SBAB Chapter 23

The group had barely experienced the sensation of standing as a “human wall” for a minute when the grand gate before them—symbolically separating the wealthy from the poor—opened automatically.

A man dressed in an immaculate white suit, holding a cup of what could be either coffee or milk tea in his right hand, walked toward them at a leisurely pace.

He spoke, “I must admit, this is a bit embarrassing. My home is so remote. I said I’d host lunch, but at this rate, it’ll be tea time soon.” He handed his cup to a maid who had appeared out of nowhere and continued, “Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I don’t think most of you know me well, but I’m grateful for everyone’s help making the school festival a success. My name is Wu Lian, the president of the culinary club.”

The group collectively swallowed the words show-off that were on the tip of their tongues and instead introduced themselves one by one.

He Xiangtong, who had known Wu Lian for some time, was naturally less reserved. “President, you know me. No introduction needed.”

Zhang Yun, meanwhile, silently thanked her lucky stars for not losing her temper earlier. Just from the sheer opulence of Wu Lian’s front gate, it wouldn’t have been surprising if a dozen armed guards were protecting the place. She stepped up and politely said, “I’m Zhang Yun, the manager of the basketball club.”

“Shang Xiaoxia, no title,” Shang Xiaoxia said casually.

Lin Xin followed, “Lin Xin, the café’s sole butler and a member of the publicity department.”

That left only Cheng Shiyin, who had no real connection to the group aside from Lin Xin. She awkwardly introduced herself, “Cheng Shiyin, from another school.” Her words hung in the air, feeling out of place.

Wu Lian, however, didn’t seem to mind having an extra guest. He showed little interest in their introductions at all. After all, he already knew every detail about them, even down to the fact that Cheng Shiyin had broken up with her boyfriend the day before. If necessary, he could probably even find out which hotel her ex had stayed at with someone else.

Once the introductions were over, Wu Lian gestured for them to follow him inside. He Xiangtong, who was closest to Wu Lian, immediately dashed ahead—she was starving.

As the others followed, Shang Xiaoxia found herself momentarily stopped by Wu Lian, who leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Tell me the rest of that story next time.” Before she could respond, Wu Lian shoved one hand into his pocket and briskly walked to the front of the group, leading the way with a quick pace.

Shang Xiaoxia initially wanted to tell him not to dwell on her made-up ghost story, but as her eyes locked onto his retreating figure and the way his hips swayed with each step, all her words vanished. One thought echoed in her mind: What a flirt…

By the time Wu Lian reached the front of the group, even He Xiangtong noticed his unusually flashy demeanor.

As a new member of the culinary club, He Xiangtong had never seen Wu Lian wear anything remotely fancy during their weekly Friday meetings. His usual attire consisted of a hoodie, a pair of plain jeans, and a slightly stained apron tied around his waist. The only time he’d ever dressed up was during the school festival, where he wore a brand-new chef’s uniform to impress as the head chef.

He Xiangtong figured that even the club’s vice president wouldn’t have believed Wu Lian came from a wealthy family unless they saw it with their own eyes. His unassuming nature made him seem as frugal as his name suggested.

If it weren’t for today’s lunch invitation, He Xiangtong would have loved to tease him about his slicked-back, shiny hairstyle, reminiscent of a gambler from a classic movie. It was just so out of character. Who’s he trying to impress today? she wondered.

“Don’t know?

Perhaps everyone but the starving-to-the-point-of-losing-brain-cells He Xiangtong had already figured it out. After all, the preferential treatment from the butler made the double standard painfully obvious.

But when exactly did those two start cozying up to each other?

Lin Xin did some quick math. It had only been a little over a week since the school festival. The progress between them was impressively fast. Then again, Lin Xin realized his one-sided confirmation of a relationship with Cheng Shiyin had started a day earlier than theirs, so he couldn’t exactly gossip behind their backs without feeling hypocritical.

After walking a bit further, Wu Lian finally stopped.

What lay before them was a sprawling, flat lawn, alongside a charming two-story villa. Though not enormous, the place exuded an air of luxury. In front of the villa, several tables draped in pristine white cloths were neatly arranged, each laden with an array of mouthwatering dishes.

“Hehhhhh…” He Xiangtong audibly drooled, her eyes fixed on Wu Lian, clearly waiting for him to say the magic words: It’s time to eat.

Feeling the weight of He Xiangtong’s gaze, Wu Lian ignored it and began speaking slowly. “Earlier, I couldn’t settle on what to serve you all, so Shang Xiaoxia suggested a buffet. I went with that idea and prepared a little bit of everything. If something doesn’t suit your taste, I hope you’ll forgive me. Now then, no need to stand around—dig in!”

At his cue, a group of butlers and maids appeared, handing out plates and utensils to each of them.

Cheng Shiyin, ever observant, immediately noticed that the maids’ uniforms matched exactly with those they had worn during the school festival. After stuffing herself with a round of food, He Xiangtong’s brain suddenly switched back on, and she pointed this out bluntly: “President, so those fancy uniforms weren’t bought for the club? You just grabbed them from home!”

“Pfft—haha!” Shang Xiaoxia burst into laughter, almost collapsing to the ground. Wu Lian rushed over to steady her, but instead of thanking him, she teased, “You’re so cheap!”

Wu Lian didn’t deny her accusation. Instead, he used the opportunity to stick close to Shang Xiaoxia, hardly leaving her side. Meanwhile, Lin Xin, under the pretense of hosting the only person he knew personally—Cheng Shiyin—stayed glued to her as well.

He Xiangtong was lost in her food frenzy, and this left Zhang Yun, the lone single person, completely ignored. Her face practically screamed the word miserable.

As Zhang Yun grabbed a crab for her plate, she was just starting to think Wu Lian wasn’t so bad when she caught sight of him serving food to Shang Xiaoxia, and Lin Xin doing the same for Cheng Shiyin. The scene in front of her looked alarmingly like two couples at a wedding banquet.

In that instant, the miserable expression on Zhang Yun’s face morphed into a mischievous grin.

“I’m going to stir things up!” Zhang Yun roared internally.