It was lunchtime. Sunlight filtered through the lush, emerald-green needles of the pine trees, scattering dappled, shimmering spots on the ground. Standing beneath the tree, Song Shixi watched as Chen Huili wept pitifully before her and couldn’t help but sigh softly, handing her a tissue at just the right moment.  

“It’s not that I don’t want to help you, but the timing is so tight—I’m afraid I won’t be up to the task…”  

Before she could finish, Chen Huili grabbed her outstretched hand.  

“I know it’s short notice, but Comrade Song, your skills are undeniable. The script isn’t difficult at all—the group parts are already handled. You’d only need to practice a small solo section. I wouldn’t have come to ask you if we weren’t truly desperate. Please, I beg you.”  

In just a few days, Chen Huili’s once clear and melodious voice had turned raspy and strained. The string of words came out with great effort, her voice cracking with emotion by the end.  

Every year on Labor Day, universities across the capital gathered at Huaqing University for a joint gala, and this year was no exception. Their school had prepared two performances early on: a folk dance and a poetry recitation.  

The poetry recitation, organized by the school’s recitation team, was a guaranteed award-winner every year, making it a priority for the school administration.  

Chen Huili, with her delicate looks and impeccable Mandarin, had been groomed as a core member of the recitation team since her freshman year. She had performed at last year’s gala and was set to take the stage again this year, even securing a spot in the front row.  

But three days ago, she suddenly caught a cold. After a high fever, her voice turned hoarse. She had hoped to recover before the gala, but instead, her condition worsened—to the point of losing her voice entirely.  

With the event just around the corner, she had no choice but to withdraw. But her absence left a gap that needed filling, and the recitation team couldn’t find a suitable replacement on such short notice.  

Just as everyone was growing frantic, Chen Huili thought of Song Shixi and came to the backstreet to plead for her help.  

Song Shixi pressed her lips together but finally said, “You’re still sick. You shouldn’t talk so much.”  

Hearing this, Chen Huili’s face fell, as if she had resigned herself to despair.  

Unable to bear the sight, Song Shixi averted her gaze—only to catch a glimpse of a few girls standing not far away. They seemed to have guessed the outcome, their expressions crestfallen. Two of them even had tears in their eyes, looking utterly pitiful.  

Song Shixi hadn’t expected that the short recitation she’d once performed in public—just to build rapport and sell more clothes—would lead to this.  

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to help, but stepping in for someone else was thankless work. If she did well, all would be fine. But if she messed up…  

Yet, seeing these girls on the verge of tears—and considering how often they’d brought friends to her shop lately—she couldn’t bring herself to refuse again. Chen Huili had even bought three dresses just moments ago without haggling.  

With a sigh, Song Shixi relented. “Fine, I’ll do it.”  

The moment the words left her mouth, Chen Huili’s head snapped up in disbelief. Tears still glistened in her eyes, but her lips stretched into a wide grin—her expression a comical mix of crying and laughing. Song Shixi couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight before quickly schooling her features.  

“But let me be clear—if anything goes wrong…”  

“Don’t worry, Comrade Song! None of us would blame you. How could we? You’re saving us!” Chen Huili rambled in her strange, raspy voice, words tumbling out in a rush.  

Finally, the two locked eyes and burst into laughter at the same time.  

Seeing them laugh, the girls nearby hurried over. After confirming the good news, they hugged each other excitedly.  

Over the next two days, Song Shixi practiced the script whenever she had time. After several rehearsals with the recitation team, she finally passed the teacher’s inspection just before the gala. They even offered to add her name to the program, earning her extra credits.  

It was an unexpected bonus. In high spirits, Song Shixi boarded the bus to Huaqing University with the recitation team.  

The sunlight streaming through the windows was a little harsh, lulling her into drowsiness. But the girls around her were buzzing with energy, chattering nonstop.  

Seated near the back, Song Shixi exchanged idle chatter with Chen Huili, whose voice had improved but remained slightly hoarse.  

As the bus rolled through Huaqing University’s gates, colorful banners and streamers lined the road, filling the air with festive energy. The bus parked directly outside the auditorium, where vehicles from other schools were already stationed. The group quieted down and followed their teacher inside.  

Dressed in qipaos, the girls drew plenty of attention. Students from other schools kept stealing glances, making some of the shyer ones blush.  

Song Shixi, long accustomed to such looks, paid no mind. Just as she was about to hurry into the venue, she spotted the bus from Capital University out of the corner of her eye.  

A thought struck her—in the novel, the female lead and the second male lead had been perennial partners at university events before their breakup. Her heart sank. *Surely luck isn’t this bad?*  

But the more she feared something, the more likely it was to happen. Right after the first rehearsal, as she stepped offstage, Song Shixi spotted Qin Zhiyi and Li Yanxing chatting backstage. Their striking looks and protagonist auras made them impossible to miss.  

