Realize that he treats everyone this way

"Class is finally over, President. Want to get lunch?"

The bell rang at the end of fourth period. With all the morning's required classes finished, it was time for the lunch break.

Aishili, the class's head disciplinary committee member, came over to invite Yan Huan, who sat by the window, to lunch.

Like Yan Huan, she was in first-year Class A.

There were five first-year classes, and students were randomly assigned to them upon enrollment.

Of the five student council members, Yan Huan and Aishili were in Class A, Yatsuhashi Ki was alone in Class B, and Hitomi Sakuramiya and You Anlina were in Class E.

Since they all got along well, they generally ate lunch together when they had nothing else to do.

Today, however, was an exception.

After a moment's thought, Yan Huan smiled at Aishili and politely declined.

"Aishili, go eat with the others today. I have something to take care of in the upper-year building, so I'll get to the dining hall a little later."

Aishili gave Yan Huan a surprised look, but did not ask what it was. She simply said,

"All right, I'll tell Vice President Sakuramiya and the others. If you want to join us, we should still be in our usual spot."

"Okay."

Watching Aishili turn and leave, Yan Huan stood up as well, ready to head over to the upper-year building.

Of course, he was going there because of Ye Shiyu.

Perhaps it was because the morning's student council meeting had brought up bullying, but he was rather worried that the eccentric Ye Shiyu might get caught in that sort of conflict.

He had also checked on his phone, and there had recently been plenty of reports of incidents involving students in Linmen.

Even Jinghe District's two top universities, Xiuzhi Academy and Totsuki Academy, had problems. Someone next door had even jumped off a building, so the situation at other schools was probably worse.

First on the list for criticism were the schools in the South District.

With her modifier, Ye Shiyu was unlikely to get bullied-it would be a relief if she did not bully anyone else-but that would certainly make her far more likely to use it.

Yan Huan had already analyzed this: a host using the modifier frequently would make the situation troublesome.

He had only just gone to all that trouble over the weekend and finally managed to knock fragments out of the modifier.

He did not want to return after a while and find that the Modifier had been nurtured into something godlike and impossible to handle.

So he could only go take a look.

Yan Huan left his classroom and walked briskly toward the other teaching building that housed the upper years.

Not every student went to the dining hall as soon as class ended. Some brought lunch, some went to the shop for instant food, and others did not want to queue up and squeeze through crowds right after class.

In short, the classrooms were not empty at the start of the lunch break.

A transfer student had joined second-year Class A that very day, and the boys had been quite excited. After all, the newcomer was an undeniable beauty.

Unfortunately, after a single class, the beauty's unapproachable indifference had extinguished their peacock-like enthusiasm.

The girl was visibly difficult to get along with and extremely eccentric, rejecting anyone's approach as though an invisible force field surrounded her.

As a result, only a handful of people had been willing to talk to her all morning.

"Yumiko, aren't you going to lunch yet?"

"I'm waiting for my boyfriend. He's still training."

"The term's only just started, and the Track and Field Club is already that busy?"

"The Club War is coming up soon. I heard the rewards are really generous. Besides punishing the losing clubs, you can even make a request to the school board."

"Yeah, I heard the club that won last year's Club War got the board to cancel the final exams. I wonder what President Yan and the others will arrange this year."

Ye Shiyu sat at her desk in a black dress. Hearing her classmates mention "President Yan," she blinked and sank into thought.

Because of what had happened yesterday, she still felt she owed Yan Huan an apology.

Last night, she had already realized how much he had done for her, yet she had been like a block of wood, unable to offer even a word of thanks. She had even despicably wanted to hypnotize him.

So the first thing on her mind since that morning had been whether she could do something to repay Yan Huan.

The result: she had thought of nothing.

Buy him some gifts? After all, the jellyfish plush he had given her was still by her bed.

But she did not know what he liked.

Invite him back to live with her again? After all, he had said he longed for motherly care...

But Ye Shiyu had no confidence in her despicable self.

She was afraid that one day, just like last night, she would lose control of the darkness inside her, fail to see his kindness, and uncontrollably use the app to defile him, dirty him, and ruin him.

So.

As for the second thing, she was wondering: why was Yan Huan so good to her?

Was it because of her mother? Her mother treated him so well, so it was only natural for him to treat her mother's daughter so well too.

Or was there some other reason she did not know about?

The more Ye Shiyu thought, the more lost she became. She sighed, as though coming to life.

If only getting along with people were as simple as getting along with dolls.

One of the classmates talking nearby left the classroom, while the other, the girl named Yumiko sitting beside Ye Shiyu, stayed.

Seeing Ye Shiyu suddenly sigh, Yumiko smiled kindly and struck up a conversation.

