Lu Yu had already sampled the meals at Lin Beixing’s home.

All vegetarian—absolutely no meat in sight.

No matter how many times he ate there, aside from shrimp and eggs, nothing else even brushed against meat.

So Lu Yu’s real intention was to offer Lin Beixing his shredded pork with red peppers.

But Lin Beixing just nodded, then used her tiny spoon to scoop a few green leaves from his plate.

Lu Yu let out an exasperated chuckle.

“…Not that. Try the meat.”

“Meat makes you gain weight…”

Lin Beixing mumbled around the spoon in her mouth, voice slightly muffled.

The greens she’d taken—garlic-stir-fried—smelled delicious.

Lu Yu said nothing more. He waited until she swallowed, then held out a hand. “Lend me your spoon.”

Lin Beixing tilted her head in confusion but passed it over.

Using her spoon, Lu Yu scooped a generous chunk of pork with red peppers from his bowl and firmly pressed it into her plate.

“…I can’t eat this much meat.”

Lin Beixing froze, utterly bewildered.

“Waste is shameful, Class Rep Lin,” Lu Yu said calmly.

“But eating too much meat makes you fat…”

“You should gain a little weight first.” His gaze flickered lightly over her chest.

“After all, you can see your feet when you look down.”

“Huh…?”

Lin Beixing didn’t quite get it.

But this was the second time he’d said it—she started feeling self-conscious.

“It just means eat more meat,” Lu Yu added, eyes briefly tracing her slender arms before glancing toward her chest.

Beneath her neatly fastened ribbon, her soft chest stood as poised as her straight spine.

Truth was, Lin Beixing’s figure was already perfect. Lu Yu just wanted her to eat more.

“Eat up. It helps you put on weight.”

Lin Beixing stiffened slightly.

She’d caught his gaze on her chest.

A realization dawned.

Combined with the body-swap memory—Lu Yu changing her clothes, her underwear… even giving her a bath at home…

Her privacy had been gone long ago!

Her face flushed crimson like a ripe apple.

Shyness sparked sudden anger. She almost jabbed him with the spoon—but held back.

Instead, she shoveled a furious spoonful of rice into her mouth.

*Who’s flat-chested?!*

*Lu Yu, you…*

*PERVERT!!*

Never teased like this before, Lin Beixing burned crimson all the way to her ears.

Lu Yu propped his chin up, watching her eat bite after bite with flushed indignation. A faint smile tugged his lips.

After lunch, Lu Yu bought his usual chilled cola.

Under Lin Beixing’s sparkling stare, he poured a small capful and handed it to her.

She cradled the cap, sipped, and her eyes crinkled shut in bliss.

She’d found one of her few joys:

Extorting a cap of cola from Lu Yu every noon.

As she watched him reclaim the bottle, Lu Yu thought: *Playful as it is, I won’t overindulge her.*

He knew her constitution was delicate. Too much icy cola? Stomachache guaranteed.

They walked side by side from the cafeteria toward the teaching building.

Conversation dwindled.

Lin Beixing stared at the ground; Lu Yu gazed ahead. No eye contact. No interference.

Lu Yu never cared about classmates’ surprised glances—but he figured *she* would.

She was Jiangshui High’s undisputed school beauty. To spare the flustered Class Rep, he slowed his pace.

They shifted: Lin Beixing now walked ahead.

Sensing the distance, she stopped and turned.

“…What’s wrong?”

“You go first,” Lu Yu said. “Walking back together’ll spark gossip.”

Lin Beixing frowned, locking eyes with him.

“Do *you* care about that?”

“I don’t,” Lu Yu shook his head.

*(He’d assumed she’d mind… Had he overthought it?)*

Lin Beixing turned back, stepped beside him again.

Lu Yu blinked, caught off guard.

Climbing the stairs, ignoring surrounding stares, the world shrank to just the two of them.

Lu Yu rubbed his nose.

“I saw the cat sticks and cans you left in the box…”

“Coal said the sticks were tasty. Told me to thank you,” Lu Yu said.

Lin Beixing blinked. “Coal… *talked*?”

*(After a body swap, a talking black cat shouldn’t be weird… right?)*

Lu Yu froze. Their eyes met in stunned silence.

*So naive. So easy to trick.*

He’d just used Coal to steer the topic—never expected her to take it seriously.

“What’s so funny, Lu Yu…?”

She caught his faint, mischievous smirk.

Lu Yu waved a hand. “Nothing. Just… Class Rep Lin seems a little slow sometimes.”

“Calling me dumb?!” Lin Beixing huffed. “I’m *your* class rep! That makes *you* dumb too!”

*What twisted logic…*

Lu Yu bit back the thought, nodding rapidly. “Mm-hmm, mm-hmm—Class Rep’s absolutely right.”

By the classroom door, Lu Yu paused, letting Lin Beixing enter first.

Even if she didn’t mind the questions, he didn’t want her swarmed.

Popular, gentle, cheerful—any rumor drew a crowd around her.

He just didn’t want to see her flustered.

Back at his seat, Lu Yu met his deskmate’s stare.

Ren Jie’s eyes were wide as bells, ears perked like antennas.

Lu Yu cut him off: “Nothing happened. Ate lunch, came up.”

“B-b-but the *flag-raising ceremony* incident?!” Ren Jie pressed.

“I forgot my uniform,” Lu Yu smoothly lied. “Ran into the class rep grabbing something. Tried to borrow hers—but ceremony started before I could.”

“…Whoa.” Ren Jie bought it.

*(If the guy himself says it, the gossip’s dead without belief.)*

“Bro Lu! First her homework, then her uniform… Next you’ll borrow *her*?!” Ren Jie gasped.

Lu Yu ignored him, unlocking his phone. Black-and-white symbols filled the screen.

Ren Jie leaned in. “New game? Let me see!”

“No.” Lu Yu picked up his pink “manly” pen and scribbled on paper.

Ren Jie squinted. *Not studying. Not gaming. Weird symbols… Casting a spell?*

“So what *are* you doing?”

“Reading sheet music.”

“Rice noodle shop?”

“…Musical staff. Piano score.”

“Why?!” Ren Jie’s face screamed confusion.

Under relentless questioning, Lu Yu sighed. “I’m starting piano lessons.”

“WHAT?!!!!!!”

“ARE YOU OKAY?!!!”

Ren Jie’s jaw dropped.

He’d believe the eighty-year-old downstairs learning ballet before accepting *Brother Lu* playing piano.