Noon.

Lu Chengzhou stared at the three distinct lunch boxes on his desk, lost in thought.

He’d only stepped out to the academic affairs office—returning to find these waiting.

Left to right: Su Qiaoman’s, Meng Wanyu’s, and the third… from Discipline Committee Chief Xu Xi.

They’d even labeled them, worried he might mix them up.

Xu Xi added a note: “Return the lunch box to me.”

The first two made sense. But this third one? What was going on?

Could Xu Xi actually… have feelings for him?

No way.

The classroom stood empty. Only he remained.

He searched carefully—no hidden notes.

But tucked in the desk drawer, he found his school uniform.

Neatly folded inside a paper bag.

Washed spotless, smelling fresh, even carefully ironed.

Girls really are thoughtful.

Especially someone like Xu Xi, who noticed every detail.

Lu Chengzhou almost envied her future husband.

Total devoted-wife-and-loving-mother material.

Strict yet distant—a uniquely charming trait.

And her figure… *quite something*… Ahem.

He cut off the thought, opened her lunch box.

A simple grilled eel rice bowl, glossy and appetizing.

He sighed, closed the lid, slid it into his desk.

No help for it—he was full. Couldn’t force another bite just to save face.

Next, Meng Wanyu’s box: fruit salad. Refreshing.

He speared a watermelon cube with the included fork, popped it in his mouth.

Closed the lid, tucked it under the desk.

Last: Su Qiaoman’s.

Honestly? He didn’t want it.

His negative first impression of her felt unshakable.

Without a glance, he returned it beneath her desk.

…

Noon break flew by.

Yet all three lunch-givers remained weighed down by worry.

Xu Xi had delivered first—returning his uniform, lunch as a “by the way.”

Seeing her labeled box, Su Qiaoman and Meng Wanyu followed suit.

This was Xu Xi’s first time bringing a boy lunch.

Using the uniform as cover couldn’t hide her little scheme: *she made it herself*.

Braised eel prepped last night, rice steamed fresh today, topped with pork floss and shredded nori. Presentation? Flawless.

Why cook it? She didn’t even know.

Thanking him for the uniform hardly justified it.

Buying one would’ve been easier.

The more she pondered, the more confused she grew.

She stayed listless all afternoon.

Her best friend Xiao Rui noticed instantly.

“Xi Xi, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Xu Xi kept her usual serious face, clutching a cooking book—upside down.

“You’re lying! Why’s your book backward?”

Startled, Xu Xi flipped it—only to realize it *was* backward now.

“You little Rui! You tricked me!”

Face flushed, she raised a tiny fist.

Xiao Rui doubled over laughing, dodging playfully. “Oww, oww!”

“I’m ignoring you.” Xu Xi packed up.

“Wait!” Xiao Rui called. “Walk with me. Tell me your worries—I might help!”

Xu Xi would never confess.

She projected icy composure. Boys even nicknamed her “Heartless Nun” for docking couples’ points.

How could *she* develop strange feelings over a boy’s uniform?

Yet Xiao Rui pressed on.

Head down, Xu Xi quickened her pace—

*Thud.*

She bumped straight into someone’s chest.

Startled, she stepped back—forgot the stairs—nearly slipped.

A firm hand caught her waist.

Her heart skipped.

She looked up, numb.

Cheeks burned.

“L-Lu Chengzhou…”

“You okay?”

He released her naturally, said nothing, walked past.

He had to prep—tutoring Meng Wanyu tonight.

Xu Xi’s legs wobbled. Xiao Rui steadied her.

“Scared?”

“Y-yeah… a little…”

She took a breath, patted her cheeks. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”

But Lu Chengzhou’s image deepened in her mind.

The blush refused to fade.

Xiao Rui keenly sensed the shift.

*This… smelled like a girl’s first crush.*

Under relentless questioning, Xu Xi cracked.

She confessed—but warned fiercely: “Don’t. Tell. Anyone.”

“I don’t *like* him! Just… a slight favorable impression!” Xu Xi insisted. “He was gentlemanly, right?”

“Right, right…” Xiao Rui nodded.

*Gentlemanly?*

Any guy would catch a girl tumbling down stairs.

Still… Lu Chengzhou *was* good-looking.

Clean-cut, innocent-faced—the current “sunny fresh meat” type.

No wonder Xi Xi’s heart fluttered.

“Keep observing,” Xiao Rui smiled. “Someone as beautiful as you? He’ll notice.”

Xu Xi lowered her eyes, silent.

*If only… it weren’t just me worrying.*