Chapter 320 - 138: Long-Haired Gu Qiuyan

Chapter 320: Chapter 138: Long-Haired Gu Qiuyan

’It was prepared perfectly, with no strange smell at all,’ he thought to himself.

In any case, the meal was incredibly luxurious. The main courses were the real deal: Braised Sea Cucumber with Scallions, Braised Pork Tendon with Scallions, and Steamed Yellow Croaker. These weren’t just hearty fillers like pork knuckle or roasted chicken. The next tier of dishes included Hawthorn Braised Pork Belly, Sweet and Sour Spareribs, and Flash-fried Pork Liver. The restaurant probably even offered delicacies like bird’s nest soup, abalone, and shark fin, but for a lunch with classmates, there was no need to be so ostentatious.

With his worries gone, Zhang Shutong ate with gusto, feeling it was the best meal he’d had since coming back.

Someone patted their stomach and said,

"Thanks for treating us, Class Monitor. You really splurged."

"Yeah, it’s a shame we’re so short on time today. We can only have a few bites before we have to rush back to school. Qiumian, I know you’re treating us because you just transferred classes, but we should’ve saved this for a weekend. How about we treat you this weekend?"

Someone extended the invitation, but Gu Qiuyan didn’t say whether she’d go. Instead, she pursed her red lips and said,

"My dad’s been keeping a really close eye on me lately. If I hadn’t told him I was treating the new students from my class to a meal, I wouldn’t have been able to get out at all."

"That’s true. I’ve noticed you eating in your car after school these last few days."

Zhang Shutong knew she was surrounded by a phalanx of bodyguards lately. Her life was a strict routine of going to school and coming straight home. Before they had entered the private room, the bodyguard who’d escorted them had stopped in the main lobby, but that was as good as being right by her side.

’Father Gu probably gets an immediate report on what the young miss ate for lunch, whether she enjoyed it, and even how many people she invited.’

So this meal really was a rare treat. The other students had been a little reserved when they first arrived. For one, being chauffeured to the mall right after school felt like a major production. For another, based on what Gu Qiuyan had just said, it seemed she had only invited the new students from Class Two.

Zhang Shutong had thought she didn’t have any friends in their grade, but that clearly wasn’t the case. At first, everyone was carefully watching Gu Qiuyan’s reactions, but after a few rounds of Coke, they gradually started to relax.

The room was a chaotic buzz of activity. Some people whispered, others shouted across the table. Everyone had someone to talk to, whether it was one person or several. The noise was like a form of camouflage; in this environment, you couldn’t make out who was saying what, and nobody cared what you were talking about anyway. That’s how these gatherings always were. No one focused on the food itself—the main point was to chat and laugh.

Zhang Shutong, however, had no one to talk to. To his right was Xu Zhiruo, who was pestering Qingyi. Qingyi, with a deadpan expression, didn’t seem annoyed and would occasionally nod. To his left was Gu Qiuyan, but they were too far apart, and she was always surrounded by people, caught up in endless conversations.

He picked up another piece of sea cucumber with his chopsticks, quite pleased with the restaurant’s cooking. Someone, however, asked with a hint of dissatisfaction,

"Are you just going to eat this whole time?"

"Isn’t that why you dragged me here? To eat?"

It was so noisy that Zhang Shutong had to raise his voice. He prepared to launch another assault on the sea cucumber, but someone spun the lazy Susan, moving the dish away.

Gu Qiuyan rested her chin in her hands and looked at him.

"Why did you take Zhiruo’s seat? I wanted to talk with her, and now I can’t."

They were still a good distance apart. ’This is a complete misunderstanding,’ Zhang Shutong thought.

Gu Qiuyan continued her mock interrogation.

"Why were you staring at me when I came in earlier?"

"Um... I saw you were wearing a new jacket?"

"So, did you notice anything?"

Zhang Shutong looked up just in time to see Gu Qiuyan casually flick her hair back—a seemingly unconscious but deliberate gesture. He had already seen the answer key, so to speak.

"You straightened your hair?"

"Hmph." She flicked her hair again. "By the way, does your arm still hurt?"

"I’ve told you a few times already, it pretty much stopped hurting yesterday. So, how did you become class monitor?"

"The teacher just appointed me this morning."

"Congratulations."

"What’s there to congratulate?"

"Then why are you treating so many people to a meal?"

"You’re supposed to treat everyone when you transfer to a new class," she said, as if it were obvious. "Otherwise, I’d look stingy. When are you getting your cast off?"

"Depends. Sometime this week."

"Don’t forget about this weekend."

"Your dad will let you go out?" Zhang Shutong asked quietly, finally managing to snag another piece of sea cucumber.

"He’s just being extra strict these past few days. Ugh, besides, it’s your fault for not telling the truth back then! Now I can’t go anywhere. I blame you!" she whispered back.

"Sorry, sorry..."

Before Zhang Shutong could finish, a voice suddenly cut in from nearby.

"Hey, Class Monitor, I just thought of something fun..."

They both sat up straight. It was that enthusiastic guy from earlier. He pulled something out.

"I think I found a key when I was on cleaning duty this morning. It might be for the rooftop door. After we eat, does anyone want to go check it out?"