Love Healing Manual

Chapter 13 The Food-Protecting Senior

In the bustling cafeteria, this small table was like a sanctuary, close to the pillar that stretched across the middle of the cafeteria. If you looked from right to left, you probably wouldn't see Kitagawa Ayane eating by the pillar; her figure was hidden.

Still with her long, jet-black hair, Kitagawa Ayane quietly lowered her head to eat, pressing down the vegetables and rice with her spoon, then lifting the hair beside her cheek and taking small bites.

She wasn't looking at her phone, she had no friends around, and all her attention was focused on the food on her plate.

As if isolated from the world, all sounds were "whooshed" tens of thousands of light-years away.

The meals were quite vegetarian.

There was white rice, boiled eggplant, wakame seaweed drizzled with soy sauce, and a bowl of miso soup.

Almost all of these are the cheapest items in the food window.

But Kitagawa Ayane chewed very seriously, one bite after another, making it almost seem like she was eating something delicious.

“Let’s sit here,” he said, turning to Shoji Otomo and pointing to the table.

“Okay…wait!” Otomo Shoji glanced at it, nodded, and then suddenly grabbed Lin Ze after a moment. “How about we find somewhere else? It’s not really appropriate to sit here…”

Lin Ze paused in his steps.

"what happened?"

"The senior is over there," Otomo Shoji said in a low voice.

"You always make us sit at the same table with the younger female students, so what's wrong with sitting at the same table with the older female students?"

"Senior Kitagawa is no ordinary person... She's one of the most difficult 'popular girls' to get along with in the Economics Department. Negative comments about her are flying all over the school forum, and it's rumored she even has a bit of a mental illness. That's not true, hey—"

Shoji Otomo didn't finish his sentence.

Lin Ze had already placed the notes on the table and pulled up a chair to sit down.

"Hello, senior, we'd like to have a meal here," he asked casually.

Suddenly I heard a familiar voice.

Kitagawa Ayane lifted her cheek.

She paused for a moment, stared at Lin Ze for a few seconds, and then shifted her gaze to Otomo Shoji, whose face was flushed red beside her.

She didn't say anything and continued eating with her head down.

With a "gulp," Otomo Shoji, who was standing, swallowed hard and pulled out a chair.

Squeak, squeak—

It was both awkward and jarring.

Ordinary men wouldn't dare approach women who are too beautiful, even if they are bright, charming, and dazzling.

But the moment she raises her eyes and meets his gaze, a feeling of fear naturally arises in one's heart, too easily reminding one of one's own insignificance.

In Japanese society, men tend to exhibit more timid behaviors and psychological patterns, coupled with the ever-increasing degree of abnormality in male-female relationships.

The more dazzling a person is, the stronger this feeling of inferiority becomes.

Even though he was already in his seat, he felt like he was being pricked by needles and couldn't feel comfortable at all.

Lin Ze looked thoughtfully at the food on Kitagawa Ayane's plate.

Although the two had a lot of private contact and had undergone treatment many times, perhaps because they were the same age, he didn't know much about her when she talked about the cause of her illness and her daily life.

During the treatment, Kitagawa-senpai rarely spoke, mainly to maintain her mental state, treating his treatment as a kind of tranquilizer.

The key is……

Whenever Lin Ze tried to learn more, she would show strong resistance, which is a common reaction among people with mental illness.

Often, Kitagawa Ayane felt that she didn't have any illness, or that it was just a minor ailment like a cold or fever that would heal naturally over time. After all, with Lin Ze's treatment, it no longer affected her daily life.

This is enough.

I won't ask for anything more.

This is also why Lin Ze wanted her to bring her diary.

In principle, curing this type of disease requires mandatory life intervention. Generally, it requires giving up all studies and quietly recuperating in a suitable place for two years. It does not necessarily require going to a mental hospital, but it does require close attention from doctors and family members.

The aforementioned methods are obviously impossible for Kitagawa Ayane, who is already keeping it a secret from the school, fearing that she will receive a leave of absence application.

So, for her, all her years of hard work going to waste was truly enough to drive her crazy.

In this situation, Lin Ze didn't dare to force her to reveal everything, and could only guide her step by step. At least now, she was less restrained during their private therapy sessions and could fully immerse herself in the process of releasing her emotions.

There are still two days until the next agreed-upon date.

Clearly, Kitagawa Ayane-senpai never expected to run into her in the cafeteria.

Pretend to be a stranger.

She swished her spoon faster, making a crisp "tap-tap" sound as it hit the plate.

There was a moment of silence.

Yusuke Shinichi was scratching his head in discomfort.

"Ah—Lin Ze-san, I think Yamazaki needs some help. He can't hold the tray steady by himself. I...I'll go over there first!"

Unable to bear the eerie atmosphere, he quickly stood up.

Then he dashed off to the food service window.

then.

Only he and his senior remained at the dining table.

"Is this all you usually eat?" he asked tentatively.

Waited for a while.

“Hmm…” Kitagawa Ayane nodded, squeezing out a sound from her throat.

