The first week was for discussing the semester’s schedule and grading criteria, and the last week was for review and key points—an unspoken understanding between most professors and students. For Ji Ranyou, it was also the main reason she attended class.

Having heard from Qin Dai that the econometrics professor disliked latecomers, she made an effort to get up early. With plenty of time to spare, she even grabbed a hot breakfast at the cafeteria before dragging her roommate along to the Economics Building. It was only eight o’clock when they arrived.

Climbing up to the third floor took some effort, but as Ji Ranyou looked up to confirm the classroom, she froze in the doorway, hardly daring to breathe.

It was the first lecture of the semester, so it wasn’t surprising that the room was packed. But could someone please explain why her friend, Cheng Sisi—the one who always sat in the very back row with her—had claimed a seat in the second row this time?!

Even if it was near the edge…

“I broke up with my boyfriend and decided to turn over a new leaf this semester—to actually study. Once my off-campus lease is up in a few weeks, I’ll move back into the dorm,” Cheng Sisi announced, standing up to let them pass before pushing a bag of candied chestnuts toward them. “So, officially announcing: your two-person world is coming to an end!”

“Turning over a new leaf, my foot. More like you just got tired of our advisor nagging you about living off-campus,” Ji Ranyou teased, taking a few chestnuts before passing the bag to Qin Dai. “Besides, Sisi, you’re already beautiful. You do know that, right?”

Cheng Sisi had soft, elegant features and a delicate frame; her beauty carefully enhanced by skilful makeup. Ever since their previous dormmate, Shen Qingyang, went abroad last semester, she had effortlessly taken over the campus beauty title. She knew the value of her looks, knew how to use them, and never denied it.

“The whole world knows that, so why do you feel the need to point it out?” Cheng Sisi laughed, poking at Ji Ranyou’s dimple before pushing the bag back to her. “Go ahead, eat up. Chestnuts are high in fat, so they’re better off ruining you and Dai’s figures instead.”

“I have the kind of metabolism that won’t let me gain weight,” Qin Dai said as she expertly cracked open a chestnut. Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she turned serious. “Wait, Sisi, are you really serious this time? I know you change boyfriends frequently, but you and Tao Ye have broken up and gotten back together at least five times.”

“As serious as gold,” Cheng Sisi declared with a straight face.

Ji Ranyou cracked open a chestnut and didn’t hesitate to call her bluff. “You say that every time.”

Cheng Sisi: “…”

#Do you still want access to the dorm’s water dispenser?#

Understanding the silent threat in her friend’s glare, Ji Ranyou popped another chestnut into her mouth and mumbled, “Of course, but only if you can actually move the dispenser.”

Knowing she wouldn’t be able to, Cheng Sisi scoffed. “Whatever, little troublemaker. One day, someone’s going to come along and put you in your place.”

“Only someone who isn’t human could handle a troublemaker,” Ji Ranyou retorted. “Either a Tang Monk with a Sun Wukong or—”

She didn’t get to finish. The words lodged in her throat as her peripheral vision caught sight of something—or rather, someone.

She knew top students tended to sit in the front row, but she didn’t expect him to sit at the very edge of the first row. Nor did she expect him to exchange a few words with her roommate before walking toward the innermost seat.

One step, two steps, three steps.

Two meters, one and a half, one…

Then, stopping just two feet away, that composed and indifferent face—what was happening?!

They had interacted before, so they weren’t exactly strangers. After a brief pause, Ji Ranyou curved her lips into a polite smile. To her surprise, Gu Chen nodded slightly in acknowledgment before sitting down. He unzipped his backpack, took out a book and a pen, then zipped it back up and tucked it neatly under his desk—all in a slow, methodical manner exuding effortless composure.

His movements weren’t particularly loud, yet Ji Ranyou found herself hyper-aware of every single one of them, nearly holding her breath as she watched.

---

“Ranyou, hurry up and start the mission! I sent you an invite for the ten o’clock Jade Orb task—why haven’t you accepted yet?”

As a devoted player of Onmyoji, Qin Dai shared Ji Ranyou’s unfortunate luck of never drawing the best Shikigami cards. Their only remaining joy was grinding missions together.

Noticing the lack of response, Qin Dai nudged Ji Ranyou’s arm again. “You’ve been holding your phone for two whole lectures. How many times have you run the dungeon—”

She peeked at Ji Ranyou’s screen and immediately swallowed her words. “Ranyou, don’t tell me you’ve spent the last two hours… staring at the back of your phone?”

“Huh?” Ji Ranyou blinked before hastily pointing at the projector screen. “No, I wasn’t playing! I was paying close attention to the lecture! Didn’t you see the professor mention that group research papers make up sixty percent of our final grade—wait, sixty percent?!”

What was meant to be a distraction tactic backfired the moment she actually read the slide. Startled, Ji Ranyou clutched Qin Dai’s arm. “Dai Bi, can we—”

“No, we can’t.” Qin Dai smiled.

Ji Ranyou panicked. “Wait, what did you just say? The bounty mission? Hold on, I’ll accept—”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but just as she spoke, the professor’s gaze swept over her. She had no choice but to shut up obediently.

“I’ll repeat the grouping rules once more.”

After sipping his tea, the professor placed the cup down. “You all know what the free-rider problem is. I don’t mind if you want to cling to a top student, but I won’t allow dormitory alliances where one person carries the other three.”

“…”

“To prevent that, we’ll be assigning groups by student ID number. Pairs will be formed sequentially—1 with 2, 3 with 4, and so on.”

Ji Ranyou stared blankly. With 60 students in the class but one missing, her ID number 60 effectively made her 59, which meant she was partnered with… student 61…

Gu Chen.

The academically struggling student paired with the national scholarship-winning top scorer?!

Excuse me—what?!

---

Qin Dai’s message popped up in the dorm chat: Sending congratulations to our dear Ranyou, live from the classroom!

Cheng Sisi: Sending congratulations! +1!

Shen Qingyang: Sending congratulations from Berkeley… also, Ranyou forgot her online shopping password again. Reset it, but it says it’s the same as the old one?

Ji Ranyou: Can we move on from that joke from two years ago?! 😤

Qin Dai: Oh, but this new fate of yours with the school idol is worth celebrating!

Ji Ranyou: What fate?!

Before she could argue further, a low, clear voice interrupted from behind her.

“It’s too late to drop out now.”

Startled, Ji Ranyou looked up—only to bite down hard on her own tongue.

And just like that, the air fell eerily silent.

#Nothing’s more terrifying than sudden silence.#