Lu Jingcheng was talking with Chen Wei and the others as they walked toward their usual seats.
Halfway there, a sharp, pitiful “Lu-ge!” rang out from behind, making Lu Jingcheng nearly drop his tray.
Following that came the sound of hurried footsteps. He frowned. What now?
Then someone grabbed him.
Turning around, he saw Ye Qingyang standing obediently behind him, blinking innocently.
Lu Jingcheng felt a slight headache coming on.
“What is it now?!”
Ye Qingyang looked pitiful. “My meal card has no money.”
“Then go top it up. Why come to me? I’m not a vending machine!”
“I don’t have money,” Ye Qingyang continued, keeping the innocent look while adding a touch of pitiful charm. “I spent it all trying to get your attention. It’s gone now.”
Lu Jingcheng: …
He honestly had never met someone so shameless.
“You call that getting my attention? Framing me, targeting me, trying to sabotage me from time to time? What did I ever do to you that’s worth all this effort?”
Ye Qingyang instantly looked even more aggrieved, as if his heart were aching and he were lamenting his fate at the same time. “I didn’t want to, but I have nothing. If I don’t take these detours, you’d never notice me. I just… really want to be your friend.”
Tears welled up in his eyes again, clinging to his lashes, almost falling. He looked pitiful and wronged.
Lu Jingcheng was defeated. “You’re a guy—can you stop crying all the time? Don’t you know some people might think I bullied you?”
Ye Qingyang immediately wiped his eyes, looking obedient. “Okay, I won’t cry. Can you lend me your meal card? I spent all my money on you, so now I can’t top up my card. I haven’t eaten lunch yet… I promise I’ll return it when I get money in a couple of days.”
“Sounds like you’re saying I made you spend it on me,” Lu Jingcheng muttered.
“I was wrong,” Ye Qingyang responded sweetly.
Lu Jingcheng felt like he’d punched a pillow. In the end, he had no choice but to reluctantly hand over his card. “Take it. Don’t worry about paying me back. Just don’t bother me again.”
Ye Qingyang snatched it up. “Thanks, Lu-ge! You’re the best!”
He said that and ran back to the stir-fry stall to join the queue again.
Chen Wei and the others glanced at Lu Jingcheng with teasing eyes.
“What’s that look for?” Lu Jingcheng snapped.
Chen Wei clicked his tongue. “You actually lent him your meal card?”
“I just wanted him out of my hair.”
“You didn’t do that for other girls who pester you.”
“Are those girls crying?” Lu Jingcheng replied wearily.
“So tears are the key?” Chen Wei asked curiously.
Lu Jingcheng groaned. “Are you fishing for things to say today? Keep talking, I’ll smack you.”
Chen Wei glanced at him sideways, sharing a smirk with Bai Le and Dong Yu as they sat at their usual table.
Bai Le’s seat faced the food stall, so he could see Ye Qingyang at the end of the line. He looked at Lu Jingcheng. “Do you think what he said is true? Girls wanting to be your friends, that happens. But boys? I’ve never seen that.”
“How would I know?” Lu Jingcheng lazily replied. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Could he like you?” Bai Le teased.
Lu Jingcheng nearly choked on his soup. “What nonsense! Shut up!”
“Isn’t it just like in the dramas? Woman, you’ve caught my attention.”
Bai Le squinted, imitating the domineering CEO on TV, staring at Lu Jingcheng.
Lu Jingcheng tossed the drink Chen Wei just bought at him. “I’m straight.”
Bai Le rested his head on one hand, watching Ye Qingyang in line. “But who knows if Ye Qingyang is?”
“He cries like that… maybe he really is gay,” Dong Yu guessed.
Bai Le clicked his tongue. “Jingcheng, imagine a gay guy going to such lengths to get your attention and be your friend. Why?”
“Definitely not just friendship,” Chen Wei chimed in.
Lu Jingcheng was baffled. “Why do you guys believe everything he says? He might be lying.”
“Not likely. Crying so publicly, saying it so earnestly—he’s not an actor. His acting’s too good.”
“Exactly,” Chen Wei agreed. “With acting like that, why bother with school? He’s probably into you.”
Lu Jingcheng: …
“Shut up and eat!” he barked.
By now, Ye Qingyang had finally finished picking his food and swiping his card.
Looking at the card sticker on his hand, he couldn’t help but smile. All that elaborate speech, barely used.
Lu Jingcheng was purer and kinder than he thought—so pure he almost felt embarrassed to act in front of him.
Are romance novel male leads really this kind and innocent nowadays?
Ye Qingyang didn’t really know. After all, the information in his head only covered the first fifty chapters. He hadn’t “received” the latter half yet.
He carried his tray to Lu Jingcheng. “Your meal card, thank you. I’ll return the money as soon as I can,” he said gently.
Lu Jingcheng took the card, muttering “No need,” and continued eating.
Ye Qingyang didn’t bother him and placed his tray elsewhere.
Chen Wei whispered, “By the way, Ye Qingyang doesn’t seem to have many friends. Haven’t seen him hang out with anyone before.”
“With that personality, it’s normal.”
“But today he seems… different from usual,” Bai Le said.
“Too much talking,” Dong Yu added. “He usually keeps his head down, silent. Today, he was like fireworks, speaking a mile a minute.”
“Maybe that’s the power of friendship. To be honest about your feelings, you have to risk it all. Otherwise, getting hit is small, but being disliked by the one you like… that’s a big deal.”
Chen Wei glanced at Lu Jingcheng knowingly. “Right, Jingcheng?”
Lu Jingcheng glared at him. “…Food won’t stop your mouth, huh?”
Then he casually looked at Ye Qingyang. The boy was quietly eating, seemingly the same as usual, but somehow… different.
Could he really like me?
Terrifying. He was a straight guy; there was no future in someone liking a straight guy like him!
Give up, Ye Qingyang.
Ye Qingyang noticed Lu Jingcheng sneaking glances at him while he ate.
Of course—after the scene earlier, anyone would be curious.
He continued eating calmly, pretending not to notice.
When lunch was done, Ye Qingyang approached Lu Jingcheng. “Heading back to class?”
Bai Le and Chen Wei exchanged glances, smiling at Lu Jingcheng.
Embarrassed, Lu Jingcheng shook his head. “Not going.”
“I’ll go first then. See you later.”
Ye Qingyang waved and walked out of the cafeteria.
By now, he had digested some of the original body’s memories and easily found the classroom, returning to the last row by the wall where the original body sat alone.
Flipping through the books and homework, he confirmed what he remembered—the original body was a failing student.
Ye Qingyang had always been a “model child,” nearly top in every exam, even nearly full marks on the college entrance exams.
Now suddenly in a failing student’s body… it felt strangely novel.
Not bad. With a body the teachers had given up on, he could relax in class.
No rush to study—he already knew most of the knowledge from the other world.
He yawned and lay down for a nap.
When he woke up, the teacher was already lecturing.
He listened for ten minutes, found it too simple, and promptly rested his head again, falling asleep once more.