Xu Zhinan only called Gu Congwang back after coming out of the academic building.

Lin Qingye had just hung up on his call, so she had the foresight not to put the phone to her ear right away. Instead, she waited for him to finish yelling before saying, "Hello."

"What did you want me for?"

Gu Congwang: "Xu Zhinan! Don't change the subject!"

She lowered her eyelids and subconsciously raised a hand to touch the back of her neck. Lin Qingye had pinched it a few times just now, and it was still a little hot.

She played dumb in response to Gu Congwang's questioning: "What are you talking about?"

"Who was that guy talking next to you just now?"

"No one, something just came up."

Gu Congwang paused, frowning involuntarily. He remembered what she had said in her shop the day he returned to the country, about doing something wrong. This connection made things feel even more off.

However, Xu Zhinan's attitude made it clear she didn't want to talk about it, so he couldn't force her.

After a long pause, he managed to squeeze out, "If you have any problems you can't solve, tell me."

Xu Zhinan smiled. "It's really nothing."

After the exam, Zhao Qian and Jiang Yue had already returned to the dorm. The moment Xu Zhinan pushed the door open, Zhao Qian let out a scream.

"Ah Nan!" She jumped up from her chair. "Everyone on the forum is talking about you and Lin Qingye!"

Xu Zhinan's heart skipped a beat. "Talking about what?"

"About the exam just now! Didn't someone ask before if there were any pictures of you two in the same frame? Someone actually secretly took a picture of you two in the exam hall and posted it."

The heart that had just leaped into Xu Zhinan's throat fell back into place.

She took off her backpack and gently tapped her chin on her thermos.

Zhao Qian had already sent her the link to the forum post—

"Witnessing Pingchuan University History!! The Campus Belle and Campus Beau Finally in the Same Frame Before the Campus Beau Graduates!!!"

Below it were several photos taken from the moment Lin Qingye entered the classroom to when he walked over to Xu Zhinan's side.

The original poster had snagged a seat in the back row for the exam, so the photo was also taken from behind, which was why Lin Qingye's face was captured so clearly.

[Wuwuwuwuwu, they look so good together! Is this the visual of a little fairy and a demon!!!]

[What's going on?? Why do I get the feeling Lin Qingye went straight for our Light of Pingchuan???]

[Damn, now that you mention it, it really seems like it!!]

[It probably just proves that "no matter how handsome a guy is, he'll still stare at a beautiful girl." I doubt he went there specifically for her. Isn't Lin Qingye about to participate in a show? Why would he let a scandal break out at a time like this?]

[With Lin Qingye's personality, he really doesn't seem like the type to restrain himself just for a show.]

[Stop talking, my roommate is already heartbroken ahead of time. She was planning to confess before he graduated, but now Xu Zhinan has appeared out of nowhere.]

[As if she could have successfully confessed if Xu Zhinan hadn't appeared lolololol. Lin Qingye's face has two things written on it: "handsome" and "strangers keep out," okay?]

[TBH, I've spoken with the Light of Pingchuan before. She's so soft and cute, a true first love incarnate. Even against Lin Qingye, I will protect our fairy!!!]

[The person above is right. I just feel like Xu Zhinan can't outplay Lin Qingye.]

"Everyone's overthinking this!" Zhao Qian exclaimed, her shoulders shaking with laughter. "They've actually started discussing what would happen after you two get together."

...

"There's also a bunch of people standing up for you, saying a fairy should be with a prince, and that a demon with a mouth full of fangs like him would swallow a fairy whole."

The more Zhao Qian spoke, the more excited she got. She looked at Xu Zhinan for a while longer, then shook her head with a tsk. "I think they have a point."

...

Xu Zhinan didn't participate in the topic. Zhao Qian and Jiang Yue started chatting animatedly again.

Because she had to prepare for the modern history exam, an ink wash tattoo appointment she had with a client a couple of days ago had been postponed. She only had time now, so Xu Zhinan sent the client a message to reschedule.

She took the heavy stack of books out of her backpack and put them back on the shelf. At the same time, a red and black flyer slipped out from between the books and fluttered to the ground.

Xu Zhinan picked it up and saw it was a flyer for a Tattoo Design Contest that the shop had received some time ago.

Somehow it had gotten stuck in her things and she'd brought it back.

She put it back in her backpack and left the dorm to go to the tattoo shop.

This time, the customer who came to the shop was a stocky, muscular man, a real-life "green dragon on the left, white tiger on the right."

However, Xu Zhinan wasn't the one who did his green dragon and white tiger tattoos. This Xu Zhenfan had come to her shop on someone's recommendation; it was his first time here.

He was stunned the moment he walked into the shop and saw a delicate, soft-looking young girl sitting at the table.

Xu Zhenfan knocked on the door. His voice, like his appearance, was rough and hoarse, but he was polite enough. "Hello, is the owner of this shop here?"

"I am."

Xu Zhenfan was even more stunned. He stammered for a moment, suddenly feeling that by barging in so brazenly, he might dirty the floor. He recalled his friend's introduction: "Ah Nan?"

"Mhm." Xu Zhinan smiled. "That's me. You must be Mr. Xu."

"Yes, yes." Xu Zhenfan rubbed his forehead as he walked in. "I saw those ink wash tattoos you posted on your Moments last time. They're damn good-looking. I'm thinking of getting one on my inner arm here."

Xu Zhenfan's biceps were huge, and the green dragon and white tiger tattoos on them were vivid, but they didn't quite match the style of ink wash tattoos.

