I really didn’t want to increase my favorability! - Chapter 301

“Good evening, Ji Yun,”
Su Qingwan opened the door, unsure whether to smile or keep a neutral expression. In the end, she forced a smile and welcomed her in.

Ji Yun glanced at Su Qingwan, gave a slight nod, and placed the bag in her hand on the table.
“I brought some sausages. They’re from Sichuan, sent by Xu Lin’s cousin. They’re raw and need to be cooked.”
“Thank you. Sister Qin really likes spicy food.”
“It’s nothing, I was just passing by anyway.”

Ji Yun maintained her gentle demeanor, one that seemed ingrained in her, and it put Su Qingwan somewhat at ease.
With such a personality, no matter what happens, she wouldn’t argue with Qin Yunhe—this much Su Qingwan was confident about.

“By the way, Xu Lin is here. I brought him over to change clothes. We’re heading to my place afterward.”
Su Qingwan hadn’t planned to mention it, but since Xu Lin was already inside, she forced herself to explain.

“Go ahead. It’s not easy for Teacher Su either. But considering how young she is, it’s understandable that her family is pushing her.”
“Right? But with family, there’s not much I can do. So I just borrowed Xu Lin for help.”
“Go ahead. As long as it helps the teacher, it’s fine.”

Looking at Ji Yun’s magnanimity, Su Qingwan felt deeply grateful. After all, the two of them had clashed not long ago—or rather, Su Qingwan had vented her frustrations at Ji Yun for no reason. In the end, it was Ji Yun who remained composed, while Su Qingwan felt a bit embarrassed by her impulsiveness.

Maybe Xu Lin’s assessment of her was accurate—despite looking like an adult, she was still a child.
And wasn’t that the truth? From elementary school to college, her life had been all about studying, attending classes, eating, and sleeping.

By the time she entered middle and high school, Sister Qin had been shielding her every step of the way. She graduated without ever experiencing a romantic relationship or venturing into the real world.
After graduation, she came back to teach, remaining disconnected from much of society. The scenes on her phone could only provide a glimpse of the world; they couldn’t replace firsthand experience.

She might be an adult in terms of age, but when it came to understanding people and the ways of the world, she was still very much a child.

A few minutes later, Xu Lin emerged from the room, and Qin Yunhe brought out her stir-fried dishes.
But judging by their appearance, everyone could tell that Qin Yunhe’s cooking skills were just passable.

“This outfit works. Makes you look more mature,” Su Qingwan commented as she glanced at Xu Lin. The new attire made him seem closer to her age.
“But I don’t remember buying this jacket,” Xu Lin remarked, eyeing the black puffer jacket.
“I bought it for you. It cost me a quarter of my salary.”
“Will you have enough for the rest of the month? I can help if you need it.”
“Focus on your own tasks. You’ll definitely have food to eat.”

Qin Yunhe waved him off casually. Su Qingwan lowered her head and busied herself with her phone, occasionally stealing glances at Ji Yun.
You two flaunting your relationship in front of me is one thing, but aren’t you afraid of causing trouble by doing it in front of Ji Yun?

However, Ji Yun didn’t seem bothered. She kept her gaze on Sister Qin, smiling softly, the expression never leaving her face.

“By the way, Ji Yun, did you bring me sausages?”
“Yes.”
“See? You should be thanking me for that,” Xu Lin chimed in.

“You’ve got some nerve. If I hadn’t stopped you, you’d have eaten them all yourself. There wouldn’t be any left for Sister Qin and Teacher Su,” Ji Yun quickly shot him a glare.

Su Qingwan and Qin Yunhe both chuckled along.
“Alright, consider it a joint effort. And thanks to your cousin too.”
“Alright, we’ll get going now. It’s almost 8 o’clock.”

Su Qingwan glanced at her watch—it was mealtime. Luckily, she had prepared everything beforehand, so Xu Lin could just take it with him.

Even as she spoke, Su Qingwan couldn’t help but glance at Ji Yun, and Xu Lin also took a quick look at her.

Ji Yun, however, looked at the two of them with exasperation.
“Why are you both looking at me? Go ahead, I’m not stopping anyone.”
“Alright, we’re going.”

The two quickly headed out together. Watching the much-younger girl across from her, Qin Yunhe couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration.

Say what you will, but Ji Yun’s composure and poise were extraordinary. Anyone else, faced with one rival on the left and another on the right, while their boyfriend was being borrowed as a shield—and one of the rivals had even slept with her boyfriend—would hardly remain so calm.

To be honest, Qin Yunhe herself couldn’t manage it, let alone any of the other girls she knew. For a high school girl, Ji Yun had handled everything remarkably well.

Wait, they hadn’t even started talking yet, and here she was analyzing the other girl’s situation. But Ji Yun’s demeanor was genuinely endearing, not to mention her pleasant personality.

“Ahem, can we talk while we eat? I’m getting a little hungry,” Qin Yunhe finally said.

“Of course! I haven’t eaten yet either. Let’s eat together. But this one dish of yours isn’t enough. Can I order some more?”
“Sure, let me order.”
“No, no, I’ll do it.”

Meanwhile, Xu Lin and Su Qingwan had already gotten into the car. As Su Qingwan turned to glance back, she remarked,
“Do you think the two of them will end up fighting?”
“You keep saying that. Do you really want to see your best friend and Ji Yun fight?”
“No, no! I’m just worried, that’s all.”
“Relax. You know your best friend, and I know Ji Yun. No matter who the other person is, Ji Yun wouldn’t start a conflict.”
“Oh? You have such high praise for Ji Yun?”
“She’s been your English class representative for half a year. You should know her personality—she’s not the type to fake anything.”
“That’s true. She’s a good kid.”
“Smarter than you.”
“What do you mean, ‘smarter than me’? I’m a graduate from a teacher’s college! Do I look like an idiot?”
“That’s not what I meant. I’m talking about how she interacts with people. She’s better at it than most adults, probably because of her natural warmth.”
“That’s true. Everyone likes her, and that alone puts her ahead of most people.”

Su Qingwan couldn’t help but admire Ji Yun’s natural charm. She herself liked the girl too.

Kind, gentle, but efficient and decisive, with her own sense of judgment. Even though most of her decisions were about school matters, they reflected her personality.

It was no surprise that both boys and girls liked her. It was perfectly natural.

“So, does that make her your ‘queen consort’?” Su Qingwan teased, though there was a trace of genuine curiosity in her tone.
“What queen or consort? I’m just a regular high schooler. Having one girlfriend is already a blessing.”
“Yeah, right!”

After a ten-minute drive, they reached their destination and carried the items upstairs.

In the elevator, Xu Lin went over the details Su Qingwan had told him earlier about her parents—their preferences and topics to avoid—to ensure he didn’t say anything wrong.

“Alright, I’ll knock now.”

Standing at the door, Su Qingwan glanced at him, then stepped forward to knock.

The door opened, and a little girl’s cheerful voice rang out.
“Auntie’s back! And she brought a handsome brother!”