It was Lin Zhexia’s first day of official classes.

The freshman courses were all large lectures, with two or three classes combined in lecture halls.

Although there were many people in her dormitory, none shared her major.

So she and Chi Yao had arranged to eat breakfast together in the cafeteria before heading to the lecture hall with their textbooks.

She found a less crowded area to sit down, and while opening her textbook, waiting for the teacher, she thought about having breakfast with Chi Yao earlier.

This morning’s breakfast felt quite surreal.

For the first time as college students, they sat face to face, eating in the crowded school cafeteria.

Lin Zhexia had ordered a basket of steamed buns as usual, and Chi Yao ordered the same, though he barely ate any. After finishing hers, Lin Zhexia habitually began stealing his.

After yesterday, much of the unfamiliarity caused by their separation had dissipated.

While stealing his food, she observed his expression: “Aren’t you going to get angry?”

Chi Yao had no classes this morning and replied unhurriedly: “Angry about what?”

“I’m stealing your food. You used to scold me for this.”

“…”

Chi Yao had already eaten most of his food. He leaned back, ignoring the surrounding curious glances, and said: “What, you feel uncomfortable if I don’t scold you?”

“…” Lin Zhexia swallowed her words. “That’s not what I meant.”

She added, “I’m not crazy enough to enjoy being scolded.”

Chi Yao didn’t say more.

While waiting for her to finish eating, he inconspicuously pushed the basket of steamed buns toward her.

…

Chi Yao had truly changed somewhat.

Lin Zhexia thought as she stared at her textbook.

But why?

Someone who used to be so doggish was acting like a proper human now.

She couldn’t figure it out.

Finally, she wondered if perhaps the hardships of the past year had matured him.

As Lin Zhexia was lost in thought, a figure passed in her peripheral vision, and then the empty seat to her left moved as a male student sat down beside her.

Lin Zhexia turned to look at him and saw a bespectacled, refined-looking young man.

Seeing her looking at him, the young man took the initiative to greet her: “Hello, Lin classmate.”

“…”

“Hello,” Lin Zhexia responded before realizing something was off. “How do you know my surname is Lin?”

The young man didn’t answer directly: “I just know.”

He then familiarly introduced himself: “My name is Fang Huai. Nice to meet you.”

Lin Zhexia wasn’t comfortable with such immediate enthusiasm and silently considered the possibility of changing seats, but she didn’t know anyone else in the class, and this young man hadn’t said anything strange. Suddenly changing seats would make both of them uncomfortable.

So she nodded to acknowledge him and lowered her head to continue reading.

The teacher for the first class was running late.

Five minutes after class should have started, the teacher still hadn’t arrived.

Fang Huai joked: “Maybe the campus is too big, so they’re late.”

Lin Zhexia still didn’t know what to say. Fang Huai sensed her nervousness and smiled: “You don’t need to be afraid. I’m in the same class as you. During yesterday’s registration, I was right behind you in line and accidentally saw your name and major.”

Lin Zhexia: “Oh.”

So that’s how it was.

Lin Zhexia thought of the confession wall Lan Xiaoxue had mentioned last night and suspected it might be the same person.

Before the teacher entered the classroom, Fang Huai also hesitated nervously, but eventually asked: “…Since we’re in the same class, could we add each other as friends? I won’t bother you normally, I just want to have classmates’ contact information to discuss academic matters later.”

Lin Zhexia didn’t want to add him.

Last night’s phone call with Chi Yao had left such a deep impression that she instinctively blurted out: “I don’t have a phone.”

“I’m an impoverished student.”

“…”

“This phone is borrowed from my good friend.”

“……”

After she spoke, both Fang Huai and she fell silent.

Deathly silence.

Lin Zhexia consoled herself, thinking that since it was already awkward, she might as well let the awkwardness intensify.

Finally, Fang Huai laughed, smoothing things over: “It’s okay. You’re very funny.”

The teacher happened to enter the classroom then, interrupting the students’ conversations: “Sorry, the teacher’s bicycle broke down on the way, so I had to walk across two campuses…”

No one had expected this excuse.

The entire class erupted with laughter.

It was precisely this relaxed atmosphere that made people realize the difference between university and high school.

Lin Zhexia lowered her head and secretly poked Chi Yao’s WeChat avatar to release her awkwardness.

She sent over a series of punching emoticons.

Chi:?

