“Mom, I’m off to school.”
After calling out, Jiang Chi put on his mask, slung his bag over his shoulder, and then slipped on a pair of black gloves.
Once everything was ready, he stepped out the door.
The spring breeze brushed past, buds bloomed, and the roadside plane trees swayed gently in the wind.
When he arrived again at the mouth of that shabby alley, he could see from afar the graceful, pure, and captivating figure standing at the entrance.
Yet this time, the warm and affectionate call of “Senior Jiang” didn’t ring out.
Even as Jiang Chi walked up beside her, not a single word was spoken-only silence lingered.
Ji Qingchan’s head was slightly lowered, her long hair cascading like a waterfall, obscuring her face and making it hard to discern her expression.
Only a faint glimpse of a band-aid on her left cheek was visible.
She seemed drained of energy, listless and drowsy, as if her spirit had been stripped away.
Jiang Chi was puzzled.
There should have been that enthusiastic “Senior Jiang.”
She should have chattered like a sparrow, drawing close.
That innocent face should have been brimming with all sorts of emotions.
“Let’s go,” he said.
Ji Qingchan followed, her steps slightly stiff, like a puppet on strings or someone sleepwalking, moving in lockstep.
The entire way, not a word was spoken.
The sparrows in the treetops still chirped away, but the chattering “sparrow” by his side was missing. Even when they parted at the school gate, Ji Qingchan remained silent, wordless.
The girl’s figure gradually receded until it disappeared from sight.
The boy withdrew his gaze, his deep blue eyes turning contemplative. Waves of emotions-curiosity, concern, worry-surged from his chest, tangling around his heart.
What… happened to her?
* * * * * *
Boys’ Dormitory, Room 802.
“Mmm-~ That was such a good nap~~”
Only when the sun was high in the sky did Ji Yuenian reluctantly drag himself out of bed, still half- asleep.
A glance to the side revealed that the silver coin that had been in his pocket had somehow fallen onto the floor.
He bent down to pick up the double-sided coin standing upright on the ground.
Looking around, he was the only one there-everyone else must have gone to class.
After dealing with the trio of troublemakers last night, he had gone to a nightclub and stayed until three or four in the morning. Getting back into the dorm had required scaling the wall.
Thinking this, Ji Yuenian picked up his phone and checked the time.
9:36.
Hmm, perfect—another early class successfully missed.
Not that it mattered. His credits were already maxed out, so he wouldn’t fail.
With that in mind, Ji Yuenian climbed out of bed, leisurely stretched, and stood on the balcony facing the morning sun.
He filled a cup with cold water, swished it around in his mouth, and began brushing his teeth.
The breeze brushed against his face, bringing a slight chill.
His mind was still a bit foggy-probably from drinking too much last night.
But… had he forgotten something? Something important?
So… what was it?
Suddenly, his gaze swept past the mirror on the sink, landing inadvertently on his somewhat handsome, angular face-specifically, on the band-aid plastered on the left side of his reflection.
In an instant, it was as if a bolt of lightning struck him.
Ji Yuenian’s mind snapped awake.
Pfft!
He spat out the water in his mouth, choking as he failed to catch his breath.
“Hiss-!” Ji Yuenian sharply inhaled.
He suddenly remembered-it seemed, perhaps, possibly… he had stood Jiang Chi up.
“It should be fine, missing one day won’t hurt. At worst, I’ll apologize tomorrow. He probably won’t lower his opinion of me just because I skipped one day of ‘checking in,’ right?”
Ji Yuenian muttered to himself.
“That pretty boy Jiang Chi shouldn’t be that petty. Cold, aloof male gods are usually pretty lenient with girls, and besides, setting aside the facts, Jiang Chi he…”
His thumb and index finger unconsciously rubbed his chin-a small habit when he was deep in thought.
But this time, Ji Yuenian’s body stiffened abruptly, freezing in place.
The next moment, his thumb pressed harder in disbelief.
If before, the sensation had been a slightly grainy, leather-and-brush-like friction, now… the touch of his fingertips against his skin was soft, smooth, and carried a faint warmth, giving him the sensation of caressing a piece of fine, polished jade.
“Where’s my stubble?!” Ji Yuenian gasped, leaning closer to the mirror in disbelief.
Short hair, a high nose bridge, dark eyes—his face was unchanged from before, except the stubble on his chin had vanished without a trace, and his skin had become noticeably fairer.
If his complexion had once been a healthy wheat tone, now it was like wheat mixed with a dusting of white flour.
“Did my looks just level up?” Ji Yuenian scratched his head.
Thick-skinned as ever, Ji Yuenian completely missed the gravity of the situation, instead delighting in this unexpected development:
“Even if I don’t have the reputation of a campus heartthrob, at least I’ve got the looks. Seems those supplements weren’t wasted after all.”
A campus heartthrob-the most handsome guy in school.
In the past, to rightfully claim the title of “campus heartthrob,” Ji Yuenian had downed all sorts of supplements.
But… this year, the title had slipped through his fingers once again.
Still, it wasn’t a total loss.
At least his looks had improved. Just as women never complain about being too beautiful, what man would complain about being too handsome?
When it comes to looks, more is always better.
Bang!
The dorm room door was kicked open, and a strikingly handsome young man strode in, exuding an aura that screamed “stay away.”
“Lao Luo, skipping class?” Ji Yuenian glanced at the sulking pretty boy on the bed.
“Met up with an older woman. Just got back.”
Luo Yikang was clearly in a foul mood-likely ghosted again-his face practically glowing red with frustration.
He turned to look at Ji Yuenian by the balcony.
“Lao Ji, got a question for you. How can I grow taller in a short time?”
“Taller? You’re not that short.”
Ji Yuenian gave Luo Yikang a once-over.
While he didn’t have Ji Yuenian’s towering 183 cm stature, 175 cm was decent-above average, even.
Besides, not all girls liked tall guys.
Some preferred shorter ones-the so-called “shota” or “puppy” types.
“But since you asked, I do have a method. First, eat more fruits, vegetables, and meat, combined with proper exercise. You’ll definitely gain two or three centimeters within six months.”
Luo Yikang opened his mouth to argue, but Ji Yuenian cut him off with a wave, as if reading his mind:
“Let me guess you’re in a hurry to pick up girls and don’t have that kind of time. In that case, I suggest buying a pair of height-increasing shoes and adding an extra insole. Boom-instant 180 cm.”
Hearing this, Luo Yikang’s eyes immediately lit up.
Without delay, he bid farewell to Ji Yuenian and hurried straight to the shoe store.
“This kid is always looking for shortcuts. He’s bound to trip up sooner or later.”
As he spoke, Ji Yuenian raised his hand to pat his own head.
Height-increasing shoes? Thick soles? All nonsense!
His towering 183 cm stature was earned through sheer hard work!!
With this thought, Ji Yuenian took out a measuring tape to check how much taller he’d grown recently-perhaps he’d reached 185 cm?
But the result left him dumbfounded.
180 cm?
180 cm.
180 cm!
Wait, wasn’t I 183 cm?
Where are my precious 3 centimeters?!
How could they just disappear?!
Finally we’re starting to get to the good stuff