Chapter 1

“Aren’t you scared?”

Lu Chenyu’s palms grew slick with a thin sheen of sweat. She lifted her gaze, her clear eyes meeting Wen Feixi’s without a flicker of emotion. “You’ve got it wrong. I’m not afraid.”

Wen Feixi arched an eyebrow. “Then what were you doing just standing there at the door?”

“Washing my hands.”

Wen Feixi curved her lips into a smile. “I see. But Tang Yimo mentioned that Old Xu has a quiz next period, and we can’t use the bathroom for two classes straight.”

Lu Chenyu fell silent, staring at Wen Feixi.

A two-period quiz?

Wen Feixi met her gaze steadily, without a hint of unease.

She was worried. If she didn’t go now, how was she supposed to hold it for two full classes?

Gritting her teeth, Lu Chenyu stepped into the bathroom.

Tang Yimo came running from down the hall. “Wenwen!”

“What’s up?” Wen Feixi asked.

“Old Xu told me to let you know—he wants you in his office. The entrance exam scores are out.”

…

When Lu Chenyu emerged from the bathroom, a sharp pain shot through her sprained ankle.

She endured it as best she could and headed back toward the classroom.

“Lu Chenyu!” someone called from behind her.

A tall boy approached, looking at her shyly.

Lu Chenyu tensed instinctively. “Something wrong?”

“Um… do you remember who I am?”

Lu Chenyu frowned in confusion.

“You know, from last week’s math group assignment. We sat together, and you kept staring at me.”

Then it clicked for Lu Chenyu. The boy’s face flushed red. “Can I ask why you were staring at me the whole time?”

Lu Chenyu was strikingly beautiful, and plenty of boys in class wanted to chase her. But her icy demeanor could freeze anyone solid after just a few moments in her presence—it was hell-level difficulty.

If Lu Chenyu had been more outgoing and bubbly like Wen Feixi, she’d have been surrounded by admirers by now.

“You smelled a bit off back then,” Lu Chenyu said.

The boy: “…”

Lu Chenyu lowered her eyes, ignoring him as she hurried onward.

In the distance, she spotted Wen Feixi leaning against the hallway windowsill, chatting with some girls from another class.

Wen Feixi had one hand casually tucked into the pocket of her school uniform, her jet-black hair hooked behind her ear, her long, pale legs on full display.

Even from the side, she seemed to glow with beauty.

A crowd had gathered around her, too.

Wen Feixi was the young miss, famous at school for her effortless charm and ability to chat with anyone. She was so stunning that she always had a flock of admirers.

Lu Chenyu remembered the first day of freshman year: that very afternoon, several boys had crowded the classroom door begging for Wen Feixi’s WeChat.

In the first month of school alone, Wen Feixi had received seven bouquets.

One guy had even set up candles at the school gate late at night to confess to her. When the story got out, security chased him down, leaving her suitors battered and bruised. Only then did the hormone-fueled boys finally back off.

Those guys were in the wrong, sure—but Lu Chenyu couldn’t help thinking that if Wen Feixi didn’t flirt with everyone, batting her lashes left and right, she wouldn’t attract all those bees and butterflies.

As Lu Chenyu passed by, she overheard one of the girls say, “Wenwen, the entrance exam scores are out. You’re first again—over twenty points ahead of second place!”

Lu Chenyu glanced over and saw the score sheet in Wen Feixi’s hand.

The entrance exam results were out already?

Anxiety bubbled up in her again.

“Who got second?” another girl asked.

“The Ice Beauty, obviously.”

It hit Lu Chenyu like a thunderbolt. She froze, her mind buzzing, blood rushing in reverse through her veins.

Second place. Again.

She’d thought the entrance exam questions were tough this time, especially the big problems. Surely she’d pull ahead of Wen Feixi on those.

The girl started to say more, but Wen Feixi raised a hand to stop her.

Puzzled, the girl shut her mouth.

Lu Chenyu trudged toward the classroom in a daze when suddenly a soft, warm hand looped through her arm.

Wen Feixi linked arms with her and tilted her head with a smile. “Classmate Lu did great this time. The questions were brutal—only two people in class broke 140.”

Wen Feixi smelled amazing, and her touch was feather-light.

