Gan Lan felt a bit frustrated as she watched the girl being dragged away, who was still struggling and glaring back at her with hatred. What kind of luck did she have? She was always running into people like this, and it was incredibly annoying.
She didn’t expect everyone to like her, but couldn’t they at least maintain basic politeness?
"Sorry, she has a few screws loose. Don’t mind her," Yan Yifei said to Gan Lan, pointing at his head with an apologetic look in his eyes.
"Yeah, Junior! Her brain hasn’t worked right since we were kids. She’s just a psycho!" Gao Haiyang chimed in with a chuckle.
Mu Hanyu really wasn’t in her right mind. Spoiled rotten by her family, she was arrogant and overbearing, acting as if the whole world revolved around her. She was a complete snob.
Gao Haiyang deeply regretted bringing her along. If he had known this would happen, he would have bolted the moment he saw her. He might not be able to beat her in a fight, but he could certainly outrun her!
"Junior, ignore her. She thinks too highly of herself and bites whoever she catches like a rabid dog. If certain people hadn’t brought her along, she wouldn’t have ruined the mood!" Wu Mingyu said pointedly, his peripheral vision sweeping over two of the uniformed men.
Wang Bin was about to speak, but Gan Lan waved her hand. "It’s fine. I don’t have a fragile ego. You don’t need to comfort me; I really don’t mind." She grabbed a bowl and a pair of chopsticks for herself and started swishing meat in the hot broth. "Eat up, eat up! You might not get a chance like this next time!"
"Junior, are you going to be completely penniless again after treating us to this meal? You’re not going to have to borrow money again, are you?" Wang Bin asked after chewing and swallowing a fishball.
Gan Lan paused her chopsticks, which were holding some vegetables, and rolled her eyes at Wang Bin. "Can I borrow from you, then?"
Wang Bin was quick to reply, "Sure! I’ll lend you whatever I have!"
"Junior, how much do you need? I’ll lend it to you!" Wen Ningyue leaned in.
"I haven’t even said anything yet! If you’re going to borrow money, borrow it from me! I’m the richest here," Wu Mingyu boasted. His status as a super-rich second-generation heir was no joke!
Gan Lan was speechless. People were actually volunteering to lend money. In her past life, the moment someone mentioned borrowing money, everyone would scatter. Now, it was the exact opposite—they seemed afraid she wouldn’t borrow from them.
"I can lend you some, too." Yan Yifei wiped his mouth and looked up at her.
"No need, no need! I don’t even know how much this will cost yet. If I actually end up in debt, I’ll definitely come to you guys!" Gan Lan shook her head. These people were worrying over nothing.
"Junior, remember to find me, too! I have money!" Gao Haiyang managed to squeeze out the words despite his mouth being stuffed with food.
Gan Lan set her chopsticks down, suddenly remembering something. "Oh, right! I made some desserts as a reward for our greatest contributors. Wait here, I’ll go get them."
She went to the hall’s kitchen and brought back a temperature-controlled box. Inside were various fruit ice creams—strawberry, mango, blueberry, and more. She had made a hundred of them in total. Taking half to distribute to the principal and the teachers, she planned to share the remaining fifty among her helpful friends. She had specially made six extra-large portions packed with a wide variety of colorful fruits. They looked absolutely gorgeous.
"This is way too pretty! I can’t even bear to eat it!" Wen Ningyue hugged a large bowl of fruit ice cream, her eyes sparkling. She simply couldn’t resist beautiful things.
Yan Yifei dug right in with a large spoon. The ice cream was mixed with strawberries and mangoes, boasting a rich fruity aroma. Combined with the milky base, it was icy, sweet, and slightly tart. Eating it alongside the hot pot created a sharp contrast of hot and cold, yet they complemented each other surprisingly well.
From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Gan Lan eating her dessert. This person always made food that he found impossible to refuse.
