“See you.”
The silver-haired top student greeted them and left.
Whether it was just her imagination, Wen Ying felt his steps seemed a bit stiff, his whole demeanor deflated.
But the book clearly stated that Gu Xiche possessed exceptionally high intelligence and emotional quotient, handling everything with ease.
Wen Ying glanced at Gu Xiche’s slightly increased favorability rating and set aside the strange sense of dissonance in her heart for now.
Everyone has off days, so it was only natural.
The sun blazed outside, but fortunately second-years didn’t need to attend the freshman ceremony. They only had to wait until everyone gathered, after which Gu Xiche went on stage to hold a class meeting.
As expected, the homeroom teacher didn’t show up.
Gu Xiche opened a PowerPoint presentation and began speaking unhurriedly.
“The two most important events this semester are the autumn sports meet and the winter campus day.”
“I hope everyone will actively participate in school activities.”
He looked down at his notes, his demeanor gentle and composed.
“The coursework this semester is also quite intensive. Following Mingying’s tradition, it includes cultural courses, etiquette classes, equestrianism, business.”
He listed them off like a well-rehearsed inventory, and the more Wen Ying listened, the more overwhelmed she felt.
All those years of private tutoring had been wasted she’d have to go through it all over again.
Finally, Gu Xiche adjusted his glasses and said, “Students ranking in the top ten academically will be eligible for scholarship selection. Recipients will have their tuition waived for the semester.”
“First prize carries a scholarship of one hundred thousand yuan, second prize fifty thousand, and third prize thirty thousand. The results will be publicly announced school-wide.”
“Pfft, only a hundred thousand this year?”
“Exactly, that’s not even enough for a few pairs of shoes.”
Most of the audience showed little interest a hundred thousand meant nothing to these rich young heirs with more money than sense.
But Wen Ying’s eyes lit up.
She had to fight for this scholarship.
Relying on the Huo family was definitely unreliable. If she could get free tuition plus a few tens of thousands in scholarship money, her life would become much smoother, and she could sever ties with the Huo family sooner.
All those years of tutoring really hadn’t been wasted after all.
“Wishing everyone a pleasant new semester.”
After finishing the scholarship announcement, Gu Xiche quickly stepped off the stage, signaling the end of the class meeting.
“Don’t they do anti-fraud awareness campaigns?”
Wen Ying frowned.
Every society had its lawbreakers. Even at an imperial military academy, the first lesson of the semester would introduce various scams on the Star Net.
Rather than etiquette, she thought these not-so-bright young heirs needed that much more.
Not everyone is as clever and composed as our little Highness.]
“Sensei” sighed, speaking coolly.
[I’m afraid even if they did the campaign, it wouldn’t help. Those who fall for scams will fall for them anyway.]
Wen Ying had long grown numb to its various exaggerated praises and made no comment on “Sensei’s” view.
As the class dismissal bell rang, the broadcast played the melody of “Für Elise” with a tinkling chime, and students filed out in a stream.
But Wen Ying remained seated in her spot.
[Your Highness, it’s time to go eat.]
“Sensei” couldn’t help but remind her.
Her little Highness had never liked eating since she was young every meal came with a bitter face and it had worried her for over a decade.
“No, I can’t go.”
Wen Ying looked serious. “If I go out to eat, I’ll be in big trouble.”
Mingying had no cafeteria. There was only a small street called Sakura Lane behind the school’s back gate, where all sorts of outrageously priced snacks were sold.
The taste was unknown; the prices were heart-wrenching.
The academy was far from the bustling area with few people around, so to make it to the afternoon classes, one had to eat lunch in Sakura Lane.
Wen Ying suspected that some school administrators had shops in Sakura Lane.
According to the plot in the book, if she went to Sakura Lane today, she’d hit the jackpot.
First, she’d run into Huo Jueyue at the entrance of the lane, then encounter Gu Xiche buying books at the bookstore, and finally meet the last two of the Four Young Masters near the private kitchen the aloof school heartthrob Si Haoxing and the sunny mixed-race youth Richard.
The Four Young Masters got along well, and Huo Jueyue, using his wiles, would forcibly drag the reluctant her to a meal.
Actually, aside from Huo Jueyue, the other three were relatively normal.
But the problem was she wasn’t familiar with them, and among them, only Richard was somewhat outgoing enough to strike up a conversation.
Yet Richard’s Chinese was poor, making communication difficult.
She’d spend an hour and a half eating the most awkward meal of her life, then leave behind a terrible campus legend of being “surrounded by four handsome men,” becoming famous overnight on the forum.
Just thinking about it made Wen Ying feel horrified.
[That’s true.]
“Sensei” processed through its smart brain and also found it inappropriate.
[But you still need to eat. Your gastroenteritis tends to flare up often.]
“Don’t worry.”
Wen Ying had prepared for this.
She calmly opened her bag and pulled out a slice of toast bread that looked far from filling, along with her little cat thermos that she’d washed over a dozen times.
She’d grabbed a loaf of bread this morning on a whim it came in handy after all.
[Your Highness.]
“Sensei” fell silent for a moment, then ruthlessly exposed her.
[Aside from not wanting to run into them, aren’t you also avoiding eating?]
Wen Ying’s hand paused briefly before continuing to tear open the packaging.
She’d been found out.
“No.”
She said without changing her expression. “My picky eating problem was something from when I was a child.”
“Childhood” meant it was still recurring at seventeen.
“Sensei” couldn’t stop her, so it could only keep popping up adolescent dietary guidelines, expressing its protest through data.
Wen Ying pretended not to notice, nibbling at his bread half-heartedly.
