Today was a relaxed, comfortable day. The large apartment was occupied solely by Xia Fu. Rather than feeling lonely or worried about disturbing the order of the household, she savored a sense of boundless freedom. It was like a summer morning when kids send their parents off and are left with a fragrant pot of stew, captivating TV shows ready to be enjoyed, and a note on the dining table expressing care—things she’d never experienced before.

Fang Jingcheng’s “note” came in the form of text messages sent from time to time, and lunch was a business lunch box. Afternoon tea was herbal tea brewed in a glass pot, emitting a soothing jasmine fragrance, with a small three-tiered dessert stand holding a cloud-like cake on one of the trays.

Though his apartment was located in the bustling city center, its soundproofing was excellent. With the windows closed, the only noise was the faint hum of the ventilation system. It was no wonder Fang Jingcheng once complained to her about how the house was almost too quiet.

It wasn’t until after five, when Xia Fu had finished her planned study load, that she fully understood this sentiment. She managed to turn on his high-end sound system, and as the city radio’s soft music filled the air, she leaned on the balcony under the warm glow of the lights, snacks in hand, gazing down at the bustling night view of the Bund.

Watching one streetlight after another flicker on, the colors from the skyscraper billboards grew more vibrant as night descended, and the cars on the road below moved like miniature toy models. She found herself wondering, rather idly, which one of them would be bringing Fang Jingcheng back home.

Lost in her own thoughts, she was jolted back to reality when she heard a soft “click” as someone unlocked the door.

“So dark,” Fang Jingcheng muttered, fumbling for the main switch in the twilight. As the lights suddenly lit up, he turned toward her with a cheerful smile, “I’m back!”

It was as if the entire world brightened with his presence, but Xia Fu couldn’t let herself show too much excitement.

This wasn’t some romance TV show or a kids’ game of playing house. Did she really need to say something like that?

Slowly shuffling over to him, she stiffly murmured, “Mm, welcome back.”

But Fang Jingcheng pulled her into a tight embrace. Lowering his head, he took a deep breath of her scent around her neck and sighed, “I missed you.” Like a little puppy, he rubbed his head against her, his tousled hair tickling her and making her laugh.

Love was always mutual, and it seemed that her presence lit up his eyes, too.

A little bit of ceremony wasn’t so bad after all.

Infected by his joy, Xia Fu relaxed a bit. She wrapped her arms around his waist and asked gently, “Did you enjoy going home? Grandma didn’t nag you, did she?”

Fang Jingcheng chuckled softly, patting her back. “No, I actually told her about our relationship. When she heard I had a girlfriend, she was pretty happy and bombarded me with questions. I told her that my Xia Fu is a student of Teacher Zhou and even won a national award this year,” he said, a touch of pride in his voice.

This was her one point of pride, something impressive within the university but seeming insignificant compared to generations of accumulated wealth. Talking too much about it might even seem embarrassing.

Ever since she’d had a younger brother, Grandma and Zhang Mei’s standard for judging all girls her age had become whether they were “good enough to join the Xia family.”

Xia Fu didn’t know how much city people and country folk differed in this regard. She’d had enough of being measured like a commodity, so she directly asked the key question, “Did she find out about my family?”

Fang Jingcheng hesitated, his voice slightly faster as he replied, “She knows…but it doesn’t matter. Background doesn’t define who you are. She said you’re excellent and resilient, and she even told me to take extra care of you, so you don’t leave me, this silly brat. That’s why I came back so early.”

Straightening up, he held her shoulders and looked directly into her eyes, speaking carefully, “It’s fine.” To support his conclusion, he pulled out his phone and showed her. “Remember we talked about getting a custom dress and dancing at the restaurant ballroom? My grandma mentioned she has some silk fabric and wanted to ask if you’d like it.”

Fang Xiyu, who had lost her husband in her forties, had placed even greater emphasis on family order and completeness as a widow. She would ensure coordinated colors for her son’s cufflinks, her own scarf, and her daughter-in-law’s brooch at important gatherings. But Fang Xiyu had also looked down on Meng Hanshan’s common origins and lack of understanding of family etiquette, dictating her attire.

She indeed had a good eye for clothing; the colors she picked suited a widow’s attire well, making even her new daughter-in-law look like she was in mourning.

