That soft “Niannian” had been so quiet that Jiang Nian did not hear it clearly. What surprised her more was that Lu Zhiheng had actually picked the scallions out for her.
She immediately switched modes and sweetly said, “Thank you, Baby! You’re the best!”
【Male Lead Lu Zhiheng’s dislike value +2. Current dislike value: 39.】
Lu Zhiheng tightened his grip on the chopsticks. “Eat.”
The “Baby” he had heard through voice messages before and the “Baby” that now seemed to echo right beside his ears carried entirely different levels of impact.
Across from them, Cheng Ze was utterly dumbfounded.
He had been secretly observing the little couple in real time the whole while.
But since this was a public place, he restrained the urge to shout and instead could only keep slapping Zeng Xi’s thigh in excitement.
He had long grown used to Brother Lu coldly rejecting every girl who approached him. Yet now, Brother Lu was helping pick food from someone’s plate and even calling her “Niannian.”
Zeng Xi elbowed Cheng Ze. “Eat your food properly.”
Was this really worth getting this excited over? In her eyes, this was only the beginning.
Dating a cold, engineering-type man who had never been in a relationship for twenty years? There would definitely be a lot more training and adjustment ahead.
After Zeng Xi reminded him, Cheng Ze finally lowered his head and started eating again.
He glanced deeply at Lu Zhiheng.
Good for him. Happiness had found him again.
But as he ate, Cheng Ze gradually noticed something strange.
Why did it feel like their table was being surrounded?
It was peak mealtime already, and First Cafeteria was the most popular cafeteria on campus.
Yet despite there clearly being empty tables elsewhere, many people kept passing by their area.
As someone who had secretly taken photos of others before, Jiang Nian immediately sensed that phones were being pointed at them.
She quietly said, “Someone’s taking pictures of us.”
Cheng Ze finally realized what was happening. It had to be all of Brother Lu’s admirers.
“How about I go tell them to stop?”
Zeng Xi glanced at her phone and shrugged. “Too late. There’s already a thread on the forum. Everyone’s curious who little sister Jiang Nian is.”
Lu Zhiheng watched Jiang Nian lower her head further and further, and his brows unconsciously knitted together.
People always needed entertainment to spice up dull university life.
And ever since he enrolled, he had already become well-known. His love life naturally became one of those things everyone wanted to pry into.
Jiang Nian hurriedly stuffed two more bites of rice into her mouth while speaking to System 999 in her head.
【Wait, didn’t you say life wouldn’t have that many spectators?! Why doesn’t that apply to the Male Lead?!】
System 999 kindly reminded her:
【That doesn’t work for the Male Lead. After all, this world exists because of him and the Female Lead.】
Jiang Nian: 【Then let me be the audience instead, System! My dearest Little Three-Nine!】
System 999 mercilessly refused:
【Absolutely not! Niannian, this is such a perfect opportunity! You should take advantage of this moment to express your love for the Male Lead and let everyone know you’re his girlfriend!】
Jiang Nian wanted to scatter that little glowing ball of chaos on the spot.
Easy for it to say. Was she supposed to stand here and yell, “I’m Lu Zhiheng’s girlfriend”?
“Finished eating?”
At some point, Lu Zhiheng had leaned closer and quietly spoken beside her.
Jiang Nian slightly turned her head, only to be startled by how close they suddenly were.
Too close.
She could even see the faint displeasure in Lu Zhiheng’s eyes.
She swore to heaven these people were not arranged by her! They were just random gossip-loving spectators!
Jiang Nian blinked. “…Y-Yeah, I’m done.”
She felt that Lu Zhiheng wanted to leave. The Male Lead probably did not enjoy being watched either.
As expected, Lu Zhiheng turned to Cheng Ze and said, “We’re leaving first. Take your time eating.”
After speaking, Lu Zhiheng stood up and held Jiang Nian’s hand as they walked toward the cafeteria exit.
Low murmurs followed behind them.
“Isn’t that God Lu from Computer Science? Why is there a girl beside him? Holy crap, they’re even holding hands!”
