With dinner plans in the evening, Xue Jing started doing her makeup and curling her hair in the dorm two hours early.

Seeing her enthusiasm, Lin Anran passed by and gossiped: “What level of handsome guy are we dealing with that’s worth all this effort?”

“Vulgar,” Xue Jing glanced at her while continuing to apply eyeshadow in the mirror, “Top-level academic genius from S University, what great networking resources. Can’t I just make a friend?”

Lin Anran nodded toward Shi Sui, who was sleeping soundly on the opposite bed: “Then what’s up with this one? Lying so flat.”

Shi Sui rarely stayed in the dorm overnight, and like someone who hadn’t rested in eight hundred years, she spent any free time sleeping.

“She’s naturally beautiful,” Xue Jing waved her hand, “don’t worry about her.”

Lin Anran nodded while holding back laughter, sighing inwardly.

—They had never seen a girl as zen as Shi Sui.

Except for her major courses, she seemed uninterested in everything, and when talking to her, her reactions were always half a beat slow, with a kind of leisurely harmlessness unique to herbivorous animals.

Sometimes she’d even have the illusion that Shi Sui was a fluffy creature, and if you got close and took a whiff, you could smell the scent of grass.

This feeling was magical.

Being around Shi Sui gave a particularly reassuring feeling, comfortable to the point of addiction.

As they talked, movement came from behind the bed curtain—Shi Sui had woken up.

Lin Anran covered her mouth: “Did our talking wake you?”

“No.” Shi Sui shook her head, but her expression was completely out of it, staring blankly at one spot.

Lin Anran asked: “What’s wrong?”

Shi Sui came back to herself: “Had a nightmare.” She lit up her phone to check the time and exclaimed, “Did I sleep that long?”

“Yeah,” Xue Jing closed her eyeshadow palette and said leisurely, “You slept away the whole beautiful weekend.”

Because she couldn’t sleep well when staying with Yan Tingli.

Calculating that there was still some time, Shi Sui rubbed her groggy temples and leaned back again to calm her nerves.

“Still sleeping?”

Shi Sui said muffledly: “Let me recover for a bit.”

Although she had slept for a long time, the quality wasn’t high—she’d had many nonsensical dreams.

Probably triggered by the afternoon watch incident, Shi Sui dreamed of doing homework at her neighbor auntie’s house in middle school, with Fang Huaijing teaching her from the side.

This neighbor’s brother was also one of “other people’s children,” with good grades since childhood.

He didn’t talk much but was very patient, and his tutoring pace accommodated her rhythm.

She was dozing off while listening, her eyelids drooping.

Someone ruffled her hair, and she couldn’t open her eyes, murmuring: “Brother Huaijing, I’m so sleepy, can I sleep for a while?”

But what responded to her was a pair of cool hands.

Someone lifted her face from behind, breath lightly sweeping across her neck, voice ice-cold: “Sui Sui, what did you call me?”

She jolted awake.

Turning around, she met Yan Tingli’s pitch-black, thin, and cold eyes, with emotions that naturally frightened her suppressed in their depths.

Even after being awake this long, the last scene from the dream kept flashing in her mind.

Shi Sui sighed, feeling she’d eventually be scared into neurosis by Yan Tingli.

Seeing Shi Sui still lying in bed, Xue Jing turned around: “Sui Sui, aren’t you getting up to get ready? Are you planning to go to dinner looking so slovenly?”

Shi Sui didn’t want to move yet, rubbing her eyes and saying, “As long as you look good.”

“No way!” Xue Jing said seriously.

In the end, Shi Sui was forced by Xue Jing’s orders to change into a dress and put on light makeup, with the reasoning: “You looking like this makes it seem like I’m trying too hard with my outfit!”

Shi Sui was embarrassed and quickly waved her brush: “Got it, got it.”

“Also, can romance be found just by sitting in the dorm?” Xue Jing put her hands on her hips and lectured, “With this passive attitude of yours, are you planning to be a nun for life?”

“Fake nun” Shi Sui looked up at “real nun” and didn’t dare make a sound.

Watching Shi Sui finish slapping makeup on her smooth face in twenty minutes and still look radiantly beautiful, Xue Jing sourly pinched her cheek: “If I had your face, I’d dress up and go out every day.”

