As the semester unconsciously comes to an end, it’s time for final exams. Jing Li, a management student who usually enjoys life, is starting to feel a sense of urgency. She begins reviewing two weeks in advance.

If she fails any exams this semester, she’ll have to return to school for makeup exams next semester. However, next semester involves an internship in hotel management with no classes. If she finds a job, she’ll have to take leave to return for makeup exams, creating a particularly troublesome situation.

Jing Li is now immersed in her books, diligently memorizing and understanding the material. Despite the hot weather in June, they no longer study in the library at night; instead, they go to a nearby café where many students cram for the upcoming finals. Everyone is focused on studying, but Jing Ran remains calm, following his own study plan that includes not only hotel management but also other areas such as management, finance, and communication.

Jing Li sometimes feels that Jing Ran is really pressuring many people. Wealthy, handsome, intelligent, and a good student, Jing Ran has it all. Jing Li feels somewhat ashamed because her parents don’t demand high academic performance, and she used to study casually. In primary and secondary school, she learned passively under the guidance of teachers, achieving decent grades. With a foreign passport, she could bypass the national college entrance exam. In college, with less teacher supervision, she became lazy, often cramming for exams at the last minute.

Jing Ran, with his affluent background, has laid a solid foundation for his future career. In contrast, Jing Li sets ambitious goals to study well at the beginning of each semester, but her determination often wanes within two weeks.

From now on, she resolves to study hard!

Oh, right, she won’t have classes next semester.

No, even without classes, she’ll study every day like Jing Ran, aiming to become a knowledgeable person. Otherwise, with the abundance of talent nowadays, her job could be replaced within two or three years.

Jing Li solemnly tells Jing Ran, “Ranran, I’ve decided. I’ll study for two hours every day.”

As Jing Ran, who was reading, glanced at her, Jing Li appeared particularly serious and determined. She recalled saying similar words before the mid-term exams: she would strive harder and study diligently after the mid-terms.

However, after the mid-term exams, she still found herself watching Korean dramas every day.

Jing Ran responded casually, “Oh…”

Seeing Jing Ran’s lack of support, Jing Li got angry and said, “Ranran, I’m serious!”

Jing Ran replied with a nonchalant tone, “Wasn’t that what you said last time?”

Feeling that her self-discipline was lacking and that she needed supervision, Jing Li said, “Ranran, from now on, you have to supervise me every day. If there’s a day I don’t study for a full 2 hours, you have to push me and even punish me!”

“Aha?” Jing Ran looked bewildered. He questioned if it needed to be that serious and asked, “How would I punish you?”

When it came to punishment, Jing Li hadn’t thought it through. After a moment, she replied, “Forbid myself from eating?”

Jing Ran reacted, “That’s punishing me! Clearly, it would affect me more!”

Confused, Jing Li replied, “How does that punish you? It’s me who’d go hungry!”

Jing Ran explained, “If you go hungry by not eating, I’ll feel bad. Isn’t that punishing me?”

“Um…” Jing Li pondered for a moment and suggested, “I’ll handle all the household chores?”

Jing Ran contemptuously remarked, “Isn’t that what you were supposed to do originally?” Earlier, the two had discussed how to better cohabit, with Jing Ran taking responsibility for groceries and cooking, while Jing Li handled sweeping and laundry. However, since Jing Li couldn’t cook, she couldn’t manage all the household chores.

Unable to think of a method that would instill fear in her and push her to make an effort, Jing Li said, “You’re so smart, help me come up with one.”

After a moment of thought, Jing Ran suggested, “If there’s a day you don’t study for at least two hours, you have to wear the maid outfit we have at home and do household chores, wearing it for a whole week!”

Jing Li responded, “…”

She really wanted to find out who had gifted her that see-through maid outfit!

*

The day before the exam was a weekend, and Jing Li and Jing Ran didn’t go home, staying at school to prepare. After finishing their afternoon review, they each went back to their dorms to shower, planning to have a good meal in the city. After Jing Li finished her shower, she came to the boys’ dormitory to wait for Jing Ran. Jing Ran had been held up by his roommate, discussing a few math problems, delaying his shower. Now he was blow-drying his hair, asking Jing Li to wait downstairs.

Jing Li lowered her head, scrolling through Weibo on her phone, when suddenly someone stood in front of her, creating an inexplicable sense of pressure. She lifted her head to find Lin Suirong, the national basketball team’s small giant.

Oh, here he comes again. What does he want this time?

“What are you doing?” Jing Li, harboring resentment from the last time he caused a fight between her and Jing Ran, spoke with impatience, taking a step back as she spoke.

