“I’m sure.”

It was just a simple phrase, but coming from a renowned writer in the literary circle and directed at a bestselling psychology author, the response was—explosive!

“What does ‘I’m sure’ mean?! Could it be that Er Ye proposed to Binghe, was taken as a joke, and is now responding?!”

“Honestly, I think Er Ye and Binghe Da Da are a great match. A cunning older man and a gentle, understanding intellectual—plus, they get along well. If that’s not a match made in heaven, what is? I ship it!”

“Binghe is the Associate Secretary-General of the Writers’ Association, a legit author. Er Fu has only been a rising online writer for the past two years. What makes him think he’s worthy of our Binghe?!”

“You should really Google properly and read Er Ye’s works before speaking. What part of him is inferior to Chu Binghe? If they end up together, it’s fate! I ship this couple too—supporting Er Ye unconditionally!”

“+1.”
“+1.”
“…”

In the online world, trends come and go. A heated discussion in a specific circle usually dies down in a couple of days.

But Ji Ranyou never expected…

On Monday afternoon, when she went to the counselor’s office to cancel her leave, she happened to walk behind two girls who were chatting. One of them sighed, “I really liked both Binghe and Er Ye, but in the end… sigh!”

Her companion asked, “In the end, what? They’re both talented and good-looking. Was it just hype or a misunderstanding?”

“Hype? No way!”

The first girl parked her bicycle in front of the office building and continued, “Yesterday at noon, Binghe posted a photo of his own back to clarify… He’s a guy! Chu Binghe is a man! How are people supposed to ship a guy with another guy?!”

“Didn’t someone say that heterosexuality is for reproduction, but same-sex love is true love?”

“…That actually makes sense. But then what happens to Er Ye’s cute little wife?”

Ji Ranyou: Guess that would have to be solved in bed… if only I had one… O(╯□╰)O

She silently followed behind the two as they walked through the winding corridors of the first-floor lobby. Knowing that everyone coming in and out of the building was probably here for similar reasons, she naturally took the elevator with them.

Sure enough.

The two girls entered a nearby office, and Ji Ranyou spotted her counselor waving at her. She pulled her cap down slightly and stepped inside.

“Teacher, I’m here to cancel my absence from last week’s class meeting.”

“Why is it your absence again, Ji?”

Even though the office had been recently moved, Ji Ranyou was already familiar with the process. In less than five minutes, she thanked the counselor and left the office.

“Click.”

Closing the door lightly, she looked around the empty hallway and casually picked an exit direction. Soon, unfamiliar office signs like “Center for Econometric Research” and “Finance Institute Research Center” appeared in her view, but she didn’t care.

As soon as she spotted an elevator less than ten meters away, she hesitated for a second—
Go back? Or just go with it?

Before she could decide, a door to her side opened. She turned and saw a familiar figure stepping out.

Their brief encounter at the restaurant had ended inconclusively. She had missed the morning’s econometrics class due to other commitments. Gu Chen hadn’t expected to run into her here.

“Did you come to cancel your leave?”

“How did you know?” Ji Ranyou blinked in surprise and naturally fell into step beside him. “Were you also looking for the counselor?”

“If I were, I’d be going to the same office as you.” Gu Chen curved his lips slightly and explained, “I came to get something signed by the associate dean of finance.”

“…That sounds impressive.”

“It’s quite a coincidence.”

A rather… pleasant coincidence.

Though they weren’t yet close, the two walked together without feeling awkward.

When they reached the elevator, Gu Chen pressed the button and held out a hand to block the infrared sensor so she could enter first.

Ji Ranyou murmured a “thanks” and pressed the button for the first floor. “You too?”

A fleeting ripple crossed Gu Chen’s eyes. He shook his head. “I’m going to the second floor. You’re not coming with me?”

“…Huh?”

Not wanting to expose the fact that she had no idea where she was going ^[1] Ji Ranyou got lost 😂 , Ji Ranyou waved her hand sheepishly. “No need, go take care of your stuff. I’ll head back to the dorms afterward.”

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

With a soft “ding,” the elevator doors closed. Gu Chen’s lips curled slightly, his voice steady despite his amusement.

“This elevator has an issue—the numbers haven’t been adjusted yet. Are you sure you want to go to the first-floor underground parking lot?”

