This isn't good...

Yelan’s sudden appearance seemed to have caught Jiang Fan off guard. He stopped walking, and she wore a puzzled look.

"You’re overthinking it. Those two over there? Just my teachers. Ran into them by chance today, so they dragged me up to the fourth floor for lunch. Can’t blame them—I’ve been goofing off in their classes nonstop. Just escaped their lecture, actually."

Jiang Fan shrugged casually. It wasn’t a complete lie—Shu Yue *did* want him to study harder, after all.

"More importantly, shouldn’t you hurry back? The food’s getting cold. Her patience with meals never lasts more than five minutes. Wait any longer, and she’d rather go hungry."

"Oh! The young master makes a good point. I’ll take my leave now. See you later."

Yelan nodded as if snapping out of a daze, gave a quick gesture of farewell, and hurried away.

Jiang Fan had deliberately sent her off to minimize contact between Yelan and Shu Yue. She’d definitely report everything to Mu Yuli later. If Shu Yue accidentally said something she shouldn’t while unaware of the situation… well, that’d be trouble.

By the time Jiang Fan returned to his seat, both teachers were still watching Yelan’s retreating figure. Shu Yue turned to him immediately, confusion clear on her face. "That person just now… someone from your part-time job?"

She knew his family situation—no close relatives. Calling her a friend didn’t quite fit either. That formal attire screamed "working adult." She had no idea how the woman got into the school, but she didn’t seem suspicious.

"Yeah. A senior who’s been pretty kind to me. Her relative studies here—she was just dropping off lunch."

The cafeteria at No.1 High had decent food, and the ingredients were cleaner than takeout. No food safety scandals so far. Otherwise, even Mu Yuli—who wasn’t picky about taste—wouldn’t eat here.

"I see." Shu Yue accepted his explanation without suspicion. "But the food’s practically cold now. Want me to get you a fresh plate?"

"Nah. Waste not, want not. Still edible."

Jiang Fan waved her off and dug into his meal with chopsticks, devouring it with single-minded focus. Shu Yue just shook her head, smiling.

"Eat slower, kid. No one’s stealing it from you."

But Jiang Fan was in the zone now—ears closed to the world, mind fixed on his plate. He didn’t even acknowledge her words.

Shu Yue couldn’t grill him endlessly. She hadn’t eaten much herself, and watching him enjoy his meal made her stomach grumble.

Xia Yining, silent until now, studied Jiang Fan thoughtfully.

*That woman’s attitude toward him… didn’t feel like a senior colleague. More like a subordinate showing respect to a superior.*

Shu Yue mentioned he never seemed worried about his debts. Connecting that to the woman’s behavior… the key might lie with his mysterious little girlfriend.

*Could he really have used underhanded methods on that girl, like Meng Yao claimed?*

Xia Yining’s mind raced, piecing together a clear theory. Yet her smile remained light and detached, as if she knew nothing.

*Better tread carefully. This kid’s sharp. If he senses my suspicion…*

With no one leading the conversation, Shu Yue’s original plan fizzled. After lunch, Jiang Fan seized the excuse of limited nap time and the risk of being late for class. Finally, he escaped their company under the weight of curious stares.

Honestly? This was the most uncomfortable meal of his life—even worse than dinners at Mu Yuli’s place.

Worst of all was Teacher Xia’s unreadable smile. He hated that kind of gaze. People who smiled like that were usually rotten inside. Facing Mu Yuli’s anger felt easier than sitting across from Xia Yining.

*Next time—no matter what they say—I’m NEVER eating with them again!*

Jiang Fan vowed silently.

---

"Teachers? He barely interacts with anyone at school. That nosy homeroom teacher aside… who’s the other one?"

Mu Yuli set down her teacup, frowning as she listened to Yelan’s report from the sofa.

"According to Agent Six, she’s Xia Yining—Jiang Fan’s English teacher and Shu Yue’s friend. She’s the one who asked Shu Yue to call the young master to the office. Seems she heard about his relationship and wanted to… look into it."

"Xia Yining…" Mu Yuli searched her memory. "The younger sister of Lin Group’s CEO? And Lin Zhengde’s daughter—the one who confronted him at Chen Jing’s place the other night—she must’ve leaked the news…"

Mu Yuli’s fingers tapped lightly on the desk. Yelan stood silently nearby, careful not to disturb her thoughts.

"Anything else to report? No? You may go. I’ll summon you if needed."

Mu Yuli ended her contemplation quickly. The problem wasn’t complex—no need to overthink it.

"One more thing." She stopped Yelan just as she reached the door. "After school, keep an eye on him. If he doesn’t come to me willingly… drag him over. I want to see just how wild my little stray cat has gotten."

Today’s reckoning was far from over. Her tolerance and generosity didn’t mean he could exploit her affection endlessly.

*Too many treats lately… spoiled him. Wild cats need taming.*

A smile with a cruel edge curled Mu Yuli’s lips as she plotted how to teach her boyfriend a lesson.

---

At that exact moment, Jiang Fan—napping at his desk—shivered involuntarily. A cold draft seemed to brush his neck, raising goosebumps.

*Damn it. She’s definitely scheming new ways to torture me. Should I just skip class and run?*

*Worse comes to worst, she’ll drag me back and make me endure her wrath all night. But apologizing tomorrow should calm her down… better than whatever "fun" she’s planning.*

The more he thought about it, the smarter escape seemed. The moment nap time ended, he marched to Shu Yue’s office, helped himself to a leave slip from her drawer, filled in the date and reason, stamped it, and strolled out of school like he owned the place.