C City is a convergence of numerous rivers, blessed with abundant rainfall throughout the year. The fine autumn drizzle soaked the East Gate, blending with the aromas of various street foods while bringing a faint, crisp coolness.

A fluorescent green jacket with white stripes, casual pants, sneakers, and a hat that never left her head when stepping out—Ji Ranyou’s outfit was a stark contrast to Qin Dai, who was still wearing a dress and bean shoes.

One looked like summer, the other like autumn.

Inside the bustling Chongqing Chicken Pot restaurant, there were even people wearing light down jackets and short sleeves?! Choosing a seat by the window, Ji Ranyou’s inner self applauded…
#This is truly four seasons in one place#

A waiter, having just served another table, walked up to them and pulled a pen from the pocket of his apron, handing it over. Ji Ranyou thanked him and took it naturally.

She wasn’t someone with strong opinions, except in two matters:
One was writing.
The other was ordering food.

“Beef pot, medium size, for two,” she began, spinning the pen lightly while scanning the menu. “Dai-Bi, anything you particularly want or don’t want?”

“No chicken feet. That scene from Medical Examiner Qin Ming last night traumatized me. Other than that, you decide.” Qin Dai continued scrolling through a giveaway post on her phone. “You skipped breakfast, so order more for lunch.”

“Mm.”

Responding softly, Ji Ranyou’s fair little finger traced a smooth arc, and the pen tip landed precisely on the order sheet: “Cabbage, lettuce, lung slices, beef balls… chicken feet, chicken heart, chicken liver…”

That’s it?

“You sure this is enough? I heard the portions aren’t big,” Qin Dai looked up with a teasing glance. “Yuzu, don’t hold back. We’ve been through all-you-can-eat buffets together—this doesn’t seem like—”

“I don’t want the ones I marked.” Ji Ranyou handed both the menu and order sheet to the waiter. “We’ll take everything else, plus two bowls of rice. Thanks.”

Qin Dai’s hand trembled. A few tall figures passing behind her chair also paused briefly.

Glancing at the menu, the waiter swallowed. “Are you sure you want this much? Our portions may not be huge, but for just two girls… Isn’t this a bit too much? It’d be a waste if you can’t finish.”

Ji Ranyou didn’t respond immediately. Resting her delicate chin on one hand, she stared at the menu.

A few seconds later, she mused, “Let’s change it, then.”

The waiter leaned in with a smile, holding out the order sheet. “Which ones do you want to remove?”

“Dried tofu, bacon, shrimp dumplings.”

“Alright, I’ll cross them off for you.”

“No,” Ji Ranyou shook her head, raising her slender, well-defined fingers—ones used to type away on a keyboard. “We’ll take two servings of those.”

The waiter: …#Speechless#

Qin Dai: …#Feeling Complicted#

Seated at a table separated from them by a large pillar, Gu Chen glanced at the soft, fluorescent green ball in his peripheral vision. Comparing her to the little meatball at home, he slowly curled his lips…

Hmm, he could afford to feed both.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

New customers kept arriving one after another, and the semi-noisy atmosphere made Ji Ranyou feel a little uneasy.

Pulling her hat brim lower, she tapped on Qin Dai’s table, signalling her roommate to chat with her. “I really need a good meal right now… Dai Bei, am I not more interesting than your phone?”

“Huh? Of course not,” Qin Dai replied with mock disdain, but her fingers honestly locked the screen. “Sisi is asking where we are. She wants to come over and join us.”

“Sure! I ordered plenty anyway.”

“But if I come, will Yuzu have enough to eat?”

From outside the door, Cheng Sisi immediately spotted the eye-catching fluorescent green. After greeting the two girls at the entrance, she walked over to her roommates, sat next to Ji Ranyou, and placed a hand on her forehead. “Yuzu, why do you look so pale? Is Dai Bei mistreating you?”

“As if she dares!”
“As if I’d dare!”

They spoke in perfect sync. Under the table, Qin Dai gave Ji Ranyou a small kick and, without holding back, started complaining: “She never eats breakfast or dinner, just wakes up and starts typing, types until she sleeps… If I didn’t bring her lunch upstairs, I’d probably have to deliver food to her in the hospital!”

#This is the real hammer#
#She can’t argue#

After breathing in the fresh air on the way here and taking in the damp blue hues of the sky in the light drizzle, Ji Ranyou suddenly felt no soreness in her waist and no pain in her legs. Right now, if someone played the second set of the National Elementary School Radio Gymnastics…

Hmm, she could soar to the skies!

