Chapter 606: Chapter 625: Finally Meeting Miss Meilin
"As long as we all act like it’s no big deal and just stay casual,"
"Michelle will slowly start to feel more comfortable too."
’What was that saying again? As long as I’m not embarrassed, someone else will be.’
The same principle applied here. If no one acted embarrassed, then there was nothing to be embarrassed about.
Meng Chun and Liu Tingting both nodded. "Exactly. It’s not a big deal anyway."
The cafeteria’s bland rice made its daily appearance.
Today, Liu Tingting decided to try the "magical fantasy-satisfaction eating method" she’d learned from some upperclassmen. After ordering a few dishes, she opened her terminal and brought up the food she had managed to snag during the stream. Then she linked her terminal with Jiang Qiuqiu’s and Meng Chun’s, and together they began their journey of tricking their brains.
It was a surprisingly magical feeling.
Her brain thought she was eating it, sending the pleasure of enjoying a gourmet meal throughout her entire nervous system. At the same time, the actual food she put in her mouth was quite substantial.
It made you feel—
’Wow, I actually ate this for real.’
Meng Chun’s eyes lit up. "What is this? Is it a meal pack? Tingting, where did you buy it? Are they still for sale? Can you give me the link?"
"This is so delicious."
"Hee hee." Tingting giggled. "I didn’t buy it. I managed to snag it in a streamer’s channel."
Streamer, channel, gourmet food?
Meng Chun had been hearing those three words a lot lately, and associated with them was—
"Oh my god!" It finally clicked for Meng Chun. "Qiuqiu, you made this?"
Her tone was so shocked she sounded like she’d discovered a new continent. Jiang Qiuqiu made a small sound of acknowledgment. "Yeah, that was me."
"..."
"I think I finally understand why so many people like you."
’Because in that moment, she liked her a lot too.’
After happily finishing their dinner, the three of them were about to leave. As they passed the central part of the cafeteria, someone suddenly called out, "Jiang Qiuqiu!"
It was a fan.
Jiang Qiuqiu stopped in her tracks. On the other side of the room, the young lady put down her chopsticks and came jogging toward the three of them.
’Damn... If she didn’t see her now, she would’ve thought she and this commoner, Jiang Qiuqiu, were under some kind of Magic spell that prevented a Princess and a prince from meeting.’
She had left a bit early after school in the afternoon and rushed over to the Mecha Single Soldier System department, only to find that class had already been dismissed.
Almost everyone from A1 was gone. She’d missed her again.
She had stomped to the cafeteria in a huff, and her food tasted like ash. She never expected to actually run into Jiang Qiuqiu here!
She maintained her ladylike posture even as she scurried over, all eight legs a blur, and appeared before Jiang Qiuqiu in a flash.
Mei Lin was 1.7 meters tall, and in her custom-made high heels for nobles, she stood a full 1.75 meters. She was a little bit taller than Qiuqiu.
"Hello," Jiang Qiuqiu said with a smile.
"Hello," Mei Lin replied.
...
And then... a long pause. Neither of them spoke.
It got so awkward that Liu Tingting, who was standing nearby, jumped in. "Excuse me, miss, did you need something from Qiuqiu? Or did you just want to see what our Juju looks like at school?"
"It’s nothing important... but it’s also something."
’What kind of weird answer is that?’
Just then, Jiang Jiang came over. He first addressed Mei Lin as "Young Lady," then turned to greet Jiang Qiuqiu. "Miss Jiang."
"Hello, Miss Jiang. Our young lady means no harm, she just wanted to get to know you. She’s a fan of yours."
’What fan?’ Mei Lin muttered, giving Jiang Jiang a light shove, though she didn’t deny it.
"I figured," she said with a smile. "Anyone who uses the name ’Juju’ probably knows me from my stream."
"Well, if we’re going to get acquainted, maybe we should start with introductions?"
"My name is Jiang Qiuqiu. You can call me Qiuqiu when you see me around school."
’Just as she’d said, she was drawing a line between her school self and her streaming self.’
This realization made Mei Lin pause for a moment. But she quickly recovered, extending her own hand to shake Jiang Qiuqiu’s. "Hello. I’m Mei Lin Dais. It’s a pleasure to meet you."
’Mei Lin Dais?’
Something suddenly clicked.
"It was you?"
"Thank you for speaking up for me on the Star Network."
’Bringing that up now? It was nothing, really,’ Mei Lin thought, feeling a little awkward. "It was nothing."
"Speaking up for what’s right is never a small thing."
Mei Lin suddenly thought that besides being a great cook, Jiang Qiuqiu also had a way with words.
’She’s so articulate, so well-spoken.’