“No way, who’s that beauty? I’ve studied here for five years and never seen her before!”
“Oh my god, my roommate said the campus heartthrob had a girlfriend and I didn’t believe it. It’s actually true! Didn’t everyone say the campus heartthrob’s partner would probably be an android robot or something?”
Jiang Nian imagined Lu Zhiheng leading around a humanoid robot and nearly tripped herself with laughter.
“Careful.”
Lu Zhiheng’s magnetic voice sounded out, and his other hand had already steadily caught her arm to help her regain balance.
“Don’t worry. I’ll have the forum posts dealt with,” Lu Zhiheng said, feeling it necessary to ease Jiang Nian’s discomfort. “I know you don’t want this becoming a big deal.”
Jiang Nian suddenly felt guilty.
Buddy, your conclusion is completely off!
System 999 exploded on the spot:
【How can that work?! Niannian, you can’t let him delete the posts! Otherwise the Male Lead won’t suspect you of having ulterior motives anymore!】
Jiang Nian waved her hand. “It’s okay, it’s not because of that.”
“I just suddenly remembered a sentence…” Jiang Nian improvised on the spot.
“What sentence?”
“Lu Zhiheng, I heard you’re very famous.”
…
Lu Zhiheng led Jiang Nian all the way to Qing University’s entrance. As usual, he planned to hail a taxi to send her back.
The two stood by the roadside waiting for a car when Jiang Nian curiously asked, “By the way, how did you know I don’t like scallions?”
Lu Zhiheng was messaging someone on his phone. Hearing her question, he glanced at her. “I noticed during our last meal. Also, you’re left-handed.”
Jiang Nian was stunned. “You noticed that too?!”
Truthfully, being left-handed was something most people overlooked about her.
Sometimes they would suddenly realize it one day and ask in surprise, “Wait, do you eat with your left hand?”
Or they would only notice when she insisted on sitting on the outer side of a table and ask why.
Yet Lu Zhiheng had discovered it after only sharing one meal with her.
No wonder he had suddenly switched to sit on her right side earlier in the cafeteria.
Lu Zhiheng replied, “Yeah. It wasn’t hard to notice.”
Something in Jiang Nian’s heart subtly stirred.
For a fleeting moment, she felt as though someone had been quietly paying attention to her.
But very quickly, she shook off the illusion.
Because the Male Lead did not notice these details because it was her specifically.
It was simply because Lu Zhiheng himself was just that meticulous and attentive of a person.
Jiang Nian sighed emotionally. “You’d be perfect for solving criminal cases. There’s probably nothing you wouldn’t notice.”
“…Thanks?” Lu Zhiheng glanced at her. “I’m not treating you like a suspect.”
System 999 commented:
【Host, I’ve discovered both of you are actually pretty good at chatting.】
Jiang Nian replied:
【Otherwise how could we have become a Contract Couple among the vast sea of people?】
After speaking, Lu Zhiheng lowered his head to look at his phone again.
Jiang Nian found it a little strange.
The Male Lead was not someone addicted to his phone, so why was all his attention on it right now?
She cleared her throat and softly called out, “Baby~ What are you looking at? Is it prettier than me?”
Jiang Nian leaned her head into the gap between Lu Zhiheng and his phone. Her soft lips puffed out slightly, while a faint blush bloomed across her face.
The moment Jiang Nian leaned closer, Lu Zhiheng’s gaze locked onto her.
The distance between them was suddenly shattered, slowing his breathing by half a beat.
Jiang Nian puffed up her cheeks and blinked her innocent wide eyes, clearly dissatisfied.
Was it simply because he had not been looking at her?
His mind suddenly flashed back to the image of Jiang Nian touching up her makeup that day.
She did not seem to be wearing makeup today.
So why did her lips still look glossy?
Lu Zhiheng suddenly realized his thoughts had drifted completely off-topic, and his gaze subtly shifted.
But by the time he came back to his senses, he realized he had already answered Jiang Nian’s question.
“Not prettier than you.”