"Who is Ran Dongye?" Li Dazhuang asked, puzzled.
"I don't know, but I'm certain she's a stunning beauty," Yang Le responded with a mischievous grin. He then turned to Ye Qiu and added, "If even women are so fond of her, she must be something special. How about we go check it out?"
At some point, an unspoken understanding had developed among the three of them. Whenever a decision needed to be made, Yang Le and Li Dazhuang would instinctively look to Ye Qiu for his opinion, even though he rarely voiced his thoughts.
Ye Qiu knew that Tang Guo and Lin Bao'er both had four classes today, so he couldn't return just yet. Accompanying Yang Le and Li Dazhuang to join the crowd seemed like a good way to pass the time. He smiled and asked Lan Kexin, "You don't have anything to do back at the dorm, right? Want to come along?"
"Sure," Lan Kexin nodded. In Ye Qiu's impression, Lan Kexin was always well-behaved and cautious, speaking and acting with such care that it seemed she could be startled at any moment.
However, most girls who had just left their parents to enter university were like that. Once they became familiar with the school and the city, their personalities would start to show, and their style of dress would align more with the city's fashion. Naturally, their expenses would also increase.
University life was quite monotonous compared to high school, where classes filled every hour. University students had a lot of free time and often didn't know how to use it. Some spent it on romance, others on starting businesses, but many just slept through most of their university years.
So, when the school organized a large entertainment event, it would always draw a huge crowd. A local star from the film academy like Ran Dongye, who had become famous, was especially popular among the students.
Shallow Water Lake was one of Tsinghua University's most picturesque spots. Located on the eastern side of the campus, it was shaped like an 'O' with an island in the center connected to the shore by a bridge. The island had a stone boat at its southern end, while the southern shore featured a bell pavilion and a lakeside pavilion. The east side offered views of the lake and its reflections, the west side showcased the bell pavilion at sunset, the south had a scenic forest, and the north displayed the silhouettes of buildings—all of which contributed to a poetic and picturesque landscape.
Shallow Water Lake was famous throughout the universities in Beijing. Every morning, numerous Tsinghua students would stroll along its shores, reading or simply enjoying the peaceful surroundings. Even some of the older professors would jog or practice Tai Chi by the lake. It was an ideal place for relaxation and rejuvenation. The university maintained the lake well, preserving its natural and pristine beauty.
Such a scenic spot was rare in Beijing, often attracting film crews or advertisers to shoot scenes here. Not only did this bring in substantial revenue, but it also helped boost the lake's fame, something the university was more than happy to support.
When Ye Qiu and the others arrived at the lakeside, they found that a crowd of over a thousand people had already gathered. Students with no classes had flocked here, and even those with classes rushed over to take a look after hearing the news. Among the crowd were campus security officers wearing armbands, trying to maintain order.
"Isn't Dong'er just a student too? How did she become so famous?" Li Dazhuang asked, marveling at the sea of people.
"Who knows? Maybe she's so beautiful it hurts," Yang Le shrugged. He had picked up this gesture from Ye Qiu, thinking it looked quite carefree when Ye Qiu did it, and wanted to try it out himself. To his surprise, it worked quite well for him too.
Following the crowd's gaze, they could see a group of people busy on the island in the middle of the lake. They were too far away for ordinary people to see their faces clearly, but Ye Qiu's eyesight was far superior to most, allowing him to take in the scene on the island with ease.
There were five people on the island, with the most eye-catching being a young girl. Despite her youth, she possessed an unrivaled beauty. With just a light touch of makeup, her face shone like the morning sun reflecting off snow. She wore a snow-white wedding dress, her bare feet as white as snow, and she ran gracefully for the camera, smiling radiantly, like a fairy walking on water—breathtakingly beautiful.
"No wonder there's such a crowd; that Ran Dongye is indeed stunning," Ye Qiu remarked with a smile.
"What? You can see her?" Yang Le turned to Ye Qiu in surprise. "All I can see is a white figure; I can't make out her face at all. Dazhuang, can you see anything?"
"I can't either. Strange, am I nearsighted now?" Li Dazhuang rubbed his eyes, still unable to make out the scene clearly, and began to worry that something might be wrong with his vision.
"Heh, I can't see her that well either. I just think she has a good aura," Ye Qiu quickly realized he had let something slip and tried to cover it up.
"That makes more sense. I was starting to think I had ruined my eyes cramming for the college entrance exams," Li Dazhuang said, finally feeling reassured. "I agree, though. A woman with good aura can make up for a lackluster face."
As the three men chatted, Lan Kexin felt a bit shy and couldn't help but take a few more glances at the white figure on the island, even though she couldn't make out the woman's face either. However, her aura and figure were undeniably top-notch.
"Ye Qiu, you're here to see Ran Dongye too?" Suddenly, someone greeted Ye Qiu.
Ye Qiu turned around and saw Yang Aiguo, who had been drinking with him the night before, standing behind him. Several others who had also been there nodded at Ye Qiu as a greeting. Smiling, Ye Qiu replied, "I don't have any classes, so I came along with everyone to join the fun. I haven't seen what Ran Dongye looks like yet. What brings you here? Is your friend doing okay?"
When Ye Qiu asked about Xiao Liu, Yang Aiguo felt a bit embarrassed, knowing that his intentions last night had been less than honorable. Awkwardly, he replied, "He had a perforated stomach, but thanks to your quick actions, he's fine now. He's resting at home."
Not wanting to dwell on the topic, Yang Aiguo patted Ye Qiu on the shoulder and said, "Weren't you here to see a beauty? Come on, I'll take you over."
"You know her?"
"Yeah, I do," Yang Aiguo and his friends chuckled, leaving Ye Qiu a bit puzzled.
Upon hearing that someone could take them to meet a film star, Yang Le and Li Dazhuang became visibly excited. Lan Kexin quietly followed Ye Qiu, not saying a word, like a little follower.
With Yang Aiguo's burly group leading the way, they quickly carved a path through the crowd and made their way to the bridge leading to the island. Security guards were stationed here, preventing fans from disturbing the shoot. Several men, their faces filled with admiration as they gazed at the white figure on the island, stood nearby. One even held a large bouquet of white lilies, which must have been quite expensive. When they saw Yang Aiguo approaching, they all greeted each other warmly, indicating they were quite familiar with one another. Yang Aiguo introduced Ye Qiu to them, but they seemed disinterested, making it unlikely they would remember Ye Qiu the next time they met.
After a while, the filming on the island seemed to be wrapping up. People began packing up the equipment, and the white figure, after exchanging a few words with the director in a hat, started walking toward them, accompanied by her female assistant.
Seeing Ran Dongye approaching, the gathered students became even more frantic, pushing forward excitedly. The security guards shouted loudly, struggling to maintain order. It wasn't until a few university teachers stepped in to scold the crowd that they finally calmed down.
With each step the woman took closer, her beauty became more apparent. This was Ye Qiu's most genuine impression. From a distance, she was stunning, but as she approached with a charming smile, her beauty became even more overwhelming, almost intoxicating.
Yang Aiguo and his friends stepped forward to greet Ran Dongye. Since neither Ye Qiu, Yang Le, nor Li Dazhuang knew her, they could only wait behind. However, being able to see such a beauty up close left Yang Le and Li Dazhuang with expressions of pure satisfaction.
After exchanging pleasantries with the group of wealthy young men, Ran Dongye noticed Ye Qiu standing in the back. Slightly surprised, she smiled as she walked over to him. Her voice was as clear and pleasant as spring rain falling on a rooftop as she said, "We meet again."
To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8