Yue Bai sat at the other end of the bench, leaving one person’s space between them. Sang Wan’s furrowed brows relaxed, her expression one of serene tranquility.
The surface of the artificial lake stirred with tiny ripples under the gentle breeze, spreading outward with the wind.
“Senior Sister, why are you here alone? Where’s your roommate?” The Freshman Welcome Party was only twenty minutes from ending—why would Sang Wan show up here by herself?
“I don’t have a roommate.” Sang Wan gazed at the night sky reflected on the lake’s surface, a self-mocking smile tugging at her lips. “I lived off-campus during my first semester of freshman year and only moved into the dorms the next semester. There happened to be an empty room, so I took it on my own.”
Yue Bai nodded in understanding, not dwelling on it. The mid-September breeze had lost its summer heat, and tonight’s evening wind carried faint threads of coolness. She awkwardly hugged her arms for warmth.
“Are you cold?” Sang Wan noticed the small gesture and asked softly.
“I’m fine.” Yue Bai glanced again at the thin white dress draped over Sang Wan’s frame. “Is Senior Sister cold?”
“Not cold.”
Sang Wan’s mood seemed slightly different from yesterday’s shopping trip. Yue Bai observed her for a long time but couldn’t pinpoint exactly what had changed.
Following Sang Wan’s gaze, Yue Bai heard faint footsteps approaching from nearby.
It was one of the male hosts from the Freshman Welcome Party—if she wasn’t mistaken, it was Li Ci.
Sang Wan’s smile faded a touch, the light in her eyes dimming. In that instant, Yue Bai understood the difference.
Compared to yesterday, Sang Wan’s smile now seemed forced, tugged into place.
Was it because of this guy? Yue Bai subtly sized up the newcomer.
Li Ci had taken off his suit jacket, draping it over his left elbow. The matching suit pants hugged the straight lines of his legs. With his clean, refreshingly handsome face, Yue Bai figured he was the type many girls liked.
“You’re here again.” Yue Bai thought she heard Sang Wan mutter under her breath. Surprised, she turned to see that the girl who had been sitting primly on the bench had already stood up, her long skirt flowing ethereally to the ground.
“Little Wan, what are you doing here?” Li Ci drew closer, concern in his voice as he tried to drape his suit jacket over Sang Wan’s shoulders.
“Breathing some fresh air.” Sang Wan’s tone flattened. She raised a pale hand to block the jacket. “I’m not cold.”
Li Ci’s brows furrowed, clearly disagreeing. He stared at her face. “The party’s just ended—why’d you leave already?”
“I made plans ahead of time with my junior sister. Can’t stand her up.” Sang Wan placed both hands on Yue Bai’s shoulders and pushed her forward.
Yue Bai looked up in bewilderment. Sang Wan gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze, her smile unwavering.
Only then did Li Ci spare Yue Bai a glance. He eyed her curiously for a moment before saying, “Hey, junior sister.” His greeting was polite enough, but he continued, “I ask you out and you’re busy, but one call from a junior sister and you’re free?”
His tone carried an unmistakable note of complaint.
Yue Bai got the picture—this guy was one of Sang Wan’s suitors. She sat quietly as Sang Wan’s hands remained on her shoulders, the grip a bit firmer now.
“Didn’t you catch my meaning?” Sang Wan paused. “I invited the junior sister.”
Li Ci’s frown deepened, but he said nothing more.
“If there’s nothing else, my junior sister and I will be going.” Sang Wan’s tone sharpened. Her slender white hand grasped Yue Bai’s wrist, pulling her to her feet. They walked off along one side of the artificial lake.
Li Ci clutched his suit jacket, wanting to say more, but worried it might ruin his image in Sang Wan’s eyes. He let them go without further argument.
“Sorry for dragging you into that without asking.” Once they were out of earshot, Sang Wan slowed her pace, an apologetic note in her voice.
Yue Bai knew she meant the excuse for dealing with Li Ci. She just shook her head. “It’s fine. That Li Ci likes you, doesn’t he, Senior Sister?”
“Mm.” Sang Wan hummed after a few seconds. She glanced sideways at Yue Bai. This junior sister was so bluntly honest—her rejection of Li Ci had been so obvious, yet here she was stating it plain as day. Wasn’t she afraid of upsetting her?
“Senior Sister doesn’t like him,” Yue Bai said with certainty.
Sang Wan stopped, amused. She met Yue Bai’s eyes without blinking, her gaze as gentle as yesterday’s. “How do you see that so clearly?”
If anyone else had said it, Yue Bai would have taken it as sarcasm. But from Sang Wan, it felt different.
“Senior Sister~” Yue Bai drew out the word playfully. “Can’t you think a little better of me?” She wasn’t stupid—if it was this obvious and she still couldn’t see it, she’d really be blind.
“I never said you were stupid.” Sang Wan curved her lips, in high spirits as she reached out to ruffle Yue Bai’s hair. “Classes start tomorrow. Excited?”
“A little. After all, it’s the university’s first real lecture,” Yue Bai said.
“I felt the same way at first—full of anticipation. But once they actually started, I realized it wasn’t much different from high school. The only changes were a more relaxed classroom vibe and bigger rooms.” Sang Wan slipped into reminiscence, shaking her head with a smile. “That was a year ago.”
Yue Bai didn’t know why she sounded so wistful, but she could tell Sang Wan was much happier now than when Li Ci had shown up.
They lingered by the artificial lake for about half an hour. Sang Wan checked the time, then touched her own chilled arms. Her eyes flickered as she gently took the hand of the girl about to keep walking. “Let’s head back. It’s getting late.”
Yue Bai glanced at her phone—indeed, it was.
“Then I’ll walk you back, Senior Sister.” Getting from the artificial lake to her dormitory building meant passing Sang Wan’s dorm first.
“Sure.” Sang Wan held out her hand, tilting her head slightly. A hint of indulgence crept into her words unbidden. “Cold? Want Senior Sister to warm it up for you?”
Her features were like a painting, every smile and frown captivating in a way she seemed unaware of. Yue Bai stared blankly as she lifted her hand, letting it be enveloped in soft, boneless warmth.
This was the first time Yue Bai truly felt Sang Wan’s hand. Her finger joints were a bit thicker, the tips padded with a layer of flesh that Yue Bai lacked—likely from long hours pressing something. Her nails were neatly rounded, leaving only tender white half-moons.
“Your hand’s so warm,” Sang Wan said, surprised by the temperature.
“I… I’m naturally warm,” Yue Bai stammered, her fingers rigid.
“That’s good. Must be nice to hold in winter.” Sang Wan swung their joined hands lightly.
Why had the girl’s body gone stiff again? Sang Wan pressed her lips together, suppressing an indescribable amusement. She deliberately squeezed the fingers, feeling the gradual rise in heat. The laughter in her eyes could no longer be contained.
