There weren't many people coming and going in the second cafeteria. On holidays, there were far fewer students.
The air conditioning was on inside.
Chu Yao lifted the plastic door curtain, and a wave of cool air rushed toward her.
The row of serving windows was a dazzling array of options—so much that a single glance couldn't take it all in.
Early in the morning, rice noodles, noodles, steamed buns, soy milk, fried dough sticks, and rice rolls were all available.
The other breakfast options were just as abundant.
Chu Yao scanned the offerings a few times but didn't move forward.
She was a bit hesitant. She wanted to eat everything, but her stomach had limited capacity—she could only pick one or two things.
She sighed inwardly.
If only she were a bottomless pit, she could eat it all. She couldn't imagine how happy a little girl she'd be!
Unfortunately, she wasn't.
Chu Yao's eyes showed a hint of regret.
Zhou Wenshi stood with an elegant, clean-cut bearing.
Just standing there, even without saying a word, he was a striking sight.
Nearly everyone passing by stole a few extra glances—then a few more at the girlfriend beside him.
…They made a pretty good match.
A few people were startled at first glance, then whipped out their phones, typing away furiously, excitedly sharing with their besties or roommates.
Just ran into Zhou Wenshi and his girlfriend at the second cafeteria!
So even after becoming a boyfriend, he still comes to the cafeteria with his girlfriend!
They whispered among themselves.
"…I saw the post last time, but I didn't expect the real person to be—hiss—how should I put it? Unexpected, yet completely understandable."
"In the photos, Zhou Wenshi really stands out. In the direction he was looking, the girl was eating quietly without being overshadowed. She looked good even in the photo, but I didn't expect her real presence to be even more distinctive—very comfortable to look at."
"Honestly, I get it now—why Zhou Wenshi likes her. If it were me, I'd like her too. She's exactly my type."
"She's not the type to stand out on her own, but put them together and they complement each other perfectly! Damn, it's kind of amazing. When has Zhou Wenshi ever not stolen the spotlight from everyone in the same frame? People only see him in photos. Last time someone posted a photo of them together, a lot of people couldn't believe there was someone who could go toe-to-toe with him."
"His girlfriend is like a mountain stream—not stunning at first glance, but soothing."
"Did you notice? His attention was on his girlfriend the entire time. Wuwuwu—so adorable!"
Chu Yao walked while deep in thought.
Zhou Wenshi followed at her side.
When his girlfriend was thinking, she'd occasionally furrow her brows in distress, looking deeply troubled.
Her small steps would sometimes drift, sometimes pause.
Occasionally, she'd cast a longing, hungry gaze toward the windows.
Zhou Wenshi pressed his lips together lightly.
Just watching his girlfriend make a choice was something to look forward to.
Her expressions were so rich that he, too, found himself curious about which option would win today.
He followed along at a leisurely pace.
Guessing which stall held his girlfriend's heart.
Based on his observations, she was quite open-minded.
Good food could tempt her.
When she stopped, he stopped too.
Chu Yao had finally made her decision. With reckless abandon and firm resolve, she marched toward—the hand-grabbed pancake stall.
The vendor clearly had years of experience making hand-grabbed pancakes. Pancakes from a master like that were always the best.
She stood at the window and ordered directly.
"One purple sweet potato one, with pork floss, bacon, and chicken strips. Sauce—tomato and salad dressing."
The cafeteria vendor, wearing an apron, moved swiftly. He spread out the dough, flipped it with tongs, and the griddle sizzled.
Chu Yao dug into her pocket and swiped her card.
"What are you eating? Someone said you were waiting for me—who knows how long you'd been out here. You must be starving by now, right? I hear guys get hungry easily."
Their eyes met, and Zhou Wenshi saw himself reflected in hers—clear, gentle, but without any intense affection.
The way she looked at him was calm and serene.
He paused for a moment. "Not long. I didn't notice time passing, because I knew I'd get to see you."
