Chapter 65: Getting Acquainted During the lunch break, Victor kindly offered to show Xin around the cafeteria. While several girls in their class had been willing to do the same, Xin felt more comfortable opting for Victor’s guidance.
It just seemed like the safest choice.
"Welcome to the school cafeteria," Victor introduced with a grin. "You’ll find a range of cuisines here, from Western to Eastern dishes. We like to keep things diverse."
"Really?" Xin raised an eyebrow.
Victor chuckled. "Nah, I’m just kidding. This is a fancy school, my friend. You won’t find anything too exotic here. Only gourmet dishes are allowed, and yes, they can be a bit pricey, but the taste usually matches the cost."
As Victor confidently led the way, he continued to enlighten Xin. "Now, something you might have figured out by now is that each table here has its ’invincible property,’ as we like to call it," he quoted.
Pointing to different areas, he provided more insight. "Over there is where the marketing folks sit, claiming their domain. And there, you have the Engineering department. But stay clear of that spot." He gestured to a specific section. "If you’re not from the business department, that’s off-limits. They’re quite protective, especially when Seraphina’s around."
Xin found himself musing over the omnipresence of Seraphina’s name on campus. It seemed like there was no student who hadn’t heard of her.
As Victor shot him a quick sidelong glance, a mischievous grin played on his lips. "By the way, I heard the news last week. You hitched a ride in Seraphina’s car, right? The official word was that she was just being nice to an employee’s kid. But I’ve got a different hunch."
Pausing, Victor turned to Xin, his grin widening. "So, what’s the real story between you and Lady Seraphina?"
Xin felt a twinge of discomfort under Victor’s probing gaze, even though his face remained impassive. "The truth is exactly as you’ve heard. She’s just being kind to an employee’s son."
Victor held Xin’s gaze for a lingering moment before redirecting his attention, resuming their tour as if the conversation had never happened.
"Over there is where our department is situated," Victor pointed towards the back. "It might be on the smaller side, but the Art department doesn’t have the largest student body to begin with."
"Do people know everyone’s department?"
Victor chuckled. "Not everyone knows every student’s department, but they certainly know their own department well. So, unless you’re eager to start a war, it’s best to stick within your designated area."
Just as Xin and Victor took a seat at a table, a tap on Victor’s shoulder caught their attention. A short boy casually plopped down beside Victor.
"Hey there. Who’s the new face?" he asked, his tone casual.
"Hey, Pluto, this is Xin. He’s new around here, so go easy on him," Victor introduced. Turning to Xin, he continued, "Xin, meet Patrick, but we usually call him Pluto because his head’s as round as a planet, and his face is a pimple constellation."
Patrick rolled his eyes, then extended his hand to Xin. "Nice to meet you. I’m from the Journalism Department, but I usually hang out with Victor here during lunch."
Victor chimed in with a fake sigh, "Unfortunately, this guy is my best friend, so brace yourself for his company during lunch."
"I don’t mind," Xin replied. "But is it okay for Patrick to join us?"
Victor waved off the concern. "Pluto’s presence is tolerable. He’s well-known around here for his knack for asking annoying questions. It’s part of his journalistic nature."
"Hey, it’s part of the job," Patrick added with a shrug. "Being from the press gives me a certain level of leeway."
The cafeteria was buzzing with activity, and Xin found himself a bit overwhelmed by the constant movement. Students bustled about, the seating arrangements spanning across several floors to accommodate everyone.
𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚 "Damn, no luck today either," Patrick muttered, his gaze scanning left and right.
Curious, Xin followed Patrick’s line of sight, which led him to the Business Department.
"You won’t catch Lady Seraphina in here," Victor lamented, a touch of wistfulness in his voice. "We might be wealthy enough to study here, but that woman operates on a whole other level. She has her own chefs preparing her meals in a private space."
"But she was actually here a few days ago," Patrick insisted, pulling out his phone to show them a photo. "It caused quite a scene. Everyone stopped eating just to gawk at her. I was so shocked I could barely even snap a picture for the news."
"But this time, I’m armed with my glasses, so I won’t be blinded by her beauty and get stunned again," Patrick declared with mock seriousness.
Xin found this reaction a bit exaggerated. The way Seraphina was held in such reverence at the school was extreme, bordering on ridiculous.
Victor chuckled. "Seriously, are you mistaking real life for Guildbane now? Seraphina can’t charm or stun you. You need to stop playing that game every night. It’s getting to your head."
As they continued their light-hearted banter, Xin focused on finishing his meal. But he was pulled from his thoughts when he heard Patrick mention a familiar name.
"Hey, look, it’s Xiaxia and her crew," Patrick pointed out, gesturing toward a group of newcomers.
Xin nearly choked on his food. The Xiaxia being referred to was none other than his own sister. When did Xiaxia become so well-known that even students from other departments were talking about her?
Although Xin wouldn’t describe his sister as ugly, he certainly hadn’t expected her to become a campus sensation.
Victor, chewing on his food, looked at Patrick quizzically. "Why the sudden interest in her?"
Patrick responded with an incredulous expression. "Haven’t you heard? Xiaxia and Tristan broke up! It’s the talk of the school."
Xin choked again, his mind reeling at the mention of the word "boyfriend."
"Xin, I know the food is good, but you’re supposed to eat it slowly," Victor teased, his laughter echoing in the cafeteria.
However, Xin’s attention remained elsewhere, his thoughts consumed by the notion of Xiaxia and "boyfriend."
"So what if they broke up?" Victor asked, not particularly bothered by the news.
Patrick rolled his eyes as if Victor were missing the point. "It’s a big deal because, you know, Snow Angels only managed to stay in the top two hundred of the leaderboard thanks to Tristan. But now that he and Xiaxia had broken up, Snow Angels dropped dramatically in the rankings, and a bunch of their members quit. And this all happened right before their scheduled dungeon raid!"