Yan Yifei stood up, straightened his collar, lowered his head, and said, "Let’s go."
"Go? Go where? I have plans tonight. I’m not going to the cafeteria, so you can go by yourself," Gao Haiyang said, waving his hand in high spirits.
"I think we’re going to the exact same place." After saying that, Yan Yifei held out the Light Brain on his wrist, gesturing for Gao Haiyang to look at the private message.
Gao Haiyang leaned over and took a peek, instantly shocked. "My goddess, why would you invite such a treacherous villain to dinner?! You don’t know how cunning this guy is! Morals are truly declining!" he cried out dramatically, covering his face with both hands.
He had read the private message Gan Lan sent Yan Yifei. It was almost identical to his own. This guy must have used his good looks to get an invitation again. Junior Gan Lan was so innocent; it was only natural she’d be tricked. No way! When he saw her later, he absolutely had to secretly warn her about how awful this guy really was! He had been exactly like this since they were kids! Just to get an extra cookie, he could shamelessly praise their balding, chubby teacher, calling him fit, handsome, and suave.
Yan Yifei’s mouth twitched as he watched Gao Haiyang’s overly dramatic expressions. He decided not to stoop to this idiot’s level. "Are you coming or not? If you’re not, I’m going by myself." Without waiting for an answer, he walked straight out the door.
"Wait, wait, wait, give me a ride!" Gao Haiyang yelled excitedly, sprinting straight toward Yan Yifei’s flying car.
Gan Lan opened her dorm room door. Looking up, she saw two handsome young men in military uniforms—each with a completely different aura—standing in front of her. Her eyes lit up, and she greeted them enthusiastically. "You’re here! Please, come in. The other three have already arrived. We were just waiting for you!"
Gao Haiyang reached out his right hand to shake Gan Lan’s, and she smiled as she shook it back. "Junior, Junior, long time no see! I’m Sky Blue, real name Gao Haiyang, a sophomore in the Manufacturing Department. Junior, I’m so touched that you actually thought of inviting me again! Last time it was all Yan—"
Before Gao Haiyang could finish, Yan Yifei threw an arm around his neck, choking off his words. Turning his head, Yan Yifei calmly took over the conversation. "We just finished class and got delayed a bit, so we’re a little late. He talks too much; just ignore him."
"Let go of me! You won’t even let me speak. Lying is wrong," Gao Haiyang managed to choke out, prompting Yan Yifei to tighten his grip. "Okay, okay, I won’t say anything! I’ll shut up!" Gao Haiyang wheezed, his face red and his neck bulging.
Yan Yifei gave the now-subdued Gao Haiyang a side-eye and released him. Putting a fist to his mouth, he gave a light "AHEM," smoothed out his wrinkled sleeves, gave Gan Lan a reserved nod, and calmly walked into the dorm.
Strangers the first time, acquaintances the second. Yan Yifei had already been here once. Although this dorm couldn’t compare to their luxurious little villa, it was quite cozy. He could already smell a faint aroma while standing at the door, but the moment he stepped inside, the rich fragrance filling the room sparked his anticipation. He wondered what delicious food she had made this time.
The food from last time had left him with an endless aftertaste, leaving him wanting more. After going back, he had tried to describe it to his chef, but the chef still couldn’t replicate it. This had left Yan Yifei somewhat disappointed, so he never expected to receive another invitation this soon.
"Ah... this smells way too good!" Gao Haiyang cupped his face with both hands, sniffing the aroma in the room with an expression of pure intoxication.
"Yo! If it isn’t the genius commander and the manufacturing prodigy from next door! Running into you two is truly a stroke of luck!" Wu Mingyu, sitting at the dining table, widened his eyes dramatically and spoke in a sarcastic tone while eyeing the two men in military uniforms.
Gao Haiyang snapped back to reality. He glanced at Wu Mingyu, pulled out another chair at the table, and retorted in the same mocking tone. "Yo, if it isn’t the mega-rich second generation! The ultimate heartthrob of our kindergarten. Your former suitor is standing right next to me, so please, keep up your most handsome appearance! Don’t break character. Also, why not just pretend we’re strangers like last time?"
Gan Lan was speechless. So they actually knew each other. And what did he mean by "former suitor" standing right next to him? She sneaked a glance at Yan Yifei, whose face had darkened considerably. This was a lot of information to process.
Wu Mingyu excitedly slapped the table, stood up, and pointed angrily at Gao Haiyang. "If the guy next to you hadn’t worn a princess dress, twin-tails, and straight bangs back in kindergarten, would I have been fooled by him?!"
Hearing this, Gan Lan couldn’t hold it in and let out a loud "PFFT," bursting into laughter. This gossip was way too juicy! Yan Yifei in a princess dress with straight bangs and twin-tails? Wasn’t that way too cute?! She couldn’t help but look at Yan Yifei again. She couldn’t fathom how this tall, slender man with features as exquisite as a painting—yet completely lacking any feminine delicacy—could have ever been that adorable.
Wen Ningyue had originally planned to sit quietly to the side and act as a background prop, but upon hearing such an explosive embarrassing past, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter alongside Gan Lan. It was just too funny! This news would definitely make the trending lists. She had to write it down for material; this trip was entirely worth it! She covered her mouth and exchanged a knowing glance with Gan Lan—everything was understood without a single word.
Beside her, Wang Bin was holding back so hard his face turned bright red. He suddenly knew such a massive secret, and he was panicking a little. What should he do?