Chu Yao: "Honest enough. With a silver tongue like that, you'd succeed at anything you set your mind to."
Zhou Wenshi merely glanced at her. "…"
At the window, the vendor whisked the eggs and spread them evenly over the crepe skin, washed the lettuce, pressed it down on the griddle, and laid it onto the crepe.
One by one, he added pork floss, bacon, and chicken strips, folded it over and over again, pressed the crepe flat, and bagged it.
"Little sister, your hand-grabbed pancake is ready."
Chu Yao beamed. "Thank you, boss! It smells so good, all toasted and fragrant."
Zhou Wenshi looked at her abruptly.
Chu Yao held her hand-grabbed pancake, puzzled. "What's wrong? You want a bite of mine?"
She admitted the pancake smelled amazing, but she couldn't stand someone taking a bite of it—she had a bit of a cleanliness thing about that.
Seeing his unreadable expression, she offered a compromise: "How about I buy you one instead?"
Zhou Wenshi said, "No need."
His jaw was tight, his lips pressed into a thin line.
Chu Yao couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. He seemed to be in a bad mood, but who had upset him?
Baffling.
Puzzled, Chu Yao took her first bite of the hand-grabbed pancake and was blown away by the flavor.
Mmm, so good. There was nothing quite like a bite of hand-grabbed pancake first thing in the morning.
She took a second, blissful bite, briefly lost in the deliciousness, but still remembered to sneak a glance at the guy who might be in a sour mood.
Chu Yao smacked her lips and turned to the window. "Boss, one deluxe combo, please."
Honestly, it wasn't like she wouldn't let him eat from hers—was that really worth getting upset over?
Chu Yao poked him. "Go get your breakfast first, and we'll eat in the cafeteria? I see seats over there."
Zhou Wenshi nodded. "Okay."
His tone was still a bit strained, and Chu Yao noticed. She thought to herself, once I hand him a fresh, piping-hot hand-grabbed pancake, he should be fine.
She told herself, there's no way this won't cheer him up—impossible. It's just a bite of food.
With that pleasant thought, she waited for her freshly made deluxe combo pancake to arrive, loaded with everything. One bite and she was in heaven!
Chu Yao held her own pancake in her left hand and the deluxe combo in her right, then swung by to grab a freshly ground soy milk and a tea egg.
An egg in the morning—cheap and nutritious.
From a distance, Chu Yao spotted Zhou Wenshi carrying a tray with soy milk, buns, and an egg. Her eyes lit up—finally found him. She strode over, plopped down across from him, and set her breakfast on the table.
"Here," she said, offering the deluxe combo pancake first. "I got this specially for you. If you want it, don't be shy."
Zhou Wenshi had just inserted his straw when a steaming hot hand-grabbed pancake appeared before him. Chu Yao's gaze was sincere and expectant, hoping he'd take it.
His jaw tightened even more. "Specially?"
Chu Yao: "Yeah, yeah! See, I figured you wanted some. Let me tell you, the deluxe combo is amazing! It's still warm now—once it cools down, it won't taste as good."
She eagerly shoved it into his hands, then took a big, happy bite of her own pancake, utterly lost in the flavor, her face glowing with bliss and satisfaction.
Zhou Wenshi inserted the straw into her drink for her, then peeled her tea egg and set it beside her hand.
Chu Yao said with a smile, "Thanks~"
When Zhou Wenshi saw that smile, all his emotions suddenly vanished—or rather, they had already disappeared the moment she said the word "specially."
Chu Yao chewed as she spoke: "Oh, you're smiling. Did you think of something happy?"
Zhou Wenshi: "I'm smiling?"
Chu Yao: "Yeah, your brows are raised, and your whole demeanor has relaxed."
She let out a small laugh: "Like you've suddenly lightened up."
Zhou Wenshi held the family-portrait-style hand-grabbed pancake, its steaming heat rising in his palm. The morning sun of eight or nine o'clock shone in, casting a golden glow across the floor.
