“Teacher, what’s wrong with her?”
Zhang Chen carried Bai Xiruo on his back to the infirmary, and the infirmary teacher gave Bai Xiruo a quick examination.
“She’s fine. She’s a bit malnourished and has low blood sugar. She probably didn’t eat breakfast.”
Zhang Chen glanced at Bai Xiruo lying on the bed, put his hands on his hips, and said, “Most likely… probably… yes.”
The infirmary teacher said, “Go buy her something to eat.”
“Oh, okay.”
Zhang Chen turned around and was about to head toward the school store when Bai Xiruo, still weak on the bed, spoke up: “No need. There’s food in my school bag.”
As she spoke, she forced herself to sit up despite the dizziness in her head and the weakness in her limbs.
Zhang Chen raised an eyebrow, looking at Bai Xiruo’s frail appearance. She looked like a gust of wind could blow her over.
She wasn’t going to die here, was she?
But when he turned and saw that the class teacher on duty in the infirmary hadn’t said anything, it didn’t seem like a serious problem.
“Then don’t move. I’ll go get it for you.” Zhang Chen reached out and pressed a hand on her head, stopping her from trying to get off the bed.
“T-thank you.” Hearing Zhang Chen say that, Bai Xiruo lowered her head and didn’t look at him, feeling reluctant and embarrassed.
No matter what, she didn’t want to trouble Zhang Chen.
But right now, she had no choice.
“It’s fine.” Zhang Chen waved his hand, then quickly left the infirmary and ran toward the teaching building.
Back in the classroom, he found Bai Xiruo’s seat.
He rummaged through her school bag and found the food she had mentioned.
Two ice-cold steamed buns.
Zhang Chen froze.
So this was her so-called food…
Steamed buns?
In the original novel, the thing mentioned most often when describing Bai Xiruo’s difficult family situation was steamed buns.
After all, they only cost half a yuan each.
If it were anyone else, Zhang Chen would definitely be thinking: just how much does she love steamed buns…
But if it was Bai Xiruo, Zhang Chen could guess: could it be that all she ate today was steamed buns…
Thinking of this, Zhang Chen looked around the desk and then searched Bai Xiruo’s drawer and school bag.
Sure enough, he didn’t see the lunch box she had brought yesterday.
Convinced that Bai Xiruo hadn’t brought any food today and that her meals for the day were very likely nothing but steamed buns, Zhang Chen grabbed the two buns and started eating them on the spot.
Chewing as he walked back…
When he returned to the infirmary, Bai Xiruo had already recovered somewhat and was standing at the entrance, looking toward the stairwell of the teaching building.
The two of them stood a short distance apart in the corridor, staring at each other.
Bai Xiruo stared blankly as Zhang Chen chewed on the only two steamed buns she had for the day and even stuffed the last bite into his mouth right in front of her…
A wave of grievance immediately surged up. Her nose stung, and she weakly squatted on the ground, burying her head as she began to sob…
That was already the only thing left to fill her stomach…
Even that, he had to snatch away.
What was so good about steamed buns anyway? Why did he always have to bully her!
“Hey, hey, hey, no, I brought you something else. Don’t cry!!”
Zhang Chen quickly pulled out his chocolate and a few packets of biscuits from his bag and, in three steps, practically slid to his knees in front of Bai Xiruo!
At the same time, he lowered his head to see whether she was really crying…
One look, and sure enough, she was crying. She really was a crybaby, just like in the original novel…
“Here, look. Eat some of these first to fill your stomach.”
As he spoke, he waved the chocolate in front of Bai Xiruo’s eyes.
Bai Xiruo sniffled when she saw the chocolate and biscuits. These things were definitely more expensive than her steamed buns, and tastier too.
But she still held back her sobs. With tears clinging to the lashes of both eyes, she asked, “Why did you eat my steamed buns… sob sob sob…”
Zhang Chen: “…”
Seriously? What was so good about steamed buns?
Cold, rock-hard, and chokingly dry. He had almost choked several times on the way back after eating them, nearly choking to death halfway.