Ji Ranyou: “…”

Taking a deep breath, she raised a hand to correct her mistake, only to find that the first floor had already been cancelled. The only number left on the panel was a flashing red “2,” glowing in sync with the blush on her cheeks.

Ji Ranyou turned her head and smiled at Gu Chen.

“…Did someone say something just now? I didn’t hear anything.”

Indulging her with a smooth transition, Gu Chen suddenly recalled something and said, “By the way, it’s already the third week. Should we meet up to finalize our project topic instead of dragging it out?”

“…Okay.”

Catching his reflection in the elevator’s metallic panel, Ji Ranyou’s heart pounded. She lowered her head, her voice soft as she stared at the tips of her shoes. “You pick the time and place. I’m free anytime.”

Gu Chen looked at his own reflection, momentarily lost in thought. “You decide. I’m available anytime too.”

“You pick.”

“You pick.”

“…”

By the time the elevator reached the second floor, they were still locked in this standoff.

Even after stepping out of the building, one brain filled with “Zizhi Tongjian: Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms”^[2]Zizhi Tongjian (《资治通鉴》), translated as Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance, is a monumental Chinese historical text compiled by Sima Guang during the Song Dynasty. Completed in … Continue reading and another filled with “Sharpe Ratio Return Curves” remained stubbornly silent over who should make the decision.

The sycamore leaves lining the road were shaped like maple leaves, their yellowing surfaces marked with distinct veins. They carpeted the ground in a thin, crisp layer, adding a warm autumnal glow to the scene.

Stepping on them made a soft crunching sound

As the wind rustled the branches and their breaths intertwined in the crisp air, Ji Ranyou’s heart pounded, but she still held her ground. “Seriously, you pick.”

Gu Chen stopped walking. Behind him, a vast array of Icelandic poppies ^[3]https://unsplash.com/photos/selective-focus-photography-of-red-petaled-flower-7SXNxz8UIw4 bloomed in scattered patches of color.

“I’m fine with anything,” he said. “Once you decide on the time and place, send me a message on QQ or give me a call.”

A thought struck Ji Ranyou, and she suddenly understood. “Are you afraid I’ll stand you up again?”

“…No.”

The wind rustled the branches with a soft “whoosh,” and a golden leaf fluttered down onto Ji Ranyou’s hooded shoulder.

Gu Chen gazed at her with deep, unwavering eyes. Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, he reached out and brushed the leaf away.

“I just want to accommodate you.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Whether she had said “thank you” or just stayed silent out of shyness, Ji Ranyou couldn’t figure out what had possessed her in that moment. The only possible explanation was that her brain had been caught in the elevator door—otherwise, why on earth would she have run away?!

At this point, whether she had reacted correctly to her male god was no longer important. The key issue was—

If she really ran like that, Qin Dai had once described it as making her clothes puff up like a balloon. So did she really look that ridiculous?! And did he see it?!

AHHHHHHHHH!!!

She sprinted all the way up to the sixth floor in a daze. Before she could even catch her breath, she saw Qin Dai giving her a meaningful look.

Qin Dai was holding her phone, and on the screen, a short video from a social media feed was playing.

On a bluestone-paved path, beneath golden sycamore trees, stood Gu Chen and a girl.

The two faced each other. The girl looked up at him, excitedly saying something, while Gu Chen listened quietly, his gaze focused and gentle. Then, he reached out—brushing a leaf off the girl’s shoulder…

His fingers were pale, the leaf was withered, and the contrast—
The whole scene was breathtaking.

As Ji Ranyou, exhausted and gasping for air, saw the video, her expression instantly froze.

Qin Dai read dramatically aloud the caption from the post—

“Don’t tell me that’s actually Gu Male God! That look!! That look!! He must have been swapped with someone else! And!! Who is that girl!! I just went to find my counselor and ran into this scene—it was so shocking I almost unlocked someone else’s bike with my key!! 【Goodbye】【Goodbye】 I’m seriously considering transferring to the journalism department…”

Ji Ranyou replayed the video several times, swiftly saved and reposted it, then handed the phone back to Qin Dai with both hands as if offering a precious treasure.

“I think I saw that girl when I went over there.”

