Chapter 119: Aethelburg University Cafeteria
Vivian Lowell took Julian Faulkner back to Aethelburg University.
Julian Faulkner looked a little surprised when he saw the gates of Aethelburg University.
Seeing this, Vivian Lowell smiled and explained, "I know you went to university abroad. Have you ever been to one of our country’s top universities before?"
"The scenery here is beautiful, and even the cafeteria food is delicious. I used to eat here all the time. Julian, what do you like to eat? I bet they have anything you can think of."
"..."
A smile tugged at the corners of Julian Faulkner’s lips.
He liked this feeling—going with Vivian Lowell to eat the things she used to eat, the things she loved.
"I’m fine with anything."
Julian Faulkner smiled at Vivian Lowell, thinking... ’As long as I’m with her, I’ll eat anything. As for being a picky eater, there’s not really anything I can’t eat.’
’Even if I don’t like it, forcing down a bite or two should be... fine, right?’
"Hmm..."
Vivian Lowell looked at Julian Faulkner, thought for a moment, and pointed in a certain direction. "Then let’s walk along the lake to that cafeteria over there."
"Their beef offal is amazing! The broth is so authentic! Oh, right, you eat organ meat, don’t you? I really love beef intestines!"
Julian Faulkner nodded, thought for a second, and said, "Yeah, as long as it doesn’t have a strong smell, it’s fine."
"Then it’s no problem!"
「Ten minutes later.」
Vivian Lowell borrowed a meal card from an Aethelburg University underclassman who was passing by and used it to pay for a lavish meal of beef offal for herself and Julian Faulkner.
"Um..."
The underclassman looked at Vivian Lowell, hesitated, and asked, "Can I... add you on WhatsApp? Um... that way, it’ll be easier for you to pay me back, right?"
The underclassman was a bit shy, his gaze flickering as he secretly peeked at Vivian Lowell.
Obviously, his goal was to get her WhatsApp, not the money. But if he didn’t phrase it that way, what if Vivian Lowell rejected him?
Vivian Lowell tilted her head to glance at the blushing underclassman and was just about to pull out her phone.
Just then, Julian Faulkner, who had been sitting quietly to the side, suddenly walked over. Holding his phone, he said to the underclassman in a serious tone, "Open your payment QR code."
"I’ll just scan it directly. No need for the hassle of adding each other on WhatsApp. How much was it?"
The dumbfounded underclassman stammered out, "48."
And then...
Vivian Lowell heard the notification sound for a 100-yuan WhatsApp transfer.
"Consider the extra a thank you for your kindness."
Julian Faulkner’s tone was flat. Ignoring the fact that the underclassman’s heart felt like it was being crushed in an avalanche, he led Vivian Lowell away.
It wasn’t until much later, when Vivian Lowell looked back, that she saw the underclassman walking away, head hanging in dejection.
"Er."
Vivian Lowell thought Julian Faulkner’s actions were a bit strange. She looked at him quizzically and asked, "Were you too harsh? He didn’t seem to be in a very good mood."
Hearing this, Julian Faulkner gave Vivian Lowell a baffled look, his expression cold.
He asked with a deadpan face, "You think I was harsh?"
Vivian Lowell quickly shook her head.
COUGH!
’When Julian Faulkner asks a question like that so seriously, he really does look a little intimidating, okay!’
’It’s just that I can’t very well agree with him, can I?’
"No, not harsh."
Vivian Lowell shook her head and immediately started spouting nonsense with a straight face. "I just think... hmm, it must be because you’re too handsome."
"The underclassman felt the vast gulf between the two of you, and after some soul-searching, he’s decided to spend the whole night holed up in the library studying."
Hearing this, Julian Faulkner looked at Vivian Lowell intently. It was obvious he knew she was just making things up.
But he didn’t call her out on it.
He simply picked up his chopsticks and placed a piece of the beef intestine that Vivian Lowell liked into her bowl.
"Let’s eat. It’s getting late."
Julian Faulkner’s tone softened considerably. Then he lowered his head and picked up a piece of daikon radish.