Shi Sui took the opportunity to nuzzle her face against Xue Jing’s hand: “Then I’ll tell Nüwa to reserve one for you in the next life.”

Xue Jing was coaxed into continuous laughter.

—

A University and S University weren’t far apart, facing each other in the same university town.

It being the weekend, nearby restaurants were packed, Wangxian Tower especially so. This was an extremely famous Cantonese restaurant here, particularly known for a Guangdong-style roast goose that would sell out if you arrived slightly late.

To grab this famous dish, Gao Linhan left his dorm half an hour early.

The place wasn’t far, a ten-minute walk.

Gao Linhan walked while turning to talk to the person behind him: “This watch of yours took a lot of effort, I even used my connections at A University.”

The tall, fair male student behind him had a calm demeanor. Knowing what he was getting at, Fang Huaijing said indifferently: “Thank you, I’ll treat you to meals for a week.”

“Now you’re talking.” Gao Linhan satisfactorily patted Fang Huaijing’s shoulder, “But I remember your watch isn’t some famous brand. Why go through all this trouble to find it?”

Fang Huaijing said, “I’m used to wearing it.”

“Alright then.”

Gao Linhan wasn’t very interested in the watch and changed the subject: “I see you’re usually so ascetic, today I’m introducing you to two beautiful girls—”

He was still talking when Fang Huaijing had already pushed open the restaurant door: “Go order the food.”

“Oh.” Gao Linhan stopped talking.

They thought they’d arrived early, but Wangxian Tower was already packed.

Gao Linhan went straight to the ordering counter upon entering, saying loudly: “Private room 208, we want one roast goose.”

“Sorry, sir,” the manager apologetically told him, “the roast goose is sold out.”

“But I see you still have one portion here?” Gao Linhan pointed forward.

There was still one menu card for roast goose.

“Sorry, the last portion was also reserved for takeout by that gentleman,” the manager said.

Gao Linhan followed her gaze, looking through the crowd.

He saw Yan Tingli leaning against a pillar ahead, lazily looking down, fingertips lightly tapping the screen.

With a manga-like beautiful boy appearance, even the simplest hoodie and pants on him conveyed a cool, otherworldly temperament.

Although the manager hadn’t specified, Gao Linhan instinctively judged that this last portion of roast goose was what Yan Tingli was taking for takeout.

Not only eating but also taking takeout, and it just happened to be the last portion.

Truly naturally destined to clash with him.

Gao Linhan stepped forward.

“What are you doing?” Fang Huaijing pressed his shoulder.

Gao Linhan: “I’m asking him to let us have this roast goose. We’re treating people to dinner after all, it won’t do without ordering the signature dish.”

Fang Huaijing glanced in Yan Tingli’s direction, not thinking he had an easy-going personality: “Forget it.”

Gao Linhan waved his hand: “We were high school classmates, he should give me some face.”

Seeing he couldn’t be dissuaded, Fang Huaijing gave up and followed Gao Linhan over.

Gao Linhan stepped forward, noticing he was sending messages, and quite familiarly patted Yan Tingli’s shoulder: “Bro, we meet again. You’re here for dinner too?”

Yan Tingli put away his phone, his peripheral vision withdrawn from the shoulder he’d touched, and hummed in acknowledgment.

On the surface, there was nothing wrong with his behavior.

But it was clear his attitude was as bland as plain water, with no intention of extending the conversation.

Gao Linhan considered himself socially adept, but only when facing Yan Tingli did that invisible sense of alienation emerge again.

He unconsciously straightened up: “It’s like this, I happen to be treating someone to dinner today, and when ordering, the manager said the last roast goose was your takeout—”

Before he could finish, Yan Tingli had already said, “Can’t give it up.”

Gao Linhan: “…”

He tried to struggle once more: “I’m treating an old classmate I haven’t seen in a long time to dinner today, I need to order a few signature dishes to make it presentable, please give me some face.”

“Today, just let me have it today,” seeing Yan Tingli about to leave, Gao Linhan chased after him persistently, “Next time I’ll pack one separately to return to you.”

“You already ordered one for your table, this stuff is greasy, you can’t finish it anyway. Why do you insist on takeout!”

“Please, Brother Yan, Big Brother Yan.”

Probably annoyed, Yan Tingli closed his eyes and paused before saying: “Take it.”

“Ah?”

“Tell the waiter to transfer the roast goose from room 205 to your private room.”

