"Since when did you start vaping? Liu Nan, I thought you didn't smoke," Chen Yuan asked.

"I still don't really know how. I'm just doing it for fun."

"What are you smoking that for? Don't you dare be puffing clouds in the dorm all day, or you can move out into the hallway. Or better yet, go live in the dumpster downstairs," Wei Zhen said, turning around in disapproval.

"What do you know? I'm learning from my idol, Master Ding of the 'all worldly pursuits are bitter, only scholarly pursuits are noble' fame. I'm joining him as part of the Reform Faction!"

"Let me see. How much did you pay for this?"

Wei Zhen reached for it, so Liu Nan just took the lanyard off his neck and handed it to him.

"Not much. Two hundred and eighty-eight."

"This little gadget costs over two hundred? That's a total rip-off for idiots. How do you even smoke this thing…?"

"Just put it to your mouth and inhale."

"You got a tissue? Let me wipe it…"

"You're getting picky with me? I'm not the one you should be grossed out by! Fine, I'll get you a new drip tip. That should work, right?"

Inside the car, it seemed these good friends, all around the same age, had an endless supply of things to talk about.

They'd be laughing one moment and trading insults the next, but the atmosphere was full of life.

They could even turn an examination of a vape pen into a laugh fest, trading one jab after another.

Li Bing found herself drawn into the atmosphere, setting down her book to listen quietly from the side.

She rarely took part in such lively gatherings. Her only friend in class was Wu Lanlan. As for the other girls in her dorm, her relationship with them wasn't great. It wasn't that they were ostracizing her; they just didn't have anything in common.

Back in middle and high school, she'd often seen boys roughhousing and joking around like that, a sign of their close friendships.

Now, experiencing it firsthand, she found herself thinking, 'This is actually pretty nice.'

For some reason, being around guys felt infinitely more relaxing than navigating the social dynamics among girls.

"Hey, there's a lady present. You guys can vape after we get out of the car!" Quan Yafeng suddenly said, patting Wei Zhen on the shoulder.

"It's fine, boss. Mine's fruit-flavored, it's not smoky."

"No, forget it. I won't smoke then."

"Look at Yafeng being such a gentleman. I'm impressed," Chen Yuan teased.

That one comment was all it took to set the car abuzz.

"Of course he is~~ Our Yafeng has always been a gentleman."

"Well, being a gentleman depends on who it's for—ow! What'd you hit me for?"

"If I were a girl, I'd totally fall for our boss. He's so manly~"

At that, the guys burst out laughing together.

Quan Yafeng was really thin-skinned. Especially in front of Li Bing, his cheeks turned bright red in less than half a second.

He stammered, "Alright, that's enough."

Guys just loved these silly little games of teasing. Li Bing turned to look out the window, her expression unreadable.

Still, in many ways, she didn't dislike Quan Yafeng or the other guys. They were fooling around, but they were also mindful of their boundaries. For instance, Liu Nan, who seemed the most devil-may-care of the bunch, was actually making a conscious effort to keep to his side of the seat to avoid any physical contact with her.

Such small details made it easy to see a guy's decency.

When they reached the university, Chen Yuan had to park at the main gate, as unregistered vehicles weren't allowed on campus.

Students were trickling back to campus, but it wasn't crowded yet. In another two days, the gate would be overflowing with people.

"Yafeng and I will go drop off our luggage, then. Let's meet up at the back hill later."

"Okay," Chen Yuan said with a wave. "I'm going to pick up my girlfriend. I'll be half an hour at most. Zhen, you take Li Tongxue and bring some of the stuff over first."

Girlfriend!?

Her heart skipped a beat. Li Bing felt a shiver run through her.

'Chen Yuan already has a girlfriend?'

She pressed her lips together, a strange mix of emotions churning within her.

"If someone from that club calls me, just tell them to find you if I'm not back yet."

"Got it."

After this final exchange with Wei Zhen, Chen Yuan quickly turned the car around to pick up Ningning, who was already waiting for him at her home.

...

When he picked Jiangg Ning up downstairs, Chen Yuan, to be honest, was a little stunned.

Because Ningning was dressed beautifully today—almost *too* beautifully. He even felt a little pressure.

"Why are you spacing out?"

Jiangg Ning set her bag aside and turned to find Chen Yuan not saying a word, just staring at her.

"It's... it's nothing."

"Did I smudge my lipstick on my face?"

Ningning pulled down the sun visor mirror and inspected her reflection carefully.

'She couldn't see anything wrong.'

"No, it's just... you look a little different today."

"My clothes?"

"Yes, and your makeup. Your skin looks even smoother."

"Well, I am meeting your friends, after all. I didn't want to embarrass you, so I spent a long time getting ready at home."

"How could you possibly embarrass me..."

Chen Yuan swallowed. With Jiangg Ning's aura and stunning looks, walking down the street with her would draw countless eyes. By extension, he would get more attention too. 'He should be the one worrying if he's good enough for her.'

Undeniably, Jiangg Yao had impeccable taste. The outfit she'd picked for her sister did away with Jiangg Ning's usual styles—which tended to be either aloof and cool or demure and gentle. Instead, she now exuded a vibrant warmth, like a bright spark on a winter's day, making her feel much more approachable than usual.

They chatted as they drove.

Jiangg Ning kept fiddling with the stray hairs at her temples, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.

"You're not nervous, are you?" Chen Yuan asked.

"Of course I am! It's my first time meeting your friends. I've already run through how to handle their reactions several times. What am I supposed to say when they call me 'Teacher'?"

"Just respond however you feel is right."

Chen Yuan replied, pretending to be nonchalant.

In reality, he was ecstatic. He had to turn his head away to hide a grin that stretched from ear to ear.

For one, he had finally been waiting for this day. For another, Jiangg Ning's reaction was just too adorable.

'Aren't those guys going to be stunned when we get there?'

Chen Yuan couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces.

...

"This is my first time on the hill behind the school. It's pretty quiet here."

"It's only quiet during the break. Normally, it's crowded with people at night. You can't walk for more than a minute without running into a couple."

The dense woods were filled with thriving ginkgo and juniper trees. But since it was winter, the bare branches and fallen leaves gave the area a desolate feel. Stepping on the leaf litter produced a crisp CRUNCH CRUNCH sound.

Nearly every tree trunk was painted with white lime to repel insects. However, an even greater threat than pests was the tangle of interwoven vines, which had been strangled so tightly that they left deep marks on many of the trees.

Jiangg Ning suspected the woods were full of squirrels; she could see oval-shaped hollows in the trees just by tilting her head up.

Chen Yuan held her hand as they walked cautiously.

They stepped over stones and crunched over twigs.

"Really? What would people come here for at night? It's so gloomy and terrifying."

"It might be terrifying, but it's also secluded. In the summer, you can find a place to hide almost anywhere."

"??? Why?"

"For couples on dates, of course."

"Why would anyone come to a creepy place like this for a date?"

"Maybe... because of this,"

Chen Yuan said, pointing to a small, square foil packet on the ground. It was pink, about the size of a Pop Rocks pouch, but so faded and dirty its color was hard to make out.

"What's that?" Jiangg Ning looked down, and it took her a moment to realize what it was. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

A blush instantly crept up her cheeks.

"What a strange fetish... to come to a place like this."