After Miss Chen left, the shop returned to tranquility.

Because of the recent hot and humid weather, larger tattoo designs would be more troublesome to heal. Combined with finals week, business wasn’t as good as in other seasons.

[Xu Zhinan: How am I supposed to tutor?]

[Qingye Ge: Should I pick you up at school tonight?]

Xu Zhinan sat alone in the quiet tattoo shop, resting her chin on her hands with her phone right in front of her. Her brows were slightly furrowed, making her look quite troubled.

If it were a major-specific course, tutoring would be fine, but for a course like Modern History that she hadn’t paid much attention to herself…

Going to tutor someone else would be embarrassing.

She thought for a moment and replied: [Let’s do it in a couple of days. I need to organize some key points first. I haven’t even reviewed it myself yet.]

When Lin Qingye received the message, he was at Chuanqi Entertainment Company. He smiled, put away his phone, and looked up again at Wang Qi, who was sitting on the sofa opposite him.

Wang Qi was a program producer for Penguin Video, currently planning a singing competition show. He needed both well-known singers and fresh faces.

This made Lin Qingye his most satisfying candidate—truly a new face for the show, yet he already had fame and a considerable fan base. Since winning the Golden Melody Award, he had maintained an air of mystery, and his commercial value was enormous.

“A young lady?” Wang Qi asked, watching his expression.

“Uncle Wang,” Lin Qingye replied lazily, “Don’t try to pry.”

Lin Qingye and Wang Qi shared another connection as family friends, allowing him to address the man as uncle.

Wang Qi burst into laughter, pointing at him firmly and shaking his head: “You! Truly, no one can control you. But if you’re going to enter this industry, you should think ahead about how to handle these matters.”

Lin Qingye gave a faint “Mm,” and it wasn’t clear whether he took it to heart.

“The program preview is already in preparation. If you’re free later, come with me to record a demo. We’ll release the audio in advance to build anticipation.”

Lin Qingye signed the contract and stood up: “Alright.”

Entering the recording studio, the program team selected his signature song “Locust Tree.”

Wang Qi sat beside the staff wearing headphones and asked Lin Qingye in the recording booth: “Ready?”

He made an OK gesture, still maintaining his usual demeanor, showing no signs of nervousness despite this being his first official program demo.

The staff pushed the control up, and the intro melody played inside the sealed recording studio.

Lin Qingye slightly raised his chin, leaned toward the microphone, and half-closed his eyes:

Between me and the world

You are the chasm, the marsh

The deepening abyss

You are the fence, the wall

The permanent pattern on the shield

You are the maiden

I am the crawling five-legged monster

In the intersection of night, spring light leaks

You raise your gun, I become your sacrifice

…

The young man’s voice was deep and clear. He sang effortlessly, yet somehow captured hearts.

Watching from outside, Wang Qi understood how Lin Qingye had continuously attracted fans for years based solely on bar performance videos taken by fans.

Some people just naturally possess that magic—standing in the spotlight without any effort.

It was already evening when Xu Zhinan left the tattoo shop. After dinner at the cafeteria, she went straight back to her dorm.

Earlier, the Modern History professor had already outlined the important points and mentioned some potential key exam questions, but without providing the answers.

No one else was in the dorm. Xu Zhinan turned on her computer, went through the Modern History textbook again, and typed the answers to those questions into a document.

“Nanan baby!”

A voice called from the doorway as Ruan Yuanyuan entered, walking on high heels and pushing her small silver suitcase.

Ruan Yuanyuan often went home on Fridays and returned to the dorm on Sundays.

Xu Zhinan turned her head: “You’re back.”

Ruan Yuanyuan walked to her side and peeked at her computer screen: “What are you doing?”

“Ah.” Xu Zhinan felt somewhat guilty for some reason. “The Modern History exam is coming up, so I’m reviewing.”

“You’re being too diligent! You’re making your review materials for a course like Modern History!”

“It’s nothing. I don’t have anything else to do right now, and it’s quick to put together.”

Ruan Yuanyuan asked: “Are you going to print it out when you’re done?”

“Yes.”

“Can you make me a copy too?”

Xu Zhinan nodded and continued adding key points: “Sure.”

Their dorm housed four people. Zhao Qian and Jiang Yue both disliked Ruan Yuanyuan. Fortunately, neither was present at the moment; otherwise, they would probably have started bickering after just a few exchanges.

