C41 Braised Chicken Rice

Lin Xiaorou had her position as class monitor usurped by Yi Lanyou, and then, to add insult to injury, she lost the vice class monitor role to her as well. Although Lin Xiaorou was seething with dissatisfaction internally, she maintained a smiling facade, engaging in light-hearted chatter with her classmates.

After enduring a seemingly endless two-hour barrage of speeches from the grade director, principal, and various class teachers in the auditorium, everyone was understandably exhausted. Post-speeches, they returned to their classroom, where an announcement over the intercom instructed the class monitors to collect new books for their classmates. Shortly thereafter, school was dismissed.

School ended right around lunchtime, and Yi Lanyou phoned her driver to let him know she wouldn't need a ride, then joined Wang Xiaoman and Zhang Ya for lunch. They didn't have to venture far; just across from the school was an alley bustling with eateries catering to students, offering reasonable prices, clean environments, and tasty food.

The trio, their backpacks significantly heavier with new books, chatted their way out of the school grounds.

Lin Xiaorou trailed behind them, exiting the campus. After shooting a venomous glare at Yi Lanyou's retreating figure, she climbed into her family's private car.

The day had been nothing short of disastrous for Lin Xiaorou. She had harbored hopes of befriending Miss Yi, but those aspirations had crumbled. Despite the day's setbacks, she reminded herself that they were only temporary. The future held plenty of opportunities, and all Lin Xiaorou needed to do was to regroup and maintain her composure.

With this in mind, Lin Xiaorou inhaled deeply, tucked her hair behind her ears, and once again donned her poised and confident smile. This was merely the start, and she was confident in her chances. After all, with her level of perfection, it was impossible for anyone not to like her.

Yi Lanyou, we'll take this slowly, step by step.

Lin Xiaorou refused to believe that her cunning couldn't outmaneuver a manipulative heiress.

As her car pulled away from the school, Yi Lanyou crossed to the other side of the street and paused to glance back at the departing vehicle, noting the familiar license plate. She had been aware of Lin Xiaorou shadowing her out of the school but had chosen to ignore it.

In her previous life, Yi Lanyou was Lin Xiaorou's deskmate, so it wasn't unusual for Lin Xiaorou to strike up a conversation with her. Now, Yi Lanyou had moved to the seat behind Lin Xiaorou, yet Lin Xiaorou still made a point of coming over to chat with Yi Lanyou, repeatedly showing her friendliness. Yi Lanyou didn't think she possessed such magnetic charm that would make someone so deliberately seek her favor.

"Youyou, what's on your mind?" Wang Xiaoman nudged Yi Lanyou's arm and inquired.

"Nothing," Yi Lanyou replied with a shake of her head and a smile. "Come on, I'll take you guys to try some delicious food!"

"Do you know this area well?" Zhang Ya asked with a grin.

"Not really," Yi Lanyou responded with a shrug. "I've just heard about this place from some acquaintances." She pointed to an alley not too far away and added, "There's a place that serves incredibly tasty braised chicken rice right over there!"

"Let's check it out," Wang Xiaoman said, patting her growling stomach. She had fallen victim to a problem common among students: the anticipation of a new school year, with new surroundings and new classmates, had kept her up with excitement the night before. She overslept that morning and had to rush to school without breakfast.

The trio made their way to the braised chicken rice spot in the alley. They had just settled in and placed their orders when several students, three girls and two boys, walked in. All but the boy in the shirt sported rather bold hairstyles. They rolled up their sleeves, revealing tattooed arms, and took the seats next to Yi Lanyou's group.

Wang Xiaoman glanced at the newcomers and then turned away as Zhang Ya passed out chopsticks to Yi Lanyou and Wang Xiaoman.

"Here are your three small braised chicken rices," the server announced, approaching Yi Lanyou's table with the dishes.

"Hey!" a girl with a wild hairstyle from the next table called out, "I'm starving. Can you give us those three first?"

The server hesitated, "They placed their orders before you."

"We've already ordered, and we're starving. Just bring over those three portions and you can serve ours to them later," the girl with the wild hair said, clearly growing impatient.

The waiter, who appeared to be new and somewhat overwhelmed, froze for a moment and stared blankly at Yi Lanyou's table.

"What the hell is taking you so long?" the girl with the explosive hair snapped, standing up as if ready to start a confrontation.

"Let's just eat," Yi Lanyou said calmly, standing up to take the tray from the waiter's hands and placing it on the table. She began to eat, savoring the familiar taste of the braised chicken rice she so enjoyed at this restaurant—the rice aromatic, the chicken tender, and the vegetables crisp.

"Hey!" The girl with the explosive hair was taken aback, not expecting someone to challenge her after her demand. She frowned, ready to step forward.

Just then, the owner hurried out with a tray. "Your three small orders of braised chicken rice are ready. The two larger ones will be out shortly."

As the tray was set down, the girl with the flamboyant glasses beside the explosive-haired girl pulled at her arm. "Let it go."

The boy with the buzz cut dyed red at their table chuckled. "What's the big deal? Is it really worth getting this worked up, School Beauty Jiang?"

"Sit down, aren't you hungry?" another girl in a miniskirt chimed in, trying to defuse the situation.

Finally, the girl with the explosive hair sat back down, still grumbling under her breath.

They continued to eat, laughing and joking loudly as if no one else was around, their raucous laughter punctuated by cringe-worthy jokes. Yet, through their banter, it was clear they were high school students.

The explosive-haired girl's comments seemed aimed at flattering and teasing the boy in the shirt, but he remained silent, his emotions unreadable.

Wang Xiaoman, spooning soup, gave Yi Lanyou an inquisitive look.

Yi Lanyou knew what Wang Xiaoman was asking and gently shook her head, signaling her to eat now and wait for answers later.

Wang Xiaoman nodded and quietly continued with her meal, preferring not to engage with such people.

"How about we take a stroll in Xindong after we finish lunch?" Zhang Ya proposed. "Remember the theme dessert shop we saw last time? It looks like they have a special offer today."

"Sounds good," Yi Lanyou murmured in agreement, recalling the shop herself, "Let's head there right after we eat."

"Okay," Wang Xiaoman nodded, then added, "And then could you join me for a trip to the pedestrian street nearby? I need to pick up a few notebooks." She wanted to get everything in one go to avoid making multiple trips.

"Sure," Yi Lanyou and Zhang Ya responded in unison.

"Ugh, it's so loud!" The girl with the explosive hairstyle at the next table suddenly banged on the table and snapped, "Hey! Could you keep it down? Don't you realize other people are trying to eat here?"

Faced with such blatant provocation, Zhang Ya frowned in annoyance, and Wang Xiaoman was also a bit upset, but they held back from responding due to being outnumbered.

"Why don't you examine your own behavior before you blindly criticize others?" Yi Lanyou retorted, visibly irritated. This person was truly bothersome.