Gao Linhan was shocked: “What? You absolutely must have takeout?”

Yan Tingli didn’t want to argue with him anymore: “Anything else?”

“No, nothing more.” Gao Linhan knew when to quit while ahead, “Thank you, Brother Yan~”

Yan Tingli looked away. Fang Huaijing’s gaze met his for a moment.

Although they knew each other, neither had particularly warm personalities, so they nodded slightly and left it at that.

As the two were about to leave, a tall, curly-haired beauty approached head-on, eyes bright and shining, heading straight for Yan Tingli’s direction.

Gao Linhan looked over gossipily, perking up his ears and slowing his departing steps.

Fang Huaijing wasn’t interested and left first.

The conversation nearby reached his ears.

“You’re here so early, Dad said he needs to wait a bit longer.”

“No problem.”

“Dad asked me to come along, I’m not bothering you, am I?”

“Not bothering.” Yan Tingli walked toward the private room first.

His response was too cold, and the girl’s expression showed some disappointment.

She stood in place for a long time before following.

Gao Linhan finished listening to the whole melon, tsk-ed, and walked to Fang Huaijing, who was continuing to order: “Hey, let me tell you some gossip.”

“Then you come order.” Fang Huaijing threw the menu at him and turned to leave.

“…” Gao Linhan: “Damn, so boring, no wonder you’re a monk.”

Due to some traffic on the way, Shi Sui and her companion arrived at the restaurant a few minutes late.

“Let’s see which private room?” Standing at the restaurant entrance, Xue Jing asked her.

Shi Sui took out her phone and was just finding the private room information Gao Linhan had sent that afternoon when a message popped up at the top of the screen.

Yan: [8:30]

Yan: [I want to see you]

Afraid of Xue Jing seeing, Shi Sui quickly swiped away the message.

With a chaotic mind, she found Gao Linhan’s message: “Let’s go, 208.”

Not counting the private rooms, even the main hall was packed with people, and very lively.

Shi Sui absent-mindedly followed Xue Jing to find the private room, until Xue Jing stopped: “Here it is.”

The two entered one after the other.

Neither noticed.

Behind them, another private room door suddenly opened, with a group of people eagerly welcoming the late-arriving Su Ye.

Behind them.

Yan Tingli leaned against the wall, expression detached, dark pupils aimlessly scanning the surroundings.

Suddenly.

His gaze was slowly fixed, watching that wisp of goose-yellow dress hem disappear into the opposite private room.

The expression on his face vanished.

—

“Hey, they’re here.”

Seeing the door open and Shi Sui and her companion enter the private room, Gao Linhan elbowed Fang Huaijing while enthusiastically stepping forward to greet them.

“Sorry, we’re a bit late, there was some traffic.” Xue Jing said.

“No big deal, we just arrived too.” Gao Linhan pulled out chairs, “Please sit.”

Shi Sui nodded and sat down naturally.

Her mind was completely occupied by Yan Tingli’s message, constantly pondering his intention, and she appeared absent-minded.

Until Gao Linhan said: “Let me introduce, this is my roommate, surname Fang, given name Huaijing. He’s the one who lost the watch yesterday.”

Hearing the three words “Fang Huaijing.”

The string in Shi Sui’s mind was plucked, and she suddenly looked up.

Meeting that sideways gaze directly.

The male student should have been observing her for a while, and his calm eyes showed some imperceptible fluctuation.

After several seconds, he asked uncertainly: “…Shi Sui?”

His features hadn’t changed much compared to a few years ago, so Shi Sui could recognize him: “Brother Huaijing?”

“It’s me.”

“You know each other?” Gao Linhan was extremely surprised, “What’s your relationship? How come I didn’t know?”

Xue Jing also looked back and forth between their faces.

Shi Sui parted her lips, thinking how to explain, when Fang Huaijing spoke first: “Former playmates, haven’t seen each other in a long time. Didn’t expect to meet here today.”

Xue Jing raised an eyebrow: “What a coincidence.”

“It is quite a coincidence.” Shi Sui’s emotions were stirred.

She had just had that dream in the afternoon, and met him in the evening—too coincidental to make her feel somewhat uneasy.

Unexpected reunions are always delightful. Shi Sui pushed aside the messy information in her head, no longer caring about Yan Tingli’s messages, and took out the watch from her bag, handing it to Fang Huaijing: “This is what my roommate Xue Jing helped you find.”

