The school cafeteria was especially lively today, packed with people three rows deep and then some!
The cafeteria was always lively, but days when it felt like a celebrity had shown up were few and far between.
While lining up for food, Yao Tao had practically forgotten all about He Zhen.
Both her eyes were fixed intently on the cafeteria's big stage.
Even without spotlights, the drama unfolding up ahead was putting on quite a show.
"Qin Zhen!" The girl with twin ponytails stamped her foot in anger. "Do you believe I'll call your mother right now?"
[Oh, Tan Nianzhi looks even more like a little doll than I do!]
[Her family must have sheltered her so well!]
[She's a young heiress straight out of a manga!]
[She's so gorgeous, I can't!]
Yao Tao was delivering an embellished live commentary in her head while a massive romantic showdown played out over there.
He Zhen's mind split in two. He felt as if he must have developed a split personality.
Half was reality, and half was virtual.
Wei Fang watched the romance drama unfolding across from them, then looked at He Zhen and Yao Tao, feeling inexplicably reassured. "Yao Tao, what do you want to eat?"
Yao Tao, who had been thoroughly enjoying the show when he called her name, blurted out, "Anything."
Wei Fang scratched his head. This was the first time another girl had joined their group-Tang Zhao and his girlfriend didn't count!
He Zhen didn't even need to look. Just listening to her excited thoughts told him that nothing would catch her attention until the farce around Fu Xin ended!
"They don't serve 'anything' in the cafeteria," He Zhen said leisurely.
[How do you still have time to chat with me? Aren't you going to look after your goddess, your precious darling?]
Yao Tao glanced at He Zhen and continued in her head.
[No, no, eat first. Deal with it after lunch.]
Yao Tao was deeply torn.
[This huge romantic showdown would be so much better with He Zhen thrown in!]
"Exactly. What do you mean, 'anything'?" Wei Fang even showed Yao Tao his phone. It displayed his chat with Tang Zhao, who had sent his food order. "Even Tang Zhao and his girlfriend know to pick something."
"They'll be here a little later. He Zhen and I will order for them first, and I'll introduce you afterward," Wei Fang said enthusiastically.
[You don't need to introduce him. I probably know Tang Zhao better than you do.]
[But there wasn't much written about his girlfriend. Just her name, really.]
[Fine, fine. Watching the drama is irresistible, but eating with my darling matters more!]
"I..." Yao Tao had finally made up her mind when a plate smashed over there!
After the clattering crash came an even juicier escalation!
Qin Zhen's icy voice finally rang out. "Tan Nianzhi, don't push it."
"What my parents decided doesn't speak for me. Stop acting like you're my girlfriend."
He looked as though he had been holding himself back over and over.
Now that Qin Zhen had spoken, anyone with ears could clearly hear the displeasure and utter lack of courtesy in his voice.
Ning He stood in front of Tan Nianzhi. "Qin Zhen, didn't you agree to this yourself? What kind of man goes back on his word?"
Qin Zhen laughed in anger. "Ning He, you've been trailing after her since you were little. If you like her, go pursue her. Don't drag me into your nonsense."
Fang Yihe didn't want to join the battle, but as Qin Zhen's friend, he still had to help him. "Nianzhi, that was all when we were kids. We were all young back then, after all."
"What do you mean, when we were kids? It's always been this way!" Tan Nianzhi said loudly. "You weren't like this last year!"
She turned furiously toward Fu Xin. "It's her! Homewrecker! Shameless bitch!"
Fu Xin's expression darkened. "Don't make things up!"
As Fu Xin's best friend, Liang Zhizhi was the first to leap into the fray. "How can you say that? The whole school knows Qin Zhen is pursuing our Xinxin!"
"You show up and call her a homewrecker right off the bat. What are you trying to pull?"
"You can't force someone to love you! What's the point of insisting on a relationship he doesn't want?"
[Liang Zhizhi is so good at being Fu Xin's mouthpiece, hahaha!]
[Fight! Fight!]
