Oscar's Inferiority Complex, The Academy Cafeteria

In the entire academy, the only ones who knew him were Flender and Zhao Wuji.

As for the others, not a single one had ever seen him.

The two walked along the path toward the dormitories.

Oscar was walking very slowly, much slower than usual, as if he were hesitating about something.

Ji Ye followed behind him, not rushing him at all.

After walking a few dozen steps, Oscar finally spoke up.

"Um..."

"Yes?"

"What is your relationship... with Rongrong?"

Ji Ye glanced at him.

Oscar's face was slightly flushed, showing signs of inferiority, embarrassment, and anxiety.

The corners of Ji Ye's mouth curled up slightly.

Oscar was already interested in Ning Rongrong?

He was afraid that he might snatch away his future girlfriend.

"I don't know her," Ji Ye said, his tone very flat.

"She came over to strike up a conversation on the road, and when she found out I was coming to Shrek Academy, she enthusiastically offered to show me the way."

Oscar's footsteps faltered.

Struck up a conversation?

Enthusiastically showed the way?

He had known Rongrong for days, yet she had barely even looked at him properly.

"I... I see."

Oscar's voice dropped, carrying a trace of indescribable disappointment.

He quickened his pace and walked ahead, falling silent.

Ji Ye watched his back, the corner of his mouth curving again, but he said nothing more.

Already feeling inferior?

The two passed through a small courtyard and arrived in front of a row of low-slung houses.

Oscar pushed open the door to one of them.

"We're here. No one usually lives here, so just make do."

The room was not large, containing only a wooden bed, a table, and a chair. The paper pasted over the window had a hole in it, and the wind blew through, stirring up the dust on the table.

Ji Ye took a look and nodded.

"It's quite good."

Oscar stood at the doorway, looking at him, opening his mouth, then closing it again.

In the end, he couldn't help himself.

"Are you... are you really just here to audit classes?"

Ji Ye looked at him with a faint smile on his lips.

"What else would I be here for?"

Oscar shook his head.

"No... it's nothing."

He turned and walked away, but after a few steps, he turned back.

"Dinner is in the main cafeteria, don't go to the wrong place."

"Alright."

Oscar left.

Ji Ye closed the door, placed his bundle on the table, and looked around the dilapidated little room.

The wooden bed creaked and groaned, and one of the table legs was broken, propped up by a brick.

The window paper had a hole in it, and the paint on the door frame was peeling off in chunks.

"Tsk tsk, it's on par with a school dormitory."

Ji Ye tidied up a little.

Time quickly passed until evening.

He rummaged through his bundle and changed into a clean set of clothes. It was still a gray cloth garment, similar in style to the one he had been wearing, but the color was lighter and the collar was neater.

His hair remained loose, with a few stray locks falling across his forehead, making him look even more spirited than before.

He stood before the cracked mirror, took a look, and sighed.

Even more handsome.

As he pushed open the door to head out, several people in the courtyard were just walking out as well.

Tang San, Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and Ma Hongjun—the seven of them were walking toward the cafeteria, chatting and laughing together.

Ning Rongrong was in the lead, turning her head back to say something to Xiao Wu, laughing so hard she doubled over.

She was the first to spot Ji Ye.

"Ji Ye! Over here!"

Ning Rongrong waved her hand vigorously.

Ji Ye smiled slightly and walked over.

The others also came to a halt.

Tang San looked at him and gave a slight nod, a silent greeting.

Xiao Wu tilted her head, looking him up and down.

Zhu Zhuqing glanced at him, her gaze lingering on his face for less than a second before shifting away, though she instinctively stepped aside to make room for him.

Dai Mubai stood with his arms crossed, his eyes scanning Ji Ye with a hint of scrutiny.

Oscar stood beside Dai Mubai, his expression complex as he looked at Ji Ye.

As for Ma Hongjun, he was too ugly to have any presence.

Ji Ye walked over and came to a stop in front of them.

"My name is Ji Ye."

"An auditing student. Please look after me in the future."

Tang San was the first to respond.

"Hello, I'm Tang San, and this is Xiao Wu."

Tang San extended his hand, and Ji Ye shook it.

It had to be said, Tang San's grip was powerful, with thick calluses on the webbing between his thumb and index finger, worn down from years of holding weapons.

Xiao Wu poked her head out from behind Tang San, waving with a grin.

"I'm Xiao Wu, the 'Wu' from dancing."

Zhu Zhuqing's voice was very soft.

"Zhu Zhuqing."

She said nothing more, her gaze dropping to the ground.

Dai Mubai didn't introduce himself; he held his chin slightly high, looking at Ji Ye with an indescribable expression.

Oscar gave a bitter wave of his hand.

"I'm Oscar. If you want a sausage later, you can come find me."

Ji Ye glanced at him, the corners of his mouth curving slightly.

"Mm."

Ning Rongrong stood to the side with her arms crossed, a slight smirk on her lips.

"What about me?"

Ji Ye looked at her.

"You don't need to introduce yourself; I already know you."

Ning Rongrong smiled triumphantly.

"That's more like it."

"I'm Ma Hongjun," Ma Hongjun also waved from the side.

"Mm."

The eight of them walked toward the cafeteria together.

The cafeteria was at the far east side of the academy, a large, single-story building with a wooden sign hanging at the entrance. The two large characters for "Cafeteria" were written in a crooked hand—clearly Flender's work.

Pushing the door open, the interior was quite empty, with only one long table placed in the center, capable of seating over a dozen people.

The food was already laid out on the table: several large platters of dishes, a big basin of soup, and plenty of rice.

Ji Ye took his seat first, choosing a spot slightly to the left of the center.

Ning Rongrong sat to his left without hesitation.

Zhu Zhuqing glanced at Ning Rongrong, paused for a moment, and then sat to Ji Ye's right.

The two girls sat on either side, sandwiching Ji Ye in the middle.

Tang San and Xiao Wu sat on the other side, not directly across from them.

Oscar held his bowl, stood by the table for two seconds, and finally sat down opposite Ning Rongrong.

Dai Mubai's expression was rather unsightly as he walked over to sit opposite Zhu Zhuqing, but she didn't spare him a single glance from start to finish.

As for Ma Hongjun, he found himself sandwiched between Oscar and Dai Mubai.

The meal hadn't even begun, yet the air at the table was already thick with the suffocating scent of gunpowder.

Ning Rongrong picked up her chopsticks, but the first thing she did wasn't to eat; she picked up a piece of braised pork and placed it into Ji Ye's bowl.

"Ji Ye, try this. It tastes pretty good."

Ji Ye looked down at the meat in his bowl, then raised his head to look at Ning Rongrong.

Ning Rongrong smiled at him.

Zhu Zhuqing said nothing, but silently pushed the plate of greens in front of her toward Ji Ye.

That plate of greens had originally been closest to Dai Mubai, but after Zhu Zhuqing pushed it away, only a dish of pickled vegetables remained in front of him.

Dai Mubai's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

Oscar held a spare rib, took two bites, but couldn't taste a thing.

He was in such a foul mood that he couldn't bring himself to eat.

His gaze kept darting back and forth between Ning Rongrong and Ji Ye, and as he watched Ning Rongrong's attentive demeanor, the rib in his mouth grew increasingly flavorless.

PS: Play is play and jokes are jokes, but don't joke about the heroine!

The heroine is not anyone from Shrek!!!