Between The Pages {Liu Yuxin x Reader}

Y/N

The kitchen would usually be loud and chaotic at this time of the day. Lunch has already been served and finished for the royals and that meant that we have at least an hour-long break to eat. Strangely enough, something feels so strange and wrong today.

It all actually started this morning. From the moment I woke up, everything has been weird. Most of the helpers are freakishly quiet. Which I never even thought could be possible. And more times than enough, I would feel their stares burning through the back of my head. It's quite unnerving, to be honest.

I've tried asking around but all I got were awkward laughs and weird 'Congratulations'. By the time I received my fifth 'Congratulations', I gave up.

A small huff left my lips as I sat on a table with a plate full of food. I think what made my situation worse was that I was sitting by myself. It's like one of those cliche high school tropes where the weird one gets left out. Anqi is probably still cleaning up after the royals, Lin Fan mentioned something about a late meeting with one of the laoshis, and Jiaqi just be... somewhere.

I was already about half-way done with my plate when three more were placed around me. One next to mine, and the other two across me. I looked up and saw that it was the triple threat also known as dumb, dumber, and dumbest - in no particular order Jiaqi, Lin Fan, and Anqi.

"Is it just me or are they all looking over here?" Lin Fan spoke as she took a glance around.

"They are," Jiaqi answered with a nod. "I woke up too beautiful today," she sighed.

In sync, the rest of us facepalmed as she then proceeded to admire her reflection on the back of a spoon. One thing I learned about her is that she has the tendency to act a bit vain sometimes (most of the time - but she denies it to great extents). I shook my head before also taking a glance around.

"I don't know what's up with them. They've been acting strange since morning," I mumbled before turning back to my plate.

I was already chewing on a piece of chicken when I noticed the strange looks between Lin Fan and Anqi. Jiaqi was still too busy fixing up her hair to pay attention to anything else. I paused from chewing as I saw how Lin fan's eyes narrowed in on Anqi. What's wrong with them? They must have fought about something again.

"Well, anyway, I think they just heard some crazy rumor," Anqi finally spoke up and gave me a smile. "I do not think it is worth our time."

With that, she turned to her plate and proceeded to stuff her face. My brows rose in confusion at the weird action. I turned to Lin Fan but she just shrugged back in answer before also starting to eat. I scratched my head and just chose to continue eating. I get a feeling that it won't go anywhere even if I ask more.

Over time, I also found myself ignoring everything and everyone else and just focusing on myself. It's not like asking them is fruitful anyway. I was already chewing on my last spoonful when someone walked into the kitchen. My face slightly scrunched up as I saw a bouquet of flowers and I only grew more confused as I next saw Chen Jue's blank face.

But slowly, my brows started raising in realization and I hurriedly kicked Lin Fan under the table. I winced as she ended up coughing and glaring at me but I widened my eyes at her an nodded towards the doorway. Her brows furrowed before she also turned to look at the unfolding scene.

It's a bit amusing to watch Chen Jue's blank face as she walked into the room with the bouquet of flowers, still with her blank as ever face. A hand flew up to my mouth as I suppressed a snicker. It was the first step of our so-called mission. Long story short, Chen Jue agreed to do it (after Lin Fan threatened to ban her from the archive).