As they were leaving the cafeteria, several people weren’t far from them. At first, no one noticed what was happening. By the time they realized what was going on, they only saw Xing Wu trying to block Qing Ye’s flying skirt hem with a piece of clothing. Then Qing Ye immediately knocked off his glasses and asked him why he became nearsighted.

This single question forcefully twisted everyone’s impression of her intelligence into a negative value. They were completely stunned—how could someone see another person wearing glasses and ask why they became nearsighted?

The situation happened too suddenly. Qu Bing was the first to react, quickly pulling Qing Ye away and saying to Xing Wu, “I’m so sorry, Qing Ye didn’t mean to do that. How much were your glasses? We’ll compensate you, or we can take you to get a new pair.”

Qu Xing also awkwardly patted Xing Wu’s shoulder: “Are you okay?”

Xing Wu touched his nose and said without any anger, “It’s fine.”

Qu Bing gave Qu Xing a meaningful look, and he put his arm around Xing Wu’s shoulder saying, “Well, we should go now, we have class soon.”

With that, he quickly led Xing Wu away. Qing Ye was still holding the broken glasses when Qu Bing looked at her with an indescribable expression and said, “He was just trying to help block your skirt, did you have to react so strongly?”

“…What did I do?”

Xie Qian Qian reminded her from the side, “You broke his glasses.”

“…Oh.”

Sun Wan Jing said, “I think if you offer him money, he definitely won’t take it. Maybe you should just buy him a new pair, or treat him to a meal. Otherwise, it’s awkward for Qu Xing too.”

“…Mmm.”

On the way to the classroom, Qing Ye clutched the glasses while the other three remained quiet until Qu Bing suddenly blurted out, “Could it be that… Xing Wu wants to pursue Qing Ye?”

This comment made the other two, except Qing Ye, somewhat agree. After all, his behavior toward Qing Ye had seemed different since lunch. They weren’t blind, but at present, it seemed like unrequited love—not just unrequited, but somewhat disastrous.

However, Qing Ye spent the entire afternoon staring at the broken glasses on her desk.

She didn’t understand why Xing Wu had become nearsighted. She remembered back in An Zi County when Xing Wu took her to the arcade to shoot games—his eyesight had been so good then. How did he become nearsighted?

Qing Ye’s fingers traced the glass frame as she recalled how Xing Wu had been seriously injured after the county sports meet, suffering a concussion. After being discharged from the hospital, he barely rested before rushing to Shanghai, followed by an intense month of training and competition. Later, when she returned to Beijing, Xing Wu’s grandmother passed away, and his life became a bitter existence. She could imagine him exhausted from constant late nights until he finally collapsed in the hospital.

Along this path, what enormous price had he paid to forcibly carve out a road where there had been none? As Qing Ye thought about this, she gripped the glasses tightly, her eyes burning uncomfortably. Her mind was filled with memories of his kindness, and all the grievances compressed in her heart instantly dissipated. She was just grateful that he had finally come here, just a few teaching buildings away from her. She could feel that they were under the same sky, breathing the same air, and this feeling made her feel truly alive again.

That was why Qing Ye lost focus during her major courses for the first time, barely hearing anything throughout the afternoon.

When Xing Wu and his classmates finished their afternoon classes, they saw a long-haired girl standing outside the classroom. Her slender silhouette and the soft green ruffled hem of her dress swayed gently. As she turned around, her clear eyes were elegantly captivating, like a cool breeze striking the heart. In this place with such an imbalanced male-to-female ratio, she quickly drew the attention of many male students. Even Xing Wu was surprised that Qing Ye had suddenly come over.

Qu Xing called out first, “Senior Sister, are you looking for me?”

Zhuang Si Xian also came out and waved at Qing Ye: “Hi, Senior Sister.”

Qing Ye smiled at them, then pointed at Xing Wu behind them: “Looking for him.”

Qu Xing immediately said, “Oh, about the glasses? Don’t worry about it, I’ll go with him to get a new pair later.”

