By the time Lin Ran finished his homework, it was already past ten. It was the start of the school year, so there wasn’t a ton of homework, but there wasn’t just a little, either. Finishing at this hour meant he’d been pretty quick. After putting his things away, he went to wash up. Lin Ruixue had just finished in the bathroom, too, but she’d changed into yellow pajamas. Hm, was that Pikachu? Pretty cute!

Lin Ran nodded in a friendly way. Lin Ruixue stepped aside, then jogged back to her room.

After washing up, Lin Ran returned to his room. He thought about it, then turned on his computer and logged into the game to check the auction house. Sure enough, after the big move he’d made, some merchants had started getting in on it too. The cheapest Firefly Stones in the auction house were going for 300 now! And there weren’t many, either.

Just as Lin Ran finished checking the auction house and was about to log off, a friend from his in-game guild sent him a private message.

All Past Is but a Dream: Playing games this late? Didn’t school just start? You’re really letting loose!

Lin Ran couldn’t help chuckling as he typed back.

A Role Model for Staying Anonymous: Just logged on to take a look. I was about to get off.

All Past Is but a Dream: Get off my ass. Come PK me.

A Role Model for Staying Anonymous: Some other time. I should go to bed. School just started—I can’t be late on the second day.

All Past Is but a Dream: Tch, quit pretending to be a good student. Eat, drink, and have fun while you can. I’m waiting for you at the construction site!

A Role Model for Staying Anonymous: Give me a break. Don’t you have work tomorrow?

All Past Is but a Dream: I quit. Damn it, that idiot boss is on my case every day. I’m not sticking around to take his crap. My family’s got eight apartments waiting for me to collect rent on!

A Role Model for Staying Anonymous: What a loser. Only eight? How about you come be king of the mountain at my Fruit Mountain instead? I’ll pay you thirty grand a month!

All Past Is but a Dream: For real? If you’re really paying me thirty grand, I’m coming!

A Role Model for Staying Anonymous: Just kidding!

All Past Is but a Dream: Fuck you, you***!

A Role Model for Staying Anonymous: Hahahahaha! Anyway, I’m going to bed. We’ll PK another time.

All Past Is but a Dream: Get lost, get lost, get lost!

......

After logging off, Lin Ran smiled to himself, then climbed into bed.

The next day, after breakfast, Lin Ran went to school with Lin Ruixue. They split up in front of the classroom building. Quite a few people saw them arriving together—some from Lin Ran’s class, and some from Lin Ruixue’s. Aside from Su Shijie and Ye Qingqian, everyone thought they were a couple. Lin Ran and Lin Ruixue’s classes were anything but peaceful that morning.

Class A, First Year.

“Good morning, Lin Ruixue!” Zhao Xingwen walked up to her and greeted her first. He made no effort to hide how much he liked her. Zhao Xingwen was troubled, though. For some reason, Lin Ruixue seemed afraid of him. Well, it wasn’t exactly him—she seemed afraid of boys in general. But that couldn’t stop him from liking her.

“What’s so good about it?” Si Qing said grumpily.

Zhao Xingwen looked a little awkward, while Lin Ruixue only nodded cautiously.

“Um, so... who was that boy you came to school with this morning? I remember seeing him waiting for you when I came to look around before registration. Is he your brother?” Zhao Xingwen asked with a smile.

Lin Ruixue still didn’t say anything, but Si Qing’s big eyes darted around. It was obvious—Zhao Xingwen wanted to pursue Lin Ruixue.

“You guessed it. He’s Xiaoxue’s boyfriend, so don’t waste your time,” Si Qing answered for Lin Ruixue.

Lin Ruixue stared at Si Qing, wide-eyed and dumbfounded. “Si Qing, that’s not—”

“Oh, come on. He is, so what? What are you afraid of? Now hush.” Si Qing cut Lin Ruixue off.

Zhao Xingwen left, looking a little disappointed.

Lin Ruixue didn’t know what to say. Lin Ran was her brother, not her boyfriend!

“Listen, if you don’t want them bothering you, you have to say this. Otherwise, they’ll pester you every day,” Si Qing whispered to Lin Ruixue. She really did have Lin Ruixue’s best interests at heart. Lin Ruixue had a fear of the opposite sex, and if those boys bothered her every day, who knew how badly it might scare her? This way, she could put an end to it once and for all.

“But Lin Ran might get mad if he finds out, right?” Lin Ruixue said worriedly. Lin Ran really didn’t like interacting with girls. If he heard they’d been saying that, he’d definitely be angry.

