Before showering, Fang Jingcheng liked to toss his dirty clothes into the washing machine on the balcony. Barefoot on the smooth marble floor, he’d start by removing his belt, slowly working his way up to shed each piece of clothing, letting the process help him sort through his memories of the day. Finally, unclothed, he’d step into the bathroom.

Clack.

The belt hit the tile with a clear sound.

Fang Jingcheng lifted one leg out of his suit pants, lightly unbuttoned his shirt with his fingertips, and let his thoughts drift aimlessly.

What interesting things had happened today?

The instant he let his mind wander, he felt the ghostly warmth of a girl’s gentle breath on his back. His imagination formed a vivid image, his memory casting him as an observer from above, gazing at Xia Fu’s lowered head, every detail clear—from the stray hair that framed her face to her pale pink, candy-like lips with a hint of softness.

She’d been picking up his scent…

He wondered what he must’ve smelled like then. Hopefully not sweat, right?

Unable to resist, Fang Jingcheng lifted the shirt he’d taken off, bringing it to his nose. Xia Fu rarely wore makeup, and aside from the usual creases from a day’s wear, there wasn’t much scent left on the crisp, white fabric. He could only guess at the spot where she might have leaned.

A soft hint of fragrance drifted over, creamy like fresh cream, which he guessed was Xia Fu’s moisturizer. The scent was like gardenias, the first buds of May—pristine white, opening up and spreading their almost overwhelming sweetness that couldn’t be erased.

It was as if she had wrapped her arms around his waist and nestled her soft cheek against his nose, making him chuckle involuntarily.

How adorable. Her face should always stay as soft and delicate as a petal, untouched by anything harsh.

It was midsummer, and the detention center often welcomed rowdy drunks causing trouble at food stalls. These men led idle lives, finding joy only in eating, drinking, and brawling, without any hint of reason in their behavior.

Hopefully, that cowardly pig of a man would get a taste of reality and learn some respect, maybe even leave S City for good.

…

Meanwhile, Xia Fu was applying face cream.

S City had a long history, and some of the shops on the old-fashioned street still sold unique items from the previous century—things like ceramic bottles of osmanthus hair oil, delicate boxes of duck egg powder, and classic face creams with intricately printed packaging.

On their first shopping trip, the girls had been sweet-talked by a shop assistant into buying a gift set of creams scented with wintersweet, orchid, jasmine, and night-blooming jasmine. They declared that the four “flower sisters” in their dorm would be inseparable forever.

But some products became history for a reason, left to gather dust in the corners of nostalgic street shops, mainly as mementos rather than anything useful. This cream had a fragrance that was pleasant from afar but strong up close, with a rich texture that felt oily on the skin, offering none of the whitening or anti-inflammatory benefits of modern products. After their initial excitement, the others realized its drawbacks and gave it to Xia Fu, the one with a naturally stable skin type, letting her rotate through the scents as she pleased.

Ji Xiaowei lay back with her hands behind her head, wrinkling her nose lightly.

“It’s a strong smell when you put it on yourself, but with a bit of distance, it’s actually kind of nice. You slept next to me last night, and my pillow still smells good.”

Xia Fu held up the tin can. “Want some?”

“Nope, I’ve got oily skin; it won’t work for me.”

Xiaowei shook her head, but Xia Fu kept staring at her and suddenly changed the subject.

“Then, can I sleep with you again tonight? There’s something I want to tell you.”

Once they were lying down, Xia Fu confessed what had happened.

She hadn’t mentioned it the day before, worried that Xiaowei might scold her for being too soft. But today, she’d finally stood up to that annoying classmate, so maybe Xiaowei wouldn’t be disappointed this time?

Watching her friend’s calm expression, Xia Fu apologized tentatively.

“Sorry, I lied to you last night. I was feeling really down…”

“You think you can lie to me? I knew you were hiding something and just went along with it!”

Xiaowei let out a playful “hmph” and smirked, looking indulgent. “You did well. Don’t worry; as long as you’ve taken the first step, things will only get better.”

Despite some lingering questions, the next few days were as peaceful as Xiaowei had reassured her they’d be.

