The male student stood with his back to the green bus stop sign, chatting with Xu Sui. When Xu Sui casually glanced behind him, she stumbled forward, and Shi Yuejie grabbed her elbow to help her maintain balance.

Xu Sui quietly thanked him and withdrew her hand. Her eyes looked somewhat panicked. Shi Yuejie followed her gaze and turned around to look.

Zhou Jingze was walking toward them with his hands in his pockets, leisurely approaching. Under his black baseball cap was a face of worldly indifference. He chewed mint candy, wearing a lazy smile.

The moment Shi Yuejie saw Zhou Jingze, the smile on his face slightly faded, but it returned to normal by the time he approached.

“How did you end up here?” Xu Sui looked up and asked him.

“Looking for someone,” Zhou Jingze said, looking down at her.

Xu Sui felt the atmosphere was a bit off. Just as she was about to break the awkwardness by introducing them to each other, Shi Yuejie took the initiative, smiling warmly: “Jingze, long time no see.”

Xu Sui’s eyes widened slightly, confusion flashing in her clear pupils: “You two… know each other?”

Shi Yuejie nodded. Just as he was about to explain their relationship, Zhou Jingze pressed his tongue against the mint candy, crunching it loudly. The powder dissolved between his lips and teeth as he chuckled, his tone casual:

“Not just acquaintances. What do you think our relationship is?”

Zhou Jingze’s eyes looked straight at Shi Yuejie, like a hidden sharp sword. Shi Yuejie was put on the spot. After hesitating for a long time, he finally managed only two words: “Friends.”

Hearing this, Zhou Jingze’s mouth curved slightly upward in a mocking arc, but ultimately he said nothing.

With Zhou Jingze’s forceful entry, his powerful aura stood between them. Shi Yuejie didn’t know what to say anymore. He addressed Xu Sui: “You can rest assured about this matter. Your exam results will be recorded normally too.”

Xu Sui nodded. When Shi Yuejie was about to leave, he hesitated for a moment but still patted Zhou Jingze’s shoulder, smiling as he said “see you later.” Zhou Jingze let out a very soft sneer but said nothing.

After Shi Yuejie left, Zhou Jingze leaned against the bus stop sign. He took out his compressed tablets, poured out a mint candy, lowered his head to unwrap it. His jaw line was sharp and defined, but he didn’t say a word.

Afraid he might misunderstand, Xu Sui stammered an explanation: “That person just now was my proctor senior. Because… something unexpected happened during the exam…” For some psychological reason, Xu Sui didn’t tell Zhou Jingze who had framed her.

“Senior, huh,” Zhou Jingze slowly chewed on these three words. After a while, he changed the subject: “Is the matter resolved?”

“Sort of.” Mentioning this made Xu Sui feel somewhat dejected.

After the exam ended, Shi Yuejie had applied to go to the surveillance room, spending over two hours reviewing the exam footage back and forth. After discovering the real cheater, he contacted the academic affairs office and the person involved.

The matter was eventually resolved smoothly, though the student was willing to accept disciplinary action rather than apologize. Being falsely accused for no reason, Xu Sui felt quite wronged about the whole thing.

But Xu Sui was still grateful to Shi Yuejie. She wasn’t comfortable owing others favors, so she asked what she could do in return. Unable to refuse her persistence, Shi Yuejie simply asked her to buy him milk tea, which led to the scene Zhou Jingze had witnessed.

Just as Xu Sui was about to say something, her teacher sent a message asking her to come to the office to pick up photocopied test papers. Seeing her hesitant look, Zhou Jingze flicked her forehead: “Hurry up and go. I have things to do too.”

After Xu Sui left, Zhou Jingze stood at the bus stop and smoked a cigarette. He took out his phone, made a call, hung up, then logged into WeChat and found Bai Yuyue’s profile picture.

Their chat history was still from last Sunday, with Bai Yuyue’s message:

—I saw you drive Xu Sui back to school.

Zhou Jingze had never replied. Light rain slanted down, and he used his thumb to wipe away the moisture on the screen, staring at the message thoughtfully.

After Xu Sui helped the teacher organize test papers in the office, she returned to the dorm. As soon as she opened the door, 1017 immediately ran over, meowing at her.

Bai Yuyue was combing her hair when she suddenly slammed her wooden comb on the desk with a “snap,” her tone unpleasant: “So annoying.”

Xu Sui ignored her, opening cat food and pouring it into a bowl to feed the cat, completely overlooking Bai Yuyue throughout. Bai Yuyue’s attempt fell flat, and just as she was feeling frustrated and about to speak—

“Ding”—her phone screen lit up on the desk. Bai Yuyue picked up her phone, opened WeChat, and saw a message from Zhou Jingze: [Come out for a bit.]

When Bai Yuyue saw this message, her eyes lit up. She immediately started tidying her desk and touching up her makeup, her eyebrows and eyes unable to hide her excitement and joy.

Bai Yuyue quickly got herself ready and even changed into a velvet mini skirt that accentuated her curves, looking both beautiful and alluring. As she was leaving, she bumped into Liang Shuang returning.

“Where are you going, dressed so beautifully?” Liang Shuang asked.

“Of course someone important is asking me on a date,” Bai Yuyue said, glancing back at Xu Sui as she spoke.

After the orange cat finished eating, Xu Sui was opening goat milk to pour into a bowl. Hearing this, her hand shook, spilling fresh milk onto the floor. The kitten immediately lowered its head to lick it clean.