She didn’t mention the watch’s origin, and Fang Huaijing took it, thanked Xue Jing, and similarly kept things tactful, not mentioning past events.

But Gao Linhan glanced at the watch: “I don’t see what’s special about this watch. Who gave it to you?”

Shi Sui hesitated on how to respond when Fang Huaijing said indifferently, “Mind your own business.”

Gao Linhan: “…”

Just then, a waiter knocked and began serving dishes.

The first dish was the appetizing roast goose, its aroma wafting over.

Shi Sui looked at it and licked her lips.

She couldn’t help but remember that the Yan residence once had an aunt with excellent Cantonese cooking skills, whose roast goose was beautifully colored and fragrant.

Unfortunately, the aunt resigned and returned to her hometown before long. The few times Shi Sui had eaten it, she hadn’t dared eat to her heart’s content because Yan Tingli sat across the dining table looking noble and aloof.

This small, unspoken regret was later discovered by Yan Tingli.

He raised an eyebrow mockingly and gave her three words: “Really good at pretending.”

After that, he would occasionally bring back takeout roast goose from somewhere and throw it to her.

Like a human observer, he would carefully watch her eat the entire portion alone, then quite rudely press her stomach: “Really can pack it away.”

This time he was talking about her stomach.

This embarrassed Shi Sui quite a bit.

“Looks like upper portion,” Gao Linhan glanced at the served roast goose, “the lower portion has legs, tastes even better.”

“I heard the roast goose here is the signature dish, sells out early,” Xue Jing said, “being able to order it is quite impressive.”

“You’ve met someone knowledgeable,” Gao Linhan patted Fang Huaijing’s shoulder, “good thing I managed to get it today.”

“How so?”

Gao Linhan raised his chin: “Even this, I had to beg for a long time before someone was willing to let me have it. He ordered two by himself, couldn’t finish but still wanted takeout, really domineering.”

With the two of them livening up the atmosphere, the dinner table mood was quite good.

Shi Sui lowered her head and ate slowly, hearing Fang Huaijing quietly ask her: “You’re at A University now?”

“Mm.” Shi Sui nodded.

Her eyes were clear, still as well-behaved and quiet as before. Warmth suffused Fang Huaijing’s eyes: “What a coincidence. Uncle and Auntie returned to Hangzhou, I thought you’d go back to study there too.”

This surprised Shi Sui: “You saw my parents?”

“Met them by chance during winter break.” Fang Huaijing said, “But it was quite rushed, we didn’t chat much.”

Shi Sui had been forced back by Yan Tingli on the sixth day of the new year and hadn’t stayed home long, so she knew nothing about this.

After a while, she came to herself: “Going back after graduation is the same.”

Fang Huaijing nodded and continued: “Auntie Li mentioned that they returned to Hangzhou during your senior year, so that year you were alone here, how did you—”

Halfway through his words, Shi Sui’s phone in her bag suddenly rang.

She took out her phone, saw the caller, paused imperceptibly, and quickly stood up: “I’m going out to take a call.”

“Oh, okay.” Gao Linhan waved his hand.

He then continued chatting with Xue Jing: “Where were we just now?”

“Talking about the old classmate you met today.”

“Oh, him. He’s also from you’re A-University, you should have heard of him.”

“Who?”

“The one who competed with us yesterday, Yan Tingli.”

As soon as the words fell, the door had already been closed by Shi Sui, cutting off the sound.

Shi Sui walked inside, reaching the end of the corridor before answering the phone.

“Where are you?” Yan Tingli’s voice was calm, revealing no particular emotion.

Shi Sui pressed her lips: “…Having dinner with my roommate.”

She couldn’t lie, so she simply changed her wording.

“Anyone else there?”

Shi Sui’s heartbeat quickened, feeling Yan Tingli was somewhat unusual. Logically, he wouldn’t have time to interrogate like this.

“…No.” She heard herself say.

There were a few seconds of silence on the other end, and Yan Tingli seemed to chuckle, asking her word by word: “Which restaurant, I’m coming over.”

Shi Sui: “No need, I’ll be done eating soon.” She couldn’t keep making things up, so she hung up first. “At 8:30, I’ll wait for you at school.”

The call ended.

