The school cafeteria wasn't crowded at this hour.
Lunch rush had long passed, leaving only a few scattered students lingering over their meals.
It had to be said—girls really did have tiny appetites.
Lu Yu had barely eaten half a bowl of rice before feeling full.
Normally, he could easily wolf down a whole bowl plus two chicken drumsticks.
But today, after just a couple of dainty bites—like a chick pecking at grain—he already felt stuffed.
It was as if his body was full, but his soul was still starving.
He propped his chin in his hand and stared at the figure across from him—*himself*—eating with quiet, refined grace.
A strange sadness crept in.
He didn't usually care much about how others saw him…
but watching this "delicate, weak-willed" version of himself was utterly unbearable.
Everything about it felt off.
"You gonna eat the chicken legs your deskmate bought you?"
Lin Beixing shook the plastic bag in her hand.
Staring at the golden, oil-glistening drumstick, Lu Yu found himself completely unmoved—
the first time in his life he'd felt zero appetite for chicken legs.
Could it be… that the body swap had even switched their food preferences?
He shook his head. "You eat them."
"All mine, then!"
Lin Beixing didn't hesitate. She took a big bite into the crispy skin, and oil immediately oozed out with a satisfying *squelch*.
She ate without restraint. After all, this was Lu Yu's body—she didn't need to maintain her "graceful school flower" image anymore.
This freedom to eat without limits felt surprisingly good.
For the first time in her life, she realized… eating could actually be *fun*.
Lu Yu watched "himself" devouring the chicken with growing discomfort.
"I'm gonna buy a Coke," he muttered, pushing himself up from the table.
"Want one?"
"You just get your own," Lin Beixing replied between bites.
"Fine…"
Lu Yu walked over to the convenience stall beside the cafeteria and returned with an ice-cold bottle of Coke—his daily lunchtime ritual.
On especially hot afternoons, he'd even buy a second bottle frozen solid, sipping it slowly as it melted in the summer heat.
"Hss—"
The bottle was so cold it stung. Condensation slicked the smooth plastic, making it slippery in his hand.
He set it down and shook his fingers—this girl's hands had zero tolerance for the cold.
Only after his numb fingertips warmed up did he attempt to twist the cap.
"…"
Lin Beixing watched him silently as he struggled.
The wet cap kept slipping. He gritted his teeth and tried again—
and again.
He couldn't accept it.
He, a fully grown guy, couldn't even open a damn soda bottle?!
This was *unacceptable*!!
After several failed attempts, he locked eyes with Lin Beixing—who was still chewing, spoon dangling from her lips.
A few beats passed.
Then—
"Pfft—!"
She burst out laughing.
"Let me help you~" she offered generously… then added with a smirk, "You're so weak."
"Hey! I said I'd let you help—why are you still insulting me?! And insulting me is insulting *yourself*!"
"I can already tell—this body is seriously out of shape…"
"Of *course* it is! Girls are just like this!!"
Muttering, Lin Beixing snatched the bottle and twisted the cap open with effortless ease.
But instead of handing it back right away, she paused—thoughtful.
Then she tipped the bottle to her lips and *glug-glug-glug'd* down most of it in one go.
"You *just* said you didn't want any!" Lu Yu accused.
"Gah… so refreshing!"
The fizzy bubbles seemed to awaken every cell in her body.
That icy, crisp sensation was pure summer magic.
She hadn't touched a carbonated drink in *ages*.
Lu Yu stared at her, then at the half-empty bottle in her hand.
Technically… that Coke had just been drunk from *his own mouth*—since she was in his body.
And he didn't mind sharing with himself…
"Give that back."
As he reached for it hesitantly—
Lin Beixing yanked it away.
She raised her arm high—way above the reach of "delicate, girly" Lu Yu.
"I'm drinking the Coke."
"Coke'll make you fat."
"Nah."
"Oh, it *will*. Plus, my stomach's sensitive—cold drinks give me diarrhea. If you don't want to keep running to the *girls'* restroom, stick to room-temperature water."
"Tch…"
Lu Yu made no effort to hide his disgust with this fragile body.
Lin Beixing didn't care. She tucked the half-finished Coke into her pants pocket like a prized treasure.
Lu Yu watched her overstuffed pocket bulge and opened his mouth—then shut it again.
…Actually, it wasn't that hot.
Maybe Lin Beixing's body just ran cold.
But how could she so shamelessly *pocket his Coke*?!
That was *his*!
