Chapter 17: You'd Better Not
Ruan Yu felt groggy all morning, dozing off wherever she went. As a result, she got called out in calculus class. The math teacher asked her to solve a problem. It wasn’t difficult, but because she had zoned out, she had no idea which question was being referred to. Her three roommates were even more absent-minded, their thoughts drifting farther than hers, so they were no help at all. Fortunately, the vice class monitor, Wang Jing, quietly reminded her from behind, allowing her to barely scrape by.
After morning classes ended, Jian Xiangxiang dashed off to meet her boyfriend, Chen Manbai headed back to her studio to livestream, and Xia Qiaofeng made plans to go shopping with a hometown friend. Ruan Yu decided to return to the dorm to sleep.
Just as she stepped out of the classroom, Wang Jing caught up with her.
"Ruan Yu, are you okay?" Wang Jing was heavyset but had a particularly pleasant voice. "You didn’t seem like yourself all morning."
"I’m fine. Thanks for earlier."
"No problem. We should help each other out."
They walked side by side for a while. Though they were in the same class, they weren’t particularly close, and Ruan Yu didn’t know what to say to him. The silence grew increasingly awkward.
"We don’t have classes this afternoon. Want to grab lunch outside?" Wang Jing suddenly extended an invitation.
"No, I’m going to the cafeteria," she replied bluntly.
Wang Jing scratched the back of his head, his face flushing slightly.
"Alright, maybe next time."
Ruan Yu nodded and turned into the stairwell, descending in the opposite direction before heading straight to the cafeteria. She wasn’t really hungry, but she knew she’d struggle in the afternoon if she didn’t eat.
The cafeteria was crowded. She ordered a bowl of mixed noodles from a small counter and found a nearby seat. After just a couple of bites, she sensed a shift in the atmosphere.
The orderly lines of students had turned their attention toward the cafeteria entrance, and hushed exclamations rippled through the crowd.
"It’s Teng Yi!"
"It really is him! What’s the occasion? We actually get to see him in the cafeteria!"
Two girls at the next table excitedly pulled out their phones, only to realize Teng Yi was walking toward their section with a tray in hand.
"Oh my god, he’s coming this way!"
Ruan Yu looked up just as Teng Yi stopped right in front of her. His dark, bright eyes fixed on her intently. For some reason, she was reminded of the day she’d encountered him on the school rooftop.
That day, she had realized for the first time that a boy’s eyes could be so captivating.
"Mind if I sit here?" He gestured to the seat across from her.
Ruan Yu glanced at the surrounding girls, who were watching like hawks, and said, "You’d better not."
Ignoring her, Teng Yi set down his tray and took the seat opposite her anyway.
A wave of murmurs rose from the onlookers. The situation was clearly beyond control, so Ruan Yu simply lowered her head and continued eating her noodles as if nothing had happened.
"About yesterday—I’m sorry," Teng Yi said, studying the girl across from him. Her expression was cold, her rejection and resistance toward him unmistakable.
Clearly, she was still upset.
"It wasn’t your fault." Besides, he had warned her not to let herself be bullied.
"I’m apologizing on behalf of my brother."
Ruan Yu stayed silent. She poked at the noodles on her plate with her chopsticks, suddenly finding the peanut sauce unbearably cloying.
The cafeteria grew even more crowded, and the gazes directed their way became increasingly complicated.
Teng Yi remained unbothered, but Ruan Yu felt as though she were sitting on pins and needles. She had always longed to stand out, but she hadn’t anticipated that such visibility would come with the burden of being scrutinized in every move she made.After a while, she couldn't sit still any longer and stood up with her tray in hand.
"I'll return your jacket when it's dry. I'm leaving first."
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