On the fourth floor, inside the Music Classroom.
Su Wanqing held the insulated lunch box with one hand while scrolling through her phone with the other.
She was currently investigating who had posted the rumor about her yesterday.
After looking through the files sent by her contact, her eyes gradually grew cold.
Just then, a call notification popped up on her screen.
Su Wanqing picked up the phone and pressed the answer button.
A clean female voice came through the receiver.
“Eldest Miss, according to our investigation, the post from yesterday was made by a friend of Miss Jiang Ran. Furthermore, based on our follow-up verification, Miss Jiang Ran was merely an innocent party caught in the crossfire…”
‘Just caught in the crossfire?’
Su Wanqing tapped the blackboard with a piece of chalk, pressing hard enough to snap it into three pieces before tossing them into the pen holder.
Her gaze shifted to the minute hand of the clock, and she dazed off for a moment.
“Yes. Does the Eldest Miss have any further instructions?”
Su Wanqing stared blankly at the time, completely forgetting to answer the voice on the other end.
After a moment of trance, she said in a heavy voice, “No need. Take a break.”
Su Wanqing hung up, spit the gum she was chewing into its wrapper, and glanced at her watch again.
Recalling what her mother had said to her last night, Su Wanqing subconsciously reached for another piece of gum.
She tipped the container over, only to realize she had finished the last one.
*Knock, knock, knock* —
A very light knocking sound echoed.
“Come in.”
Upon hearing Su Wanqing’s voice, Jiang Ran gently pushed the door open.
The facilities inside the spacious classroom were extremely simple, consisting only of chairs and tables.
Su Wanqing was dressed in a European-style Academy Uniform, sitting in the first row by the aisle.
Her long silver hair was loosely tied, with several strands hanging by her cheeks.
Her deep blue eyes looked toward the door, and a thick stack of materials sat by her hand.
Seeing Jiang Ran standing at the door as if unwilling to move a step further, she let out a light cough.
“Don’t just stand there like a fool. Sit anywhere.”
“Oh…”
Jiang Ran held her backpack with both hands and found a seat that was practically thousands of miles away from Su Wanqing.
Su Wanqing turned her head and scratched her temple as she looked at Jiang Ran, who looked like she wanted to sit in a different classroom entirely.
“I told you to sit anywhere, but I didn’t say you should sit that far away. You’re going to be taking photos for me in a bit. Come, sit next to me.”
Jiang Ran blinked.
When she heard Su Wanqing tell her to sit next to her, her hands tightened.
Hadn’t Su Wanqing told her she could sit anywhere?
Why was she going back on her word now?
Left with no choice, Jiang Ran carried her bag over and sat in a chair across the aisle from Su Wanqing.
Su Wanqing looked as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
She watched Jiang Ran playing with her phone, thought it over for a long time, and finally asked, “Have you eaten?”
“I have.”
“That… well, can you eat a bit more?”
Jiang Ran looked up with a look of utter confusion.
Su Wanqing pushed the insulated lunch box toward her.
“Af… After all, you’re going to be taking photos for a long time. What if you get hungry? You’re so thin. If you don’t eat more to nourish yourself, it will affect our filming work.”
Jiang Ran scratched her cheek and pulled out the food Bai Ranran had stuffed into her bag earlier.
“Look, I still have all these snacks I haven’t eaten.”
Su Wanqing visibly froze.
“Then I prepare… Bah, these are just extra. Finish them quickly so we can start filming.”
The insulated lunch box was pushed right in front of Jiang Ran.
She paused and asked, “How about you eat some, too? There’s no way I can finish all of this.”
Su Wanqing looked at Jiang Ran and thought about it.
She simply moved a chair over to join her.
Jiang Ran stared at Su Wanqing until she had swallowed her first bite, confirming that the food wasn’t poisoned or laced with anything strange.
Jiang Ran then picked up her chopsticks and grabbed some food.
The lunch box was filled with various stir-fried dishes.
