Lin Yuan had gained celebrity status in the painting club, where students specializing in drawing regarded him as a spiritual idol. Yet, this newfound attention hardly affected him.
As the largest art school on the continent, each department housed its share of noteworthy figures, making it easy for lesser-known individuals to fade into the background.
The following day, Lin Yuan's routine remained unchanged. Waking up to the sound of heavy rain outside, he couldn't help but furrow his brow. While inconvenient for going out, he was nonetheless determined to begin his day as usual.
At that moment, his phone rang.
It was Sun Yaohuo.
His tone was somewhat cautious. "Junior, hope I'm not disturbing you. Remember you mentioned recording the song last time? When do we start? I'm ready whenever!"
"Wait for my signal," Lin Yuan replied.
Glancing out the window, Lin Yuan suddenly had an idea. "Senior Sun, would you mind doing me a favor right now?"
"What's up?"
"Can you drive me to school?" Lin Yuan remembered that Sun Yaohuo had recently purchased a car and mentioned it during their last meal.
"Sure thing, Junior. Just send me the address," Sun Yaohuo responded eagerly.
Half an hour later, Lin Yuan arrived at school in Sun Yaohuo's car.
After parking, Sun Yaohuo quickly opened a black umbrella and stepped out, holding it over Lin Yuan's car door. Though the umbrella shielded Lin Yuan, Sun Yaohuo himself got soaked in the rain, a detail he brushed off with a smile.
"Watch your step, Junior," Sun Yaohuo cautioned as Lin Yuan exited the vehicle.
"Thank you, Senior."
"No need for thanks. The school doesn't permit me to drive in. Are you sure you don't need me to hold the umbrella for you?" Sun Yaohuo offered, his cheerful demeanor unwavering.
"I'll manage," Lin Yuan declined.
"This umbrella's for you."
Sun Yaohuo handed Lin Yuan the umbrella with a grin before returning to his car and bidding Lin Yuan farewell with a wave.
"Goodbye."
Lin Yuan reciprocated the gesture before making his way to the classroom, umbrella in hand.
Stowing away the umbrella upon arrival, Lin Yuan sensed an unusual atmosphere in the room.
Even the usually energetic squad leader appeared dejected, his enthusiasm dampened.
Voices of discontent filled the air:
"Who was on duty last night and left the windows open?"
"It's bad enough that they're usually left open, but this time it's caused real trouble. The rain ruined the blackboard paper we spent so much time on!"
"Yeah, the squad leader and the literary committee worked tirelessly for half a month on that blackboard paper, and now it's all but destroyed."
The blackboard paper, made with chalk, was particularly susceptible to water damage. A night of heavy rain had effectively ruined half of their efforts.
"This is a disaster."
"We'll have to make do with what we have, but let's not expect to win any prizes. With our class full this morning, time is even tighter."
Lin Yuan surveyed the damaged blackboard paper as he listened.
Indeed, the literature and art group had dedicated two weeks to this project, often working late into the night. Now, their hard work had been undone, leaving Lin Yuan feeling disheartened.
At that moment, a bespectacled girl in the corner raised her hand and tearfully admitted, "It was my duty last night. I was in a rush and forgot to close the windows. I'm sorry, everyone..."
"Don't blame yourself," Squad Leader Cao Bin reassured her, masking his own disappointment. "No one expected it to rain today. Plus, our classroom design isn't ideal; the back blackboard is too close to the window, just like our classroom layout."
"What do we do now?"
Arts Committee member Yan Mengjia's voice trembled. "The selection for the blackboard paper is this afternoon, and the teacher in charge won't care if we were sabotaged by the rain."
The blackboard paper, painstakingly crafted over half a month, aimed to secure the sophomore group blackboard paper championship—a feat their class had achieved the previous year under Yan Mengjia's leadership.
But with only half a day remaining before the selection, their prospects seemed grim. The rain had rendered their masterpiece unusable, leaving everyone feeling anxious.
"Let's go have lunch first," Squad Leader Cao Bin suggested. "We can make repairs afterward in our spare time. Don't be too disheartened; there's no punishment for not performing well."
Agreeing nods circulated among the group, though the disappointment was palpable, especially among those responsible for the blackboard paper. Yan Mengjia, in particular, wore a crestfallen expression.
As the others filed out of the classroom, Cao Bin remained behind, staring at the damaged blackboard.
Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke up behind him. "What if I give it a try?"
"What do you mean?" Cao Bin turned to find Lin Yuan standing there.
Though no longer roommates, Lin Yuan and Cao Bin had maintained a good relationship. Few had anything negative to say about Lin Yuan, who was both well-liked and in poor health.
"Can you paint?" Cao Bin asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
Then, remembering something, he sighed. "Even if you can, we're short on time. The selection begins this afternoon."
"We have enough time," Lin Yuan replied calmly, pulling out his phone to make a call to Zhong Yu.