Chapter 28: The Reincarnation of the Snack Bag

Looking at Chu Sijin, who lay on the infirmary bed with a pained expression, Qin Luo stood frozen, his face twitching in a state of sheer speechlessness.

He knew Chu Sijin was a glutton who never went out without snacks. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, she had a bag of chips or some other treat in her hand; the one remaining time, she was surely on her way to buy more. He had always assumed it was just a simple craving—that she felt miserable if she didn't snack for a while.

But looking at her now, this wasn't just a craving. She was in such obvious agony, yet still thinking about potato chips? The word "glutton" didn't even begin to cover it; she was essentially the reincarnation of a snack bag!

He had a mountain of complaints bubbling up to his throat, but seeing how distressed she looked, he swallowed them back down. "Aren't you in pain? Forget the chips for a moment. I’ll go find the school nurse to check you out, and once we know you're alright, I'll go get you your chips."

As Qin Luo turned to leave, Chu Sijin stubbornly grabbed his sleeve. Even though she seemed drained of all strength, she used every last bit of it to hold him back. Looking at him with pathetic, watery eyes, she whispered weakly, "Just... just buy the snacks. It’s not the first time this has happened. I... I know my own condition. Once I eat them... the pain will stop..."

Qin Luo frowned. If this really wasn't the first time, perhaps she did know how to handle it. But... how on earth did eating snacks help? Had she been cursed with some sort of debuff where her stomach would ache unless it was filled with snacks?

There were too many absurdities to even begin addressing. However, seeing her pain worsening, Qin Luo sighed and decided to trust her.

"Fine. I'm going to buy the chips now. Wait here."

As he walked toward the door, he heard a faint voice call out from behind him.

"Remember to get... the Texas BBQ flavor..."

Qin Luo: "...I'll just buy the whole stock for you!"

He rolled his eyes at her and sprinted toward the nearest small supermarket.

It was the lunch hour, and the shop was crowded with students waiting in line. Qin Luo grabbed a basket and headed straight for the snack aisle, sweeping every bag of Lay’s off the shelf. He then rushed to the checkout counter and said to the girl at the front of the line, slightly frantic, "Excuse me, could you let me cut in?"

The people around them were stunned, looking at Qin Luo with a mix of shock and admiration—the audacity to do that in broad daylight!

The girl was about to get angry, but when she turned and saw a tall, handsome guy, her face flushed bright red. She stammered, "I... I don't think that's appropriate..."

"It’ll be quick. It’s urgent. Thanks."

"Even... even if you're in a rush, you can't be so reckless. And this sort of thing... it’s not meant to be done quickly..."

The girl’s face turned even redder, and she looked down, nervously twisting the hem of her shirt.

Qin Luo couldn't fathom why she was acting so coy. It was just cutting in line; was there any need to blush that hard? He decided to act first and apologize later, shoving the basket toward the cashier and tossing a few bills down. "Keep the change."

He grabbed the basket and bolted, remembering to swipe a bottle of cola on his way out.

"Hey, hey, hey! Student, wait a second!" The cashier waved at him with the money, initially fearing it was counterfeit and considering calling the school administration office.

However, after running the bills through the counter’s detector, she realized they were genuine. It was more than enough to cover the chips and even the basket. As for the rest... the cashier quietly pocketed the surplus, looked at the line with a straight face, and said, "Next."

The girl at the front was mortified. She finally realized Qin Luo had meant "cutting in line," but she had misinterpreted it completely, leading to her heart racing for no reason. Now that she understood, she wanted the ground to swallow her up. She abandoned her basket and ran off without buying a thing.

A male student nearby watched this, feeling both impressed and envious. "Wow, she was so excited she just chased after him? Can you really pursue girls that directly these days?" He hesitated for a moment, then locked eyes with the girl in front of him. He tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Hey beauty, can you let me cut in?"

The girl turned around and gave him a gentle smile. The boy felt a surge of joy, but before he could react, he saw the girl pull out her phone and calmly dial 110.

"Wait, miss, stay calm! It’s a misunderstanding! Let’s talk about this..."

"Start making up your story. I'll let the police be the judge. Go ahead."

...

Qin Luo hurried back to the infirmary, but the nurse wasn't there. When he returned to the room, it was still just Chu Sijin.

The girl had curled herself into a ball on the bed. Wearing a pink outfit, she looked like a little pink doll, both pitiful and cute. She had her eyes closed but opened them the moment she heard him. Seeing the basket, her eyes lit up, and she struggled to speak excitedly, "Quick, give it to me..."

Qin Luo: "...Don't move, I'll open it for you."

He walked to the bedside with mixed feelings, opened a bag of chips, and held one out