Xu Zhinan's heart thumped because of his action. Opposite them was a completely transparent glass wall. Anyone passing by could see them with just a glance, so she had no mind to analyze the meaning of his words.

"What?"

Lin Qingye furrowed his brows. After a moment, "Nothing."

He didn't ask again.

"Ah Nan!" Zhao Qian's shout echoed in the supermarket. "Where are you! Are you done?"

"Coming!" she quickly replied. She couldn't stay any longer, pushing Lin Qingye away and running straight over.

Pushed by her, Lin Qingye took two steps back. The warmth of her hand lingered on his palm. He curled his lip to himself, then grabbed a bottle of water and went out.

After paying, Xu Zhinan immediately went out with Zhao Qian.

The dormitory building wasn't far. Fan Li, also holding a cup of milk tea, walked beside them to see them back to their dorm.

Zhao Qian was naturally outgoing and had somehow already struck up a friendship with Fan Li. They chatted all the way, leaving only Xu Zhinan walking in the middle, feeling like she was sitting on pins and needles.

Knowing full well that Lin Qingye was standing behind her, she didn't dare to look back at all. She could only be thankful that there weren't many people on this road at noon in the middle of summer.

Guan Chi poked his head out of the car, followed Lin Qingye's gaze, and raised an eyebrow. "The guy next to the Light of Pingchuan seems to like her, doesn't he?"

Lin Qingye shot him a sideways glance and snorted through his nose, disdainful and mocking.

Guan Chi was stunned for a moment, then looked up at Lin Qingye and teased, "But who can compare to our captain? Taking down this Light of Pingchuan would be a piece of cake for you."

Lin Qingye still showed no reaction. He got straight into the car, twisted open the bottle cap, and took a swig.

Guan Chi knew his temper and smiled nonchalantly. "It's been so long, aren't you tired of it yet?"

Lin Qingye licked away the drop of water on his lips. "She's quite well-behaved."

After saying goodbye to Fan Li at the entrance of the dormitory area, Xu Zhinan and Zhao Qian went upstairs into their dorm.

The weather had been getting hotter and hotter recently. Going out felt like being roasted over a fire, and her body would immediately become sticky with sweat. The moment Zhao Qian stepped into the dorm, she turned on the air conditioner. "I can't take it anymore. I need to take a shower. This is killing me."

She grabbed a change of clothes and shower gel, then asked, "Ah Nan, are you going to wash up?"

"I'll wash up later. I have to go to the shop in a bit."

Zhao Qian glanced at her. The young woman's face was fair and clean. Even without makeup, her skin had a natural soft glow, showing no signs of having just walked under the scorching sun.

'...So this is the difference between a mortal and a fairy.'

Feeling inadequate, Zhao Qian resignedly went into the bathroom to shower.

Xu Zhinan stapled the printed review materials one by one, placing them on her roommates' desks. She kept two copies for herself, one of which was for Lin Qingye.

'Ah, Brother Qingye...'

Xu Zhinan paused, regretting not having given him the materials just now.

She remembered what Lin Qingye had asked earlier. In her panic, she hadn't thought about it carefully, but now she realized. The "who" he had asked about must have been Fan Li.

But, why was he asking about Fan Li?

Xu Zhinan propped her chin on her hand, looking at the spine of a Buddhist sutra on the bookshelf in front of her.

It was golden and shimmering brightly.

After a pause, she took out her phone, opened her contacts, found Lin Qingye, and dialed his number.

After the ringtone music played for a while, a mechanical female voice came on: "Hello, please do not hang up. The number you have dialed is currently busy."

Zhao Qian had already finished her quick shower and came out wrapped in a bath towel. "Damn, damn, damn, why is it so cold?"

Xu Zhinan glanced back at her. "Why did you come out without drying off? The AC is on, be careful you don't catch a cold."

Zhao Qian hissed as she drew in a few more breaths of cold air. Xu Zhinan got up, took the bathrobe hanging outside for her, and brought it in. She slipped her arms in, tied the belt, and then pulled the towel out from underneath.

Finally, she sighed contentedly, "Ah, that's better."

"By the way, Xixi, let me ask you a question."

"What is it?" Zhao Qian started patting toner onto her face.

Xu Zhinan hesitated for a moment before saying, "If you're making a call and you hear the ringtone music first, and then it says the line is busy, does that mean the call was rejected?"