Lin Suirong said, “I’ve come to bid you farewell.”

Jing Li, puzzled, asked, “Farewell?”

Lin Suirong explained, “I’m going to the United States for the NBA draft. If I get selected, I’ll have limited time in the country, and we might not have the chance to meet again.”

“Oh,” Jing Li responded nonchalantly, politely adding, “I wish you stand out in the draft and sign with a good team.”

“Thank you,” Lin Suirong replied casually.

Since Jing Ran found out that Jing Li with him was because of a bet, she had blocked Lin Suirong on WeChat. Despite Lin Suirong’s habit of sending messages, greetings, and sharing interesting things, Jing Li never responded. Still, he felt it was okay as long as Jing Li knew where he was and what he was doing.

After Jing Li blocked him, Lin Suirong lacked someone to share interesting moments with. Sharing those stories with his male teammates seemed immature, a bit effeminate.

“Jing Li, are you serious about that guy…” Lin Suirong paused, avoiding using a derogatory term, and continued, “Jing Ran?”

Jing Li and Jing Ran had been dating for a whole semester, well over three months, as confirmed by Jing Li’s roommate, Zhang Zhihong.

“Yeah,” Jing Li replied.

Lin Suirong couldn’t understand. He had liked Jing Li for three years, but she never took his feelings seriously, consistently rejecting him. Despite being a top athlete, excelling academically, and having fame and fortune, Jing Li chose to be with Jing Ran. Lin Suirong couldn’t fathom what was going on in her mind.

It feels like he has lost the qualification to compete before even entering the arena for others.

Unable to understand, really want to know.

Lin Suirong asked, “Jing Li, why don’t you like me?”

Why not like Lin Suirong?

At first, Lin Suirong was perceived as just a well-built athlete with a simple mind. After the second semester of freshman year, he transferred from the provincial team to the national team. Last year, he even participated in the Olympics and gained attention due to his good looks and basketball skills, becoming a well-known athlete.

His poor academic performance was not intentional, as his extensive training schedule made it difficult to balance studies, resulting in consistently low grades.

Lin Suirong’s qualities were indeed impressive, and he pursued girls with the spirit of an athlete. If rejected once, he would try again, and if rejected twice, he would try a third or fourth time. Confessions became a routine, and rejections became a weekly occurrence. Gradually, it turned into a regular pattern.

Jing Li, on the other hand, was slow to warm up and passive. She didn’t accept confessions casually just because someone approached her. Lin Suirong was often not at school, and she didn’t have a chance to truly understand his personality. Although her relationship with Jing Ran started as a bet, after spending a long time together, she realized that Jing Ran was genuinely a good person, leading her to decide to continue the relationship.

If one were to explain why she chose Jing Ran over Lin Suirong, it would probably be because she preferred having her boyfriend around frequently rather than being in a long-distance or even international relationship.

“I like having my boyfriend around me often. You probably find it hard to fulfill that, right?” Jing Li said calmly.

Frequently being by his girlfriend’s side was something Lin Suirong truly couldn’t achieve. As an athlete representing his country, at least until retirement, he couldn’t fulfill this request.

“Understood,” Lin Suirong didn’t argue.

In reality, love doesn’t always need a reason. When you love someone, you’re willing to change for them, and if you don’t love them, any logical reasoning becomes an excuse.

Jing Li didn’t like him; she just gave him an out.

Now that she has found someone she likes, it’s better to let go and wish them well.

Lin Suirong sincerely said, “I wish you and Jing Ran happiness.”

“Thank you.”

After Jing Ran finished fixing his hair and walked out of the male dormitory, he saw Lin Suirong blocking Jing Li again. Jing Ran quickly walked between them, extending his arm to protect Jing Li, and with an unfriendly tone, he asked, “What do you want?”

Seeing Jing Ran looking tense, Lin Suirong shrugged and said, “Nothing, just saying goodbye to Jing Li. I’m going to the United States for the NBA draft, probably won’t have a chance to meet again.”

Sideways to Jing Li, Lin Suirong said, “Jing Li, I’m leaving. Goodbye.”

Jing Li responded politely, “Goodbye.”

After Lin Suirong left, Jing Li smiled and asked, “Ranran, are you jealous?”

Jing Ran naturally replied, “Isn’t jealousy a normal thing?”

Jing Li remained silent. Little straightforward Jing Ran made her unsure of how to respond.

“Lili, it’s better for you not to intern, go work. Just stay at home and have fun, okay? There are too many bad people outside; I’m afraid you might get abducted by someone.”

Jing Li : “…”