Chapter 19 – Looking Back
1063 Words
The small “One‑Cafeteria” was only about a third the size of the “Three‑Cafeteria.” Apart from being cheap, it had no other virtues—its food was notoriously bland.
Most of the diners were men; a few scattered girls sat in the corners, chatting while they ate. Every table was occupied, giving the place a lively buzz.
Luo Ye bought two meat‑filled buns, a cup of soy milk, an egg, and a corn cake, then found a seat. Across the table sat another guy, but the six‑person table was spacious enough that they were far apart.
Suddenly, more than half of the boys in the cafeteria turned their heads toward the entrance.
A tall, confident woman in all‑black entered. Her figure was striking, and her presence turned the otherwise tasteless food into something that seemed suddenly exquisite. One boy even gulped down two buns in one bite.
“Isn’t that the campus beauty Su Bai‑Zhou? What is she doing in the One‑Cafeteria?” they whispered.
Luo Ye, still sipping his soy milk, frowned at its unexpected saltiness. “Why is soy milk salty in the south? I want sweet!”
Su Bai‑Zhou had bought a few breakfast items and, looking around, saw that every table was taken. Though a few empty seats remained, she would have to sit next to a guy.
She marched straight to Luo Ye’s table, her long legs cutting a path through the crowd. As she passed, the air seemed to sweeten.
Even without makeup, her icy, flawless beauty captivated everyone. Luo Ye froze, realizing she was sitting right in front of him. His face went rigid, his expression flickering between surprise and disgust at the salty soy milk. But the joy of seeing her soon won out.
Everyone in the cafeteria gasped. “Why?!” they muttered. “All these handsome guys have empty seats, yet you lucked out?”
A nervous boy shuffled into the seat beside Su Bai‑Zhou. She raised an eyebrow, said nothing, and the tension in the air grew. Even Luo Ye lowered his head, unwilling to meet her gaze.
The boy quickly ate his food and left, realizing he couldn’t just sit next to the “ice‑queen.” Luo Ye finally understood why she was called that—her presence alone created a pressure that made the others uneasy.
When the boy left, Luo Ye felt a weight lift, but he also realized he had finished his meal. He wiped his mouth, then said hesitantly, “Senior, I’m going to leave.”
“No.” Su Bai‑Zhou replied coldly. “I’m not finished yet.”
If he left now, she would be alone in the terrible‑tasting cafeteria. She would have a hard time finishing her food.
Luo Ye forced a weak smile and stayed in his seat, waiting for her to finish.
Minutes later, Su Bai‑Zhou dabbed at her mouth, glanced at Luo Ye, said nothing, and left. That was the true demeanor of the “fairy senior”—quiet, composed, and unbothered.
Luo Ye watched her back, eyes glued to it. He had spent many moments watching people’s backs—his three‑year high‑school crush, the first time he saw her, the night he dropped her off at the faculty parking lot. He always watched from behind, never daring to get close.
He felt something missing, a vague unease that he couldn’t place—until…
At the very moment Su Bai‑Zhou stepped out of the cafeteria, she halted, turned her head slightly, and looked toward Luo Ye. Seeing his stunned expression, a faint smile tugged at her mouth before she walked away.
That smile sent the entire cafeteria into a frenzy.
“Did the ice‑queen smile at me?!” shouted one boy.
“It’s all my fault!” shouted another.
A few more shouted vulgar jokes, but only Luo Ye felt the truth: the smile was meant for him.
He finally realized what he had been lacking all along—it was the act of looking back. He had always chased a girl’s silhouette, never knowing if she ever saw him. Now, for the first time, she turned, saw him, and smiled.
The feeling of a mutual glance turned his one‑way pursuit into a two‑way connection.
Just then a voice cut through his thoughts.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Li Hao‑Yang called out, with Liu Bing‑Xin trailing behind him.
They had just finished their morning run and had come to the One‑Cafeteria for breakfast as well. Seeing a girl sit with a boy next to her proved the “coach” (Li Hao‑Yang) had finally won Liu Bing‑Xin’s heart—only a small push was left.
Luo Ye, remembering Liu Bing‑Xin’s roommate Tang En‑Qi, felt a twinge of embarrassment.
“Nothing,” Luo Ye replied. “I need to get my books for class. Also, wake up Hammer for me, will you?”
Li Hao‑Yang laughed, “Sure—don’t forget to wake up the hammer.”
The pair headed off to get their food, leaving Luo Ye to return to his dorm.
He found Shen Qiao already in the classroom, already occupying a seat, while Hammer was still asleep—typical for a Monday that felt like “hell day” with the most classes.
Luo Ye cranked up the volume on his phone, opened his favorite track “Ji Ni Tai Mei,” and placed the speaker beside Hammer’s pillow. The sudden music jolted Hammer awake; he jumped out of bed, grabbed a basketball from under his mattress, and started mimicking a dance move.
Seeing Luo Ye, Hammer grinned and shouted, “I dreamed I performed on stage with my pigeon!” (A running inside joke).
Luo Ye turned off the music, grabbed his textbook, and warned, “We have fifteen minutes until class—if we don’t freshen up we’ll fail.”
Hammer’s eyes widened. “No worries—just slide into class and we’ll be fine.”
“Cool,” Luo Ye replied, already heading for the floor.
- Writer