"I think so." Zhao Qian turned to look at her, her hands covering her face. "What's wrong, did someone reject your call?"

Xu Zhinan puffed out her cheeks. "Yeah."

"Someone actually dared to reject our fairy's call? Who's the blind one?" Zhao Qian asked in surprise.

Xu Zhinan didn't say anything, sitting back down in her seat and tapping her chin on the desk.

Zhao Qian didn't pay it much mind and continued, "Maybe they pressed the wrong button, or they were busy and couldn't answer. You can just try calling again in a bit."

"Okay."

After enjoying the air conditioning in the dorm for a while longer, Xu Zhinan opened her parasol and went to the tattoo shop.

Her shop's business wasn't just limited to giving tattoos; some people would hire her just to do tattoo designs. After all, she was professionally trained, and her grades in her major courses at the university were top-notch. Her tattoo designs always left people very satisfied.

This time, a customer had asked her to design a full-back tattoo. By the time she finished all the work and revisions, it was already evening.

A vast expanse of sunset clouds cascaded down. Xu Zhinan put down her pen, stretched languidly in the sunlight, picked up her phone, took a breath, and called Lin Qingye back.

This time, he answered quickly.

His voice was as lazy as ever. "I thought you weren't going to call me again."

Xu Zhinan unconsciously fiddled with the corner of the drawing paper. After a moment, she said, "I called you earlier. Were you busy?"

"Not busy."

"..."

He chuckled, his deep, magnetic voice coming through. "I was angry and didn't want to answer. Is that okay?"

He didn't sound angry at all. Xu Zhinan pursed her lips. "What were you angry about?"

"Why did you run off in the supermarket?"

'So it wasn't because of Fan Li.' Xu Zhinan lowered her eyes. "My classmate called me."

"So you pushed me?" The faint metallic click of a lighter came from his end, his voice tinged with a smile. "You even hurt me."

Xu Zhinan understood his tone well enough to know he was just teasing her, so she quirked the corner of her mouth. "I didn't even push you that hard."

"Still trying to deny it."

He clung to the topic relentlessly. Xu Zhinan didn't know what to say. Lin Qingye asked again, "Where are you now?"

"At the shop."

"Any customers?"

"No, I just finished a drawing. Business has been slow lately. I'll head back to the cafeteria to eat in a bit."

He asked, "I'll come pick you up for dinner. Want to?"

Although her relationship with Lin Qingye had been going on for quite some time, they rarely went out for dinner alone.

Xu Zhinan agreed. After hanging up, she waited in the shop for a while, and Lin Qingye arrived.

Two honks sounded from outside the shop. His eye-catching black sports car was parked outside. Fortunately, the windows were tinted with one-way film, so you couldn't see who was inside.

Xu Zhinan closed the shop door and got in the car.

"What do you want to eat?" Lin Qingye asked.

"Anything is fine with me." Xu Zhinan paused, then added, "Let's not go somewhere with a lot of people."

"Afraid of being seen? Then let's order food and eat at my place. Didn't you say you were going to tutor me for that what's-it-called Mao Zedong Philosophy class?"

"...That's Modern History, not Mao Zedong Philosophy."

He laughed. "They're pretty much the same."

"..."

Actually, Lin Qingye's grades weren't bad. Xu Zhinan had looked into it before. He had been specially recruited into the music department of Pingchuan University. He was proficient in various instruments, understood music theory, and his grades in his major courses were among the best. It was just that for some other general education courses, he was at the bottom of the class.

"Right." Xu Zhinan suddenly remembered something and pulled out the stack of freshly printed review materials from the backpack on her lap. "This is for you."

Lin Qingye glanced at it. "So diligent."

"All the key points the teacher mentioned are here. If you memorize them, you should be able to pass."

He smiled nonchalantly. "Alright, thank you, Teacher Xu."

This time, they didn't go back to that cluttered studio, but to the apartment where Lin Qingye lived.

It was huge. Opening the door revealed a floor-to-ceiling window straight ahead, overlooking the only natural lake in the exorbitantly expensive city of Yan City. The furniture was simple and clean, yet all very valuable. One wall was lined with many different kinds of musical instruments.

Xu Zhinan changed into slippers, making a point to secretly observe the slippers in his shoe cabinet. They were all of the same color and size; there were no women's slippers.

She slipped them on. They were quite a bit too large, making her shuffle a little as she walked.

Lin Qingye had already ordered dinner on the way over, to be delivered to the apartment.

