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"What's wrong? You don't like the snacks?" he asked directly.
When it came to misunderstandings, silence was the worst possible response. If left unchecked, doubt had a way of spiraling into something much worse.
Alice smiled, her golden lashes fluttering as she narrowed her eyes slightly. "Nope. It's not that."
She held up a single finger. "It's too expensive."
"I looked it up. The bag, plus the snacks… they're worth nearly a hundred thousand dollars."
Lemu froze.
Then he exhaled sharply and rubbed his forehead.
Of all the things he had expected, this was not one of them.
Alice misunderstood his silence and continued, her voice steady but firm. "I can't accept something that valuable."
Lemu shook his head with a helpless smile. "You're working so hard to pay for school, right? Even if you don't like the snacks, you could sell them and use the money for tuition."
As he spoke, he casually reached into the pouch, shifting a few of the expensive treats around—only to pause when he spotted something unusual.
A half-eaten chocolate.
Someone had taken a bite out of it, leaving behind visible teeth marks.
It had then been carefully rewrapped in a clear bag, as if whoever had taken the bite felt guilty and wanted to preserve what was left.
Lemu raised an eyebrow. What the hell?
He glanced at Alice, who had also noticed it.
Her expression shifted almost instantly. A faint blush rose to her cheeks, making her already stunning features even more radiant.
She looked… embarrassed.
"That… that was me," Alice admitted.
Her fingers twitched slightly as she quickly snatched the chocolate away, tucking it into her pocket.
"I wasn't thinking and accidentally took a bite."
Then, as if trying to change the subject, she swiftly picked up a small piece of carrot with her fork and held it up to Lemu's lips.
"Here. Eat."
Her eyes flickered with amusement, as if daring him to push the conversation any further.
"Selling it isn't an option," Alice said firmly. "It's a gift from you, and gifts shouldn't be sold. But it's just… too expensive. I really can't accept it."
She hesitated, then quickly changed the subject, perhaps a little guiltily. "Can I ask you something?"
Lemu raised an eyebrow, sensing the shift.
Alice continued, "You said you're a student here, but this is only your second time on campus. That's a little strange, don't you think?"
Lemu didn't answer right away. Instead, he picked up a crab cake from his plate and held it up to her.
Alice, without missing a beat, leaned forward and took a small bite. The crisp outer layer gave way to a soft, flavorful filling—delicate, fragrant, and impossibly tender.
Lemu's fingertips accidentally brushed against her lips for the briefest moment.
Soft. Warm.
Like two pieces of jelly, gently pressing together.
A fleeting sensation, gone in an instant.
Lemu bit down on a piece of carrot, chewing thoughtfully. "I'm a special case. I enrolled last year, but I'm graduating this year. I don't stay on campus much."
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"I'm a special case. I enrolled last year, but I'm graduating this year. I don't stay on campus much."
As Lemu spoke, it suddenly hit him—he had been in this Marvel-like world for quite some time now.
He had crossed a New Year's celebration.
And soon, he would see his first Lunar New Year here.
Graduating in just one year.
Alice's eyes widened in astonishment, the golden flecks in her irises shimmering under the cafeteria's lights.
Her gaze locked onto Lemu's face, reflecting his delicate, almost unreal features.
Then, as if recalling something, her lips parted in realization.
"Wait… are you that student?"
Lemu blinked. "That student?"
Alice nodded quickly. "The one who got special admission from the vice principal! I read about your test paper on the forums!"
Lemu frowned slightly. "My test paper? On the forums?"
Where? How?
Alice swallowed the last bit of crab cake and nodded again, this time more excitedly.
"Yeah! Around May or June last year, someone uploaded a copy of your exam and answers onto the school forum. It caused a huge discussion."
"Everyone was trying to guess who wrote it. Your handwriting was so neat, and the answers were incredibly detailed. It was like reading a scholar's notes. But later, I think the person who posted it got punished by the school."
Lemu stared at her for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle.
"Something like that happened? That's actually kind of interesting… I didn't even know."
Alice grinned. "Yeah. Apparently, the guy's advisor was in charge of campus security, so he had access to the surveillance footage. That's how he got a copy of your exam paper."
"His name was… Bennett, I think."
The two of them continued chatting and feeding each other, completely oblivious to their surroundings. Unconsciously, they had drawn closer and closer, their pale blue and golden strands of hair occasionally brushing against one another, intertwining like threads in a delicate weave.
To an outsider, they looked like a pair of inseparable best friends—no, more than that. The kind of close-knit pair that made others feel like they were being ruthlessly shown up in the relationship department.
Around them, people at nearby tables found themselves glancing over again and again, distracted from their meals. Forks hovered in midair. Conversations slowed.
Two tables away, a guy named Bennett—a somewhat unlucky but undeniably handsome young man—couldn't seem to tear his gaze away.
His girlfriend noticed.
Hard.
With a sharp glare, she reached over and pinched his thigh. Harder.
"Hey! What was that for?!" Bennett winced, nearly jumping out of his seat. His face twisted in pain and mild frustration.
His girlfriend shot him a deadly look. "Don't 'hey' me! I know exactly what's going through your head! You think they're prettier than me, don't you?!"
Bennett groaned. "What? No! I just— I swear, I've seen her before. She looks really familiar…"
His girlfriend wasn't buying it. Arms crossed, lips pursed, she huffed, "Yeah, right. Sure. Whatever you say. You know what? Forget tonight. You can sleep alone."
Bennett rolled his eyes but smirked internally. No 'fun time' tonight? Fine by him. He had a thesis to grind through anyway. Girlfriends were great and all, but research papers? Now that was love.
Lunch was already halfway through when Lemu, after a moment of hesitation, carefully broached a new topic.
"Alice," he began, tapping his fork lightly against his plate, "if I offered you a job that paid well and was super easy, would you take it?"
His amber eyes held a glint of curiosity, like a veil of mist concealing some deeper thought.
Alice paused mid-bite. Her fork hovered in the air, her deep blue eyes flickering with doubt.
She turned to look at Lemu directly, searching his expression, trying to figure out what was going on inside his head. But all she saw were his absurdly long eyelashes and the reflection of her own face in his clear, gemstone-like pupils.
It made her heart skip a beat.
Leaning on one hand, she rested her chin on her palm, still contemplating. "…I already have a part-time job at the Stark Foundation. The pay isn't bad. Why are you asking?"
Lemu smiled faintly. "Because this job is even better."
He listed out the perks, counting them off on his fingers. "First, it's way more relaxed. You'd have way more free time to focus on studying. Second, the salary is more than enough to cover your tuition. Third, I can help you apply for early graduation. And lastly…"
He met her gaze, voice steady, "…I can personally guide you in your studies."
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