He Zhen pulled Yao Tao forward while she watched the showdown with shining eyes.
[This is amazing. I should record it as a keepsake!]
[I love this so much!]
She wasn't the only one. Plenty of people had forgotten to keep moving.
"These college students, honestly. Who knows what they're doing all day!" The cafeteria lady complained while watching the show herself.
"And who the hell are you?" As a young heiress spoiled rotten by her family, Tan Nianzhi naturally flew into a humiliated rage after two people contradicted her in one day. "What kind of family do you come from? Are you even worthy of speaking to me?!"
Liang Zhizhi slapped the table. "Look who's talking! The Great Qing fell ages ago. What is wrong with you? Are you so desperate to play feudal overlord that you've lost your mind?"
[Oh my god, this really is fighting magic with magic-]
[When they do it, it's fine. When someone else does it, absolutely not!]
[You had endless tricks for exploiting and manipulating my darling He Zhen, but now suddenly the Great Qing has fallen!]
[I'm putting one cent on Tan Nianzhi. Take her down!]
[Go on, rip her mouth apart!]
"How hilarious. The master isn't worried, but the eunuch is. Speaking of the Great Qing, the master-servant bond between you two really moves me!" Tan Nianzhi sneered. "Has Fu Xin gone mute? Is that why you have to speak for her?!"
Liang Zhizhi stood up in fury. "What did you just say?!"
Tan Nianzhi wasn't afraid of her at all. "Dogs certainly love to bark!"
Qin Zhen's brows knitted tightly, his face full of impatience. "Stop making a scene!"
Ning He gave a cold laugh as he looked at Qin Zhen. "Weren't you the ones who started this farce?"
Fang Yihe tried to smooth things over. "We all grew up together. Why let it get this ugly? So many people are watching."
Ning He wasn't buying it. "Now you're worried about losing face."
Qin Zhen finally lost his patience. "Ning He, I've been putting up with you, not because I'm afraid of you. Stop stirring things up."
Tan Nianzhi was about to get past Ning He and hit Fu Xin. "Move aside. I'm going to tear that bitch's skin off!"
Liang Zhizhi shielded Fu Xin. "Some young heiress you are. You're nothing but a shrew!"
The scene descended into chaos in an instant.
Yao Tao watched with relish.
[Holy shit, that's Tan Nianzhi for you. Brainless or not, tell her to charge and she really charges!]
[Whoa, Qin Zhen got physical!]
[I have no respect for this male lead. What right does he have to interfere in a fight between the female lead and the supporting girl?]
[Aaaah, Ning He's role is finally coming into play!]
[Fang Yihe has joined the battle!]
[So thrilling!!!]
Cafeteria plates flew everywhere, and anyone standing too close scrambled away from the center of the battle.
The three men and three women were tangled together in an utter mess.
He Zhen covered Yao Tao's eyes with one hand. "I'll take you two out to eat. Tell Tang Zhao and his girlfriend not to come to the cafeteria."
[What are you doing? What are you doing?!]
[I'm not leaving! I want to watch! Darling, you eat, and I'll watch the drama!!!]
Yao Tao was hardly willing to leave.
Even Wei Fang froze. "Aren't we going to help?"
He did have something of a friendship with Fu Xin, though they weren't particularly close.
It was mostly because He Zhen had always brought Fu Xin along to hang out with them in the past.
Still, they were friends to some extent.
"Help with what?" A faint chill crept into He Zhen's voice.
[Exactly!]
Yao Tao's brain jolted, and she instantly came to her senses. One second, she had been eagerly watching the show; the next, she was looking at He Zhen with worry.
[Don't you dare do anything stupid!]
[If you get involved, you'll be the one who suffers!!!]
[They'll sling mud at you again and again and again. Hurry, let's go eat!]
Between watching the drama and He Zhen, Yao Tao chose He Zhen.
A trace of warmth had just returned to He Zhen's heart, but before it could last very long, it rapidly cooled again.
[There'll definitely be a replay in the group chat and on the forum anyway. I can wait!]
Before you continue