Chu Yi had always been especially endearing since she was little. When she was in kindergarten, all the kids in her class loved playing with her. Whenever they had something delicious or fun, they would always share it with her first.

Not only was she exceptionally cute as a child—with her rosy face and large, black, glassy eyes—she also had a very gentle temperament. She was generous, kind, obedient, and well-behaved.

This personality stayed with her as she grew up and hasn’t changed a bit. Many things that others couldn’t tolerate, she would endure and get through.

In college, there were six of them in the same dorm. Cheng Li was the last to arrive, by which time everyone had already gotten to know each other.

They were all fresh out of high school, a group of girls with plain faces, long black hair, and no makeup. When Cheng Li walked in, she was wearing a short skirt and high heels, with big waves in her hair, exquisite eyeliner, a complete makeup look, and the scent of perfume.

More importantly, she had a boy accompanying her, who was attentively helping her with her luggage.

This scene was deeply etched into everyone’s minds. Not long after the school started, Cheng Li had several different boyfriends, and since she often stayed out, the other girls in the dorm hardly spent time with her.

The initial impression had been negative, and it was hard to change later. Things got worse when a girl’s romantic interest in the dorm suddenly confessed to Cheng Li. The relationships immediately soured, and the others began to isolate her.

They would intentionally ignore her during gatherings, not include her in breakfast, and pause conversations as soon as she arrived.

It was almost like cold treatment.

However, Cheng Li seemed completely unfazed. She continued to be independent and walked with her head held high, like a proud and fearless queen.

Only Chu Yi occasionally spoke to her, usually offering kind reminders.

“Don’t be late for the roll call tomorrow.”

“Here’s the homework assigned for today.”

“The school will cut off water and electricity in the evening, so be prepared.”

Most of the time, Chu Yi stayed with the other girls in the dorm. They treated her very well, like a little sister. Maybe it was because Chu Yi was short and looked young, and her gentle, adorable nature made her very likable.

The change in her relationship with Cheng Li happened one evening when no one else was around. Chu Yi had taken a sick leave and stayed in the dorm. Originally, she was alone, but then Cheng Li came in. She seemed unaware of anyone else’s presence and immediately lay on her bed, crying loudly.

Chu Yi had been sleeping but was woken up by the noise. She peeked out and, seeing it was Cheng Li, hesitated for a long time before cautiously offering a tissue.

“Don’t cry…”

Cheng Li’s crying abruptly stopped. After seeing who it was, she took the tissue and wiped her nose and tears vigorously.

That day, Chu Yi learned that Cheng Li had broken up with her boyfriend of three years. They had been in a cold war for a long time, and those boyfriends Cheng Li had brought around were just to provoke him. In the end, it led to this outcome.

After that, Cheng Li began to frequently seek Chu Yi’s company. The other girls in the dorm were very unhappy about this and even became angry with Chu Yi. The girl who was hurt by the romantic interest reacted most strongly, declaring she would cut ties with Chu Yi.

Chu Yi wasn’t upset and remained kind-hearted. She continued to save seats for them in class, helped with hot water after class, and took detailed notes during exams for everyone to share.

No one could stay angry with her.

She had a remarkable quality of not holding grudges. Once, a girl with a bad temper had yelled at Chu Yi because of a misunderstanding. Even after discovering the truth, she couldn’t bring herself to apologize.

Not long after, the girl needed Chu Yi’s help with something and hesitated for a long time, bracing herself for humiliation. To her surprise, Chu Yi agreed without much thought.

As a result, Chu Yi’s good temper was well-known. Even if she was upset with Qiao Anchen, she would quickly recover her composure.

Qiao Anchen’s feeling on this point wasn’t wrong.

—As long as he stayed silent, Chu Yi would eventually get over it.

However, what he didn’t know was that prolonged neglect and accumulation of grievances could eventually lead to a complete outburst.

After mid-September, Qiao Anchen became busy again, and they reverted to a “cohabitation mode,” barely speaking to each other daily.

Sometimes, Chu Yi wanted to chat with him at night, but Qiao Anchen would fall asleep as soon as he touched the pillow. His daily work drained him so much that he could fall asleep the moment he closed his eyes.

Unnoticed, the National Day long holiday arrived.

October 1st was a special day because it was also Qiao Anchen’s birthday. He celebrated it along with the country’s National Day.

This was something Tian Wan had told Chu Yi. She was surprised and found it amusing.

It was hard to imagine someone celebrating their birthday on National Day. As the national flag slowly rises, cannons fire, and the grand military parade unfolds with advanced weapons displaying national power, all to celebrate the country’s birthday.

What would it be like for someone whose birthday falls on the same day to witness all of this?

Indifferent, accustomed to it, or perhaps feeling proud?

Chu Yi believed Qiao Anchen would definitely be the first.