Xing Wu had just walked up to them when Qing Ye stared at him and said, “We’re going to get glasses now.”

She wasn’t asking, but stating it in a way that brooked no argument.

Qu Xing glanced at Xing Wu, then turned to hand his books to Zhuang Si Xian, telling them, “Help me take these back to the dorm.”

Zhuang Si Xian took the books: “Sure, you guys go ahead.”

They didn’t think much of it and left. Qing Ye had already located a nearby optical store that wasn’t far past the campus gates. As they walked side by side through campus, the slanting sun cast a soft glow, coating the ground in a warm golden color. After being here for a year, Qing Ye had never found Q University’s sunset as beautiful as it was at this moment.

She spoke first, asking him, “Are you hungry? Want to eat first?”

He habitually kept both hands in his casual pants pockets, looking down at the path: “Sure.”

“Never mind, I’m worried you’ll get food up your nose. Let’s get your glasses first.”

“???”

“What do you want to eat later?”

“Whatever.”

“There’s no restaurant called ‘Whatever’ around here.”

“What do you want to eat?”

“I’m asking you, which means I don’t know.”

“Hot pot?”

“No, too smelly.”

“BBQ?”

“Don’t want it, too hot.”

“…Stir-fry?”

“Didn’t we just have that for lunch?”

“…What do you want to eat then?”

“Just want somewhere cool, not crowded, and no queuing.”

“Got it.”

“You got it?”

“Mm.”

“Where?”

She tilted her head to look at him, and he turned sideways with a hint of a smile: “I’ll take you there after we get the glasses.”

They continued chatting about trivial matters, maintaining a distance that was neither too far nor too close, with an inexplicable sentiment lingering between them—familiar yet strange.

Given Qing Ye’s reputation at school, along with Xing Wu’s striking appearance without glasses, they attracted quite a few glances along the way.

At the optical store, while Xing Wu went for his eye exam, Qing Ye sat by the counter helping him choose frames. Finally, she selected a frameless design with black edges that looked high-end and sophisticated.

Just as Xing Wu came out, the clerk told Qing Ye, “You have good taste. This is a new model, frameless with beveled edges, lightweight and durable, with dual-color vacuum plating.”

“We’ll take this one.”

Only then did she turn to ask Xing Wu’s opinion: “Uh… what do you think?”

Xing Wu half-smiled: “Whatever you say.”

While waiting, Qing Ye went to pay, but Xing Wu grabbed her: “No need.”

Qing Ye insisted, “It’s necessary. If my dormmates find out I came with you to get glasses and let you pay yourself, they’ll roast me alive when I get back.”

Xing Wu laughed and let go of her. Qing Ye’s taste was indeed expensive—the glasses cost over a thousand yuan, but thinking about the style she’d chosen for Xing Wu, she was excited to see how he’d look wearing them.

As soon as they were ready, she eagerly took them, carefully inspecting them first, then turned to Xing Wu and said, “Bend down a little.”

Xing Wu indulged her, bending slightly and lowering his head. Qing Ye carefully placed the new glasses on him, while Xing Wu maintained a smile as he watched her. The suddenly close distance made Qing Ye’s cheeks flush slightly, and her gaze inadvertently fell to his lips, her small tongue unconsciously wetting her lips.

Xing Wu’s eyes suddenly darkened as he called out to her: “Qing Ye.”

She startled slightly: “Hmm?”

His gaze gradually intensified, and she felt he had something to say, but what came out was: “Does it look good?”

Qing Ye finally straightened up, stepped back to assess him, and declared: “My taste is impeccable!”

“…” Well, apparently the priority was to praise herself.

The glasses indeed suited Xing Wu’s face shape perfectly, giving him a more scholarly appearance. Though it looked unfamiliar, Qing Ye kept wanting to smile the whole way.

This made Xing Wu even more self-conscious, constantly adjusting his glasses and occasionally glancing at passing shop windows to check if he really looked strange.

Passing by a supermarket, Xing Wu suddenly stopped and said: “Let’s buy some water, there’s none where we’re going.”

