When Xu Xiuwen saw Cheng Lu, she was wearing a white down jacket paired with tight light blue jeans and flat shoes.
Cheng Lu's outfit wasn't particularly unique, similar to that of an average female college student, but she looked exceptionally good, exuding a refined elegance.
Moreover, she had a great figure. Her upper body was well-covered by the down jacket, making it hard to discern, but her jeans-clad lower body was slender in the right places and curvy where it should be.
Today, she didn't tie her hair in a ponytail but let it down, her silky long hair shining like a waterfall.
Today's Cheng Lu, when not smiling, had a cool and glamorous aura, but when she smiled, she looked gentle and charming.
When Cheng Lu saw him, she naturally walked up and hooked her arm around his.
The two of them walked side by side towards the Jiaotong Library.
Xu Xiuwen was a bit worried. Although he didn't know many people at Jiaotong University, whoever he met, he wouldn't be able to hide his relationship with Cheng Lu.
Fortunately, that coincidence didn't happen.
They made it to the study room on the sixth floor of Jiaotong Library without encountering anyone he knew.
With exams approaching, the library was packed, and even the sixth floor had a lot of people.
Xu Xiuwen and Cheng Lu walked around the sixth floor and finally found two adjacent seats.
Cheng Lu was a student of the Marketing major in the Management and Engineering department at Jiaotong.
Xu Xiuwen was a student of the Software Information major in the Management and Engineering department at Jiangling.
Though they weren't from the same campus, they were in the same department and shared many common courses like math and English.
Cheng Lu, being an excellent student who got into a prestigious school like Jiaotong University, studied meticulously. Many times, the key points she picked out from her books matched those of Tang Weiwei.
It was hard to tell if it was a coincidence or if it was a common trait among top students.
In any case, Xu Xiuwen had Tang Weiwei's guidance during the day and Cheng Lu's assistance in the evening.
Coupled with his good memory, his studies were going smoothly.
Even Cheng Lu admired his learning ability.
A week passed by quickly.
That evening, as usual, Xu Xiuwen and Cheng Lu were studying and reviewing in the sixth-floor study room.
After a week without encountering anyone he knew, Xu Xiuwen gradually relaxed and stopped being as anxious as he was at the beginning.
As for Xiao Youran and the other two girls, Xu Xiuwen had already, over the past few nights, indirectly asked Xiao Youran and found out that they went to study on the second floor of the library every morning. Since they always arrived at opening time, they could always secure seats.
The seats on the second floor of Jiaotong Library were indeed in high demand because they offered a direct view of the first floor, had good visibility and air quality, convenient access to hot water, and no need to squeeze into an elevator.
As the exam week approached, more and more people came to the library to study, making it hard to find empty seats even on the sixth floor.
Sometimes, even if there were seats, it was difficult to find two adjacent ones.
To deal with this, Cheng Lu had to come early to reserve seats.
Whenever Xu Xiuwen arrived, Cheng Lu had already reserved a seat for him, which was quite convenient.
That evening, after an hour of reviewing, Xu Xiuwen noticed that Cheng Lu's water bottle was empty and was about to remind her.
He saw that Cheng Lu was deeply pondering a question, so he decided not to disturb her.
He picked up her water bottle and hot water card and went downstairs to refill it.
Each floor of Jiaotong Library had bathrooms on the east and west sides, but there was only one place to get hot water, which was the boiling water room outside the first floor.
That place was specifically for students to fill their water bottles, and each time it cost money, not cash, but by swiping a hot water card.
Xu Xiuwen, of course, used Cheng Lu's hot water card.
Going downstairs to get hot water meant the possibility of running into someone he knew.
So for the past week, Cheng Lu had always been the one to go downstairs to get hot water.
Xu Xiuwen thought, Cheng Lu had been downstairs so many times without running into anyone she knew, so surely he wouldn't be that unlucky to run into someone the first time he went down, right?
The hot water room was quite crowded.
A row of taps, each with someone queued behind it.
Xu Xiuwen scanned for the shortest line and queued up.
One by one, the people in front of him filled their bottles and left, and it was finally his turn.
He placed the bottle under the tap and inserted the hot water card into the slot.
With a beep, hot water gushed out of the tap.
He listened to the sound of the bottle filling, from a clear ring at first to a lower, fuller sound.
Without looking, he knew the bottle was nearly full.
He pulled out the hot water card just in time, and the stream of hot water tapered off, soon dripping to a stop.
Xu Xiuwen took the bottle, ready to cap it.
But just then, the situation he most wanted to avoid happened.
"Master?"
A crisp female voice suddenly sounded behind him.
Xu Xiuwen immediately recognized it as An Shishi's voice.
The only one who called him "Master" was An Shishi.
He froze on the spot.
How could he run into An Shishi?
Did it really have to be this coincidental?
Xu Xiuwen didn't say anything.
But An Shishi, recognizing him by his build and demeanor, exclaimed in surprise, "Master, it really is you!"
There was no escaping now.
Xu Xiuwen quickly put the water bottle down and turned around, using his body to shield the bottle.
Facing the girl, he put on a surprised expression, "It's you, Shishi."
Meanwhile, he discreetly emptied the hot water from the bottle behind him.
Once the bottle was empty, Xu Xiuwen sighed in relief.
An Shishi quickly walked over, delighted, "Master, what are you doing here? Are you here to see Youran? But Youran is studying on the second floor. Why are you in the water room?"
Xu Xiuwen forced a laugh and explained, "Haha, it has nothing to do with Youran. It's almost exam week, and the library at Jiangling is too small and crowded, so I came here to study and review."
An Shishi, believing him, asked, "When did you get here, Master? Why didn't you tell us? We come here as soon as it opens in the morning and could have saved you a seat."
Since he had chosen to lie, he had to continue with it.
He awkwardly said, "I just arrived this evening."
An Shishi didn't suspect a thing and nodded, "I see. So, Master, what are you doing here? Did you find a seat?"
Xu Xiuwen braced himself and said, "Yes, I found a seat. I got thirsty, so I came down to get some hot water."
He said, bringing out the water bottle from behind him.
An Shishi glanced at the bottle in his hand and quickly looked away.
She chuckled, "Master, to get hot water, you need a hot water card. You can't get any without one. I didn't expect even you to have a silly moment."
As she spoke, she pulled out a hot water card from her pocket and handed it to him, "Master, use my hot water card."
Xu Xiuwen hesitated, "Oh, I couldn't. I suddenly don't feel that thirsty anymore. I'll just go back to studying."
But An Shishi didn't let it go.
She took the bottle from his hand with a gentle smile, "Oh, Master, no need to be so polite. Remember at the beginning of the semester, you helped me earn so much commission? And later at the swimming pool, you not only taught me to swim but also..."
Blushing slightly, An Shishi paused.
"Anyway, Master, just use my water card. It only costs a few cents, and I can afford it."
Having come this far, Xu Xiuwen couldn't refuse anymore.