Chapter 65: Dot, Come Here

Finally managing to rein in the wildly imaginative little troublemaker, Cheng Xingye felt utterly exhausted in both body and mind as he led her into a barbecue restaurant.

It was a Korean-style self-service grill, and at this hour the place wasn’t crowded. The two of them chose a booth by the window and settled in.

Lu Qingyue had always been powerless in the face of delicious food; as soon as she sat down, her eyes darted eagerly between the seafood and meat sections. Before Cheng Xingye could arrange the cutlery, she had already dashed off, disappearing in a flash.

He sighed and rose to help her grab a plate.

Soon enough, the table was piled high with marinated beef, short ribs, lamb, fresh shrimp...

The task of grilling naturally fell to Cheng Xingye.

The sizzling of meat filled the air, its aroma wafting enticingly. Lu Qingyue devoured piece after piece, her lips glistening with oil.

Cheng Xingye gazed at her bright, glossy mouth, and suddenly recalled the post Chen Shujie had read aloud in their dorm earlier. His thoughts shifted, and he asked,

“You didn’t wipe your mouth after sneaking a chicken drumstick at lunch, did you?”

Lu Qingyue choked, nearly dropping the meat from her mouth.

“How do you know about that? Did you put a camera on me?!”

Cheng Xingye chuckled, his long, slender fingers expertly peeling a shrimp and tossing it into her bowl, his tone leisurely mocking,

“You embarrassed yourself all over the school forum—how could I not know?”

No matter how carefree she usually was, being called out for her blunder by someone she liked made Lu Qingyue feel a touch of shame. She pursed her lips and murmured awkwardly,

“It’s not that I meant to leave my mouth unwiped—it’s just Xiao Qingrong, that guy who eats with me, he’s so annoying. Sitting beside him honestly makes me nauseous, so I just ran off without thinking to wipe my mouth. Who would have thought someone would post about such a trivial matter online...”

Cheng Xingye glanced at her indifferently.

“He’s still pestering you?”

Lu Qingyue answered honestly, “Not anymore. He has a girlfriend now.”

To be honest, she didn’t think Xiao Qingrong had any lingering feelings for her. It was just wounded pride and a sense of unfinished business.

Hearing this, Cheng Xingye made a sound of acknowledgment.

He pulled out a napkin to wipe his hands, then took a wet wipe and leaned over, intending to clean the sauce from the corner of her mouth.

His hands were large and well-defined, the backs slim with faint veins showing through.

He performed these actions with utter naturalness, as if he’d always been accustomed to caring for her so meticulously.

As they ate and chatted, suddenly a surprised female voice sounded beside them—

“...Xingye?”

Lu Qingyue and Cheng Xingye looked up almost at the same time, surprised to see Xu Qian and another girl standing by their table.

Apparently, they were here for a meal as well. Both had clearly dressed up, especially Xu Qian; her features were gentle and unremarkable, but a touch of makeup lent her a unique, soft charm.

Xu Qian’s eyes sparkled, but when her gaze shifted to the girl sitting opposite Cheng Xingye, the light gradually faded.

She quickly regained her composure, curving her lips into a gracious smile and greeting them with poise,

“What a coincidence!”

Cheng Xingye replied, “It is quite the coincidence,” and, as he spoke, speared a strawberry and handed it to Lu Qingyue.

Only then did Xu Qian feign surprise at noticing Lu Qingyue, raising her brows,

“Isn’t this Lu Yi’s younger sister?”

Lu Qingyue was surprised she remembered her. Out of courtesy, she smiled sweetly,

“Hello, sister.”

In truth, she’d already sensed back at Cheng Xingye’s birthday party that this sister was interested in him.

But Cheng Xingye’s attitude had been clear, so she hadn’t given Xu Qian much thought. After all, who doesn’t have a classmate with a crush on them?

Xu Qian smiled at her warmly, as if wanting to say something but unsure how to start.

Her dining companion, Li Jing, watched Cheng Xingye hand various fruits to Lu Qingyue, her expression tinged with surprise. She quietly ventured,

“You two... came out to eat together alone?”

A lone man and woman—an arrangement that inevitably sparked speculation.

Cheng Xingye didn’t even lift his eyelids. “Is there a problem?”

His tone was rather blunt, and Xu Qian’s smile faltered for a moment, awkwardness flickering across her face.

Everyone knew about her feelings for Cheng Xingye. His attitude toward her was always lukewarm—not harsh enough to make her lose face, but his rejection was obvious.

Xu Qian understood that pursuing a boy like him required patience. Occasionally showing up in his life was enough to maintain a presence—any more would risk provoking his aversion and ruin her chances.

So, she quickly adjusted her demeanor and replied with a bright smile,

“...No, no problem at all. Jingjing and I arrived late, and the waiter said there were no booths by the window left. Would you mind if we joined you?”

Cheng Xingye didn’t refuse. He nodded, “Feel free.”

His words were polite, but his gaze swept meaningfully toward the little troublemaker opposite him.

Lu Qingyue immediately picked up on his intent.

Was this payback for her lunch with Xiao Qingrong?

She’d thought she’d smoothed things over, but apparently the jealous young master hadn’t forgotten.

Feigning ignorance, Lu Qingyue kept her head down, continuing to fork fruit from her plate, trying her best to minimize her presence.

After all, they were classmates; sharing a meal was perfectly normal—or so she told herself absentmindedly.

Xu Qian’s eyes brightened at his reply.

Their table seated four. Cheng Xingye and Lu Qingyue sat opposite each other, leaving an empty seat on either side.

Li Jing, knowing her friend’s pursuit, nudged Xu Qian and moved to sit beside Lu Qingyue, leaving the coveted spot next to Cheng Xingye for her best friend.

Xu Qian was only too happy to oblige. She bent slightly, gathering her skirt to sit down, when Cheng Xingye’s lazy voice rang out,

“Dian Dian, come here.”

All three girls were stunned.

Xu Qian hadn’t expected him to refuse her the seat beside him, and embarrassment flickered across her face as she glanced at Lu Qingyue.

Her gaze seemed gentle on the surface, but beneath lingered a trace of resentment.

Lu Qingyue ignored her, got up, and obediently took the seat next to Cheng Xingye.

With that, Xu Qian could only force a smile and sit beside Li Jing, directly across from them.

With two unexpected additions, the meal lost its earlier warmth.

Just moments ago, Lu Qingyue had been devouring meat with abandon; now, mindful of a potential rival across the table, she delicately held her knife and fork, nibbling on the short ribs, lamb, shrimp Cheng Xingye passed to her...

Watching her refined demeanor, so different from the bold shrimp-eating earlier, Cheng Xingye couldn’t help but be amused.

The little troublemaker really did have two faces—one for company, one for private moments.

With this in mind, his hand, resting on his knee, quietly reached beneath the table, gently prying apart her fingers and locking them in a secret, intimate embrace.