Sister, can I be a maid too?

"Lin...Lin Tingwan, is this much food enough for you?"

The plate in front of him was exactly the same as the one he had seen before.

It was still two steamed buns and a bowl of plain porridge; I absolutely refused to touch any dish that didn't come with a subsidy.

His tone became strained:

"With such intense study and pressure in the senior year of high school, and you eating so little, I'm really afraid you'll collapse in my kitchen while I'm cooking dinner, and then I'll have to give you glucose."

Upon hearing this, Lin Jianxia finally reacted.

She glanced around to make sure no one was watching before lowering her voice in a huff:

"Don't worry, even if I faint from hunger, I'll just faint at home and I definitely won't trouble Young Master Jiang."

Oh, is she angry?

I don't know if it's because I flirted with her this morning... or because of my open attitude earlier.

Jiang Yubai thought for a moment, then tentatively began to speak:

"Speaking of which... I was right this morning, a high ponytail really does look better."

Lin Jianxia lowered her head and drank her porridge, without even lifting her eyelids.

Hmm, it seems that's not the reason.

"But then again," Jiang Yubai muttered to himself, "the reward for being in the top five sounds pretty tempting, should I give it a try...?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Jianxia paused in her act of eating a steamed bun, slowly raised her head, and asked in a soft voice:

"You...want to try?"

So that's why?

"Want to give it a try? I don't know either," Jiang Yu shrugged. "You know how bad my Chinese and English are; they're basically hopeless."

"If I had to choose, I would prefer to put that energy into mathematics and physics."

Before Lin Jianxia could show any disappointment, he paused, then suddenly adopted an exaggeratedly troubled expression:

"Ugh, I don't know why I ordered an extra chicken leg today, I can't possibly finish it all. I wish someone could help me finish it off~"

Lin Jianxia gritted her teeth at that smug tone.

In the end, however, she still reached out with her chopsticks and quietly put the chicken leg into her own bowl.

Jiang Yubai nodded in satisfaction.

...Indeed, feeding people always brings joy.

Lin Jianxia took a bite of the chicken leg and glared at him angrily.

Although chicken drumsticks are indeed very delicious....

But this feeling of being constantly teased is really annoying!!

"Don't glare at me," Jiang Yubai said calmly as he ate his meal. "Don't forget, Lin Tingwan would never show that kind of expression."

Lin Jianxia's expression froze. She lowered her head and viciously bit off a large piece of chicken leg meat, as if she were gnawing on Jiang Yubai's arm.

Jiang Yubai remained completely calm and simply asked:

"I'm being honest, I can't save him with just my two subjects. What are you planning to do?"

Lin Jianxia glanced at the classmates coming and going around her, bit her lower lip, and lowered her voice:

"...We'll talk about it when we get home."

Come back home?

Jiang Yu blinked.

Go back to...which home?

Chapter 51 Little maid, what are you planning to offer in exchange?

The bell had just rung and Jiang Yubai had just stuffed his workbook into his bag when he felt a gaze fixed on him.

He turned his head and saw that Lin Jianxia had already packed her things and was staring at him intently.

This silent urging made Jiang Yubai's lips twitch.

He quickly packed his things, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and said helplessly:

"Okay, okay, let's go."

At the end of the school term, crowds of students poured out of the school gate.

Jiang Yubai and Lin Jianxia walked side by side in the crowd, moving forward with the flow of people.

Many of Lin Jianxia's classmates knew her, but many were seeing her walking side by side with a boy for the first time.

More and more eyes were cast at us along the way, a mixture of curiosity and scrutiny.

Lin Jianxia was already used to this kind of attention, her face expressionless, and she walked quietly beside Jiang Yubai.

Jiang Yubai felt a little uncomfortable being stared at, and subconsciously wanted to create some distance, but then felt that doing so would only make him seem more deliberate.

But... I couldn't help feeling a little smug inside.

It's like you're with an adorable girl, and the whole world is looking on with envy.

