"Li Yuan, you once told me that I’m your first love, but sometimes, I really can’t feel if you still love me," Bai Weixi said, a look of confusion on her face. Her mind suddenly flashed back to what the boy she’d run into the other day had said to her.

Did you choose to be with me just to get revenge, and not because you love me? I’m really so scared... I’m scared I might suddenly lose you, scared that you truly don’t love me anymore.

Bai Weixi felt an immense sense of melancholy. Her days were consumed with thoughts of Li Yuan, longing to spend more time with him. Yet, the more she got to know him, the more that feeling of pampered happiness dwindled, leaving her to spend each day in a state of anxious longing.

I clearly haven’t done anything wrong! So why has it turned out like this? What should have been a perfect love that everyone looked forward to now tastes so bitter...

Suddenly, a voice reached the ears of the three girls. "Sisters, I just got news! Xia Hua is playing in a basketball game today. We’d better hurry over and grab a good spot before they’re all gone."

"For real? Isn’t Xia Hua busy with his Zhihu? How does he have time for a basketball game?"

"I don’t know either! Hehe, who cares? There’s no way we’re missing his first-ever basketball game."

Hearing the words "Zhihu" and "Xia Hua," Bai Weixi instantly knew who they were talking about. Watching the laughing girls run past, Bai Weixi twirled a strand of her hair and stared after them blankly.

Wang Lisha and Deng Meiqi had naturally heard the girls’ conversation as well. They exchanged a look, and after a soft cough, Wang Lisha reached out to take Bai Weixi’s small hand, speaking in a deliberately casual tone. "Weixi, it’s still early. Why don’t we just take a walk around campus?"

After saying this, Wang Lisha gave Deng Meiqi a meaningful look. Deng Meiqi made an "OK" sign with her fingers and seamlessly added, "Yeah, the weather is nice today. Let’s go to the sports field and catch the breeze. Come with us, Weixi."

Bai Weixi glanced at her two best friends, her body trembling slightly as a wave of nervousness washed over her. Her beautiful eyes gazed toward the distant sports field, where a dense crowd of people had already gathered.

They’re probably all there to watch him, too.

With a deep, melancholic sigh, Bai Weixi found that her yearning for Li Yuan had won out over the sadness in her heart.

"Mhm!"

「」

In girls’ dormitory A-1314, Zhong Tingyue was on the phone with Gu Lanxin. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

On the other end of the line, Gu Lanxin’s voice sounded a bit weary. "Baby, I’ve arrived in Sucheng. Don’t worry."

Zhong Tingyue’s heart skipped a beat. She frowned and asked, "Mom, why did you leave so suddenly? You didn’t even tell me you weren’t going to stay in Modu for a few more days."

Gu Lanxin’s tone was slightly embarrassed. "Your dad needed me for something urgent, so I left without waiting for you to come back."

"Baby, you need to study well in Modu and maintain a happy relationship with Li Yuan. If you run into any problems, you must tell your mother. Don’t keep things bottled up, okay?"

Zhong Tingyue nodded. "Yes, I know. You don’t have to worry."

Gu Lanxin was still concerned about her daughter’s temper and personality, so she gently reminded her, "Didn’t Li Yuan say he was going to open a milk tea shop for you? When you have free time, you should focus your energy on that. It’ll keep your mind from wandering.

"Your mother is waiting for the day your milk tea shop opens a branch in Sucheng."

Hearing her mother mention the milk tea shop, Zhong Tingyue’s mind couldn’t help but drift to the Zhihu website, which was already causing a buzz across the internet. She hadn’t known until recently that Li Yuan had also started a company. Before, whenever Li Yuan had occasionally mentioned being busy with company matters, she’d assumed he was talking about his novel-writing business. Now, it seemed this was that company.

Everything about him was like a vast iceberg, with only the tip revealed, waiting for her to unearth the rest.

Senior, that milk tea shop you told me about... does that mean the others don’t know about it either? Zhong Tingyue’s mind raced as she began to understand Li Yuan’s intentions.

"Baby, your dad is here to pick me up. I have to go. I’ll come see you in Modu when I have time.

"You and Li Yuan must get along!

"That’s all for now. Gotta hang up!"

Before Zhong Tingyue could even reply, the busy tone of a disconnected call buzzed in her ear. She frowned slightly, a wave of worry and indignation washing over her on her mother’s behalf.

Her biological father always carried himself with an air of superiority. The way he looked at her was as if he were appraising an exquisite commodity, not his own daughter. If she hadn’t confirmed it repeatedly, she would have doubted she was that beast’s biological child at all. What kind of father doesn’t care about his daughter’s happiness, instead treating her as a mere tool to be used? But in the past, she had been powerless. If she and her mother had left that man, they would have had no one to rely on. Even attending university in peace would have been an impossible dream. But what about now?

Zhong Tingyue’s gaze grew firm. Glancing out the window toward the nearby sports field, she picked up her phone. She hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to go take a look. She had just been browsing the "Confession Wall" on Zhihu when she came across a post. A star-struck girl had spotted Li Yuan in his basketball uniform heading to play and was asking for advice on the "Confession Wall" on how to strike up a conversation with her crush.