Gritting her teeth, Song Shixi quickly lowered her head. Mumbling an excuse about needing the restroom to Chen Huili, she hurried down the hallway.

Who knew that in her haste, she accidentally bumped into someone the moment she turned the corner.

“Sorry!”  

Song Shixi immediately apologized and bent down to pick up the object the other person had dropped. Only when she held it in her hands did she realize it was a Walkman—an expensive gadget. Thankfully, after a quick inspection, it seemed undamaged, and she let out a small sigh of relief.  

Just as she was about to return it, the Walkman was snatched away by the person’s companion, accompanied by a sharp, accusatory voice.  

“Can’t you watch where you’re going? If this broke, could you even afford to pay for it?”  

“Yeah, Xu Nian, check if it’s damaged. If it is, make her compensate you.”  

Though the words were harsh, she was at fault. Song Shixi kept her expression neutral and looked up at them. “If it’s broken, I’ll pay for it.”  

Gao Xu Nian took his Walkman back from his classmate. It had been a gift from his older brother, bought in Hong Kong, and he treasured it dearly. Seeing it dropped naturally made his heart ache, and his brows furrowed. But since the one who bumped into him was a female student, he decided to let it go.  

Without inspecting it too carefully, he said, “It’s fine, you—”  

The rest of his words died in his throat the moment he got a clear look at her face. His pupils dilated slightly, and he swallowed hard, trying to suppress the sudden pounding in his chest—but it was useless. His heartbeat raced like a wild horse, completely out of control.  

She wore a soft pink qipao that accentuated her graceful figure, with delicate white orchid embroidery along the hem. The high slit revealed glimpses of her long legs as she moved, and her black hair was pinned up in a simple bun with a wooden hairpin, framing her lightly made-up face. She looked like a peony in full bloom under the misty rain of Jiangnan—radiant and breathtaking.  

One glance was all it took for Gao Xu Nian to abruptly change his mind.  

“There are a lot of delicate parts inside. I’m not sure if anything’s damaged. How about this—after the performance, we can find a repairman to check it out?”  

Song Shixi’s brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. It was a reasonable suggestion, but what if, after they parted, he tampered with the Walkman to extort money from her?  

As if reading her thoughts, he immediately handed the Walkman back to her as proof of his sincerity. “If you’re worried, you can hold onto it for now.”  

The young man wore a military-green uniform, his skin tanned a warm wheat color. He stood tall with a straight back, exuding youthful vigor. His hair was cropped short, accentuating his handsome, well-defined features. A small black mole sat right in the middle of his right cheek, adding a touch of inexplicable charm when he smiled.  

Caught off guard by his perceptiveness, Song Shixi felt a flicker of embarrassment. She eyed the Walkman but didn’t take it, instead raising a brow. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll just run off with it?”  

Hearing her words, Gao Xu Nian’s eyes curved into crescents as he looked at her and said deliberately, “We’re both university students. I trust you won’t run.”  

His smile was disarmingly innocent, but Song Shixi didn’t miss the sly glint in his eyes.  

Trust her? They were strangers—what trust was there to speak of?  

Tonight’s gala was important, and everyone backstage was a performer from one of the major universities. As long as he remembered her outfit, he could easily track down her school—and by extension, her.  

Likewise, finding him wouldn’t be hard either.  

With that in mind, Song Shixi reached out and took the Walkman. “Don’t worry, I won’t run. But the gala will end late. Do you have time tomorrow? I’ll cover the fare—you can come to my school, and we’ll settle this.”  

It would cost her a bit more, but her campus was her “territory”—convenient, efficient, and safe.  

The question was whether he’d be willing to make the trip.  

Luckily, he agreed the next second.  

“Any time after one works for me.”  

She only had classes in the morning tomorrow, leaving her afternoon free. She’d originally planned to go apartment-hunting, but this little mishap had thrown a wrench in her plans. She’d just have to postpone it.  

“Then let’s make it one o’clock.”  

Once the time and place were settled, Song Shixi turned to leave—but after just two steps, he called out to her again.  

“I don’t even know your name yet.”  

“Song Shixi.”  

Gao Xu Nian silently repeated the name in his mind, the smile on his lips deepening. As she walked further away, he quickly called after her, “I’m Gao Xu Nian!”  

She didn’t pause. Whether she heard him or not was unclear.  

“Done staring? She’s already gone!”  

His classmate’s teasing voice snapped him out of his daze, but Gao Xu Nian just shrugged. “What’s wrong with looking at someone that pretty?”  

With that, he strode off ahead.