Eighteen years of being single, and the thing upsetting Lu Yu the most right now?
Losing his Coke.
"Ready to go?"
Lin Beixing, blissfully unaware of his inner turmoil, stood up.
Lu Yu followed her back to class in silence.
Jiangshui No.1 High gave students a two-hour lunch break.
After their rooftop detour and lunch, they had only forty minutes left before afternoon classes began.
At the classroom door, Lu Yu paused.
"You usually do what at noon?"
He didn't know Lin Beixing well—but to keep up appearances, they needed to exchange basic lifestyle intel.
"I usually read, do math or physics problems."
"Anything else?" Lu Yu pressed.
"…Sometimes listen to English listening practice."
"…You have *no other hobbies*?!"
Lu Yu stared at her, incredulous.
Everyone had personal interests—it was basic human nature.
Even if she didn't play mobile games, couldn't she at least read a novel, watch a drama, or sketch something elegant?
But *doing practice problems*?
Just thinking about it gave him a headache.
"What are you talking about? It's senior year—who has time for hobbies?"
Lin Beixing turned, genuinely confused.
"I do."
Lu Yu answered without shame.
"Once you get to your seat, just nap like I always do. If you can't sleep, download a game and play on your phone."
"…Alright."
After a moment's thought, Lin Beixing agreed.
It felt wasteful to her—
this was crunch time for college prep, and every minute counted.
But it was part of their deal.
To protect each other's social facades, they each had to sacrifice something.
A nap…
She hadn't napped in forever.
Maybe… just this once?
"Can I at least wear headphones and pretend to read an English book?"
Lu Yu was already mentally picking which novel to listen to.
Lin Beixing nodded. Sounded fine.
They'd been standing at the doorway long enough.
The usually rowdy classroom had gone eerily quiet—dozens of eyes now fixed on them like synchronized spotlights.
"I'll go in first…"
Lin Beixing pulled the Coke bottle from her pocket and tried to mimic Lu Yu's lazy swagger.
"Wait."
Lu Yu grabbed her arm.
From the class's perspective, the school flower had just *stopped* Lu Yu in his tracks.
Necks stretched like giraffes. Whispers erupted. No one wanted to miss this juicy development.
"…" Lin Beixing turned back, frowning.
Lu Yu immediately let go.
"…Take off your phone case. Not that pink bunny one… *please*."
His voice was almost pleading.
The thought of "Lu Yu" pulling out a phone with a pink bunny case to browse Weibo or Zhihu was too much to bear.
His deskmate would probably die of shock.
Lin Beixing saw his point. "Fine."
The moment she agreed, the silent classroom *exploded*.
Both Lu Yu and Lin Beixing froze.
To their classmates:
The school beauty not only halted Lu Yu—but leaned in shyly to whisper something!
And after a dramatic pause… Lu Yu *reluctantly* said, "Okay"!
(They were certain they'd read his lips correctly!)
What could that possibly mean?!
To hormone-fueled teens, there was only one explanation:
**Romance was in the air!**
"Quiet! Quiet down!!"
The class discipline monitor finally stood up, slamming her palms on a desk.
"No loud talking during lunch break! You'll disturb others! One more word and I'm deducting points!!"
She was a short-haired girl, petite but shockingly authoritative.
Her bark silenced most of the room.
"Lu Yu"—now blushing pink—scurried back to his usual seat in the last row.
Meanwhile, the "school beauty" walked in with perfect composure,
pulled out her neatly arranged chair, and sat down calmly.
Her total lack of post-"confession" fluster made the class second-guess everything.
…Maybe it *wasn't* a love confession after all?
Lu Yu slid into Lin Beixing's seat.
Just as he was about to flop down for a nap, he remembered their agreement.
He straightened up and began rummaging through her desk for headphones.
Lin Beixing's desk was immaculate—no doodles, no clutter, not even a speck of dust inside the drawer.
A world apart from his own chaotic, "dog-chewed" mess.
He felt almost unworthy using such a pristine desk.
After a moment, he found a small white box at the very edge—wireless earbuds inside.
Just as he slipped them on, someone tapped his shoulder.
"Huh?"
He instinctively replied in his usual cold, dismissive tone—
Then cleared his throat and softened his voice,
forcing Lin Beixing's gentle, lilting tone:
"What is it…?"
He even tried to smile warmly—though his cheeks twitched in rebellion.
*Ugh.*
**I really, really want to punch myself right now.**