Only after turning into a sparsely populated old street, where no more figures in school uniforms could be seen on either side, did Jiang Yubai turn his head and speak:

"Alright, you can talk now, right? What are your plans?"

Lin Jianxia glanced at him, but remained silent, her lips pursed.

Jiang Yubai sighed helplessly:

"There's really no one here. Nobody knows whether you're Lin Jianxia or Lin Tingwan."

To be honest, in his opinion, the fact that "Lin Tingwan can talk" is far less impactful than the fact that "Lin Tingwan walks home with a boy after school".

Ke Lin Jianxia remained silent, her lips pressed into a thin line, seemingly not intending to speak until they returned to the residential area.

Jiang Yu clicked her tongue and stopped asking questions. She simply hummed a tuneless melody and let the evening breeze pass between them.

As the autumnal equinox approaches, the temperature still retains the warmth of summer, but the plane trees along the roadside have already begun to shed their leaves.

As the evening sun slanted down, it bathed the entire street in a gentle and tranquil golden light.

As they walked, Jiang Yubai glanced sideways at the girl beside him. Her high ponytail rose and fell with her movements, tracing beautiful curves.

He suddenly felt... this wasn't so bad either.

Just then, Lin Jianxia suddenly looked up warily, meeting his gaze.

Caught red-handed peeking, Jiang Yubai calmly reached out and gently patted her shoulder:

A leaf fell on your clothes.

Lin Jianxia was taken aback and looked down—but the entire path was already covered with fallen leaves, and it was impossible to tell which leaf it was.

When she looked up again, Jiang Yubai was already walking ahead, humming a song, as if nothing had happened.

Walking leisurely like this, it took less than ten minutes to reach the entrance of Jinxiu New Village.

Although it wasn't sunset yet, the vendors around had already set up their stalls, and the aroma of fried pancakes mixed with the cumin scent of barbecue wafted into the air.

As soon as he turned the corner, Jiang Yubai couldn't move.

He gazed at the brightly lit food stalls stretching to the horizon and murmured:

"This is simply heaven..."

Lin Jianxia, ​​standing to the side, noticed his expression and a hint of smugness flashed in her eyes.

—Hmph, you idiot who's never tasted anything good before~

Just as he was secretly feeling smug, he saw Jiang Yubai dart out and excitedly stop in front of a barbecue stall.

Lin Jianxia's face stiffened, and her little face slowly turned bitter.

...Oh right, other people can just buy whatever they want to eat, unlike me, who had to go upstairs clutching my stomach in misery.

Feeling utterly exhausted, she took a step forward and stood beside Jiang Yubai.

And this one had already begun the Khan's large-scale mobilization of troops:

"Auntie, three skewers of chicken wings, three skewers of shiitake mushrooms, and... um, let me see."

Lin Jianxia had only intended to wait for him, but upon hearing the number, she immediately felt somewhat embarrassed and spoke in a low voice:

"Wanwan and I don't want to anymore..."

"Working lunch, working lunch," Jiang Yubai ignored her and continued, "Three skewers of lamb, three skewers of enoki mushrooms, and chives..."

He glanced at Lin Jianxia beside him and changed his words:

"I'll have a bunch of chives, please."

"Okay~"

The stall owner auntie deftly took the skewers, flipping them as she asked:

"Would you like some chili peppers?"

Jiang Yubai turned his head to look at Lin Jianxia beside him.

She hesitated for a moment, then gently shook her head.

"No spice," Jiang Yubai replied, turning back. "Please hurry up, Auntie."

Ten minutes later.

Jiang Yubai carried the packaged barbecue and went upstairs with light steps.

He had just taken out his keys and entered the house when he turned around and saw that Lin Jianxia was not going to his house, but was following him in.

Jiang Yu blinked, then suddenly slapped his forehead:

"I haven't given you the barbecue yet."

"...It's not about having a barbecue! I'm here to talk to you about the study group!" Lin Jianxia said angrily.