Summer of 20xx. Donghai City.

"Congratulations on your graduation, seniors!"

"Wishing you bright futures and smooth sailing!"

"Don’t forget us juniors from the External Relations Department when you make it big—hahaha!"

Ming Yi stood slightly lost in thought, watching the crowd bustle and glasses clink. His mind felt hazy. He remembered himself three years ago—just as flustered, staring blankly at the hotel’s gilded decor, watching others chat and laugh effortlessly, feeling utterly out of place in a metropolis like Donghai.

In the blink of an eye, he’d spent three years at Shanghai University. Now a rising senior—the so-called "upperclassman." The very seniors who’d welcomed him into the External Relations Department were graduating today.

Humans never spare words praising time’s grandeur, yet it remains just words. Only lived experience reveals that helpless drift within its current.

Three years on, even if Ming Yi felt he’d adapted to the city, every grand gathering stirred a deep-seated insecurity from his small-town roots. It rose like a barrier, quietly blocking connection.

"Hey, Xiao Yi!" A firm pat on his back nearly spilled his drink. Ming Yi turned. A buzz-cut guy grinned as he leaned in. "What? Third time at this kind of party, and you’re still not used to it?"

Ming Yi glanced at the polite waiters with champagne trays, the buffet of freely available delicacies, and shrugged helplessly. "Sorry. No matter how many times I come, I’ll never get used to this. I’m not like you, Xiao Chengcheng—a born silver-spoon kid."

Xiao Chengcheng chuckled, eyes flicking toward the banquet’s center. He raised his glass. "Aren’t you going to toast Big Sister and the Boss?"

Ming Yi stayed silent.

Xiao Chengcheng swirled his wine slowly. "Think carefully, Xiao Yi. Big Sister’s graduating. Heard she’s not taking the postgraduate exam. Which means—" he turned to Ming Yi—"this might be your last chance to see her."

Ming Yi forced a wry smile. "Alright, I’ll go toast them. Don’t overthink it. Senior Alice and Senior Yu Chen are a match made in heaven. Not your place to fantasize." He turned toward the center, silently watching the golden-haired beauty surrounded by admirers like stars orbiting the moon.

Senior Alice was mixed: half Slavic heritage gifted her a striking figure, hair like burnished gold, emerald eyes. Her Asian half softened her features with Eastern grace—a beauty who’d earn near-perfect scores under any global standard.

Just then, she tipped her head back and drained her glass with a series of gulps. Wiping her mouth, she pointed at a passed-out guy and burst into hearty laughter—bold, unrestrained, utterly unladylike.

"Challenging Big Sister to a drinking contest? Did that guy have a death wish?" Xiao Chengcheng sneered at the dragged-away drunk, then turned to Ming Yi. "When you toast her, keep it brief. Don’t overestimate yourself."

"I’m not an idiot," Ming Yi shrugged. He knew Senior Alice’s tolerance well. Unlike him—one glass and he’d collapse—she could down half a kilo of straight vodka, no mixer, no fuss. He often wondered if her stomach lining was made of glass.

Beside her, a refined young man with gold-rimmed glasses murmured helplessly—clearly urging her to slow down.

Yu Chen. Former student union president of Shanghai University. Also Alice’s boyfriend of four years.

Unlike web novel tropes where the rival is a despicable villain crushed by the protagonist, Yu Chen was the son of a listed company’s CEO. Flawless idol-drama looks. Every prerequisite of a spoiled rich kid—

—yet paradoxically, genuinely kind and approachable.

Honestly, Ming Yi had once darkly wondered: with that background, was Yu Chen a hypocrite? Surface-level disciplined, secretly indulging in debauchery? But three years of university forced him to admit—maybe Yu Chen truly was crafted by fate as Alice’s perfect match.

Their sincerity toward him had been real. Unmistakable.

Ming Yi took a deep breath. Adjusted his smile to hide his turmoil. Stepped calmly toward the center. Behind him, Xiao Chengcheng’s mischievous cheers egged him on.

After several rounds, Alice sipped tea to soothe her throat. Catching sight of Ming Yi, she set the cup down with a smile, raised her glass, and regarded him with playful amusement. "Waited till the very end for your toast. Almost thought you’d chickened out."