Shi Sui took a light breath. She couldn’t gauge whether Yan Tingli had detected anything, just instinctively felt he couldn’t know, lest complications arise.

Walking back to the private room.

When opening the door, she heard the opposite private room close first.

Shi Sui’s steps paused slightly as she turned her head, but saw nothing.

Entering the private room, Xue Jing was still chatting with Gao Linhan.

Shi Sui sat back down and saw several pieces of roast goose piled in her bowl.

Turning her head, Fang Huaijing noticed her gaze: “I used serving chopsticks.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Having not seen him for so long, Shi Sui actually couldn’t quickly get back into the rhythm, saying quietly, “Thank you.”

Just then, she heard Gao Linhan mention “Yan Tingli” in some sentence, and her fingers paused.

“Gao Linhan wants to tell us gossip.” Xue Jing leaned over, “About Yan Tingli.”

Shi Sui was used to the strange circle of being unable to escape this name wherever she went, and reluctantly responded: “What gossip?”

Seeing her interest, Gao Linhan asked: “Is he very famous at your A University too?”

“Yeah,” Xue Jing said, “even we know about him.”

“He’s only a sophomore but already in Su Ye’s project group,” afraid she didn’t know who Su Ye was, Gao Linhan even provided background, “This guy is a world-class artificial intelligence expert A University poached from MIT, and several top tech companies in China want to invite him for R&D.”

Shi Sui nodded slowly.

Fang Huaijing: “You know about this?”

Shi Sui shook her head again, drifting as if not present: “No, I’m just amazed without understanding.”

Fang Huaijing was amused by her, his lips curving in an imperceptible arc.

Seeing their interaction, Xue Jing blinked with interest, and Gao Linhan also tsk-ed, meaningfully saying to Fang Huaijing: “You’re quite active today.”

Fang Huaijing ignored him.

Gao Linhan pursed his lips and continued gossiping with Xue Jing: “Does Professor Su have a daughter? I heard she’s from the same college as you.”

“Daughter? Su…” Xue Jing thought for a moment, then had a flash of inspiration and suddenly looked at Shi Sui, “Could it be Su Han! If her dad is Su Ye, no wonder she’s usually so arrogant.”

Shi Sui’s eyelashes fluttered as she said softly: “Maybe.”

Xue Jing asked Gao Linhan, “How do you know this?”

“I heard it from my cousin who’s at A University, he happens to be a graduate student under Professor Su.” Gao Linhan went on enthusiastically, “Last time at dinner, he said Professor Su likes Yan Tingli the most, maybe even wants to recruit him as a son-in-law, especially since Qisheng Technology is trying to poach Su Ye.”

“Then it must be Su Han,” Xue Jing said, “Yan Tingli even came specifically for elective classes before, and the two sat together.”

“Tsk.” Gao Linhan propped his chin glumly, “Just tell me, how can someone have such good luck? Getting whatever they want.”

“Just today, when I asked Yan Tingli for this roast goose, a pretty girl happened to come over, very enthusiastic toward him. I figure that was Su—”

Before he could finish, there was a sudden “crack.”

The porcelain spoon in Shi Sui’s hand fell, rolling from the table to the floor.

Her expression was startled, staring blankly at the shattered spoon: “You said this roast goose was—”

“Yeah, got it from Yan Tingli.”

Thinking Shi Sui was feeling guilty about the broken spoon, Xue Jing comforted: “It’s okay, it’s just a spoon.”

Fang Huaijing stood up: “I’ll get you a new one.”

Belatedly realizing Yan Tingli might be right next door, Shi Sui’s scalp tingled, almost wanting to flee immediately.

She took a deep breath to barely calm down.

It’s okay.

They hadn’t met face to face, and if she left early, it would still be in time—

Just then.

Someone gently knocked on the private room door.

Knock, knock, knock.

Three unhurried knocks, carrying a certain leisurely confidence.

“Hm? More dishes?” Xue Jing was closest to the door and moved to open it.

Shi Sui stared at the door, some sixth sense making her heart pound violently, instinctively wanting to grab Xue Jing’s sleeve.

But the visitor seemed to lose patience, and after a few more light knocks, the door was opened from outside.

A tall, slender male figure appeared in view, right hand holding a bottle of red wine.

His gaze swept across the room impartially, slightly cold.

But his face still wore a cheerful smile, looking quite pleased: “Mind if I come in for a drink?”