Lin Jianxia Was Very Guarded

"Ring-ring-ring-ring-ring~"

As the dismissal bell rang, the teacher at the podium reluctantly stopped speaking and waved a hand.

"Go eat first. We'll continue with the remaining half of the test paper tomorrow."

Before he had even finished speaking, the students, who had long been itching to move, rushed out through the front and back doors as if they had heard a starting gun.

As a high school that had only been built recently, Licheng No. 3 High School's cafeteria was not small, but it was hardly spacious either.

Although the school staggered the three grades' meal times to spread out the crowds, unless one sprinted at full speed the moment class ended, they would generally still have to queue for five or six minutes.

The hallway quickly merged into a hurried stream of people, footsteps thudding against the stairs as they surged toward the cafeteria.

In less than a minute, only a scattered few remained in the classroom.

Jiang Yubai did not get up in a hurry. Instead, he turned his head and let his gaze settle on Lin Jianxia beside him, who was lowering her head to pack up her books.

After thinking for a moment, he cautiously asked, "Classmate Lin, aren't you going to eat?"

At his words, Lin Jianxia's movements noticeably paused. Then she simply stopped packing her books altogether, rose to her feet, and headed straight out of the classroom.

Jiang Yubai: "..."

Ever since he had handed her that draft notebook, it was as though Lin Jianxia had triggered some sort of defense mechanism.

For a whole day and a half, she had not only completely acted as if the notebook he had passed over did not exist, but she had not even been willing to meet his eyes once.

She was avoiding him like the plague. Was that really necessary...?

Jiang Yubai rubbed his chin when a puzzled voice came from beside him. "Brother Jiang, what were you doing just now?"

He came back to himself and saw Li Yang leaning close, following his line of sight.

When he spotted that retreating figure, Li Yang let out a "Whoa" and reminded him, "Brother Jiang, don't go bullying her."

"? What do you mean, don't bully her?" Jiang Yubai asked strangely. "And Yangzi, why are you worrying about something that has nothing to do with you? Are you interested in her?"

Li Yang hurriedly waved his hands. "How could that be? She's not my type..."

"I like passionate, cheerful, uninhibited older women—preferably three or four years older than me!"

"Who asked about your preferences?" Jiang Yubai said speechlessly.

"Ahem, I was just mentioning it." Li Yang grinned. "I just think it doesn't seem very appropriate."

He continued, "Brother Jiang, you already have Zhao Yun and Li Qiuyue. Going after Lin Tingwan too would really be..."

"Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!" Jiang Yubai felt as if he had just heard something outrageous. "What did you just say?"

No, how did he not know about this?

Li Yang was stunned for a moment before saying unhappily, "Brother Jiang, that's not very decent of you. You're even hiding it from your brother?"

Hiding my ass.

Jiang Yubai rolled his eyes hard and turned to walk out of the classroom, saying irritably, "Stop listening to all that nonsense people spread around. I'm an exemplary young man of the new era. I firmly uphold school rules and regulations and oppose puppy love. Keep slandering me and I'll sue you."

Li Yang hurried after him. "Hey, hey, hey, I get it, I get it. Keep it low-key, right?"

Jiang Yubai's lips twitched, and he could not be bothered to explain further.

The moment he stepped out of the classroom, a figure came around the corner from the restroom direction as if on cue.

"Jiang Yubai, you were still in the classroom?" Zhao Yun's face blossomed with a pleasantly surprised smile. "Want to eat together?"

Jiang Yubai paused slightly, politely shook his head, and then walked straight toward the stairwell.

Zhao Yun: "..."

The smile on her face froze. She pressed her lips together and ultimately did not follow him.

Li Yang blankly followed his Brother Jiang, but he could not help glancing back.

Only once they had reached the stairwell did he lean closer and lower his voice.

"No, Brother Jiang, you two... really aren't involved?"

"We are involved. Aren't classmates a relationship?" Jiang Yubai said expressionlessly.

He had to admit, Lin Jianxia's method of ignoring people... seemed pretty effective.

It would be better if she was not using it on him.

Jiang Yubai glanced at Li Yang. "Tell me, Yangzi, where did you hear this rumor? How could even you believe such baseless nonsense?"

"Uh..." Li Yang scratched his head awkwardly. "That's what the girls have been saying. They make it sound so convincing... I only happened to hear about it by chance."

The girls were spreading it?... Jiang Yubai frowned.

Li Yang continued, "Plus, Zhao Yun often comes to ask you questions. She'll stay for half a class at a time and all..."

Jiang Yubai froze for a moment before remembering—Zhao Yun did indeed come over with exercises every few days, and whenever she asked something, it took ages.

Out of a math class representative's sense of responsibility, he had conscientiously explained everything to her from beginning to end every time.

How strange. Helping others had somehow gotten him into trouble.

At that thought, he immediately rolled his eyes. "Fine. Next time she comes, I'll just say I don't know how to do it."

"Brother Jiang is wise!" Li Yang nodded in agreement.

He hesitated, then still said, "Brother Jiang, I think Zhao..."

"Stop."

"Got it."

By the time the two of them reached the cafeteria together, a fairly long line had already formed in front of the serving windows. Fortunately, it moved quickly, and it was their turn within minutes.

As a private school, Licheng No. 3 High School's food was quite good, and the dishes basically did not repeat within the same week.

Still, it was cafeteria food cooked in large batches. No matter how good it tasted, there was always a limit, and after two years, one would basically get sick of it.

Jiang Yubai was the exception.

"Auntie, braised prawns, sweet-and-sour ribs, and a serving of poached chicken and stir-fried greens." He looked over the food reluctantly, then finally said with regret, "...That's all."

It was not that he did not want more. His tray simply could not hold any more.

For a foodie who had long been trapped in the suburbs and could not even get food delivery after returning home, breakfast and lunch every day were practically an angel's salvation.

After swiping his campus card, Jiang Yubai glanced at the amount deducted and suddenly seemed to remember something.

His gaze swept across the cafeteria, and he quickly found that sky-blue figure in a corner by the window.

"Come on, over there." He picked up his tray and lightly tipped his chin in that direction.

"Huh? Brother Jiang, there are seats here!" Li Yang pointed at an empty table not far away.

Jiang Yubai acted as though he had not heard him and walked straight toward the corner.

Lin Jianxia seemed to have only just sat down as well. She was sitting alone in the seat nearest the window.

As he drew closer, his gaze involuntarily fell on the tray before the girl—there was only a bowl of plain congee and two buns on it, with nothing else.

Jiang Yubai's hand holding the tray paused almost imperceptibly.

Because the cafeteria was outsourced, Linjiang No. 3 High School's food was indeed quite good.

However, the prices of all kinds of dishes were also somewhat higher than at ordinary public schools. Only basic staples such as plain congee, steamed buns, and filled buns received subsidies.

Although he had known that Lin Jianxia could barely afford her rent, he had never expected his new deskmate's life to be this tight.

Perhaps sensing someone approaching, Lin Jianxia instinctively raised her head and met Jiang Yubai's gaze.

The instant she saw him, the girl's eyes immediately turned guarded.