The air became stagnant.

No one spoke. Ji Yan, Guan Chi, and Shi Si all closed their mouths simultaneously.

Water continued dripping down Lin Qingye’s face, hitting the cement ground and spreading into dark circles.

Xu Zhinan calmly held his gaze for a few seconds, then stepped back, tossed the empty water bottle into the trash can, and walked away without looking back.

At the entrance of the assembly hall, she ran into Ruan Yuanyuan, who was rushing over with a bouquet.

“Zhinan, Zhinan, Zhinan! Is it over? Do you know where Lin Qingye is now?!”

It was already dark, and she didn’t notice anything wrong with Xu Zhinan’s face. She was still complaining about the professor who had kept her.

Xu Zhinan struggled to steady her trembling voice and pointed in a direction: “Over there.”

“He’s still here!” Ruan Yuanyuan’s face lit up with joy. She gave Xu Zhinan a quick hug before running straight in that direction.

Ji Yan pulled out a pack of tissues from her bag and offered them to Lin Qingye. He glanced at them but didn’t take them. Instead, he wiped his face with his hand, pushing his wet, disheveled hair back.

His features were sharp and defined, and when he wore a stern expression, he looked particularly intimidating.

This was when Ruan Yuanyuan came running over with her bouquet, partially blocking her view.

Though she noticed the water stains on his face and shirt collar, she never connected them with someone throwing water at Lin Qingye. She naturally assumed he had washed his face after the performance and gotten wet.

“Senior,” she said softly, extending the bouquet, “happy graduation.”

He maintained his previous posture without moving.

Ruan Yuanyuan pursed her lips but didn’t mind, continuing, “Senior, I’ve liked you for a long time. I can sing all your songs, and I often go to see your band perform at the bar.”

“Get lost,” Lin Qingye said, his voice so cold it carried ice shards.

Ruan Yuanyuan didn’t react immediately, stunned for a moment: “What?”

She stepped forward again, offering the flowers.

Lin Qingye knocked away her approaching arm and looked down at her, the fiery hostility in his demeanor pressing down on her: “I told you to get lost. Didn’t you hear clearly?”

Ruan Yuanyuan hadn’t expected Lin Qingye to accept her confession; she simply didn’t want to leave herself with regrets.

But she hadn’t anticipated the situation would turn out like this.

She knew about the various mixed reviews Lin Qingye received. She had seen the video of him hitting someone—expressionless, cold, and sinister.

But after seeing Lin Qingye on stage, she was blinded, no longer believing those things.

All along, Lin Qingye was different from the celebrity stars in the entertainment industry, and his fans were completely different from those traffic fans.

He never “performed” for fans, nor did he “pamper” them in the way that term is usually understood.

He just sang in bars, and those who liked him would come to the bar to listen and drink.

He was willful and casual, elusive and unpredictable, always giving people the feeling that they could never quite grasp him, but his fans loved him just like that.

He had only spoken a few words softly, but Ruan Yuanyuan felt as if she had been harshly humiliated. The flowers fell to the ground, and she ran away, covering her face.

Qin Tang was astonished. In less than ten minutes, two girls had run away.

The contrast between the two situations was stark: this one had softly confessed her feelings only to be told to get lost, while the previous one had thrown water in Lin Qingye’s face without him uttering a single word of rebuke.

Thinking about it this way…

Qin Tang’s heart skipped a beat.

None of their group would dare throw water at Lin Qingye like Xu Zhinan had.

“Um, Wild Brother…” Qin Tang hesitantly began, “Is Sister-in-law angry? Should I go apologize to her?”

Ji Yan, standing nearby, gave him a genuine, massive eye-roll.

Just earlier, he had been speaking disrespectfully, but now, seeing the situation turn sour, he immediately switched to calling her “Sister-in-law.”

Truly, shamelessness knows no bounds.

Lin Qingye looked up and shot him a glance, sharp as a knife.

“Mind your own business. Does she need you hovering around her?” He didn’t spare Qin Tang any face.

Lin Qingye left everyone behind.

Qin Tang was stunned. Usually, he could be brotherly with Lin Qingye, but when he truly angered him, he didn’t dare provoke him further. He asked Ji Yan, “What’s going on here?”

Ji Yan responded harshly: “Don’t you have eyes?”

“Hey, why are you talking to me like that?” Qin Tang frowned.

“That’s just how I talk. Take it or leave it.”

“…Seriously, my lady, why has your temper gotten even worse?” Qin Tang asked, “What’s going on between Wild Brother and that girl? Is it serious?”

