A cold light flashed in Shen Chen’s amber-like eyes.
As Ye Zhi was picking up a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs, Shen Chen reached over and intercepted it, placing it onto his own plate.
This act of grabbing food.
Left everyone stunned.
Including Ye Zhi, who watched the pork ribs in her chopsticks go into the Little Traitor’s plate, feeling a bit doubtful.
Last time she saw Ji Changzhou didn’t ask his opinion and picked a piece of meat for him, the Little Traitor despised it for a long time, not touching any of the food around the meat.
Since then, none of the little friends dared to pick food for him, knowing he had a cleanliness obsession.
But now, um.
Under everyone’s gaze, the Little Traitor nonchalantly said, "I wanted to eat sweet and sour pork ribs too."
He picked up the meat with his chopsticks and sent it into his mouth.
Enjoying it thoroughly.
Ye Zhi, seeing that he didn’t reject her, was moved and quickly picked a few more pieces of sweet and sour pork ribs for him: "I’m glad you don’t mind, here, eat more so you can grow tall, eat well and don’t be picky."
Li Qian watched eagerly beside them: "Sister Ye Zhi, what about me?"
"This is for Xiao Chen, there’re two pieces left for me. They have my saliva on them, so you’ll have to bear with it, Xiao Qian, you can go to the eatery tonight again."
Li Qian pouted, seemingly acting spoiled: "Alright then."
Still with a slightly aggrieved look.
Liu Qingxi, not far away, watched the scene, feeling, somehow, an uncomfortable thought arise within her.
An unspeakable annoyance.
Gu Xinru noticed something was off about her and asked beside her: "What’s wrong, Qingxi?"
The slender-browed little girl ignored her, stood up, and walked straight towards where Shen Chen was sitting.
With a determined look!
She had spoken nicely to him many times before, only to find him indifferent, yet he seemed very fond of that impolite girl.
Here, many classmates, even seniors, liked her candor, beauty, and personality, quickly making her a famous figure at the Imperial College. Just the other day, when she passed by, Shen Chen didn’t even glance her way, which for Liu Qingxi, was undoubtedly an insult.
Now, she wanted to ask if there was something against her.
Just then, as Qinglian finished her meal, she stood up with her plate and almost bumped into the forward-charging Liu Qingxi.
Startled, she was glad that the leftovers on her plate didn’t spill.
"Miss Liu, it’s you, you startled me just now, are you alright?"
Seeing who it was, Qinglian promptly asked out of courtesy.
Liu Qingxi was also startled by this sudden encounter, and upon seeing the Thirteenth Princess, who had a good relationship with Ye Zhi and knowing she belonged to a foreign clan with low status in the palace, she spoke with a barbed tone: "Oh, it’s you. Just a girl from a foreign clan with half Daqing blood, yet you don’t watch your steps."
The Little Fairy wore a light green pleated skirt today, with a golden, silver-threaded chrysanthemum hairpin on her head, simply and cleanly attired, without a trace of princess-like airs.
The term foreign clan was a long-standing sore point for her, and hearing it made her face a bit pale.
She quietly responded: "No need to trouble yourself."
Her reticence only provoked Liu Qingxi further.
With her newfound closeness with the Crown Prince and the feeling of being adored, she feared no one in the academy except for the Teacher:
"Qinglian, I can see that you are a nice person and should have fewer dealings with some rude girls. Why not come to Xianglan Pavilion and have a companion with me?"
She generously extended an olive branch.