Chapter 32: Help From Chou Manman
It was unclear if it was due to interest sparked by this completely new election format, but the number of candidates for the subsequent vice class president, labor supervisor, and class activity supervisor positions was significantly more than for class president. Even Ouyang Yating went up to run for vice class president.
“Classmate Xiang Chuan, aren’t you going to run?”
Liang Gong asked. He saw Xiang Chuan sitting blankly at her seat with an utterly indifferent expression, and he felt curious: she had proposed such a hypothetical suggestion, so why wasn’t she participating in the election?
“Hmm? I’m not interested in being a class cadre.”
Xiang Chuan turned her head and blinked her eyes as she looked at him.
“Ah? But didn’t you just propose…”
Liang Gong almost couldn’t control his expression.
“I’m just curious about the current election format; that doesn’t mean I want to run too.” Xiang Chuan stretched her arms forward for a bit to loosen up her muscles and bones. “Class cadres not only have to be busy with studies and clubs, but also take care of class matters. I don’t have that much time.”
Ouyang Yating, who was sitting on the left and had just raised her hand to apply for vice class president: …
When the bell for the end of the fifth period rang and Zhu Bingwen began introducing the location of the student canteen and its signature dishes to them, the students of Class Eight Grade One finally realized that the morning classes had ended.
“The afternoon arrangement is to take everyone to the club activity building, so eat a full lunch at noon to recharge your energy.”
Zhu Bingwen left a reminder and immediately left the classroom. The students in the class also left one after another.
“Classmate Xiang Chuan!”
When Xiang Chuan reached the door, she was suddenly called by someone. She turned her head and saw that it was Chou Manman, who, like her, had taken a club founding application.
“Chou Manman… classmate? Hello, what’s up?”
“Um, can I bother you during lunch break to discuss something with you?”
Hearing this, the trouble-averse Xiang Chuan originally planned to refuse, but seeing Chou Manman’s serious eyes and thinking that she was at least her little sister’s fan, Xiang Chuan softened and led her to her own dormitory.
Back at the dormitory, the small starfish servant immediately came to greet her.
[Beep—Miss Xiang Chuan, welcome back]
“I’m back. I have a guest. Go pour a cup of beverage and bring my lunch box over.”
[Beep—Understood]
Entering the luxurious apartment-style dormitory room, Chou Manman sighed inwardly that it was indeed worthy of someone from a powerful family background to live in such an apartment building—it was not only more spacious than their four-person dorms but also had more luxurious equipment.
Xiang Chuan led her to the small living room, where the servant had already brought the lunch box and two cups of apple juice.
“Sit down. By the way, you haven’t eaten yet, right? Join me. My home’s little kitch… uh, kitchen AI always makes the lunch box portions a bit too much, even though it’s just some home-style side dishes.”
“Huh?! You’re too polite. I can go to the… canteen……..”
Chou Manman subconsciously refused, but upon seeing the contents of the lunch box, her voice suddenly weakened.
This, what is this!
She couldn’t help taking a deep breath, and the aroma of the steak surged into her senses, making her brain tremble.
Is this food?
Chou Manman, whose impression of food had always been odorless solids or liquids, was now experiencing a shock to her worldview.
Xiang Chuan was too lazy to appreciate Chou Manman’s shocked expression anymore.
—She had already seen enough of it at home over this week. When the harvested shocked performances turned into fifteen times a day, even Xiang Chuan, a 21st-century native who liked surprises, had grown accustomed to it.
She had the servant fetch bowls and chopsticks and a serving plate from the kitchen, then skillfully divided all the food from the lunch box evenly into two portions. Sometimes Xiang Chuan suspected if the AI prototype of the little kitchen was a northerner; otherwise, why did it always prepare portions more than twice the normal person’s appetite when making lunch boxes?
Of course, Xiao Ye from the Yue Xiang Group and Lisa from the Cultural Affairs Bureau still gave a thumbs up to the little kitchen, since it allowed them to freeload meals openly.