Since Bai Yuyue and Zhou Jingze broke up, she had remained single. The only person who could easily manipulate Bai Yuyue’s emotions was probably Zhou Jingze.

So Zhou Jingze’s morning comment about “looking for someone” meant looking for Bai Yuyue. Her heart suddenly clenched into a ball, her eyes began to sting, and she stared blankly at a fixed point.

After spacing out for ten minutes, unwilling to remain in this dejected state, Xu Sui got up and gathered a few books, deciding to go to the library. Doing something else was better than overthinking.

Xu Sui hugged several books as she went downstairs. A cold wind hit her, and she instinctively hunched her shoulders. The rain had stopped, but the ground was still wet. Xu Sui walked along a tree-lined path, down the steps, and kept going left.

The library was some distance from the girls’ dormitory. After finishing the path, she still had to pass through a garden. After the temperature dropped, there weren’t many people in the garden. Flowers clustered inside, with two rows of brown benches facing each other, their armrests showing red rust.

Xu Sui had only walked a few steps when she heard arguing voices. She couldn’t help but stop, and through a cluster of wild roses, she saw the two people arguing.

Xu Sui lowered her dark eyelashes. Heaven really loved to torment her—how many times would she have to witness Zhou Jingze with other girls?

More precisely, it was Bai Yuyue making accusations unilaterally.

Bai Yuyue stood in front of Zhou Jingze, no longer showing her usual proud demeanor. Tears dropped down her face as she lowered her head: “I was wrong… can we make up?”

Zhou Jingze said nothing. In his silence, Bai Yuyue’s emotions spiraled out of control again: “Didn’t I apologize to you? When we were together, were you ever really devoted to me?”

“You… still like me, don’t you?” Bai Yuyue’s voice was hollow. Like grabbing a lifeline, she suddenly tore open the knit shirt on her upper body, from collarbone to chest, her skin fair and visually striking.

Bai Yuyue tremblingly grabbed Zhou Jingze’s hand and placed it on her chest, without any dignity left. Crying, she said: “Didn’t you say you… liked touching me the most?”

Zhou Jingze looked at her without saying a word. Finally, he just raised his hand to help her fix her clothes, his distinctly jointed fingers pulling the zipper back up. Xu Sui glimpsed the black mole at his tiger’s mouth lingering on the girl’s shoulder.

The sky was gray. Zhou Jingze wore a flight jacket, his shoulders already darkened. Throughout, he just listened, accepting all accusations, good and bad, without protest. He gave only one sentence, spoken slowly:

“Bai Yuyue, don’t do things that lower your worth.”

Bai Yuyue finally broke down, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably as she sobbed. She finally gave up hope, knowing she had no chance with Zhou Jingze.

Bai Yuyue lifted her feet and walked forward. After more than ten steps, Zhou Jingze stood in place and called out to her: “Consider what I said.”

Her figure stiffened for a moment, but ultimately she left without looking back.

Zhou Jingze stood there in black pants and short boots, tall and handsome. He lightly tapped his toe on the ground and snickered: “Stop listening and come out.”

Xu Sui’s heart jumped. Hugging her books, she moved out two steps, explaining: “I didn’t mean to.”

Zhou Jingze turned around, saying slowly: “Then what should we do? We already broke up, and now you saw it too. Even more heartbreaking.”

“I’m sorry,” Xu Sui thought for a moment.

Zhou Jingze put his hands in his pockets and walked toward her step by step, his gaze fixed straight on Xu Sui. He came right in front of her, close enough that their foreheads could almost touch.

The tobacco scent on his body attacked her senses. His sharp aura made Xu Sui’s heart race. She instinctively stepped back, but Zhou Jingze moved even closer.

Zhou Jingze bent down to look at her, his eyes black as rock, carrying a hint of frivolity and casualness: “How about you take her place?”

Hot breath hit her ear, making Xu Sui’s ears itch in waves. Under Zhou Jingze’s gaze, her face visibly turned red, like a drop of red ink falling on transparent oil paper, quickly spreading from her cheeks to behind her ears, creating an almost enchanting beauty.

Seeing that Xu Sui didn’t respond, Zhou Jingze moved closer and raised his eyebrows, asking: “Hmm?”

“I… I…” Xu Sui was both nervous and extremely embarrassed. She stepped back several times, accidentally bumping into the rose bushes, making them rustle. Light was obscured, something fell, and the air seemed to crackle with burning.

Zhou Jingze stood in front of her, slowly approaching. Xu Sui caught sight of his high nose bridge, his thin lips pressing down inch by inch, so close she could see his pitch-black eyelashes.

Her heart jumped to her throat, both fearful and secretly anticipating.

But Zhou Jingze bent down, reached out with his thumb and forefinger to pinch a rose petal from her shoulder, and actually put it in his mouth. Zhou Jingze’s lips pressed against the red petal, his teeth slowly chewing and consuming it, his dark eyes showing playful amusement.

Wicked yet carrying a bad charm.

Xu Sui breathed a sigh of relief, gasping heavily. The books she’d been clutching tightly fell to the ground with a crash, petals once again rustling down onto both their shoulders.

“Just teasing you,” Zhou Jingze’s mischievous intent was obvious in his eyes.

“Come out for dinner tonight. Xixi knows about it.” Zhou Jingze picked another petal, gently twirling it between his fingers.

Xu Sui nodded. After Zhou Jingze left, she leaned her hands on her knees, still breathing lightly. Looking at his casual departing figure, she wondered how there could be such a wicked person.

Like poison—a casual word that made people addicted, falling into dreams, only to be thrown into hell the next second, forcing them to wake up.