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17. The seventeenth time being pursued

The morning quickly passed by, and during lunchtime, Yao Xiaohuan once again demonstrated his unwavering affection. Despite knowing he couldn't eat peas due to his allergy, he stubbornly tried to put them into his mouth, solely because he didn't want Lu Jianyan to think he was a picky eater.

Fortunately, Lu Jianyan remembered the situation from their past life in time: "I remember you're allergic to peas, right?" He stopped the spoon that Yao Xiaohuan was about to put in his mouth.

Back then, Lu Jianyan had even teased Yao Xiaohuan about it, calling him the Pea Prince, given that in fairy tales, there was the Princess and the Pea.

While Montessori Kindergarten took great care in ensuring balanced nutrition and avoiding allergens for the children, Yao Xiaohuan's sudden transfer led to some complications. Many records had just been created, and the magnetic card for picking up children was temporarily shared with Lu Jianyan. This mishap with peas was a consequence of that.

Due to his Malkavian condition, Yao Xiaohuan was genuinely fragile, allergic to many things, not just peas.

As a result, Lu Jianyan's intervention didn't deter Yao Xiaohuan. He continued to gaze longingly at the peas on Lu Jianyan's plate, wanting to prove that he was the most formidable kid in the world—able to eat anything and fear nothing. When Lu Jianyan gave him a stern look, Yao Xiaohuan looked somewhat aggrieved, as if saying, "I have to make concessions because I like you. It's not about you accommodating me." It seemed as if he was indulging Lu Jianyan rather than the other way around.

Yao Xiaohuan: Even if Lu Jianyan won't let me eat peas, I won't dislike him. Yep!

"...You'll have an allergic reaction if you eat this, big brother."

"But I want to prove to you that I'm not a picky eater!" Yao Xiaohuan's unusual insistence on this matter was because the teacher had emphasized before mealtime that only good children who weren't picky eaters would be likable. Yao Wuhuan didn't care if others liked him or not, but he cared a lot about the possibility of Lu Jianyan not liking him because of this.

"This isn't being picky." Lu Jianyan found it really difficult to explain the difference between being a picky eater and having an allergy to a child. For example, Xiao Pang upstairs would often use his supposed allergy to all vegetables as an excuse to refuse food he didn't like, which had just earned him a scolding from Lu Jianyan.

Yes, Xiao Pang had lunch in the senior class today. Since learning that Lu Jianyan and Yao Wuhuan were in the same class and neighbors, his fear of losing a friend had escalated to an incredible level, even overcoming his innate fear of Yao Wuhuan. The teachers thought this was a stress reaction and didn't want to provoke him further, so they had to temporarily indulge Xiao Pang.

"You're clearly the one who scolded Xiao Pang like this," Yao Wuhuan remembered it clearly.

Xiao Peng had been silent all this while because he was still locked in an arduous battle against his lifelong enemy—green vegetables. They were just too unpalatable!

Lu Jianyan was helpless and could only say, "Even if you're picky, I still like you."

"Really? You're not just comforting me?" Yao Xiaohuan tilted his head and looked at Lu Jianyan, as if he would immediately swallow the peas if he detected even the slightest hint of hesitation from Lu Jianyan.

"Yeah, yeah, I like you, I like you the most, and I'm not forcing it at all." Lu Jianyan really wished that the grown-up Yao Wuhuan could see what a torment he was putting himself through!

Yao Xiaohuan was still a bit skeptical.

Lu Jianyan had to change his approach: "I'm a picky eater too. Look, I don't like eating cauliflower. Would you dislike me just because I don't like cauliflower?"