"..."

Nangong Yang obediently closed her mouth and focused on eating. Very soon, Huang Puchen finished his meal, but Nangong Yang was only halfway through. Forgive her for having a talisman, she couldn’t eat fast.

"Avoid wearing such neutral clothes in front of my mom."

"Huh?"

Weren’t we supposed to talk less during meals?

"You don’t need to respond while eating, just listen."

"...Oh."

"Apart from dining events, we should eat three meals together every day. Also, Nangong Yang, set aside time daily to accompany you, so you don’t need to attend our classes anymore. Focus on your major courses and prepare for final exams — they’re in two months."

Final exams are in two months? No wonder there are so many more students in class now. Before, the most crowded was two-thirds full, now you have to arrive twenty minutes early to get a good seat!

Of course, Nangong Yang and Han Wanwan were forever at the back row, never worried about losing their "prime spot."

"I’m done eating."

"Let’s go."

Having eaten my fill, a nap would make life even sweeter.

"Go rest, we’ll meet at the library at nine!"

Nine? Library?

"..."

"Tutoring for advanced math!"

Huang Puchen, how did you know advanced math is Nangong Yang’s weak spot?!

Nangong Yang’s nap time!

Choosing between a nap and Huang Puchen, Nangong Yang could only painfully say goodbye to the nap!

Humming a tune back to the dorm and bringing Han Wanwan breakfast, "Here, freshly made, eat while it’s hot."

"Did the sun rise from the west?" Han Wanwan opened the curtains and took a look outside.

"Huang Puchen is treating!"

"Oh, no wonder you look so radiant. You’re so giddy, about to burst into bloom?"

"More than bloom, I plan to bear fruit."

Nangong Yang flipped through her wardrobe, it was full of neutral clothes, even summer ones were all pants — not a single skirt, no wonder Han Wanwan said Nangong Yang lacked femininity!

Han Wanwan saw Nangong Yang staring blankly at the wardrobe, "Are you going out?"

"No, but going to the library soon!" 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Then why are you staring at the clothes?"

"Today, Huang Puchen said Nangong Yang should wear fewer neutral clothes!"

"Huang Puchen is like a detective!"

She plopped down and stared at the clothes in the wardrobe. Remembering a popular saying online, in front of clothes, women are emperors. Nangong Yang pointed at her clothes, "You concubines, aren’t you coming out to serve the emperor romantically?"

Han Wanwan gave Nangong Yang a ’you need medication’ look.

In the end, she wore her usual attire to the library, resolving to buy some decent clothes once the weekend came!

The library was packed, after finally finding a seat, other people’s dates are in cafes, streets, or ice cream shops, but our first date was actually: the library!

Because of Huang Puchen’s presence, the surrounding students weren’t very focused on their reading, occasionally stealing glances over.

"Focus on reading, don’t look around." Huang Puchen’s eyes never left the textbook.

"Oh," sometimes Nangong Yang wonders if Huang Puchen has more than two eyes.

Time always slips away silently without a word, every day she and Huang Puchen spend two hours together, and apart from meals, their date location is still the library.

With less than a month to the exam, the so-called cramming tool, Nangong Yang finally understood. Each class featured many new faces, seats always packed, not even their prized back row spots remained unattended if they didn’t arrive early.

Han Wanwan, Lin Zhong, and Su Ke joined their battle too. Actually, she wasn’t worried about exams, abiding by the ’passing is all that matters’’ mindset and idling along. Thinking about Huang Puchen, soon entering senior year, devoting time to discussions and summarizing for graduation, then they wouldn’t have more time together. But they had just started associating, not even in a hot romance, and one month in without a proper date or even full conversation.

Are other couples like us? Lin Zhong and Han Wanwan clearly aren’t!

Han Wanwan said he’s overthinking, this is crucial times, need understanding and support!

Hmm, he understands, he supports.

The intense study atmosphere made it too oppressive, so this afternoon, she skipped class!

Quiet campus, only during times like these did it feel like a campus!

Walking alone on the road, unsure where to go, unknowingly ending up at the basketball gym, reading those three words brought a silent laugh. Back then for Huang Puchen, she caused quite a few jokes, like delivering the wrong love letter, teased by Lin Zhong as outdated, nowadays they use texts to convey love!

She recalled last time trying to get close to Huang Puchen, sending Lin Zhong’s presented water for him to drink. Lin Zhong stopped her saying it’s his, she accused him of being petty! As a result, after Huang Puchen drank that water, he spat it out, glaring at her, while Lin Zhong vanished out of sight, leaving her puzzled, asking if Huang Puchen was sick.

Haha, laughing at myself now, that was a pure lemon water, incredibly sour, meant to prank, but she handed it to Huang Puchen. Later, Su Ke told her Huang Puchen hated sour things, having drunk her water, he only consumed porridge for three days, no wonder his complexion seemed so poor — for this, she severely pranked Lin Zhong in return.

Lin Zhong claimed he’s the matchmaker, speaking highly of her before Huang Puchen, she didn’t believe him.

Yet she did feel grateful to Lin Zhong for one thing — during the final Taekwondo competition, Lin Zhong forcibly pulled Huang Puchen to the scene, allowing him to spot that girl’s scheme. Lin Zhong said missing Huang Puchen’s concerned expression was her own loss.

Hearing noises from the basketball gym, she quickened her pace to push open the door, several people were playing ball with the coach, Nangong Yang quietly sat on the sidelines, and the coach noticed her, letting them continue playing before coming over to sit beside her.

"No class today? Heard from Huang Puchen that your courses are busy, how come you’re free to come today?"

Busy courses? Not busy?

"How’s your leg injury?" the coach asked again.

"It’s fine now, thanks for asking, coach."

"It’s alright not playing ball, just come play, everyone misses you."

Not playing ball?

"Coach, why can’t I play ball?"

"Huang Puchen said your leg injury prevents basketball!"

"..."

Clearly able to play ball, yet Huang Puyang said not. Nangong Yang planned to confront him to figure out what this meant.