He avoided heavy oil and spice, and was sensitive to fishy or gamey smells plain bread was a perfectly good choice for him.
As time passed, the aroma of food began to drift through the empty classroom.
It smelled truly delicious there was a hint of beans, mixed with the sweet-and-sour tang of tomatoes.
Wen Ying, who hadn’t been all that hungry, felt his appetite stir. He was actually a bit hungry now.
He loved tomatoes, especially ones stewed until they fell apart.
Most students had gone off to Ming Ying for meals costing hundreds per person so who was eating in the classroom?
And why did the food smell so good?
His upbringing told him it was rude to peek at someone else’s meal.
But Wen Ying still bit the inside of his cheek and quietly turned his head.
It was all that food’s fault for smelling so good.
Only two people were left in the classroom, and he quickly zeroed in on the culprit.
It was the delivery guy with the downturned eyes in the corner.
Qu Huo, who had kept his head down the whole time, finally looked up.
In his school uniform, he carried a bit more of a scholarly air, though he still couldn’t be further from the image of a school bully.
Qu Huo ate while reading a book, his face as cold as ever.
Wen Ying didn’t dare stare too long, and naturally didn’t notice that not only was he uncomfortable Qu Huo’s hand holding the spoon was a little stiff too, his fingers pressed white against the handle.
Qu Huo usually didn’t remember customers’ faces, but he remembered Wen Ying.
This rich kid had a pair of eyes that were too distinctive refined and bright, the kind that showed he’d been carefully raised.
He wasn’t sure why Wen Ying was looking at him, but he felt that for a split second, Wen Ying’s gaze resembled that of the stray cat he’d taken in the one that loved to jump to the highest spot on the stove and wait for dinner.
That was a scruffy stray with a temper, not fond of being touched, yet always keeping itself clean and tidy.
Wen Ying looking at him like that seemed to suggest some kind of trouble.
An absurd thought.
Qu Huo stared at his lunchbox, cutting off his wandering thoughts, and ultimately didn’t ask.
The knowledge in the book that usually clicked instantly refused to enter his head today.
Qu Huo’s family wasn’t well-off, so bringing his own meal really was the better choice.
Wen Ying forced his gaze away from the lunchbox that looked, smelled, and no doubt tasted amazing.
That lunchbox looked really good.
[Exactly that’s a nutritionally balanced meal, with vegetables, meat, fruit, and soup. A perfect combination!]
The “Gentleman” thought Wen Ying had seen the light and excitedly explained.
Great. The bread in his hand tasted even worse now.
Wen Ying tore off the crust he didn’t like and took a resentful bite of the soft center, turning his eyes away.
To avoid a stomachache this afternoon, he’d have to choke down the awful crust later too.
When school let out, he’d find a meal like that too.
Even better than Qu Huo’s.
Wen Ying never did find a meal that looked, smelled, and tasted that good.
The sun at four in the afternoon was still scorching. He held a parasol, backpack slung over his shoulder, wandering through Ying Lane.
Of course, he also had a chattering, impassioned middle-aged AI with him.
[Young Master Four’s family has business banquets tonight, so the chance of them appearing in Ying Lane is 0%.]
The “Gentleman” rambled on.
[Food is the first necessity of the people, and safety comes first. Young Prince, please make sure you eat tonight.]
“I know.” Wen Ying was too distracted by the heat to pay attention.
His ill-fitting pants were stretched long, his ankles peeking out from beneath the fabric.
By the time his white sneakers were dusted with grime, a famished Wen Ying still hadn’t found anything suitable to eat.
Ying Lane wasn’t just snacks there were bookstores, flower shops, even bars, maid cafés, and KTVs.
Other storefronts squeezed out the food options, so the variety of food in Ying Lane was less than he’d imagined.
Wen Ying looked up and saw nothing but fried chicken and burgers costing over a hundred, plus milk tea and juice and the decent-looking private kitchens were thousands per person.
What galaxy’s insane pricing was this?
Wen Ying, who had never worried about money, was finally going to have to fret over his livelihood.
He didn’t want to spend the Huo family’s money. Until the scholarship came through, he’d have to cut back on his standard of living.
[Within a ten-mile radius of Ming Ying, prices are extremely high.]
The “Gentleman” suggested.
[But once you leave the villa district, prices are fairly normal.]
“But if I take a cab to the city center today, I’d probably get back pretty late.”
Wen Ying’s stomach was starting to ache faintly.
The royal household had rules that had trained him to be home by ten without fail, unless something came up.
Instant food was mostly greasy, stocking up on self-heating meals wasn’t a long-term solution, and he had no idea how to cook at all.
“I’ll just head home and order takeout from the city center.”
The delivery fee would be steep, but still far cheaper than Ying Lane.
As for the grease in the takeout, he’d just have to tolerate it.
“Move aside! Catch the thief! There’s a thief!!”
Just as he was mulling over his options, the crowd of students around him began to stir.
The rich young masters were a mix of scared and excited.
The bold ones raised their phones to film, while the timid fled in panic a clear division of roles.
A thief?
Wen Ying looked up, and following his principle of not courting trouble, gripped his bag and moved to leave.
The moment he raised his head, he found himself face-to-face with a masked, burly man.
A burly man came charging straight at him, his head covered with a tight black bag with holes poked only at the mouth and eyes. He had thick, sausage-like lips, and the muscles on his exposed arms bore knife scars.
He might as well have had “I’m a thief” written on his forehead.
Wen Ying:
Wait, this part wasn’t in the book.
And this thief he looks way too stereotypical!