Once the first step was taken, the rest became noticeably easier.
The three girls gradually became less reserved and started talking more.
The girl with the ponytail was named Chen Yue, and she was the boldest. Looking at the barely touched sweet and sour ribs on Liu Yutong's tray, she couldn't help but whisper, "Sister Yutong, you eat so little."
Liu Yutong smiled. "I ate a lot for breakfast, so I'm not very hungry for lunch."
Naturally, she wouldn't say that she had originally asked for only half a portion of ribs, but the cafeteria lady had insisted on giving her a full heaping portion, which she couldn't possibly finish, so it just looked like she hadn't eaten much.
"If you'd like some, please help yourselves. I'm really not hungry anyway."
"Thank you, Sister Yutong! I won't stand on ceremony then!" Chen Yue took the lead, picking up a rib from Liu Yutong's tray.
Seeing someone take the initiative, the other two girls each took a rib as well.
Sometimes taking the initiative is a gesture of wanting to get closer and show friendliness, not rudeness.
Some students who had been sneaking glances in their direction were utterly shocked by this scene.
There was a time when no one would dare to even get close to Liu Yutong, let alone take food from her tray.
After all, the string of rumors about Liu Yutong outside the school were truly terrifying.
Last year, many people witnessed firsthand how Liu Yutong, leading a group of men in black from the underworld, taught those outsiders a lesson.
Furthermore, last year, many had seen with their own eyes how Liu Yutong, accompanied by a dense crowd of black-clad individuals from society, had dealt with those off-campus delinquents and how their university, Cai Da, had become the top dog in the university district.
Of course, according to official university rankings, Cai Da was indeed number one in Mingzhu City.
But this "top dog" status had nothing to do with academics; it was purely a social ranking.
At least now, when they encountered those delinquents outside, simply saying they were from Cai Da was enough to deter most from bothering or bullying them.
All of this was because their school had produced a Liu Yutong, the young lady of the Wanlong Hui.
It's fair to say that Liu Yutong's "dark" reputation was deeply ingrained in everyone's minds, including her classmates and schoolmates.
Therefore, seeing those three girls now laughing and chatting while taking food from Liu Yutong's tray was extremely surprising.
Whether boys or girls, who doesn't have a bit of admiration for the strong?
Moreover, Liu Yutong not only had the powerful Wanlong Hui behind her, but she was also exceptionally wealthy, recognized as the campus belle, and excelled in her studies.
She often skipped classes and was absent from school, yet she passed her major courses effortlessly at the end of the semester. That was a true genius.
Talent, beauty, wealth, and power—she possessed them all.
In everyone's minds, she was almost a flawless person.
Just imagine, who wouldn't want to get on good terms with such an impressive schoolmate?
Even a little bit of her favor could mean not having to worry about finding a job after graduation.
Consequently, watching those three girls chatting so happily with Liu Yutong, everyone was filled with envy.
"My God, they actually dared to do that..."
"That's Liu Yutong's tray..."
"How did they manage it? They look like they're having such a good time chatting."
"If I had known Sister Yutong was so easy to get along with, I would have gone over too........"
".........."
Some boys also joked half-seriously, "I suddenly envy Da Zhuang a bit. At least he managed to get Liu Yutong's attention with his appetite."
"Why don't you go order 20 chicken drumsticks?"
"Better not, shouldn't waste food........."
Liu Yutong ate very slowly.
The three girls didn't eat quickly either, mainly because they enjoyed chatting while eating. Especially when they talked about gossip, celebrity gossip, they got particularly excited and would forget they were still eating.
Unexpectedly, Liu Yutong learned from their conversation that last year's "Celebrity Campus Visit" variety show was really coming to Cai Da.
She had originally thought that after suffering such a big loss, the director wouldn't choose to come to Mingzhu City.
She hadn't expected them to actually come.
Was it stubbornness, or did they genuinely think there was something special about their Cai Da?
Liu Yutong couldn't be bothered to think about it. She never liked paying attention to such gossip, firstly because she was busy, and secondly because current variety shows didn't really appeal to her; she didn't enjoy watching them.
Of course, even knowing the show would still come to Cai Da to film was irrelevant to her. As long as they didn't bother her, she didn't care what they did.
Just as they were chatting animatedly, Chen Yue's phone rang.
She apologized and answered the call.
It seemed to be her father on the other end.
"What? My little brother is sick?"
"What exactly happened?"
"Okay, I understand. I'll head over right now."
"........"
As soon as Chen Yue hung up, she stood up, her expression grave.
"What's wrong?" The other two girls asked quickly, seeing she wasn't planning to finish her meal.
Chen Yue said, "My dad called and said my little brother is sick, crying nonstop. They're taking the bus to the city to see a doctor but don't know how to register at the hospital. He wants me to take them to register."
"I hope it's not serious. Otherwise, I'll have to take leave and stay at the hospital for the next few days."
Nowadays, many people, especially those from the countryside, might never have been to a city hospital in their lives.
They usually solve medical issues at the town clinic, rarely making the trip to the city.
Firstly, they think medical care in the city is expensive, even charging for registration.
Secondly, they find it too troublesome and exhausting.
Only when the town clinic encounters a difficult case would they make the long journey to the city for treatment.
Although Chen Yue said this, she had a bad feeling in her heart.
She also felt some resentment towards her parents. They were already so old, yet they insisted on having a son.
Of course, she knew the reason was simply that people in the village gossiped and mocked her father for having no heir.
Otherwise, her parents, nearly fifty, wouldn't have insisted on giving her a little brother.
Moreover, her brother wasn't very healthy, frequently getting fevers and colds. They usually treated him at the village clinic or in town.
Unexpectedly, this time it was serious enough to require coming to the city.
"Sister Yutong, I'm sorry, but I have to go to the bus station to pick up my parents and brother. Please take your time eating."
Liu Yutong nodded. "Go ahead. Important matters come first."
From their conversation, Liu Yutong learned that Chen Yue's brother was less than two years old, making them siblings with a very large age gap.
For a moment, she didn't know what to say.
Just as Liu Yutong finished eating and was about to leave,
a commotion suddenly erupted at the cafeteria entrance, accompanied by excited screams.
The dining atmosphere, which had just settled down, was disrupted again. Many students craned their necks to look towards the door.
"Wow, they really came! They're really here at our school to film!"
"I see her! It's Jinbao! It's really her!"
"Where, where? Jinbao! Oh my God! Jinbao, I love you!"
"Ahhh! Jinbao! Look over here! Look here!"
"Mom, I'm on TV! The camera is panning over!"
"........."
Cameras, lighting equipment, and a large entourage of staff surrounded several celebrities who came pouring into the cafeteria in a noisy crowd.
The noise arrived before the people did.
"This is the renowned Second Cafeteria of the University of Finance and Economics. It certainly lives up to its reputation—so bustling with activity! Let's see what the students are having for lunch today..."
The celebrity guests walked into the dining hall with practiced, professional smiles, fully prepared to be enthusiastically surrounded by the students.
After all, it was lunchtime, and the cafeteria was at its busiest. With so many people around, surely the sight of so many celebrities appearing in their midst would trigger a frenzy, with fans swarming toward them.
Yet their expectations were mistaken. The anticipated scene of fans rushing over in excitement never materialized.
The students in the cafeteria were all quietly eating their meals, not a single one making a move.
