Heavy Taste

Lin Yu stopped in his tracks and turned to face Tao Yaoyao.

In a fleeting moment, the image of Tao Yaoyao before him overlapped with his memories of Tang Manman, startling him with the sudden familiarity.

When he rubbed his eyes and looked again, Tao Yaoyao was just Tao Yaoyao once more.

Confident, gentle, with a faint and poised smile—she seemed approachable, yet when you tried to get closer, she felt distant, as if beyond reach.

Tao Yaoyao came to a stop about a meter away from Lin Yu and asked softly,

"Is something the matter?"

"Lin Yu?"

"I..."

Lin Yu had been about to thank her but suddenly fell silent, realizing something odd.

"You know my name?"

A hint of suspicion rose in him. Tao Yaoyao was a third-year student, while he had just started university.

They had no prior interactions—so how did she know his name?

Coupled with the strange sense of familiarity when he first saw her,

Lin Yu’s guard instantly went up.

Tao Yaoyao blinked, her gaze carrying a touch of innocence as she looked at him.

"Of course I do."

At this, the corners of her lips curled up slightly, though she tried to suppress it.

"After all, Lin Yu, you’re somewhat of a minor celebrity at school."

Her words, along with that barely restrained smile, quickly made Lin Yu understand.

It was probably that incident at the school gate during orientation.

Xia Yueshan, you again!

Making me look like a fool!

Next time I see you, I’ll beat your ass into eight pieces!

"Oh, I see."

Lin Yu forced a dry chuckle, pushing down his embarrassment before speaking earnestly,

"Anyway, thank you for today."

"Who knows what kind of trouble I’d have been in otherwise."

He meant it.

Asking Qing Mo or Su Yuyao for help wouldn’t have been difficult,

but then they might’ve come after him for explanations later!

So if he could handle it himself, it was best not to involve them.

"No need to thank me."

Tao Yaoyao replied politely, saying nothing more. Unlike those other inexplicable girls who clung to Lin Yu,

she didn’t linger.

In fact, the situation now seemed more like Lin Yu was the one bothering her.

Lin Yu noticed this too.

After weighing his options, he decided to grit his teeth and ask the burning question.

"Did you just happen to be at the security office?"

"Or was there another reason?"

Seeing the confusion in Tao Yaoyao’s eyes, he awkwardly clarified,

"I just feel like a minor student scuffle shouldn’t require someone like you to step in personally."

The vice president of the student council.

Someone like her might not be swamped with work, but she certainly wouldn’t have time to intervene in every random campus fight.

Otherwise, how would she get anything else done?

Tao Yaoyao let out a light laugh and gave an answer Lin Yu didn’t expect.

"It wasn’t a coincidence."

"I went there specifically to find you."

"Huh?"

"Why?"

Lin Yu was too stunned by her bluntness to process it properly.

S University held too many secrets.

Familiar yet unplaceable faces, inexplicable advances from girls, a storyline that had veered completely off-course from his high school days—

all of it left him utterly baffled.

Now that he had a chance to uncover the truth beneath the surface, his breathing grew rapid with excitement.

"Because someone told me about the situation and asked me to help you."

Tao Yaoyao smiled faintly, her tone carrying a teasing lilt.

"Who?"

Lin Yu frowned in confusion.

"Ye You."

Tao Yaoyao watched him closely, her bright eyes brimming with curiosity and gossip, as if eager for his reaction.

???

Lin Yu’s mind filled with question marks again.

Who the hell is Ye You?

The name sounded vaguely familiar...

His brows furrowed deeper, his expression completely blank.

"You don’t remember her?"

Tao Yaoyao covered her lips with her hand, feigning shock.

"It sounds familiar, but I really can’t recall who she is."

Lin Yu wasn’t lying, nodding sheepishly.

Tao Yaoyao paused, then gave him a reproachful look.

"You should remember her."

"She approached you once and even sent you gifts through your roommate."

"Uh..."

Lin Yu scratched his head. He wanted to say too many girls had given him gifts to keep track,

but to avoid sounding like a narcissist, he settled on the latter half of his thought.

"Sorry, I really don’t remember."

Hearing this, Tao Yaoyao’s gaze grew even more pitiful. She shook her head slowly and sighed.

"Ah~"

"My poor junior..."

"Finally takes an interest in a guy,"

"only for him to not even remember who she is."

"How tragic."

Lin Yu rubbed his neck, his expression a mix of discomfort and bewilderment. After a moment of hesitation, he asked,

"She can’t possibly have that bad taste, right?"

Tao Yaoyao stared at Lin Yu’s dark complexion, opening and closing her mouth before finally sighing.

"Who can really explain attraction?"

Lin Yu clicked his tongue, feeling let down.

And here he thought he’d get some useful clues...

With his questions answered, he exchanged a few polite farewells with Tao Yaoyao before changing direction, heading straight back to his dorm.

After all this hassle, by the time he got to class, it’d probably be over anyway!