Compared to the shredded potatoes she had eaten yesterday, the taste was significantly better.
More importantly, the steamed buns from Su Wanqing’s house were actually colored.
“President, your family’s steamed buns are so pretty. They’re multicolored.”
“Steamed… steamed buns?”
Su Wanqing wiped her chopsticks with a tissue and set them aside, quietly admiring the way Jiang Ran ate.
“Yeah. I’ve never had steamed buns this delicious before.”
“So you… you just like eating these buns.”
Su Wanqing remembered the servant had put those buns in this morning, worried she wouldn’t have enough to eat.
In reality, her family always prepared an abundance of dishes, and she usually didn’t even want to touch the buns.
As it turned out, a single colored bun was enough to hook Jiang Ran.
Her focus… was truly unique.
Jiang Ran bit into a bun.
“Yeah. I still feel like steamed buns are the best for filling the stomach.”
“I see. But you just told me you were full. If your family is truly struggling, I can help you apply for the school’s Poverty Subsidy. There are policies in place to provide assistance.”
Jiang Ran paused and shook her head.
“I don’t have the right documents. I’d rather not trouble you, President. Besides, I usually don’t eat much.”
Su Wanqing looked at the very little food left in the lunch box and nodded.
“It really isn’t much. Just a billion tiny bits, I suppose.”
Jiang Ran was completely unaware that she had unknowingly eaten so much.
She simply thought the food was delicious, so she kept taking more.
As they were finishing, Su Wanqing handed over a bottle of milk.
It was another mysterious brand with no visible logo.
Jiang Ran had realized that everything these female leads pulled out were brandless products.
“What’s this?”
“Milk. Anyway, it’s drinkable. You don’t need me to test a sip for you again, do you?”
Su Wanqing had noticed Jiang Ran waiting for her to eat first.
Such a little trick couldn’t escape her eyes.
Having her thoughts exposed, Jiang Ran scratched her cheek awkwardly.
“No… no need. I’ll drink it.”
Jiang Ran took the milk and downed the bottle in front of Su Wanqing.
Having eaten and drunk her fill, Jiang Ran leaned back in her chair with satisfaction, looking like she was about to fall asleep on the spot.
The things Su Wanqing gave her were really delicious.
If she didn’t know Su Wanqing was a game heroine, Jiang Ran might have actually let her guard down.
“Now that you’ve eaten and drunk your fill, can I ask you a question?”
Jiang Ran, who was still basking in the warmth of the room, was startled.
‘How can she play it like this?’
She felt a bit of regret for her greed.
“Wh… what question?”
Knowing she had eaten quite a bit of the other girl’s food, Jiang Ran’s attitude had clearly softened.
“Are you close with the person who made that post yesterday? Don’t be nervous, I’m just asking because this matter has indeed caused me some trouble. It also included your pictures. Although I had the Administrator delete the post immediately, there were still many people confessing their love for you in the comments.”
Confessing to her?
Jiang Ran bit her lip.
Why would a heroine care about a problem involving someone like her, a “Yellow Hair”?
It seemed the key point was the first part of the question; the rest was just polite filler.
“I know her. She’s from my hometown. We’re from the same village. Actually, I don’t know why she targeted you. By the time I saw it, it had already been posted.”
Su Wanqing rested her chin in her hand and looked into Jiang Ran’s calm black eyes.
“I see. Has she ever said anything strange to you? For example, has she brought you food like this, or tried to get you alone?”
Jiang Ran frowned.
“President, why are you asking these questions? Is this also required for the speech?”
Su Wanqing’s expression stiffened, and she cleared her throat.
“Of course it isn’t required for the speech. But aren’t we friends in private? Isn’t it reasonable for friends to care about each other? Also, calling me ‘President’ is so distant. Our Service Club was founded to eliminate prejudices and the mountains in people’s hearts. As a member, you should lead by example. So, just call me Su Wanqing from now on. Or, if you want to give me a nickname, that’s perfectly fine, too.”
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