"Without any nutrition, where will the strength come from to fight off this sudden mental disorder?"

She didn't speak, she just continued eating.

"By the way, my treatment plan is out. It's slightly different from the last one. Would you like to take a look?"

Kitagawa Ayane's fingers, which were gripping the spoon, suddenly tightened.

She lowered her head sharply.

Who would have thought that I would run into Lin Ze in the cafeteria?

Whenever I see his face, the memories of my numerous treatments involuntarily come to mind.

In her daily life, she has been trying her best to suppress her desires. For her, it's like an addiction; she not only looks forward to the treatment process but also thinks about it before going to bed at night.

Countless times, Lin Ze's face has appeared in her dreams, reaching out to her.

Then she raised her face with a sorrowful, sweet, and longing expression.

Those things hidden deep in the soul, things too shameful to speak of, are so disgusting to one's character that even recalling the slightest bit of them feels filthy; they are the greatest insult to the dignity of being human.

"No...no need," she whispered.

"I'll send it to you on LINK later, reply when you have time." Lin Ze didn't press the issue, realizing she wasn't in a good mood, so he ended the conversation.

The cafeteria was still bustling with people.

Lin Ze withdrew his gaze from her, and after a while, he walked towards the food window.

By the time Otomo Shoji and Yamazaki Yu arrived carrying three bowls of tonkotsu ramen, he had already disappeared.

"It looks like we'll be spending the next three hours in the ward, but at least we've taken the first step. From now on, we'll be interns."

"It could be a doctor, since it's not written on the nameplate."

"Are you stupid? The nameplates are color-coded. The lowest grade is green for interns, blue for senior doctors, and red for attending physicians. Patients can tell at a glance."

"Oh~" Otomo Shoji said in surprise, as if he had just realized something. "I thought the green color meant that the nameplate was made of environmentally friendly materials."

With his talkative best friend by his side, he wasn't so embarrassed anymore.

The two sat down.

Only then did they realize that Lin Ze had disappeared.

"Huh? Where's Lin Zesang?"

"They probably went to buy something else."

The words fell.

On the other side, Lin Ze walked over with a plate on it, on which were several chicken legs, drizzled with meat juice, and smelled delicious.

"Wow, you're being so generous today, treating us to chicken legs?" Otomo Shoji exclaimed in surprise.

The chicken legs made in the cafeteria on this campus are famous; they're tender, juicy, and flavorful.

It's not a simple teriyaki method. Instead, the marinated chicken legs are first roasted and then pan-fried to lock in the moisture before being simmered until tender and then drizzled with matsutake mushroom sauce.

The aroma emanating from these plates alone, once placed on the table, is enough to make one's mouth water.

"I'm going to start!"

"Began to eat."

Since Lin Ze had bought the chicken legs, the two felt awkward taking them all, so they each took one and began to enjoy the delicious tonkotsu ramen. During this time, Kitagawa Ayane glanced at the appetizing chicken legs and bit her lip slightly.

Compared to her bland meal, this chicken leg smelled incredibly delicious. It was sprinkled with sesame seeds, and the lingering aroma seemed to beckon her nose like a tempting hand.

A moment later, she quickly lowered her head.

He kept stuffing rice and wakame seaweed drizzled with soy sauce into his mouth.

The cafeteria was quite hot due to the large number of people, even though it was already autumn.

The air was filled with the aroma of food, but the atmosphere was rather somber.

The three of them finished their meal quickly. Because they were hungry, they ate without any regard for table manners, devouring the ramen in no time.

"Burp~ That feels better."

"A little hot."

While the feeling of being full was certainly comforting, all three of them had a slight sheen of sweat on their foreheads.

"I'm full too. How about we go back to the classroom and enjoy the air conditioning for a while?"

"go!"

Say it.

The two of them grabbed Lin Ze and were about to leave together.

"You guys go first, I'll be right away," Lin Ze said.

Shoji Otomo and Yu Yamazaki remained noncommittal, carrying their trays and heading straight for the cafeteria exit.

At this time.

Kitagawa Ayane-senpai picked up her phone; it seemed someone was sending her a LINK, so she glanced at it.

Lin Ze drank a few bowls of minced meat soup but showed no intention of getting up.

In the silent gaze, no words were spoken.

“In any case, health is the most important thing. Fighting illness is a double burden on both the body and mind,” he pushed the plate over and said calmly, “Eat up.”

"No need..." she paused, "Thank you for your kindness."

Her bright face was hidden behind the phone, so her expression couldn't be seen.

Lin Ze remained silent for a while.

He stood up and picked up his plate.

The plate of chicken legs was still in the middle.

"Just consider it feeding the dogs," he muttered to himself, then walked away without looking back.

For a moment, Kitagawa Ayane was stunned.

No one noticed that her fingers, gripping the phone, were gradually turning blue, as if she were using a lot of force, and even her breathing became rapid, as if she had been subjected to a great shock.

After a while.

Her smooth chin was exposed, but it was slightly red, as if it were about to bleed.

A fair hand reached out and grasped the corner of the plate.

