“Alright, then let’s meet here at the café after class.”

Fang Jingcheng looked genuinely enthusiastic. Maybe she should start him on some probability theory lessons tomorrow, using examples commonly applied in competitions.

Watching him so eager, Xia Fu quickly drafted a plan for the next study session without much thought.

Fang Jingcheng stretched his sore arms, reaching over to grab Xia Fu’s bag from her seat, looking as though he was ready for action.

“No problem! So, what do you feel like eating later? Let’s go now.”

“Hold on just a bit,” Xia Fu said, pulling out a small paper slip from her pocket and waving it at him. “I ordered milk tea and cake; our number was just called. Let’s go pick it up together.”

The café offered takeaway service. On the polished marble countertop, bags with the logo were lined up neatly, some for customers to pick up and others prepared for students working part-time who delivered them to various dorm buildings.

Glancing at the order number, Fang Jingcheng picked up one of the bags and handed it to Xia Fu. It was heavier than expected, and as he looked inside, he noticed not just drink cups but a box of cake as well.

“Is this all you’re planning to eat for dinner?”

That was careless of him. He must have slept too long, and the sweet, inviting scent of baked goods must have tempted her. He’d lost his chance for a dinner outing. Fang Jingcheng sighed internally.

Xia Fu carefully checked the contents on the receipt, rustling through the bag. “It’s not for me; it’s a gift. Remember that girl who helped call the dorm supervisor yesterday? I wanted to bring her a treat tonight to say thanks.” She finally found what she was looking for and passed the bag over.

“Oh, and I got one for you, too. This is a signature hot dog, perfect for a snack. I’ll have the wonton noodles at the dining hall tonight.”

The freshly grilled hot dog smelled fantastic, with sizzling oil coating the juicy meat inside. A bite would release the cracked black peppercorns, bursting with flavor.

Xia Fu thought most boys would love this. Her younger brother used to fight with their grandmother at the convenience store for a sausage when he was little. Even after earning money from studying, his idea of a “fancy meal” was the same thing, often dragging Xia Fu along and spending the rest on a little pudding ice cream for her. She’d squat with him under the store awning, feeling like summer was the cicadas buzzing in the trees and her little brother’s constant chatter.

It brought back some memories.

The remaining items were gifts for Xu Sihui: Xia Fu’s favorite Doctor Louis milk tea, a box of almond cookies, and the café’s best-selling Black Forest cake. As for herself, well, the café was too high-end to fit Xia Fu’s budget.

Having studied all afternoon, Fang Jingcheng was indeed hungry. He tore into the bag with the unique charm of junk food, his eyes squinting with satisfaction.

“Wow, thanks. I’ll take you to her dorm after we eat, okay? Which building is she in again?”

With his cheeks stuffed with bread and meat, he looked a bit silly, and Xia Fu couldn’t help but smile.

“Building A, Mei Garden, the Literature College dorm.”

“Huh?”

A crack appeared in his carefully composed expression, and his face went blank for a moment when he heard the words “Literature College.”

Xia Fu didn’t miss the micro-expression. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, ate too fast and bit my cheek,” Fang Jingcheng rubbed his smooth face, looking away as if to drop the topic lightly.

“Let’s hurry to the dining hall; I’m hungry too.”

Fang Jingcheng ordered a plate of Yangzhou fried rice, stirring the peas around the bowl as he casually tried to ask Xia Fu about her friend. But the meal seemed more tasteless with every bite.

Xu Sihui… Xu Sihui? The name sounded vaguely familiar. He really hoped things weren’t as he imagined. Damn, maybe he should work on his bad habit of forgetting people’s names and faces.

As they neared their destination on his bike after dinner, Fang Jingcheng grew increasingly uneasy.

Though the sky wasn’t fully dark, the temperature had already dropped. Xia Fu looked up at the rosy-colored sky, feeling the cool breeze on her cheeks, when she suddenly heard the young man in front speak up in a low voice, as if consulting her.

“When we get there, I’ll wait somewhere else instead of standing by the dorm entrance.”

“Um, I think I mentioned before, didn’t I? I once went to the Literature College for half a semester out of interest, but it didn’t go well. You saw the result—I was dumped. I think she’d rather not run into me, so I’ll just hang out somewhere nearby. Call me when you’re ready.”

At least he was being honest.

Fang Jingcheng’s admission aligned with what Xia Fu had suspected, and the sudden mention of romance didn’t stir much of a reaction in her.

Avoiding exes and keeping things clean was only a good thing for Xia Fu. After all, her relationship with Fang Jingcheng was purely a partnership, focused on the competition. The last thing she wanted was to get entangled in emotional drama and risk her reputation among the girls, ending up the subject of gossip.

