Early morning, eight o'clock, in the classroom.
Zhang Chenxi was kissing the knowledge in his textbooks like a chicken pecking at grain. Between wakefulness and semi-consciousness, he faintly heard his roommate, Wang Jiuri, whispering excitedly, "Next round I'll have three-star Veigar. I'm going to take back everything I lost."
Suddenly, Wang Jiuri gave Zhang Chenxi's thigh a sharp slap, startling him into straightening his back instantly. Subconsciously, he shook his leg and twirled his water bottle, pretending to be very busy.
According to the unspoken rule in their dorm, this was the signal that the professor was walking down the aisle.
Calming down and seeing that the professor was still standing at the podium, Zhang Chenxi stared suspiciously at Wang Jiuri.
"Damn it, the opponent surrendered! I was just a hair away from seeing a three-star Veigar. What a vicious jerk! He's definitely getting called on by the professor today."
Anyone playing games at this hour must undoubtedly be another miserable early-morning university student.
Filled with deep sympathy, Zhang Chenxi forced a stiff smile and slapped Wang Jiuri back hard.
"I feel you, bro."
After this brief interlude, Zhang Chenxi's sleepiness temporarily vanished.
Just as he was about to log on and show Wang Jiuri how to properly run a Yordle composition, he received a message from Ji Mingyue.
[Sending Sorrow to the Bright Moon]: "Are you there?"
[Puyue Cat]: "I am. What's up, Senior?"
[Sending Sorrow to the Bright Moon]: "I need to lead a review session for my advisor this afternoon, and I'll need these books for the whole afternoon."
Zhang Chenxi instantly understood what Ji Mingyue meant.
[Puyue Cat]: "Oh, okay, Senior. I'm in class right now; I'll bring them over to you after it ends. Building No. 4, right?"
[Sending Sorrow to the Bright Moon]: "Just drop them off at the library. Second floor, circular walkway, seat 167. There's a pile of books there with my name on them."
[Puyue Cat]: ((Thumbs up rabbit image))
Looking at the little rabbit making an OK sign on her phone screen, Ji Mingyue froze for a moment.
Was this really the person who didn't dare turn on his mic in games? Was this really the singing blogger she had liked for so long?
Ji Mingyue tidied up and headed back to school. Checking the time, she realized there was still one class left before the morning session ended.
She could freshen up her look a bit and then wait for the junior to return the books.
Wait...
Why did she need to freshen up?
Ji Mingyue was startled by her own subconscious thought, but she quickly rationalized to herself, "I didn't sleep well last night, and I've got dark circles under my eyes. Isn't it totally normal to tidy myself up a bit?"
Yes, exactly. It must be that.
...
Ring, ring, ring!
The class finally ended. With no classes for the last two periods of the morning, Zhang Chenxi planned to return the books to the senior and then come back for a quick gaming session.
Having finished eighth place four games in a row, Wang Jiuri watched Zhang Chenxi walk toward the library and let out a loud howl: "Dog Xi, what are you up to? Are you trying to secretly grind ahead? Isn't one class of studying enough? How could you do this to me?"
Don't ask why Wang Jiuri managed four eighth-place finishes in two classes; to ask is to know he went eight-th, eight-th, eight-th, and eight-th.
Zhang Chenxi glanced sideways at Wang Jiuri: "In your very last game, the last Lissandra you needed was in Sun Dong's pool. I was sitting right next to him, and you should've seen how happy he was."
Upon hearing this, Wang Jiuri widened his eyes: "Damn it! Blocking my champions is one thing, but what was the deal with him constantly telling me to go all-in?"
Staring at Sun Dong, who was chatting and laughing ahead, anger welled up inside Wang Jiuri, and he sprang up like a coiled spring, ready to deal him a thousand consecutive kills.
...
Zhang Chenxi hugged the books and walked into the library. Walking halfway around the circular walkway, he finally found the senior's seat.
Because she hadn't slept well last night, Ji Mingyue had read for a while before she couldn't hold on any longer and rested her head on the desk.
Zhang Chenxi couldn't help but lose himself in thought as he looked at the sleeping girl on the desk.
Ji Mingyue was wearing a black waist-cinching long dress, the material smooth as silk, seeming to shimmer with a mysterious luster.
Her waterfall-like long hair cascaded loosely down her back, gently brushing against her fair skin.
At this moment, she was resting her head gently on one of her arms, making her already slender arms appear even more delicate and jade-like.
"Senior is so pretty."
It wasn't really because Zhang Chenxi lacked literary talent, but rather that Ji Mingyue, after carefully dressing up, truly possessed a beauty that defied description.
After lingering for a long while, Zhang Chenxi finally pulled his gaze away from the senior.
He walked over to Ji Mingyue's desk, flipped through the books on it to confirm her identity, and then set the books down.
Zhang Chenxi picked up a pen and a sticky note from the desk and left a message for Ji Mingyue: "Thank you, Senior. The books are on the desk. Wishing you success on your graduate entrance exams."
Having finished everything, Zhang Chenxi was about to turn and leave when a sudden gust of cold wind made him shiver.
The air conditioning in the library is a bit too low, Zhang Chenxi muttered quietly.
The senior is just wearing a dress and sleeping; won't she catch a chill? Zhang Chenxi suddenly remembered.
He saw Ji Mingyue's sun-protective jacket on the desk and picked it up, intending to drape it over her shoulders, but quickly put his hand back down.
"This is the first time I'm meeting the senior—it doesn't even really count, and she doesn't even know me. Putting a jacket on her—wouldn't that be crossing a line?"
Zhang Chenxi hesitated and pondered.
But... it wouldn't be good if the senior really caught a cold.
Just as Zhang Chenxi was fighting an internal battle, Ji Mingyue hugged her arms and curled up even tighter.
"Screw it, what's the big deal about just putting a jacket on her? I'm not doing anything weird, and besides, the senior is still asleep and won't even know."
Zhang Chenxi cautiously approached Ji Mingyue. He slowly reached out his hand and gently draped the jacket over Ji Mingyue's shoulders.
His movements were soft and delicate, for fear of waking the picture-like girl.
When the jacket touched Ji Mingyue's shoulder, she shivered slightly, but did not wake up.
Seeing this, Zhang Chenxi let out a sigh of relief.
Watching Ji Mingyue finally stop curling up so tightly, Zhang Chenxi couldn't resist stealing one last glance.
"So pretty..."
Zhang Chenxi muttered softly, then turned and left the library.
What he didn't know was that the very moment he left the library, Ji Mingyue opened her eyes.
Her eyebrows curved into smiles, revealing a grin that could melt the entire world.
"Pretty, huh?"