In the photos Fang Jingcheng had gathered, the family raised their glasses toward the camera, his young and somber mother dressed in dignified yet outdated attire, her smile forced and appearing like a dusty porcelain figure. Later, that gentle demeanor faded away, and clad in a high-end suit, she appeared cold and sharp, estranged from her husband and miles apart from Fang Xiyu’s taste for cheongsams.

Hearing his grandma wanted to custom-make a dress for Xia Fu this time made Fang Jingcheng’s heart sink. He didn’t want to reject Fang Xiyu’s kindness, but he feared the color might be too mature and wouldn’t appeal to Xia Fu. So, he had visited the family tailor beforehand to look for some wiggle room.

Surprisingly, Fang Xiyu’s taste had taken a turn this time, choosing a piece of cloud brocade that was pure as moonlight. Standing in front of that precious fabric, Fang Jingcheng felt a mix of relief and melancholy, speechless for a long time—

So, she did know how to pick; she knew what young people liked.

Grandma had taken a first step, but what about his mother?

If he told her he was dating, would she be touched by this change in their family, or would she see him as further resembling his manipulative father?

Fang Jingcheng didn’t dare to gamble on the possibility, so he drove away, eager to return to Xia Fu and present her with the gift of reconciliation. “Do you like this fabric? A white background with silver floral patterns, and the tailor recommended an open sleeve with lace for young girls—it’d look beautiful.”

It was as if moonlight itself had been woven into the fabric; even through the screen, Xia Fu could tell it was precious. She sincerely praised, “It’s gorgeous. I’ve never worn silk before.”

“Really? As long as you like it.”

Fang Jingcheng’s lips curled in a small smile. He looked down and smoothly changed the subject, “I also brought a lot of snacks from home. Hungry? Take a look and see what you want.”

His rare visit home had prompted his grandmother to ask the housekeeper to prepare several home-cooked dishes, enough for a full meal with just a little reheating. After catching up on the latest popular art film, it was time for the couple to spend some quiet time together.

Unlike last night’s indulgence, Fang Jingcheng was much gentler tonight, softly comforting her, his hand rubbing her lightly trembling shoulder. “Did my arm weigh down on you last night?”

Still lost in the pleasant afterglow, Xia Fu lazily complained, “Mm, your arm was heavy. I tried moving it a few times but couldn’t, so I ended up patting you.” As payback, she gave his arm a little pinch.

With a pout, he elongated his tone, mumbling a fuzzy apology, “Sorry, I was wrong. Is this better?” He turned sideways, curling his strong body, placing his hands cautiously in front of him, barely touching her—

Trying to minimize contact but not willing to be too far away.

Xia Fu couldn’t help but sigh. A guy almost six feet tall, no matter how he shifted, could hardly look petite. To her, Fang Jingcheng was still too solid. If she were to hold him like a guy, her arm would dangle off the bed. But if she ignored him and only leaned slightly, he’d look so pitiful.

After a moment of silence, she slowly turned toward him and extended her palm. Sharing their breaths, she placed her hand on top of his, fitting herself into the small gap beside him.

And Fang Jingcheng, resisting the urge to hold her, just gripped the sheet tightly.

There was something he hadn’t told Xia Fu. Apart from his grandma, Fang Xiyu, there was another person judging their relationship.

The only family member who knew about him pursuing Xia Fu was Fang Siyu, that unpredictable person.

On his way back, Fang Jingcheng had called his brother, questioning him harshly, “What exactly did you do?”

“Why did you tell Grandma in advance? If you have an issue, take it out on me, don’t make things hard for her!”

The company’s busy figure seemed to have expected this, as the call, unlike usual, didn’t go to voicemail but connected directly to Fang Siyu.

“Why would I do that? If I wanted to make things difficult for her, wouldn’t I have acted before you involved Chen Xinhong’s guardian?”

His tone was calm, confident in his own intentions.

“I just wanted her to know a few things. If you were dating someone from our circle, fine, but you had to get involved with a girl who’s all on her own. You went all out to win her heart, growing closer each step, but you haven’t told her what she’ll face in the future… it’s too unfair.”

