Chapter Twenty-Six: Eyes in the Darkness

"Lu Mingfei! Lu Mingfei! I had the chance to taste the legendary Immortal Jump Wall from Liyue's famed cuisine today. Oh, the flavor was so fresh and delicate; I felt all my exhaustion evaporate in a heartbeat, haha~"

"By the way, that Liyue chef said he would make Clear Broth Tofu tomorrow. I find it so strange—does a dish as simple as tofu really require a chef of his caliber? Is there something special about his Clear Broth Tofu? I can't wait to try it~"

"Hehe, why aren't you saying anything?"

...

Lu Mingfei listened in silence to Furina's words, jealousy brimming to the point that tears threatened to spill from the corners of his mouth. He felt as if he couldn't bear another second in this world.

I want to taste the Immortal Jump Wall too!

I'm also curious about the flavor of Clear Broth Tofu!

But why am I denied these delights?

I can't stand it... I simply can't!

"Hmph!"

After a brief bout of melancholy, Lu Mingfei snorted softly, unlocked his phone, and searched for long-lasting gourmet foods on his browser. He was preparing to travel to Teyvat, and since the journey between worlds might take a long time, ordinary food would spoil. He needed something that could be preserved for an extended period.

Let me see what comes up...

Honey, rice, eggs...

What kind of idiotic AI-generated search is this? Are these really what I'm looking for?

"Sigh~"

He scrolled up, cleared the background apps, and leaned back, gazing at the classroom ceiling. Silently, he mused: Should I buy myself something good to eat as a reward?

She’s living so well—shouldn’t I treat myself too? Otherwise, if she asks what I had for lunch, I can’t just say “whatever.” That won’t do.

Maybe I’ll splurge a little—spend twenty yuan on lunch. Twenty whole yuan! I would never have dared to think of such extravagance before. What should I treat myself to with all that money?

Speaking of food, should I teach myself to cook? I heard Furina can’t cook at all, the silly girl only knows how to eat what others make. If she’s no longer the Hydro Archon one day, she might end up eating instant macaroni just to get by.

With that in mind, learning to cook seems more and more necessary. I should make it part of my daily routine as soon as possible.

As his thoughts churned, Lu Mingfei’s awareness returned to reality. He glanced at the classmates passing by and suddenly realized: Why do they look at me so differently lately? Have I changed that much?

Yes, quite a bit!

Though Lu Mingfei himself didn’t notice, it was obvious to everyone else. It wasn’t just his clothes—there were subtle, meticulous changes in his demeanor and his attitude toward others.

Ever since he started talking to Furina, Lu Mingfei had unconsciously paid more attention to his appearance, caring about personal grooming, trimming his nails, washing his face often, maintaining his hairstyle, and minding countless other minute details. All these small changes added up to a transformation that was impossible to ignore.

It wasn’t just his outward appearance; his temperament and the impression he left on others had also changed dramatically. He used to seem unlucky and uncertain, always smiling but with an air of trying to please.

Now, everything was different. There was a newfound confidence and pride in his smile, something that radiated naturally from within.

With both his spirit and appearance transformed, the once-inconspicuous Lu Mingfei underwent a qualitative change, almost as if he’d become a different person. Even girls who had never paid him any mind before now found themselves unconsciously drawn to him, wanting to get closer and learn more.

And that wasn’t all!

Lu Mingfei’s academic performance had also improved by leaps and bounds. He was diligent and focused, always finishing his assignments before the end of the school day, sometimes letting Xiao Tian copy from him.

Once or twice, no one noticed, but as it happened more often, the other students began to realize that Lu Mingfei wasn’t just getting the answers—he was becoming a genuine top student. He may have struggled before, but stories of students turning things around in high school weren’t unheard of, even if those examples were usually just motivational tales for the average student.

If it were only these changes, perhaps he wouldn’t have attracted so much attention. But combined with his new appearance and aura, the triple transformation created a sudden and dramatic shift.

...

"Good morning, Lu Mingfei."

"Morning."

Chen Wenwen greeted him as usual, though her smile looked a little stiff, and inside she was shouting at herself: No... this can’t be right! Why does Lu Mingfei look so handsome to me now? Why do I feel my heart skip a beat? What is this? Why can’t I stop feeling this way? I never used to...

"Are you all right? Not feeling well?" Lu Mingfei asked kindly, almost by instinct.

"No, I just didn’t sleep well last night, so I’m feeling a bit off this morning," Chen Wenwen replied quickly.

"Take care of yourself. If you keep staying up late, your health will suffer," Lu Mingfei said with concern.

"Uh... okay."

Embarrassed, Chen Wenwen hurriedly ran off, her face burning red in the shadow of the hallway.

After a few steps, she pressed a hand to her chest and glanced back. Reflected in her clear eyes was the sight of Lu Mingfei chatting with Su Xiaoqiang, side by side.

Suddenly, memories she’d long buried awoke. She realized that the current Lu Mingfei belonged to Su Xiaoqiang now. He was no longer the boy who had once been infatuated with her. It was only because of this that he’d changed so much, wasn’t it?

Perhaps he’d given up many things, including his feelings for me.

"Chen Wenwen, what are you thinking about?"

A strong hand clapped her on the back. She turned to see Zhao Menghua’s hearty smile. She still thought he was handsome and a fine boyfriend, but now, he was no longer so unique.

Chen Wenwen composed herself, put on the same gentle, artistic smile as before, and said, "Nothing, just said hello to a friend."

"Let’s go together, then."

"All right."

The two of them walked off together, but Zhao Menghua’s gaze followed the lingering direction of Chen Wenwen’s eyes—to where Lu Mingfei was.

He’d never considered Lu Mingfei a rival, and still didn’t. He "knew" Lu Mingfei was no longer capable of competing for Chen Wenwen’s affection. Now, he was with Su Xiaoqiang; if he dared to cross the line, there would be consequences.

But even so...

The way Chen Wenwen looked at Lu Mingfei stirred a trace of jealousy in his heart. He didn’t want the girl he liked to be interested in another man—especially one who had once liked her.

Zhao Menghua continued walking with Chen Wenwen, exchanging idle chit-chat. The atmosphere was calm, devoid of the sweetness it once held. Gradually, he lowered his head, as if wishing to hide his gaze in the dark.