“If your brother gets mad at you over this, then he’s got no class. He wouldn’t even be thinking about how you feel. Besides, I don’t think he’ll get mad. Aw, don’t worry. Worst case, you can say it was my idea.” Si Qing waved a hand dismissively.

The story that Lin Ran was Lin Ruixue’s boyfriend gradually spread through Class A. At first, nobody thought much of it. The boys just felt it was a shame that such a beautiful girl was already taken, while the girls breathed a sigh of relief. Lin Ruixue put pressure on them just by being in the class, but if she already had a boyfriend, then great!

Yuchi Yanran, the girl Lin Ruixue had met when she first arrived, gave her a strange look. A boyfriend? And with that scrape on Lin Ruixue’s knee... Ooh!

Plenty of people had seen Lin Ruixue with Lin Ran the day before, but nobody had asked too many questions. It was only because Zhao Xingwen couldn’t help asking today that things turned out this way.

Class B, Second Year.

Word was gradually spreading around the class that Lin Ran had come to school with a first-year student. At first, nobody went straight to him to ask about it; they just speculated. In a situation like this, the first thing everyone thought was that they were a couple. Once that idea took hold, a lot of the girls inexplicably started thinking Lin Ran was kind of “handsome.” So that was why he was so cold and kept his distance from girls—he already had a girlfriend. Wow, Lin Ran was so devoted!

Su Shijie still didn’t say a word. He just sat there grinning, waiting to see how Lin Ran would handle it.

Lin Ran’s attitude was simple: he’d shut out the world and focus on his studies. People could say whatever they wanted. It had nothing to do with him—as long as they didn’t mess with him.

And so, a misunderstanding was born. Lin Ruixue didn’t know how to explain it, and Si Qing wouldn’t let her, so she couldn’t say anything. But after the misunderstanding spread, the boys really did stop bothering her. Lin Ran, meanwhile, took it all in stride.

The story reached Ye Qingqian’s ears in just one morning. It might seem strange, but it really wasn’t: the Student Council vice president had told her. Before school started, Lin Ran had shown up and set those parents straight. The vice president had also noticed that Ye Qingqian seemed to care about Lin Ran. Jealousy had made him dislike Lin Ran, so when he suddenly heard that Lin Ran had a girlfriend, he came straight over to report it.

At first, Ye Qingqian frowned. Seeing her reaction, the vice president breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he’d thought—Ye Qingqian cared about Lin Ran. But now that she’d heard he had a girlfriend, surely she wouldn’t have anything more to do with him. What he didn’t expect was that Ye Qingqian thought for a moment, then smiled.

“I saw them at the school gate this morning. That girl isn’t his girlfriend. She’s his younger sister,” Ye Qingqian said with a faint smile.

The vice president froze.

“Since when have you cared so much about a second-year boy?” Ye Qingqian asked, looking at the vice president.

“I haven’t. I just thought it was interesting and wanted to share it with you. You’ve seemed pretty busy lately,” the vice president said, smiling to cover his embarrassment.

“I appreciate the thought. But the best way you can help me is by doing your own work properly. I don’t care how fast you do it, as long as the quality is there. Once you can finish your work without me having to check and revise it, I think I’ll have a lot more free time.” Ye Qingqian smiled. Just thinking about work gave her a headache. The comparison was almost too much to bear. Right now, she really wanted to chew out everyone in the Student Council, toss the folder with Lin Ran’s registration information in their faces, and make them see what a proper work ethic looked like.

“Also, put up a notice on the bulletin board saying the Student Council is recruiting new members. Half of the current members are graduating students. They’ve got a heavy workload and can’t spend every day handling Student Council business, so we need some new people.” Ye Qingqian reminded him.

“Sure. I’ll take care of it right away!” the vice president replied, immediately getting to work on the notice.

Meanwhile, Ye Qingqian was racking her brains over how to get Lin Ran to owe her a favor. After thinking it over, she could only come up with one angle: Lin Ruixue. The first-years were about to start military training!

Of course, for now, Ye Qingqian cared so much about Lin Ran only because of his work ethic. The Student Council badly needed someone like him—someone who could handle his own work seriously and efficiently.

The notice went up around noon, and the first-years were the most excited. During lunch break, lots of them headed to the auditorium to sign up. A few second-years went too, but not a single third-year showed up.

Along with the notice about the Student Council recruiting new members came the news about military training.

It would start next Monday and run through Friday, five days in all. The first-years, who’d just been celebrating, immediately started groaning, while the second- and third-years bought sunflower seeds and little stools, ready to sit back and watch the show.