The familiar scent of perfume wafted to Shen An’s nose before Wang Yuqiong even drew near.
He slowly opened his eyes and caught sight of her tiptoeing over, clearly planning to scare him. Unfortunately, her perfume had given away her position.
Their gazes met, and a touch of awkwardness hung in the air.
“Ahem~”
Wang Yuqiong cleared her throat lightly, abandoning her sneaky “attack” pose. She tucked her hands behind her back, and in less than a second, she transformed into the picture of elegant poise, like a refined lady.
“Aren’t we supposed to be at a group meal?”
Shen An yawned and asked casually.
“Yeah, it’s a group meal, but we have class coming up. I ate half and slipped back early.”
Wang Yuqiong plopped down beside Shen An without ceremony and gave him a shove. “Scoot over a bit.”
Shen An didn’t budge. He grumbled without enthusiasm, “Go sit somewhere else. Don’t disturb my nap.”
“Huh?”
Wang Yuqiong bristled at the dismissal. She grabbed his chin and fixed him with a fierce glare.
Shen An’s eyes flicked toward Shen Lianyao, who was watching them furtively from a distance. The corners of his mouth quirked up. “You think Shen Lianyao might be staring at us?”
Ah…
Wang Yuqiong felt a sudden pang of unease. She released him at once and scanned their surroundings.
From her vantage point, though, she didn’t spot Shen Lianyao.
Shen Lianyao, meanwhile, had been unwittingly pinpointed by Shen An.
The two locked eyes from afar. Even at that distance, she could sense the teasing glint in his gaze. Her cheeks flushed pink, and she quickly looked away.
Inwardly, she cursed: Thick as thieves.
“Probably not…”
Wang Yuqiong muttered, a trace of guilt in her voice after her fruitless search.
“Heh, you were all gentle and attentive just a moment ago. How long has it been? You’re already back to your shrewish self?”
Shen An shifted into a more comfortable position, his tone laced with irritation.
Wang Yuqiong shot him a glare and pouted. “You started it by insulting me first.”
“Because you interrupted my nap.”
Shen An kept his eyes half-closed. “I haven’t had a proper break all day. Just when I finally get a moment to rest, you come barging over. And later in class, you’ll probably keep staring at me, just waiting for me to drop dead from exhaustion, right?”
Wang Yuqiong’s lips pursed slightly. Deep down, she felt a flicker of grievance.
She had only come over because she’d seen him sitting alone, feeling sorry for him and wanting to keep him company.
Really…
Wang Yuqiong shot to her feet in a huff. “Ungrateful jerk.”
With that, she stormed off back to her dorm mates, just as Shen An had hoped.
Perfect…
Shen An had successfully shooed away Wang Yuqiong. He was alone again, enveloped in quiet.
He narrowed his eyes, peering through the leaves at the sunlight filtering down—soft and mild, without a hint of harshness.
Blue skies dotted with white clouds, a gentle breeze… Add the chirp of cicadas, and it would be the height of leisure.
But his tranquility was not to last.
No sooner had Wang Yuqiong departed than Yang Bin and Li Yun sidled over. The boys from Class 1 clustered together.
Shen An saw this and said nothing.
He wasn’t as close to Yang Bin and Li Yun as he was to Wang Yuqiong—no casual banter or teasing between them yet.
So the three of them fell into conversation.
There wasn’t much to discuss—just catching up on recent happenings.
Mainly, they wanted the scoop on Shen An.
Yang Bin had only heard rumors: Shen An had joined the Art Troupe, the sole member accepted before the official interviews.
Not only serving as an important office secretary but also acting as an interviewer for the freshmen, just like the seniors from the previous year.
That was why the two had made a point of coming over.
The “advantages” Shen An possessed—ones they could never match—weren’t merely about his handsome looks.
It was more about his reputation in the Student Union… and throughout the entire department.
