After dinner, Shen Nanxing returned to his room, carefully placing his new collectible figure in its designated spot before diving back into reading his novel. Reading novels was his mental nourishment—an essential part of his life. To avoid staying up too late, he even set an alarm for 11 p.m., reminding himself that late-night reading was not a healthy habit.

Unbeknownst to him, Shen Chuanqiong, the self-proclaimed “brother-obsessed maniac,” was already showing off again. While Shen Nanxing had been unboxing his gifts, Shen Chuanqiong had secretly taken several pictures of him. He carefully selected one where Shen Nanxing’s face was not visible and posted it in a group chat named “The Lonely Trio,” his message oozing with pride:

[Chuanqiong-Only-Rich-Left]: Oh my, whose little brother is so well-behaved and adorable? Oh heavens, it’s mine! How did I get so lucky?

[…]: Chuanqiong, are you having a mental breakdown this late at night?

[…]: Seriously, Shen Chuanqiong? Posting photos without introducing your brother to us properly? What’s the point?

Seeing that his bragging had the desired effect, Shen Chuanqiong smugly replied:

[Chuanqiong-Only-Rich-Left]: I think it’s very meaningful, actually.

[Chuanqiong-Only-Rich-Left]: Besides, do you even deserve it? My brother is so sweet and timid. You’re so ugly, what if you scare him? Could you even compensate for that?

[…]: Stop with the personal attacks!!!

The usually silent member of the group, Fu Zhiyuan, paused when he saw the photo, particularly focusing on the hands in the picture. After a long moment, he finally sent a message:

[F]: Your brother?

Surprised, Shen Chuanqiong replied dryly:

[Chuanqiong-Only-Rich-Left]: Yeah… why? You offline last time I posted pictures or something? This isn’t the first time.

[F]: Looks nice.

This vague comment left Shen Chuanqiong even more confused. Then he thought proudly, Of course, my brother’s the best in the world!

[…]: Holy crap! The busy man finally speaks.

No matter how much Su Chen tagged Fu Zhiyuan after that, he didn’t reply again. Meanwhile, Shen Chuanqiong kept spamming the chat with endless praises about Shen Nanxing.

Su Chen internally sighed: Why am I friends with these people? One’s a mute, the other’s a brother-obsessed maniac…

—

Over the next few days, Shen Nanxing enjoyed a blissful life at home—eating, gaming, unboxing figures, building LEGO sets, and most importantly, finishing another novel. The story had been incredibly satisfying, featuring a protagonist who woke up one day, tore apart a scheming manipulator, and kicked a scumbag to the curb. Shen Nanxing was so hyped that, if not for his health, he would have signed up for a boxing class to release some energy.

Unfortunately, his body wouldn’t allow it, so he had to settle for living vicariously through web novels.

These peaceful days had also done wonders for his health. His complexion had grown much rosier compared to the pale, sickly look he had when first discharged from the hospital. The only things he needed to keep in mind were avoiding emotional stress and taking his medications on time.

However, today was Monday. Shen Nanxing sighed dramatically. If his mother hadn’t reminded him last night that he still had university classes, he would have completely forgotten that his body was technically still a freshman.

With a reluctant sigh, Shen Nanxing climbed into the car as the driver took him to Beijing University.

As the youngest in the family, with his older brother inheriting and managing the company, Shen Nanxing chose to pursue a degree in Chinese Language and Literature based on his own interests.

The entrance gate of Beijing University was majestic, radiating the aura of a prestigious institution. Upon entering the campus, Shen Nanxing noticed that many passersby seemed to glance at him, intentionally or not. However, he paid no mind, focusing solely on finding his classroom.

It was between classes, so the campus was crowded with students rushing to and from their lessons, making the area feel somewhat congested. Shen Nanxing, with his slightly frail build, appeared to struggle while weaving through the crowd.

As luck would have it, someone nearby lost their footing and was about to collide directly with Shen Nanxing. Reacting instinctively, he dodged aside, causing the person to fall right at his feet, instantly creating a small traffic jam.

Students in a hurry to get to their classes only glanced briefly before rushing off, while a group of curious onlookers who had just finished class gathered to watch the scene unfold.

“Whoa, that fall looked painful. I can feel the pain just watching.”
“Ah, youth! Just collapsing like that and taking a nap on the ground!”
“Is he okay? He doesn’t seem to be getting up.”
“Could he be faking it for attention?”

A helpful student finally stepped forward and asked, “Hey, are you okay?” while attempting to assist the fallen individual. Seeing that others were already helping, Shen Nanxing, still startled, decided not to linger and left the scene.

Had he stayed just a few seconds longer, he would have noticed that the fallen person’s side profile bore a striking resemblance to his own.

The person who had fallen was Lin Bai. He had just finished a class and was rushing to the West Teaching Building for his next lesson. Walking too quickly and not paying attention to his steps, he had taken a hard fall.

Wincing from the pain but trying to maintain composure, Lin Bai thanked the people helping him up with a cool, clear voice, “Thank you. I just slipped accidentally.”

It was only then that the crowd got a good look at Lin Bai’s face. Though his features weren’t exceptionally striking, his bright, captivating eyes carried a sense of innocence that was hard to ignore. Some students even suggested taking him to the campus medical center, though Lin Bai politely declined.

Once the crowd dispersed, Lin Bai hobbled toward the West Teaching Building, silently grumbling, ‘That guy was so heartless. He could have caught me but chose to dodge instead. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have fallen.’

Even though he didn’t know who Shen Nanxing was, resentment filled Lin Bai’s heart.

What Lin Bai failed to consider was that to Shen Nanxing, he was just a stranger. And even if Shen Nanxing had wanted to help, his priority would always be ensuring his own safety first.

Meanwhile, Shen Nanxing had already brushed off the incident and, after navigating through several turns, finally found his classroom: Room 3-315.

Yes, this was the right place.

Shen Nanxing stared at the classroom number on the door, double-checking it twice before pushing the door open and stepping inside.

Class hadn’t started yet, and the room was buzzing with chatter. However, the moment Shen Nanxing walked in, the noise died down completely.

All eyes were on him.

He was wearing a simple beige hoodie paired with loose light-blue denim jeans. His delicate features and soft, light chestnut hair, which seemed to glow under the sunlight, made him particularly eye-catching.

Trying to stay calm, Shen Nanxing quietly found a seat by the window and sat down.

“I know I’m handsome, but do you really have to stare so obviously? Ah, my deadly, uncontrollable charm…”

The moment he sat down, the class group chat, filled mostly with female students, exploded.

Clack, clack, clack—fingers furiously typing.

> “Oh my god! How did we never notice someone this youthful in our class before?!”
> “Did you see? He’s even carrying a backpack! He looks just like a high schooler!”
> “He’s so adorable! I want to be his mom!”
> “Hehe… If this were an ABO novel, wouldn’t he be the classic sweet little omega who smells nice?”
> “Exactly! A sweet little omega like this should be paired with a top-tier imperial alpha!”
> “Girls, don’t be so shallow, please.”
> “LOOKS ARE JUSTICE!!!”

Since the literature department had a majority of female students with only a few males, someone like Shen Nanxing—an ethereally beautiful young man—was a rare gem among rarities.