Yan Yifei stood to the side, his entire face dark. The hands in his pockets clenched into fists. He wished he could beat these two to a pulp! He had come here full of anticipation for a nice meal, but the moment he walked through the door, the fire had spread to him, and even his dark history from kindergarten had been dug up.
Did he want to wear a princess dress and sport twin-tails?! It was all because of his unreliable mother! If he hadn’t dressed like that, she wouldn’t have given him an allowance to buy snacks. Because of his childhood gluttony, he had earned a permanent stain that could never be washed away! Poor him, his lifelong reputation had been ruined by these two all over again. Utterly destroyed by two idiots! And by his mother, the main culprit!
Seeing Yan Yifei’s completely blackened face, Gao Haiyang waved his hands nervously and stuttered, "I—it wasn’t me who said it! It was Wu Mingyu! It has nothing to do with me, Captain!" Gao Haiyang was genuinely terrified now. The captain looked far too scary at the moment. He quickly sat at the dining table, stared straight ahead, and sat up perfectly straight, acting as if nothing had happened.
Noticing the freezing atmosphere, Gan Lan decided to liven things up. She patted Wu Mingyu’s arm and looked at him with sparkling, expectant eyes. "So, do you still have pictures of Boss Yan in his princess dress and twin-tails?"
Hearing this, Wu Mingyu turned his head, only to see three pairs of expectant eyes staring fixedly at him. He said speechlessly, "Why would I keep a photo that represents my humiliation?! Also, I don’t know them!"
"Keep?" Gan Lan latched onto the wording. "That means you had one before, right? Can it be restored? I want to see!"
With a dark expression, Wu Mingyu waved his hand dismissively. "No, no! If you want to see it, ask the man himself!" He was fuming. Wouldn’t it have been better if they just pretended to be strangers? He really wanted to slap his own big mouth! He had practically dug his own grave.
Gan Lan was just about to turn around and look when she heard Yan Yifei’s flustered and exasperated voice from behind. "No! Can we eat now? I’m hungry."
He pulled out a dining chair and sat down, giving Gan Lan a pointed glance. After speaking, he shot Gao Haiyang a warning glare that clearly said, *I’ll deal with you when we get back!* Gao Haiyang received the message loud and clear. He shuddered, his posture becoming even more rigid.
Seeing Boss Yan’s pointed gaze, Gan Lan dropped the idea. What a shame she wouldn’t get to see Boss Yan looking so adorable. The two background characters, Wen Ningyue and Wang Bin, both wore faces of deep disappointment. Since the boss had already flown into a rage from embarrassment, what else could she do? Gan Lan had no choice but to instruct the robots to serve the food while casually taking the seat next to Yan Yifei.
There was a Five-Spice Roasted Mini Pig missing a chunk, a colorful Big Plate Chicken, fragrant Potato and Brisket Stew, a large pot of Lotus Root and Pork Rib Soup, and two large plates of Blanched Choy Sum and Stir-Fried Broccoli.
Gan Lan introduced each dish one by one. "There aren’t that many dishes, so you’ll have to make do."
Gao Haiyang stared at the massive platters of food and exclaimed excitedly, "You call this ’not that many’? They’re all huge portions! It looks delicious, and it smells so good." However, looking at the Mini Pig in the center, he grew a bit puzzled. "But why is the Mini Pig missing a corner?"
"COUGH... I packed a portion and sent it to my counselor. I admit, it doesn’t look very pretty," Gan Lan said rather awkwardly as she stood up to serve everyone a bowl of Lotus Root and Pork Rib Soup.
Wen Ningyue took a deep sniff of the aromas filling the table and said with some envy, "Being your mentor must be absolute bliss!"
Wu Mingyu took a sip of the soup and bit into a rib. The broth and the tender meat mixed together perfectly, instantly sweeping away his previous bad mood. "Junior, from now on, I’ve got your back. So, when you cook, make a little extra, and then, you know... hehe." His chopsticks didn’t stop moving for a second while he spoke.
Gan Lan didn’t know, nor did she want to know. So, she just smiled and replied politely, "Sure, when I have free time, I’ll make a bit more and invite you over to eat."
Gao Haiyang was completely absorbed in stuffing his face. Hearing this, he shot Wu Mingyu a disdainful look, then immediately turned back as if looking at him burned his eyes. "You’re terrible at fighting and terrible at insulting people. Tell me, what use are you? You can’t even compare to me! Junior, how about I watch your back instead? I’m super strong! I don’t ask for much—just invite me to eat two or three times a month, hehe." He turned to look at Gan Lan expectantly, trying to sway her.
Gan Lan fell silent. She lowered her head and pretended to eat earnestly.
Yan Yifei listened to Gao Haiyang and Wu Mingyu’s banter. His chopsticks were moving fast enough to leave afterimages, yet he still managed to maintain an air of elegance. He chimed in as well, "Junior, if you ever run into any trouble, just let me know. As long as it’s not a massive issue, I can solve it for you. My demands aren’t high either—just give me a shout when it’s time to eat." After saying that, he lifted his head and turned his flawlessly handsome face toward Gan Lan, flashing a smile.
Gan Lan was rendered utterly speechless. She was entirely caught off guard by that smile, her heart skipping a beat. To think Boss Yan would even resort to a beauty trap! The kindergarten incident was definitely a confirmed fact now.