Shen An wasn’t a big name in the department yet, of course. But thanks to Zhao Qingyu’s “favor,” his name rang like thunder in the Student Union.
More people were watching for the drama than feeling envy, though.
Given Zhao Qingyu’s notorious reputation, hardly anyone thought Shen An’s role as her secretary would end well.
Yang Bin was different.
Perhaps because they were classmates, his envy came tempered with genuine concern.
Beyond building a rapport with Shen An, he wanted the inside story—and to offer a few words of caution.
Li Yun wasn’t the type to chase connections; he preferred a laid-back approach. But even he knew the value of networking.
Having a Student Union celebrity from their own class could prove useful down the line, say, for job hunts.
And mostly, if he didn’t tag along with Yang Bin, he’d be left standing alone—awkward.
That was socializing for you: better to risk mockery than isolation.
The worst fate was being left out in the cold.
After some back-and-forth, they shared their updates.
Shen An had joined the Art Troupe as office secretary.
Yang Bin had signed on with the Student Union’s Study Department, starting as an ordinary staff member.
Li Yun had no initial plans for clubs or student organizations. But at Yang Bin’s urging and persuasion, he’d jumped in too.
The two were thick as “close brothers.”
Like all the other freshmen, they were regular members—standard interviews, nothing noteworthy.
Unsurprisingly, the conversation circled back to Shen An.
He didn’t hold back. With a silver tongue, he spun his experiences into an enthralling tale.
He especially played up the bevy of pretty girls in the Art Troupe. Yang Bin’s eyes welled up with envious tears.
It was the department of his dreams.
Sadly, he’d been too optimistic; he hadn’t even gotten his hands on a sign-up form.
The more he heard, the more bitter Yang Bin felt. He sighed wistfully, “Must be nice. So many girls—you could admire a different one every day for a year without repeats.”
Shen An’s mouth twitched. “Brother, ever heard that saying?”
“What saying?”
“The more women there are, the more trouble. And the prettier the women, the more dangerous.”
Shen An’s expression turned solemn. “The Art Troupe’s full of women, and they’re all gorgeous. What does that make it?”
“Heaven,” Yang Bin blurted out.
Shen An and Li Yun both fixed him with looks of disdain.
Yang Bin coughed awkwardly. “Hell. Hell. I misspoke.”
“Exactly—hell.”
Shen An let out a long sigh. “You see me surrounded by flowers, but you have no idea the pressure I’m under.”
Yang Bin bowed his head. “If only I could help you shoulder some of it.”
“Sigh, you’re a real brother,” Shen An said with another sigh.
“Sigh, tell me about it,” Yang Bin echoed.
Li Yun could barely watch.
He figured these two belonged in different departments. Too bad switching wasn’t an option.
“Oh, right.”
Yang Bin abruptly changed tack.
“Hm?” Shen An regarded him quietly.
Yang Bin glanced around to ensure no one was listening, then leaned in close to Shen An’s ear and whispered, “You’ve been pretty tight with the class president lately. You two…?”
Li Yun perked up immediately.
Yes! Now that’s guy talk!
Shen An feigned shock. “News travels fast, huh?”
“Damn,” Yang Bin said, even more stunned. “So it is true?”
“Of course it’s true. She joined the Art Troupe too. We’re classmates and colleagues.” Shen An’s lips curved faintly as he spoke softly.
Huh?
Yang Bin blinked in confusion. “Come on, bro—don’t hold out on us.”
Shen An waved him off. “If you’re asking about anything romantic, then no dice. Nothing’s there—not even the first stroke of a deal. Don’t buy into the girls’ gossip.”
Good lord.
Yang Bin darted another look around. “You actually say that out loud?”
“What’s to be afraid of? Can’t a guy and a girl just be friends?”
“Uh…” Yang Bin shrugged. “Hard to say.”
“Li Yun, what about you?” Shen An turned to him.
Caught off guard, Li Yun replied hastily, “I think it’s possible.”
“See?”