Ji Yan: “You should prepare yourself for death first.”

After high school graduation, their band members had stayed together, but they rarely contacted the other troublemakers anymore.

Ji Yan couldn’t be bothered to continue the conversation and left with Shi Si and Guan Chi.

The night was deep, and the previously bustling campus returned to quietness.

Ji Yan didn’t know how to answer Qin Tang’s question either. She used to think Lin Qingye wasn’t serious, but after today, it seemed that might not be the case.

“Did you guys think the captain was acting strange?” Ji Yan asked.

Guan Chi: “How so?”

Ji Yan couldn’t quite explain, it was just a feeling: “Could the captain actually like Xu Zhinan?”

“If he likes her, why didn’t he go after her just now?” Shi Si said matter-of-factly.

“With his personality, how could he possibly chase after her?”

“Well, there’s your answer to your earlier question,” Shi Si shrugged, then laughed heartlessly, “I never imagined that when she got angry, she would dare to throw water in the captain’s face.”

Xu Zhinan walked back to the dormitory.

Before pushing the door open, she checked her reflection in the window glass. Her eyes were a bit red, but otherwise, nothing looked amiss. She softly said, “It might be the eyeliner or eyeshadow or something.”

Jiang Yue also turned around and asked, “Are you okay? I have some eye drops if you need them?”

Zhao Qian said, “Let’s remove your makeup first.”

Xu Zhinan rarely wore makeup in daily life, but she attended many similar evening events, so she had makeup remover and basic skincare products.

She went into the bathroom to remove her makeup. As she lowered her head to wash her face, tears streamed out. Her palm held both scalding tears and cold tap water.

The strength she had been maintaining crumbled at this moment.

Her fingertips trembled as she locked the bathroom door from inside. She clung to the sink and slowly crouched down, even breathing felt painful.

Yet she couldn’t just walk out like this because if they saw her this way, she couldn’t explain.

Finally, Xu Zhinan stayed in the bathroom for a long time before going out.

Zhao Qian was about to speak to her, but when she turned and saw her eyes, she immediately closed her mouth—they were even redder than when she went in, clearly red from holding back tears.

“Zhinan,” she asked gently, trying to probe, “are you okay?”

Xu Zhinan shook her head, not daring to look at her, only saying, “I’m fine.”

She climbed into bed, lowered the bed curtain, blocking out the outside light. Her small space turned dark.

Zhao Qian exchanged a glance with Jiang Yue, silently mouthing: What’s going on?

Jiang Yue shook her head, indicating she didn’t know either.

Seeing that Xu Zhinan didn’t want to talk about it, Zhao Qian, usually noisy and bustling, didn’t know how to comfort someone. Finally, unable to let it go, she went to her bedside: “If you have anything you want to talk about, tell us, okay? If you don’t want to talk, you can just text me.”

“Mm.” Her voice was muffled in the pillow. “I’m fine.”

That night, Ruan Yuanyuan didn’t return to the dorm. Zhao Qian and Jiang Yue didn’t chat either, turning off the lights early.

Xu Zhinan buried her face in her pillow, and later her head became dizzy and pounded with pain.

This was the first time she had liked someone.

The first heartbeat of her life.

Her mother was a middle school teacher, and her father was a police officer—upright and just. She grew up in such a family, influenced subtly, imperceptibly. Xu Zhinan was warm and kind. Even after her father died in the line of duty, she didn’t wallow in self-pity, but quietly prayed with a Buddhist scripture, giving herself solace.

A boy like Lin Qingye was someone who shouldn’t have appeared in her life’s trajectory.

He was unrestrained, while she steadily had goals and plans for each step.

But it was a first, after all. Life has those few firsts that produce all kinds of inexplicable emotions—restless, hopeful, yearning.

In these emotions, all her cautious, humble approaches had reasonable explanations.

Over these three years, she was too deeply involved to see clearly. Although her rationality helped her conceal her relationship with Lin Qingye from everyone around her, she couldn’t escape being immersed in it.

Until now.

She was suddenly pulled out of the maze, like being hit over the head.

After the fog cleared, all the things she had deliberately ignored became clear.

That night, she couldn’t fall asleep at all. The dried tears made her face feel tight until the phone screen beside her lit up.

[Mom: Zhinan, are you busy with your studies lately? Your father’s death anniversary is coming up soon. If you’re free that day, please come home for a visit.]

Xu Zhinan rubbed her eyes and checked the time. It was already past midnight.

