At this very moment, Lu Chengzhou stood waiting in line for bubble tea.

He didn’t know much about girls’ flavor preferences, so he went purely on instinct.

“Two brown sugar pearl bubble teas, please.”

Stepping out of the shop, he turned toward the fast-food stall,

grabbed two boxed meals, and headed back to school.

At the gate, Lu Chengzhou paused.

The girl with the ugly face was browsing newly arrived anime magazines at the newsstand.

Her furrowed brow suggested she’d forgotten her money.

The shopkeeper’s expression dripped with disdain.

People in this world always held an innate aversion toward those deemed unattractive.

Lu Chengzhou stepped forward, handing her the boxed meal and bubble tea.

He picked up the magazine she’d just flipped through, bought it, and added it to the bundle.

The girl looked up, eyes widening slightly in surprise.

“A gift for you.”

“Why?”

“A reward for solving yesterday’s problem so well.”

“Oh, I see.”

Seemingly satisfied, she accepted the meal, drink, and magazine without another word.

As she lowered her head, thoughts flickered behind her eyes—but she said nothing.

“I’m off.”

Lu Chengzhou walked past her.

She glanced at the magazine, then at his retreating figure.

A faint smile curved her lips upward.

“I was just criticizing its weird art style… Did he misunderstand something?”

…

Back in the classroom, Lu Chengzhou took his seat.

Only two or three students eating modest packed lunches remained—among them, Su Qiaoman.

Her finances had always been tight.

Her lunches never changed; only when Lin Chen or Lu Chengzhou were around did she get treated.

In the original story, it was Lu Chengzhou—not Lin Chen—who helped her most.

What noble devotion!

Starving himself just to feed the one he loved…

Yet such kindness, aimed at a woman like Su Qiaoman, was utterly misplaced.

“Ah Zhou…”

Spotting the lunch and bubble tea, Su Qiaoman’s eyes flickered with hope.

She instinctively assumed they were for her.

After all, he’d done this countless times before.

Though their relationship had shifted lately, she still believed *her* Ah Zhou remained unchanged.

“Don’t get your hopes up. They’re not for you,” Lu Chengzhou said flatly, shattering her illusion.

Su Qiaoman froze—as if struck by lightning on a clear day.

She glanced at her own meager, nearly inedible lunch and clenched her skirt hem.

With Lin Chen absent, life had grown unbearably hard.

No one swiped her card. No one told her to buy freely. Even her beloved Ah Zhou…

The more she dwelled, the more wronged she felt. Her eyes welled up again.

*Why isn’t the world revolving around me?*

Lu Chengzhou ignored her, placing Meng Wanyu’s promised meal and drink neatly on her desk before returning to his studies.

“Is this lunch for Miss Meng?” Su Qiaoman pressed, unwilling to let go.

Lu Chengzhou didn’t look up. “Yes.”

She lowered her voice. “Did she… force you to buy it?”

*If it was forced, it’d hurt less.*

This time, he met her gaze.

“What *are* you thinking all day? No one forced me. I did it willingly.”

Su Qiaoman fell silent, sighing softly. “Ah Zhou…”

Before she could continue, Meng Wanyu returned, radiant.

Catching Meng Wanyu’s glance, Su Qiaoman shuddered, quickly turning away.

Resentment simmered—but her body remembered the humiliation.

After all, Su Qiaoman was still a woman who feared consequences.

Meng Wanyu let out a light, disdainful laugh.

*Look at that—my cure for “Green Tea and White Lotus Syndrome” is working perfectly. Gotta keep it up.*

“Thank you for the lunch and bubble tea, Classmate Lu.”

Meng Wanyu sat, opened the box, and—though she knew its contents—feigned delight:

“Wow! A cute heart-shaped egg roll, fried crab sticks… even seaweed?!”

“Classmate Lu, you’re amazing! How did you know this is my favorite?”

Su Qiaoman’s jealousy burned so fiercely it felt ready to burst from her chest.

Unable to endure another second, she stood and fled the classroom.

Once she was gone, Meng Wanyu dropped the act with a cold snort.

Lu Chengzhou glanced at her. “Classmate Meng… is this bullying?”

“Bullying? Did I hit her? Insult her?” Meng Wanyu yawned.

She’d already eaten; this meal would be dinner.

Lu Chengzhou sighed. *For the little princess’s sake, I should warn her—don’t keep provoking the main leads. Sure, her status shields her… but they’ve got plot armor, and the male lead plays dirty. With her protection, I stay safe. Gotta keep this umbrella close.*

“Classmate Meng, if you dislike her, we can request a seat change.”

“Nope. This spot’s perfect.” Meng Wanyu propped her chin, smiling darkly.

“I enjoy playing with the two fools up front. So entertaining.”

*Fools…*

Lu Chengzhou felt no objection. *Wonder what the male lead’s best friend would think hearing that.*

“Meng Wanyu! I’ve had enough of you!”

A classmate with a sharp 3-7 parted hairstyle stood, face stormy.

He strode over. “Brother Lin’s not here—you badmouth him *and* bully his woman?!”

Voice rising, he jabbed a finger at her.

“Don’t think I won’t slap you just ‘cause you’re a girl. Say one more word—I *will* hit you. Mark my words!”

Meng Wanyu merely clapped her hands.

From the tree outside, a hulking suited bodyguard dropped in like magic—agile despite his size.

He seized the swaggering boy by the collar and dragged him out.

“Ah Dai, go easy—he *is* our classmate!” Meng Wanyu called.

“Understood, Miss.”