“…What kind of restaurant doesn’t serve water?”

Xing Wu smiled and walked into the supermarket, leaving Qing Ye to follow him in bewilderment. He went straight to the beverage aisle and asked: “What would you like?”

As Qing Ye bent down to browse the shelves, her ruffled dress shortened slightly. Xing Wu frowned and stood behind her protectively. Qing Ye grabbed a drink and turned around: “Why are you standing behind me?”

Xing Wu’s face suddenly showed a hint of mischief: “Don’t you think your dress is a bit short?”

“Not really.”

“Heh.”

“What’s so funny?”

“What’s an electric motor scooter?”

“…” Qing Ye was instantly speechless, her face showing an odd blush.

Xing Wu casually grabbed a bottle of mineral water and said leisurely: “Wouldn’t have guessed you were that kind of student.”

Qing Ye looked around and seemed ready to smack him, but Xing Wu dodged as if he had eyes in the back of his head, saying: “Please contain yourself.”

He then turned and took the water from her hands: “Wait for me outside.”

“Why should I wait outside?”

“It’s cooler out there.”

Qing Ye narrowed her eyes, sensing he was up to something.

“There’s no air conditioning outside. Are you tricking me?”

Xing Wu glanced at her without speaking. Qing Ye puzzledly went outside to wait. Through the glass doors, she watched him queuing to pay, occasionally looking up to check on her. When he came out, she asked: “Have you grown taller?”

He looked down with a smile: “Yes, about two centimeters.”

“185 centimeters now?”

“About that.”

Qing Ye moved closer to compare their heights. Xing Wu immediately placed his hand on her shoulder, drawing her to his front. Her body suddenly collided with his chest, making her heart skip a beat. She looked up to glare at him, but he casually released her and glanced aside: “Someone’s there.”

“…” Qing Ye turned to see an elderly woman.

She turned back to ask: “Where are we going?”

Xing Wu replied meaningfully: “Taking you somewhere cool, quiet, and queue-free for dinner.”

Qing Ye chuckled: “You’ve only been here a few days and already know all the spots?”

Soon, Qing Ye discovered Xing Wu was leading her into an apartment building not far from campus, about a fifteen-minute walk from the optical store.

It was a new building. After swiping their way in, they entered a clean lobby with well-dressed security guards. Qing Ye tugged at his clothes: “Where exactly are you taking me?”

Xing Wu pressed the elevator button and glanced back: “To sell you.”

“…” Qing Ye reached to pinch him, but he suddenly caught her wrist and pulled her into the elevator, their eyes meeting in a moment of intense connection.

Qing Ye’s heart seemed to stop, all other sensations fading away. Her emotions ignited like a sudden flame, her mind blank except for the gentleness in his eyes.

Inside the apartment, Qing Ye stood dazed in the spacious living room: “Where is this?”

Xing Wu leaned against the door: “Just rented it. I’m planning to move Qing Gu’s online team to Beijing. Two people will arrive next week.”

They talked about his vision problems, and he explained he’d started wearing glasses after the college entrance exam when reading became difficult. “It’s not serious, just about 100 degrees of myopia. You all said I didn’t look trustworthy, so I thought… might as well play the part.”

He spoke casually, but Qing Ye felt increasingly heartbroken. She pushed him away: “Why didn’t you tell me after the results came out?”

Xing Wu explained about building an internet team for Qing Gu, teaching himself technology, and realizing he needed to learn more. “When I confirmed my scores, I applied for the Y class. I wasn’t sure about the second round admissions, didn’t know if I’d get in.”

Qing Ye’s eyes reddened: “What about after you were admitted? Why didn’t you contact me then?”

Xing Wu contemplated: “I wanted to find you.”

Qing Ye spoke softly: “My father? What did he say to you?”

Xing Wu just lowered his gaze: “It doesn’t matter now.”

“What does matter?”

“You…” he replied gently.

They expressed their feelings for each other, finally acknowledging how much they had missed one another during their time apart.