2014.

S Academy dormitory, three standing fans whirred loudly, waves of heat rushed in, making even the cactus wilt.

“Tomorrow night some handsome guys from A University are treating us to dinner. I’ve already accepted for all of you, so nobody’s allowed to bail.”

“When did you start hooking up with those academic students from A University?” someone chimed in.

“Just by chance,” Xiao Zhu said with a smile. “Our S Academy might only be a third-tier college, but we’re all in the journalism department. We’ll still have opportunities to become colleagues with them in the future! Who knows, maybe when they’re out there reporting breaking news, we could be holding cameras or microphones for them. Besides, the A University academic stars are very friendly to underachievers like us!”

“You mean friendly to pretty girls—”

Before her roommate could finish, Ye Meng, who hadn’t said a word, randomly grabbed a few books and stuffed them into her backpack, not bothering to zip it closed. She took a swig of water and turned to hide in the bathroom. Xiao Zhu hurriedly followed, relentlessly banging on the door: “I did warn you, you know. The first monthly internship report is due next week. Have you found an internship yet?”

“Don’t feel like looking.”

“Why don’t you just not eat while you’re at it,” Xiao Zhu pouted.

That’s how it was at third-tier colleges. The counselor worried they wouldn’t find internships and affect the school’s employment rate this year, had approached Xiao Zhu about internships several months in advance. But Ye Meng’s family situation was special, and she didn’t take it seriously. Xiao Zhu could only mumble vaguely to the counselor: “Meng… Student Ye Meng might be returning to her hometown after graduation, so she’s not planning to find an internship in Beijing.”

Upon hearing this, the counselor immediately launched into a lecture, her words not particularly kind but sincere: “You girls from outside Beijing have no connections, no background, no influence. You’re already far behind everyone else, and you don’t even try to work hard during your four years of college. You just coast through for a diploma, then when you can’t find work, you go home to leech off your parents. Don’t you know your parents work hard to pay for your education for a reason?”

“Student Ye Meng said it’s to listen to your earnest teachings,” Xiao Zhu replied with a straight face and unwavering heart, perfectly mimicking Ye Meng’s impudent manner.

“Learning the bad habits instead of the good ones. You’re picking up Ye Meng’s shamelessness. Go on, get out.” Despite her words, she was still smiling.

VIP consultation room at a private hospital’s psychiatric department.

The psychologist hadn’t arrived yet. A handsome young man sat at the consultation desk. A steaming cup of freshly brewed Nescafé was placed in front of him. “Dr. Liang just finished a meeting in the inpatient ward and is coming up in the elevator now. Please wait a moment.”

“Alright, thank you.”

He didn’t look like someone suffering from depression who needed psychological counseling at all. When he smiled, he appeared harmless, handsome, and quite charming.

“I thought he looked like Gou Kai’s friend, and he is.”

Gou Kai was Dr. Liang’s ex-boyfriend. Although their breakup wasn’t pleasant, Gou Kai was a rich second-generation heir with friends who were either wealthy or noble and mostly handsome. The young nurse kept his WeChat contact just to occasionally admire the good-looking men, which was quite pleasing to the eye. That group of rich kids certainly had many activities. Though this young man who came today rarely appeared in photos, the sharp-eyed nurse recognized him at a glance.

“Impressive, impressive. You can recognize him even with all that pixelation. I’ll promote you to head nurse next year.”

“Don’t be too infatuated, I’m afraid you’ll get hurt by a playboy.”

“He’s different. He’s the naive one in the young tycoons’ circle. Gou Kai says he’s the type who not only counts the money when he’s being cheated but also helps manage the finances. Super innocent. He hasn’t even had a girlfriend yet.”

“That pure?”

“He’s a dying breed.”

With a ding, the elevator door opened, and like Thanos snapping his fingers, everyone instantly vanished. Liang Fei emerged from the elevator and asked the lone remaining staff member at the nurses’ station for a cup of coffee.

Liang Fei entered the room and saw a precious, beautiful back of a head. The coffee on the table had gone completely cold, the cup ring clean and delicate, with all the coffee foam stuck at its original height. She guessed this young man, whose entire outfit was undoubtedly branded, even down to his phone case that had to bear a logo, and who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, hadn’t reached for anything.

Liang Fei took off her white coat and said kindly: “Would you like me to ask them to bring you a glass of water instead?”

“No need, thank you,” he didn’t explain further, gave a faint smile, and his gaze fell on her belly. He paused, “Gou Kai didn’t tell me you were pregnant.”

“Don’t worry, the child isn’t his,” Liang Fei couldn’t help but find this statement a bit strange. With a self-deprecating smile, she went straight to the point, “Shall we get started?”

“Sure,” he replied obediently.

However, the process wasn’t as smooth as imagined.

“Your name.”

Seeing him startled, Liang Fei smiled, “This is just a routine inquiry. I know who you are, Gou Kai mentioned you to me. Don’t worry, since you’re here, I’ll do my best to help you.”

“All my previous psychologists said the same thing,” he smiled, revealing a row of white teeth that looked harmless and sunny, “But in the end, they all got my name wrong.”

“How many psychologists have you seen?” Liang Fei seized the opportunity to ask.