Knowing she would pretend not to hear because of the “strong wind,” Qin Dai was both amused and exasperated. “Do you know how to thank me?”

Ji Ranyou instantly turned bootlicker, bowing and nodding. “Just say it, just say it.”

Qin Dai smiled. “Call me ‘Dad.’“

Ji Ranyou’s face dropped instantly. “How could I just randomly call you ‘Dad’!”

It was a joke that many classmates enjoyed making.

As Xu Wei and Yi Tingfeng tensed up, expecting a full-blown argument, and Cheng Sisi looked confused at Qin Dai’s utter calmness, they all witnessed—

The once aloof Miss Ji, in the blink of an eye, transformed into a radiant flower.

She chirped, “Grandpa!”

Qin Dai, beaming, responded, “Aye~”

Cheng Sisi: “…”
Yi Tingfeng: “…”

Gu Chen chuckled silently and sent a text to Xu Wei.

Xu Wei checked his phone, and his response “Then does that make me the grandma?” immediately caught the attention of the three girls, revealing the presence of the three guys nearby.

Naturally, it also made Ji Ranyou notice the person sitting next to Xu Wei—Gu Chen.

Gu Chen was smiling, a half-smile that lingered as he look at her with an unreadable expression.

His well-defined features carried an indescribable charm, rippling through Ji Ranyou’s heart like a pebble tossed into a still lake.

Cheng Sisi chuckled sweetly, commenting on the coincidence. Qin Dai simply shot Xu Wei a “Bro, you’re being too cheeky” look. Meanwhile, Ji Ranyou gave a brief, perfunctory nod, and just like that, the short “meeting” between the two tables ended…

Each returning to their own world.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The past two years without any interaction hadn’t felt long at all, yet this hundred-plus-hour cooling-off period was unbearably difficult for Ji Ranyou.

She had thought she was prepared to meet him again—to smile in a composed manner, exchange greetings, and nod politely. On the surface, in appearance, in every observable way, she was as calm and restrained as could be, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

But only Ji Ranyou herself knew how much she wanted to turn her head and take another look—just one look.
Just a quick glance, without him noticing… that would be enough!

And so, at this very moment—

Having seen her blushing before, her dark, glistening eyes lively like a bubbling brook, Gu Chen found that he didn’t quite like this calm, unaffected gaze she now gave him—indifferent, unwavering, no different from how she looked at anyone else.

His phone screen kept switching between his home screen and a chat window with his QQ friend [A], yet he couldn’t think of a good opening line. He hesitated, wondering if he should just be direct and go over to say hello—

“You look familiar. Excuse me, are you Gu Chen?”

At the table near the entrance sat two pretty girls who had greeted Cheng Sisi earlier. After nudging and whispering to each other for a long while, one of them finally seemed to muster some courage. She tucked a strand of wavy, waist-length hair behind her ear and gracefully approached Gu Chen.

Gu Chen nodded. “Yes, and you are?”

“I…”
The girl softened her voice, making it sound delicate and sweet. “I’m Pei Menghan, from Business English. We met at the National Scholarship award ceremonies last year and the year before. I sat diagonally behind you—do you remember?”

His handsome face remained indifferent. Gu Chen shook his head politely. “I don’t recall.”

Concise. Direct.
And carrying his usual sense of distance.

Any initial nervousness had faded as she spoke. Now, fully embracing her beautiful girl persona, Pei Menghan was slightly dissatisfied with his attitude. But then she reconsidered—wasn’t it better for a god-like guy to be reserved rather than someone who flirts with everyone?

The thought flickered through her eyes for just a moment before she leaned in a little closer. “So, I’m a junior now, and I’m planning to switch to finance for my master’s.”

“But I’ve never taken any finance courses before,” she continued shyly, “so… could I add you on WeChat? Just in case I have questions, would it be okay to ask you?”

Tall and well-proportioned, with exquisite makeup, her pickle-green cropped cardigan was a new Burberry fall release—identical to the one Ji Ranyou had left unopened. But Pei Menghan had an extra advantage—curves in all the right places and she knows to act coquettish.

If Ji Ranyou were to use the scoring system from those gossip forums where rich second-generation kids rated casual hookups out of ten… she’d probably give Pei Menghan an eight?

And with the added National Scholarship-winning top student bonus… that might even push her into the irresistible nine-point category?