Shen An spoke with righteous indignation. “Yang Bin, how can you view male-female friendship through such a dirty lens?”
“If I started hanging out more with Teacher Pei someday, you wouldn’t suspect us of having something going on, would you?”
Yang Bin was at a loss for words.
He had to admit, if Shen An ever got close to Teacher Pei, there might really be sparks.
He didn’t know Shen An that well yet, but with a face like his, it was hard to doubt women’s interest.
After all, both men and women were suckers for a pretty face.
But those thoughts stayed locked in his head. No way was he voicing them.
“Don’t be so suspicious. The class president and I are just regular friends. We only seem close because we’re in the same department.”
Shen An had no intention of admitting anything. “Once this initial rush dies down, we probably won’t cross paths much.”
Yang Bin scratched his head. “So you have zero interest?”
“What interest would I have?”
“But…” Yang Bin leaned in again and murmured, “Don’t you think the class president is gorgeous?”
Shen An responded with a smug, humblebrag smirk. “She is gorgeous, sure. But she’s not the only pretty one. Like you said—one a day in the Art Troupe, no repeats for a year.”
“If I fell for every pretty girl I saw, I couldn’t chase down one a day,” Shen An said. “Right?”
Yang Bin fell silent.
The logic checked out, but for some reason, he felt an inexplicable pang in his chest.
Damn it.
Meanwhile, in East 7 Dormitory 105, the girls’ little clique was chatting away.
Song Rui was talking with Zhang Tong when Li Li quietly tugged Wang Yuqiong to the other side of the room and leaned in for a whisper.
Coincidentally, Li Li was just as concerned about the matter.
“Yuqiong, you… do you have feelings for Shen An or something?”
Wang Yuqiong froze for a moment, her pretty face flushing pink with a shy maiden’s blush—though laced with confidence. “What about it? Isn’t he good enough?”
Li Li shook her head. “No, that’s not it. It’s just… you’re being a little obvious about it. I’m afraid…”
Wang Yuqiong waved her off. “Nothing to be afraid of. Besides, it’s just a favorable impression right now. Nowhere near liking him yet.”
Well…
Li Li fell silent too.
This obvious, and it’s only a favorable impression?
If it turned into real feelings, would she be clinging to him day and night?
And…
Li Li cast a discreet glance at Song Rui on the other side of the room.
That was the real “afraid” she meant.
But on second thought, she could never voice it aloud. Ruining dorm harmony would be a cardinal sin.
Ahem.
Li Li shifted tack. “So, have you… tested the waters with him at all? Indirectly, I mean?”
“Him?”
“Yeah, this takes two to tango.”
“Mm…” Wang Yuqiong looked shy. “Actually… I think… he probably knows already.”
“Probably?”
“Aiya, should I just straight-up ask him? That’d be so embarrassing.”
“Fair enough.” Li Li nodded slightly.
“You’ll have to step it up, though. I hear he’s pretty popular in the Art Troupe.”
“Tsk, Li Li, since when did you turn into such a gossip?”
“Hey, I’m just looking out for my roommate.”
“Alright, alright. I know what I’m doing.”
The scene shifted again.
Over with the guys’ trio.
Shen An sat up straight, utterly serious. “Impossible. Absolutely impossible.”
Yang Bin looked stunned. “How can you be so sure? What if she really does like you?”
“Heh, with her personality—proud as Little Hen—how could she possibly like me?”
Shen An waved it off. “No way. Absolutely no way.”
“But what if—”
“No what ifs!” Shen An’s tone was resolute.
“No, seriously. What if…”
“Heh, if there really was a what if, I’d just have to go with the flow. Come to think of it, she’s actually pretty decent. Not embarrassing to be seen with, right?” Shen An stroked his chin and murmured.
“Hiss… ‘pretty decent’… How do you even say that with a straight face?”
Yang Bin’s teeth ached at the thought.
Ding-ding-ding~~~
The class bell rang.
PE class was starting.
