Summer Yue Mountain

Time flew by swiftly.

It felt like just a few days had passed, yet the longest vacation of his student life had quietly come to an end.

Mid-August.

No matter how reluctant Lin Yu was, he had no choice but to part ways with Xia Muzhu and fly thousands of miles away to S City.

At the moment of separation, Xia Muzhu wanted Lin Yu to take more money with him, intending to give him the amount she had promised earlier.

Lin Yu refused.

He had plenty of money himself.

Why would he need Xia Muzhu’s?

Besides, given their relationship now, what was the point of distinguishing between yours and mine?

As Lin Yu and Xia Muzhu lingered in the airport, their parting filled with affection and reluctance, Xia Yueshan stood nearby, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

He found their clinginess unbearable.

Yet, once Lin Yu boarded the plane and the realization struck that their next meeting might not be for another six months, even Xia Yueshan couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness and longing.

Such is life.

Some separations are simply unavoidable.

Most of the time, people have no choice but to accept them.

Unless...

You’re filthy rich!

And have plenty of free time!

On the plane, Lin Yu couldn’t shake the feeling that the sunglasses-wearing beauty seated next to him looked oddly familiar.

The oversized shades covered most of her delicate face, but they couldn’t hide her icy, commanding aura, nor her bright red lips or sharp chin.

Staring at her, Lin Yu felt uneasy.

He half-expected her to suddenly turn her head, raise a slender, pale middle finger, and part those red lips to utter two crude words in her cold, disdainful voice.

Qing Mo kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, as if completely unaware of his presence.

Lin Yu couldn’t be bothered to play along with this silly game. He plopped down beside her, pulled out a pack of gum from his pocket, popped a piece into his mouth, and began chewing noisily.

"What a coincidence," Qing Mo finally broke the silence, though her acting was terrible. She still didn’t turn her head, her eyes locked forward, not even glancing his way.

The corners of her lips twitched, as if she was struggling not to smile.

Lin Yu gave her a sidelong glance, as if she were an idiot, and casually handed her a stick of gum.

Qing Mo took it, unwrapped it, and started chewing.

With her facial muscles now moving, she no longer had to suppress her amusement, and her expression relaxed.

"Cut it out with these fake 'coincidences,'" Lin Yu said, chewing his gum. His tone was light, but his words carried weight. "I’m a married man now—a proper, respectable guy. You should behave yourself."

Qing Mo chewed in silence for a moment before suddenly attempting—and failing—to blow a bubble. Unfazed (or perhaps hiding her embarrassment behind those sunglasses), she continued chewing and said flatly,

"I have business in S City too. A deal to negotiate."

Lin Yu gave her another sidelong look, as if she’d insulted his intelligence.

Seriously?

Did she really think he was that stupid?

Since when did she fly commercial for work?

And in economy class, no less?

Weren’t private jets her usual mode of transport?

He couldn’t be bothered to call out her flimsy excuse—it was almost insultingly bad.

He’d already said everything he needed to say.

If she still didn’t get it, then...

Well...

...

Lin Yu smacked his lips. She definitely understood.

She wasn’t a foreigner!

To save money, Lin Yu had chosen a small aircraft for this trip.

The facilities weren’t exactly shabby, but the seats bore the unmistakable stains of time.

The noise was loud, and the frequent turbulence made for an unpleasant ride.

Qing Mo, who seemed unfamiliar with such flights, frowned, her face tense.

Thinking she might be scared, Lin Yu casually reassured her, "Relax, the plane’s not going down."

Qing Mo turned her head to look at him.

After a brief stare, she turned away without a word.

She wasn’t scared.

She just despised the cheap, grimy environment.

In those few seconds, there was something she wanted to say to him—but she held back.

With you here, I wouldn’t be afraid.

...

...

After landing, Lin Yu and Qing Mo went their separate ways.

Lin Yu had traveled light this time, bringing only the essentials. Everything else, he planned to buy locally.

Dragging around a mountain of luggage was just too much hassle.

Before shopping for daily necessities, though, he needed to check in at the university—otherwise, he’d have nowhere to put his purchases!

Hailing a taxi outside the airport, Lin Yu gave the driver the address for S University, then lounged in the air-conditioned backseat, lazily watching the unfamiliar city pass by through the window.

Mid-August marked the tail end of summer, transitioning into early autumn.

Back in H City, the temperature had already begun to drop, the heat no longer stifling, with cool breezes in the mornings and evenings.

But here in S City, the heat lingered, thick with humidity.

Lin Yu, accustomed to northern air, found it uncomfortable.

Still, there was a silver lining. Whether due to the approaching semester or sheer coincidence, the streets were teeming with beautiful women.

Everywhere he looked, there were endless pairs of legs in short skirts, youthful skin glowing under the sunlight—so bright it practically reflected!

Tsk tsk.

What a sight.

After a few appreciative glances, Lin Yu shifted his focus to the scenery.

Not because the beauties had vanished, or because he was pretending to be some paragon of loyalty who wouldn’t even glance at another woman.

It was just that once you’d found true jade, even the most dazzling gemstones lost their luster.

After a series of turns, the taxi pulled up smoothly at the gates of S University.

Lin Yu paid the fare, stepped out, and merged into the crowd of young men and women streaming into the campus from all corners of the country.

Passing under the massive welcome banner, Lin Yu stepped onto the university grounds.

Suddenly, a fierce, unexpected gust of wind swept through, kicking up dust and forcing everyone to squint or shut their eyes entirely.

Lin Yu braced against the wind, waiting for it to pass before opening his eyes again.

And in that moment, time seemed to freeze.

Before him, the campus basked in golden sunlight, vibrant with life.

Youthful girls in short skirts walked by, their bare legs pale and straight, some chatting in small groups, others alone.

Their smiles, their expressions, their hairstyles—even the way the wind tousled their dyed locks—everything was perfectly arranged.

Like tiny puzzle pieces, they formed a picture, one buried deep in Lin Yu’s memory.

A chill shot up from his feet, racing along his spine and exploding in his mind.

Struck by sheer horror and disbelief, Lin Yu’s breath caught, his pupils contracted, his limbs trembled, and his mind went blank.

He didn’t need to search his memories.

A smug little face surfaced in his mind all on its own.

Along with that face came another equally smug remark.

"I am the chosen one!"

At the entrance of S University, a man with dyed blond hair suddenly dropped to his knees, followed by a hoarse, desperate roar that echoed across the campus, startling passersby who turned to look.

"Xia Yueshan!!!!!"