Qian Wei was holding a plate of vegetable buns and crystal xiao long bao, sitting at the cafeteria door waiting for Lu Xun. Liu Shi Yun had dark circles under her eyes as she stood next to Qian Wei. After hearing over ten yawns between the two girls, Lu Xun finally swaggered over slowly. He wore a beige casual shirt with khaki pants, a very ordinary college student outfit, yet his face was extraordinary. Wherever he went, he stood out from the crowd. The two girls sitting at the table next to Qian Wei were whispering about him.
"That's Lu Xun, our school's poster boy. He's the Law School's living advertisement. His photos and videos were used in their promotional materials online before, and just like that, the number of girls applying for Law, which usually has the lowest employment rate nationwide, suddenly blew up." Liu Shi Yun blinked at Qian Wei, "You came to visit me today at just the right time. It's rare to catch a glimpse of him usually."
"So handsome! He's so handsome! Compared to the campus heartthrobs at our school, they simply can't compare. They're just vulgar and tacky."
Hearing their conversation, Qian Wei had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. These lovestruck girls knew nothing. If they knew about the 28-year-old Lu Xun's thunderous abilities and notorious reputation in legal circles, they'd know what a "treacherous beauty" he was.
"Oh, he seems to be looking this way! He's walking over here..."
Under the sneaky glances of the two girls, Lu Xun strode right over and sat down in front of Qian Wei and Liu Shi Yun. He was clearly used to this kind of overt and covert attention, completely indifferent to it all.
But Qian Wei was not Lu Xun. She had always been ordinary - ordinary grades, ordinary family, ordinary hobbies. Her work performance after graduation was mediocre too. Yet now, because of Lu Xun across from her, she was also subject to many stares and glances. Even with Liu Shi Yun by her side, she suddenly felt very awkward.
Lu Xun glanced at Liu Shi Yun, then looked up at Qian Wei and said, "So you buy one get one free for meals with me now? I made plans with her too?"
Qian Wei chuckled, "I'm just trying to do you a favor! Think about it. The cafeteria is crowded with lots of eyes. If everyone sees just the two of us eating alone, then in ten minutes I reckon there'll be rumors about something going on between us. And in twenty minutes, there'll probably be over thirty eyewitnesses on the school forums providing forty different versions of our love story." She pulled Liu Shi Yun next to her, "By bringing my friend along, it's not just the two of us eating alone anymore. This way, it'll be less likely to negatively impact you."
"Do you know who I've had dating rumors with before?"
"I know, I know!" Liu Shi Yun cut in, "The ones you've had rumors with are: broadcaster beauty Cai Xinxin, goddess Chen Jiameng from the School of Journalism, the famous freshman Tea Sister from the Civil Engineering Department, although supposedly the one you actually like is our Law School belle Mo Zixin..."
Lu Xun just smiled slightly at Qian Wei, not saying a word.
Qian Wei felt the urge to roll her eyes again. Wasn't he just trying to say that even if the public saw just the two of them eating, they still wouldn't spread rumors about him and her? Not only was he mocking her, he had to silently act superior too? Since he's my future boss, I'll endure it!
She resigned herself to hand the vegetable buns and xiao long bao she had been holding to Lu Xun, "Eat up slowly then. I have to go first!"
But Lu Xun wasn't so easy to brush off. He raised his eyebrows, "Is this enough for you to eat?"
Qian Wei was a little speechless. She had clearly bought more than enough because she was very familiar with Lu Xun's eating habits from working together. He usually only ate seventy to eighty percent full, especially eating little for breakfast. So she had bought breakfast completely according to Lu Xun's habits. Yet the 19-year-old him apparently had a strangely big appetite...
"Get three more soy milk drinks."
He really knew how to enjoy life...not only asking for food but drinks too, and three glasses of it at that. Are you a legendary glutton, Lu Xun?
Oh well, she couldn't let her future boss go hungry. Although complaining inwardly, Qian Wei nimbly lined up again to buy more breakfast.
Unfortunately, the vegetable buns and xiao long bao were already sold out. Qian Wei could only stiffly buy two large meat buns and the soy milk.
When Qian Wei pushed everything in front of Lu Xun and prepared to leave, he called her to stop again.
"Sit down."
"Hm?"