“Three.”

“All three couldn’t remember?”

“My last psychologist was very familiar with my name, but then he went and told my mother that I was just pretending to be depressed.”

“…You certainly don’t look like someone with depression,” Liang Fei subtly glanced at his delicate Adam’s apple, which had a faint mark that looked more like a scar than a kiss mark, “So do you think psychologists are just out to make money?”

He smiled gently: “Not necessarily.”

Liang Fei put down her pen: “What about your mother? What’s her attitude?”

“My mother believed him completely, so I gave him a sum of money,” he leaned back in his chair, having picked up a baseball from the desk at some point, tossing it casually, “to persuade him to change careers.”

Liang Fei said: “So, your mother didn’t defend your dignity as a patient.”

“That’s right.”

“Actually, before Gou Kai, my brother mentioned you. His name is Liang Mu, he’s also a student at A University, though in a different department from you.”

“Is that the ‘mu’ with three water radicals, and he has a birthmark on his left cheek?”

Liang Fei seemed surprised, “You remember?”

“Yes, we took an elective course together.”

“I heard from my brother that you’ve been specially admitted and awarded honors since you were young. Your home is plastered with certificates on all four walls, and you have an exceptional memory. He said you read books at lightning speed, remembering everything after just one look. He also saw a French professor who wrote you a recommendation letter, inviting you to give a French speech at their school. My brother said you’re one of the few rich kids he doesn’t dislike, always gentle in your dealings with people. So when Gou Kai approached me, I was quite surprised.”

“I’m surprised too. I’ve always been well-behaved since I was little, but everyone around me preferred my brother.”

“If given another chance, would you still be the good boy?”

“No.” He seemed extremely disgusted with his current self.

“I’m wondering, is it because you’ve been so excellent from a young age, never experiencing any setbacks, that your ability to handle pressure might be a bit weaker compared to the average young man? Sometimes people’s lack of attention to detail might have hurt you?”

“Are you saying I can’t handle things, that I’m too sensitive?” he raised an eyebrow, half-jokingly.

“That’s not what I meant,” Liang Fei quickly explained.

He immediately flashed a heart-melting smile: “It’s fine, I’m not angry.”

Perhaps due to his exceptionally striking appearance and lifelong excellent upbringing, his speech and behavior were more proper and appropriate than many normal people—polite, tactful, and considerate. Compared to all previous patients who came for consultation, he was forthright and unevasive, polite yet savvy in human relations. If needed, he could frankly lay bare his scars for others to examine. She was just an ordinary psychologist, but he was a perfect patient who left her at a loss.

Evening, S Academy dormitory.

“Hey, weren’t A University guys supposed to treat us to dinner tonight? Xiao Zhu, where are the boys? Did they stand us up?”

As soon as the roommate entered, she saw Xiao Zhu sitting in front of the computer looking at campus recruitment information, drooping like a frost-bitten eggplant, drawling listlessly: “Canceled.”

The roommates wailed endlessly.

“Damn, are you messing with us?”

“I just bought a new dress this afternoon.”

“I told you they’re only friendly to pretty girls!”

“Why didn’t you send them Meng Meng’s photo? You could have said our school’s beauty queen was initiating the date!”

Ye Meng happened to walk in just then, becoming the target of their comments. She glared at them fiercely, “After so many years of fraud, I don’t see any of you scamming a boyfriend.”

“You really are the acknowledged campus beauty, who’s scamming!” her roommate laughingly pulled her over, “Is that business school heartthrob still pursuing you?”

“Drop it.”

Xiao Zhu’s lips seemed glued together, wriggling several times without opening. Seeing her grief-stricken expression, everyone realized something was wrong. “What’s the matter?”

“Today, an A University guy sent me a message saying the gathering was canceled. I asked him why, and he just replied with a message saying that a junior from their journalism department attempted suicide. He’s in the hospital now, being resuscitated.”

“That serious? Are we so ugly that they need to fake suicide to avoid dinner with us?”

“Don’t joke about it! He’s very outstanding and nice, and he’s a rich heir too.”

“People always have all sorts of reasons to live or not to live,” Ye Meng casually comforted.

Xiao Zhu was trying hard not to cry but couldn’t. She had met this junior at Gou senior’s gathering last year and even heard him sing a song. Ye Meng asked her if it was good.

Xiao Zhu struggled to recall, “It was just okay. But I can’t deny, he had charm. Even though he sang off-key, no one had the heart to embarrass him, and everyone helped him continue. Tell me, a person like that, why would he…sob?”

Liang Fei didn’t leave after her shift the next day. She pulled up the electronic file and looked at the standard, cold ID photo.

The boy in the photo was handsome and upright, with the vibrant air of youth. His refined, chiseled features weren’t particularly memorable, but he happened to possess a pair of moving soulful eyes. In his pitch-black pupils seemed to dwell a lively little deer, his eyes filled with tenderness and mirth. Even from such a static photo, one could feel his exuberant aura—the whole person radiant and spirited like a fresh, bright white poplar. Such a person, no matter where they were, would shine brightly and cleanly like a beam of light.

File note: Li Jin Yu, twenty-two years old, Journalism Department, A University.