[Xu Zhinan: Mom, why aren’t you asleep yet?]

[Mom: I woke up to use the bathroom and was afraid I’d forget to tell you tomorrow, so I’m letting you know now. Did I wake you?]

[Xu Zhinan: No, I’m still awake.]

[Mom: Why aren’t you sleeping so late? Are you busy with schoolwork?]

[Xu Zhinan: Not busy, I just can’t sleep.]

Since her father’s death, Xu Zhinan had become very independent, rarely even acting cute or coquettish with her mother like young girls often do.

But today, she couldn’t hold back.

[Xu Zhinan: Mom, I want to call you.]

[Mom: Sure, call me. Just don’t disturb your roommates.]

She quietly got out of bed, put on a jacket, and went to the balcony. She dialed her mother, who answered quickly. Her voice carried a smile, as if coaxing: “What’s wrong with our Zhinan? You can’t sleep because something’s on your mind?”

“Mom,” she said softly, but her voice quivered at the end.

On the other end, her mother paused, then patiently said: “Mom’s here. Tell me what’s troubling you.”

At times like this, such words were hardest to hear.

Xu Zhinan’s tears were about to spill again. They fell one by one, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. Even her choked voice couldn’t be hidden: “Mom, my head hurts so much.”

“Why does your head suddenly hurt? Do you have a fever?”

“No, maybe because I hosted the evening show today, and it was very loud.”

Hearing this, her mother finally relaxed a bit: “Our Zhinan is so capable, even serving as a host. But if your head hurts, you should go to sleep early. Sleep in a bit tomorrow and get more rest.”

Mother and daughter chatted for a while longer before Xu Zhinan said goodbye and hung up. After the call, she opened the balcony door to go back inside.

Zhao Qian and Jiang Yue were already asleep.

After talking with her mom, Xu Zhinan finally fell asleep.

The next day, she rarely slept until ten in the morning before getting up.

Her head no longer hurt, but she didn’t feel refreshed either, probably some post-breakup syndrome.

Xu Zhinan’s fingertips paused, and she smiled self-mockingly.

Perhaps what she had with Lin Qingye didn’t even qualify as a breakup.

After washing up, Xu Zhinan stuffed several exam books into her backpack and went to the tattoo shop.

With final exams approaching, she had postponed several large jobs she had scheduled, and recently hadn’t confirmed any work.

She reviewed the knowledge points in her textbooks once more, closed the book, and rebuilt the framework in her mind to reinforce it.

Just as she finished, the door of the tattoo shop was pushed open, and the wind chimes made a crisp, melodious sound.

However, the person who appeared wasn’t so pleasant—Qin Tang.

Xu Zhinan pretended not to know him, treating him with professional courtesy: “Welcome.”

He smiled awkwardly: “Well, welcome, welcome… Um, Classmate Xu, I’ve come to apologize to you.”

“No need. If it’s about that matter, please leave.”

“Don’t be like that, don’t be so cruel.” Qin Tang sat down across from her. Yesterday I ran my mouth. You don’t know how terrifying Wild Brother’s face was afterward. If I don’t come to explain things clearly to you, I’m going to be skinned alive.”

“It won’t come to that.”

Indeed, it wouldn’t. The entire night, Lin Qingye hadn’t sent a single message or made a single call, but instead, here was Qin Tang.

“How could it not! You didn’t see what he looked like yesterday! I don’t even dare to find him now.”

Xu Zhinan issued her dismissal: “If you’re here for a tattoo, you can stay. Otherwise, please leave.”

Qin Tang smiled cheekily: “Then how about getting a tattoo?”

Xu Zhinan looked at him silently, her expression cold and distant.

Qin Tang choked, her demeanor suddenly reminding him of the past and Lin Qingye’s assessment as an observer—this woman is too arrogant.

Damn, what’s there to be arrogant about?

Qin Tang nodded: “Fine.”

He stood up and walked toward the door. Xu Zhinan didn’t try to stop him and even escorted him to the doorway, preparing to close the door as soon as he left.

Qin Tang blocked the door with his hand and finally said: “Actually, Lin Qingye is quite special toward you. So many girls like him, but I’ve never seen him treat anyone else with favor. You’re the first.”

Xu Zhinan smiled faintly, revealing two beautiful dimples and a row of neat, small white teeth.

Qin Tang was momentarily distracted.

Then he heard her say calmly with that harmless-looking face: “Plenty of guys like me too. I neither want nor need him to show me special favor.”

“…”

The door closed, and the “Welcome” wooden sign on the doorknob almost hit his nose.

