A full-blown romantic love triangle unfolded right before everyone’s eyes—sparking endless whispers and speculation.

Campus beauty An Qianmeng stepped out through the front classroom door.

Meanwhile, Gu Chuan exited from the back, walking straight toward another girl… the very girl he was heading for.

Few knew her name, but most recognized her from that heart-stirring confession during this morning’s freshman orientation.

A Lanfeng High School first-year. Top scorer on the entrance exam. Recipient of the school’s Outstanding Scholarship.

Though, much to the school’s chagrin, she’d already earned her first disciplinary mark—and this skipped class might well be her second.

Qiu Muzhe. A girl whose name flowed like a line from classical poetry.

A woman with a heart as vast as the ocean.

But as the old saying goes: a hero matches a fine sword. A scumbag leads a beauty astray.

Liking Gu Chuan—and confessing publicly—must have taken real courage.

Yet she had no idea what consequences awaited.

Or perhaps she knew… and chose bravery anyway.

The crowd flowed around the three like seawater around steadfast rocks.

Gu Chuan suddenly turned, meeting An Qianmeng’s cold glare.

“Walk together?”

“Together…” An Qianmeng murmured the word like a stubborn child refusing to lose.

If she could crush it between her teeth and swallow it, she would.

But that didn’t change the fact the words had once passed his lips.

Gu Chuan shook his head. He knew this too well—the telltale sign of her brewing tantrum.

She stood frozen, muttering the same phrase under her breath.

*Such a spoiled little princess.*

And yes, he *had* once walked away without mercy.

How long she stood alone on that slightly chilly autumn street afterward? He’d never know.

Only that the next day, she caught a cold… yet still greeted him with a soft “Good morning.”

When he came to check on her, her eyes were red-rimmed. Tissues piled beside the bed. He gathered them—nearly filling the trash can.

As he stepped out to replace the bag, a faint voice called:

“Gu Chuan… please don’t leave me…”

He didn’t turn.

She thought he hadn’t heard.

When he returned, more crumpled tissues lay on the floor. He picked each one up.

She struggled upright, sniffing, rubbing her eyes.

“Hold me…”

Later, she still threw tantrums.

Somehow, Gu Chuan could no longer just walk away.

Qiu Muzhe waited where she stood, watching Gu Chuan approach An Qianmeng. Her smile dripped with false sweetness.

Her narrowed eyes seemed to whisper: *“What harm could an innocent underclassman possibly mean?”*

Gu Chuan’s shadow fell over An Qianmeng, veiling her jade-like face in soft haze.

“Together… together…”

“She’s broken,” he sighed, patting her head lightly.

Not hard—but enough to make her stomp her foot petulantly, voice dragging:

“What are you doing! That’ll make me stupid!”

“My head’s not a TV!”

“But you’re a repeat-o-matic.”

He ruffled the spot he’d tapped. An Qianmeng looked like a flustered little rabbit, too timid to even muster proper anger.

“You want me to be the third wheel… walking with you two?!”

“I can’t be a third wheel till I *have* a girlfriend. I’m single. You’re barely even…”

“A spare?” Gu Chuan tilted his head with a roguish grin—utterly disarming.

An Qianmeng puffed her cheeks. Now a pouting goldfish girl.

Qiu Muzhe glided beside Gu Chuan, voice warm and polite:

“Excuse me… are you Senior An Qianmeng?”

“No.” Instant. Classic tsundere.

“Hehe, Senior, you’re just as interesting as Senior Gu described.”

She kept a perfectly sincere smile.

Gu Chuan shot her a glance. *Over a year apart… yet lies still roll off her tongue like breathing.*

And naive An Qianmeng? Fell for it completely.

*Gu Chuan! Were you texting this underclassman while we were together?!*

Yet she blurted out, voice trembling:

“W-What did he say about me?!”

Gu Chuan’s gaze returned to Qiu Muzhe, waiting for the next effortless fabrication.

“Senior Gu said you’re incredibly cute… though a little spoiled, a little willful. He gets tired sometimes—but calls it a sweet burden.”

An Qianmeng bit her lip, eyes wavering.

*Wait… she actually believes it?!*

“…Am I really that troublesome? Does being with me exhaust you… Gu Chuan?”

Gu Chuan didn’t answer. Just frowned. “Qiu Muzhe.”

She playfully stuck out her tongue—then gave it a teasing little curl. Even An Qianmeng’s cheeks flushed.

*Boys wouldn’t stand a chance.*

She knew Gu Chuan’s temper. Clarifying was wise.

But his annoyance? Just because she’d nailed his thoughts.

“Senior… shouldn’t you be wary of a mysterious underclassman? Believing me so fast… doubting the senior once so close to you?”

She stressed *“once.”* Her intent laid bare.

“We haven’t spoken in over a year. I don’t even have his number. How could he confide relationship troubles to *me*~?”

A self-deprecating laugh. She opened her usually narrowed eyes. Beneath the smile—steel glinted.

“The one he confides in? Someone else. Not me.”

“Because I’m not worthy.”

“But… Senior, shall we exchange contacts? We *are* at the same school now.”

Her face half-shadowed.

“At the very least… I’m still this bothersome.”

“Let’s talk while we walk.”

Gu Chuan blinked—neither agreeing nor refusing. He slung his bag and headed downstairs.

An Qianmeng and Qiu Muzhe followed without hesitation.

To onlookers? Pure envy.

Some sighed: *Some people are unfairly blessed—even in singledom.*

For others, singledom means losing a girlfriend.

But Gu Chuan? He’d stepped away from one flower… and wandered straight into a blooming garden.