While he was thinking, Huang Yiyi had already slipped her phone back into her pocket.
She picked up her spoon again and took a sip of soup.
Sensing Jiang Cheng's gaze, she blinked in puzzlement.
'Why are you staring at me? Is there rice on my face?' As she spoke she lifted a hand to her cheek.
Jiang Cheng pulled himself together and shook his head.
'Eat up, the food's getting cold.'
Head lowered, Huang Yiyi stirred the rice in her bowl.
'Why did you suddenly come to campus? Recruiting for the External Liaison Department? I'm free today—I can tag along.'
Jiang Cheng shook his head. 'With you and Wang Jian in the External Liaison Department, I'm sure you'll handle the school's recruitment perfectly. I'll stay out of it.'
His answer felt like a non-answer to Huang Yiyi.
'That sounded like a manager giving me a pep-talk. I'm not Wang Jian; there's no guy in the department I like. If you're not there, I can't be bothered, hmph.'
She batted her long lashes, pouted, and asked suspiciously, 'So you're here to see Senior Lin Qingxue, right?'
Jiang Cheng's lips curved in an easy smile; he nodded without hesitation.
Huang Yiyi's face fell.
She set her chopsticks down and folded her arms, every inch the jealous girlfriend.
'Hmph, you…' She started to scold him, then realized she didn't know what to say.
'What about me?'
Jiang Cheng ignored her shifting mood entirely.
He simply lowered his head, picked up his spoon, and unhurriedly scooped a mouthful of soup.
He blew on it gently, swept the edge of the spoon with the tip of his tongue, and sipped.
He never even lifted his eyes.
That total dismissal deflated Huang Yiyi's anger in an instant.
Her tensed shoulders sagged.
Her voice softened like it had been soaked in warm water: 'I didn't say you can't look for Senior Lin Qingxue… it's just, you're here on campus and only see her, not me.'
She scraped the edge of her plate with a fingertip and sneaked a glance at him.
'You could… you could look for me sometimes. I could walk around campus with you.'
Wang Jian sensed the shift in atmosphere.
He set his tray down with a clatter and rubbed his arms theatrically.
'All right, all right, I'm getting love-dog food in my rice—can't take it! The External Liaison Department needs me at recruitment, I'm out!'
Wu Kun caught Wang Jian's eye and immediately caught on.
He stood too, sighing on cue: 'Same here. I wanted dessert, but I'm stuffed now.'
He clapped Lu Chuan on the shoulder. 'Let's hit the library and "study hard," stop glowing like light-bulbs.'
Lu Chuan nodded, stifling a laugh.
The three were gathering their trays when Lin Qingxue walked over.
Today she carried an ordinary bag.
Despite the cold she wore Jiang Cheng's favorite Paris World black silk stockings, protected by tall black boots.
A black wool coat topped her outfit.
She looked tall, pure yet alluring.
'Senior Qingxue!' Wang Jian spotted her first and waved; Lu Chuan and Wu Kun nodded greetings.
Lin Qingxue walked unhurriedly.
She smiled at them, then turned to Huang Yiyi—and the warmth she'd shown the boys cooled a few degrees.
Though they'd never spoken, she remembered Huang Yiyi.
During Jiang Cheng's Military Training, Huang Yiyi had hovered around him, offering water and tissues.
Her feelings had been impossible to hide.
Now, up close, Lin Qingxue had to admit the girl was striking.
Those bright eyes sparkled as if wet, and even her pout looked adorably innocent.
No wonder many freshmen called her one of the "department beauties."
Huang Yiyi wasn't intimidated.
From day one she'd believed the good merchandise should be claimed early.
Her interest in Jiang Cheng was out in the open; he'd simply chosen Lin Qingxue and remained hot-and-cold toward her.
He was hard to pin down, so Huang Yiyi felt she'd missed her chance.
Seeing Lin Qingxue approach, Huang Yiyi spoke first, rivalry barely hidden: 'Perfect timing, Senior Qingxue. I was just asking Jiang Cheng to come watch the External Liaison Department recruit, but he says he's here for you.'
After speaking she leaned closer to Jiang Cheng, her arm almost brushing his sleeve.
Lin Qingxue didn't reply; she simply walked to his other side.
She set her bag on the empty seat beside him.
Her fingertips brushed his wrist. 'Have you waited long? New-term events are crazy.'
Sensing her tension, Jiang Cheng closed his hand around hers, silently steadying her.
He didn't deny he found Huang Yiyi attractive, but Lin Qingxue was his woman now.
Gently he asked, 'Not long. Have you eaten? I'll get you something.'
Lin Qingxue tapped the half-finished fried rice left on his plate.
With natural intimacy she said, 'I'm starving. I've been running around for the student union since morning and haven't had time. This is perfect—I'll just finish yours instead of lining up.'
The moment the words left her mouth Huang Yiyi's eyes widened; her chopsticks froze mid-air.
She'd never dated.
At most she'd secretly imagined being close to Jiang Cheng—holding hands, kissing, all of it.
The closest she'd come was drinking from his straw once while bickering with Shen Mengjia.
But sharing a straw and "eating his leftovers" were worlds apart.
A few grains of rice still clung to the plate; the spoon bore obvious traces of his lips.
Sure, Jiang Cheng was gorgeous—but could anyone actually eat that?
Noticing Huang Yiyi's reaction, Lin Qingxue picked up Jiang Cheng's used spoon.
She scooped a bite, chewed, and deliberately winked at him.
'It's a bit cold—shall I buy you a fresh plate?'
'It's fine, not too cold. I want the rice you've eaten.'
She ate calmly, not even wiping the grain stuck to the corner of her mouth.
Jiang Cheng naturally reached over and brushed it away; when his fingertip grazed her lip they shared a look no outsider could decode.
To Huang Yiyi the scene felt like a needle sliding into her heart.
Her knuckles whitened around her chopsticks.
She realized, sharply, that she had lost.
Without clinging or coquetry, Lin Qingxue's simple act of finishing his leftovers declared "girlfriend" louder than any words.
All Huang Yiyi's secret dreams, her little schemes to get closer, suddenly looked childish and ridiculous.
Yet she quickly crushed that thought.
No—she couldn't just surrender.
If only she'd known Lin Qingxue would pull this move.
She should have sneaked a couple of bites while Jiang Cheng wasn't looking.
Even if it felt a bit unhygienic, she could've pretended she couldn't finish.
Then she could've told Lin Qingxue the rice carried her saliva—and watched whether she still dared to eat it.