That night after class, the class monitor spread the news about Bao Zhiwei’s antics. The male students split into two camps: those who sympathized with Xia Fu and were happy to help with her class duties, and others who clung to Bao Zhiwei’s influence.

The class only had a few guaranteed spots for postgraduate recommendations, so despite the outwardly friendly atmosphere, there was an undercurrent of competition. Guys like Bao Zhiwei, who hoarded any helpful resources, contrasted sharply with Xia Fu, who’d casually offer a snack and patiently explain things. Even if morality didn’t play a role, everyone knew where their best interest lay.

Still, a few “fools” remained loyal to Bao Zhiwei. Led by “Straw Head,” Bao Zhiwei’s buddies were bitter after Xia Fu’s pushback, vowing to even the score.

Damn it, he was a man—how could he have just turned and fled from Xia Fu like that?

Straw Head clenched his teeth. As the class monitor explained Bao Zhiwei’s behavior to everyone, he scoffed disdainfully, interjecting, “So whatever Xia Fu says must be true, huh? Haven’t you heard of ‘don’t believe rumors, don’t spread rumors’?”

“There’s only one truth! We’ll have to wait for Bao Zhiwei to come back and hear his side to know the real story!”

Acting all righteous, he then switched to a mocking tone as he spoke of Xia Fu. “Haven’t you seen those headlines lately? ‘Good Girl Supported Through School by Her Honest Boyfriend, Ends Up Cheating and Getting Injured.’ Doesn’t Xia Fu remind you of that? That rich kid has been around her all the time recently. She’s definitely got herself a big fish. Who knows what shady things are going on between them.”

The class monitor rolled his eyes so hard they nearly got stuck. “Watch your mouth. Didn’t you just see Bao Zhiwei before he started causing trouble? And now you’re adding fuel to the fire with your nonsense?” Before he could finish, Gu Jiashi suddenly stood up.

In a flash, Gu Jiashi’s fist was inches from Straw Head’s thin, monkey-like face. He lowered his voice menacingly.

“Shut the hell up.”

“Ack, oh god!”

Straw Head, now scared out of his wits, stumbled back, clutching his chest and stammering threats.

“Scaring me won’t change anything. You just wait!”

But Straw Head didn’t have to wait long. The next day, the first trial of the “man with the knife” incident, which had sparked heated discussions on the forums, concluded. The female victim was out of immediate danger, and the assailant received the maximum sentence for assault, given the severity of the case.

At the same time, the college issued a notice for a freshman seminar on “Building a Healthy View of Relationships,” with the vice-secretary scheduled to speak.

The speaker didn’t name Bao Zhiwei specifically but started with a harsh critique of “extreme behavior,” using the knife incident as a springboard. He emphasized that love could be beautiful, but impulse could be dangerous, reminding everyone that respect must always underpin any pursuit of love.

He went on to outline the college’s disciplinary policies and past cases of expulsion, showing that strict punishment was a stronger deterrent than mere criticism. By this point in the meeting, the classroom grew noticeably quieter, with students whispering less and paying more attention.

Counselor Jiang Rong, being the “failed advisor,” was asked to hold a follow-up meeting with the Applied Math class to emphasize the message further.

“In addition to obvious violent actions, harassment, intimidation, or slander in everyday interactions will result in disciplinary action if reported. Please hold yourselves to high standards of behavior and respect.”

Feeling targeted was uncomfortable, and Jiang Rong’s face was stony throughout. Suppressing her frustration, she promptly kicked the “troublemakers” out of the class group chat and the college chat, slamming her laptop shut and exiting the room without a word.

The college held regular seminars on “Student Ideals and Ethics,” but when an additional, exclusive meeting was scheduled just for their class, even Straw Head knew something was up.

So it turned out that Bao Zhiwei had actually been expelled… but then what did all his past bravado mean? Oh no—what if Xia Fu reported him for spreading rumors?

He shuffled up to her sheepishly. “Uh, hey, Xia Jie, I know I was wrong before,” he stammered, trying to distance himself from Bao Zhiwei’s mess. But Xia Fu ignored him completely.

She was staring at her phone, lost in thought.

Fang Jingcheng hadn’t shown up for the meeting. Where did he go?