“Xiaoxiao, let me tell you, a few days ago I saw something interesting on the school forum. It said that although our school has several campus belles, there’s only one ‘Big Campus Belle.’ It’s like there’s only one main character, and the others are all supporting roles.”
“That’s true.”
Gu Yun and He Lili echoed each other, but Bai Xiaoya only responded with a faint “Mm,” not even the White Rabbit looked energetic as it lay on the table.
Ever since she saw the case in the group assignment earlier, the Bai Da Campus Belle had been absent-minded.
“Xiaoxiao, is there a problem with the assignment?”
Gu Yun picked up the A4 Paper.
“Or does it just feel too hard?”
He Lili touched the other sheets.
“If you think it’s too difficult, we can pick another one.”
“No, no need to change. Let’s stick with this.”
Bai Xiaoya looked up and sighed.
“It’s not about difficulty. I just feel… the assignment requirements are too low and too formulaic. It’s all just clichés from the book and doesn’t explore the real reasons.”
Gu Yun and He Lili exchanged glances.
“But Xiaoxiao, the assignment didn’t require that anyway. Besides, for this kind of case, even the teacher might not know the real reason.”
“Yeah, but speaking of which, Xiaoxiao, why are you suddenly interested in this… Oh, right, the boss of this company is also surnamed Bai. Could it be they’re a distant relative of yours?”
He Lili said this to lighten the mood, so both she and Gu Yun laughed.
Only Bai Xiaoya didn’t laugh, her expression growing complicated.
The two roommates stopped laughing too.
“No way, seriously?”
“It’s related, not a distant relative, but… Anyway, there is a connection.”
Although they’d never met, blood is thicker than water.
If she hadn’t seen it, she could let it go, but now that it’s in front of her, Bai Xiaoya couldn’t move past it.
“In that case, let’s investigate properly.”
Gu Yun said.
“Just treat it as making a perfect assignment.”
He Lili nodded vigorously.
Since it’s related to a close friend, of course, it had to be taken seriously.
Bai Xiaoya felt touched.
“Thank you both.”
No wonder they’re the good sisters she’d form a lifelong study group with in her memories.
“What’s with the politeness? Wait here, I’ll go ask the Professional Course Teacher.”
The reliable Gu Yun said.
“See if she can provide more detailed materials.”
With that, she left for the office building to find the teacher.
Bai Xiaoya and He Lili, both idle university students, waited in the dorm.
He Lili once again brought out her snacks and offered them.
Bai Xiaoya politely declined, saying she wasn’t hungry.
She felt happy.
Even though until today, the two roommates were just phantoms in her fragmented memories, after spending half a day together, the friendship and loyalty between good friends were heartwarming.
Half an hour later, Gu Yun returned.
“The teacher sent me some materials.”
She pulled out her Notebook Computer, logged in, downloaded the file, and opened it. Bai Xiaoya’s white little head leaned in to look together.
Bai Bai Foreign Trade, established over twenty years ago, mainly engaged in import and export trade and processing.
From its inception, its development had been good, with occasional setbacks, but overall it rose steadily.
Until a few years ago, for unknown reasons, the company cut most of its projects, large sums of capital became unaccounted for, and then, with the boss’s declining health, it completely collapsed.
“The teacher said this case was a bit special, and just copying the textbook would be enough for the assignment. I told her I was really curious and wanted to dig deeper.”
Gu Yun shrugged.
“The good news is, she believed me.”
Gu Yun had always had excellent grades and performance in her major, so when she said she wanted to research more, the teacher didn’t suspect anything.
“But it doesn’t seem like there’s any useful info in these materials either.”
He Lili said.
Gu Yun nodded.
“So the teacher also said, if I was really interested and couldn’t find anything from the materials, I could try contacting someone—a Du Senior from our department from a few years ago. He interned at Bai Bai Foreign Trade for a while and just happened to be there ‘during that period.'”
“Alright, then let’s add him and ask.”
Bai Xiaoya took out her phone but suddenly thought of something.
“But will that senior really answer us seriously?”
To be honest, they didn’t have any legitimate reason—just ‘curiosity during a group assignment by female college students.’
Even if he responded for the sake of his juniors, it might just be perfunctory.
After all, people have their own lives.
But He Lili looked over in confusion.
“Xiaoxiao, who would refuse you?”
Bai Xiaoya was stunned.
“What?”
“It’s simple, just change your profile picture on social media, Xiaoxiao.”
Gu Yun reached out for her phone.
“I’ll help you take one.”
“Eh?”
Though she didn’t understand, she handed over her phone anyway—it had only been in her hands for a week, so there wasn’t much private stuff on it.
“Chest out, chin up… That’s it. Done.”
After getting her phone back, Bai Xiaoya found her qq profile picture had changed to her own image: a super cute beauty with snow-white long hair.
Although she was properly dressed, her collar was pulled tight into an exaggerated arc, demanding respect.
[Hello, Senior. I’m a member of the class of ’24, working on an analysis assignment about the XX case. The teacher said I could consult you. May I ask at the time… ]
With Gu Yun’s guidance, Bai Xiaoya sent the friend request.
“Alright, now all we have to do is wait.”
Gu Yun was confident.
Bai Xiaoya blinked, wondering if this would really work.
As it turned out, He Lili was right.
No one could refuse a request from a super cute, big-breasted beauty.
During the second class that afternoon, the senior named Du accepted the request and even proactively explained the situation.
According to his account, everything was normal during that period.
The company was doing well, all departments operated as usual, and nothing was out of the ordinary.
But from a certain day onwards, everything changed.
Du Senior remembered clearly because that day, he and a few colleagues went to deliver something to the boss.
They waited outside the Donglu Overpass for half a day before the boss came out from inside the bridge, looking very pale.
“…None of us dared to ask at the time, but ever since that day, the company changed drastically. So I suspect it might be related to that place.”
That was all the information.
The trio, Bai, Gu, and He, finished reading it together, then looked at each other.
Before Bai Xiaoya could speak, He Lili voiced her doubt.
“Inside Donglu Overpass? When I was little, I heard people under the overpass say there was a special Jump Flea Market there, but I never actually saw it.”
Gu Yun thought for a moment and added,
“I also heard elders in my neighborhood say there was a Chengzhong Village at the end of Donglu Overpass, but no one took it seriously, and no one had ever seen it either.”
It was strange.
As Baiyuan City locals, they were skeptical of the location in the message, because it was just a regular traffic area and no one would go there for anything special.
At this moment, Bai Xiaoya waved her small hand.
“If we’re not sure, let’s just go check it out ourselves.”
“Tomorrow morning!”
He Lili immediately suggested.
“No classes!”