The start of every university semester was always so lively. Bright sunshine, students full of enthusiasm, fresh blood anticipating their college life, and the previously rigid atmosphere beginning to come alive again.
But Xie Ci was already a sophomore. Rather than starting school, it was more like returning to school. The novelty had long since worn off, leaving more of a feeling of revisiting an old place and anticipation of seeing his roommates.
Moreover, these "veterans" returned to school a few days early, with some having to volunteer at the school gates to welcome new students.
Xie Ci was unfortunately one of them.
Sophomores arrived latest except for the freshmen. Since Ye Li needed to come to campus to handle some school-related matters, she gave him a ride.
"Little Ci, are you really sure you don't need me to drive you to the dorm building..." Ye Li leaned against the rolled-down car window, making no effort to hide her slight disappointment and resentment. The corners of her mouth, which had been smiling just moments ago, had already drooped, leaving only softness.
"This is fine. Don't you still have things to take care of?"
Xie Ci shouldered a backpack, his only luggage. He usually didn't pay much attention to clothes and shoes, basically wearing whatever was wearable.
"Besides, I want to look at the campus scenery again. I don't have much luggage, so it's perfect for a walk." Xie Ci smiled at her and waved his hand. Seeing her staring blankly without responding, he turned and walked away.
Ye Li watched his back hurriedly merging into the campus, no different from other students. The afternoon sun stretched his shadow very short, like her unfinished words.
She raised her hand to wave but left it suspended in mid-air, feeling empty for a moment.
Suddenly, the boy in the distance turned back and waved at her too.
Her fingertips paused above the steering wheel before she waved back, but when her smile returned, it was fainter than before. Some indescribable emotion settled in her eyes, somewhat unreal.
Only after watching Xie Ci's figure disappear completely into the tree shadows did her hand slowly fall back to her knees.
Just one summer vacation apart, a mere two months.
But something in her life seemed to have changed.
She touched her beating heart, one beat at a time, very real.
Wind drilled through the open car window. She raised her hand to smooth her disheveled hair, only then realizing that somehow, the soft melancholy in her heart had transformed into warmth, or perhaps some kind of determination.
She took out her phone, fingertips caressing the screen for a long time before finally making up her mind and clicking on that number hidden in the corner.
...
Spring City University had been established for a long time, but because it was a key investment project for the local Spring City government, the school's facilities were very new and good. Various buildings were surrounded by all kinds of greenery.
Xie Ci walked on the small path through the woods. Someone rode a bicycle, crushing the shadows on the ground, the bell ringing ding-a-ling, mixed with the rumbling of suitcases on the asphalt road.
Ivy climbed over the cream-colored walls of the teaching buildings, weaving a green net. A classroom window was half open, and the sound of a professor lecturing could already be heard from inside, probably juniors or seniors.
Xie Ci did find the campus scenery beautiful, but his desire to walk there actually had another reason.
Imagine when your classmates, who saw you working part-time jobs and being modest and low-key last semester, watch you get out of a luxury car with an exquisite, beautiful woman waving goodbye behind you.
Of course, it was better if they didn't see. If they did see and asked him about it, how would he explain? Should he say he'd now become a kept man, living with his homeroom teacher who was a beautiful rich woman, even spending her money?
That was enough.
Xie Ci wasn't someone who feared trouble, but he would avoid it when possible. He didn't even care much about his reputation among classmates. First, whether they'd even see each other after graduation was another matter. Second, even if his reputation became strange, it didn't matter. What kind of person he was wouldn't change because of others' evaluations.
His three roommates wouldn't change how they interacted with him because of his reputation either. This was perhaps his lucky point in university.
But Ye Li was different.
She was from a wealthy family, a child of a prestigious household. The expressions she revealed when watching TV earlier, the content broadcast in the news, all represented enormous and oppressive family power.
He and she were worlds apart.
Perhaps their relationship was best left in the gentleness of "embracing in the rainy night." Taking another step forward would only hold her back.
