At the gate of Ninghai University, students and teachers streamed in like a morning tide. Tang Coco blended in, a black tracksuit like night on legs, a black-red cap and glasses glinting. She hadn’t asked Ye Yiyi for a ride; her breath came in mist as she jogged in on her own. Her body felt flimsy as paper; she had to toughen it, like steel in a furnace. Four days had slipped by since that sudden faint. As a brand-new freshman, her university life opened like a gray sky, heavy and dull.

She stepped into class, and a black silhouette cut across the desk rows like a crow’s shadow. The others blinked, surprised; she’d been absent for days, a stranger drifting ashore.

“Coco! Over here!”

The voice popped like a bright bell. Meng Xiaoxiao waved, a white off-shoulder tee like a cloud and denim shorts like a crisp breeze. Her single ponytail swayed like a metronome. Coco saw she sat in the same spot as on day one, and the seat beside her lay open like an empty harbor. She walked over.

“Coco, you finally came!”

Joy bubbled in Meng’s tone like spring water.

“Yeah. Miss me?”

Seeing this bundle of energy felt like sunlight breaking through. Coco’s smile curved, playful as a cat’s tail.

“Of course. These days were dull as dust. Now you’re here, I’ve got someone to play with.”

“Uh-huh. You keep thinking about playing instead of studying…”

“But I already know it all.”

“…”

Right. She’d forgotten this little prodigy wore genius like a second skin.

“Okay, then what do you want to play?”

Coco slid into her seat, voice easy as a breeze.

“Hmm… let’s play hide-and-seek.”

Meng leaned close, breath warm like tea steam, whispering into Coco’s ear.

“…”

Oh, please. Trying to set me up again. The memory of hide-and-seek at Meng’s place jabbed her like stepping on a rake.

“Nope. I’m studying.”

“Uh…”

Meng saw Coco wouldn’t bite, and a small regret wilted like a flower in shade. A teacher walked in, words skimming the surface like pebbles on water, and class began. Then… Coco folded down onto the desk and fell asleep, her head dropping like a stone into a pond.

Meng stared, speechless, at Coco’s sleeping face, promises fluttering away like torn notes. She lowered herself beside Coco, eyes like clear lakes tracing that dozing profile. Thick glasses hid her features like frosted glass, yet the real face from that day flashed back like lightning. Meng’s gaze lingered; heat rose to her cheeks like cherry blossoms. Then her thoughts drifted off like a kite on the wind, circling one person.

In a sophomore classroom, Ye Yiyi and Li Muyan sat mid-row, two islands in a sea of desks. Ye listened intently, steady as a mountain. Li tapped at her phone, absorbed as a diver in blue light.

In a corner, a young man leaned over to another in branded clothes and a sharp short cut. “Young Master Qun, any progress lately?”

“How could there be? She won’t budge, like oil and salt to stone.”

His tone spread helplessness like fog.

“Maybe your method’s off.”

“Can’t be. I’ve bought her tons of things. She won’t take them. I invite her to dinner and movies; she refuses.”

“That’s the wrong playbook. Think—does Ye Yiyi lack money? As the only daughter of the Six Great Families of Ninghai, she doesn’t need trinkets. You can’t use the strategy for ordinary girls on her.”

“You’ve got a point. Then what?”

“Move her with actions.”

“Actions? What actions?”

“Hero saves beauty.”

“Pfft… that’s so old-school.”

“That’s where you don’t get it. Girls are soft-hearted; this kind of thing melts them like snow in sun. Don’t worry, Young Master Qun. I’ll set it up. You just play the hero.”

“Fine. Pull it off, and you’ll be rewarded.”

So the two young men sowed a plan like seeds in dark soil—a staged rescue.

The bell rang, a silver chime rippling through the room. A girl in a red dress stepped to Ye Yiyi’s side, grace like a flame dancing. “Hey, great beauty Ye, what’ve you been up to? You’ve been skipping class.”

Her face was exquisite, her aura smooth as jade, no less than Ye’s.

“Hey! Xu Yinuo, what are you doing here?”

Li Muyan’s voice snapped like a twig.

“I’m just checking in on you two. Look at you.”

The red-dress beauty put on hurt like dew on lashes.

“Sure. You’ve got other motives.”

Li didn’t buy it, suspicion sharp as a thorn.

“Enough, Muyan. She didn’t say anything. Ease up.”

Ye Yiyi saw the spat heating like water and cooled it with a word. Then she turned to Xu Yinuo.

“Hmph.”

Li huffed and looked away, anger curling like smoke.

“A friend was sick. I took care of her for a few days. Thanks for the concern.”

Ye met the beauty’s gaze calmly, voice smooth as still water.

“Oh? A friend I know?”

“Um…”

Coco’s secret fluttered under Ye’s ribs like a hidden bird. Ye hesitated; she knew this woman’s nature. If Xu Yinuo learned about Coco, trouble would swarm like bees.

“You ask too much. Come on, Yiyi, let’s go for a walk.”

Li saw her bestie caught and understood like reading a map. She stood, shot Xu Yinuo a glare like a knife flash, and pulled Ye out of the room. Xu Yinuo watched them leave, but didn’t follow, her eyes cooling like evening.

“Friend? What friend do she and I not share? Right… I heard Ye Yiyi has a newly arrived relative at Ninghai University. Is it her?”

A secret smile curled on Xu Yinuo’s lips, thin as silk and sharp as a blade.

“Hey! You two beauties, still sleeping after the bell?”

A sudden voice tugged Coco and Meng from sleep like a hand shaking a branch. They straightened, bleary, and looked at the speaker—an ordinary-looking girl, plain as bread.

“And you are?”

Coco asked, puzzled, caution like a cat’s ears up.

“I’m Liu Mengyao. You probably don’t know me yet.”

She spoke without shyness, ease like a neighbor’s knock.

“She’s our class monitor.”

Meng chimed in, and the picture clicked into place like a puzzle piece.

“Ah, the monitor. Hello.”

“No need to call me monitor. Mengyao’s fine. I heard you were sick these days. Feeling better?”

“Yeah. I’m fine now. Thanks.”

Coco felt okay with this friendly monitor, warmth like sun on a bench.

“Good. Oh, by the way—our PE class splits boys and girls. You missed that. You’re the girls’ sports rep.”

“Uh… what? Seriously?”

Coco stared, surprise flaring like a match. She turned to Meng Xiaoxiao.

“Yeah, it’s true. I recommended you.”

“You—…”

Inside, ten thousand wild horses stampeded across Coco’s heart, hooves thundering at the decision made without her nod.

“Can we switch to someone else…?”

“Ah… that won’t work~ The list’s already in.”

Hearing that, Coco knew Meng had trapped her again, a snare hiding in grass.

“Fine. Got it.”

“Great. Then you two can keep sleeping. Hehe.”

The monitor left with a giggle, light as beads rolling. Coco stayed, anger simmering like tea left on the burner, her stare drilling into Meng Xiaoxiao.