At first, she’d thought that Shi Ji hadn’t contacted her because things were going smoothly on his end. She’d even assumed he was doing something worthwhile. But it turned out he was helping sell buns at a bun shop. She was at a loss for words. Shi Ji’s way of thinking had completely turned her worldview upside down.

Selling buns did count as helping, and it fit the Academy’s rules. But couldn’t he be a little less casual about it? Only someone like Shi Ji would think of doing something like this. Now that she thought about him getting expelled from General Star Hero Academy, she wasn’t surprised at all.

Lin Xinyan had come here for breakfast, but seeing Shi Ji had killed her appetite. Judging by his grinning, carefree look, he’d been having a pretty good time these past two days.

Lin Xinyan stared at Shi Ji helplessly and said flatly, “Hey, what exactly are you thinking? You’re satisfied just selling buns?”

After hearing that, Shi Ji didn’t look worried in the slightest. In fact, he answered proudly, “No, no. We’ve got steamed buns, all kinds of porridge, and free kimchi too. Want some?”

“…” Lin Xinyan froze for a moment, her face blank. Was Shi Ji joking, or had he really misunderstood what she meant? “Hey, hey, I’m seriously trying to talk to you about something important. Don’t joke around.”

Shi Ji wasn’t even worried about himself, but Lin Xinyan was getting anxious. After all, she really did consider him a friend, and she’d also promised Jing Xin she’d help him out. Surely Shi Ji couldn’t just sell buns, do one task, and settle for the bare minimum score.

Even after Lin Xinyan said all that, Shi Ji still wasn’t in a hurry. Instead, he reached for a char siu bun and leisurely took a bite.

“Don’t worry. I never expected to get a high score anyway. Otherwise, why would I be staying here?”

The main reason Shi Ji said that was simple: he was broke. Living elsewhere was expensive, and so was food. Working here got him free room and board while taking care of his practical assignment, too. It was the best of both worlds. Why wouldn’t he do it?

Lin Xinyan couldn’t help admiring Shi Ji’s optimism. Were all the strong ones this laid-back?

“I’ve already explained the pros and cons. You can decide for yourself.”

Since Shi Ji had put it that way, saying anything more would just make her a nuisance.

“Hey! Hurry up and try today’s buns!” Shi Ji called out again.

Lin Xinyan puffed out her cheeks and finally stopped talking about it. She turned her gaze to the char siu buns in front of her.

She’d been here plenty of times, so she knew exactly what the char siu buns usually looked like. But the ones in front of her looked a little strange. Not bad, exactly—they just looked different from the ones she’d had before, with finer, prettier pleats.

“Has the shop come out with something new?” she asked curiously.

Shi Ji flashed a broad, toothy grin, then stood up and thumped his chest, looking very proud. “That’s what happens when a handsome guy like me lends a hand. I made these buns myself, filling and all. Go on, give them a try!”

Lin Xinyan blinked instinctively, clearly surprised.

“Hey, you’re not joking, are you? It’s only been two days at most. You’ve already mastered it?”

Seeing that Lin Xinyan didn’t believe him, Shi Ji didn’t get nervous. Instead, a smug little smile appeared on his face.

“Ha! You can’t judge a person by their looks. My cooking skills have always been amazing, but I’m low-key, so I don’t say anything. Just like how handsome I am—I’m low-key about that, too, so I don’t mention it.”

Shi Ji’s words made Lin Xinyan laugh.

“Heh… How are you this funny?”

As she spoke, she picked up a bun with her chopsticks, opened her little mouth, and took a gentle bite.

Shi Ji kept smiling. He had plenty of confidence in his cooking.

“Mmm! It’s delicious!” came the girl’s voice.

…