...
It was the first time she experienced such a lively atmosphere. Clutching her phone nervously, she answered one by one.
Soon, the pot was brought out.
"I'll get the dipping sauce."
"Me too."
When they returned, the fragrant aroma of beef tallow filled the air—rich but not overwhelming.
Wang Chunyue blanched a slice of cilantro beef and put it in Zeng Keqin's bowl. "Eat more. You worked hard for the interview."
"Thank you."
"Don't you like cilantro?"
Sharp-eyed Fang Yu noticed the cilantro she had placed under the plate.
Zeng Keqin answered honestly, "The taste is a bit strange."
"Next time, give it to me. I love it!"
"Okay, thanks."
Liu Ying frowned and turned to Zeng Keqin. "Why do you keep saying 'thank you'? You're treating us like strangers."
Zeng Keqin lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong.
Unconsciously, she had grown used to maintaining distance with politeness.
Wang Chunyue quickly raised her drink cup to smooth things over. "Come on, let's toast to your interview success!"
Fang Yu also raised her cup. "Thanks to the great beauty Zeng for treating us to hotpot!!"
Liu Ying snorted but still raised her cup. "This doesn't count. If you succeed, I want a seafood feast!"
Zeng Keqin smiled slightly and gently clinked their cups. "Okay."
After finishing the hotpot, it was already dark.
Wang Chunyue walked ahead arm in arm with Liu Ying, chattering about celebrity gossip, while Fang Yu scrolled her phone, occasionally chiming in.
Zeng Keqin walked at the back, watching the shadows on the ground move with her.
Suddenly, the shadows ahead stopped.
"Why are you walking so slowly alone? Hurry up!"
She looked up and saw three bright, smiling faces.
The early summer breeze was gentle and pleasant, brushing her cheeks warmly.
It was the first time in three years of college that they walked shoulder to shoulder on campus. Since then, it seemed something had quietly taken root at that moment.
Fang Yu would share funny stories from her games, Wang Chunyue would occasionally hand over a snack, and even Liu Ying would proactively ask if she wanted to go running after meals.
Although she wasn't used to this change, she didn't dislike it.
One afternoon with no classes, Zeng Keqin was as usual burying herself in books in the dorm.
The door suddenly swung open, and Wang Chunyue rushed in excitedly. "Xiaoqin, there's a handsome guy downstairs looking for you!"
"How handsome?" Fang Yu immediately looked up, abandoning her game.
"Super handsome! In my twenty-one years, I've never seen anyone more handsome!"
Liu Ying sneered. "With your taste, you'd even call the security guard at the school gate handsome!"
Wang Chunyue was anxious. "He really is handsome! If you don't believe me, go see. There's a circle of girls downstairs, even the dorm matron!"
Zeng Keqin wasn't interested and directly refused. "I'll pass."
"But he said he found your student ID..."
Before she could finish, Zeng Keqin shot up from her chair and rushed out of the dorm.
Why was he here?
Didn't he say he'd wait until after the interview? Or... did he not trust her and came to confirm her identity?
Regardless, his appearance was like a ticking time bomb, ready to shatter the walls she had painstakingly built.
She wouldn't allow that to happen.
Zeng Keqin rushed downstairs and immediately spotted the tall figure surrounded by layers of people.
Different from last time.
His striking blond hair had turned red—not a flamboyant flame red, but a deep berry tone, as if sunset had been woven into his hair.
Jiang Shiyu frowned, clearly annoyed by the crowd.
Five more minutes.
If she didn't show up, he'd paste those screenshots on the campus wall and let the whole school know she was a fraud.
Just as he thought that, a girl in a hoodie charged in with her head down.
Before he could react, his arm was grabbed, and a force pulled him out of the crowd.
Author's note:
None