12: The Beauty of First Encounters (4)

The red color gradually faded, and the edges of the meat curled irregularly as the sizzling sound continued, golden bubbles of oil bursting one after another.

Previously, Young Master Feng, who had insisted on maintaining his figure, was now eagerly accepting everything, first eating a piece of meat, then biting into some lettuce, his gaze never leaving the dining table.

Despite his haste, he sat upright with a proper posture, his movements neither hurried nor careless, exuding the refined air of a gentleman. It was rare to see someone eat barbecue while keeping the area around their plate spotlessly clean.

During the intervals between grilling, Ye Xiangwan’s eyes scanned Feng Jinyan’s rosy, thin lips, which were coated with a glossy layer of oil that he hadn’t yet wiped away—clearly, he was quite famished.

“This piece is too big; cut it for me,” Feng Jinyan finally said, as if only now that he had satiated his hunger did he have the energy to give orders.

Ye Xiangwan remained silent, her expression indifferent as she looked at him.

“…Thank you,” he muttered.

Only then did Ye Xiangwan pick up the scissors and neatly cut the meat into three nearly equal parts, placing each piece onto Feng Jinyan’s plate.

When she had entered the private room 207 earlier, she had bluntly declared at the door, “I’m not going to Yizhong High School. I’m going to Longchuan. Don’t worry about the money.”

She had thought it through: with the New Year’s money she’d carefully saved over the years, plus some earnings from tutoring during the summer after topping the entrance exam, the tuition fees should be covered. As for the future, she would take it one step at a time.

Just as her mother raised her hand to slap her, the principal of Yizhong arrived. Ye Xiangwan took the opportunity to apologize in person. The principal, realizing there was no need for underhanded dealings, happily chatted with her for over half an hour.

She had expected to settle the bill with Feng Jinyan upon leaving, but she had completely underestimated how precious the young master was.

Perhaps having never grilled meat himself, Feng Jinyan had grudgingly deigned to cook his first piece, but it wasn’t cooked enough. He frowned after biting it and spat it out, refusing to eat raw food.

The second piece was slightly burnt on one side, and since he wouldn’t eat charred food, he slammed his chopsticks on the table in frustration.

So when Ye Xiangwan went downstairs, she saw the young master standing by his seat, frowning deeply as he grilled a piece of lettuce…

“Add me as a friend,” Feng Jinyan said, tapping on his phone before handing it to her. “I’ll message you after I make the arrangements. Just bring your ID and take care of the paperwork.”

Ye Xiangwan glanced at the screen. The username was “Long Live the Emperor,” with a backlit silhouette as the avatar—very striking. Judging by the delicate profile, it must be him.

After receiving the friend request, Feng Jinyan stared at his phone for a long time, even leaning closer to the screen.

“...Tsk tsk,” he shook his head, then gave her a thumbs-up. “If you used a period in your name, it would be easy to spot. But you used a decimal point; no one can see when they @ you. I just thought it was dust on my screen.”

Ye Xiangwan raised her eyelids slightly and calmly set down the tongs, expressionless as she watched the meat darken on the grill.

“Burnt! You…”

The young master, who was accustomed to having the upper hand, lost his momentum upon seeing her cold face. He poked the last piece of meat in his plate with his chopsticks a few times, then ordered, “Grill it faster. If you’re the best in the city, I’ll waive your tuition! My family has donated a lot to the school; they won’t miss your tuition.”

Ye Xiangwan arched her brows.

“Is that a yes or no?”

Feng Jinyan lifted his foot and gave her shoe a light kick from below.

She lifted her foot and stepped back, then spat out two words as she took the tongs with a cool air, “Deal.”

Only then did the young master relax his brows, though he still complained, “Ye Xiangwan, aside from your pretty face, there’s nothing likeable about you.”

“I don’t need anyone to like me.”

“Then you won’t find a boyfriend or get married?”

Ye Xiangwan glanced at him and countered, “Why would I marry?”

“…”

A month later, the entire summer, heavy with steaming heat, was finally drawing to an end.

The dense branches of the plane trees in the city formed a canopy. In front of the grand gates of Longchuan High School was a large parking lot. Under the thick shade, drivers opened car doors, and wealthy students in finely tailored uniforms strode in confidently, their polished leather shoes clicking as they exchanged news about their family businesses and the stock market.

Ye Xiangwan walked straight through the line of gleaming luxury cars without looking around. Though she overheard some surprising tidbits, she no longer felt anything beyond a clear focus on her goal: to excel academically.

After all, a diploma from Longchuan held enough weight to provide her with more choices for her future, and the confidence to leave behind a place that had long ceased to be home.

She walked down the corridor of pure white marble floors, glanced up at the gold-edged sign that read “Grade 10, Class 1,” and stepped inside.

The noisy chatter in the classroom stopped abruptly the moment she appeared, like a group of geese whose necks had been pinched. Standing at the door with a detached gaze, she scanned the room, finally settling on the last empty seat by the window.

Under the full attention of the class, she expressionlessly placed her backpack on the desk, pulled out the chair, and sat down, her head slightly tilted toward the window.

“Is that girl really Feng Jinyan’s personal attendant?”

“That appearance and aura don’t match at all! Are you sure your info is right?”

“Of course. The academic director told me himself, and even my dad confirmed it. Feng Jinyan has some kind of cleanliness obsession and must have someone constantly looking after him, or he’ll have an episode. So they brought in a little attendant.”

“Oh, that makes sense. In our circle, everyone knows everyone. If she were from our world, we’d definitely remember that face.”

Ye Xiangwan pressed her lips together. She hadn’t expected to enter Longchuan through Feng Jinyan’s extravagant tantrums, but judging by the outcome, she owed him a favor.

Suddenly, the class’s discussion halted again without any attempt to hide the fact that the subject was present. Ye Xiangwan turned her head and saw Feng Jinyan standing at the door, his gaze sweeping across the room as if searching for someone.

He carried his backpack slung over one shoulder, his brows furrowed slightly, looking displeased.

“You, come with me.”

Without hesitation, Feng Jinyan strode through the crowd, tossed his backpack onto Ye Xiangwan’s desk, then turned and walked toward the door with his hands in his pockets.

Ye Xiangwan raised an eyebrow. Though she didn’t mind being called an attendant, she had no patience for his bossy tone.

She was never one to submit meekly.

So, amid the curious and uncertain gazes of everyone else, she picked up Feng Jinyan’s backpack and threw it onto the chair in front of her, then turned back to gaze out the window.

Feng Jinyan took a few steps, realized there was no movement behind him, turned back, and saw his backpack had indeed been thrown onto his desk by the other party.