The cafeteria of No. 2 High.

"Open up..."

Yan Lingxuan obediently parted his lips as Katherine slid a piece of stuffed eggplant from her chopsticks into his mouth.

"Good?"

"Mmm. Absolutely delicious..."

Satisfied, Katherine deliberately shot him a lethal, heart-stopping wink. Her fair Western complexion and delicate features radiated an irresistible charm with every blink and smile—especially when the neckline of her loose top dipped... Wait! Her chest brushed against him... So soft...

Even knowing it was deliberate, Yan Lingxuan couldn’t help but drown in the sensation. (Put simply: Yan currently wore the face of a lovestruck fool.)

While basking in Katherine’s bone-melting wink and dangerously close proximity, Yan Lingxuan also weathered waves of contaminating jealousy from his surroundings—especially the three comrades glaring daggers from the opposite table. Their resentful stares burned as if he’d murdered their fathers.

*Comrades, it’s not betrayal. Honestly, you gave me nothing to miss...*

"*Ahem*... Could you two please mind your public decorum?" Su Fangwen said sternly.

*Huh? Why glare at me? Is this my fault?* Yan Lingxuan ignored it.

Katherine blinked innocently. "Jealous?"

From Yan Lingxuan’s angle, Su Fangwen visibly burst into flames.

"You fake bitch! Who screamed ‘*Eep!*’ yesterday after just one accidental touch? *Hmph*..."

"That was just... surprise! I’m Western—I’m open-minded. A little body contact? Big deal. Don’t believe me? Let honey try again." Katherine deliberately leaned against Yan Lingxuan. His wandering hand twitched with restless energy, but he forced it still. A faint crimson glow on Katherine’s profile betrayed her bluff. *Stubborn girl. Even in weird ways.*

After a morning together, Yan Lingxuan had her figured out: fiercely proud despite near-zero experience with the opposite sex. A casual brush of arms during class made her leap like a grasshopper, branding him a "sexual harasser" in classmates’ eyes. Yet she’d never back down, faking veteran confidence. *Why the act?* He suspected Bai Lingyue’s presence had everything to do with it.

"?"

Bai Lingyue tilted her head, confused, but kept shoveling food into her mouth. Her puffed cheeks worked rhythmically—adorable, like a tiny creature. Yan Lingxuan ate the same way (though he’d never admit it was cute). Watching his twin sister now? *So mesmerizing... Wait, am I being narcissistic?*

The school’s cafeteria dishes clearly agreed with Bai Lingyue—especially the auntie chef’s signature *huiguo rou* (twice-cooked pork). While most modern kitchens relied on smart machines, No. 2 High’s head cook was a master who insisted on handcrafting every dish. Her food outshone machine-made meals by leagues in color, aroma, and taste.

Plus, with municipal subsidies and an outsourced contract, meals here were far cheaper than outside.

"You disgusting sis-con. Wipe that filthy gaze off your face," Su Fangwen snapped, yanking Yan Lingxuan back from his sister-induced trance. She’d long known his laptop desktop was plastered with idol photos of Bai Lingyue—he’d proudly declared himself president of her fanclub since forever. But *his actual sister*? *This unhinged guy won’t go down a weird path... will he? No. He absolutely will. I should warn Lingyue. How can twins be so different?*

Noticing Yan Lingxuan’s attention stolen, Katherine pouted and pressed her body flush against his.

*Soft curves crushing my arm—what is this sensation?! Divine!* Yan Lingxuan maxed out his sensory receptors to savor every millisecond.

"Honey can touch if he wants," she murmured.

*What sorcery is this?* Angel and demon fused into one voice. Fully in lovestruck-fail mode, Yan Lingxuan’s left hand rose involuntarily toward the soft curves tormenting his right arm—

"Planning to grope women in public now?" Su Fangwen’s icy tone snapped him back. He reluctantly pushed Katherine away.

Katherine looked wounded, but a closer glance revealed her letting out a barely audible sigh of relief.

The quartet drew stares in the cafeteria—especially the two girls in stylish streetwear amid sea of sporty uniforms. Rare beauties like them turned every head, student or teacher. Yan Lingxuan, the sole male at the table, basked in the vanity boost.

Sparks flew between Su Fangwen and Katherine’s locked gazes. Yan Lingxuan declared solemnly:

"Having No. 2 High’s campus flower and a gorgeous transfer student stage a dramatic showdown over me in the cafeteria? Way too over-the-top."

"Who’d fight over a bastard like you?!" Su Fangwen seethed at his smug face. Worse than the anger was realizing *she’d actually argued over him*. Sensing the crowd’s eyes, she reluctantly reined in her fury. Yet... *campus flower?* A traitorous flicker of pride made her internally wince.

No. 2 High’s cafeteria occupied the first-floor hall—1,200 square meters of gleaming marble floors, 3-meter ceilings, and orderly rows of tables. Students filled most seats during lunch. Shared by middle and high schoolers, space was ample unless every student showed up.

"*Cramped*," Katherine had called it upon arrival.

Yan Lingxuan, a lifelong *magical girl idol* (MGI) fan, knew Valhalla Academy’s cafeteria dwarfed this one.

"Time to explain why you transferred in," he said. Katherine answered:

"You said you needed time to think. While you thought, we got bored. Trying a normal school seemed fun."

"Also good for observing ordinary life," Bai Lingyue nodded.

*Sis, what research delegation are you even with?*

"How’d you even get enrolled?" Su Fangwen pressed.

"Easy. With Alice, hacking a normal high school’s network and altering records is trivial. Alice is Atlantis’ AI core."

*Hacking and falsifying records is a crime!*

Ignoring Yan Lingxuan’s weirded-out face, Katherine cheerfully introduced Alice.

A 15-year-old black-haired girl materialized from the Wearable Device’s hologram—slim limbs peeking from a white unitard, half-lidded eyes drowsy.

Staring at the projection, Yan Lingxuan asked seriously:

"Can you wear black thigh-highs? Or garter stockings if not."

He instantly earned three glares of utter contempt. But Alice seemed intrigued. She nodded—and instantly materialized sleek black thigh-highs.

*Atlantis’ tech is unreal.* Such a tiny WD projecting details this crisp? Those glossy black-stockinged legs paired with the sleeveless unitard... *It’s criminal!*

"Loli + black thigh-highs? Perfection!"

Amid his excitement, Yan Lingxuan spotted three unwelcome figures approaching. *Trouble’s coming.* Sure enough, they headed straight for his table.

That fiery red hair. The left ear stud. Only one lawless soul at No. 2 High matched that description.

Qi Jun swaggered in, flanked by Pan Song and Xu Wentang as usual, his face twisted in a scowl. Spotting Yan Lingxuan and Su Fangwen—and the two unfamiliar beauties at their table—Qi Jun froze. Then, a vicious grin spread across his face as he strode toward them.