He couldn't let his existence burden her with family pressure and class differences.
Moreover, her family hadn't surfaced yet, and he had no power to oppose her family, unable to let her control her own fate.
So he wouldn't reveal even the slightest trace.
Lost in thought, Xie Ci had already entered the dormitory.
"Yo, Prison Ci, I got here earlier than you this time."
"Nice, Ding Yu."
Xie Ci set down his luggage, looking at the bespectacled, gentle-looking boy in front of him. The corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve into a smile.
Ding Yu also stood in place, an irrepressible smile hanging on his face.
"What are you laughing at, Prison Ci?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing."
Perhaps it was the joy of meeting again.
Xie Ci suppressed the smile at the corners of his mouth and said, "The other two haven't come yet?"
"Yeah, let's clean the dorm first. Look at all this dust, that dust cover was completely useless."
Xie Ci suddenly remembered something and said, "Ding Yu, when is your family's cake shop opening again?"
"Wow, that eager?" Ding Yu pushed up his glasses. "My mom said to wait until the freshmen start school, then she plans to prepare an event.
"What's up? Prison Ci, short on money?" Ding Yu put his hand on Xie Ci's shoulder. "If not, I'll have my mom open earlier. She's been missing those things you bake. Sigh, I don't know how you make them taste so good."
"I told you, when people eat cake, they're eating the soul. How about this, I'll pass on my secret recipe to you..."
Xie Ci whispered in Ding Yu's ear, and soon, Ding Yu suddenly patted Xie Ci's shoulder.
"You rascal!"
Both burst into laughter.
Two of the four had arrived. Soon after, someone else dragged a suitcase in. Zhang Chen's complexion was somewhat dark, wearing short sleeves with his tanned arms exposed. You could vaguely see the very white skin inside his sleeves.
"Zhang Chen, did you also run for weight loss during summer vacation?"
Both were somewhat confused, but Zhang Chen modestly waved his hand saying it was nothing special. Seeing this roommate who had been a 2D otaku last semester completely transform, they felt indescribable happiness.
The last to arrive was someone with very pale skin, you could say pathologically pale, the complete opposite of Zhang Chen.
His appearance was meticulously groomed, you could say flawless. His flowing hairstyle was as precise as if measured with calipers, hair gel sprayed just right to fix the arc. His jawline was clean as if scraped with a razor blade, finding a shadow of stubble impossible.
His name was Ling Yufeng.
As the sky gradually darkened, the dormitory atmosphere warmed up. Everyone seemed to have endless topics to discuss, talking about their respective vacations. But the high spirits seemed unable to be released through such simple chatting, so someone suggested going out for a walk.
"Where to?" The other three all looked at Ding Yu, who had proposed the plan.
"How about an internet cafe?" Ding Yu rubbed his hands together excitedly.
"..."
The other three fell silent.
...
"I'm really done. I finally got discount coupons for that high-end internet cafe. Top-tier area, best peripherals, RTX 5090 graphics cards. Plus super atmospheric lighting. Sigh, that Ling Yufeng kid really doesn't appreciate good things."
Ding Yu complained bitterly to Xie Ci and the others.
"You know Yufeng's family has money. What kind of setup hasn't he experienced? If it weren't for our dorm desks being too small, he probably would have set up a top-tier desktop long ago. Who would care about that laptop?
"Plus, looking at how he suddenly took that phone call, he probably really had something urgent. Don't you think so, Prison Ci? Prison Ci?"
Zhang Chen elbowed Xie Ci, who was spacing out.
"Ah, yes, that's right."
But Xie Ci's brow remained unfurrowed.
After Ling Xi routinely sent her leg photos, she hadn't continued finding him to complain about this or that, and hadn't even mentioned anything about video recording.
Previously, whenever he called her to record videos, she was always the most enthusiastic.
Something was wrong. Very, even extremely wrong.
Moreover, Ling Xi, Ling Yufeng...
Xie Ci's brow furrowed even tighter.