Xia Fu wasn’t good at public speaking. She had joined this competition solely because of a financial agreement, yet as she faced the applauding crowd below the stage, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.

[None of them can beat me]

Sitting in the audience, listening to others speak only made her more certain of this; her team would be impossible to surpass.

When the dust settled, Xia Fu and Fang Jingcheng stood side by side on the scarlet carpet, each accepting congratulations from the judges and guests.

“Congratulations.”

The young man with black hair lowered his gaze, his cool, smooth hand briefly overlapping hers, feeling almost like some kind of jade. Even though they were family, he seemed too aloof, and Xia Fu realized Fang Siyu might truly not care much for his younger brother.

The young man’s indifferent expression stood in stark contrast to the triumphant Fang Jingcheng.

A freshman, winning a university-level award.

For years, this was something Fang Jingcheng hadn’t even dared to imagine.

After finally dimming his brother’s spotlight, he should have been savoring the sight of Fang Siyu’s sullen face, feeling satisfied that “he’s just like anyone else.” But right now, his thoughts had already flitted away like a small bird, lightly landing on Xia Fu’s shoulder.

Fang Jingcheng looked at her, his blue eyes sparkling like the rippling sea on a bright spring day, possessing an allure that made one willingly sink into them.

“I knew you could do it.”

“Do you even know how charming you looked answering those questions? When did you practice your speech? Did you…?”

Did you practice by… watching me?

Did she like the way he spoke? Was that why, with those cat-like bright eyes, she quietly tried to capture his style?

He felt an urge to hold her close, to softly ask her true thoughts.

But that was a secret joy he kept deep in his heart; if he said it out loud, it would lose its original sweetness.

He preferred to let it simmer when it was just the two of them.

“Excuse me, can you take a few more photos of us together?”

Fang Jingcheng turned his head, taking the initiative to chat with the photographer invited by the PR department, using the shared frame to restrain his longing for closer gestures.

Being the “youngest champion” came with its own buzz, and with two attractive, well-dressed young people, the school wouldn’t pass up such a good PR opportunity.

“You two look great on camera; would you mind if we posted these on the college homepage?”

“I’ll have to pick some first.”

Fang Jingcheng, standing close to Xia Fu, carefully chose photos, but just as he spoke, his phone vibrated in his pocket.

Seeing the caller ID, his smile widened. He gently nudged the camera aside and nodded to Xia Fu. “It’s my family calling. How about we look at these later?”

When someone achieves something, the person they most want to share it with is naturally the one closest to their heart. Xia Fu knew she was just nearby by chance, close enough to catch Fang Jingcheng’s smile.

After all, his reason for competing was to make his family proud…

Genuinely happy for him, Xia Fu’s lips curled slightly, and she gave his shoulder a gentle nudge, pushing him toward the call.

“Go on, pick it up; your family must be really proud of you. I’ll sit here for a while—I’m still so nervous my face is burning.”

“Okay, I’ll be right back.”

Fang Jingcheng had no reason to suspect otherwise and, with a grateful smile, turned away. “Hello, Grandma—”

When Fang Jingcheng wasn’t looking, Xia Fu’s smile slowly faded. She didn’t enjoy watching other people’s harmonious family lives; that kind of warmth only highlighted her own solitude. After quickly picking a few photos, she went to the restroom to freshen up.

The School of Finance’s small auditorium had hosted various competitions, with all the necessary equipment in place. There was even a makeup room beside the stage, complete with a large mirror framed with light bulbs, adding a touch of a celebrity dressing room feel.

Xia Fu stared at her reflection in the mirror, feeling like a “brand new” version of herself.

After sitting in the audience all morning, her face showed a hint of fatigue. She wanted to wash her face with water, but looking at her delicate, lotus-like face, she hesitated to remove her makeup.

The suit dress she wore was a choice Fang Jingcheng had made. A dress worth ten thousand had its reasons for being pricey. The structured shoulder pads supported her slim back, and the streamlined design emphasized her waist, while the black fabric, interwoven with thin silver threads, gave off a mesmerizing sheen under the light—low-key yet luxurious. It made her look like a model on the runway. Even when washing her hands, she was careful not to let water splash onto the dress.

Wearing such a beautiful outfit, her delicate face seemed to pale in comparison.

The celebrity makeup artist Fang Jingcheng hired had spent thousands just on her makeup and styling.

When she saw herself in the full-length mirror, she realized she couldn’t wear sneakers with this suit. Smooth stockings, polished patent leather shoes, and a pricey handbag added to the cost.

And it wasn’t just the clothes—how could she be without jewelry? People would think she’d spent all her money on these so-called “big pieces,” making her look cheap and deliberate!

So, on her fair earlobes, she wore round pearl earrings. Since Xia Fu didn’t want to wear a brooch, Fang Jingcheng had fished out a small box from his car and handed it to her.

“I think it still looks a little plain.”

“My grandmother always says girls your age should dress up a bit. Every holiday, when our extended family comes to visit, she’ll gift me plenty of gold chains, silver bangles, and little things like agate pieces. She even wears several jade bracelets that clink together. They do look nice, and they’d go well with this black outfit.”