Speaking of Xia Fu’s situation, the man’s voice even had a hint of regret, “You’ve already played hero once—can’t that be enough for you?”

It was happening again. Back when they partnered for the math modeling competition, Fang Siyu had feigned sympathy, speaking of “feeling sorry for her.” Now he was taking it upon himself to characterize their relationship as Fang Jingcheng’s one-sided, self-satisfying performance.

Though they weren’t close, this man liked to act as the elder brother, speaking with noble-sounding principles and treating him like a troublemaking kid.

Everyone pitied Fang Siyu for the talent he gained at the expense of his health. Fang Jingcheng had been a backup for his brother since birth.

He knew he didn’t measure up to his brother, which fueled his anger.

Without hesitation, Fang Jingcheng hung up, saying, “Stay out of it.”

What was so pitiful? Isn’t everything good now? He would make Xia Fu happy.

Looking at her peaceful sleeping face, he didn’t want to wake from this beautiful dream.

…

The “Elite Class” supplementary interviews were scheduled for a week before the start of school, with Group A and Group B simultaneously assessing students. Three days after the interview, the admission list would be announced.

Zhou Hongxia had recently been promoted to vice dean, and a teacher from her research group was one of the interviewers. Due to teacher-student dynamics, he was assigned to Group B and couldn’t grade Xia Fu, but that night he excitedly presented the ranking results to Zhou Hongxia.

Xia Fu’s temporary summer dorm was officially transferred to her, and after moving the last of her things, she was all settled. Her roommates in the four-person room began returning as well. According to the dorm rules set in their freshman year, they would go out to a cheap stir-fry place before classes resumed, wishing each other a smooth semester.

It was a girls-only event, so Xia Fu insisted on treating as a way to celebrate her Elite Class acceptance, her move to the new dorm, and to thank them for their support when she had to borrow money to pay off debts.

“I have to treat you guys. I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. At the start of school, I was so nervous. I came from a small place with no money, no fashion sense, and no idea of trends. And I was in a different major, so I worried I’d have nothing in common with you all.”

“But Xiaowei was the first to talk to me and even shared snacks from home. I’m not much help other than cleaning and tutoring, but you all still invited me to hang out, and even chatted with me before bed. Later, when I had family issues, I couldn’t even contribute to the utilities or pay back for snacks… yet you were still there. Without you guys, I’d have been digging in trash cans by now.”

With her burdens lifted, Xia Fu was much more open, her voice choked with tears as she spoke, making everyone a bit teary.

One of them took a big swig of plum wine, slamming the glass down on the table, laughing, “We’re all here from all over the place, and it’s fate that brought us together! Don’t you dare talk down about yourself, okay? You’re just a bit shy, that’s all!”

Another sniffled, asking, “Are you moving out? It’ll feel a bit lonely without you in our four-person room, but we’ll still be friends!”

Realizing she’d made things too emotional, Xia Fu was a little embarrassed. She wiped her eyes and added with a smile, “You’re welcome to visit any time. If it’s too late for the bathroom, you can shower at my place.”

“Wow, Elite Class perks, huh? So convenient!”

They chatted and laughed, and it seemed they’d never run out of topics.

Ji Xiaowei, her closest friend, was the most sentimental and had drunk the most. Leaning her head on Xia Fu’s shoulder, she murmured, “That’s great… Is everything okay at home now?”

Xia Fu stroked her friend’s soft hair, replying, “Mm, no more debts.”

“That’s wonderful.”

Ji Xiaowei closed her eyes with a relieved, silly smile.

Their sophomore year began amid the girls’ laughter.

Xia Fu smoothly received her new “Elite Class” schedule, which included special electives besides her regular courses. After the recent success of the modeling competition, the school had launched a collaboration with local companies, bringing in executives to teach trial classes in the Elite Class. Students who completed reports could earn credits, and the first name on the corporate directory was “Blue Star Group.”

It was the ultimate easy course for rich kids and a golden ticket for diligent students looking to intern early, quickly filling up each term. But knowing who might be teaching from “Blue Star Group” made Fang Jingcheng uneasy.

Worried, he sought out the teaching secretary he was familiar with, realizing that sometimes, what you fear most just happens.

Even if he didn’t sign up, Fang Siyu might still appear around Xia Fu.