In the morning, Ye Chen was woken by his alarm clock.
After washing up, Mother Ye had already prepared breakfast.
Egg Pancakes with Five-Grain Porridge—Ye Chen's favorite.
In his past life, after Ye Chen started working, what he missed most was the breakfasts Mother Ye made.
To have the chance to eat Mom's breakfast again felt wonderful.
After finishing, Ye Chen headed to school.
He had just sat down when he saw Xia Yingluo dash into the Classroom, panting.
Today Xia Yingluo wore the light-blue sweater Ye Chen had bought her, along with jeans. Though ordinary, the outfit looked uniquely charming on her.
Nowadays, wherever Xia Yingluo went, she drew every boy's gaze.
Beauty truly is a kind of trouble.
Ye Chen smiled and said, "Why were you running so fast? You're not even late."
Xia Yingluo glanced at the wall clock.
It was already 7:45.
"Good thing I ran fast—I'm still in time."
Ye Chen chuckled. "In time for what? Don't run next time; what if you fall?"
Xia Yingluo froze, her pretty face flushing slightly.
Is Ye Chen worried about me?
She pulled a chinese crepe from her pocket.
"I bought this for you."
Ye Chen was speechless.
This girl almost got herself late just to buy me a chinese crepe?
"Have you eaten breakfast?" Ye Chen asked.
"I have."
But the moment she said it, her little stomach protested with an untimely growl.
Ye Chen: "…"
He looked at Xia Yingluo, who had lowered her head, utterly at a loss.
"Are you stupid? Going hungry just to buy someone else breakfast?"
Head down, Xia Yingluo murmured, "I just wanted to buy you breakfast once…"
"So you starve yourself, huh."
"I'm not hungry; I ate too."
Helpless, Ye Chen took the chinese crepe, tore off a piece, and like feeding a baby bird said, "Be good, open wide."
Xia Yingluo opened her mouth, and Ye Chen slipped the piece of crepe inside.
"I…"
"Eat. Want me to keep feeding you?"
Feeling the eyes of their classmates, Xia Yingluo's face burned crimson.
"Ah, come on, continue!"
"No need, I'll eat myself."
She snatched the Egg Pancake and started eating on her own.
Just then, Li Sitong walked into the Classroom.
Yu Weiwei pulled her aside.
"Si Tong, you're in danger."
Li Sitong blinked. "What danger?"
"Ye Chen was hand-feeding Xia Yingluo just now—ultra-intimate."
"What's that got to do with me?"
Though a flicker crossed her face, Li Sitong kept her tone indifferent.
"Hah, I don't buy it—you really don't care?"
"Si Tong, how do you actually feel about Ye Chen?"
After a pause, Li Sitong said, "I'm not sure… maybe I like him."
"Since you know you like him, why not go after him?"
"They say a girl chasing a guy is like piercing a veil of gauze, and right now Ye Chen and Xia Yingluo are so close—if you don't act fast, you'll be the one crying," Yu Weiwei urged.
"But I'm a girl; I should be a bit reserved."
"If anyone confesses, it should be him to me."
Like or not, Li Sitong still harbored a sliver of pride.
"Come on, what era is this? If you like someone, confess boldly—what's the use of being reserved?"
"You have to beat Xia Yingluo to the punch: confess first and snatch Ye Chen."
"Have you been reading too many novels?" Li Sitong rolled her eyes.
Yu Weiwei sighed, "I'm doing this for your own good. I swear something's off between Ye Chen and Xia Yingluo."
Li Sitong glanced at Xia Yingluo, her resolve already wavering.
"Anyway, think it through—if Xia Yingluo steals Ye Chen, it'll be too late for tears," Yu Weiwei warned.
"I…" Li Sitong was at a loss for words.
"Look at Ye Chen's looks—full-blown School Heartthrob. See how many love letters he gets daily? Now Xia Yingluo clings to him every day; if he loses control, you'll regret it forever."
Yu Weiwei's words made Li Sitong even more anxious.
As her best friend, Yu Weiwei knew Li Sitong adored Ye Chen.
So she didn't want Li Sitong to lose to Xia Yingluo.
Thanks to Yu Weiwei, the previously calm Li Sitong grew increasingly tense.
Watching Ye Chen and Xia Yingluo whispering, Li Sitong felt Yu Weiwei had a point.
Ye Chen had always been handsome, and now he was a bona-fide Top Student too.
Girls from other classes, not just their own, were drawn to him.
The more time she spent with him, the more Li Sitong realized how outstanding Ye Chen truly was.
His calm strategies, his aura, his witty talk—Li Sitong believed no girl, unless she were into girls, could resist Ye Chen's charm.
Yu Weiwei concluded, "So strike first—grab Ye Chen ASAP."
Li Sitong pondered a moment, then nodded quietly.
Yu Weiwei grinned. "So you've decided? When will you confess?"
Gossipy sparks danced in her eyes.
Li Sitong shot her a look. "Hmph, not telling you."
She knew her best friend too well; the confession had to stay secret.
Li Sitong still lacked confidence.
What if he rejected her? How mortifying.
After all, she was Jiangzhou No. 1 Middle School's school flower.
Even if rejected, no one else could know.
Yu Weiwei pouted, disappointed.
"Hmph, stingy."
She'd already decided to tail Li Sitong these days.
She absolutely wouldn't miss her best friend's big confession scene.
The class bell rang, cutting their chat short.
Wang Chao walked in.
"Students, no lecture today—study by yourselves."
They were already in Senior Year of High School; new lessons had basically stopped.
Most of their time was spent doing and reviewing problems; they could ask teachers if stuck.
Old Wang sat at the podium.
Everyone buried themselves in self-study.
Li Sitong and Xia Yingluo both worked on practice sets.
Ye Chen suddenly noticed Xia Yingluo's hands trembling slightly.
He saw her fingers gripping the pen were red.
"What's wrong with your hand?"
"It's nothing—just cold outside!"
Ye Chen frowned. "Didn't you bring gloves?"
Xia Yingluo produced a tiny pair. "I did."
Seeing the flimsy gloves, Ye Chen was speechless.
In this freezing weather, those are practically useless.
Girls feel the cold easily; with her poor nutrition, Xia Yingluo's hands and feet got colder faster.
Ye Chen reached out and clasped her hand. "Let me warm them for you."