Meal Card

Among the twenty-eight yuan Han Juyou paid, her own meal with side dishes cost only three and a half yuan, while Liu Muye’s meat-heavy meal cost twenty-four and a half.

Shredded potatoes for one yuan and mapo tofu for one and a half—these were the cheapest dishes available in all the canteens at Siliya Academy. In fact, all twelve of the academy’s canteens served these two dishes.

Liu Muye remembered this detail clearly because he had written it into the book’s setting. He included it because, back when he was studying at Sunan University, during his poorest days, he had survived on shredded potatoes, mapo tofu, and the free soup provided.

Of course, being able to afford even these dishes wasn’t the lowest point. Liu Muye recalled a roommate who, in order to buy his girlfriend a new phone, had lived on plain rice and free soup for two months—nearly ending up in the hospital from malnutrition.

Naturally, the relationship didn’t last. The guy’s girlfriend turned out to be a gold-digger who later left him for a wealthy, bald entrepreneur outside the university.

Ahem—getting off track.

Liu Muye carried his tray and followed Han Juyou to a corner table.

The first thing Han Juyou said after sitting down was, "Your meal card’s frozen? Is this some new pickup line?"

"Pfft, as if," Liu Muye retorted with a hint of provocation. "If I really wanted to use a meal card as an excuse to hit on someone, I’d go for an actual beauty. Why would I bother with you?"

"Oh, really?" Han Juyou’s brows furrowed slightly, her eyes turning cold as she replied with a haughty tone. "Then go hit on a beauty. Why are you bothering me? Get lost."

Seeing her anger, Liu Muye immediately backed down. "Hey, hey, I was just joking. Don’t take it so seriously."

He then pulled out a hundred-yuan bill from his wallet and placed it in front of her.

Han Juyou glanced at the money. "What’s this for?"

"For the meal," Liu Muye said, scratching his head. "I don’t have small change, only big bills."

Han Juyou pushed the money back. "I don’t have change either. Consider this my treat. Take your money back."

When she had bought the meal for him, she hadn’t planned on asking for repayment. After all, he had helped her deal with the debt collectors who showed up at her place on Saturday night. Treating him to a meal was the least she could do.

But Liu Muye wasn’t having it. "No way. Liu the Young Master can’t let you pay for me."

Having lived through days where he survived on the cheapest campus meals, Liu Muye understood just how significant twenty-some yuan was to Han Juyou.

There was no way he’d let her cover his meal.

Not only that, but he also needed to find a way to indirectly support her—at least enough to ensure she didn’t go hungry. Keeping Han Juyou fed counted as saving the "villainess," right?

After a moment’s thought, Liu Muye came up with an idea. "How about this? I’ve got a thousand in cash on me. I’ll give you seven hundred to top up your meal card. For the next week, you’ll be in charge of buying my meals. Deal?"

"I—" Han Juyou started to speak, but Liu Muye cut her off.

"Don’t reject it yet. I won’t make you work for free. We’ll split the seven hundred—half for each of us. Your half can be your service fee. Fair?"

Han Juyou shook her head. "There’s definitely a catch. I’m not helping you."

Liu Muye laughed helplessly. "The meal card’s yours, the money’s yours, all you have to do is buy my meals. What catch could there be? With our relationship, would I really screw you over?"

"..."

After a pause, Han Juyou asked, "I still don’t get it. Isn’t this academy owned by your family? Why would your meal card be frozen?"

Liu Muye covered his face. "I pissed off my dad. He froze all my cards, including the meal card."

"Pfft—hahaha!"

"What’s so funny? It’s your fault anyway."

"Mine?" Han Juyou’s laughter stopped abruptly. She pointed at herself, confused. "How is your fight with your dad my fault?"

"I stayed at your place too late that night..."

Liu Muye briefly explained how he got all his funds frozen, but he left out the part about his father’s "white moonlight" falling into disrepute—some family matters weren’t meant to be shared.

Han Juyou rolled her eyes. "Still not my fault. Couldn’t you have just said you were studying late at the library? Why admit you went to that kind of place?"

"Would anyone believe I, of all people, stayed at the library studying until midnight?" Liu Muye rolled his eyes back. "Besides, you cried all over my shirt that night. My dad thought—mmph!"

Before he could finish, Han Juyou clamped a hand over his mouth, her face red. "Keep your voice down! It’s not like getting your shirt wet is something to brag about. Why shout it?!"

Liu Muye crossed his arms. "Whatever. You’re half-responsible for my frozen funds. You’re handling my meals this week."

"Why me?" Han Juyou met his gaze. "Aren’t you roommates with Nangong Ye? Can’t you just use his meal card and eat together?"

Liu Muye scoffed. "That guy doesn’t have a meal card. His family’s five-star chef prepares all his meals and delivers them to campus. You expect me to beg him to get a meal card just for this?"

"Uh..." Han Juyou thought for a moment. "If you can’t eat at the canteen, why not drive off-campus?"

"You think gas is free?" Liu Muye almost laughed at her suggestion. "A sports car burns through cash with every press of the pedal. I’ve only got a thousand left—once it’s gone, it’s gone. No way I’m driving to school."

Han Juyou pressed further. "Then why me? Plenty of people on campus have meal cards."

Liu Muye groaned. "Since the semester started, aside from Nangong Ye and Shangguan Yurou, you’re the only one I’m somewhat close to. If I don’t ask you, should I go beg Shangguan Yurou for her card?"

"You... you’re really not just using this as an excuse to treat me because I’m poor?" Han Juyou finally voiced the question weighing on her mind.

"No, I’m serious!" Liu Muye slapped his wallet onto the table. "If you don’t believe me, take my card and try swiping it."

"Fine, I believe you."

With that, Han Juyou had no choice but to accept.

Seeing her agreement, Liu Muye quickly pulled out seven hundred-yuan bills and handed them over. "Here—a hundred a day. Should be enough for both of us this week, right?"

Han Juyou quickly waved her hands and said, "No, no, no need. I won’t spend your money. I’ll top up my own account later..."

"Cut the nonsense. Use mine." Liu Muye, caught up in the moment, pulled out the last three hundred from his wallet and slapped it onto the table. "A thousand bucks—seven days of meals for two. Fifty per meal. You’re eating with me, and the standard stays high. That’s the deal!"

"..."

Han Juyou stared at the money on the table, her expression unreadable, lost in thought.

Liu Muye assumed she was hesitant about spending his money and reassured her, "Relax. My money practically grows on trees. This thousand is for food—spend it however you want, no need to check with me. Besides, after this week, I’ll be rolling in cash again."

After a brief pause, Han Juyou said, "Keep five hundred for yourself. We’ll eat in the cafeteria together—five hundred is more than enough for a week."

"A thousand it is." Liu Muye shoved the money straight into Han Juyou’s small purse. "Once I give money away, I don’t take it back. What, you looking down on me?"

"No, but—"

"Shh. Eat! The food’s getting cold."

...