Shu Yu could have cried. How could Si Yiheng be right behind her?
Was this some kind of death sentence?
Thank goodness she’d moved fast; otherwise, she really might have run straight into him.
Shu Yu steadied her nerves and began walking slowly toward the dormitory.
With his long, slender fingers wrapped around the black umbrella, Si Yiheng felt the damp air of the rain and caught that faint citrus scent just as it began to fade. He turned and looked back at the figure walking steadily away.
Rain pattered all around, dripping slowly along the ribs of the umbrella and splashing into tiny bursts of water on the ground.
Si Yiheng turned, climbed the steps, folded his umbrella, and headed toward the classroom where Shu Yu was supposed to be.
His arrival immediately drew the attention of everyone in the building. Between his powerful family background, his strikingly handsome looks, and his extraordinary abilities, Si Yiheng commanded attention wherever he went.
At high-society galas hosted by the most influential families outside the school, he was hailed as the sole heir of the Si family. Everyone admired him for his early success and sharp business sense, flattering him endlessly and doing whatever it took to win his favor.
Even here on campus, whenever he appeared, the excitement was greater than when some minor celebrities visited.
He stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the twelfth floor.
When he arrived, it was exactly break time. The classroom had been noisy and chaotic—students chatting, scrolling through their phones, or resting their heads on their desks to catch extra sleep.
The moment Si Yiheng appeared in the doorway, the room fell silent for half a second before erupting into even louder commotion.
“Why is Si Yiheng here?”
“AHHHH, Si Yiheng! He’s even more handsome up close!”
He stood in the doorway, the collar of his white shirt slightly unbuttoned to reveal a glimpse of his collarbone, and his tailored trousers crisp and neat. Standing nearly six feet three inches tall, he carried an imposing presence; his expression was cold and distant, yet his features were perfectly sculpted—high cheekbones, a straight nose, and a sharp, defined jawline. To put it in online terms, he was the kind of man who looked like a mature, reliable father figure but still retained a fresh, youthful charm.
Hearing his name, Xie Mengying instinctively turned her head, and her breath caught at the sight of that breathtaking face. Even though she was beautiful herself, her heart still raced when she looked at him.
Gu Yunjing nudged her arm eagerly. “Mengying, he must be here for you!”
Xie Mengying glanced at him secretly and whispered, “He’s probably here looking for Shu Yu.”
Gu Yunjing scoffed in disbelief. “How could that be? Shu Yu isn’t even here. Why would he come looking for her?”
Xie Mengying bit her lip, speaking only loud enough for Gu Yunjing to hear. “But… she is his girlfriend.”
Gu Yunjing laughed dismissively. “With Shu Yu’s plain looks? They’ve probably broken up ages ago. Si Yiheng would want someone like you—the campus beauty—as his girlfriend.”
“Didn’t Shen Qinghan say it himself? Once he sees how dull Shu Yu is, Si Yiheng will naturally grow to like you instead.”
“Maybe he even saw the rain and rushed over specially to bring you an umbrella.”
Xie Mengying hadn’t thought of that possibility, but hearing Gu Yunjing say it made her heart flutter with a flicker of hope.
Just then, Si Yiheng’s gaze drifted past the room and landed right on her.
Gu Yunjing clapped her hands in delight. “Mengying! He’s looking at you!”
She urged her on. “Go over and talk to him! Brave people get to enjoy love first!”
Xie Mengying bit her lip again. It wouldn’t hurt to go strike up a conversation; at the very least, she could leave an impression on him. Being remembered was better than remaining a stranger forever.
With that thought, she walked toward where Si Yiheng stood.
Meanwhile, Shu Yu had thrown Si Yiheng off her trail by circling all the way around the dormitory building before heading toward the school gates.
Suddenly, she felt something tugging at her shoelace. Looking down, she found herself face-to-face with the little orange kitten, who was batting playfully at the small pom-pom tied to the end of her lace. The kitten tilted its head, its misty blue eyes gazing up at her innocently.
Shu Yu’s heart melted instantly. She tilted her own head back at the little creature.
She carried the kitten back to the nearest cat shelter, but no sooner had she set it down than it trotted right back out, reaching its tiny paws again for the ball on her shoe.
Shu Yu leaned down and whispered in a mock-threatening tone, “You followed me out again? Do you want to say goodbye to your mommy forever?”
Of course, the kitten didn’t understand a word. It just rubbed its fluffy little head against her wrist.
Shu Yu couldn’t resist any longer. She picked it up and headed straight to the school’s cat rescue association, filled out the adoption papers, and officially became its new owner.
She walked away beaming with joy, holding the kitten close. When it came to cute little cats, the rule was first come, first served—and she’d moved fast enough to beat everyone else.
She was now the kitten’s new mom.
Seeing the two of them snuggled together so adorably, Iron Egg felt its own heart turning soft and gooey. “Yu-bao, you’re only nineteen and already a mother to a kitten!”
Shu Yu blinked playfully. “Some people are just built that way. I guess my constitution means I’m destined to become a cat mom at an early age!”
The kitten still didn’t understand what she was chattering about, but it clearly liked her very much, curling up even closer and rubbing against her.
Iron Egg teased again: “If you’re the kitty’s mom, then Si Yiheng is its dad, right?”
Shu Yu held the kitten tighter and said nothing. Si Yiheng… the father of this little orange ball of fur? The idea was almost impossible to picture.
As Xie Mengying walked toward Si Yiheng, Shen Qinghan frowned slightly.
If Si Yiheng dared to chat with her, he would immediately tell Shu Yu what kind of man he really was—someone who looked respectable on the surface but was actually a shameless flirt chasing every woman he saw. He would make sure Shu Yu broke up with him right away.
Seeing Si Yiheng at the door, another student leaned over and asked Shen Qinghan, “Why is Si Yiheng here? Did he come looking for you?”
Shen Qinghan scoffed. “Looking for me? Not a chance.”
Thinking of the chat history he’d just glimpsed between Shu Yu and Si Yiheng, he added with a hint of annoyance, “He’s here for his girlfriend, obviously.”
The news spread like a drop of water hitting a pot of hot oil—suddenly the whole room erupted in whispers and exclamations.
“Si Yiheng has a girlfriend?!”
“But the campus beauty is walking right up to him! Could it be her?”
“Isn’t that obvious? She’s easily the prettiest girl in our department, and she gets top grades too. They’re a perfect match!”
Xie Mengying heard the excited murmurs around her but continued walking toward him anyway. Even if things didn’t work out today, there would be more chances in the future.
Glancing at the umbrella in his hand, she thought: asking to borrow an umbrella was the easiest way to get closer. Once borrowed, it had to be returned, which meant they’d have an excuse to talk again.
She lifted her eyes to meet his, her gaze soft and gentle. “Excuse me, I forgot to bring an umbrella. May I borrow yours?”
Si Yiheng’s face remained mostly impassive, but his eyes turned distinctly cold. Anyone who knew him well could tell immediately that he was in a foul mood.
His voice was cool yet still polite. “I’m sorry, but I only have one umbrella.”
Xie Mengying hadn’t expected such a direct refusal. Her eyes fell, disappointed, on the second umbrella he was holding. “But… you have another one in your hand, don’t you?”
Si Yiheng followed her gaze to the spare umbrella, his tone turning even icier. “This one is for my girlfriend.”