Glancing at the distance between Mei Garden and Lan Garden, she suggested, “No worries, if it’s inconvenient, you can go back and rest. I can walk the rest on my own.” If she got tired, she could always rest on one of the sofas at the recycling station.

She really was too calm.

No wonder he’d mistaken her gender at first. Once she was in work mode, she seemed emotionally detached, while he was the one always overthinking things, worrying about pointless details.

Fang Jingcheng chuckled wryly, tilting his head to remind her, “I’m not that sensitive about it; I just don’t want to bump into her. Besides, your foot finally got a break today, so it’s better if you don’t walk too much. See you later.”

…

Generally, campus cards only grant access to one’s own dorm building, but it wasn’t uncommon for students to forget their cards. It was easy for same-gender visits, and the dorm supervisor merely glanced at Xia Fu as she entered after a few other girls.

Xia Fu approached the supervisor and handed over her student ID with a smile. “Good evening, Auntie. I’m Xia Fu from Lan Garden. Is Xu Sihui here?”

Thanks to Aunt Xu’s heads-up, the supervisor recognized Xia Fu immediately. She waved her over and pulled out her phone.

“Oh, you’re the little Xia Fu! Wait a sec, I’ll check if Sihui’s back from dinner and call her for you.”

In no time, Xu Sihui arrived in the lobby, wearing strawberry-patterned pajamas and matching slippers. Her long hair was loose, and she looked adorable.

“What’s up, Auntie? I heard I had a visitor—” Xu Sihui’s eyes widened when she saw Xia Fu with her crutch. “Oh, it’s you!”

“Yep, it was so rushed last time that I couldn’t thank you properly. Here are some treats I bought—milk tea and cake! The tea’s base is a special African bush tea, so it won’t keep you up at night.”

Xia Fu’s smile brightened as she eagerly held out the treats like a little treasure chest.

Xu Sihui blushed, accepting the large bag with both hands, looking bashfully grateful. “Thank you! I didn’t do much; this is way too much…”

“Um, my dorm is just on the first floor. Want to come in and eat together?”

She’d planned to drop off the treats and leave, but making a new friend was nice too… especially if she only stayed a short while.

On one side, there was Xu Sihui inviting her for snacks, and on the other, there was Fang Jingcheng, who was probably killing time somewhere. After only three seconds of hesitation, Xia Fu followed Xu Sihui into her dorm.

“Thanks for having me,” Xia Fu said, taking in her surroundings with polite curiosity.

“This is my seat; you can sit here. My friend Yuetong sits next to it, so I’ll just use her chair.”

Xu Sihui had a sweet, matching setup. The chair was draped with a strawberry cushion, and her desk was lined with soft pink paper, creating a stark contrast with the plain desk next to it.

Handing Xia Fu a plastic spoon, Xu Sihui took a sip of her tea and dug into her cake, saying, “Did that guy get punished?”

The rich flavor of rum and cream made Xia Fu relax as she ate, answering truthfully about Bao Zhiwei’s situation.

Xu Sihui sighed in relief. “Good. I’m glad to hear that; I hope he gets expelled! And that guy hasn’t kept bothering you, right?”

“Ha! He wouldn’t dare! I broke up with him and told him that if he kept pestering me, I’d report him to the counselor. They say you only see someone’s true heart in a crisis. When he was courting me, he’d say I was his future wife, promising I could decide everything. But once we got together, he was stricter than my dad, but wouldn’t even stand up for me… He’s such a coward. Good thing we broke up.”

Xu Sihui’s refined composure melted as she ranted about her ex, her expression filled with relief and bitterness.

As she got more fired up, the door suddenly clicked open.

“Oh, Yuetong, you’re back?”

Yuetong?

Since Xu Sihui was sitting in her friend’s seat, were they supposed to switch seats or…?

Following Xu Sihui’s gaze, Xia Fu looked toward the door, where a graceful, black-haired beauty stood. Her long hair flowed like a waterfall, and her delicate, snow-like face looked as pure as a mountain flower. Change her clothes, and she’d be perfect for the role of a chaste martial arts heroine.

Her presence was similar to Teacher Li’s—a serious, dignified type.

Caught off guard by her aura, Xia Fu instinctively straightened up, sitting upright and barely stopping herself from standing up to greet her.

Li Yuetong seemed to find her guest’s formal posture amusing. After greeting Xu Sihui, she turned to Xia Fu with a warm smile. “Enjoy yourselves. Oh, and Sihui, I bought a new jar of mint candy on my desk. Feel free to share some with your friend.”

What a thoughtful person, even offering candy!

Xia Fu couldn’t help but respond with a bright smile of her own.

