Sss…
The moment the girl’s elegant, beautiful face was revealed—harmonizing perfectly with her lovely almond eyes—the students below were stunned into silence.
Not to mention Xiong Wei and the others; even Qi Yan and Professor Lu couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.
It was hard to imagine that in just six months, the girl had blossomed into such a beauty.
Was this really the same short-haired girl with the tomboyish air?
From below the stage, Qin Nanfeng gazed at the girl he cherished, witnessing her fully display her grace to the world. His heart was incredibly soft.
Yet, seeing the way the other boys looked at her made him feel a pang of discomfort. It was like his most precious treasure had been discovered by others; a fierce sense of possessiveness filled his mind.
However, he didn’t stop it. He knew they could only envy him.
He held the heart of this heaven-sent girl, and that was enough… wasn’t it? With these thoughts, his eyes were filled with tenderness and obsession.
He gazed at her silently, unable to control the curve of his lips.
Heh, good thing the others can’t see my face clearly right now… otherwise, I’d really be losing my composure.
On the stage, Lin Xinyuan felt those increasingly intense and varied gazes, and her scalp began to tingle.
Her head felt dizzy, her eardrums seemed to vibrate, and a sharp sourness filled her chest; she felt like she might faint on the spot. It was a physiological rejection.
Without that protective layer on her face, she felt as if she were completely exposed under these strange gazes.
Pain…
A phantom pain seemed to spread through her body, and her face stung as if she had been slapped countless times. Yet, she forced herself to suppress the discomfort, offering a forced smile. “My name is… Lin Xinyuan. Th-thank you!”
As soon as she finished, she immediately put her mask back on. Clearly, being stared at by so many people at once was still too much for her to handle. The boys in the class looked unsatisfied, as if they wanted to see more, but they still gave her a round of applause.
Once the introduction was over, Qi Yan nodded with satisfaction and took back the microphone, addressing the students with a steady gaze.
“Alright, you’ve all officially re-acquainted yourselves with Student Lin,” Qi Yan said with a smile. Then, her tone shifted, becoming solemn. “So, I hope… you won’t spread malicious rumors behind her back. No matter what students from other colleges or classes might say later, as her classmates, you should at least treat her like any other normal peer.”
Lin Xinyuan’s eyes flickered at those words. A warm current flowed through her, causing much of her discomfort to fade. As for the others, they sat up straight, reflecting on their counselor’s words.
“Wait… I said that wrong,” Qi Yan joked at the end. “I should say you should treat her like a beautiful normal classmate. I almost forgot Student Lin is a great beauty now.”
This final joke broke the tension, and the classroom erupted into lighthearted laughter. Even the stern Professor Lu couldn’t help but smile. Xinyuan blushed furiously, not knowing how to respond, standing there in a daze.
With the matter settled, Qi Yan bid everyone farewell to attend to her other duties. She gave Xinyuan’s thin shoulder a reassuring pat before walking out under everyone’s gaze.
Professor Lu then looked at the girl and spoke gently, “Go down and find a seat. We’re ready to start class.”
“Ah, Professor Lu! O-okay…” Xinyuan snapped out of it, realizing her situation. Feeling like she had made a fool of herself in public, she hurried down the stage to find a seat quickly. She hated being watched like this.
Seeing her come down, some boys grew excited, hoping she would sit near them for a “beautiful encounter.” Of course, while some felt apologetic toward her, others still felt a lingering sense of awkwardness.
But Lin Xinyuan didn’t care what they thought. Truthfully, if Teacher Qi hadn’t insisted this was for her own good, she wouldn’t have done it. She simply didn’t want to reject Teacher Qi’s kindness.
Under the watchful eyes of the entire room, the slender girl walked unhesitatingly in one direction.
The moment she sat down beside the tall young man, the classroom erupted in a low roar of surprise, though many quickly felt it was “to be expected.” After all, who didn’t recognize the famous Qin Nanfeng? Many knew they were former roommates who were always together; their relationship was known to be exceptionally close.
No wonder they’re close! He was the first to start the applause for her… most people rationalized.
But then, a sudden question filled their minds. Wait, this “legendary” Saint of Love… surely he isn’t trying to make a move on his former roommate?
Damn… is he that perverse? Or does he just want to change his “flavor”?
It wasn’t that they were overthinking; it was just that the atmosphere between the two was undeniably strange. They were supposed to be “bros,” so why was Qin Nanfeng’s gaze so incredibly sweet? What was with that tender look? And looking at the girl’s shy expression, she seemed to have already completely fallen for him.
We’re doomed…
While many were lost in their wild thoughts, Professor Lu clapped her hands to draw their attention back. “Alright, let’s start class! Focus, everyone.”
The students had to face forward, though many still glanced back at the pair, their thoughts unknown. The few girls in the class blushed even deeper, feeling like they had discovered some incredible secret.
Professor Lu noticed the distractions but didn’t say anything. She taught her lesson seriously, sharing her insights and highlighting points for the postgraduate entrance exam. She did her duty; as long as they weren’t too disruptive, she would turn a blind eye.
Glancing at the girl in the front row, she saw her sitting upright, seemingly listening intently—but the way she occasionally stole glances at the man beside her gave her away. Professor Lu frowned slightly, looking thoughtfully at the tall, upright youth.
She knew Qin Nanfeng well. He was said to be from the Qin family; regardless, his bearing suggested a wealthy background. Young and already successful, he was seen by the university leadership as a figure of great potential. He had even provided many jobs for students over the past two years.
But that reputation of his…
Looking at the girl, they seemed to already be in a relationship. Professor Lu withdrew her gaze silently. Although she felt a bit of concern for the girl, it was class time, and she had no right to interfere in their personal freedom.