“Yeah, I study at Ninghai University,” her words landing like small pebbles in a quiet pond.

“Oh… that’s it. Ninghai University’s a good school,” her smile curving like a crescent, praise rising like warm steam.

Shirley spoke with a smile, lips like a curved petal, as the waiter set down their dishes, plates gleaming like still lakes. She lifted the knife and sliced a piece of beef, the blade gliding like moonlight on water.

“Actually… you’re at Ninghai University too, right, Shirley? Right, senior?” Her words tiptoed like a cat beneath a curtain.

Tang Coco looked at Shirley, then dropped the line; Shirley’s fork froze midair like a bird paused in flight.

After a small sip of red wine, Tang Coco’s mouth tilted into a faint curve, a crescent before dawn.

“Oh? Why say that?” Her tone lifted like a breeze through bamboo.

Shirley quickly kept slicing the beef and smiled at Tang Coco, the smile flickering like lantern light.

“Hmm… call it a coincidence. I heard a senior who studied abroad just returned to our school, and she’s especially beautiful—once the top of the campus beauty list…” The rumor drifted like incense smoke, curling into facts.

Tang Coco sipped the wine and kept that slight curl at her lips, a thin line like silk.

“So just from that, you guessed I’m that senior?” Her words knocked like knuckles on a wooden gate.

“Not just that. There’s yesterday too—you seemed so eager to mask your identity that you overlooked a few details.” Her memory lifted like a net, catching small fish of oversight.

Tang Coco paused, then went on, her breath settling like dust after rain.

“I remember I never told you my address when I got in yesterday, yet you dropped me off exactly. With your popularity, it’s easy to find out I live at Ye Yiyi’s place.” The logic lined up like stones across a stream.

She finished, lifted knife and fork, and started on the steak; hunger tugged at her like a quiet hand.

“Alright, seems I underestimated you… turns out you’ve got more than just a pretty face.” Her laugh rippled like a fan opening.

After a moment, she suddenly spoke with a smile and drank half her red wine, the ruby liquid sliding like sunset.

“Same to you, senior~” Her teasing hopped like a sparrow on a branch.

“Haha~ you’re really something.” Her amusement rang like wind-chimes in a light wind.

“Then… could you tell me your real name? Shirley… if that isn’t an actual foreign name, it’s something you just threw out, right?” Her curiosity leaned in like a shadow across a paper screen.

Tang Coco ate another piece of beef and continued, words warm as steam.

“Hahaha, smart! Then let me reintroduce myself. I’m… Mo Zitong.” Her name fell like a seal stamped in cinnabar.

“…” Silence pooled like ink.

“What’s wrong? Surprised?” Her eyebrows lifted like twin willow leaves.

Seeing Tang Coco go still, Mo Zitong asked, voice cool as spring water.

“A little. I heard that name not long ago. Didn’t expect it to be you, senior.” Recognition bloomed like a sudden flower.

Tang Coco shook her head and spoke; the person Ouyang Lingxue warned her about turned out to be this campus beauty. The realization clicked like a jade bead.

“Was it Meng Xiaoxiao who told you?” The question flicked like a fox’s tail.

Mo Zitong kept speaking, her tone steady as a drumbeat.

“Hardly. That little girl wouldn’t bother with this stuff.” Her dismissal floated off like dandelion fluff.

“I see… looks like you and her are pretty close.” The observation settled like dew on grass.

“Of course. Xiaoxiao’s easy to like.” Her praise warmed like tea in a clay cup.

“What about me?” Her words arrowed in like a sudden hawk.

“Huh?” Surprise blinked like a moth at a lamp.

Tang Coco hadn’t expected her to toss such a left-field question; it landed like a pebble skipping off course.

“What do you think of me?” Her gaze held like still water under reeds.

“Hmm… not great. You wear too many masks, and I’m always forced to sort what’s true from what’s fake.” Her honesty cut clean, a blade across silk.

Tang Coco said it without scruples; since cards were on the table, there was no need to keep acting, her resolve setting like stone after rain.

“Heh… that’s true. In this world, if you don’t disguise yourself, how do you feel safe?” Her words drifted like smoke from a burned prayer.

Mo Zitong swirled the wine in her glass and spoke, her tone cool, the red turning like a slow whirlpool.

“Family and friends can give you safety too—if you let them.” Her counsel laid out like a wooden bridge across water.

Tang Coco urged gently, voice soft as mist.

“Heh, I rather like the way you talk.” Her smile softened like frost under sun.

Suddenly Mo Zitong laughed again; the two dimples on her cheeks bloomed, charming as twin peach pits.

“But don’t say I didn’t warn you, pretty girl. After today, we’re rivals.” Her warning glinted like a drawn edge.

Mo Zitong leaned back with her glass, every inch the cool older sister, posture smooth as lacquer.

“Because of that so-called campus beauty ranking?” Her question snapped like a dry twig.

“Hardly. That boring thing doesn’t interest me. Since I came back, I’ve been bored, nothing grabs me. Today, I’m sure—what truly interests me is you.” Her declaration fell like a stone into deep water.

“…” Silence stretched like silk.

Hearing that, Tang Coco couldn’t help it—exasperation streaked across her face like an ink line.

“With no reason like that, you make me feel unfairly targeted.” Her protest fluttered like a paper kite.

“Then try this: Ye Yiyi—you’re familiar with her, right? I’m going to steal you away from her. Can you accept that?” Her challenge flashed like lightning behind thin clouds.

“Why?” The word dropped like a stone.

“Because she and I are old rivals.” The history coiled like a long rope.

“…” Silence gathered like night fog.

Tang Coco hadn’t expected it—Ye Yiyi and Mo Zitong seemed to share a pile of ‘stories,’ the past rustling like pages in a closed book.

“You… seems you and I really don’t mesh.” Her verdict fell like a curtain.

Hearing that steady tone, Tang Coco finally spoke helplessly, resignation settling like ash.

“It’s fine. I think… you’ll get your chance to understand me.” Her promise hovered like a moth before a lamp.

“In that case… I won’t let you get your way easily. Whether it’s Ye Yiyi or anyone around me, if you mess with them, I won’t let it slide.” Her resolve rang like iron on stone.

Tang Coco spoke coolly, her voice clear as winter air.

“Haha, good! That won’t be boring then. Thanks for dinner, pretty girl—next time we eat together, it’ll probably be at my place.” Her cheer sparkled like wine bubbles.

“Hehe, that day won’t come.” Her refusal stood like a closed gate.

With that, she smiled, rose, and took her bag, leaving like a cat slipping through dusk.

“Sigh…” The sound drifted like a lone reed.

After she left, Tang Coco let out a helpless sigh; tiresome accidents kept knocking at her door like stray rain.

“Waiter, the bill.” Her words clicked like a coin on the table.