"Mmmh, can I just call you Jiang, if you don't mind?" Wen Lin asked, his voice casual but tinged with curiosity.
"Oooh, of course, you can call me Jiang," Yang Jiang replied, her tone light, though she felt a strange flutter in her chest at the sound of her name coming from his lips.
"Well, Jiang," Wen Lin continued, leaning back slightly in his chair, "how come I've never seen you before? You can't be a new student, can you? Since this party is for those who've finished their time on campus, right?"
Yang Jiang thought for a moment before responding, "I'm not really one for social gatherings, but I came here because one of the party's officials personally invited me."
Wen Lin raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Oooh, I see. That's cool. Funny, though, I also attended because my cousin's girlfriend is one of the officials. Honestly speaking, I was kind of dragged here," he admitted, a wry smile pulling at the corner of his lips. "Not really my scene."
Yang Jiang couldn't help but notice the way his smile didn't quite reach his eyes, as if the thought of being there truly unsettled him. Despite this, she felt a strange connection—a sense of familiarity between them, like they were both just people trying to figure out why they were in the same room.
There was something about him, though. Despite his tall, lean build and handsome features, there was an air of coldness about him that made it hard to fully place. His presence made her feel... slightly on edge. He wasn't unpleasant, not in the slightest, but his silence carried an intensity that made it difficult for her to ignore.
As they were talking, Liu Mei suddenly appeared, striding over with an energy that could only be described as both commanding and familiar. She placed her hands on her hips and turned toward Wen Lin, glaring playfully.
"Hey! Wen Lin! Where on earth have you been? Do you have any idea how long Wen Jian has been looking for you? We almost thought you'd gone home!"
Wen Lin's face darkened, the lightheartedness quickly replaced by an expression of clear annoyance. He barely acknowledged Liu Mei's presence before brushing her off with a simple, "Can you please leave if you have nothing more to say?"
Liu Mei, however, didn't seem deterred in the slightest. Her eyes flicked toward Yang Jiang, and her face lit up with a grin of recognition. "Oooh, my Yang Jiang! You're here too! I almost didn't think you'd make it. Honestly, you two are the least social people on campus. Who would've thought I'd find you together? I guess it's true what they say—birds of the same feather flock together."
Wen Lin's displeasure was evident, his sharp gaze flicking toward Liu Mei, and his voice low, almost sardonic. "Yeah, well, some of us prefer peace and quiet," he muttered under his breath as he took the last sip from his glass, his posture stiffening.
Yang Jiang felt the sudden tension between the two, but before she could think much of it, she was distracted by the way his jaw tightened as he set his empty glass down. Something about the way he handled the situation—his irritation not directed at her but at the intrusion—made her feel more at ease. He was annoyed, but it wasn't with her.
Wen Lin raised an eyebrow, trying to shift the mood. "So, where were we?" he asked, attempting to regain his composure, his voice smoother now.
Yang Jiang's heart skipped a beat. She felt like she had been pulled out of her own thoughts too quickly. His presence was overwhelming, and she couldn't help but feel her pulse race slightly. As his gaze lingered on her, her mind went blank.
She blinked, shaking herself out of the haze. "Uhm... Ah, yes. You were telling me about how you're an alumnus of this university and how you didn't want to attend this party but ended up here anyway because you were dragged along," she stammered, trying to recall the conversation they had started.
Wen Lin chuckled softly, clearly amused. "Right, I guess I was. Can't say I'm too thrilled to be here, but... well, it's a good excuse to get out of my head for a while."
Yang Jiang found herself nervously wiping invisible sweat from her forehead. She had barely been able to focus on the conversation, distracted by the way he looked at her. The way his voice was smooth, each word carefully chosen, was doing strange things to her insides. And his Adam's apple—how it moved with each sentence—was oddly mesmerizing. She shook her head, trying to dismiss the thoughts that kept spiraling in her mind.
Suddenly, she stood up, unable to sit still any longer. The room felt too hot, too suffocating, as if she couldn't breathe properly. Wen Lin, who had been casually leaning back in his chair, sat up straight in an instant.
"Where are you going?" His voice was laced with concern, an edge of urgency slipping through. "Are you bored? Is my company not to your liking?"
Yang Jiang froze, caught off guard by his sudden reaction. How could he possibly think she was bored just because she stood up? She bit back a laugh, shaking her head. Was he really this anxious over something so simple? His sudden attentiveness left her feeling strangely flustered.
"I'm not bored," she managed to reply, forcing a smile. "I just... I think I need a cold drink. I'm sweating a bit. It's crowded in here, and I'm feeling a little warm."
Wen Lin furrowed his brows, clearly skeptical. "But we're sitting near a window, and there's air conditioning," he pointed out, his voice skeptical.
Yang Jiang felt her patience slip. Could he not just leave her be for one moment? "I might be coming down with something. I don't know," she said, offering a vague excuse, feeling a little embarrassed by the sudden need to explain herself.
Before she could walk away, Wen Lin was already standing up, his hand instinctively reaching for her forehead. "Let me check if you're running a fever," he said, his voice low, apologetic.
Yang Jiang jumped back, startled by his sudden action. "What are you doing?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with confusion.
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to check if you're feeling okay," he said quickly, realizing he'd startled her. "I didn't mean to... I'm sorry."
Yang Jiang's heart raced as she turned to walk toward the drink table. Goodness, she thought, what is happening to me? Why is he affecting me like this? Without another word, she made her way through the crowd, needing a moment to cool off—both literally and figuratively.