The rules of the game were simple.
Each person started with ten fingers. Everyone took turns saying something they had done that others hadn't. If someone else had done it but you hadn't, you put down one finger. The first to use up all ten fingers lost.
Jian Ran had played this game before. At first, she didn't take it seriously, lazily feeling like she was on a camping trip. But she soon realized something was wrong—her fingers were disappearing too fast.
Only a third of the way through, Jian Ran had already lost one hand—five fingers gone—firmly in last place.
"Okay, my turn."
It was the turn of the boy sitting directly across from Jian Ran, a junior under Chu Lulin whom she had met at his birthday.
He thought hard, then his eyes lit up as if he'd thought of something impressive. "I was the top scorer in the college entrance exam for our province."
But the moment he said it, the whole crowd booed.
"Pfft, who isn't?"
"Exactly, what's so hard about being a top scorer? At A University, you can hit a bunch with one brick."
In a lonely corner, Jian Ran silently put down a finger.
She really wanted to fight these academic elites.
She looked utterly dejected. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chu Lulin's ten intact fingers and suddenly thought of something.
"Weren't you a recommended student?" Jian Ran tilted her head and asked quietly.
He couldn't be cheating, could he?
No wonder—how could someone be so perfect in every way?
A trace of amusement flickered in Chu Lulin's eyes. "I also took the college entrance exam."
Jian Ran: "..."
So, he was already admitted through recommendation, yet he still scored top in the province?
Tsk—which door did God close for him?
"Can you guys say something that us non-science文科 students can relate to? This is a bit unfair," protested a nearby girl.
She was the girlfriend of a senior from the lab, an art student, very pretty.
Jian Ran nodded in agreement.
Indeed, she had lost almost all her fingers to things like high-level science awards.
After years of being a slacker, this was the first time she had been so thoroughly crushed face-to-face.
Fortunately, the girl's protest worked. The next few rounds were much more normal, and Jian Ran only lost once, barely holding onto her remaining three fingers.
Of course, she still firmly held last place.
"I have confessed my feelings in public," said a boy after much deliberation.
Someone raised a point of clarification: "What defines 'in public'?"
The boy thought for a moment. "At least thirty people watching."
"Whoa—thirty is no small number. Didn't expect that from you, you chuunibyou. When did that happen?" someone teased.
"Back in high school," the boy said sheepishly. "I was young then. If it were now, I wouldn't have the guts."
Everyone agreed.
Mainly because as you get older, you lose that reckless impulse.
"Tell me about it. Public confessions aren't rare, but this many spectators is tough. Guess we all lose a finger this round."
As everyone neatly put down a finger, only Jian Ran remained still.
All eyes snapped to her.
Zheng Hui kindly reminded her, "Did you misunderstand? It's about confessing, not being confessed to."
Jian Ran smiled politely. "...No misunderstanding."
Silence fell. Everyone's gossip instincts stirred.
Jian Ran felt like she was sitting on needles.
She felt this game was out to get her.
Losing badly was one thing, but winning was embarrassing too.
"Wait, Ran Jie, what's your deal? With your looks, shouldn't you be the one getting public confessions?" Jiang Ming said incredulously.
Jian Ran felt awkward, forcing a smile. "Young and reckless, young and reckless."
Zheng Hui shot Jiang Ming a glare and came to Jian Ran's defense. "Exactly, everyone has a wild past. You talk too much."
Jiang Ming rubbed his nose and, under Chu Lulin's cool gaze, made a zipping motion.
"Hey, do you guys remember that Christmas event in our department? Senior Chu sang a song on guitar," a girl with short hair suddenly said.
Someone quickly caught on. "I remember—it was on the east campus field three years ago, right? Our Junior Chu's 'Meet' completely blew everyone away."
Jian Ran was stunned.