Lin Zhexia: Nothing.

Lin Zhexia: My fists are just itchy, so I’m punching you a bit.

In the past, Chi Yao would have sarcastically responded.

But after their separation and reunion, his attitude toward her was no longer the same as before. Instead, he replied: Oh, have you punched enough, or do you want to hit me more?

Lin Zhexia: …

This response left her not knowing how to reply.

After a while, Chi Yao sent four more characters, reminding her: Pay attention in class.

Class hadn’t officially started yet, and Lin Zhexia couldn’t help sharing with him like before: Class hasn’t started yet, and our teacher is late. You’ll never guess why—his bicycle broke down—

He seems like a comedy expert—

So this is what university classes are like? Feels much more relaxed than high school. Back then, Teacher Xu was always so strict.

The more she talked, the more she wanted to share, and without thinking too much, she also shared the Fang Huai situation with him—

Oh right, a strange guy is sitting next to me, and I feel a bit awkward—

Next class, I need to find an excuse to change seats—

I’ve decided to tell him that the feng shui of this seat might not be good and could affect my studies.

After sending this, she put away her phone and began to focus on the lecture.

The morning classes were long, with two large lectures back-to-back and a twenty-minute break in between.

During these twenty minutes, just as Lin Zhexia was about to tell Fang Huai, “this seat has bad feng shui,” she received a message in the dormitory group chat.

Lan Xiaoxue: My pen ran out of ink, wuwuwu

Lan Xiaoxue: I’m in A08, who’s closest to me? Please help!

Lin Zhexia’s class was in A12, very close by. Same teaching building, different floor.

She replied: I’ll come over.

Lan Xiaoxue: Thank you, thank you! So grateful.

Lin Zhexia felt relieved as she slipped out with her phone and pen. If not for Lan Xiaoxue’s plea in the group chat, she would have had to stay in the classroom facing Fang Huai or gather the courage to bring up the feng shui topic.

Lan Xiaoxue’s art class was even noisier than theirs. She had thought Lan Xiaoxue’s green hair would be very conspicuous in the crowd, but standing at their classroom door and looking in, she found people with all colors of hair and some in bizarre outfits.

Lan Xiaoxue’s distinctive green hair was submerged in the crowd.

She couldn’t help remarking: “Your classroom… is so unique.”

Lan Xiaoxue: “I think so too. When I dyed my hair at graduation, my mom scolded me, saying Who would look like this—Today, I sent her photos, telling her I’m quite low-key now. She was speechless.”

“…”

After delivering the pen and chatting with Lan Xiaoxue outside the classroom for about ten minutes, she returned to her class. As she approached the door, she vaguely felt something wasn’t right.

—This unease stemmed from seeing that someone was sitting in her seat next to Fang Huai.

Someone she knew all too well.

The person was very tall, wearing silver earrings, and was casually sitting in her seat, flipping through a book.

The entire classroom seemed to have quieted down due to this person’s arrival.

The quietest person was Fang Huai.

Fang Huai had originally wanted to get closer to Lin Zhexia during the break, to chat more, but unexpectedly, this girl ran off as soon as class ended. Even more unexpectedly, not long after she left, someone walked in and brazenly sat down in Lin Zhexia’s seat.

“You… are you in the wrong place?” Fang Huai was stunned. “You shouldn’t be in our major.”

That person looked down at him and said in a tone that suggested he didn’t want to engage: “No, I’m not lost.”

Fang Huai: “You know her?”

That person: “More than just know.”

Fang Huai pondered that “more than just know” could have many layers of meaning.

“May I ask, what’s your relationship?” he inquired.

The person didn’t speak, only slightly raising his chin. He wore a very thin black windbreaker, giving him a strong aura of aloofness. Then he casually took something out of his pocket.

Fang Huai looked closely and saw it was a photo.

The photo was several years old but very well preserved.

In the photo, he and Lin Zhexia were intimately close together, Lin Zhexia holding cotton candy, while his hand made a gesture above her head.

Then this person, who seemed so aloof, specifically explained the origin of the photo: “This photo was taken with her during high school.”

Fang Huai was dumbfounded.

To make matters worse, this person continued the conversation: “I think it turned out quite well. What do you think?”

Fang Huai: “I think…”

He couldn’t think anymore.

Fang Huai decided to change the topic: “Were you two… You know… in high school?”

