or mysteries. No hot-blooded adventures or leveling up. No immortal cultivation fantasies.
Just everyday life, like he’d moved to a new town—not a whole new world.
The vague unease reminded him of the old days.
“Hey!”
A sudden shout snapped Shen An out of his reverie.
He jolted, catching that familiar scent. The corner of his mouth twitched. “You’re so childish, Senior Sister.”
Chen Nannan had finally finished tidying up the podium and was free.
That was why Shen An hadn’t left—he’d been waiting for her.
“What were you thinking about so intently? I walked right over, and you were still staring down at nothing like an idiot. What’s so fascinating?”
Chen Nannan leaned in and peered down. Nothing there.
“Pondering the meaning of life.”
“Hm?” Chen Nannan looked wary and took a small step back. “The meaning of life?”
“Yeah, Senior Sister. What’s the point of being alive?”
Shen An narrowed his eyes, his earnest curiosity giving Chen Nannan a start.
She flashed back to yesterday, when Shen An had inexplicably climbed onto the rooftop railing. That was no joke—one slip and he’d be smashed to bits.
“The meaning of life… is just to live it well. Living well is the meaning.”
Chen Nannan gripped his shoulders, her expression solemn.
“That sounds familiar.” Shen An dropped the seriousness in a heartbeat. “You stole that line from somewhere, didn’t you, Senior Sister?”
“Pfft.”
Chen Nannan poked him playfully with a huff. “Want to grab lunch?”
“Oh ho, Senior Sister wants to take me out too?”
“Too? So you know Wang Yuqiong? You two seemed pretty chummy.”
“Nope, first time meeting her today.”
“Really?” Chen Nannan blinked, a touch suspicious.
Their little exchange on stage had felt… off.
More precisely, Wang Yuqiong’s reactions were weird.
While Shen An counted votes, Wang Yuqiong kept sneaking glances at him amid her note-taking.
Chen Nannan had been right there, watching it all.
“You’re not fibbing?”
“Ow, am I some con artist in your eyes now, Senior Sister?”
“Hmph. You lied to me the first time we met.” Chen Nannan pouted. “Was that Shen Lianyao inviting you to lunch?”
Shen An raised a brow. “?”
“Why drag Shen Lianyao into this? We share a surname, but we’re not close.”
“Heh. Earlier, when I asked who you voted for class president, you said it wouldn’t be Wang Yuqiong. So you gave it to Shen Lianyao—her one vote.”
Chen Nannan leaned in close, eyes sharp and insistent. “Right?”
Shen An put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back. “Aren’t you the gossip queen, Senior Sister? Or are you just that into me? Dying to know all about me?”
Chen Nannan stammered, flustered. “What do you mean ‘into you’? I was just curious!”
“Oh, so pure gossip then.”
“It’s curiosity!!”
“What’s the difference between curiosity and gossip?”
“Uh…” Chen Nannan was stumped.
“So why’d you vote for her? Her only vote!” Chen Nannan knew she couldn’t outtalk him and yanked the subject back.
“Spill it. You got some ulterior motive?”
She put on a stern face, like she was interrogating a suspect.
“If I had motives, they’d be aimed at you, Senior Sister.”
Shen An gazed at the Chen Nannan right in front of him, admiring her flawless, porcelain-smooth skin. It really was like polished jade.
“I already told you—that vote was for you.”
Chen Nannan couldn’t handle his intense stare.
“Nice try. Shen Lianyao and I aren’t even connected.”
“Hm? Didn’t Shen Lianyao do you a solid, Senior Sister?”
“No way!!”
“She didn’t? If she hadn’t agreed, there’d be no Discipline Committee Member. And if no one stepped up, you’d be in a real pickle.”
Ah…
That logic actually held up!!
Chen Nannan blinked her big eyes.
Shen An stood up and leaned down close to her ear. “I don’t want to see you in a tough spot, Senior Sister. Since she helped you out, I went ahead and cast my vote for her.”
“Even if it’s just one vote.”
Chen Nannan shyly tried to dodge, but she didn’t push him away. She simply adjusted her position.
Her face flushed red, and even her ears grew a little hot.
“Alright, alright. You’re pretty sharp,” she said.
Chen Nannan let the matter drop and broke into a sweet smile. In a soft voice, she added, “So, want to grab lunch together? It’s on me.”
Shen An looked tempted. “I’d love to.”
“What’s the big deal? Come with me now. The timing’s perfect.”
Chen Nannan lifted her wristwatch. “See? It’s a little past eleven. We’ll get there right around noon, eat up, and still have time for a quick nap afterward.”
“Sigh. The only downside is I can’t let you treat me, which is why I had to say that.”
Shen An shook his head.
“You… you have other plans?” Chen Nannan asked cautiously. “Did you already promise someone? Yang Bin and the others?”
“I do have other plans, but not with Yang Bin and them.”
“Who…” Chen Nannan started to ask, then stopped herself.
She had already guessed who it was.
“Oh~” Chen Nannan nodded glumly. “Then go ahead.”
“Your reaction’s kinda weird, Senior Sister. You don’t want me to go?”
“Of course not.” Chen Nannan denied it verbally, but her expression—from her eyes to her mouth—betrayed her clear dissatisfaction.
“I just moved in yesterday. By our family’s standards, that barely counts as a housewarming.”
“So this meal is my housewarming feast.”
Shen An explained softly.
“Yeah, I get it. You don’t need to explain. When I first got here, I went out to eat with my roommates on the first day too.”
Chen Nannan pouted, but her small hands clung tightly to his back—twisted and guilty all at once.
“Don’t you live alone, Senior Sister?”
“Not back in freshman year.”
“Oh~”
The corners of Shen An’s mouth curved up slightly. In a gentle voice, he said, “So, Senior Sister, can you hold that meal for me for now?”
“Hmph, you want me to hold it? As if. No such good deals in this world—once this village passes, the shop’s gone~”
Chen Nannan wrinkled her dainty nose and rolled her eyes in mock disdain.
Shen An raised his hand and brushed it through Chen Nannan’s silky hair. “Then next time, let me treat you, Senior Sister.”
Chen Nannan ducked her head bashfully and huffed proudly. “I’m super busy.”
“No worries. I’m not. I can wait as long as it takes.”
Shen An spoke softly. “Whenever you’re free, Senior Sister, that’s when we’ll go.”
“Like that, huh…” Chen Nannan’s gaze flickered, her eyes darting away. “Well, seeing how sincere you are… fine, I’ll reluctantly agree.”
