"Are you okay? Why did you skip military training again?"
Curious Guo Minjie held him back in the office for a private chat, and by the time Lu Jincheng left the Management College building, it was just past five.
He had an unread WeChat message, sent by Zhong Ruixi, who had just finished military training.
As classmates who had spent day and night together during high school, Zhong Ruixi knew Lu Jincheng quite well.
Ever since the day he fainted, there had been a strange feeling about him.
In high school, Lu Jincheng wasn't some sporty jock, but being tall and a sports enthusiast, he was definitely a key player in the science class.
He was often roped into activities like flag-raising ceremonies, sports meets, and cultural performances.
He even made it to the semifinals of the 3000-meter race in one of the sports meets!
Even Zhong Ruixi thought the intensity of the military training wasn't that high, it was understandable that he fainted, but then he continued to ask for leave the next day.
Could it really be that northerners struggle with the air and climate when they come to Jiang City?
Lu Jincheng looked at the WeChat message she sent, walking while tapping on his phone.
"I'm not feeling well, I just asked the counselor for leave. I won't be joining the military training."
"Ah... then please rest well."
Zhong Ruixi's reply was quick, probably just reaching her dorm.
"Pan Xuan came to the university today to enroll, and she's organizing a dinner tonight. How are you feeling? Can you make it?"
Pan Xuan, the class monitor from Lu Jincheng's high school, was a cheerful girl gifted in socializing. Coming from a family involved in business, she was highly adept at uniting classmates and could be considered top-notch in this regard.
With the full support of her family, she had enrolled at the Jiangcheng Music College majoring in piano.
Jiang City has the highest number of universities in China.
With 83 institutions of higher learning, the population of university students had reached 1.6829 million, even surpassing the top cities like Beijing and Shanghai.
Just from Lu Jincheng's class 8 at Liao City First Middle School, six had been admitted to various universities in Jiang City.
Now, the social dynamo Pan Xuan was gathering everyone for a meal again.
Lu Jincheng didn't reply immediately.
[Cat waving hello emoticon]
"I'll tell you what, I bought some Minfu Fa A shares when the market opened this afternoon!"
A new chat window popped up at the same time, from a girl at the neighboring school studying finance.
"Then what happened?"
Lu Jincheng, who hadn't traded in the afternoon but had kept an eye on the stock market, knowingly asked.
"It went up! Your strategy was so accurate, it stayed up from morning until afternoon!"
"Mainboard transactions are just minor fluctuations."
Lu Jincheng's reply was somewhat perfunctory.
"It's still worth celebrating. I'm planning to go out for a big meal with my best friend to celebrate. Want to join?"
"Just to thank you for today's free advice."
Seeing the message, Lu Jincheng couldn't help but slightly curl up the corners of his mouth, habitually replying with three words.
"How pretty?"
"Of course! A lot of people like her."
"Jerk!"
Elsewhere, Guan Yongyi, biting her straw, showed Zhou Sinin's phone the middle finger and summed up.
They had left home early and were now sitting side by side in front of the vast glass windows of Light Valley Square, their long, white legs dangling attractively—a beautiful scene for passersby.
It was a summer evening and not yet dark. Zhou Sinin wore shorts, her skin pale and legs straight, easily catching the eyes of people of all ages.
"Hmm?"
She turned her head, not catching Guan Yongyi's soft muttering, her eyes filled with inquiry.
"Babe, don't you think there's something off with his reply?"
Guan Yongyi pursed her lips.
"You're suggesting going out, and he actually asks whether your friend is pretty. This shows..."
"Right? I told you, he's a bit different from others."
Zhou Sinin lazily finished her milkshake. Just then, the plaza lights turned on timely, flickering off her profile.
"Fine."
Guan Yongyi took a long drag from his cigarette, his lips pursed in silence.
He really wanted to tell his best friend out loud, "Haven't you ever seen a pig run even if you haven't eaten pork?"
That response was a definite sign of a jerk!
[Tonight, we have a high school reunion, so maybe next time.]
[Cat head ok emoji]
Zhou Sinin turned off her phone screen and put her phone back into her bag, hooking arms with Guan Yongyi, "Let's go, Guan Guan. He's busy and can't make it, so it's just the two of us."
"Where to?"
Guan Yongyi stood up and threw her bubble tea into the trash can.
The three big dilemmas of life: where to go, what to eat, and what to do.
"Let's have that hotpot you texted me about the other day."
"Go!"
Whenever they were together, Zhou Sinin could make decisions quickly.
...
At Nanhu University, near the South Gate, at the Huali Square bus stop.
A man and a woman stood under the bus stop sign, the street light elongating their shadows.
"Changed your hairstyle?"
The two had crossed the campus from the sports field to where the streetlights came on before Zhong Ruixi noticed Lu Jincheng's new hairstyle.
Waiting for the bus always seemed exceptionally long, and she scrutinized Lu Jincheng's American-style spiked hair, giving it a fair assessment.
"It looks better than before."
Normally, you should 'look at someone with new eyes if you haven't seen them in three days'.
But... Why did Lu Jincheng seem like he had become a different person overnight?
Especially after suffering from heatstroke, his attitude became as cold as eating ice cream in the dead of winter, nothing like his usual warmth.
Although Lu Jincheng in high school had known the importance of studying and hadn't begun his despicable servile behavior,
A true beauty, accustomed to being pursued and liked, always has far better social instincts than most.
The old Lu Jincheng often snuck glances at her, and after the college entrance exam, he even subtly inquired about which university and major she applied to, which she was very aware of.
She could hardly imagine that now Lu Jincheng had hardly initiated any conversations with her along the way.
His focus mostly remained on the university buildings, the surrounding scenery, the long-legged senoritas passing by... and so forth.
His gaze also filled with... nostalgia?
Did he really not want to chat with me?
"Yeah, the bangs used to be too long, not quite right for me."
Lu Jincheng stood right under the streetlamp, looking up at her with a smile.
Huh?
Zhong Ruixi stared at Lu Jincheng's neat white teeth, lost in thought.
The sunny, handsome boy in front of her, oh my, who are you?
He really was different...
Men often feel a bit insecure before succeeding.
The old Lu Jincheng, whether complimented by teachers or classmates, would first deny it with "Not really" or "No way."
He would start with a negation when receiving praise, but inside, he still felt undeserving.
"Bus 538 is here."
Zhong Ruixi was still lost in her thoughts when a hand from ahead suddenly grabbed her wrist.
The start of the school term was the busiest for students, and bus 538 brimmed with people.
Lu Jincheng, as if nothing was amiss, led her through the crowd and onto the bus.
"What shall we eat tonight at Light Valley?"
He completely disregarded Zhong Ruixi's blushing face and shifted the topic smoothly.
"Cantonese hotpot."