The person neither confirmed nor denied.

Fang Huai was very uncomfortable: “I understand, sorry brother, I didn’t know. I thought she was single.”

However, he didn’t expect that this person’s slightly arrogant display wasn’t over yet.

He took out another item from his pocket.

Red, very small, very similar to those safety charms from temples.

“This is also from high school,” Chi Yao said coldly. “I went to a competition.”

“She was worried about me.”

“…”

Fang Huai thought, enough.

No need to continue.

He completely understood the situation now.

After that, the two sat quietly side by side, neither speaking, until Lin Zhexia pushed open the classroom door and entered.

Lin Zhexia: “?”

“Why are you here?” she walked up to Chi Yao and said, “…Didn’t you say you had no classes?”

Chi Yao had already put his things away and maintained that cold attitude, saying: “Was passing by, thought I’d check on you.”

Lin Zhexia: “You can ‘pass by’ here? Are you taking a stroll in the teaching building?”

“…”

Chi Yao countered: “Are there rules against walking in teaching buildings?”

Lin Zhexia: “Well, no, if you insist on doing such strange things, no one’s stopping you.”

When she chatted with Chi Yao, her attitude was very intimate.

Though they exchanged only a few words, it made others feel completely unable to join in.

“We’re about to have class,” Lin Zhexia finally said. “You should go take your walk in another building.”

Chi Yao didn’t plan to stay long anyway.

He stood up, making way for Lin Zhexia.

Before leaving, whether intentionally or not, he raised his hand and gently pressed on Lin Zhexia’s head: “I’m off.”

Lin Zhexia was momentarily stunned.

After he left, Fang Huai coughed and suddenly wanted to change seats: “Lin classmate, I’ll go sit over there.”

Lin Zhexia: “Huh?”

Before leaving, Fang Huai said apologetically: “Sorry for disturbing you earlier. I didn’t know you had a boyfriend.”

“…”

She had what?

A boyfriend???

“When did I…” These words burst out, but stopped abruptly as she thought of the person who had just left.

It must have been Chi Yao again.

Lin Zhexia didn’t know where the misunderstanding had occurred.

In high school, no matter how close she and Chi Yao were, everyone assumed they were good “brothers.”

But in college, in less than a day, two people already thought he was her boyfriend.

Was it because dating wasn’t allowed in high school?

Or was it because, after turning eighteen and growing up, even the closest friends would be misunderstood?

With this question in mind, Lin Zhexia finished her morning classes.

She diligently took notes, packed up her textbooks, and then carried two books following the flow of people out. She was still thinking about what happened during the break, so she was somewhat absent-minded and didn’t notice someone waiting for her at the classroom door.

Until a hand reached out from the side and pulled her out of the crowd, she looked up and saw Chi Yao’s face: “…Why didn’t you leave?”

She was baffled: “Can you stroll in this building for that long?”

Chi Yao: “Waiting for you.”

He paused subtly at this point, “…Waiting for you to go find He Yang for lunch.”

Lin Zhexia: “Oh.”

It was rare that they had all tested into schools so close to each other, so they should indeed have a meal together.

“Did you make plans with him?”

“I told him yesterday.”

Lin Zhexia hugged her textbooks and followed him downstairs: “So are we eating near Lian University or going to the teachers’ college, or maybe outside? I heard from my roommates that there are many places to eat near the university town…”

Before she could finish, Chi Yao, who had reached the bottom of the stairs first, hands in his pockets, turned to look at her from the bottom of the staircase.

Outside the stairwell entrance, warm sunlight poured in.

The entire stairwell was exceptionally bright.

Just like he had many, many times before, he called her name:

“Lin Zhexia.”

Lin Zhexia stood on the steps, feeling a bit nervous under his gaze: “What?”

Chi Yao looked at her for a while. Usually, no matter what he said, his tone was either casual and cold or arrogant and annoying. Rarely did he have this expression of wanting to say something but not being able to say it casually.

It was precisely because of this unusual demeanor that Lin Zhexia couldn’t guess what he wanted to tell her.

So she repeated: “What are you calling me for?”

Chi Yao, unusually, averted his eyes, not daring to look at her when speaking, and then said coldly yet ambiguously: “…Stay away from other guys.”

*Author’s Note:*

Chi Dog: Even though I haven’t caught her yet, I need to first find a way to occupy the boyfriend position.)