Chapter 92: Finding Dongli Yiren in the Shop
“Good morning, Senior.”
After entering the shop, I hurriedly went to clock in and change my clothes. Although I thought I had arrived quite early, it was clear that Senior had arrived even earlier.
“Good morning, Xiao Han. You seem quite happy. Did you pass yesterday’s theoretical assessment?” Ying Shiqian Senior asked with a smile.
“Such things are definitely just small matters! But they can’t compare to Tan Han; I have truly experienced the terror of a study genius,” I sighed with a hint of regret.
“I’ve said it before, don’t compare yourself to such people, it’s simply self-inflicted suffering.”
“Yeah, that’s right. Let’s not talk about that.” After I changed quickly and came out, I continued, “Yesterday I welcomed a new roommate. I’ve been at the academy for quite a few days now, and if my roommate doesn’t arrive soon, I might just suffocate from boredom.”
“You have a new roommate already? It seems this year’s recruitment is more intense than previous years.”
“Huh? Senior, are you so sure they were ‘recruited’? Could they not have voluntarily come early?” I asked, resting my chin on my hand.
“Generally, those who come voluntarily arrive around the time the admission notices are sent. Arranging accommodations this late is definitely a recruitment situation,” Ying Shiqian smirked, then thought of something, “Xiao Han, your new roommate wouldn’t happen to be a boy, would they?”
“Huh? You’re spot on!”
“Really? I was just guessing. After all, not many boys come in every year; of course, those like you are even rarer.” Ying Shiqian also looked surprised, indicating that the number of boys in the academy was even lower than I thought.
If that’s the case, having a new female student in the villa would put a lot of pressure on me.
Just when I thought today would be another ordinary day, I spotted a figure lurking outside the bakery.
As the person peered out, I immediately recognized them.
“Dongli Yiren… wait, how did you get here?”
I walked around the narrow path directly to the door. I certainly hadn’t expected her to follow me out, and wouldn’t it feel awkward for her to come out holding such a big magic wand?
“Um… I just came out to see if there’s anything to eat around here,” Dongli Yiren’s gaze darted a bit, but once she saw I was coming, she had to speak up. After all, it was morning, and seeking food at this hour wasn’t a problem.
“I see. Then come in! We have free cookies here; they’re given out regardless of purchase.” After hearing Dongli Yiren’s explanation, I didn’t say much, as it was clear that if she hadn’t followed me here, she wouldn’t have taken such a short time to wander from the villa.
Seeing that she hadn’t eaten yet, I had no choice but to pull her inside. The bakery was open for business and naturally welcomed customers, even those coming in just to grab a freebie.
Anyway, those were mainly stock nearing expiration. Instead of throwing them away in the street’s garbage bins, it was better to give them out.
A lot of the items in here were from my own efforts, and I wondered if Dongli Yiren had the fortune to taste them.
“Really?”
It was obvious that Dongli Yiren quickly detected the keyword “free,” her demeanor shifting to eager, though it was clear she was holding back and not showing it too much.
“Of course.” I wore a “trust me, I won’t lie to you” expression and smiled.
“Xiao Han, is this someone you know?” Ying Shiqian’s voice came from behind, as I wouldn’t usually welcome someone hesitating at the door.
Only seniors like her would do this; after all, when I was looking for a part-time job, wasn’t it like this?
“Yeah, she’s my roommate.” I turned to reply, surprised that Dongli Yiren showed up right after I mentioned her to the senior, and then I looked back at the slightly awkward Dongli Yiren, “It’s fine, come in. Just think of it as some fun.”
“Fun… Fun? No, I won’t play anymore!”
“Huh?”
Looking at Dongli Yiren’s reaction, it seemed like something I said had hit a nerve, and if I hadn’t quickly pulled her back, she might have turned to run away.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“I… I’m sorry, I got too excited.”
Once restrained, Dongli Yiren quickly calmed down after apologizing.
“Don’t get too worked up. Since you haven’t eaten this morning, just think of it as I’m treating you to something, but it can only be from the shop.” I said reassuringly.
“Hello, you must be Xiao Han’s roommate, right? I just heard Xiao Han mention you this morning. Nice to meet you, I’m Ying Shiqian. If you face any difficulties, feel free to come to our bakery,” at this point, Ying Shiqian had also approached, speaking very politely.
“I… I’m Dong… Dongli Yiren,” she stammered slightly, but it was clear from her demeanor that she was a bit wary of Ying Shiqian.
“Dongli Yiren, Ying Shiqian is really nice. If you feel bored during this time, you can come and play with us often,” I whispered to Dongli Yiren, although I didn’t intentionally avoid Ying Shiqian.
“I… um, okay.”
In the end, under the warm invitation of the senior, Dongli Yiren still entered the shop. It was clear that the senior was quite interested in her.
The joy was almost overflowing, as if discovering a new toy to play with.
As expected… the seniors do get bored of the old and prefer the new. However, teasing a shy yet proud, gender-swapped boy was certainly amusing; the one who found it dull was probably just me, who accepted things so readily.
“Xiao Han, isn’t it quite calm this morning? Why don’t you come help me?” At that moment, Tang Yihan Senior also came out from behind. However, upon seeing someone slacking off and chatting while teasing guests, she immediately spoke up, “Hmm… Ying Shiqian, what are you doing?”
“Oh, this is Xiao Han’s new roommate. I was chatting with her.”
“Xiao Han’s new roommate?” Tang Yihan raised an eyebrow and then turned her gaze to me.
“Yes, that’s correct,” I nodded immediately.
“I see. Nice to meet you! I’m Tang Yihan. Would you like to get to know each other?” After understanding the situation, Tang Yihan dropped her previous seriousness and removed the gloves on her hands as she walked toward Dongli Yiren.
“Dongli Yiren…” She hesitated for a moment but still chose to introduce herself.
“Dongli Yiren… that’s a good name. However, I’ll borrow your roommate for a bit, so you’ll just have to chat with this senior. Don’t worry, if she lays a hand on you, just let me know, and I’ll help you deal with her.” Tang Yihan didn’t choose to engage too much or dwell longer; she could discern a lot of information from the situation.
For instance, it was obvious Dongli Yiren was a boy and was currently very tense. In such a scenario, only Ying Shiqian would act persistently. It made more sense to call Xiao Han over to help while also understanding the situation better.
I just hope Ying Shiqian doesn’t go too far; she still knows some boundaries.
