Although They're Mentally ill, They're Extremely Easy to Comfort - Chapter 14

Ling Xi carefully balanced two lunch trays, struggling to weave through the students to get to Qiao Bo’er.

If she had to describe the tragic state, well, she was already inherently fragile and couldn’t handle much exertion. The scramble for food left her with disheveled hair and wrinkled clothes.

In recent years, she had never fought so desperately for a meal as she did today.

This behavior completely contradicted her life philosophy of being a ‘salty fish’ (slacker) just surviving in the world.

Putting the trays down in front of Qiao Bo’er, Ling Xi felt like she’d lost half her life.

She had arranged the highest configuration for Qiao Bo’er—three meat dishes and two vegetable dishes—but only opted for one vegetable and one meat dish for herself. Ling Xi was truly stingy.

“Have a taste. This is our cafeteria’s most characteristic braised pork with soybeans. It’s especially delicious mixed with rice,” Ling Xi introduced while distributing the cutlery for both of them.

Qiao Bo’er stared at Ling Xi’s pitifully meager meal and didn’t pick up her chopsticks. “You’re only eating this much?”

“I figured you definitely wouldn’t finish yours, so I’ll sponge off you later.”

“Hmph, not only lazy but stingy too,” Qiao Bo’er’s assessment was spot on.

“I’m being frugal, frugal, understand? You’re rich, eating delicacies every day; how could you possibly understand the taste of poverty?”

Jiang Xingran watched Ling Xi’s uninhibited retort, worried she might offend the big boss, and secretly pinched her leg hard.

“Ouch!” Ling Xi cried out faintly in pain. Qiao Bo’er, who was wiping her chopsticks with a wet wipe, looked at her suspiciously. “Why are you shrieking?”

Ling Xi quietly stepped on Jiang Xingran’s toe. The pinched area of her leg throbbed, and she took a moment to recover before spouting nonsense: “Ouch… it’s really delicious…”

“But you haven’t even eaten yet.”

“Uh… Vice Professor Ling means that since CEO Qiao is so beautiful and the cafeteria food smells so good, it’s truly… eye candy!” Jiang Xingran hastily smoothed things over with her cursed max-level interpretation skills.

The surrounding environment was too noisy, and the greasiness of the food also made Qiao Bo’er a bit unaccustomed. As expected, she soon gave up her chopsticks after only a few bites.

The scene opposite her, however, was a complete contrast.

Despite Ling Xi’s resemblance to a frail bamboo pole, looking weak and on the verge of collapsing, her appetite was excellent. She busily shoveled rice, like a little piggy.

It was a mystery how she could eat so much and still be so thin. Did the calories just evaporate?

Seeing how happily Ling Xi was eating, and finding her eating manner quite appetizing, Qiao Bo’er took a couple more bites of her own meal before constantly picking up food and feeding it to her.

Jiang Xingran ate quietly on the side, watching their interaction. She was sitting right beside them, yet she felt like an observer isolated in another world, unable to intervene.

Jiang Xingran felt something was off.

Logically, given Qiao Bo’er’s esteemed status, she shouldn’t have to eat in the cafeteria with Ling Xi. Even if she was here for a life experience, they shouldn’t have become this familiar in just one morning, right?

The trope for a domineering CEO in a novel shouldn’t follow this storyline! There must be a catch!

Jiang Xingran was, after all, Ling Xi’s closest colleague and friend at school, and it was normal for them to share food by picking things for each other during meals.

She traded a piece of meat with Ling Xi by putting the broccoli she didn’t want into Ling Xi’s tray. Ling Xi glared at her fiercely. She then pulled her plate further away and bared her teeth at Jiang Xingran.

This behavior only added more tags to Qiao Bo’er’s understanding of Ling Xi—lazy, stingy, and protective of her food. Who spoiled her with all these bad habits?

Finally full and satisfied, Ling Xi said goodbye to Jiang Xingran after leaving the cafeteria, then led the way toward the parking lot. “We’ve toured the school, and we’ve eaten. Big Boss, isn’t it time for you to go back and command your empire?”

Qiao Bo’er stared at Ling Xi and coolly retorted, “Are you rushing me away?”

“Hey! You misunderstood! Don’t pin the blame on me. It’s the hottest part of the day right now. If you get heatstroke, wouldn’t I be in deep trouble?”

