Pursuing Her Best Friend after Confession Failed-Chapter 45 - 44 How did you meet (please follow)

Zhong Tingyue was filled with curiosity and confusion about Li Yuan, this "old classmate" of hers. Her memory was quite good, but even after mentally reviewing every male classmate from elementary to high school, she found no trace of him. Yet, Li Yuan definitely knew her. He knew her name, her phone number, her childhood nickname, and even her favorite dishes. All these things confirmed he was indeed an old classmate. The awkward part was that she had completely forgotten who he was, only feeling a sense of familiarity and a natural closeness...

Zhou Tianyu’s gaze was practically glued to Zhong Tingyue. Seeing her steal glances at Li Yuan with such an affectionate expression made him feel as if he had swallowed a fly.

My friends, who can relate to this? You start college, meet a goddess of a girl who might be the one, and just as you’re about to make your move, you find out she has a crush on your roommate. And they might even be childhood sweethearts... As a rich heir, I’ve taken a direct hit. It seems I’m destined to be the jealous supporting male character... If this story’s opening were made into a campus romance drama, it could easily stretch for thirty episodes...

Li Yuan’s keen perception made him turn, his gaze meeting Zhong Tingyue’s. For a split second, it felt as if sparks flew between them.

Faced with Li Yuan’s direct gaze, Zhong Tingyue shyly lowered her head, her heart pounding in a slight panic.

Oh no, he definitely saw me secretly watching him! But his profile is just so handsome... He has this confident, open smile that’s different from all the other guys. It’s so pure and reassuring... Zhong Tingyue, Zhong Tingyue, what on earth are you thinking? Have you forgotten your background? From the moment you were born, love was already off the table for you...

At this thought, Zhong Tingyue’s bright expression dimmed, replaced by a sense of loss. In this world, many things are predestined from birth. While she enjoyed a life of privilege, she also had to pay a price. Everything in her life already had a price tag attached. How many people could truly break free from the shackles of destiny?

Zhong Tingyue drifted off into a daze again.

***

It was peak dinner hour during the first week of university, so the small cafeteria was packed. Their food was going to be a long wait.

Li Yuan glanced around the table. Zhou Tianyu and Xu Tingrou had already introduced themselves. He and Zhong Tingyue had already shared their names when they said hello, so they didn’t need to participate in the game. That meant they could continue with Ding Shanshan, the girl with the slightly chubby, baby-fat face.

"Junior, it’s a girl’s turn again. Please give us your riddle."

This was also Ding Shanshan’s first time playing such a game. In the past, self-introductions were simple affairs involving just her name and hobbies. Her mind spun rapidly, and after a moment, she had an idea.

"Senior Li Yuan, I’ll introduce my name with a riddle," she said.

"My surname is first... a hand that strikes!"

"The rest of my name is a repeated character... flawless white jade in a carved balustrade!"

Li Yuan smiled. Ding Shanshan was quite interesting; her riddle was neither too difficult nor too simple. He looked at the ever-silent Yi Jing and tapped the table in front of him with his chopsticks. "Your turn! You have three chances, so make them count, okay?"

Yi Jing’s quiet and somewhat timid personality stemmed from his family background, but he wasn’t intimidated by a cultural challenge like this. Riddles were a traditional part of Huaxia culture, with a history spanning thousands of years. Everyone present had played them before, and Yi Jing was no exception.

He pondered Ding Shanshan’s clues with a serious expression, searching for the corresponding characters in his mind. "I guess... your name is Ding Shanshan? Is that right?"

Ding Shanshan’s eyes lit up. She couldn’t help but take a longer look at this unassuming, slightly dark-skinned boy. Beneath his simple expression, there was a glint of wisdom. "Correct! Senior, it’s your turn to ask a question. I choose ’Truth’ as well."

Being somewhat socially awkward, Yi Jing asked a very simple question. "Um, Junior, what major are you in?"

Ding Shanshan hadn’t expected such a simple question. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a smile gracing her baby-fat cheeks. "Senior, Tingrou and I are both first-year freshmen in the accounting program."

Yi Jing let out a soft "oh," not quite understanding why they would call him "Senior" when they were all freshmen too. But since everyone was doing it, maybe it was a new trend in the international metropolis of Modu?

"Junior, my name is Yi Jing, from Tianze in Ganzhou. I’m also this year’s..."

Just as Yi Jing was about to say he was also a freshman, Li Yuan coughed lightly, cutting him off before he blew their cover. "Hey, the food’s here! Let’s eat and chat. I’m starving after such a long day."

Yi Jing wanted to say more but swallowed his words.

Meanwhile, Liu Jia was staring wide-eyed, frantically signaling to Li Yuan.

What about me? What about me!

Seeing Liu Jia’s signals, Li Yuan gently nudged Zhong Tingyue, who seemed lost in thought again. It would soon be her turn for the guessing game, so he asked for her opinion. "Tingyue, should we continue with introductions, or eat first?"

The touch made Zhong Tingyue flinch, a strange tingle running through her. As if thinking of something, her cheeks flushed red. She leaned in, her voice tickling his ear as her fragrant breath brushed against his cheek like a gentle breeze, making his heart race.

This damned sensitive perception...

"Let’s eat first," Zhong Tingyue whispered.

That was exactly what Li Yuan wanted to hear. He first poured juice for Zhong Tingyue and the other three girls, then turned to Liu Jia, Yi Jing, and Zhou Tianyu. "Fellas, want some beer?"

Yi Jing quickly waved his hands. "Li Yuan, I don’t drink."

Liu Jia also shook his head. "I don’t drink either."

"Tianyu, how about you?" Li Yuan asked. Zhou Tianyu didn’t seem like the type to abstain.

Zhou Tianyu could handle a drink, but he glanced around. This was the school cafeteria, and drinking here might not look good, so he also shook his head. "Let’s skip it today. We can find another place another time and drink until we drop."

Li Yuan didn’t insist. On a hot summer day like this, a few cold beers would have been much more satisfying than juice.

He smiled and said, "Alright, let’s dig in then. We need to eat a lot while we’re still growing."

Liu Jia was also captured by the allure of the food, forgetting about his introduction. "Eat, eat! I’m starving. I haven’t eaten since I got off the train this afternoon."

***

Zhong Tingyue looked at the dishes covering the table, noticing most of them were her favorites. The way she looked at Li Yuan changed once more, softening.

"Thank you, Li Yuan," she said, her voice so soft that almost only he could hear it.

As Li Yuan was serving himself, he deliberately leaned his head closer to hers and whispered back, "I’m glad you like it."

Seeing them whispering to each other during the meal, Zhou Tianyu felt a sharp pang of jealousy. The delicious food suddenly tasted bland in his mouth. Filled with sour resentment, he abruptly asked, "Li Yuan, can you tell us how you and this junior know each other?"

At Zhou Tianyu’s question, Li Yuan’s expression faltered as he scrambled for an answer. His chopsticks froze mid-air, and he accidentally placed a piece of cherry pork into Zhong Tingyue’s bowl, completely unaware of what he’d just done.

Zhong Tingyue’s cheeks turned crimson. The gesture was a little too intimate.

Seeing Li Yuan seemingly lost in thought, and feeling guilty for having forgotten which old classmate he was, she decided to explain for him. At that exact moment, Li Yuan also began to speak.

"He and I are..."

"She and I are..."