"Oh."
Vivian Lowell said no more and just ate quietly.
The beef offal from the Aethelburg University cafeteria had always been Vivian Lowell’s one true love, especially the cellophane noodles inside, which soaked up the essence of the rich broth and were simply divine.
Hmm...
It seemed Julian Faulkner really liked it too.
When Vivian Lowell snuck a glance at Julian Faulkner, she noticed he was also eating with great focus. And at some point, a tiny fleck of chili pepper had gotten stuck beside his mouth.
Er.
It was a chili flake from the chili sauce Vivian had gotten. Julian had just dipped his food in a little, but somehow he’d been so careless as to get it on the side of his mouth?
’That really doesn’t seem like a mistake a president would make!’
Vivian Lowell looked at Julian Faulkner, raised an eyebrow, and smiled softly. "President Faulkner, you’ve got a little something on the side of your mouth."
"..."
Julian Faulkner didn’t say anything, but subconsciously pulled out a napkin to wipe his mouth.
Unfortunately, his intuition was off this time. He wiped the other side, and the little fleck of chili remained right where it was.
"Hey, not there."
Vivian Lowell used a slightly flirtatious tone. Before Julian Faulkner could react, she snatched the napkin from his hand and moved to wipe the corner of his mouth for him.
Vivian Lowell wrapped the napkin around her fingertip and gently touched it to Julian Faulkner’s lips.
His lips were thin, red, and very handsome.
She’d looked at them many times.
Hmm... she had even accidentally kissed them once before.
For some reason, even though there was a napkin between her finger and his lips this time, Vivian Lowell could still clearly feel their warm, soft texture.
It was as if a faint electric current was running through her, making her heart flutter and her whole body tremble.
’Damn it!’
Vivian Lowell felt the tips of her ears growing hot.
She knew her cheeks must be a little red, too.
’Seriously.’
’She was the one who was supposed to be taking the opportunity to tease Julian Faulkner, to flirt a little, so how did she end up being the one who was embarrassed?’
Julian Faulkner’s perception was incredibly sharp.
Of course, a small detail like this wouldn’t escape his notice.
He caught it almost immediately.
He chuckled softly and asked, "What’s with that look? Did you get the thing on my mouth or not?"
When Vivian Lowell heard Julian Faulkner speak, she pulled her hand back as if by reflex.
In any case... she really couldn’t handle this charged atmosphere between them.
"It’s clean."
Vivian Lowell lowered her head, unwrapped the napkin from her finger, and held it out for Julian Faulkner to see. "I told you it was there," she muttered. "And you still doubted me!"
"I didn’t!"
Julian Faulkner sighed helplessly in rebuttal. "It just... looked like you were in a trance, so I was just waking you up."
’In a trance?’
’Waking me up?’
Vivian Lowell almost choked.
"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH!"
’How can Julian Faulkner see through everything?’
Just as she was thinking this, she heard the quiet chatter of Aethelburg University students behind her.
"Oh my god, isn’t that Mr. Lowell and the president of the Faulkner Group? I saw them on the trending topics today! Wow, they’re so lovey-dovey! Mr. Lowell is amazing!"
"What Mr. Lowell and trending topics? What happened?"
"You don’t know? Let me tell you... Shh! We’re too close. Let’s move farther away to talk. As onlookers, we should just enjoy the show and not disturb the main characters!"
"Oh, oh, right, right! Let’s go. We can talk over there while we eat..."
Then, the group of underclasswomen started gossiping.
Vivian Lowell felt even more awkward, not daring to look up at Julian Faulkner.
At that moment, however, Julian Faulkner placed another piece of lean beef brisket into Vivian Lowell’s bowl.
Vivian Lowell didn’t even have time to say thank you.
The "sheltered" underclasswomen were already gasping in hushed excitement.
It was as if... the ship the gossips were rooting for had just given them a dose of sweetness right on the spot, and they were thrilled.
...
She was cringing so hard she could have dug a three-bedroom apartment with her toes.