"Ye, aren't you going to lunch yet?"

It took Ye Shiyu a moment to realize Yumiko was speaking to her. She turned to look at her expressionlessly and replied,

"...Mm. I brought food from home."

"Oh, aren't you from the Dragon Nation? Do you have a habit of bringing packed lunches too?"

In truth, Ye Shiyu did not eat much and did not want to squeeze through the cafeteria crowds, so she planned to make do with some desserts Aunt Chen had packed for her.

Ye Shiyu nodded without explaining.

Then something suddenly occurred to her, and she turned to ask Yumiko,

"Yan Huan-is he famous at our school?"

"Oh, you mean President Yan?"

Yumiko had just taken a makeup mirror from her desk. Ye Shiyu's question immediately piqued her interest.

"Of course! When he first arrived as a first-year and ran for student council, everyone was blown away by how handsome he was. His smile is seriously unreal. And his grades are great, and he seems really gentle too."

Totsuki Academy had a male-to-female ratio of one to two, and Yan Huan had won the vast majority of the female vote in the student council election.

Yan Huan was very popular at school.

Ye Shiyu realized that from Yumiko's words.

Along with that realization came a trace of displeasure welling up in her heart for no apparent reason.

"I see..."

Without her noticing, the screen of her phone on the desk lit up again.

"I didn't expect you to be interested in our school's handsome boys when you've only just arrived, Ye. Unfortunately, none of the boys in our Class A are particularly stunning, though I think Class B has one."

Yumiko thought she had discovered a little interest hidden beneath Ye Shiyu's cold exterior, only for Ye Shiyu to look utterly uninterested.

Blinking, Yumiko steered the conversation back.

"But President Yan is a first-year. He rarely comes to our upper-year building. Usually, when he does, it's for official business, and he comes with Vice President Sakuramiya, never alone... Huh?"

As she spoke, Yumiko suddenly caught sight of a handsome boy with a languid expression standing in their classroom doorway. She had no idea when he had arrived.

"President Yan?"

Yumiko spoke without thinking.

Yan Huan gave her a slight smile and greeted her.

"Hello, senior."

At his voice, Ye Shiyu froze slightly and turned. Her gaze met Yan Huan, whom she had only said goodbye to the night before.

Actually, Yan Huan had been standing there for quite a while. Seeing Ye Shiyu conversing normally with a classmate had put him halfway at ease, and he had not spoken up to interrupt.

It seemed he had worried a little too much.

Bullying certainly existed, but children did not cry every single day. It was not as though Ye Shiyu would be unlucky enough to run into it the moment she arrived.

Still, since he was already there, he did not slip away quietly. Instead, he openly greeted them.

Ye Shiyu suddenly stood up, while Yumiko's gaze darted wildly between her and Yan Huan, like a gossip reporter who had stumbled upon an earth-shattering scoop.

"Shocking! I've discovered the president's secret little wife!"

Looking at her astonished face, Yan Huan instantly understood what she was thinking.

Unfortunately, she had the wrong headline. It should have been this:

"Resisting the demon lord of hypnosis! Why did young Yan Huan rush to the upper-year building at noon?!"

With that thought, Yan Huan introduced her.

"Senior, Ye Shiyu is my older sister. I came to check on her."

Older sister...

Ye Shiyu's throat moved involuntarily, and her gaze trembled slightly as it fixed on Yan Huan.

Wait, she's your sister even though your surnames are different?

Could that sister of yours really be related to you?

Unless this is some kind of kinky game.

Yumiko did not question him, choosing to believe Yan Huan for now.

"Oh, your older sister. Is that so?"

Yan Huan exchanged a few polite words as well.

"Yes. Sorry for the trouble, senior, but please look out for Sister Shiyu. She's only just transferred from the Dragon Nation."

"Oh, not at all. We're all classmates, and everyone's friendly. There's no need to talk about looking after anyone."

Yan Huan smiled slightly, then turned to Ye Shiyu, who had remained silent throughout, and asked,

"Sister Shiyu, have you eaten? Want to come to the dining hall with me for lunch?"

Yumiko was just about to say, "Your sister brought food," but Ye Shiyu had already nodded and said,

"Okay."

"..."

Yumiko opened her mouth, then slowly turned away to play dead, though her ears remained pricked as she secretly listened in on the gossip.

Ye Shiyu picked up her phone and walked to the door.

"The dining hall is this way, Sister Shiyu."

"Mm..."

Ye Shiyu fell into step behind Yan Huan. Watching his back, she asked,

"My classmate said you rarely come to the upper-year building."

