Ye Qingli realized her student ID was missing only after returning to the dormitory.
"I remember putting it in my pocket," she muttered.
She patted her pocket again, but it wasn't there. It had probably fallen out since the pocket was too shallow.
Zhang Yan patted her on the shoulder. "Where could it have dropped? That hotpot restaurant is so far away, and we walked back just to help digest. Someone might have picked it up by now. We'll go with you tomorrow to get a replacement."
Ye Qingli nodded. That was the only option.
The next day.
As education majors, they had full schedules almost every day. Every time they looked at the timetable, they felt like the world was going dark. The morning class ended at 10:30, and today they had a bit of extra time. Ye Qingli stretched her sore shoulders, packed her bag, and planned to go apply for a replacement student ID.
Jiang Mo grabbed her arm. "Qingqing, we'll go with you."
They had heard that the director of the administration building had a sharp tongue, and they were a bit worried.
Ye Qingli smiled and refused. "It's fine, I can go alone. We have full afternoon classes. You two go back to the dorm and rest for a bit."
"Are you sure?"
"Really."
"Alright then, we'll grab a meal for you so you don't have to run back and forth."
"Okay, thanks."
There was still half an hour before the lunch break, so Ye Qingli had to hurry. Otherwise, she would delay the staff's break and get scolded. She jogged out of the teaching building.
The administration building wasn't too far, but it wasn't close either. She ran until she was out of breath, only stopping when she reached the entrance.
In a daze, she thought she saw Xiao Yu through the glass door.
He was leaning against the doorframe, looking down at his phone. The weather wasn't hot today, but not cold either. He wore a sleeveless T-shirt, his collarbones faintly visible at the collar, with a plaid shirt casually tied around his waist. The spider lilies tattooed on his arm looked wild and flamboyant.
Just his outfit alone was enough to attract plenty of girls.
Ye Qingli paused for a few seconds, then turned away and headed for the door.
He must be waiting for someone.
She never expected that someone to be her.
As soon as Ye Qingli reached the door, she was blocked.
She turned her head; he looked up.
"Ye Qingli, right?"
His voice was lazy. He slightly lifted his long eyes, wearing a playful expression.
Ye Qingli was taken aback. "How do you know my name?"
She kept a low profile like a little ant, going from dorm to classroom to cafeteria, not even knowing all her classmates yet. How did he recognize her?
"There's nothing I don't know," he said.
The way he pronounced the word had a pleasant tone, rich and full of youthful vigor.
Ye Qingli swallowed imperceptibly and composed herself. "So, do you need something from me?"
Without giving him time to answer, she glanced at her phone and unceremoniously tried to shoo him away. "Even if you do, you'll have to wait. I have things to do. The director is about to take his lunch break."
"All you need is to fill out a form. You can get the student ID anytime."
"What do you mean, anytime? I..." Ye Qingli paused, realization dawning. "How do you know I lost my student ID?"
Finally, she asked.
Not bad. She wasn't completely clueless.
Xiao Yu curled his lips. The next moment, he reached two fingers into his pocket and pulled out a small red booklet, holding it between his fingers.
A student ID.
He opened it and showed her the page inside.
"This is you, right?"
How did he have it? Ye Qingli's eyes widened. She reached out to snatch it, but just as her fingers touched the corner, Xiao Yu lifted his hand, easily dodging her.
He frowned. "What are you grabbing for?"
"Why did you steal my student ID?"
Xiao Yu couldn't believe his ears. For a moment, he was stunned. "What?"
"Do I need to repeat that?" Ye Qingli sneered. Not only did this guy steal, but he was also hard of hearing.
That was exactly what he heard.
Xiao Yu was so angry he laughed instead. His brows furrowed with irritation. He spoke in a low voice. "Then forget about getting it back."
"Why wouldn't I want it? It's mine."
"And you think I'll still give it to you?"
Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow. He had actually intended to return it to her, but she called him a thief.