“Consider it a little sparkly accessory to wear for fun. I hope you like it.”

This was Fang Jingcheng’s way of expressing his support. Whether she won the award or not, he would still give her the money.

The warm-toned rose gold bracelet, studded with tiny diamonds like a sky full of stars, sparkled against Xia Fu’s soft pink nails.

As Fang Jingcheng slid the bracelet onto her wrist, it felt like he was putting a fragile shackle on her, making her wary of even scratching any of the tiny stones.

Matching clothes was like a bottomless pit; you could throw money in without hearing a sound. After all this dressing up, it seemed less like she was wearing the clothes, and more like the clothes were wearing her.

But only this way could she truly shine and stand beside him without looking out of place.

It should stop here. This was already enough.

With her current finances, this was probably her only chance to wear such an outfit. Any piece of it mixed with her usual clothing would just look awkward, making her appear like a crude joke.

The competition had been a brief intersection in her and Fang Jingcheng’s lives. She’d received her prize, and from the moment the competition ended, they should have no further entanglements. At most, if he didn’t go home tonight, she could extend their time together with the excuse of a celebratory dinner.

But if his interest in her went beyond the competition, then… what would their relationship become?

And what was it she wanted?

Standing in front of the mirror, Xia Fu slowly traced her beautiful yet unfamiliar face with her fingertips, silently observing this hidden side within her.

Before she left the makeup room, the makeup artist handed her a small bag filled with makeup samples. They assured her the makeup should last until the end of the competition, but if there were any events later, she could use them for touch-ups.

Xia Fu unscrewed the lip gloss, carefully filling in her thin lips, watching the lovely rose shade gradually spread over her pale lips as her smile curved slightly.

Before the magic wore off, she wanted to stay beautiful just a little longer.

…

Fang Jingcheng sat in the back row of the audience. Initially, he was full of anticipation as he answered the call, but as the conversation continued, his excitement waned.

“Your grandmother isn’t too savvy with live streaming, so your dad came home to cast it on the TV. Oh my, oh my! There’s my grandson. Your dad thought it was a bit over the top, but later he even asked if you’d be coming home for dinner. He kept a straight face, but I could tell he was pleased.”

He skipped the small talk and got to the point.

“Did Mom come home today?”

The elderly woman wasn’t thrilled about him bringing up his mom. Every conversation was inevitably filled with complaints, criticizing her humble background and her “difficult” personality, down to her “useless” womb.

“Nope, probably off somewhere overseas on business again. Always running around after marriage without acting like a mother! Siyu’s health issues back then were definitely because of that. Then she finally had you, and I rushed to raise you, or who knows what would have happened? And now Siyu, he’s grown so distant from me…”

“It’s alright. You’re at home, Grandma, so it must be tiring. I’ll bring you your favorite dishes when I come back…”

Business, business—was there really that much business to attend to? His mood dampened as he continued, “Thanks, Grandma. I’d like to go out to eat with my teammates tonight. I’ll come back this weekend to spend some time with you.” After a moment’s hesitation, he made an international call to his mom.

First ring, second ring, third ring…

Fang Jingcheng silently counted the rings.

Finally, just as the call was about to end, she picked up, her cold voice tinged with a hint of impatience.

“Yes, Jingcheng? Is it something urgent? I’m in the waiting room at the research center, and I just managed to schedule with this cardiac doctor.”

He didn’t understand her schedule and wasn’t calling to show off, but somehow, he always seemed to say things that irritated her.

He tilted his head, resting it on the seat back with a helpless chuckle.

“It’s nothing. I won first place in the modeling competition I mentioned last time.”

The woman sighed, suddenly sounding even more tired.

“Hmm. You’re studying for yourself, as long as you know that. Don’t get arrogant about it. If Siyu hadn’t had health issues and needed time off, he’d be capable of achieving that too. Alright, if that’s all, I’ll hang up now.”

She gave him one begrudging compliment, then abruptly ended the call with a click.

…

Xia Fu found Fang Jingcheng.

“…Are you okay?”

The competition was over, and all the teachers and students had left. The banner had been taken down, swept into the green trash bin along with the colorful confetti. The lights were dimmed, and the heavy velvet curtain was tightly closed. Only a janitor was bending down, searching under the seats for stray plastic bottles.

The young man was sitting in the back corner of the auditorium, possibly to make space for the cleaning. One leg was drawn up, his chin resting on his knee, his downcast face reminding Xia Fu of a child left behind at the park. As evening fell, the sky grew darker, friends left one by one, and he alone remained, waiting at the same spot.

Until she called his name softly, her slender figure filling his gaze again, the gloom surrounding Fang Jingcheng slowly faded.

He seemed revitalized, looking up to her with a smile.

“Hm? I’m fine. Got a bit more pocket money too. To celebrate the competition, how about we go out for a little fun tonight?”

Now, you’re like me, with no one to share your joy with.

Xia Fu gazed at him intently, finally making up her mind.

“Alright, let’s go out.”

“Only… this time, can I treat you? I want to go to the restaurant where we first met.”