Lu Xun looked at her, then at the clearly very excited Liu Shi Yun next to Qian Wei, "Please join me for the meal." He smiled at Qian Wei, "After all, I should thank you for last night. Don't get too excited that you get to eat with me."
Qian Wei stared at Lu Xun's evil face. She only felt stuffy frustration in her chest. This was him inviting me??? I was the one who spent my own money and time lining up to buy this! Why would I be excited??? What do I have to be excited about???
Unfortunately, Lu Xun dining with his head lowered happened to slightly lift his head right then. He immediately saw this barefaced eye roll.
Lu Xun chuckled coldly, "Qian Wei, do you have a problem with me?"
"No, none at all. I absolutely don't have any issues with you."
"Then what was with that eye roll just now? You said you wanted to be friends, so why are you rolling your eyes at your friend?"
Qian Wei pointed at her eyes, "I've been staying up late every night these last few days reading under your spiritual guidance. My eyes are getting strained from it." Having said that, she stiffly rolled her eyes a few more times to prove her excuse. She really almost strained her eyes with that...
Lu Xun obviously didn't buy it. His black pupils darted around, and his cold sculpted lips were pressed thinly. Although he didn't say anything, from Qian Wei's understanding of him, this was the prelude to him finding fault.
She absolutely could not let him find fault!
Qian Wei racked her brains for a solution: "Actually, there is one issue I have with you!"
Lu Xun raised his eyebrows, "Oh?"
Qian Wei solemnly took out a tupperware container from her bag. She respectfully presented it to Lu Xun like a small vassal state offering tribute. Inside the container, pineapple slices were neatly arranged. This was the bootlicking gift Qian Wei had prepared ahead of time for Lu Xun.
"My only complaint about you is that you study and work too hard without caring for your health!" Qian Wei smiled ingratiatingly, "Eating some fruit two hours after a meal is good for your health. I prepared pineapple for you. Make sure to balance work and rest..."
Lu Xun glanced at Qian Wei, "Unfortunately I don't really like eating pineapple."
"..."
Would Qian Wei give up just like that? Of course not! Bootlicking also required flexibility!
Fortunately, Qian Wei had long since developed the skill of blatantly lying after working under Lu Xun. She looked at Lu Xun calmly and said, "From germination to growth, to glorious blooming and bearing fruit, the pineapple can go through it all wholeheartedly, forging ahead without limits. Even in its small plot of land, it seeks to deeply understand essence and perfection. So the pineapple symbolizes flawlessness, just like you! I feel that of all fruits, only the pineapple matches your temperament. Really, you should learn to like eating pineapple. That's the fruit that suits you! Try it this time!"
Although this was clearly flattering, at least Lu Xun didn't flare up again. He finally dismissed his earlier stormy expression. He gave Qian Wei a meaningful look, but in the end accepted the pineapple.
After getting tormented by Lu Xun at work, Qian Wei subconsciously wanted to thank him for not making things difficult. She bootlicked, "Also, I started working at the library today, East Wing 2F. As long as I'm there for the day, the East 2 Wing will have your exclusive seat reserved for the day." She winked at Lu Xun, "You know seats are hard to come by. Think about it, it's hot in September now so you can enjoy the AC. Then when temperatures drop in late October, the library will have heating too so it'll be warmer.
In 2009, the dorms at University A still didn't have air conditioning installed. Temperatures in City A were still very high in September, so the air conditioned libraries became coveted turf. The libraries opened at 7am, but there were already people lining up at 5:30am to rush for seats. Within ten minutes of opening, all ten reading rooms across the six floors would be snatched up, because at University A, those library seats were important resources. When chasing girls in college, months of giving flowers may not work, but reserving a seat for a girl in the library every day for months was definitely more effective. If that still didn't work, try helping reserve seats for her and her whole dorm to expand the united front. If even that failed, then it really was hopeless.
The library work-study jobs were hired on an annual basis. Qian Wei felt the olive branch she extended was very attractive, since it basically guaranteed Lu Xun a library seat for the next year.
But Lu Xun never acted reasonably. His face was calm without any excitement, "I don't go to the library much. With my grades, I don't really need to. Plus whenever I do go, I can't concentrate on studying."
"Why can't you concentrate on studying?"
"Girls keep passing me notes." Lu Xun looked a little bothered, "Once even a guy did."
"..."
Alright, alright, I know you're quite the ladies' man. Let's move on to the next question!