It wasn't long before dinner arrived in exquisite, carved boxes, containing various small dishes of food and a serving of truffle chocolate ice cream.

Lin Qingye had already eaten before picking her up and was particularly picky about food and drink. Food that had been steaming in a carved wooden box would never be as good as when it was fresh in the restaurant.

He took a few bites, then put down his chopsticks and leaned back in his chair to watch her eat.

Xu Zhinan ate very quietly, chewing slowly and carefully.

It was quite a pleasant sight to watch.

Lin Qingye suddenly remembered what she looked like the first time he saw her.

She was standing under a streetlight, without a trace of gloom about her, looking proud, pure, and unattainable.

Noticing Lin Qingye's gaze, Xu Zhinan looked up. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, you eat." He lit a cigarette for himself and got up to go smoke in the next room.

Xu Zhinan felt it was impolite to keep eating nonstop in someone else's home, so after a few more bites, she put down her chopsticks. At the same time, Zhao Qian sent her several messages in a row, making her phone ding repeatedly.

She quickly silenced it and opened WeChat.

Zhao Qian had sent her a link—

The title was: The unrevealed mystery guest on "Here for the Song" can't be Lin Qingye, can it??? Holy crap holy crap holy crap holy crap, I've lived to see it!!! Lin Qingye is actually going to be on a show!?!?!

[Zhao Qian: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh this is insane! I think it really is Lin Qingye!]

[Zhao Qian: I listened to the audio demo that the show's official Weibo posted, and it really sounds like his voice!!]

[Zhao Qian: Our trip to the bar last time was so worth it. Looking at it now, that might have really been their last performance!!!]

Xu Zhinan's fingertips paused. She clicked on the link Zhao Qian sent, which redirected to Weibo.

The topic #HerefortheSongLinQingye# was already trending high on the hot search list.

Over the years, apart from being a resident singer at the bar, Lin Qingye had never appeared in the public eye. Yet, even so, he could cause a sensation with a single move.

Clicking into the hot search, the top Weibo post already had tens of thousands of comments.

[I've lived to see it!!! I've been secretly admiring Lin Qingye's looks for so long, but sadly I'm not in Yan City, so I couldn't go to the bar where he performs to hear him sing. And now he's going to be on a variety show!! When does it air? I'm waiting!!]

[That name, Lin Qingye, sounds so familiar.]

[Don't know him, but his voice is amazing!!]

[Come, let me show everyone our Captain Lin's face. I'm so here for it!!!! [Image]]

[He's singing Black Locust, Lin Qingye's famous song! This has to be solid proof!!!]

[I command the show to air immediately! Hurry! I'll crowdfund it right now!]

Of course, there were also plenty of nasty and insulting comments below.

[The internet really has no memory. Has everyone forgotten the dirt that was dug up on him before?]

[Fan logic: As long as my oppa is handsome, it's fine. Even though the video of him hitting someone has already been exposed, you don't know the whole story behind it!]

[I agree with the person above.]

...

Public opinion on Lin Qingye had always been polarized. It was just that his fanbase was powerful, so the criticism and ridicule could almost be ignored.

Xu Zhinan read through it all quietly.

She had seen Lin Qingye on the phone with the show's producer before, so she could be fairly certain that he was indeed going to be on the program.

But Lin Qingye had never mentioned it to her.

Xu Zhinan didn't know what she was in Lin Qingye's eyes.

For Lin Qingye, it had always been too easy to get people to like him. It was effortless. Every time he performed at the bar, countless girls would shout his name, cheering for him until their voices were hoarse.

Sometimes, Xu Zhinan felt that her affection for him might be just as insignificant to him.

She and Lin Qingye didn't belong to the same world; it was just that one night that had made her stumble into his.

And now he was going on a show. She knew that with his talent, even more girls would like him. Their two worlds would drift further and further apart.

She had also once selfishly thought that it would be better if Lin Qingye didn't receive so much attention.

Then, perhaps, he would be able to truly notice her.

Until she found out from Zhao Qian that he was going to be on the show.

Xu Zhinan's breathing tightened. After reading the popular comments, she scrolled back up, adjusted the volume, and played the audio clip.

The screen was black, with only Lin Qingye's voice coming through—

"...

You are a maiden

I am a crawling, five-legged monster

In the intersecting dark night, a spring scene is revealed

You pick up a gun, I become your sacrifice"

The audio clip was only about ten seconds long and ended quickly.