Xu Zhinan asked, "What kind were you thinking of getting?"

"A crane." Xu Zhenfan laughed heartily. "A master told me this is my birth year, so it'll be full of disasters. This is for longevity, you know!"

...

Xu Zhenfan then glanced at the Tattoo Design Contest poster on her desk. "Yo, little sister Ah Nan, you're entering this competition too?"

Xu Zhinan choked on his sudden 'little sister Ah Nan,' and said helplessly, "I haven't decided yet."

"I heard a lot of amazing tattoo artists will be there. Look, the artist who did this green dragon and white tiger for me has already signed up."

Xu Zhinan lowered her eyes and looked at the poster again. Her gaze grew heavy, her thoughts unreadable.

Guan Chi's wedding was set for today. It was a shotgun wedding, so the ceremony was rushed.

The moment Lin Qingye's group arrived, they attracted attention. A few of his old cronies gathered around, all having heard about him participating in the show, and teased him boisterously.

Lin Qingye didn't interject, just leaned lazily to the side smoking, letting them talk.

Later, someone said, "Why'd you come alone on a day like this? Last time I went to your bar, I saw you leave with a beautiful girl."

At these words, the group became even more boisterous.

The hand Lin Qingye was holding his cigarette with paused, and he laughed. "You've got sharp eyes."

"Who, who?" someone asked curiously.

"The campus belle from their university, the one called Xu Zhinan."

Mid-conversation, the groom-to-be, Guan Chi, called him from the other side. Lin Qingye tossed his cigarette, said a quick goodbye to the others, and walked off.

Once he left, the group's chatter became even more unrestrained.

"The Pingchuan University campus belle?"

"Yeah, super pretty. The kind that's stunningly beautiful."

"Isn't that the one Qin Tang declared he was going to pursue a long time ago?"

"That was ages ago. A punk like Qin Tang, the campus belle never even gave him a proper look, okay?"

Another person said resentfully, "To be honest, if Brother Ye hadn't gotten into Pingchuan University through special admission, wouldn't he be a punk too?"

"Give me a break. His family's so rich, even if he didn't go to Pingchuan University, he wouldn't end up a punk."

"So how did that campus belle end up with Brother Ye? Did he steal her away?"

The person leading the conversation tsked, shaking his head. "Forget it. Look at Lin Qingye. Does he even know what it means to be serious?"

...

The wedding began, and the band members sat together.

Although their band had gone from obscurity to explosive popularity and then to its current quiet disbandment, a process that could easily lead to many misunderstandings, the relationship between the members had never changed.

Guan Chi had always felt guilty about being the first to leave the band.

After a round of toasts, he came to their table and grabbed Lin Qingye. "Captain, if you guys get together in the future, call me anytime. I'll definitely be there."

Ji Yan smiled and advised, "That's enough out of you. Don't get so drunk tonight that you pass out, or your wife will get mad again."

Guan Chi's eyes grew a little warm, and he stammered a few affirmations.

Lin Qingye patted his shoulder and smiled faintly. "Alright, are you planning to have a good cry now?"

Guan Chi waved his hand and picked up his glass. "Come on! Let's drink!"

The end result was that they drank too much.

By the time the banquet ended, Guan Chi had already thrown up once. He stood at the hotel entrance, supported by his wife's shoulder, seeing the guests off one by one.

Lin Qingye was a good drinker, and basically no one could outdrink him. By now, he was a little tipsy, though not yet drunk, but he had become even more languid, his voice tinged with laziness.

He brandished the cigarette in his hand, walked to the side, and dialed a number.

On the other side, Ji Yan and Shi Si were also drunk.

Shi Si's arm was draped loosely over Ji Yan's shoulder. He jutted his chin toward Lin Qingye. "Hey, Guan Chi's already getting married and having kids early. How come you haven't even made a move to confess?"

Ji Yan was wearing heavy makeup, and her thick eyelashes fluttered.

She usually had a straightforward personality, but this question left her speechless. She played dumb. "Confess what?"

Shi Si scoffed. "Oh, come on. You think we're all blind?"

Ji Yan shot him a sideways glance. "You can't possibly guess who the Captain is calling right now, can you?"

"The Light of Pingchuan?"

"Obviously."

"What on earth is the Captain thinking?"

Shi Si really couldn't figure it out. If you said he was serious, you couldn't see him treating her with much sincerity. But if you said he wasn't, their relationship had been going on for quite a while.

"So you have no chance then?" Personally, Shi Si still hoped Ji Yan could get what she wanted.

As she was pressed repeatedly, Ji Yan's embarrassment at having her secret thoughts exposed vanished. She smacked the back of Shi Si's head. "Who the fuck told you I was going to confess to the Captain?"

After a pause, she looked at Lin Qingye, who was standing under a streetlight not far away.

There were many small moths this season, fluttering around in the glow of the streetlight.

He was tall with long legs and a straight back. The dim yellow light hit the top of his head, dyeing it the same dim yellow.

Ji Yan let out a long breath and said softly, "I wouldn't dare provoke him. Liking him—it shortens your life."

She lowered her eyes and chuckled ruefully. "I'd rather live a few more years."

The phone rang for a while before it was picked up. Lin Qingye asked in a low voice, "What are you doing?"

He looked lazy, and after drinking, his whole person exuded a roguish charm. The person on the other end said something, and he laughed again, his tone ambiguous. "Missed you."

Author's note:

It's not yet certain whose life will be shortened.