Sister Who Doesn't Like Soft Rice Men

Finally, the class was over. Kong Huaijin picked up her bag and looked at Zhou Yi: "Let's go, Zhou Yi. I've accompanied you to class, now will you join me for a meal?"

During the lecture, Kong Huaijin hadn’t disturbed him. She simply sat there playing with her phone. When the professor asked about her presence, she casually mentioned she was auditing the class, and the professor didn’t press further.

Zhou Yi chuckled helplessly. "Sis, you’ve got such a big company to manage. Why waste your time on me? In this time, you could’ve earned a fortune."

Kong Huaijin leaned forward from where she sat on the desk, arching an eyebrow at Zhou Yi, who remained in his chair. "Are you really that reluctant to have a meal with me?"

[Image] It's been a while since I last drew—feeling the itch. Has my art improved?

Zhou Yi pulled out his phone and showed her the screen. "Look, people are already misunderstanding our relationship. If this spreads, it won’t reflect well on you either."

Kong Huaijin took the phone, scrolling through the comments, but all she did was laugh at the amusing speculations from netizens.

"Netizens have quite the imagination."

"If this keeps up, I’m afraid Uncle Kong might call me."

"My dad would be thrilled if I found a man sooner rather than later. I’m not worried, so why are you? What, is being linked to me in rumors that embarrassing?"

Confidence radiated from Kong Huaijin. She had never cared much about public opinion.

Why should she care what others thought?

Besides, now that everyone knew she was trying to take Zhou Yi out for a meal, failing to do so would only invite ridicule.

She wasn’t afraid of gossip, but she hated being seen as incapable.

Kong Huaijin was a determined woman—one who wouldn’t back down until she hit a wall. If someone said she couldn’t do something, she’d prove them wrong without fail.

Zhou Yi had simply tapped into this trait of hers: her relentless drive.

A woman like her couldn’t tolerate failure, especially not rejection.

Zhou Yi shook his head. "Then, would you be willing to eat at the school cafeteria with me?"

Kong Huaijin shrugged. "Sure, why not? It’s not like I’ve never been to university. Honestly, I kind of miss the taste of cafeteria food."

Seeing her insistence, Zhou Yi finally agreed.

However, he remained tight-lipped about meeting Luo Bingqing on Wednesday.

Their appearance in the cafeteria naturally drew plenty of attention. Kong Huaijin walked beside Zhou Yi with effortless composure, while he offered, "Let me carry your bag for you, sis."

She handed it over without hesitation. "Thanks."

As she glanced around the bustling cafeteria, a hint of nostalgia colored her expression.

"Seeing all these young, energetic faces makes me feel a bit younger too."

"You look just like a college student yourself, sis. Why the sudden reflection on age?"

"Appearance can be maintained with care, but the heart isn’t what it used to be. Youth is something you can’t reclaim."

Kong Huaijin spoke with an ease around Zhou Yi that contrasted with their first meeting.

Back then, surrounded by not just the Kong family but also numerous business associates, she hadn’t been able to relax.

Even when silent, she had to stay sharp, dissecting every word spoken, analyzing hidden meanings—exhausting and tense.

But today, with Zhou Yi on campus, the setting and company were different, and so was her mood.

As they stood in line, the people ahead instinctively kept their distance. Kong Huaijin frowned.

"Why is everyone staying so far away? Do I have something on me?"

"That Hermès bag of yours—people are afraid of accidentally brushing against it. A single scratch could cost them 550."

Kong Huaijin laughed wryly. "Oh, that’s why. I didn’t think of that."

She had just grabbed one randomly from her closet—after all, she didn’t own any "budget" bags.

Zhou Yi grinned. "Others would take you to high-end restaurants, but here I am treating you to the school cafeteria. Makes me seem a bit stingy, doesn’t it?"

Kong Huaijin tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smirking. "Others wouldn’t even get the chance to invite me."

Coming from anyone else, the remark might have sounded arrogant, but Kong Huaijin had the credentials to back it up.

"Do you have any more classes this afternoon?"

"No."

"What’s your plan, then?"

"Head to the company. There’s still some work to wrap up."

"Such a workaholic? Not even taking a break?"

Though her words teased, her heart fluttered slightly—she admired driven men.

Zhou Yi, noticing the uptick in her affection meter, smiled.

"Can’t afford to slack off. If you want success, you’ve got to outwork everyone else."

Kong Huaijin nodded in agreement. "True enough. But most guys your age are still out having fun. Never had a girlfriend?"

She wasn’t sure why she suddenly felt curious about Zhou Yi’s love life.

He shook his head. "Never found the right one, I guess."

Her smile widened unconsciously as she picked up her tray and followed him to a table.

After a brief pause, she ventured, "How about I tag along to your company this afternoon? I’ve heard so many wild things about Huanyu—I’m curious."

In truth, she just wanted to spend more time with him, but she needed an excuse. Zhou Yi pretended not to see through her.

"Sure. There’s plenty I could learn from you, sis. Actually, I’ve got a solid project in mind—interested in hearing about it?"

Zhou Yi knew a woman like Kong Huaijin would never respect a man who coasted on her wealth. He had to prove his worth.

Her eyes lit up. "Alright, let’s check out your company later."

Zhou Yi checked his watch. "It’s not even 1 PM yet. The staff are still on break. We’ll go a bit later."

"By the time we get there, it’ll be around 2, won’t it?"

"Our company starts work at 3 in the afternoon."

Kong Huaijin blinked in surprise, then her usually sharp eyes softened with amusement.

As a capitalist, she could never implement such a policy herself, but she understood Zhou Yi’s reasoning.

In her company, every minute translated to profit. Sacrificing time meant sacrificing money.

She tilted her head. "Giving up time means giving up money. Am I too greedy, or are you, as a boss, not greedy enough?"

Zhou Yi smiled faintly. "Of course I want to make money. But squeezing employees’ working hours isn’t the way. Investing more time in projects is far more valuable than clawing back that one hour."

Kong Huaijin studied him with a mix of puzzlement and admiration.

Human greed was hard to restrain—always pushing for more, more, more. That was why capitalists exploited workers at every turn. It was the easiest path, and since employees rarely fought back, the exploitation ran rampant.

"Do you think my approach is foolish? Or do you agree with those online critics who say it’s all just for show?"

"No, you just know how to restrain your desires. I should learn from you, but... maybe this is a thankless task."

"You’ll understand once you visit my company—my employees are all lovely."

Zhou Yi’s expression was brimming with confidence, his smile gentle and clear. It might have been the first time Kong Huaijin had seen such a tender smile on his face.

For a moment, she was lost in thought, her heartbeat quickening slightly.

Kong Huaijin quickly changed the subject. "Then... where should we go later?"

Zhou Yi lowered his eyes and chuckled. His gaze flickered as he replied softly,

"The amusement park."