To be able to win the Golden Melody Award at 18, he was indeed talented and had a great voice.

Xu Zhinan pressed the replay button. Suddenly, she heard a laugh behind her.

Lin Qingye was standing behind her. She didn't know for how long.

Xu Zhinan turned off her phone screen and looked back. "Is this you?"

"You can't even recognize my voice?" he bent down and asked in return.

"I recognized it." Xu Zhinan's fingers unconsciously sank into the sofa armrest. "I was just confirming."

Lin Qingye straightened up and tossed the cigarette butt into the trash can. "Are you done eating?"

"Yes."

He quickly cleared the plates from the coffee table, moved them aside, and then brought her backpack over. "Didn't you say you were going to tutor me in Modern History?"

Xu Zhinan temporarily pushed those thoughts aside, took out the two stacks of Modern History review materials from her backpack, and also pulled out a blue highlighter.

"Do you have the Modern History textbook here?"

Lin Qingye was wearing a white sweatshirt, loose and casual. He just stood there to the side, exuding a boyish air with a slightly roguish expression.

The meaning was clear: of course he wouldn't have the textbook.

Xu Zhinan: "It's okay if you don't. This should be enough. As long as you pass the exam, it's fine."

Lin Qingye sat down next to her.

Xu Zhinan was sitting on the single-seater sofa, and he sat on its armrest, slightly hunched over. He carried the scent of tobacco, warmed by his body heat.

For some reason, Xu Zhinan felt her ear tickle, as if from a strand of hair.

She gripped the highlighter tightly, marked out the key points and keywords, and said softly, "If you're too lazy to memorize everything, just remember these scoring points."

He rested one hand on Xu Zhinan's shoulder, looked at the words she had circled, and read them aloud leisurely, "The Self-Strengthening Movement: establish modern enterprises, build a new-style army, found new-style schools."

Hearing these words come out of the mouth of someone like him, read so seriously, sounded rather incongruous.

Xu Zhinan let out a soft laugh. When the young woman smiled, her eyes curved up, the corners lifting slightly. Her eyes gathered light, looking exquisite and beautiful, like a doll.

Lin Qingye lowered his gaze, his eyes fixed on her face, unable to look away for a moment.

"Yes, that's right," she said, her eyes still curved. "Just remember these key points. Next is another key question the teacher mentioned..."

Her words came to an abrupt halt.

As if she'd been electrocuted, her highlighter drew a forceful line across the paper.

Lin Qingye had lowered his head and kissed her on the neck.

Her throat went dry, and her dark lashes trembled. "Brother Qingye."

"Keep teaching," he said, his hot breath fanning across her neck as he spoke.

"The second question... is the significance of the Hundred Days' Reform." Her voice trembled. After holding out for a moment, she still couldn't continue discussing those knowledge points in such an atmosphere; it just felt too embarrassing.

Xu Zhinan gripped his hand tightly and called his name softly, "Lin Qingye."

He chuckled. "Still studying?"

'Who's the one studying here.'

Xu Zhinan said to herself.

"Not anymore."

He swept her up into his arms horizontally and walked towards the bedroom. The stack of review materials slid from her lap and fell to the floor.

His bedroom wasn't as bright as the living room outside.

It was decorated in black and gray. The heavy curtains were drawn tight, not letting a single ray of sunlight penetrate. Only a small night light was on, emitting a dim glow.

Xu Zhinan was placed on the bed.

Before Lin Qingye could lean down, she suddenly asked softly, "Brother Qingye, what is our relationship?"

He gave an ambiguous smile, tossing the question right back at her. "What do you think our relationship is?"

The pitch-dark room fell silent for a moment.

Lin Qingye's eyes were dark and heavy as he watched her quietly.

And Xu Zhinan's heart slowly sank under that gaze. She thought of his fans' comments under that Weibo post, and as Lin Qingye leaned down to kiss her, she turned her head away.

"What's wrong?" he asked in a deep voice.

"I don't want to."

"Alright, Ah Nan." Lin Qingye patiently stroked her chin, half-coaxing, "Aren't you my girlfriend?"

Xu Zhinan's phone rang. Someone was calling.

Usually, she contacted her friends through WeChat; it was rare for someone to call her directly.

Xu Zhinan pushed him away and stood up by the edge of the bed. "I have to take this call."

She walked to the other side and looked at the caller ID—Gu Congwang.