"Right. It's pretty far, after all, and I only have time during lunch break. I was just going to ask on Plane whether you were settling in, Sister Shiyu, but then I thought the dining hall was far away and the route was complicated, so coming to see you in person seemed better."

"..."

Ye Shiyu looked at Yan Huan's profile, watching the languor on his face finally gather into a hint of sleepiness that prompted a yawn.

Seeing that, she asked again,

"Didn't you sleep well last night?"

"Oh, I had to change subway lines on the way back from Jinghe District, so I got home a little late."

"..."

So it was because of me...

Yesterday, he had chosen to leave alone late at night out of consideration for her feelings.

And when she chased after him, not only had she failed to persuade him to stay, she had even made him miss another train because he borrowed a power bank...

Ye Shiyu blinked. The guilt inside her urged her to ask Yan Huan what he liked.

But just like last night, the words reached her lips and would not come out.

Only her phone screen lit up again.

She hurriedly pressed her left hand against the right hand holding her phone, trying to emphasize to herself through this foolish body language: she absolutely could not hypnotize him again.

But it made a smacking sound.

Yan Huan turned back to look at her blankly and asked with concern,

"What's wrong, Sister Shiyu?"

Ye Shiyu's face flushed slightly. Quietly hiding her phone behind her skirt and avoiding his gaze, she murmured,

"I'm a little... hungry."

"Then let's hurry and get something to eat."

"Mm..."

Totsuki Academy's dining hall was outside the school gates. In fact, a large stretch of land outside belonged to Totsuki too.

It included a park, a shopping street, and other such places. The dining hall was in the southeastern corner, relatively close to the school.

Yan Huan returned to their seats carrying several Dragon Nation dishes, while a plate of fruit in sweet dressing already sat on the table in front of Ye Shiyu.

"There's no need for such a lavish meal."

Ye Shiyu had heard from her mother that Yan Huan had always earned his own money through part-time work. Yesterday, he had bought her a gift, and today, he had ordered so many dishes for lunch.

"It's fine. I just eat a lot."

But Ye Shiyu had already silently attributed his ordering so much food to his treating her.

Not wanting to let him down, Ye Shiyu took out the chopsticks she carried with her and prepared to eat a little more despite having no appetite.

Yes, she actually carried utensils with her name written on them. Yan Huan had not expected that.

"Have you been settling into class today? The lessons and everything..."

"Mm, it's all right. It feels very different from schools in the Dragon Nation."

"It is. The exams should be fairly easy for you too, Sister Shiyu."

"Mm..."

As Ye Shiyu ate, the desire to ask what he liked surfaced in her heart again.

She bit her chopsticks and was just about to speak when half a girl's head, its hair a mixture of pink and red, suddenly appeared at the edge of the table.

The girl gripped the table's edge with both hands. It looked as though she had crept over while crouching beside them.

A pair of big, bright eyes peeked out, darting wildly between her and Yan Huan like a judge's.

It was the student council's secretary, You Anlina.

Her expression was solemn as she rubbed her chin like a "Restaurant Judge."

Confusion first appeared in her eyes, followed by certainty.

Then came judgment!

She opened her mouth wide, about to shout, but Yan Huan beat her to it, spearing a piece of Hami Melon with an unused plastic fork from the fruit salad and placing it in her open mouth.

"Om!"

With the Hami Melon in her mouth, she instinctively began chewing, then broke into a silly smile.

"Sho yummy."

But a second later, You Anlina seemed to realize something and hurriedly said,

"No! President! You traitor! You just said you liked me, and now you're-mmph, mmph, mmph."

Ye Shiyu's pupils contracted slightly as she looked at Yan Huan in front of her.

Yan Huan smiled faintly, ignoring You Anlina's awkward acting, and merely asked,

"Want more Hami Melon?"

"Want more. Sho good. Love it." You Anlina immediately changed her expression, looking innocent and adorable.

Ye Shiyu silently withdrew her gaze, along with a phone she had placed on the table.

"Where are Vice President Sakuramiya and the others?"

Yan Huan fed her another piece as he asked.

"Mm, right behind me."

Watching Yan Huan feed You Anlina, Ye Shiyu pressed her lips together, tightening her fingers around her phone.

Then she noticed people approaching. Turning her head, she saw several student council members.

A geek wearing glasses, his head lowered as he played on his phone-ignored.

Ye Shiyu's gaze lingered for a second on another girl with short blond hair, then suddenly landed on the girl standing between the two.

The girl was stunningly beautiful and somewhat petite. She studied Ye Shiyu just as Ye Shiyu studied her.

Their eyes met across the space for a second before silently turning away.