Zhou Wenshi felt warm all over.
He said, "Sorry, I got a bit emotional."
"I wanted to say 'it's fine,'" she said with a sighing gesture, "but I feel like you haven't done anything wrong, and I'd be undeserving of that. Being able to handle your own emotions is actually a really great thing!"
"Although I don't know why you suddenly became unhappy, I respect your right not to tell me. I don't like prying either," she said seriously. "I think everyone has their own little secrets and private space."
"Of course, if you're willing to confide in me, I'd be a good listener too."
Chu Yao was always sincere, and her words showed more than enough patience.
Zhou Wenshi felt embarrassed: "It's…"
He wasn't used to analyzing his inner thoughts, but under Chu Yao's encouraging, clear gaze, there was still a shameful warmth, his chest swelling, his fingers at a loss.
His voice lowered a bit: "Sorry, I need a little more time."
Chu Yao opened the pancake bag and squeezed the remaining half: "No problem. Not everyone likes being so direct, right? You can decide once you've thought it through."
"Alright, let's just enjoy this breakfast first. Whatever it is, we can talk about it after we finish eating."
Chu Yao picked up her soy milk, took a sip, and noticed the peeled tea egg: "Hey, you peeled it for me? I didn't even notice. Thanks."
She naturally picked up the tea egg, took a bite, chewed, then took another sip of soy milk and a bite of the pancake.
She ate with great relish.
Zhou Wenshi merely forced himself to stay calm, eating the breakfast with restraint and composure.
She knew nothing—and yet… and yet she had accommodated the emotions that had abruptly surged up in him.
Zhou Wenshi didn't dare look at her, afraid she might catch his uncontrollable gaze.
Until Chu Yao poked the back of his hand. He suddenly looked into her eyes, clear and transparent, with nothing hidden.
Zhou Wenshi's hand tensed. Her warm fingertip rested on it, and he felt as if his acupoints had been sealed, his spine stiffening, his heart beginning to pound at a bizarre speed—thump thump thump, thump thump thump thump!
It was so loud he could barely hear what she was about to say.
"…"
Zhou Wenshi suppressed his surging emotions and tried to speak calmly: "What's wrong?"
Chu Yao said with a puzzled look: "You seem a bit off."
Zhou Wenshi: "…Maybe."
Chu Yao said lightly: "Oh, I just felt that this breakfast was a bit quiet. Though it should be quiet, it just feels wrong somehow."
She was frighteningly perceptive, Zhou Wenshi realized.
The emotions he had suppressed, and the atmosphere at the table—none of it could escape her awareness.
His feelings couldn't escape her eyes either.
Zhou Wenshi's gaze unconsciously lingered on the back of his hand where she had poked it—warm, like a spark that had ignited a heat, burning and spreading until his chest was scalding, radiating out to his limbs.
His whole body was enveloped in that rising warmth.
Zhou Wenshi's expression remained unchanged, only his fingertips curling into his palms, pressing against the tabletop.
Chu Yao caught a glimpse of his neck and widened her eyes in surprise, scanning up and down.
It was as if a strand of hair were tickling his body.
Zhou Wenshi pressed his lips together. "What's wrong?"
Chu Yao hesitated, then said, "…You look like you're about to be cooked…"
Zhou Wenshi: "…"
His neck had already been tinged with red, but now that flush spread up to his fair face, like rouge applied over a layer of powder.
Chu Yao fell silent.
So… dramatic…
She suddenly grew worried. "Are you… okay? You're so red—are you feeling unwell?"
How could a person turn this red for no reason?
Zhou Wenshi picked up a napkin and wiped at himself, his voice muffled behind it. "No, I'm fine."
Chu Yao wasn't entirely convinced. "Maybe you should go see a doctor? Though… your complexion doesn't look like you're sick—it looks more like you're, like…"
Some words were a bit embarrassing to say to his face.
And not appropriate to say in public either.
She tactfully spared Zhou Wenshi some dignity.