But if he didn’t eat them, how would he have a proper excuse to take her out to eat?
“I just wanted to taste them. Look at you, being so stingy.” Zhang Chen tore open the chocolate wrapper for her and held it directly to Bai Xiruo’s lips. “Ah.”
Bai Xiruo opened her mouth just a tiny bit and bit down on the chocolate perfectly. The sweetness instantly flooded her taste buds.
At this point, after having her steamed buns eaten and being called stingy by Zhang Chen, she accepted the feeding much more naturally.
Seeing this, Zhang Chen raised an eyebrow and said, almost proudly, “How is it? Better than your steamed buns, right?”
Bai Xiruo savored the chocolate carefully, not wanting to chew it, and didn’t respond to Zhang Chen.
Meanwhile, Zhang Chen’s hands weren’t idle. He continued tearing open the biscuit package for her, still holding it straight to her mouth.
But this time, Bai Xiruo didn’t open her mouth to take it. Instead, she lowered her head and reached out to take the biscuits from Zhang Chen’s hand…
Seeing that, Zhang Chen handed her the snacks, clapped his empty hands together, and then, seeing that Bai Xiruo was still bowing her head without standing up, he lowered his head again in a shamelessly teasing way to look at her face.
Seeing that she wasn’t crying anymore, he finally felt relieved and asked in a very annoying tone, “Well then, Sister Xi? Can we stand up now?”
Hearing that, Bai Xiruo stood up silently like a robot…
“…”
“Class is almost over. Want to eat together later?” Zhang Chen asked.
“I-I brought food. Thank you.” Bai Xiruo slowly ate the biscuits and carefully declined Zhang Chen’s invitation.
“Did you really bring food, or do you just not want to eat with me?” Zhang Chen narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Bai Xiruo with feigned suspicion.
Hearing that, Bai Xiruo shuddered, her gaze drifting uncertainly, and her hand feeding herself the biscuits also stopped…
“Your lunch wasn’t those two steamed buns? I already saw them.” Zhang Chen said frankly. “Don’t try to lie to me.”
“Or are you saying you’re still not giving me face?”
“I didn’t.” Bai Xiruo quickly waved her hands in fear. Half the biscuits in her hand were already gone. “I…”
“You what?” Seeing her stammering, Zhang Chen, who was thoroughly familiar with the original novel, of course knew what Bai Xiruo meant.
First, she had no money. Second, she didn’t want to trouble anyone.
He, who was also living under someone else’s roof, naturally understood this kind of mindset: not wanting to burden others while feeling extremely fragile and insecure inside.
“I ate your breakfast and lunch, those two steamed buns. The biscuits and chocolate in your hand right now are only breakfast. I still owe you one lunch.”
“No…” Bai Xiruo was just about to speak when Zhang Chen immediately cut her off.
“Don’t give me all that. That’s how I count it. Your steamed buns were breakfast, and my biscuits are breakfast too. Breakfast equals breakfast. There’s no price difference!”
“And don’t tell me lunch is more expensive or whatever. Your lunch equals my lunch. It’s all just about filling your stomach.”
“Right now I owe you one lunch, so I’ll compensate you according to my lunch standards. Whether you accept it or not, you have to accept it!”
“If you don’t accept it, that means you’re looking down on me!”
“Are you looking down on me?!”
After saying that, Zhang Chen widened his eyes and raised a fist as big as a sandbag…
“I’m not.” Bai Xiruo was completely confused by Zhang Chen’s theory and shook her head again and again.
How could he talk so much?
But faced with Zhang Chen’s blatant threat, she seemed to have no choice but to agree.
Although she didn’t know what Zhang Chen was planning to do to her this time, from him carrying her to the infirmary to giving her biscuits and chocolate to eat…
She no longer felt that frightening aura from him…
“Good, then it’s settled. Come with me later.”
Zhang Chen gave two satisfied hums and said with great swagger, hands on his hips.
And at that moment, Su Yu, who had also come down with low blood sugar, was supported by a classmate as she arrived at the infirmary…