She was always like this—effortlessly friendly, a natural social butterfly who could charm anyone with ease.

With Wen Feixi holding her arm, Lu Chenyu felt her heart stutter to a halt, her whole body going rigid.

But she didn’t pull away.

She hated Wen Feixi, sure—but deep down, she was scared of her too. They kept up a fragile facade of harmony on the surface.

Holding her breath, Lu Chenyu snuck a peek at the score sheet in Wen Feixi’s hand.

Wen Feixi turned it toward her and winked. “See? You did really well.”

To Lu Chenyu, the gesture felt like pure mockery.

“Could I come by this afternoon to go over the big math problems with you?” Wen Feixi asked.

“Sorry,” Lu Chenyu replied coolly, her gaze sweeping over that flawless face without lingering. “I just guessed on that one.”

Wen Feixi’s smile faltered for a split second.

Lu Chenyu pushed through the pain in her ankle and strode ahead.

The bell rang just then, and the hallway crowd surged toward the classrooms.

Someone shoved Lu Chenyu from behind.

Her legs buckled, and she pitched forward. In her panic, she grabbed the person beside her. With a thud, they both crashed to the floor.

Silence fell around them.

Lu Chenyu stared at the breathtaking face inches from her own, startled.

Wen Feixi had landed on her back, pinned beneath her. Lu Chenyu straddled her waist, sitting right on top, her hands clamped around those slender, jade-like wrists.

“…”

Wen Feixi’s uniform was so soft, incredibly comfortable to the touch.

She always carried this unique scent—faint and fresh, like citron mixed with mint.

Lu Chenyu sat there stunned for a moment before locking eyes with Wen Feixi—those watery, shimmering eyes.

“Didn’t peg you for it, Classmate Lu,” Wen Feixi said, brow furrowed. “But… you’re pretty heavy, huh.”

Lu Chenyu’s face turned scarlet.

What was that supposed to mean? Was Wen Feixi mocking her weight?

A soft, silky hand pressed gently against her stomach. “Get up.”

Lu Chenyu pushed herself off and heard whispers nearby.

“Lu Chenyu must’ve done that on purpose as revenge.”

“She’s so heavy—she almost crushed Wenwen.”

“Poor Wenwen…”

–

It was the start of the school year, and rain season to boot.

The sky had been clear all day, but by evening, a downpour hit. Fat raindrops pelted the puddles, ringing out like jade beads on a plate.

The path back to the dorms was dark. Besides the rain, there were the laughs and chatter of students heading back after evening study hall. The dim yellow streetlights turned the fine rain into a curtain of cow hair.

By the time Lu Chenyu reached the dorm, her school uniform was soaked through.

Jiang Chang greeted her warmly. “You’re back, Little Fish!”

“Mm.”

As a boarding student, Lu Chenyu shared a four-person room with Jiang Chang and two other girls.

It was ten-thirty at night; lights-out wasn’t until later. Jiang Chang and Wen Lu sat at their desks, scrolling on their phones.

Lu Chenyu listlessly pulled her campus card from her bag and headed into the bathroom for a shower.

With a crisp “beep,” she started the timer.

Money was tight for her—hot water, meals, everything cost something. So right from the start of term, Lu Chenyu had made a plan: showers strictly under five minutes.

The hot water stung her ankle injury, making her hiss in pain.

When she came out, she overheard Wen Lu complaining. “The entrance exam was so hard this time, but the teachers skipped over a ton of questions. What do we do if we don’t get them?”

“Ask Wenwen,” Chu Nanzhi said.

Wen Lu blinked. “Which Wenwen?”

Chu Nanzhi chuckled. “Come on, in this school? Who else?”

“Wen Feixi? Would she explain it to me?”

Chu Nanzhi: “If you can catch her, sure. I’ve never met anyone with a temper as sweet as Wenwen’s.”

Back at her old school, Lu Chenyu had been the top study tyrant. Classmates always came to her with questions they couldn’t solve.

But ever since high school started and Wen Feixi showed up, no one asked her anymore.

Lu Chenyu sat down at her desk, her mood darkening as she thought back to the day.

She actually enjoyed explaining problems to people.

It helped clarify her own thinking, and yeah, it fed a little vanity too.

