Chapter 24: Senior Rides Junior

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The rain stopped. Since Su Zhihan had a campus run scheduled for the evening, she left first.

Ye Zhou was also preparing to leave, but just then, Chen Yuhe came panting into the Drama Club. Droplets of moisture still clung to her auburn hair, which was tied up in a high ponytail.

Today, she wore an ordinary, loose, light-pink hoodie that concealed her impressive chest, paired with ripped jeans that accentuated her long, straight legs. On her feet were pink and white sneakers, making her overall look casual and fresh.

“Oh! Junior, I heard from President Jiang that you had a cold. I rushed here as soon as my last class ended.”

“This is an emergency. You’re going to ride Senior to the hospital.”

With that, Chen Yuhe turned her back to Ye Zhou and crouched down.

The corner of Ye Zhou’s eye twitched uncontrollably.

“That’s so typical of you, Senior. What kind of terrible phrasing is that? Besides, I’m basically over my cold already.”

“Achoo!”

Chen Yuhe stood up and rubbed her delicate nose, muttering, “Oh, no, this is bad. I must have caught a cold while running here in the rain. Now it’s my turn to ride my Junior to the hospital.”

“You…”

Ye Zhou couldn’t help but press a hand to his forehead.

‘Sigh, forget it. I really can’t do anything with her. I guess I’m just a soft-hearted god.’

“Fine, get on. I’ll carry you to the roadside so we can catch a taxi to the nearest hospital.”

Seeing Ye Zhou lean down slightly, Chen Yuhe hopped on without hesitation. She wrapped her right arm around his neck and raised her left hand in a fist, her almond-shaped eyes curving into crescents as she smiled.

“Oh! Hooray! Little Ye Zhou really is the best to me in this club, unlike that hateful Lin Shulan.”

“Go, go, go! The Little Ye Zhou Car is departing!”

A few minutes after Chen Yuhe piggybacked Ye Zhou out of the room, Lin Shulan walked into the club. She looked around, found no one there, and her face filled with confusion.

“Huh? Didn’t Chen Yuhe ask me to grab dinner tonight?”

“She really is a professional flake.”

“Fine, my dinner will taste better alone anyway.”

***

The next day…

As long as he wasn’t sick, Ye Zhou always woke up very early.

How early?

Before the rooster crowed, Ye Zhou would wash up, get dressed, and then on an empty stomach he would go for a spontaneous morning run, completing exactly three laps around the apartment complex.

This habit had been formed during his three years of high school.

His goal back then had been simple.

He just wanted something else to do so he wouldn’t study himself into a daze.

Now that he was a freshman, he couldn’t break the habit. It had become a daily routine.

What? You’re asking if Ye Zhou does this every single day?

He thought, ‘Probably.’

***

Returning to the apartment, Ye Zhou washed away his fatigue. He blew his wet hair dry while looking out the window.

The silhouettes of the eaves grew clearer as the morning light crept in inch by inch. With his keys in his pocket, he headed downstairs to grab some breakfast.

“Auntie, the usual. One chicken fillet and tomato salad hand-pancake and a cup of sweet soy milk.”

Whenever Ye Zhou wasn’t in a rush in the morning, he would visit this breakfast cart. Not for any other reason than the healthy ingredients and authentic taste.

Well, in today’s society, those requirements might be considered a bit demanding.

“Coming right up! You know, Zhou, it feels like you haven’t visited my stall in a long time.”

The short-haired Auntie’s hands were busy but steady as she chanted under her breath, “Fry his, fry yours, fry yours, fry hers…”

“Huh? Re-really? Didn’t I just come by yesterday? You must have remembered wrong, Auntie. Ahaha…”

Ye Zhou instinctively looked away, unable to hide the hint of awkwardness at the corner of his mouth.

The wrinkles at the corner of the Auntie’s eyes smoothed out as she offered a small, apologetic smile.

“Maybe you’re right. My memory isn’t what it used to be. Please bear with me.”

After 5 minutes passed…

Ye Zhou took the steaming, fragrant hand-pancake and soy milk with both hands.

Famished, he couldn’t wait to take a bite and a sip. It was blissful; there was no greater happiness in the world than this very moment.

Unexpectedly, the Daily Intelligence refreshed in his mind at this most inopportune time.

[Today’s Intel: Lin Shulan was so engrossed in Liu Bei literature last night that by the time she realized it, sunlight was streaming into her room, blinding her.

She decided to just go with the flow, but her phone suddenly rang—it was Jiang Yingxue, urging her to get to the club immediately to discuss the coaching for Su Zhihan’s new play.

Lin Shulan had no choice but to wash up and head out reluctantly. As expected, having skipped breakfast, she is already dizzy with hunger.]

Ye Zhou couldn’t help but complain:

‘Seriously, what is up with Senior Lin?’

‘She actually stayed up all night reading Liu Bei literature?’

‘To be honest, it’s normal for any healthy person to have physiological needs, so fulfilling… cough, satisfying those needs is perfectly natural.’

“But for real, isn’t she a bit too obsessed? I know erotica is supposed to be spiritual nourishment, but you can’t just ignore actual physical nourishment, right?”

‘Since that’s the case, I might as well grab something for her. It’s on the way, anyway…’

Muttering to himself, Ye Zhou turned back to the Auntie.

“Auntie, could you make me another set, the same as my usual?”

‘Tsk, it feels like that might not be enough.’

“Uh, actually, let’s add one Jianbing Guozi too.”

***

When Ye Zhou pushed open the door to the club, as expected, Lin Shulan was slumped over the table, trying to catch up on sleep.

Today, her shoulder-length purple hair was tied up, and she wore a black beret adorned with a metal pin. A black choker was fastened around her swan-like neck, adding a touch of sexiness and temptation.

She wore a short red T-shirt with Christmas elements underneath an open black leather jacket, which made her chest look quite full. Below, she wore a black leather miniskirt with metal chains and black Dr. Martens, revealing her long, straight, fair legs.

The overall look was cool, edgy, and trendy, with a playful hint of Christmas.

‘Isn’t Christmas still a long way off?’

‘Is Senior Lin already preparing to celebrate early?’

Ye Zhou placed the breakfast on the table, a look of confusion on his face.

What he didn’t know was that Lin Shulan had simply been in such a rush that she grabbed the first outfit she found in her wardrobe—it was a case of wearing whatever was available.

However, once she realized it later, she would probably be relieved she hadn’t accidentally grabbed her pajamas.

***

In her dreams, Lin Shulan was snatching gourmet food from Chen Yuhe’s hands and feasting greedily.

However, Chen Yuhe’s buffet was completely unethical.

While other restaurants usually pumped the air full of appetite suppressants so customers felt full before they even ate, her place did the opposite. It kept pumping in appetite stimulants.

No matter how much she ate, her stomach remained empty.

It was so uncomfortable…

Just then, a layered, savory aroma forced its way into her nostrils.

She sniffed, her delicate nose twitching twice.

?!

Is that a Jianbing Guozi!?

Lin Shulan’s body froze. She slowly raised her head, forcing her heavy eyelids open, her phoenix-like eyes narrowing into thin slits.

The scene before her caused a flash of resentment to cross her eyes, and she stubbornly turned her face away.

However, the saliva in her mouth was much more honest, secreting uncontrollably.

Fortunately, her stomach was holding its ground.

Unfortunately, as if determined to spite her, it chose that exact moment to let out two loud growls.