[Ouran] How Did I End Up in a Love Triangle?

--Blurb-- Here's how it happened: Xiang Xiaonian transmigrated into Ouran, a girls' anime that had dazzled countless people in their youth. Thanks to the original owner's hard work, Xiang Xiaonian secured one of the few special-admission spots at Ouran and became a classmate of the heroine, Haruhi. Wanting to see the famous opening scene for herself, Xiang Xiaonian went to watch Haruhi accidentally smash an antique vase. But she never expected to get caught up in it herself. And become the main cast's personal pastry chef. Well, she could earn a living while watching the story unfold from the best seat in the house. It wasn't a bad deal, so Xiang Xiaonian decided to make the best of things. She settled in at the club, making pastries and introducing these aristocratic students to the wonders of Chinese cuisine. Lotus pastries, egg-yolk pastries, milk tea, barbecue... They loved every bite and couldn't get enough. Xiang Xiaonian ate and drank well right alongside them, gradually putting on weight. But... Why was the plot going further and further off course? The way they stared at her like she was prey, and kept brushing up against her... They weren't trying to eat pastries, were they? Sensing trouble, Xiang Xiaonian packed her bags and tried to run, but someone grabbed her and held her in place. "Niannian, where are you going?" The main cast hemmed her in on every side, their dangerous emotions churning beneath calm faces and faint smiles, completely blocking her escape. They asked as if perfectly composed. Oh my god! How did things end up like this?! Reader's Guide: 1. Otome-oriented, but there's no pairing in the main story. Their lives as adults will be covered in the extras. 2. The main cast may be out of character. If that bothers fans of the original, then I guess we're not a good match. Please leave using the top-left corner. Thank you. Here's a preview of my upcoming novel. My second novel will start updating at the end of this month! I'm trying something new, and I hope you'll check it out! Thank you! The new novel: The Imperial Palace Zoo --Blurb-- Here's how it happened: Xiang Xiaonian transmigrated. She became a baby girl sold into the palace, not even a full twelve years old. This powerless, pitiable child was assigned to the menagerie, a place no one wanted to work and where the death rate was sky-high. The good news was that Xiang Xiaonian discovered she could understand animals, and she also got a System calling itself the Intangible Cultural Heritage Collection System. The bad news was that Xiang Xiaonian might not make it out alive. And yet! But! Xiang Xiaonian discovered she seemed to have a "Loved by All Beasts" buff. So, to everyone's astonishment, Xiang Xiaonian survived completely unharmed. Every beast in the menagerie even obeyed her completely, letting her lie flat and pet them as much as she liked. Well, someone had finally taken on this thankless job. The other palace attendants in training for the menagerie had their lives saved, too. They saw that Xiang Xiaonian worked diligently, did nothing but her job, and never caused trouble. She did, however, talk to herself in the garden during her free time while tinkering with things she called "intangible cultural heritage." Apart from thinking Xiang Xiaonian was just a tiny bit crazy, both sides managed to get along peacefully for a while. Xiang Xiaonian chatted and sunbathed with a bunch of fluffy animals, and worked on the "wisdom of our ancestors brought to life" as intangible cultural heritage, making her dull, monotonous days better... She was living a pretty comfortable little life. Then Xiang Xiaonian, who had almost settled into retirement thanks to having nothing to do, decided to find herself some amusement. Or rather, she wanted to improve the cultural life of her surroundings. And so... Xiang Xiaonian started teaching the fluffy animals all kinds of skills. For example, scent tracking. The result: they solved a case, found the kidnappers who had abducted the children of powerful families, and earned merit. For example, training them to obey commands without hesitation. The result: they made such an impression that even the foreign powers eyeing the border submitted, earning yet more merit. And then, acrobatics. The result: they brought in money. The menagerie became a zoo for family outings, with all kinds of businesses springing up until it rivaled the amusement parks of later generations. Commoners and nobles alike could enjoy everything the zoo had to offer. The prejudice and divisions between scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants also gradually faded amid the laughter. Another achievement! And then, there was her little habit of collecting strange things that seemed to be "local specialties," which she called "intangible cultural heritage." People thought she simply liked such things, so her subordinates began collecting "specialties" from all over on their own initiative. They wrote about them, drew them, or traveled to the capital to perform. In short, intangible cultural heritage, almost lost to later generations, flourished here in all its variety. And on and on... With one pioneering achievement after another, Xiang Xiaonian's standing steadily rose. Then she caught the eye of the man everyone called the Jade-Faced Asura: the incorruptible, aloof beauty, the emperor's own younger brother, and the commander of the Nine Gates. What an exceptional talent she was. Later, Xiang Xiaonian, laden with honors and accomplishments, said: Hmm... How did things end up like this? At the beginning, she had only wanted to make her overly comfortable and boring life a little better, hadn't she? A Few Notes: Many original settings, with some hand-waving to make them work. The female lead has an overpowered golden finger. The System is mostly a background character. Theme: Even if life leaves you battered and bruised, please don't forget to save yourself.