Chapter 58: A Step Up

After playing basketball all afternoon, the four of them were so exhausted they nearly collapsed on the playground.

“I can’t go on—I’m seeing spots. Probably low blood sugar. I need to eat.”

Liu Li missed several three-pointers, then planted her hands on her hips, gasping for breath as she spoke.

Li Heng knew his friend wasn’t in good physical shape, so he immediately put the basketball away. “Let’s go. I’m hungry too. Let’s shower and eat.”

After a quick shower, the four starving boys grabbed their lunch boxes and sprinted toward the cafeteria.

It was still early for regular mealtime, so the path was nearly empty.

When Li Heng reached the cafeteria entrance, he unexpectedly ran into Song Yu.

She stood there holding a thermos, as if waiting for someone.

Seeing Song Yu, Zhang Zhiyong, Liu Li, and Zou Ai exchanged strange grins, then deliberately took a detour, speaking in mocking tones.

Li Heng had a thick skin—this little scene didn’t embarrass him at all. He stepped forward and asked Song Yu:

“Song Yu, why are you here alone at this hour?”

Song Yu spoke calmly: “My mom brought me some dishes. I’m waiting for Manning and Maisui to come down.”

As she spoke, she opened the thermos. “Bring your lunch box. Have some too.”

Li Heng was stunned. “I get some too?”

Song Yu smiled knowingly. “Of course. Everyone gets a share. Zijin told me to take care of you—you can’t get too thin.”

Just as Song Yu was scooping beef and duck meat into Li Heng’s lunch box, Xiao Han and a girl from their class walked down from the girls’ dormitory, laughing and chatting.

Once downstairs, the classmate carried two hot water flasks toward the boiler room.

Xiao Han continued forward, planning to meet Yang Yingwen and others at the school gate to eat out and improve their meals.

But as she passed the cafeteria entrance, she glanced inside casually.

That one glance froze her. Her expression locked in place. In that instant, she felt as if her heart had stopped—she couldn’t breathe.

Song Yu, with her natural grace and pure white attire, looked like a celestial being—too beautiful to ignore.

And beside her stood Li Heng, his face radiating contentment.

Even more striking was the intimacy between them!

After a brief hesitation, Xiao Han took a deep breath and walked toward the cafeteria, lowering her head as if lost in thought, pretending not to see them. As she passed Song Yu, she bumped her right arm, then hastily pressed her hand to her forehead and cried out apologetically:

“Oh! I didn’t see you—I’m so sorry!”

Song Yu held the thermos in her left hand and used a spoon in her right to serve Li Heng beef and duck meat.

The collision sent the white porcelain spoon clattering to the ground, snapping in two. Li Heng’s lunch box tipped over from the impact of Song Yu’s right hand.

“Clatter!”

The aluminum lunch box rolled a few times across the ground, spilling beef, duck meat, and broth everywhere.

Li Heng instinctively reached out to grab the box—but missed. When he looked up and saw Xiao Han, his mind went numb.

He exclaimed: “Xiao Han?”

Xiao Han acted as if she hadn’t heard him. She turned slightly and apologized again to Song Yu: “I’m sorry—I’ll replace your spoon.”

Song Yu fell silent, meeting Xiao Han’s gaze for a moment, then smiled faintly. “It’s fine. No need to replace it. We were standing in the way. Are you okay? Did you twist your ankle?”

Xiao Han shook her head.

In that moment, her impulsive fury faded. Inside, she cursed herself:

Xiao Han, you’ve lost your mind!

Do you even know what you’re doing?

Is this how you eat jealousy?

Who the hell are you? What right do you have to be jealous?

After this outburst, another voice inside her pointed at her forehead in disgust: You’re Xiao Han! You’re no worse than Song Yu. Why are you competing for his attention? Why?

Xiao Han bent down, picked up the broken porcelain spoon, examined it, then pressed her lips together. “I’ll buy you a new one later.”

Song Yu replied sincerely again: “No need. It’s fine.”

Xiao Han gave her a sweet smile, took another deep breath, then finally faced Li Heng. Her eyes curved gently, tinged with embarrassment.

“Oh, uh… Mr. Li… I spilled your good food. How about I treat you to dinner to make up for it?”

The moment she said it, she wanted to tape her own mouth shut: Xiao Han! How manipulative are you? Stay calm! This is way too forced—it’s too obvious, you’ll give yourself away!

Hearing her tone, Li Heng wasn’t surprised at all. This was exactly her.

At this moment, he didn’t pretend ignorance. “Sure. It’d be an honor to dine with our former town’s genius.”

“But not today. I’m eating with my dorm mates. Another day—next time I’ll come beg for a meal.”

His words weren’t awkward. Song Yu had no reason to suspect anything.

After all, they were hometown friends, even junior high classmates. Sharing a meal was perfectly normal.

After locking eyes with him for a few seconds, feeling Song Yu’s watchful gaze beside him, Xiao Han’s cheeks burned. Her ears grew hot. She politely nodded to Song Yu, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and walked out through another exit.

Watching him glance between Xiao Han’s back, the spilled food, and then himself, Song Yu chuckled.

“Snap out of it. Go wash your lunch box. I’ll give you more.”

Li Heng was heartbroken. “You’re giving it back? Half the food’s on the ground!”

Song Yu spoke calmly. “It’s fine. We’ll just eat a little less.”

Following her lead, Li Heng picked up the lunch box, washed it clean, and she portioned out more beef and duck meat.

Throughout, she never asked about Xiao Han. Not a single word about her.

Xiao Han felt his gaze on her back. She gritted her teeth, forced herself forward, and didn’t know how her trembling legs carried her out of the cafeteria.

Only when she reached a deserted spot outside did she finally relax—and only then did she notice her palms were drenched in sweat.

Worse still: her inner thighs were nearly bruised from the secret pinching.

Thinking about eating with him in the future, Xiao Han pouted. There was no joy—only the bitter realization: this was won by trickery.

Not genuine.

She frowned, wondering: Why is Song Yu so attractive to him? Why does she smile like an idiot?

Hey, idiot! Is Song Yu really prettier than me?

She muttered “idiot” twice at him, then suddenly laughed to herself. In the chaotic wind, she hastily added: Mr. Li, forgive me—I didn’t mean it.

Only when she stepped past the school gate did her anxious heart begin to calm. She held her left hand with her right, soothing herself: Even if we eat together, there’s no need to fear. Opportunity favors the prepared.

She’d been preparing too long.

She’d loved him too long.

(End of chapter)