That teasing gaze made Ming Yi’s hands go cold. He’d long suspected the perceptive Senior Alice noticed his subtle feelings—but speaking it brought no good. Now, he forced himself not to dissect her words.

He maintained a strained smile, raising his glass. "How could I not come? I’ve always been grateful for your care these three years, Senior. Just… shy around crowds."

He paused. "Please don’t forget us from External Relations after graduation. Wishing you smooth sailing."

"How could I forget? You’ll always be my little brothers," Alice said, her radiant smile nearly stopping Ming Yi’s heart. "Wherever you are, if anyone bullies you—call me. I’ll be there in a flash to stand up for my little brother!" She playfully shook her fist.

Ming Yi laughed it off and downed his drink.

Turning to Yu Chen, he refilled his glass. "May you and Senior Alice stay together forever. Hope the next drink is your wedding toast."

Yu Chen raised his glass with a smile but didn’t drink. "You keep striving too, Xiao Yi. Stay in touch."

Ming Yi drained it again. Heat flushed his face. He gave a hurried farewell and walked out.

Yu Chen watched his retreating figure awhile, then glanced at Alice.

She shrugged and made a playful face.

True rapport needs no words. To them, Ming Yi was a cherished junior. They wished him happiness. As for the boy’s quiet affections—they were powerless, and willing to let time teach its lessons.

————

The alcohol hit harder than expected. Ming Yi wandered aimlessly, mind foggy. He hadn’t drunk much, but his tolerance was pitiful, and drinking fast blurred his thoughts. He’d left without waiting for the banquet’s end—or telling Xiao Chengcheng—hoping the night air would clear his head.

Before he knew it, Shanghai University’s towering gates loomed ahead.

Nearly 9 p.m. He staggered to his dorm, washed up, and collapsed onto his bed. Roommates were home for summer; he stayed for practice and part-time work.

After tossing and turning, the breeze had sobered him. 9 p.m. was too early to sleep. He dressed and stepped out.

Shanghai’s evening breeze caressed his face, gentle and soothing. Ming Yi walked slowly, mind a tangled knot.

He truly envied them—clear futures, passions pursued. He still hadn’t decided: grad school or work?

Confusion was the most insidious emotion—like boiling a frog in warm water, silent and lethal. Idle university days hid the truth. Facing society’s stark contrast? Panic could crush a person.

Lost in thought, he didn’t notice the faint shadow lurking behind a streetlamp ahead.

*Do you wish for this world to be destroyed?*

Ming Yi froze, glancing around in confusion.

The voice hadn’t come from outside—it resonated directly in his mind. Genderless. Languageless. He couldn’t even confirm if it was Chinese. Yet his brain instantly understood.

Out of nowhere—asking if he wanted the world destroyed? A joke?

Instinctively, *No* surfaced in his thoughts. Before he processed it—

*Do you wish for the next world to be destroyed?*

Huh? A ghost? Hearing it again, Ming Yi confirmed it wasn’t a hallucination—and his mind locked up. Common sense offered no explanation.

The peaceful night suddenly felt eerie. He shivered.

As if impatient for reply, the voice returned:

*Do you wish for the next world to be destroyed?*

What’s with "this world," "next world"? What did the world ever do to you?

After a silent pause, Ming Yi cautiously thought *No*.

Silence.

The night stilled. The breeze turned gentle again, refreshing.

Ming Yi exhaled in relief, scratching his head in confusion—was it a hallucination? Before he could think—

A warm surge erupted from his chest.

"Eh?"

Warmth sharpened into sting. Horror dawned: the gush was his own blood spurting from his heart.

A vaguely humanoid shadow stood there, holding a dagger-shaped shadow plunged into his chest.

After stabbing him, the shadow trembled in terror. It yanked the dagger free, stumbled back, and collapsed. The shadow-dagger clattered to the ground.

Ming Yi couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move. He watched his blood-soaked hand. Terror flooded him.

Mouth open—no sound. Feet rooted. Eyes wide. Waiting silently for death.

Suddenly, buildings shuddered. Violently. Houses crumbled. Roads split. The earth shattered beneath a violent tremor.

But Ming Yi had no awareness left. A skyscraper beside him collapsed. As debris hurtled toward him—

—he spent his last ounce of strength… and closed his eyes.