Spotting Lu Chenyu’s sour mood, Jiang Chang cut her roommate off. “Why not ask Little Fish? She scored over 140 in math this time too.”

Chu Nanzhi: “Sorry, Little Fish! It’s not that I won’t ask you—it’s just, having Wen Feixi explain feels like she’s your girlfriend. That voice of hers could melt anyone, you know?”

Lu Chenyu: …

She turned. “I don’t get it.”

Wen Feixi’s voice was nice—low, husky, magnetic. When she leaned in smiling, speaking right to you, it wrapped around you like velvet.

But Lu Chenyu hated it.

Jiang Chang: “You’re exaggerating. Wen Feixi’s voice isn’t that great.”

Chu Nanzhi: “You straight girls would never understand. Every fujoshi in school wants a piece of Wen Feixi.”

Fujoshi?

Lu Chenyu didn’t chat much with her roommates. She just couldn’t keep up with their slang sometimes.

She had no phone, barely touched computers—online lingo flew right over her head.

But she couldn’t admit she was clueless, so she just nodded.

Wen Lu: “I think Yuyu and Wen Feixi would make a cute pair, though.”

Chu Nanzhi: “Huh?”

“That goddess post about Little Fish and Wen Feixi on the forum just got bumped up again.” Wen Lu grinned and waved her phone.

Lu Chenyu’s heart skipped. There on the screen, in bold letters:

【Was it Lu School Flower who tackled Wen Goddess today? And Lu School Flower on top, Wen Goddess on bottom? My ship is real!】

The post had started as a candid shot from the freshman scholarship selection—Lu Chenyu and Wen Feixi in the same frame.

Beauties together were always a feast for the eyes.

It blew up fast, stacking replies a thousand deep.

While everyone gushed over the freshmen’s looks, the comments inevitably pitted them against each other.

Lu Chenyu in her worn school uniform stood in stark contrast to Wen Feixi, radiating young miss vibes from head to toe.

Lu Chenyu had no phone and wasn’t tech-savvy. Afraid of breaking Jiang Chang’s, she gingerly tapped into the thread, now over a thousand replies strong.

Fourth High School was River City’s top school. The forum had thousands of active users—current students, grads from elite unis. People sold used study notes, shared tips, mixed in with juicy campus gossip. High-quality stuff overall.

This thread had resurfaced thanks to a candid shot of Wen Feixi at the Science Innovation Club recruitment.

In the tiered classroom, Wen Feixi stood tall on the podium in her crisp school uniform, long black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her expression was serene, eyes curved in a gentle arc.

She seemed warm, yet untouchably distant.

Hug Away Wenwen: 【AHHHHHH! Sis, I can take it! Another day conquered by Sis!】

Disney Escaped Princess: 【No idea why, but Wen Goddess has this magic… That effortless big-sis vibe—even as a girl, I stan.】

Catcat Iron Fist: 【Politely hijacking: Anyone got today’s Intel Mech video of Wen Feixi? Will pay, thanks.】

Lu Chenyu scrolled down.

The early comments were tame, but then a weird sub-thread popped up.

“Lu Chenyu VS Wen Feixi—what kinda annual cult is this…”

Little Mama: 【Did Lu Chenyu finally snap and pounce on Wen Feixi?】

Clicking in revealed another photo.

Snapped from the back of the classroom, blurry as hell—but you could make out Lu Chenyu pinning Wen Feixi down, with Wen Feixi looking up at her in shock.

Even pixelated, Wen Feixi’s ethereal beauty shone through.

Laughing to Death: 【Wen Goddess tops on scores, but Lu Goddess rides on top in private?】

A Not Too Sweet: 【Aw, Wenwen, maybe don’t ace it next time—watch out, or your wife’ll punish you tonight.】

A chorus of kdl replies below.

Lu Chenyu: ?

She didn’t know what kdl meant, but the rest was clear enough.

Face blank, Lu Chenyu handed the phone back to Jiang Chang. After a long pause, she muttered, “Even if I were a guy—not that I am—I still wouldn’t like a phony girl like Wen Feixi!”

No sooner had the words left her mouth than the door creaked open behind her.

Wen Feixi stepped in, beaming. “Classmate Lu, who don’t you like?”