She certainly couldn't say, "Zhou Wenshi, you look like you're about to go into heat."
That would be somewhat damaging to say.
Did Zhou Wenshi's image need to be preserved or not?
Though she truly hadn't expected… hmm… that he would be like this, but well, everything had its reasons. Even if she didn't know what the reason was, she'd just respect him for now.
Chu Yao cleared her throat. "Should we leave here after we finish eating?"
Um, why was he like that? Would it affect his ability to stand up? Would it be too obvious… right?
It shouldn't, right?
Chu Yao hated that she couldn't quite control her wandering gaze, so she could only smile politely.
"Or… do you want to sit for a while first?"
How long would that thing stay up for guys…?
Chu Yao felt a bit embarrassed.
She didn't usually pay attention to such things and didn't know about the male lead's duration issues.
Based on her extensive web novel experience, male leads generally… were exceptionally gifted.
Hmm…
Should she order a milk tea first and wait slowly?
She couldn't very well leave Zhou Wenshi alone here—that would be too awkward.
Chu Yao kept her smile in place.
Mainly, the situation at hand was, hmm… hahaha… truly hard to handle.
Her toes were about to curl into the ground.
Then a stroke of inspiration hit her, and she thoughtfully came up with an excuse.
"I-I suddenly want a milk tea. Y-you wait here for a bit—don't move, whatever you do, d-don't move. Just sit here and wait for me."
Even as she tried her best to avoid it, she still wanted to see exactly how he was doing, but she couldn't very well look directly.
Not in front of all these people.
Zhou Wenshi actually obeyed obediently, saying, "Oh."
Chu Yao was momentarily charmed—this cold-faced man being obedient was actually kind of endearing, with a hint of puppy-dog energy. Dammit, that face was just too easy to let the imagination run wild with.
She hurriedly stood up, only regretting that she wasn't wearing a jacket, or she could have used it as an excuse to drape it over him.
Chu Yao rushed to the milk tea window.
Fortunately, A University's milk tea shop opened early enough, and the staff member was already in uniform, smiling and saying, "Welcome! What would you like to order?"
Chu Yao casually ordered the Peach Joy Lemon Jelly she'd been drinking recently.
The staff member said, "Sure, please wait a moment."
Chu Yao fidgeted restlessly, pacing in circles on the spot, occasionally glancing toward Zhou Wenshi in the distance.
That thing of his—she wondered if it had gone down yet.
Mainly, she hadn't gotten a clear look, so she didn't know if it was… hmm…
This kind of topic was truly awkward.
Chu Yao couldn't help but blush a little. She hadn't expected to have to deal with this kind of emergency.
Ahem.
The clerk moved quickly, packing the ingredients and placing them into cups by category, measuring the portions steadily. Soon the drinks were ready. "Would you like a straw inserted, or packaged to go?"
Chu Yao: "Straw for this one, and the other one to go. Give me a bag for this cup."
Clerk: "Alright, please come again."
Chu Yao carried the milk tea, found a seat, and sat down across from Zhou Wenshi, having also brought him a cup. "I forgot to ask how much sugar you like, so I just went with the store's recommended sweetness. Is that okay?"
Zhou Wenshi was surprised, but quickly replied, "It's fine. Next time I'll treat you to a meal."
Chu Yao sipped through her straw. "No need, no need. It wasn't much money."
Zhou Wenshi's cup didn't have a straw inserted. He took out the straw and pushed it down, the whole process quiet. He took a sip—a sweet and sour taste with the freshness of peach.
After one sip, he said, "I'll take you up on that."
Chu Yao didn't keep arguing over it. "Alright then, just tell me next time."
She noticed that the warmth on Zhou Wenshi's face had returned to normal, figuring his fever had gone down. She waited a bit longer—by now, half an hour had dragged by. It should be about time.
Chu Yao stood up. "Ready to go?"
It should be… normal now, right?
It couldn't be, couldn't still be that, ahem ahem.