Qin Tang was stunned by her words and the gleam in her eyes.

Yesterday, watching the two of them secretly kissing intimately outside the hall, with Xu Zhinan’s shy expression, he had truly admired Lin Qingye.

This admiration wasn’t for successfully “hooking up” with Xu Zhinan—for her, one couldn’t use “hook up,” but rather “conquer.”

And he seemed to have tamed her completely; her arrogance was nowhere to be seen, replaced by docile obedience.

But now it seemed this young woman had quickly regained her clarity after withdrawing.

It was hard to tell who had conquered whom.

It had been raining on and off these past two days. After finishing the first exam of finals week, Xu Zhinan stepped out of the teaching building onto the wet ground.

She returned to the dormitory to grab some clean clothes before boarding the subway home.

Today was the anniversary of her father’s death.

Xu Zhinan held onto the subway handrail, recalling past events, her expression becoming slightly distant.

After exiting the subway station, several neighbors along the way home greeted her cheerfully: “Zhinan is back!”

Xu Zhinan had always been well-liked by everyone.

Just as she entered the doorway of her home, she heard another voice: “Auntie, just leave those things there. I’ll carry them.”

“Gu Congwang?” She was startled.

Gu Congwang was holding several fruit plates and turned to look at her: “You’ve finally arrived. I sent you a message, didn’t you see it?”

“Huh?” Xu Zhinan checked her phone and realized she had turned it off during the exam and hadn’t turned it back on. “I forgot to turn my phone back on.”

“You really…” Gu Congwang laughed, snapping his fingers in front of her. “Why do you seem so absentminded lately?”

“The exam paper was a bit difficult today.”

“Oh, come on.” Gu Congwang didn’t quite believe her.

“Why did you come over?” Xu Zhinan asked.

“I had nothing to do, and today is…” He didn’t continue, running his hand through his hair. “Auntie is quite tired alone, so I came to help. Little did I know I came late; Auntie had already prepared everything.”

Her mother called her from the kitchen, and Xu Zhinan quickly responded, going in to help.

By the time they set out for the cemetery, it was already past noon.

Fortunately, it had just rained, so it wasn’t too hot.

Her mother arranged the pastries and offerings, kneeling before the tombstone.

On the tombstone was a photo of a man in police uniform, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, looking very righteous.

Xu Zhinan had heard from her grandmother that her father had been handsome since childhood, and being a police officer with a government job, many girls in the neighborhood had admired him back then.

But he was too busy with work to date, and being surrounded by men his age, he barely saw a strand of a girl’s hair.

It wasn’t until her grandmother explicitly demanded that he finally agreed to go on a blind date, where he met her mother. The two fell in love at first sight and quickly got engaged.

On their wedding day, everyone admired the handsome man and beautiful woman—a police officer and a teacher, one upright and brave, the other gentle and virtuous—all expressing their envy.

At that time, it was considered a beautiful romance.

Who could have imagined it would end up like this?

When her father first died in the line of duty, her mother cried every day and fell seriously ill. It took more than a year for her to recover, but her eyes were permanently affected, making it difficult for her to see clearly at night.

Her mother sat in front of the tombstone, talking to her father.

Xu Zhinan didn’t disturb her, walking to the side to chat with Gu Congwang.

At the TV station’s recording studio, the first episode of “I Sing for Music” finished recording.

The show used an elimination format, initially inviting many participants, including established vocalists, mediocre-reviewed young idols trying to prove their worth, and a small number of undebuted singers selected from various regions—Lin Qingye belonged to this last category.

Later, contestants with low voting support would be eliminated, and there would also be challenger rounds.

Although Lin Qingye had never debuted professionally, judging by the light boards in the audience for this episode, his fan power was no less than those of the traffic stars.

Perhaps it was because his style had never been seen in the entertainment industry before, which gave him a strong core fanbase with few deserters.

The show’s lighting and equipment were much better than at the graduation party. In an immersive singing experience, everyone sang the song they had previewed earlier.

Lin Qingye sang his signature song, “Locust Tree.”

Below the stage, fans waved light boards, held banners, wore fluorescent bracelets, and swayed in unison with the melody.

It was far more magnificent than the atmosphere in the bar.

However, he felt something wasn’t quite right, which made him uneasy.

Then he remembered not long ago, his last performance at “Wild.”

Xu Zhinan had come too, sitting in a corner, quiet and still. Many men around noticed her, and some even approached her directly, but she rejected them all.

Then across the crowd, their eyes met.