"Junior, you’re amazing! This tastes completely different from the strawberry yogurt pudding you made last time, but it’s just as delicious and beautiful!" Gao Haiyang also stared at Gan Lan with shining eyes.
Meanwhile, Wu Mingyu was alternating between bites of ice cream and swished meat, looking utterly blissful.
Seeing Wang Bin and the others already digging in, and noticing that her own dessert was beginning to melt, Wen Ningyue finally—and reluctantly—took a bite. Sure enough! It tasted exactly as wonderful as she had imagined. This was going to be her true love from now on!
After dragging the annoying Mu Hanyu away, Lu Ziyu rushed back to the hot pot battlefield.
"What are you guys eating? Is there none for me?" Lu Ziyu asked, feeling a bit wronged. If the captain hadn’t made him do that chore, he wouldn’t be missing out. He cast a resentful glance at Yan Yifei before looking at Gan Lan with eager eyes.
"I saved some for you." Gan Lan took out Lu Ziyu’s portion of fruit ice cream and handed it to him.
Pleasantly surprised, Lu Ziyu took it. "Junior is the best!" He grabbed a spoon and dug in. After one bite, his eyes narrowed in delight, and he couldn’t help but praise, "So delicious! I really want to take Junior home so she can cook for me every day."
Gan Lan didn’t know what to say. That thought was a little terrifying.
Yan Yifei had the strongest reaction to those words. He slammed his spoon down and glared coldly at Lu Ziyu. "In your dreams!"
He silently added in his mind, "If she’s going anywhere, she’s going to my house."
The others cast disdainful glances at Lu Ziyu and pretended they hadn’t heard anything. Let him dream; after all, such a thing was impossible!
Gan Lan also pretended not to hear him. She had no idea how to respond to a comment like that.
"Junior! What are you guys secretly eating over there?! I want some, too!" The neighboring table had finally noticed that Gan Lan and her group were hoarding all the good stuff. Fortunately, she had kept a few dozen extra portions on hand, otherwise, she wouldn’t have known how to answer them.
"There are only a dozen or so left. Take them and share them quietly," Gan Lan said, handing them over to the senior student who had called out to her.
The senior student’s eyes lit up. She took the temperature-controlled box and nodded. "Thank you, Junior!"
"Junior, what’s in the other temperature-controlled box?" Wu Mingyu asked in a low voice.
Gan Lan lifted the other box and said mysteriously, "This? It’s a surprise gift for you guys, of course! Everyone gets something different! Wait until you go back before opening them."
"There’s more?!" Wang Bin exclaimed. "Junior, you’re amazing! I’m so lucky to know you!"
Gan Lan had made five small cakes, each with a different flavor. Since they had been helping her out so much all along, whipping up some small desserts was the least she could do. Yan Yifei’s was a strawberry shortcake. He was Princess Yan, after all; strawberries suited him best! As for the rest, she would let them discover the flavors for themselves.
Gao Haiyang hugged the box Gan Lan handed him and planted a kiss on it. "Junior, it’s so great to know you!"
Yan Yifei reservedly accepted his small box, feeling a bit curious. What could his be?
"Thank you. We’ve troubled you again," Yan Yifei said, pursing his lips.
"Alright, stop with all the thank-yous. We know each other so well now; saying ’thank you’ feels too formal!" Gan Lan waved her hand and smiled, shaking her head.
Wen Ningyue leaned over and hugged Gan Lan. "Junior, even if you say that, I still have to say it. I’m truly so lucky to have met you and to be your friend!"
Gan Lan patted Wen Ningyue’s shoulder and looked at the others watching her, meeting each of their gazes one by one. "If anyone should be saying ’thank you,’ it’s me. You guys have helped me so much, and all I can do is make some snacks in return. If there’s ever anything I can help with in the future, you must let me know!"
Everyone replied in unison, "Just invite us whenever there’s food!"
Gan Lan deadpanned, utterly speechless.