After the brief interruption, the two friends resumed their conversation. Watching her friend leave, Xu Sihui suddenly seemed to remember something important. After Yuetong closed the door, she turned to Xia Fu and asked, “So, is the person who brought you Fang Jingcheng?”

“Yes. Do you know him?”

“Uh-huh, I’ve heard of him.”

Know him? She more than knew him… In the Literature College, where there were few boys, he stood out for his striking looks, and he even went out of his way to pursue the campus beauty, Li Yuetong.

The two had good family backgrounds and first met at a family gathering. But at that time, Li Yuetong wasn’t paying attention to Fang Jingcheng.

If Fang Jingcheng was a striking jewel on display, with his refined features and flashy silver hair, his older brother Fang Siyu was like a piece of warm jade, subtle yet alluring. He was dark-haired and dark-eyed, somewhat brooding, with an air of mystery that drew people in like a poem waiting to be read.

Eight years older than Fang Jingcheng, Fang Siyu was already involved in important work at the company headquarters.

Before the party, Li Yuetong had told her parents about her admiration for Fang Siyu. They spoke briefly, but then Fang Jingcheng took an interest in her.

“Do you like my brother? Everyone likes him… But you stand a good chance since both you and my mom are so graceful.”

Fang Jingcheng toyed with his wine glass, casting a glance at his stoic mother, his tone light yet laced with something almost taunting.

Li Yuetong had heard about him, the rich playboy, notorious for his frivolity. Despite his reputation, the family kept him close, even sending him to finish high school locally to keep an eye on him.

She tolerated his company for a while to learn about Fang Siyu, and he began to show a side that seemed the opposite of his reputation—a studious, humble side. It was as if his former nonchalance was just “youthful innocence,” a rough edge waiting to be softened by the right person.

The atmosphere warmed over time.

On May 20th, Fang Jingcheng confessed his feelings.

But something felt off, as women’s intuition warned her. Could someone’s nature really change in the face of “true love”? And what about his occasional distraction—what did that mean?

Before she could stop herself, she asked, “Before I respond, tell me: why do you like me?”

“Hm? Because at first, you liked my brother, but then you came to appreciate me?”

He looked up, childlike in his beauty yet tinged with cruelty under the moonlight.

True love? He was just acting out against his family!

Thank goodness she had trusted her instincts and asked; the poor guy… She finally understood why he’d dyed his hair silver. Some people use style to show confidence and individuality; others do it to mask vulnerability, a childish cry for attention.

Annoyed but outwardly calm, she laughed coldly and tossed the bouquet back at him, her words like a curse.

“Oh, that’s rich. If you want something serious, you’ll have to meet the parents at some point, right?”

“May all the girls you date be more impressed by your brother… You fickle, shallow, unrecyclable trash.”

There’s a reason they say never mess with a clever woman.

Her words hit him right in the gut, wiping the smirk off his face.

Since then, she’d walked away with ease, while Fang Jingcheng had sulked with the discarded flowers at the recycling bin for ages.

He hadn’t experienced true love himself, yet now, thanks to his ex, he feared losing it. No, this nightmare had haunted him since he was young; her words only made it worse.

“I’ll be better next time, so she won’t fall for my brother,” he told himself, waiting for a girl to find his worth and pull him out of the trash.

Luckily, Fang Jingcheng always had a stroke of luck. To be born into the Fang family with a personality like his spoke volumes. Beneath the cold moonlight, he encountered a teary-eyed Cinderella.

…

That was the story.

Xu Sihui knew all of it, except for Xia Fu’s involvement.

While she and Li Yuetong were close friends, Xia Fu was just someone she’d recently met. There was no way she’d tell Xia Fu about her past with Fang Jingcheng directly. All she could do was hint.

“Ah… Just a tip—don’t trust overly handsome guys. If he’s perfect in every way and fits your dream guy’s image exactly, watch out; he might just be putting on a show. My ex did that to me.”

Xu Sihui didn’t need to say more. Xia Fu had already pieced things together from her hints.

So Fang Jingcheng’s “ex-girlfriend” must be Li Yuetong.

It all made sense. Only someone like her, such a striking beauty, could catch Fang Jingcheng’s attention. Even as a girl, Xia Fu couldn’t help but feel charmed by Li Yuetong.

But Xu Sihui was misunderstanding; she and Fang Jingcheng weren’t dating.

As for that “perfect image”…

Xia Fu recalled countless scenes of Fang Jingcheng zoning out, slacking in class, bullying classmates, and deceiving teachers. With all that in mind, it was hard to picture him as any kind of prince charming.

Ah well, as long as his “generosity” wasn’t fake, that was good enough.

“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Not wanting to waste Xu Sihui’s kindness, Xia Fu nodded seriously.