"Boohoo, Sakuramiya, look! Instead of eating with us, the president sneaked off to meet another girl! And you still say you're not dating?!"

Hitomi Sakuramiya sympathetically hugged You Anlina, who had run back over. Seeing her looking as though she had suffered a terrible injustice despite still having Hami Melon in her mouth, she comforted her.

"There, there. Don't make wild guesses about the president's private life. I'm sure you started talking nonsense without asking anything."

"Sakuramiya!"

Smiling, Yan Huan introduced Ye Shiyu to his companions.

"Let me introduce you. This is Ye Shiyu, the daughter of my mother's good friend. She's my older sister."

"So the president went to see his older sister at noon. How come we've never heard you mention that your sister went to our school?" Aishili rubbed her chin.

"She only transferred here today, so..."

Everyone greeted Ye Shiyu knowingly, and Yan Huan introduced his companions to her as well.

But Ye Shiyu merely nodded expressionlessly, offering no specific response.

She listened silently to their conversation, hearing them mention many things.

As she watched Yan Huan chatting warmly with these companions and saw the smile on his face, an answer to her earlier thoughts suddenly occurred to Ye Shiyu.

Perhaps he was nice to her not because of her or her mother.

More likely, he was naturally kind and treated everyone this way.

At that thought, the inexplicable displeasure that had welled up earlier grew stronger, making Ye Shiyu suddenly put down her chopsticks.

"Are you full already, Sister Shiyu?"

"Mm, sorry."

So Ye Shiyu ate like a bird.

Yan Huan smiled faintly, then looked at his companions, who were still standing beside him, and said,

"Then I'll stay here and eat with my sister. After lunch, I'm planning to show her around campus."

"All right, we'll get going then, President."

Hitomi Sakuramiya said this with a faint smile.

You Anlina nodded. Just as she was about to leave, she ran back and used a fork to eat another piece of Yan Huan's Hami Melon.

When Yan Huan raised an eyebrow and was about to say something, she hurried away again, her cheeks puffed out.

"Run, run, run! Aishili!"

"..."

Yan Huan looked helpless. Turning toward Ye Shiyu, who sat in front of him staring at him, he asked,

"Would you like some more fruit, Sister Shiyu?"

"No, thank you."

Ye Shiyu shook her head in refusal and turned to look toward the entrance, at Hitomi Sakuramiya's retreating figure among her companions.

She did not know whether she was imagining it, but she kept feeling that there was something strange about the way that girl looked at Yan Huan, which also left Ye Shiyu with a poor impression of the girl she had just met.

Yet even with a girl like that, Yan Huan still smiled impartially, showing warmth.

Once again, Ye Shiyu realized that Yan Huan might be this gentle and kind to everyone.

Not just her.

With the semester only just beginning, there was nothing important to do. Yatsuhashi Ki went back to his classroom to play games and watch anime, Aishili returned to her classroom for a midday rest, and You Anlina ran off somewhere to have fun.

Although You Anlina seemed rather silly, she was actually very popular.

From freshmen to seniors, she knew countless people, and everyone in every class liked her.

Perhaps she was sitting in some classroom right now, chatting with a group of girls.

And so Hitomi Sakuramiya alone silently returned to the student council office on the top floor of the teaching building.

In the quiet office, she thought for a moment, sat behind the desk, and took a laptop out of the bag she had brought.

She unlocked it and opened a folder on the drive labeled "Research." Inside sat a single folder named "Surveillance target: Yan Huan."

When she opened it, nearly a hundred densely packed folders appeared, all named in the same format.

"Camera 1," "Camera 2"... "Camera 100."

She opened a folder at random. It contained many photos, all featuring that handsome, smiling boy, only taken from different angles.

Him in class, him looking languid, him talking to others, him writing something, him running during PE...

Most were taken in his classroom and this student council office.

There were many cameras installed by Hitomi Sakuramiya in this office.

Camera 100 even contained footage of the corridor outside Yan Huan's rented apartment.

The beautiful girl stared expressionlessly at the photos in the folder, and the beautiful girl named "Ye Shiyu" suddenly surfaced in her mind.

Yet after looking through all the cameras, she had not seen that girl's figure anywhere, making Hitomi Sakuramiya's brows furrow slightly in dissatisfaction.

"..."

It was amid this dissatisfaction that her voice suddenly rang out in the quiet office, reciting a strange term.

"Room Barrier."

[Activate Room Barrier?]

[Current modifier level: 2]

[Coverage: Student council office]

[Effects: Individual common sense modification, Domain rule alteration, blind-spot-free surveillance]

Hitomi Sakuramiya merely looked at the illusory text before her. After a moment of silence, she gently closed the laptop.

It made a soft click.