Chapter 15.2| Confession

Yin had a restless night, but fortunately, it did not affect her performance. 

Following the monthly exams, the students of FHS immediately started their break, with the "Foodie Group" wearing school uniforms forming teams to go for hot pot. 

As the waiter led the group of four to their table, they encountered three girls who had just finished their meal and were about to leave, one of whom was Xie Ruo. 

She dressed in a black short skirt and knee-high boots, appeared more stylish than during her time at THS. Her gaze lingered on Yin for a few seconds, seemingly assessing her with a hint of uncertainty in the process. 

Meng Yin, now sporting a new hairstyle in her FHS uniform, met Xie Ruo's eyes with a clear and open expression. 

In the past, their confrontations were filled with tension, stubbornness, and refusal to back down, yet now Yin's eyes sparkled with clarity, conviction, and joy, devoid of the hidden anger and grievances. 

Some people prefer to see anger and humiliation in your eyes, while others fill your gaze with the fragrance of the world and the warmth of the sun.Ruo's eyes revealed a trace of disbelief but quickly masked it. 

"Xie Ruo, why aren't you leaving," the person next to her nudged her arm. 

"Oh," Ruo snapped back to reality, "It's nothing, let's go." 

As they passed each other, Meng Yin carried with her all the experiences she had at THS. The unspoken anger and grievances did not dissipate; instead, she found more valuable friendships and a fulfilling life, no longer allowing herself to be trapped in past emotions.

Four people sat down and scanned the menu to order. 

Xu Zhiyi took a sip of barley tea and casually asked, "Is it her?" Although he did not specify whom he was referring to, Yin knew that he was asking about Xie Ruo who was standing in the middle seat. 

Yin nodded slightly and kept her gaze on the menu displayed on the phone screen. As if just to confirm this nod, Xu Zhiyi continued to drink his barley tea.

"Bro Yi, aren't you scanning to order?" Xipei showed no respect to the hot pot restaurant owner, ordered a dozen milk teas for delivery, scanned the code and saw Xu Zhiyi leisurely drinking tea. 

"I don't mind, just order whatever you guys want." 

Xiuze was the first to expose his "I don't mind." 

"Aren't you not eating garlic?" 

Yin followed Xiuze and added, "You also don't eat spicy hot pot." 

Hai continued, "You've never even tried houttuynia cordata." 

"We ordered a half spicy and half non-spicy pot," Xu Zhiyi said calmly, "they are just seasonings." 

The rest of the group: "..." Okay, whatever Bro Yi says goes. 

The three-tiered dinner table was filled with a variety of dishes. 

As they slowed down their pace after a few rounds, Xing Xiuze tapped the dipping sauce dish and suggested, "Eating hotpot alone is boring, let's play truth or dare while we eat." 

When asked about playing truth or dare, Xing Xiuze responded by saying that only boring people play dare, while intelligent people choose truth. 

Hai retorted, "You're the boring one, your whole family is boring." 

Xing Xiuze was boiling equal amounts of potatoes, yams, rice cake, and konjac in the pot, and briefly explained the rules of the game. 

The game involved using potatoes, yams, rice cake, and konjac as the main items. Participants would close their eyes and pick up food with chopsticks within a 3-second time limit. The person who picked up the corresponding food item was deemed the "winner" and could choose one person to ask a question. After answering, they had the right to choose the next "winning food item" for the next round. If there were two "winners," each would choose one person who did not win. In the case of three "winners," the real "winner" would be one of the two who were not originally chosen. The rules for four "winners" were the same as for three. If all five participants were "winners," they would automatically proceed to the next round.

The first round of the game began, with five individuals lightly placing their chopsticks on the edge of the pot and closing their eyes. 

Xing Xiuze acted as the timekeeper, "Start—". 

Four pairs of chopsticks dipped into the bottom of the pot. 

"1, 2, 3— Stop." 

The five pairs of eyes opened, all looking at the chopsticks they raised. Xing Xiuze and Xu Zhiyi both had konjac knots on their chopsticks, Nie Hai's chopsticks carried half a yam, Lin Xipei's chopstick had a piece of rice cake inserted, while Meng Yin's two chopsticks held a perfectly intact potato slice. 

Meng Yin: "..." When luck strikes, nothing can stop it.

"As expected of the 'blind box' drawn woman on the winner's podium," Xiuze made a somewhat cheeky fist salute, "Off to a good start." 

Yin placed the potato chunk into the bowl, "You can't even compete with my good luck streak, Xing Xiuze, you're in for a rough time." 

Xing Xiuze: "..." 

Yin tilted her head slightly, "I choose Lin Xipei." 

She who was in the middle of sucking up bubble tea pearls, almost swallowed the whole pearl directly. Meng Yin, darling, shouldn't you be asking the first sincere question to the eldest brother?! Meng Yin clearly didn't catch Fen's eye signal. 

Well! The big fan also had a lot of questions in mind to ask! 

Xipei swallowed the bubble tea pearls directly, "Hmm—," made a long sound, took another sip of milk tea, her eyes lit up, and she asked, "The most memorable thing related to our Bro Yi from middle school, what is it?" She was genuinely curious about the innocent relationship between these two in middle school. 

Like recalling something particularly fun, Yin's chin leaned on her chopsticks, smiled, and said, "The 'Young Battlefield' in the cafeteria." 

"Damn." Unable to face the past, Xing Xiuze felt that he had dug up a dark history for himself.

The cafeteria at THS staged a flash mob performance of "Young Battlefield" a week before the high school entrance exam. 

The school orchestra and choir, along with Class 6 of Grade 9, gathered in the cafeteria to cheer on the students preparing for the upcoming exam. As the violinist entered through the cafeteria entrance, playing the first note, the musicians hidden within the cafeteria emerged from the crowd. 

Today, I finally stand on this young battlefield— 

began the Class 6 Entertainment Committee member, initiating the song. The melodious singing sparkled through the crowd, with one verse following another, harmonizing beautifully. 

As the chorus grew louder, more and more students paused their meal preparations to join in the singing. When the notes settled, a shout rang out from a corner— "We is the best, victory in the high school entrance exam is assured!" 

Thus, the sound reverberated from the cafeteria to every corner of the school. This youthful battlefield belonged not only to the exam candidates but to everyone present. 

After the flash mob ended, Xu Zhiyi and Meng Yin returned to their seats to start eating, only to find Xing Xiuze had burped, and upon closer inspection, their prepared dishes were gone— Meng Yin had prepared her favourite potato with eggs and braised pork with tiger skin eggs that day. The result was Meng Yin chasing Xing Xiuze around the cafeteria. 

"Xing Xiuzi, you really deserved it!" Xipei could easily imagine being chased by Yin. 

"I thought Zhiyi prepared these dishes for me," Xing Xiuze tried to defend himself, "I was even surprised before eating, why are all these dishes the ones Meng Yin likes?" 

"That just shows your lack of intelligence," Hai continued to tease. 

"That's still better than your Mediterranean style," Xiuze retorted. 

Nie Hai: "..." When did he get the nickname Mediterranean? Oh no, Mediterranean...