After lunch, Chou Manman, whose taste world had been refreshed, was still deeply immersed in shock and couldn’t extricate herself. Xiang Chuan refilled her empty cup with apple juice.
“Chou Manman… classmate, is there something you came to find me for today?”
“Ah, almost forgot.” Hearing Xiang Chuan’s question, Chou Manman snapped out of her daze, sat up straight facing Xiang Chuan. “Classmate Xiang Chuan, I… I want to learn acting!”
…
……….?
“Ah?”
Xiang Chuan was truly dumbfounded.
Acting? Who to guide? Her?
Over this week since transmigrating, her little sister Xiang Xue had once clung to her, wanting Xiang Chuan to teach her cooking. But seeing how she couldn’t even hold a big bowl steadily when beating an egg, Xiang Chuan quickly stopped her and said her dear little sister only needed to enjoy the gourmet food brought by her big sister, which deeply moved the tsundere little sister.
But now…
“Why me to teach? I don’t know how to act.”
Chou Manman was stunned and hurriedly shook her head: “No, no, I didn’t mean you, Classmate Xiang Chuan. I want to learn acting from your little sister Xiang Xue.”
Xiang Xue…?
Xiang Chuan was even more puzzled.
Having spent nearly forty years together with her from her previous life until now, she had never known that Xiang Xue knew acting.
“Can Xiang Xue… teach?”
Xiang Chuan asked hesitantly.
“Of course! In the live stream room, Xiang Xue often imitates the speech of characters from the dramas after broadcasting them, like the empress or Zhen Huan. Her imitations are so lifelike!” Mentioning the live stream room made Chou Manman’s eyes sparkle. “Whether it’s expressions, tone, or actions, she imitates them perfectly. Both my mom and I love watching it!”
“Oh… oh…………”
Seeing how excited she was, Xiang Chuan subconsciously shrank back a bit, somewhat startled.
“I really like watching acting. When I was little, my mom took me on a trip to the Twelfth Fleet, and I was lucky to see a live performance of Romeo and Juliet. It was amazing! After that, I’ve always wanted to be an actor, but my family couldn’t afford to go to the Twelfth Fleet, so I could only stay in the Third Fleet for school…”
“This should be called actor…” Xiang Chuan muttered softly, then suddenly realized: “I see. You want to use club activities to practice acting skills, right?”
“Yes! I knew from the start that high school has club activities, but the Third Fleet university doesn’t have an acting major. I was originally going to give up, but…” Chou Manman gazed at Xiang Chuan, and this affectionate look scared Xiang Chuan into shifting back a bit. “I saw you bravely propose the club application without an Ancient Gourmet Club, Classmate Xiang Chuan. It moved me deeply, so I also want to give it a try myself.”
So that’s how it is.
Xiang Chuan looked at Chou Manman. Her eyes were burning with fervent flames—the kind of fighting spirit she had once seen in the eyes of some radiant classmates during her university days, belonging to young people with dreams in their hearts. This stirred ripples in the heart of Xiang Chuan, a middle-aged woman whose edges had been smoothed by life.
Faced with the earnest Chou Manman, Xiang Chuan couldn’t help but soften: “Alright then, no time like the present. Come to my home after school this afternoon, and I’ll introduce my little sister to you.”
“Ah, really?! Thank you so much, Classmate Xiang Chuan!”
Chou Manman happily grasped Xiang Chuan’s hand, and her exhilarated appearance made Xiang Chuan smile too.
“Okay, okay, calm down.” Xiang Chuan pulled her hand away. “Also, don’t call me Classmate Xiang Chuan anymore. Just call me by my name. I’m used to people calling me directly by name.”
“Got it. Thank you, Xiang Chuan!”
The two smiled and chatted a bit more. Finally, at the servant’s reminder, they noticed it was time for a nap, and Chou Manman hurriedly said goodbye and ran back to her dormitory.
[Today I brought a classmate home for a meal.]
After leaving a message in the family contact group, Xiang Chuan also went to lie down on the bed, unaware that her message had sparked a brainstorming session among the family all afternoon.
