The morning classes passed in the blink of an eye. After school, Wei Ming was about to pretend to invite Yang Haoran to his house for a meal when Yang Haoran saw right through him. Wei Ming didnβt feel embarrassed at all and simply walked away with a chuckle.
This dogβ¦ Now that heβs got the beauty, he doesnβt want me getting too close to his mom.
Yang Haoran understood Wei Mingβs little schemeβit was only human nature, especially since Wei Ming had a thing for his own mother. Ah, human nature!
Noticing that Ji Youxi, Xiao Shaowan, Han Lili, and Yaoyao were heading to the cafeteria together, Yang Haoran shamelessly tagged along and greeted them: “Going to eat? Since weβre all classmates, how about we go together?”
Witnessing this painfully awkward attempt at conversation, Yaoyao felt secondhand embarrassment for her brother, but he just wore a cheeky grin as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Before Ji Youxi or Xiao Shaowan could respond, the straightforward Han Lili jumped in: “There are four of us girlsβwhat are you, a guy, doing butting in? Yang Haoran, youβve got some nerve.” Just as Yang Haoran was starting to feel “utterly ashamed,”
Han Lili glanced at Ji Youxi and winked, hinting for her to step in. She figured that since Xiao Shaowan and Yaoyao werenβt close to Yang Haoran, only his deskmate, Ji Youxi, might be willing to say a few words on his behalf.
It wasnβt that she had any particular interest in Yang Haoran; it was mainly because her boyfriend, Wei Ming, was close friends with him. Seeing Yang Haoran brazenly inserting himself, she knew rejecting him outright would make things awkward. By playfully calling him out and then smoothing things over, she could give him an easy way out and preserve their camaraderie.
Catching Han Liliβs hint, Ji Youxi gave her a meaningful look and nodded slightly. “Letβs all go together then!” she said.
Unaware that she was the only outsider in this dynamic, Han Lili breathed a sigh of relief. Xiao Shaowan and Yang Mengyao exchanged a glance and flashed bright smiles, warmly welcoming Yang Haoran.
“Classmate Yang Haoran, no need to be so formal. Letβs walk together.”
“Mm.”
Yang Mengyao nodded like an adorable little groundhog, looking playful and cute.
As they left the teaching building and made their way to the school cafeteria, Yang Haoran trailed behind the four girls without a hint of awkwardness, cheerfully offering, “How about I treat you all?”
Han Lili shot him a surprised look and smirked. “Well, itβs about time you showed some sense. Just look at how many guys around here are jealous that the four of us beauties are having a meal with you.”
“Thereβs no need for that; Iβll treat everyone,” Yaoyao suddenly interjected. As the class monitor, treating her classmates seemed perfectly reasonable and thoughtful.
“Heheβ¦ No need to argue. If he wants to treat, let him,” Xiao Shaowan said with a light laugh.
A group of four girls and one guy was indeed eye-catching. As they walked, it felt like they were under a spotlight, with countless boys stealing glances their way. As for Yang Haoran, who was sticking so close to them, the boys couldnβt help but feel envy and jealousy. Lifeβs so unfairβis he really that much better-looking than me?
Iβm not bad either!
Boys always have an eye for beauty, especially when it comes to female classmates. At first glance of Yang Mengyao, they were reminded of the phrase “youthful face with ample breasts,” making their hearts race. Xiao Shaowanβs slender figure and her strikingly pale, long legs were particularly captivating as she walked. Ji Youxi, with her long hair cascading over her shoulders, flawless face, and perfectly proportioned figure, seemed like she had stepped right out of a 3D animation, evoking the phrase “the beauty over the water.” As for Han Lili, though not as stunning as the other three, she would still be considered one of the prettiest girls in any other class.
However, most boys in their grade recognized Ji Youxi, Yang Mengyao, and Xiao Shaowanβthey were all from Class 5, Grade 10. The class was famously known as the “Beauty Class,” a reputation previously upheld mainly by Xiao Shaowan and Yang Mengyao.
Since Ji Youxi transferred in, Class 5, Grade 10βs status as the Beauty Class had become unshakable.
In truth, almost every class had its own “class flower” among its forty or fifty students, but for a class to earn the nickname “Beauty Class,” it had to be genuinely eye-catchingβsomething the boys well understood.
Yang Haoran could feel the envious glances from the boys around him, but he was used to it. In the past, if heβd seen some lucky bastard surrounded by so many beauties, he wouldβve grumbled and complained about the injustice too.
But if it was him? Well, that was a different story.
When they reached the school cafeteria, the students busy getting their meals finally eased up on stealing glances at them.
Yang Haoran and the girls sat down at a long table in the corner of the cafeteria.
Most of the tables in the school cafeteria were designed for four, so the five of them had to settle for a long table.
“Iβll get the food.”
“Iβll get the food.”
“Iβll get the food.”
Three voices spoke in unison, leaving everyone stunned. Yang Haoran looked at the surprised Xiao Shaowan and the bewildered Yaoyao. Well, well! Quite theι»ε₯, huh? Even fetching food becomes a competition.
Considering there were five of them, and he could only carry two trays at most, he turned to Shaowan and Yaoyao and said, “Monitor, Shaowan, letβs go together.”
“Maybe I should go too,” Han Lili said, feeling a bitδΈε₯½ζζ.
“No need, Lili. What would you like? Iβll get it for you,” Yaoyao asked.
Meanwhile, Yang Haoran glanced at Ji Youxi, who was sitting peacefully in her seat waiting, and hisε΄θ§ twitched. You sure know how to make yourself comfortableβand rightly so, since youβre the mistress here. Aside from me and Han Lili, everyone else here will eventually be your female slaves.
“Youxi, what would you like to eat?” Yang Haoran asked for her preference.
“Tomato and egg stir-fry, Kung Pao chicken, fried pork in sauce, and you can pick a soup for me,” Ji Youxi listed without batting an eye, clearly having already decided.
The cafeteria food mostly came in combos. Though Ji Youxi had named three dishes, each portion was small because the cafeteria ladies tended to be sparing with their servings. Yang Haoran agreed with a smile and went with Shaowan and Yaoyao to queue up at the food counter.
Yang Haoran let Shaowan and Yaoyao go ahead in line, staying behind them. After about seven or eight minutes of waiting, the crowded line finally reached them.
Xiao Shaowan got her food and stood to the side waiting for the other two. Yang Mengyao first asked the cafeteria lady to prepare Han Liliβs order according to her requests. As soon as the lady handed it out through the window, Xiao Shaowan took it and said to Yang Mengyao with a smile, “Iβll hold this for you while you get your own.”
Appreciating her friendβs kindness, Yang Mengyao didnβt refuse and quickly got her own meal.
Then it was Yang Haoranβs turn. The group carried their trays to the corner table they had claimed and took their seats one by one.