Clumsy Probing and Possessiveness
At noon the next day, the aroma of sweet-and-sour pork ribs wafted half a floor away from Cafeteria No. 3.
Dania sat in her usual spot by the window, a small mountain of ribs piled in front of her. But she kept poking her chopsticks into her rice, making several holes.
Zhou Yu picked the green peppers out of her bowl and tossed them onto his own plate, his movements more practiced than when he sorted scrapped parts.
"What are you spacing out for? The ribs will taste way worse once they get cold."
Dania didn't answer. She watched him get up, swipe his gold card, and return with a quivering bowl of double-skin milk pudding that smelled of milk.
"Dessert after lunch. A sugar boost will help you stay in a good mood this afternoon."
He pushed the white porcelain bowl toward her, sounding as though he were reading out the logistics department's supply distribution regulations.
Dania scooped up a small bite, and the sweetness melted on her tongue.
The words from the tent last night surfaced again.
Is this what liking someone feels like?
She didn't have an answer.
But there was one thing she knew for certain—if someone else's name appeared on that schedule, she would feel a hundred times worse than if she couldn't have ribs.
Several girls in preparatory class uniforms came over carrying their trays.
The long-haired girl at the front was red to the roots of her neck, her fingers picking at the edge of her tray.
"Um, hello, Teacher Zhou."
Half of Zhou Yu's face appeared from behind the steam rising from his thermos.
"The water dispenser in our dorm is broken. It only gives us cold water. Could we trouble you to take a look when you have time?"
The short-haired girl beside her hurriedly chimed in.
"Yes, yes. We could exchange contact information too, and get in touch whenever you're free."
Zhou Yu was just about to speak.
Clang.
Dania shoved her plate of ribs over, and the edge of her tray struck his stainless steel one. The sharp sound rang out across half the cafeteria.
She stood, her chair legs scraping shrilly against the floor.
Her usually hazy eyes shone with startling intensity as she fixed them on the girls without blinking.
Dania: (•`ᴖ´•)
"Zhou Yu has to watch me eat. He doesn't have time."
The long-haired girl's smile froze.
"Ah, um..."
"It's on the schedule."
Dania added this in a tone as serious as if she were reciting the school rules.
"An S-rank priority. It can't be rescheduled."
The short-haired girl tugged at the long-haired girl's sleeve. The group awkwardly apologized for the interruption and fled with their trays.
The noise of the cafeteria surged back.
Dania remained standing, both hands pressed against the edge of the table, her ten fingers gripping it until her knuckles ached.
Three seconds later, she belatedly realized what she had done. The tips of her ears burned pink, her knees buckled, and she dropped back into her chair.
Zhou Yu looked at her.
For a full five seconds.
He reached out and tapped her forehead with a bent knuckle.
"Getting feisty, are we?"
He raised his thermos, his voice muffled behind its rim.
"You've even learned to arrange my work for me?"
Dania's shoulders hunched, her voice almost swallowed by the cafeteria's din.
"You..."
She bit her lip and looked up, stubbornly meeting his gaze.
"You're my exclusive caretaker."
"It's on the schedule."
The two sentences came out fast and urgent, without even a breath between them.
Zhou Yu withdrew his hand and rested it on the table.
He looked down at the bowl of double-skin milk pudding, which had been pushed askew, then looked back at her.
He unscrewed the lid of his thermos and took a large gulp of goji berry tea, his Adam's apple bobbing. By the time he set the thermos down, he had already suppressed the slight curve of his lips.
"Mm."
He used the corner of a tissue to wipe the rib sauce off the rim of the bowl, then straightened the double-skin milk pudding.
"An S-rank priority. Can't go back on it."
"Eat up. It won't taste good once it gets cold."
Dania watched him wipe the bowl's rim, and her stubborn eyes curved into crescents.
She snatched up her spoon and shoved a large spoonful of double-skin milk pudding into her mouth. Her cheeks bulged as she rubbed her toes back and forth against the chair leg.
Afternoon light filtered through the window, casting a warm glow over their shoulders.
Behind a pillar not far away, Linnai held her terminal up before her eyes.
The shutter made no sound.
In the photo, the girl was eating her dessert with her head lowered, a smile on her lips.
Across from her, the man in the yellow vest leaned back in his chair, watching her lazily as his thumb absently rubbed the lid of his thermos.
Linnai: (✧♡✧)
She bit her lip, typed a line, and tossed it into the four-person encrypted group chat along with the photo.
[Operation Reel In the Salted Fish: Initial probing successful. Target's response is favorable. Recommend moving on to the next phase.]
[Attachment: The exclusive caretaker's daily feeding routine.jpg]
Three seconds later, the group chat exploded.
Aimis: I still haven't been reimbursed for breakfast, so don't rush into the next phase yet!
Sigelica: Linnai, couldn't you have picked a more professional angle for your secret photo? Zhou Yu's face is blurry.
Chisaki: Recommend collecting additional data on the subject's pupils. The current sample lacks precision.
Linnai set her terminal face down on the table, her shoulders shaking.
This salted fish wasn't getting away.