Right after getting dumped, He suddenly learned that his best buddy was the legendary cold-as-ice school beauty. - Chapter 47

At this hour, Line 1 of the subway was packed to a maddening degree.

Lu Yibei guided Ji Qingqian to a spot near the door that was, relatively speaking, just spacious enough to survive.

He propped the door open with one arm, barely carving out enough standing space for her.

The way they stood together… no matter how you looked at it, it resembled a classic “kabe-don.”

Of course, by now Lu Yibei had already released Ji Qingqian’s wrist.

But the crowd pressed in so tightly that they were still uncomfortably close.

If Lu Yibei lowered his head, he could bump into the brim of her cap.

“Sorry,” Lu Yibei said.

Ji Qingqian didn’t understand:

“Why are you apologizing?”

Lu Yibei: …

Even he wasn’t quite sure what he was apologizing for.

Being this close to the heroine, inhaling the fresh citrus scent she wore… he felt a fleeting, guilty sense that he might be encroaching on her.

Someone bumped into him from behind.

Even with Lu Yibei’s impressively stable stance, his body tilted forward under the shove.

Thankfully, he corrected himself quickly, avoiding an accidental tumble into her arms.

Ji Qingqian instinctively reached out, lightly placing her hand against him.

It landed just on his abdomen.

After Lu Yibei regained his balance, she didn’t pull away.

Instead, her delicate fingers gently kneaded his stomach.

“You really do have them,” Ji Qingqian murmured.

Lu Yibei: …?

“Abs.”

She had remembered Sun Bing mentioning that Lu Yibei had abs.

Lu Yibei: …

“They feel nice,” Ji Qingqian added softly.

Lu Yibei raised an eyebrow, his posture stiffening slightly.

He was wrong—who was actually the one crossing the line here?

“…Little rogue,” he muttered.

The little rogue didn’t seem ashamed at all, replying with a grin:

“You’ve been staring at my legs the whole time… so we’re even.”

Lu Yibei: “I didn’t touch you.”

Are the two even comparable? He was just looking.

Ji Qingqian lifted her fair face, lips curling slightly:

“Want to try touching again?”

Lu Yibei took a deep breath, his face warming. With difficulty and feigned reluctance, he answered:

“…No.”

“Hmph.”

Ji Qingqian withdrew her hand.

Beneath her calm exterior, a faint pink flushed her earlobes.

…

When they reached Longxiang Bridge Station and exited the packed subway, both exhaled in relief.

Lu Yibei stretched his back, clearly exhausted:

“Let’s go.”

“Mm.”

The subway connected directly to a mall.

Once outside, Lu Yibei and Ji Qingqian took the elevator straight to their destination—the Haidilao on the fifth floor of i77 Yintai.

Haidilao never lacked customers, especially during peak hours.

When they arrived, the queue stretched out the door.

“I’ve once waited from six to nine in the evening,” Lu Yibei told her. “It was ridiculous.”

Ji Qingqian nodded obediently, trailing behind him.

Luckily, they had learned from past experience: Lu Yibei had reserved a table online, perfectly timed.

As they arrived, the host immediately called their table number.

“Two?” Lu Yibei confirmed.

“This way, please,” the staff said.

Stepping inside, staff on both sides greeted them with the signature Haidilao enthusiasm:

“Welcome~~~ to our restaurant!!”

The intensity made Ji Qingqian slightly uncomfortable. She tugged lightly at Lu Yibei’s sleeve.

After leading them to the table, the staff handed over a tablet for ordering. Ji Qingqian quietly observed while Lu Yibei browsed.

Noticing her slight awkwardness sitting across from him, Lu Yibei smiled and told the server:

“I’ll call you when I’m done ordering.”

The server nodded and left.

Finally, Ji Qingqian relaxed.

“So many people,” she murmured. “It’s a bit dizzying…”

Her gaze wandered, drawn to a nearby table where a server performed a noodle-pulling demonstration.

The staff spun the noodles like a meteor hammer.

“Do they really do noodle acrobatics?” she whispered.

“Huh?”

“The one I saw online before—just like this.”

Lu Yibei glanced over. The noodle show, birthday celebrations—these were standard at Haidilao. He was used to it.

It was Ji Qingqian’s fresh fascination that piqued his curiosity:

“First time here?”

She shot him a cool glance.

“Can’t be?” she asked indifferently.

He thought: Sure you can…

Haidilao was pricey for a student. Most wouldn’t come often. But… she didn’t seem to care about money at all.

Ji Qingqian saw through his thoughts.

“Not just Haidilao—I rarely eat hotpot at all,” she said.

“Different customs?” Lu Yibei offered. In the Northeast, barbecue was more common, after all.

“I’m not like you—I have no friends,” she said calmly.

Lu Yibei: …

“Eating hotpot alone feels lonely,” she continued. “The few times I did, it was with my family… but they’re usually away, so the last time was… five? Six years ago?”

Lu Yibei looked up at the slightly harsh overhead lights, mentally smacking himself.

“But now it’s fine~” Ji Qingqian said cheerfully. “You brought me here~”

He looked at her, catching the faint smile at the corners of her eyes, and nodded firmly:

“Let’s eat!”

“Yes, let’s eat!”

“I’ll get a yin-yang pot—beef tallow and tomato base?”

“Up to you.”

“Any dietary restrictions?”

Ji Qingqian thought for a moment: “Nothing sh…”

Lu Yibei anticipated her mid-word:

“Heroine, stop right there!”

Time to eat—no talking!

He quickly ordered a few of his usual dishes.

Just as he was about to call the server, Ji Qingqian stood and moved to his side:

“You get up.”

Lu Yibei: ?

He didn’t understand but obeyed.

He stood, and Ji Qingqian slipped into the seat beside him.

The table was meant for four:

–Qian–

–Table–

–Bei–

Now it became:

–Empty–

–Table–

–QianBei–

“I want to sit with you,” she said, leaning against the wall.

Lu Yibei chuckled: “Alright.”

Once the server returned, Ji Qingqian, now behind Lu Yibei, seemed far more at ease.

When the apron was handed to him, Lu Yibei looked at her menu:

“We’ll bring your dishes shortly—please wait.”

“Thank you.”

He handed one of the aprons to Ji Qingqian: “Wear this, so you don’t accidentally get your shirt dirty.”

She didn’t take it, instead offering her pale neck.

Lu Yibei sighed, adjusting the apron and draping it around her.

Ji Qingqian smoothed her front, and Lu Yibei instructed:

“Turn around—I’ll tie it for you.”

“Okay,” she obediently replied.

He tied a neat bow.

The bow accentuated her slender waist.

So delicate… Lu Yibei thought.