Qin Dai raised an eyebrow. “……”

#MyRoommate’sAttemptsAtChangingTheTopicAreStillSoClumsy#

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

As a transition from the ivory tower to society, the distinctions in university life were quite clear.

There were people like Gu Chen, who had been placed on a pedestal from the very beginning, and there were students like Ji Ranyou, who remained a blissfully unbothered underachiever. But the majority? They were the gossip-loving onlookers, caught in the haze of uncertainty…

Even though she had already looked up and copied all her assignments over the weekend, Ji Ranyou still decided to do something she hadn’t done for the past two years—follow her advisor’s advice. Amidst Qin Dai’s teasing “tsk-tsk” noises, she resolutely shut down her computer and went to attend an elective course.

Tuesday night, three full periods—she survived.

“You’ll never guess who else is in that Film Appreciation class! I saw Xu Wei, Yi Tingfeng, and Zhou Ze there,” Ji Ranyou grinned as she walked up to meet her roommate after another class.

Qin Dai eyed her friend’s beaming expression and couldn’t resist poking her dimples. “You could’ve just said Gu Chen’s roommate—I wouldn’t have laughed at you.”

“Keep your voice down!”

Before Qin Dai could even finish her sentence, Ji Ranyou had already reached over and scratched her arm. Watching her roommate nervously glance around left and right, Qin Dai’s lips twitched uncontrollably. “Why are you so shy—”

“I’m not shy,” Ji Ranyou said with a straight face. “This is called being reserved!”

“…”

“Yes! Reserved!!” Qin Dai echoed in a patronizing tone, like she was humouring a little kid. She casually reached out and pulled Ji Ranyou aside as a bicycle whizzed past them.

After dodging the bike, Qin Dai nonchalantly added, “If I recorded the way you’re acting right now and sold it to Five steps laughs at Five Hundred steps and Chu Binghe, how much do you think I could get?”

Ji Ranyou: “…”

 #MyBestFriend, So Touching It Moves Heaven and Earth#

Since Qin Dai was blessed with a naturally slim figure, she never had to worry about gaining weight. Before she even realized it, she had already led Ji Ranyou into a supermarket while they chatted.

There were quite a few people shopping after night classes, but the chips aisle remained relatively empty. However, on the other side of the shelf…

“Did you see the video Qiuqiu posted? Who was that girl with our Male God? I heard she’s from his department—do you think there’s really something going on between them?”

“As if!” Pei Menghan scoffed. “Are you underestimating me, or are you underestimating Gu Chen?”

“Huh?” Sensing some inside information, the other girl quickly glanced around before lowering her voice. “You know that girl? Spill!”

“I wouldn’t say I know her, but I saw her once when I was having Chicken Pot with Gu Chen at the same restaurant.”

Pei Menghan idly twisted her perfectly manicured red nails before continuing in a nasal, disdainful tone. “She’s definitely one of those green tea b*tches, you know? A finance major friend of mine said she keeps clinging to Gu Chen—partnering up for group work, hitching rides, and staging all these fake ‘coincidences.’ It’s ridiculous… I don’t know where she gets the confidence, looking like that.”

The other girl, though slightly hesitant, murmured, “Maybe she just doesn’t know how to do makeup? Those self-help bloggers always say ‘There are no ugly women, only lazy ones.’“

“Haha,” Pei Menghan let out a dry laugh before pretending to realize something. “Well, that does explain why she’s always barefaced… I guess looking like a ghost would be even worse.“

The other girl chimed in, “A real green tea b*tch would at least be pretty, Menghan. She’s more of a… scheming plain Jane?”

“Everyone has their struggles, I suppose,” Pei Menghan sighed dramatically. “Maybe she comes from a poor family. I heard she’s been wearing the same few outfits for two or three years now—she probably can’t even spell Chanel correctly…“

While those two chatted away excitedly on one side of the shelf, the person they were gossiping about stood on the other side, casually picking out a bag of chips.

Ji Ranyou licked her lips absentmindedly as she listened in. Then, almost instinctively, she subtly tugged down the sleeve of her coat—hiding the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony watch on her wrist.

Grabbing a bag of classic-flavored chips, she turned to ask Qin Dai if she had made her choice, only to find—