Ruan Yuanyuan crouched down to open her suitcase, then suddenly asked: “By the way, Nanan, are you hosting the senior graduation ceremony coming up?”

“Yes, but there are several hosts. The others are all from the Broadcasting major.”

“Has the ceremony schedule been released yet?”

“Not yet.”

Ruan Yuanyuan smiled with crinkled eyes and said softly: “Let me take a look at the schedule when you get it, okay?”

Since this wasn’t confidential information, Xu Zhinan quickly nodded and said “Okay,” but then suddenly remembered what Zhao Qian had mentioned yesterday.

She paused and asked: “Are you planning to confess at that time?”

“Oh.” Ruan Yuanyuan raised her eyebrows in surprise. “I didn’t expect you to be so well-informed.”

“…”

Xu Zhinan originally wanted to dissuade her, but after opening her mouth, she didn’t know where to begin, so she gave up.

Come to think of it, how Xu Zhinan met Lin Qingye was quite dramatic.

It was during her freshman year that she received the most attention upon entering school and joined the university’s art society.

During a weekend club activity, everyone went to a bar together.

Many drinks at the bar were made to look like sodas or fruit juices—very pretty, but high in alcohol content. Nanan unknowingly drank too much.

Feeling her face burning, she decided to go to the bathroom to wash her face.

However, upon leaving the bathroom, her path was blocked by a man saying inappropriate things.

The alcohol’s effects surged, bringing a flush to Xu Zhinan’s face. She could barely walk steadily, leaning against the wall for support, her heart pounding.

But at that moment—

“Hey.” A male voice sounded from behind.

That was the first time Xu Zhinan saw Lin Qingye.

Sharp-featured, flamboyant yet somehow detached, leaning against the wall with a cigarette between his lips.

The man knew Lin Qingye. His expression froze as he stood there rigidly: “What?”

Lin Qingye flicked away some ash, with a half-smile: “She’s my girl.”

Xu Zhinan knew this statement was used to drive the man away, but she was still stunned.

Nanan didn’t know if their meeting was timely or not.

If it was, it was because their relationship had grown increasingly difficult to define since that first encounter.

But if not, perhaps they would never have had the chance to meet at all.

Lin Qingye had some influence at the bar, and the harassing man left.

Her shoulder was encircled by a slightly cool hand, and a voice came from above her head: “Can you still walk?”

Xu Zhinan looked up at him, feeling increasingly dizzy with sharp pains. She couldn’t speak.

Then the voice above her head asked again: “Want to come back with me?”

What happened afterward was mostly lost from her memory when she woke up the next day. Her memory was completely blank—truly a wild night. She could only stare at Lin Qingye in shock for several minutes.

He was bare-chested, looking at her casually and asking: “What do you plan to do?”

He was asking about their current situation.

Xu Zhinan held back tears rising from helplessness and said: “I’m sorry, I’ll take responsibility for you.”

Lin Qingye paused, then leaned against the wall, laughing loudly, nodding: “Alright, remember to take responsibility.”

And so they became entangled, their relationship increasingly undefined.

After Xu Zhinan finished organizing the Modern History review materials, Zhao Qian and Jiang Yue returned to the dorm.

Since Ruan Yuanyuan was also there, interrupting their usual conversation, there was no “night talk session” that evening. They went straight to bed after lights out at eleven.

Monday morning was packed with classes.

After class, Xu Zhinan went with Zhao Qian to print the Modern History review materials.

One person’s effort, four people’s benefit—Xu Zhinan printed five copies of the review materials.

“Nanan, do you want milk tea?” Zhao Qian asked.

“No, I’ll buy a bottle of water and go with you.”

Just below the print shop was the campus supermarket, which housed a milk tea shop. Several of their signature milk teas were famous and considered specialties of Pingchuan University, often attracting students from other schools.

Just as they walked down the stairs, someone called out to Xu Zhinan.

Zhao Qian looked over and gleefully exclaimed, “Oho,” then leaned close to her ear, saying: “Here comes the junior who wants to tattoo your name on himself.”

The junior named Fan Li had just finished playing basketball. His pursuit of Xu Zhinan was well-known, and his friends nearby began teasing as soon as they saw her.