Ling Xi jumped half a step away, frantically waving her hands. Her words sounded reasonable, but her inner thoughts were highly calculated.

Qiao Bo’er checked the time. It was indeed time to return to the company, so she accepted Ling Xi’s suggestion. “Alright, then take me to the parking lot.”

“Leaving already?” Hearing that Qiao Bo’er was about to leave the school, Ling Xi couldn’t help but reveal a sneaky demeanor, almost sticking out her tongue and laughing “hahaha.”

“Say one more word, and I won’t leave.”

Ling Xi had realized that Qiao Bo’er was a woman of her word. She made a motion of zipping her lips and obediently stayed silent.

Passing through the long sycamore-lined avenue again, Qiao Bo’er deliberately slowed her pace and suddenly called out, “Ling Xi.”

It seemed like this was the first time the “crazy woman” had called her name properly, and Ling Xi felt a bit uneasy. She turned back in a daze, wondering, “What is it?”

“I heard you were a student at Xuan Yi University before?”

“That’s right. I did both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Xuan Da. The Classical Literature major is too niche, and there weren’t many other places to go, so I stayed on to teach.”

Watching the sunlight fall on Ling Xi’s shoulder intermittently through the gaps in the leaves, Qiao Bo’er got the answer to the distraction she had in the morning.

It turned out that these spirits really had been with the person in front of her during the time she hadn’t been involved.

“You got the title of Vice Professor so young. Seeing how lazy and silly you are, it doesn’t seem reasonable.”

“Why do you attack me out of the blue! Lazy and silly? Don’t you know the term great wisdom conceals itself as foolishness?

I started school earlier than my peers, finished my bachelor’s degree three years early and passed my master’s. After joining Xuan Da, I was exchanged abroad for academic research, during which I published journals and guided students. I earned the Vice Professor title with my real ability.

How about that? Impressive, right? I’m telling you, I’m very smart!”

Ling Xi put on a pretense that she was the most capable person in the world, so proud she was about to float away, which only made Qiao Bo’er’s smile even more mocking.

But it was undeniable that Ling Xi, at the age of 30 (Chinese reckoning), had a smooth-sailing academic and professional life during the ten most brilliant years of her life. She indeed seemed like a naturally gifted person.

“That’s thanks to your parents’ good genes. What’s there for you to be so smug about?” Qiao Bo’er couldn’t help but tease.

Ling Xi suddenly stopped smiling, instantly losing her earlier triumphant demeanor. She pointed down the road indifferently: “The parking lot is a right turn ahead. I’ll see you off here.”

Qiao Bo’er could clearly sense Ling Xi’s change in mood and chose not to delve deeper into the topic. Instead, she took out the box of chocolates from her bag and put it in Ling Xi’s hand, diffusing the awkward atmosphere at just the right moment.

“I know you like eating them. They’re for you.”

Ling Xi held the box and smiled innocently again, joking, “Are you trying to bribe a teacher? I’m actually very strict.”

Qiao Bo’er tapped her on the forehead, asking knowingly, “How strict?”

“Tardiness and leaving early deduct credits, not submitting assignments on time deducts credits, and… bullying me… also deducts credits!”

“Well, too bad. I just like bullying you. Anyway, I have Principal Wang’s ‘Get Out of Jail Free Card,’ so feel free to deduct credits.”

With that, Qiao Bo’er left with a provocative smile and walked towards the parking lot.

After walking some distance, Ling Xi suddenly called out to her, “Crazy… ahem… Qiao Bo’er, don’t be late tomorrow. Being late will deduct credits… And… thanks for the chocolate.”

Qiao Bo’er looked back at the sound. Ling Xi was still standing where she was, waving the chocolate box.

In that fleeting moment, she seemed to see the student Ling Xi from many years ago, also wearing a simple white cotton T-shirt and jeans, with a clean and bright smile, and eyes as keen and clear as a torch.

It seemed that time had been kind and hadn’t aged her a bit.

Qiao Bo’er lifted her chin proudly, her words instantly hurtful: “Then hurry back and prepare your lessons. If your class is not good tomorrow, I’ll file a complaint directly.”

With that, Qiao Bo’er turned into the parking lot.

Rubbing salt into the wound, Ling Xi put her hands on her hips and cursed under her breath, “Ugh! Tsk… that crazy woman is such bad luck!”

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