Kitagawa Ayane used her chopsticks to poke off a piece of chicken leg meat, hesitated for a moment, and then quickly stuffed it into her mouth.

In an instant, the tender meat slid across the tip of the tongue, and the fragrant juices filled the mouth. After a couple of chews, it slipped down the throat without being noticed.

original.

She felt full.

But the moment the chicken thigh meat entered my mouth, the feeling of hunger was aroused again. The satisfaction brought by the meat was incomparable to the bland food I had eaten before.

However, what is even more terrifying is the sudden activation of inner excitement and the feeling of humiliation.

After finishing the first chicken leg, Kitagawa Ayane began her attack on the second one.

Just at this time.

Kaoru Murayama, who had been searching through the cafeteria corridor, saw her and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes.

"Ayane~" she called out, waving at Kitagawa Ayane: "You finished eating so quickly? I just came from outside the school."

Kitagawa Ayane lifted her chin and nodded at her: "I just saw your LINK message."

"Is this a chicken leg? Is it good? Let me try some?"

Without any restraint, Murayama Kaoru sat down next to her, leaned in, and asked her in an extremely intimate manner.

but.

next second.

"Woo--Woo--"

Kitagawa Ayane turned the plate around, picked it up, moved it to the other side, and looked at her with an extremely unfriendly gaze, letting out low, warning sounds.

Even his clean teeth on the left side of his mouth were showing.

Kaoru Murayama: "?"

"I was planning to wait for you." After a moment of 'ooh', Kitagawa Ayane suddenly spoke normally.

“You just now…” Murayama Kaoru looked embarrassed: “I just wanted to have a bite, don’t be so stingy.”

"You eat it."

"But you carried the plate so far away."

"Oh? Is that so..."

Shaking his head, Kaoru Murayama sighed inwardly.

Ayane-chan's condition is definitely getting worse...

……

Frankly speaking, Japan's academic system is somewhat different from that of other countries. The difference lies in the fact that students in their junior and senior high schools do not face as much pressure to get into higher education. The academic environment is relatively relaxed, with no early morning classes or gymnastics sessions, and students finish their full day of learning by 3 p.m.

During the rest of the time, you can choose to participate in club activities at your own discretion. If you really don't want to stay in the club, you can go home early.

Furthermore, their classroom atmosphere is relatively relaxed, and even the material they learn is relatively simple.

From top to bottom, there is a sense of "social cultivation," which means that students can choose the career they want independently. They don't have to go to a prestigious school or have excellent grades to be respected. As long as they have independence, that's enough.

For example.

When Lin Ze was in high school, there were some classmates with poor grades. Some of them didn't even go to university. Because of their love for baking, they dropped out of school and went to work at a bakery. Their dream was to open a bakery.

In this situation, the teacher will not force her to study. Instead, the teacher will encourage her to participate in more club activities at school and develop some life skills. If she excels in any one of the following areas—moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, or labor skills—and meets the living conditions required in society, the teacher will consider it a success.

This holistic awareness is also reflected in the content of teaching materials. The official textbooks and exams in China are definitely more difficult than those in Japan.

However, the above phenomenon.

This is not good news at all for those who want to get into prestigious universities.

Conversely, the low pressure at school can make life outside of school feel high-pressure.

Japan has countless prestigious universities.

If a student's goal is to attend a prestigious university like the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Keio University, or Waseda University, then the effort and intensity they need to put in will be no less than that of top students in any other country.

Back then, Lin Ze and his students studied day and night, putting pressure on themselves outside of school, all in order to pass the exams.

Japan's education system is slightly different. In addition to taking the "National Unified Examination," students must also take a second and third examination at their desired universities.

Those who achieve a score of 90% or higher in the national unified examination will have the opportunity to take a second exam at the university, and the difficulty of this second exam is absolutely hellish.

Furthermore, top programs at some prestigious universities typically require three exams, which generally fall into two categories: interviews and essays.

The school's examiners will assess students' expressive and argumentative abilities by presenting them with an essay question on the spot.

Undoubtedly, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tokyo is one of the top programs.

Lin Ze and his ilk may not seem particularly special, but in reality, from the moment they entered the medical school, they had already embarked on a path to great success.

Everyone has the right to live as an independent social being in Japan, but to become a respected and superior person, one needs to care about more than just "survival".

The top-tier programs at the University of Tokyo are nothing more than a few specific ones.

Aside from the world-renowned Faculty of Medicine, there is also the Faculty of Law, a cradle of politicians; the Faculty of Economics, a cradle of finance; the Faculty of Science and Engineering, home to Nobel laureates; and the Faculty of Information Science, which collaborates closely with pillar enterprises of the nation.

For Lin Ze and his group...

Undoubtedly, at such a vibrant age, life is just beginning.

……

A short break at noon.

After changing into white coats, everyone in Class 2 of the Medical Department gathered downstairs at the affiliated hospital on time, waiting for the team leader, Professor Minamino Isamu, and Associate Professor Fujita to arrive.

The group hid in the shadows below the hospital building.

(End of this chapter)