Fan Li ran up to Xu Zhinan: “Senior, why are you here too?”

Xu Zhinan gestured to the stack of materials she was carrying: “Came to make copies.”

“Would you like some milk tea, senior? My treat.”

“I don’t like sweet drinks.”

Zhao Qian, beside her, cut in, blinking: “This senior here would like some.”

Fan Li smiled: “Great, then I’ll treat you.”

Xu Zhinan gave Zhao Qian a light slap, whispering: “What are you doing?”

“I’m giving the junior a way out. How embarrassing would it be if his friends saw him fail to even give out a cup of milk tea?”

“…”

After their whispered exchange, considering that Fan Li was treating Zhao Qian because of her, Xu Zhinan smiled and thanked him.

“Hey, Captain, isn’t that our Pingchuan’s pride over there?” Guan Chi, sitting in the car with Lin Qingye, nodded toward the other side.

Lin Qingye looked over and saw Xu Zhinan with a young man standing in front of her. The girl was smiling gently and serenely, who knows what she was saying to the person opposite her.

He stared for a while, his expression gradually filling with indescribable emotion, then directly opened the car door and got out.

“Eh—?” Guan Chi jumped in surprise. “Captain!”

But their captain was already walking toward them without looking back.

Guan Chi rubbed his nose and muttered: “Why so urgent? He didn’t even wear a hat. Better be careful about being surrounded by people.”

The beverage section of the supermarket was on the far side, separated by a wall. Xu Zhinan headed straight for the beverage section as soon as she entered, while Zhao Qian and Fan Li stood at the milk tea counter.

It was still class time, and because of the scorching heat, there weren’t many people in the supermarket at this hour. The non-refrigerated beverage shelves were even emptier.

Most mineral water bottles had been placed in the refrigerator, with only a few remaining on the top shelf.

Nanan stood on tiptoe, stretching her arm to reach them.

She silently complained about the supermarket shelf design being too unreasonable—why make them so high? She wasn’t even particularly short.

Stretching her arm wasn’t enough; she had to extend her fingers too. Just as she was about to grasp one, another arm reached over her head, long fingers gripping the bottle.

Xu Zhinan blinked: “Thanks…”

Then she watched as those hands pushed the mineral water bottle further back on the shelf.

“…”

…Eh?

From Xu Zhinan’s current angle, she couldn’t even see the water bottle anymore.

What kind of move was this?

Xu Zhinan frowned slightly, thinking it was someone’s prank, but when she turned around, she came face to face with Lin Qingye.

Her eyes widened in complete shock. Her first reaction was to look around, thankfully seeing no one else.

Lin Qingye observed her reaction and chuckled: “Acting like a thief.”

She was indeed.

With so many fans who adored him, who knows what they might say if someone discovered them.

Xu Zhinan felt guilty like a thief, and thinking about her relationship with Lin Qingye made her feel even more self-conscious.

“No one saw me come in,” he added.

Xu Zhinan lowered her voice: “Why are you at school today?”

“My advisor was looking for me.”

“Oh.” She nodded, uncomfortable talking with Lin Qingye in such an environment, afraid of being seen. “I should go now.”

Lin Qingye made a “tsk” sound, grabbed her collar and pulled her back, pinning her wrist against the shelf: “Why are you running?”

“…”

Xu Zhinan rarely felt such pressure from him; she could even smell the cigarette scent on him.

“My classmate is right over there.”

He raised an eyebrow: “Not taking the water anymore?”

Xu Zhinan couldn’t help complaining: “You pushed it away and wouldn’t give it to me.”

“Call me once and I’ll get it for you.”

From Xu Zhinan’s angle, looking up, she could see his prominent Adam’s apple and a section of collarbone exposed at his neckline. She tentatively and obediently said: “Qingye Ge.”

Lin Qingye raised his long arm and effortlessly retrieved the bottle of mineral water for her.

The two were hiding by the shelf, and Xu Zhinan felt her face growing hot. She took the water from his hand and thanked him again.

Acting completely unfamiliar.

Lin Qingye found it amusing and gripped her hand through the water bottle.

Sure enough, Xu Zhinan immediately reacted like a startled cat, trying hard to pull away, but unfortunately, she wasn’t as strong as Lin Qingye and couldn’t break free.

Lin Qingye held her hand and asked calmly: “Who was that just now?”