Even though they only made eye contact for a few seconds, she felt embarrassed, lowering her gaze and pretending to take a sip of her drink, only to choke and turn red.

Pure and adorable.

As the song ended with a heavy drumbeat, many in the audience stood up and applauded. Lin Qingye was about to leave directly, but the host called him back.

His willingness to participate in the show surprised many. The host asked several questions according to the script.

Unfortunately, Lin Qingye remained distant throughout—his voice distant, his attitude equally so.

The host felt somewhat awkward and joked: “Today might just be the Waterloo of my hosting career. I feel like I can’t continue this conversation.”

The audience erupted in laughter.

After leaving the studio, Wang Qi was talking with staff members and saw him come out: “Qingye, wait a moment.”

He stopped but didn’t move closer, lazily leaning against the wall, his eyes lowered, looking somewhat tired.

Wang Qi finished giving instructions to the staff and walked over, patting his shoulder: “Come join everyone for a kick-off dinner later?”

He was about to refuse when Wang Qi interrupted: “Great, it’s settled then. Get to know each other—we’ll be together for a few months anyway.”

Lin Qingye smiled roguishly, casually: “Maybe I’ll be eliminated after this round.”

“You…” Wang Qi pointed his index finger at him. “Even if you wanted to be eliminated early, it would be difficult. Your stage presence is much better than those celebrities. Young girls these days love that arrogant demeanor of yours.”

Despite saying this, Wang Qi thought of something else.

His daughter, only 15 years old, had somehow seen Lin Qingye’s photos online and actually developed a crush on him. Today, she had begged to come meet him in person, but Wang Qi refused.

Following idols was fine, but developing personal feelings beyond that was not acceptable.

His foolish daughter couldn’t handle someone like Lin Qingye.

“By the way,” Wang Qi asked, “once this show airs, your popularity will likely soar. Private life won’t be so easy to hide. What do you and your little girlfriend plan to do?”

He had seen Lin Qingye chatting with the young woman before.

Though he hadn’t explicitly stated she was his girlfriend, at his age, it wasn’t difficult to guess.

Lin Qingye paused: “She has a quiet personality. Going public would affect her life. I don’t intend to let people know about my private life. Uncle Wang, I’ll need your help with the production team.”

“Now you’re willing to call me Uncle Wang.” Wang Qi lightly scolded him but quickly agreed, “Don’t worry about this. We won’t use contestants’ personal lives to boost ratings or edit things out of context. It’s all written in black and white in the contract.”

He softly responded with a “Mm.”

“However, while I can control the show, once your popularity rises, I can’t control the eyes of fans and media. That’s up to you to manage.”

He responded again, his brows furrowed, lost in thought.

After the final contestant of the first recording finished singing, the audience voting also concluded.

The results would be announced next time, and everyone headed to the banquet together.

At the table, a man sat next to Lin Qingye. He appeared older, with medium-length hair held back by a thin black headband.

Like Lin Qingye, he hadn’t debuted professionally and was also a bar singer recruited by Wang Qi. Though not as famous as Lin Qingye, he had some recognition in his local area.

“Um, hello.” He leaned over to greet him. “My name is Zhou Ji.”

Lin Qingye’s hand holding the wine glass paused, and he turned to look at him: “Lin Qingye.”

“I know, I know. I’ve listened to your songs. I even sang them at the bar before.”

Zhou Ji had an outgoing personality and talked a lot. Throughout the dinner, he did most of the talking while Lin Qingye, in a foul mood and disliking such occasions, responded minimally as they drank a few glasses together.

Zhou Ji rested one hand on the table edge, and Lin Qingye noticed a faint blue tattoo on his arm.

Zhou Ji noticed his gaze and laughed: “This? The makeup artist said tattoos don’t look good on TV shows, and even if they show, they’ll be blurred out in post-production. So they just covered it with concealer. Honestly, this show has too many annoying rules. Except for the good equipment, it’s not really free to sing here.”

Lin Qingye held his wine glass, his wrist hanging down, and commented: “It looks good.”

“You like it too?” Zhou Ji glanced at his body, not seeing any visible tattoos. “Do you have any?”

“No, but I know a tattoo artist.”

“Great, if I want to get a new one sometime, can you introduce me?”

Lin Qingye curled his lips in a smile but neither agreed nor refused.

They clinked glasses and drank another cup. Lin Qingye asked, “Does it hurt?”

“Hasn’t your tattoo artist friend told you?” Zhou Ji raised an eyebrow. “My position isn’t too bad, it’s bearable.”

