Chapter 23: Who Is Picking a Fight with Whom
At noon, Xianyu Jing finally witnessed the extraordinary side of life at a noble school.
In ordinary schools, the cafeteria is usually the students’ favorite target for complaints. But Liyang Academy was no ordinary school—it was an institution for the elite. Their cafeteria was not called a cafeteria at all; it was a high-class restaurant. Local cuisine, foreign dishes, coffee, desserts—everything imaginable was available.
The first floor was a buffet hall, the second floor hosted private dining rooms, the third floor had entertainment facilities, and the fourth floor served as a lounge.
Xianyu Jing glanced at the nearly empty hall, quietly ordered some simple local dishes, and settled into a corner to eat in peace.
It wasn’t long before she regretted not choosing a private room upstairs.
“So, isn’t this Xin Xin’s cousin?” A crisp voice rang out from the front.
Xianyu Jing saw Luo Liya’s bold, flamboyant face and frowned slightly.
She had deliberately chosen the buffet hall on the first floor to avoid running into this person, but to her surprise, Miss Luo had not gone to a private room upstairs and had instead come here!
Luo Liya had come specifically to find Xianyu Jing. With Lu Hankai still recovering in a hospital bed, how could she allow this wild girl to enjoy her school life in peace?
“Miss Saltfish, you’re a distant relative of the Nangong family, yet you’re eating here in the first-floor hall. Aren’t you afraid of disgracing the Nangong family?”
Luo Liya mocked her with a biting tone, and the two girls beside her joined in with sneering laughter.
“Liya, are you sure about this? How could the Nangong family let a distant relative attend Liyang Academy?”
“That’s right, Liyang Academy isn’t a place that just any mountain chicken can enter!”
Xianyu Jing knew there was no escaping this confrontation today. Though she wasn’t one to seek trouble, she was certainly not the type to passively accept humiliation.
She put down her knife and fork, and lazily said, “The environment here at the Liyang Academy cafeteria is nice, but it’s a bit noisy. It’s impossible to eat in peace.
Looks like I need to submit a suggestion to the student council: there should be a rule, ‘No talking while eating, no speaking while resting.’”
Luo Liya burst into laughter. “Ha, who do you think you are, submitting suggestions to the student council?”
“Does she think this is one of those ordinary colleges outside, where any trivial matter can be brought to the student council?”
“How ridiculous!”
Xianyu Jing ignored their ridicule, picked up her phone, opened the membership form, and typed a few lines in the “suggestion box”—“Cafeteria environment improvement recommendations,” and so on.
Luo Liya’s expression changed when she saw the membership form. “How do you… how do you have the membership form?”
Her own sister was the student council’s vice president; she knew that form well. It wasn’t something anyone could just get their hands on!
Xianyu Jing said nothing, finished entering her suggestion, submitted it, and then picked up her tray to leave.
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The two girls, seeing Luo Liya frozen in place, asked in confusion, “You’re just going to let her walk away?”
Of course Luo Liya wasn’t willing to let it go.
No matter how that wild girl had gotten the membership form, she still hadn’t joined yet. Besides, her own sister was vice president, in charge of reviewing membership applications. There was no way she’d let her in!
With a meaningful glance from Luo Liya, the two girls hurried forward, each sticking out a leg to try to trip Xianyu Jing.
Xianyu Jing was already aware of their intentions, but pretended not to notice. When she was tripped, she flung her tray backwards, sending it flying.
With a loud clatter, the tray sailed over Luo Liya’s head and crashed to the floor. The soup inside splashed down, soaking Luo Liya from head to toe.
“Ah—!” Luo Liya screamed hysterically, “What are you doing?!”
The two girls stared at Luo Liya’s miserable state, shocked and at a loss for what to do. After a moment, they rushed over to help, but didn’t know where to start.
Everyone else in the hall covered their mouths, unable to look directly.
Xianyu Jing hadn’t actually fallen, just staggered a bit. She looked at the three of them and said, “Stop doing bad things, or karma will come quickly.”
Luo Liya was both furious and humiliated. She had intended to teach Xianyu Jing a lesson, but instead had ended up like this.
“You… just wait!”
Luo Liya glared at Xianyu Jing in humiliation, then stormed up to the lounge on the fourth floor, followed closely by her two friends.
Xianyu Jing quietly picked up the tray from the floor, placed it in the recycling bin, and walked out of the buffet hall with light steps.
The spectators whispered behind her:
A (curious): “What just happened?”
B (confused): “I didn’t see clearly, but it looked like someone was causing trouble.”
A (amazed): “That girl went up against three others? She’s brave!”
C (chuckling): “You’ve got it backwards, haven’t you?”
D (bewildered): “So… who was causing trouble for whom?”
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Xianyu Jing left the cafeteria and was waiting for the campus shuttle when she heard two soft meows.
She turned and walked toward the bushes beside the cafeteria, and sure enough, she saw Bai Liyao coaxing his Siamese cat to eat.
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“Little Flash, I didn’t bring enough canned fish today, but the cafeteria’s fish is pretty good. Want to try?”
The Siamese cat sniffed the fish in the lunchbox, turned its head away, clearly unimpressed.
Bai Liyao was at a loss. “How about you hold on, and I’ll let you have two cans when we get home?”
Little Flash turned and bounded away, landing in front of Xianyu Jing. It looked up at her and was about to dart off when she caught it by the scruff. After a few meows, it settled down obediently.
Bai Liyao recognized her and smiled. “What a coincidence!”
Xianyu Jing handed Little Flash to him. “Your cat isn’t hungry—it just needs to relieve itself.”
Bai Liyao was surprised. “How did you know…”
Xianyu Jing didn’t explain, only advised, “Every animal has its own habits. When they’re in a new environment, they get restless.
Next time, make sure to communicate with your cat, and let it stay at home. Don’t bring it to school.”
Bai Liyao nodded, somewhat understanding. He loved cats, but often couldn’t figure out Little Flash’s moods.
“Thanks!” He said gratefully, then hurried off with Little Flash to attend to its needs.
Xianyu Jing didn’t return to the history department. She found the grove peaceful and cool, and decided it was a nice spot to rest.
She looked around—no one was in sight. She found a tall, sturdy sycamore tree, and climbed up in a couple of moves.
She wasn’t wearing a skirt today, so she didn’t worry about exposing herself. Leaning against a branch, she tapped away on her phone, writing to pass the lunch break.
“Why did you make me quit the student council this semester?”
“You’re really busy this term—just step aside and let someone else take over!”
Not far away, a young man and woman were talking.
Xianyu Jing wasn’t eavesdropping on purpose, but their voices were loud, every word clear.
“You’re angry about what happened a few days ago?” the man explained. “Didn’t I tell you? That matchmaking session—I was forced to go!”
The woman scoffed. “Why should I be angry? Forced or not, whether you wanted to go or not, it’s all the same to me. I, Luo Lina, won’t bother with your nonsense anymore!”
…
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