Meeting

The next morning.

Hu Yuying and Li Qingxue walked out of their dormitory building together.

Both had dressed up nicely for the day.

At first glance, they looked absolutely delightful, a refreshing sight to behold.

However, when Li Qingxue noticed Hu Yuying walking somewhat awkwardly, she asked with concern, "What's wrong?"

Hu Yuying replied sheepishly, "I sprained my ankle yesterday, but it's fine now."

Hearing this, Li Qingxue thought of the little cake Hu Yuying had brought her the night before and was instantly moved.

Even with a sprained ankle, she still went out of her way to bring her a treat—her heart swelled with gratitude.

Of course, Hu Yuying had no idea what Li Qingxue was thinking.

She had long grown accustomed to Li Qingxue's affectionate clinginess.

Besides, Qingxue smelled so nice—she quite enjoyed their little moments of closeness too.

"Really, it's fine now, don't worry."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, would I lie to you?"

Hu Yuying took a few steps to demonstrate, and after walking a bit more, the limp was barely noticeable.

Assured that Hu Yuying was truly alright, the two giggled as they headed toward the school gate.

......

"Brother, I'm a little nervous," Lin Wanning whispered to Long Aotian in the taxi.

"It's normal to feel that way when meeting someone for the first time, but they're really easygoing. We’re from the same city—we were classmates even before coming here."

"Alright." Lin Wanning trusted Long Aotian. Anyone who could be his friend must have a good nature, and since they were students at A University, they were probably pleasant to be around.

Soon, the taxi arrived near A University.

After getting out, Lin Wanning followed Long Aotian toward the campus.

Pretending she wasn’t nervous would be a lie, but more than anything, she was eager to meet Long Aotian's friends.

"Long-ge!" A delighted voice called out—soft and sweet, at least to Lin Wanning’s musician’s ears. It was a voice that felt soothing to listen to.

Looking up, she saw two figures approaching with bright smiles.

Lin Wanning’s eyes flickered slightly. One of the girls had features so exquisitely delicate it was almost surreal—a rare blend of purity and an indescribable, subtle sensuality. Two contrasting auras, yet they harmonized flawlessly in her, every glance and smile enough to make one’s heart flutter.

The other girl seemed more fashion-savvy, her figure perfectly proportioned—neither too thin nor too plump, just right, with curves that accentuated her graceful silhouette.

She had casually tied her hair into a bun, a few loose strands framing her fair, smooth skin. Far from looking messy, it added a youthful, innocent charm, like the radiant glow of first love.

The moment Lin Wanning saw them, they noticed her too.

Her long hair cascaded freely down her back, her cool, pale complexion appearing even more flawless under the sunlight.

Her delicate features carried an ethereal elegance, especially the teardrop mole at the corner of her eye, lending her a touch of icy allure—like morning dew at dawn, pristine yet faintly cool.

She was beautiful, untouched by any worldly taint.

While Li Qingxue observed Lin Wanning, the latter studied them in return. She hadn’t expected Long Aotian’s friends to be such stunning girls.

"Long-ge," Hu Yuying greeted as she stepped closer to Long Aotian, her smile unwavering, as if he were the only one in her world before anyone else.

"Feeling better now?" Long Aotian asked with a grin. It was a rare holiday, and having familiar faces gather in this unfamiliar city truly lifted his spirits.

Hu Yuying shook her head, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. "I’m all good now."

She would remember Long Aotian tending to her little "ouchy foot" for the rest of her life.

Listening to their exchange, Lin Wanning glanced at Hu Yuying from the corner of her eye, catching Long Aotian’s warm expression.

Perhaps it was a woman’s intuition—Long Aotian had once mentioned someone very important to him, and she had a feeling that person might just be this girl before her...

With everyone present, Long Aotian introduced, "This is Lin Wanning, a music student—the little sister I’ve told you about before."

Then, turning to Lin Wanning, he added, "This is Hu Yuying, my little follower."

"And this is Li Qingxue, my friend. We’re all from Haiwan City and went to the same high school."

Though Long Aotian referred to Hu Yuying as his "little follower," there was an unmistakable nuance in his tone—something subtly different from how he introduced Li Qingxue.

Lin Wanning couldn’t help but study Hu Yuying a moment longer before nodding, her lips curving into a gentle smile. "Hello," she said, her voice clear and melodious, like the thawing of ice into a flowing stream. Just hearing her unique tone, one could tell she must sing beautifully.

"Hello," Hu Yuying replied softly. Even though she had grown more confident, she still acted differently around others compared to when she was with Long Aotian.

"Hi!" Li Qingxue chimed in with a playful grin, her cheerfulness infectious, effortlessly lifting moods.

At their age, their hearts were still filled with innocence, unburdened by complicated thoughts.

Especially after learning that Lin Wanning, on her first journey away from home, had nearly suffered humiliation and abuse—they couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

After all, they too had been helped by Long Aotian before. They knew exactly how that felt.

Long Aotian’s lips twitched. As the four walked together, he noticed many strange glances directed his way.

Worse yet, his sharp hearing caught some of the murmurs.

[Damn, how does this guy have so many beauties around him?]

[Ugh, just because he’s handsome and fit, he thinks he can flirt with anyone. Despicable!]

[Seriously, these three are all top-tier campus belles, yet they’re following him around. Must be exhausting keeping up with that!]

Even with his usual composure, Long Aotian couldn’t resist shooting a glare their way.

Girls had endless topics to discuss. Though Lin Wanning seemed aloof at first glance, once she warmed up, she was far from cold—something evident from her dorm interactions.

With Li Qingxue’s lively, outgoing nature, the three quickly hit it off, swapping amusing stories about their respective departments.

Meanwhile, Long Aotian, the lone guy, found himself unanimously excluded from their chatter.