The next second—

Ji Ranyou took the napkin Qin Dai handed her, intending to spit out the chestnut gracefully. But just as she was about to do so, she hesitated, reluctant to waste the fragrant flavor filling her mouth. She sneakily rolled it back in, completely forgetting that she was injured…

With a crisp crack, Ji Ranyou sucked in a sharp breath, wincing in pain. Around her, the onlookers couldn’t hold back their laughter, chuckling one after another.

Even Gu Chen, usually composed and indifferent, leaned against the desk, the corners of his lips subtly curving upward.

His delicate features were hidden behind black-rimmed glasses, and as he smiled, his gaze skimmed over the soft flutter of her long lashes, the gentle curve of her nose, and the faint pink hue of her lips—finally settling on her fair, flushed earlobe.

Knock knock.

He tapped his fingers lightly on Ji Ranyou’s desk before taking a seat and looking at her.

“Team up?”

Though phrased as a question, it carried an air of certainty.

As she swallowed the chestnut, Ji Ranyou weighed her options—being outshined by the academic star or struggling alone like a headless chicken, unable to even choose a research topic. Deciding that the latter was worse, she wiped the crumbs from her book and swiftly recited a string of numbers:

“This is my phone number, you can save it.”

She paused, sensing something off. Adjusting her approach, she added politely, “Or you can give me yours, and I’ll save it instead.”

Her tone was sincere, her expression radiating the perfect mix of flattery and subtle bootlicking.

Yet, Gu Chen didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, he simply studied her quietly.

Ji Ranyou felt his gaze linger on her for so long that her ears started to heat up. Just as she was about to check if something was on her face, he shook his head slightly.

“I already have it,” he finally said. “I’m just informing you.”

Informing… her?

“Informing?”

Whether it was her habit as a writer dictating her characters’ emotions or her dissatisfaction with his unshakable confidence, Ji Ranyou frowned seriously and asked, “Why is it informing?”

“Why not?”

“You’re so sure I’d team up with you? What if I don’t want to? What if I want to work alone—”

Before she could finish, Qin Dai poked the back of her hand repeatedly. Ji Ranyou turned to her roommate.

“DaiBi, am I wrong?”

Qin Dai glanced cautiously at Gu Chen, who remained composed as ever.

“…”

#You’re not wrong, as long as you’re happy.#

Xu Wei had the same baffled expression, while Cheng Sisi admired her boldness: Damn, Ranyou, you’re amazing.

Ji Ranyou, accustomed to being assertive in the writing community, didn’t think she had been too forceful. But when she turned back to Gu Chen, her tone softened instinctively.

“We still have to team up, but can’t I challenge my teammate a little…?”

Thinking for a moment, she muttered, “Where was I? Oh, right. What if I don’t want to team up with you and want to work alone—”

“But,” Gu Chen interrupted, “I don’t want to be alone.”

His voice was as calm as ever, but those few words were so thick with weight that they froze all of Ji Ranyou’s thoughts in place.

She stared at him blankly as he smoothed the hem of his blue plaid shirt and then looked up at her.

One word at a time, he repeated, “But, Ji Ranyou, I don’t want to be alone.”

It was clearly about the project, yet his serious tone carried an undeniable intimacy… and Ji Ranyou was not immune to it.

Xu Wei nearly dropped his jaw in shock, blurting out, “Fourth bro—” before Gu Chen silenced him with a mere glance.

Outside the window, birds chirped freely in the autumn sky, their carefree melody breaking through the clouds, casting light onto her startled expression—and reflecting in his eyes, shining impossibly bright.

---

Later That Evening

By her third year, Ji Ranyou’s class schedule had lightened. Apart from an elective course every other Tuesday night, most of her classes were in the morning.

Having resigned from the student council, Qin Dai had a lot more free time. That day, after their econometrics class, she spent the entire afternoon in the dorm with Ji Ranyou.

She first listened to Ji Ranyou passionately discuss her ideas for the project and later heard her gossiping in a voice chat with her writer friends.

All the while, Qin Dai played her mobile game, occasionally glancing at Ji Ranyou—seemingly distracted, yet as if wanting to say something.

By 10 PM, Ji Ranyou finally finished writing her chapter update. She took off her headphones and went to fill her cup at the water dispenser.

“DaiBi, what’s wrong? I uploaded my update… Don’t look at me like that.”

“It’s not about me,” Qin Dai grabbed her arm. “It’s about you.”

Ji Ranyou took a sip of water. “Me? What about me?”

“You and the campus god.”

Qin Dai squinted, recalling the earlier scene before analyzing it with great enthusiasm.

“First of all, Gu Chen—he likes to be alone. Why would he insist on teaming up with you, even phrasing it like a non-negotiable announcement?”

“How should I know… Also, why call me a loser? Can’t you at least say trash? At least trash can be eaten…”

“Shut up.” Catching Ji Ranyou’s slight nervousness, Qin Dai narrowed her eyes. “Then there’s you—you don’t even like talking to classmates, so why did you suddenly challenge him like that? And the weirdest part—he didn’t even get annoyed! Instead, he said, ‘I don’t want to be alone’.”

“…What the hell?!”

Ji Ranyou knew his gesture of fixing his shirt meant he was referring to her cup of black tea. She also knew that his calm yet commanding aura was dangerously attractive to her.

Still, she feigned ignorance.

“What the hell? It was just a normal conversation between classmates. What else could it be?”

“I don’t know how to explain it, but the way you two looked at each other wasn’t normal.” Qin Dai thought for a moment before bluntly concluding, “It was like… like some kind of unholy alliance—a mutual understanding after conspiring together.”

Ji Ranyou: “…”

#Shocked and speechless.JPG#
#Was this really her dear literary-quoting Dai?#

---

Ji Ranyou didn’t usually go home on weekends, but she set aside three days each month for a mysterious trip—one so secret that even Qin Dai hadn’t figured out where she went.

As it was nearing the National Day holiday, security checks at transportation hubs were stricter, causing delays. By the time Ji Ranyou returned to campus on Sunday, it was already close to 4 PM.

Her dorm group chat immediately lit up.

Qin Dai: Two kilos of kiwi, make sure they’re soft. Wash them and wait for me in the dorm. Love ya~

Cheng Sisi: There’s a new bakery at the end of Fruit Street. Their almond pastries are amazing. Since you actually left campus, buy a few jars to stock up!

While waiting at a traffic light, Ji Ranyou replied with a series of emojis.

She didn’t notice the figure in a cap and face mask, wrapped up tightly, adjusting their fogged-up glasses before heading into the lively food street…