After drinking for a while longer, Lin Qingye’s patience in this world of fame and fortune was exhausted. He said he needed to use the bathroom and got up to leave.

After using the bathroom, he didn’t return to the banquet hall but left directly.

The place wasn’t too far from his apartment, but he couldn’t drive back, so he put on a mask and hat and walked home.

He didn’t take the main road but cut through a shortcut.

The old walls along the small path were dirty, and the air was filled with the damp smell unique to continuous rainy days. Green moss sprouted from between the stones.

He had never taken this path before and pinched the nose bridge of his mask.

In this weather, it felt like the alcohol smell on his body couldn’t dissipate, enveloping him warmly in his drunken state.

Halfway through, Wang Qi called, asking why he hadn’t returned.

“I left.”

“Left?! Everyone’s waiting for you to take photos!”

Lin Qingye chuckled softly: “You all can take them without me.”

He hung up after a brief exchange and looked up to see an old woman sitting at a broken table across the way. Her hair was silver-gray, and her hands were wrinkled like tree bark. At first glance, she looked like someone with one foot in the grave.

She had set up a small stall in the alley.

Just as Lin Qingye was about to look away, he noticed a book on the broken table—a Buddhist scripture.

It looked familiar; he remembered Xu Zhinan had one too.

“Fortune-telling! Fortune-telling! Five yuan a time,” the old swindler croaked from her brass-gong-like throat.

Lin Qingye kept his eyes straight ahead and continued walking.

The swindler thrust her bamboo fortune stick tube directly toward him: “Draw a divination.”

“No thanks.”

“I can see an ominous sign on your face.”

Lin Qingye laughed, raising an eyebrow: “You can tell even though I’m wearing a mask?”

“With a sincere heart, I can see at a glance. As for how to avert it…” She pushed the bamboo tube toward him again. “Draw one.”

“I didn’t bring money.”

“Scanning a code works too.” As she spoke, she actually pulled out a tattered QR code from under her table.

“…”

Lin Qingye stared at the Buddhist scripture on her table for a while, then, as if possessed, took out his phone and scanned the code: “Five yuan?”

“Five yuan per fortune stick, honest price for all ages,” the old swindler said.

With the mechanical female voice announcing “Alipay received five yuan,” Lin Qingye drew a fortune stick.

The swindler took it and mysteriously intoned: “In the midst of love and desire, one is born alone, dies alone, comes alone, and goes alone. Suffering and joy one must face oneself, no one can substitute.”

Lin Qingye thought that if Xu Zhinan were here, the young nun and the old nun could have a good discussion.

He wasn’t interested in asking what those words meant, considering the five yuan as entertainment. As he was about to leave, the swindler added: “I see your recent love life is troubled.”

His footsteps paused, but he didn’t answer.

“Your heart’s demon is too heavy, harming yourself and others,” the swindler continued with an unchanged expression. “Your fated person is a good person, you’re lucky to have them, but you must break through your heart’s demon.”

Lin Qingye watched as she pulled out a small pink packet wrapped in kraft paper, pushing it forward: “Dissolve in warm water and drink. The heart’s demon can be severed immediately. This secret formula cannot be shared. Just five hundred yuan to resolve your heart’s matters.”

Lin Qingye gave a contemptuous laugh.

He felt utterly ridiculous for listening to this swindler’s nonsense for so long, and he turned and left directly.

Lin Qingye returned to his apartment.

After showering, he sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, which offered a panoramic view of the bustling Yan City.

He picked up his phone and opened his chat history with Xu Zhinan.

The last message was from the graduation party day.

Xu Zhinan had come looking for him, texting to ask where he was.

He scrolled up through the screen. Xu Zhinan had a habit when looking for him—even in private chats, she would always add “Qingye Ge” before her messages.

When speaking too, she would always softly call him “Qingye Ge.”

They didn’t have many chat records; they didn’t chat often.

Lin Qingye had a habit of deleting messages regularly, so he quickly reached the top.

He leaned back against the sofa and then clicked into her Moments.

Coincidentally, Xu Zhinan had just posted something.

It wasn’t about tattoo designs but a candle emoji.

Lin Qingye casually liked it.

Then he immediately remembered that night, when she no longer called him “Qingye Ge” but used his full name “Lin Qingye,” filled with anger, her eyes frighteningly bright, yet making her features stunningly beautiful.

That bottle of water had been thrown quite skillfully.

Lin Qingye let out a soft snort.

Then he unliked the post.