Nan Zhi, tired from carrying the bags, pushed aside the three of them and sat down at the table.
“Do you even need to ask? Anyone who isn’t blind would choose Jiang Zhe.”
Li Zimeng’s eyes lit up, while Geng Tiantian and Wan Xiaoshan exchanged a glance, knowing her shipping brain was about to act up again.
Before Li Zimeng could offer any advice, Nan Zhi opened the packaging box and placed it in her hands. “Can’t even food shut you up?”
“Why hasn’t the hospital cured that CP-shipping brain of yours?” Wan Xiaoshan leaned over and snatched her fish ball. “It’s not like you need a man to survive.”
Li Zimeng angrily slurped a bite of chives. “But I think our Zhizhi, with her fair skin and beauty, and her talent for playing the piano, deserves the best person!”
Nan Zhi replied, “I’d rather spend my energy loving myself than loving someone else.”
“So infuriating!” Li Zimeng suddenly slammed the table in anger while scrolling through a post. “How dare people on the forum still badmouth Zhizhi!”
Geng Tiantian leaned over to look. The post read: “Although they’re childhood friends, from what I’ve observed, Feng Sinian has been fawning over Nan Zhi like a simp, but she’s always been indifferent. Coincidentally, he reunited with Bai Wei, and the two rekindled their relationship, but Nan Zhi immediately got close to Jiang Zhe.
Do you know who Jiang Zhe is? He’s the renowned High Mountain Flower of Jing University, never seen with the opposite sex, and there are even rumors about his sexual orientation. Yet, he went to eat oden with Nan Zhi! If you ask me, I don’t believe there’s nothing going on between them!”
Fuming, she cursed, “What nonsense! Neither Zhizhi nor Feng Sinian ever said they were in a relationship, right?”
Li Zimeng looked at Nan Zhi, who was struggling to type with her left hand. “But Zhizhi, did you really not know Jiang Zhe before?”
The latter answered truthfully, “No.”
“I’ve never heard of Jiang Zhe being so helpful or delivering equipment for a junior before,” Geng Tiantian analyzed, stroking her chin. “Could it be love at first sight with our Zhizhi?”
Nan Zhi nearly twisted her finger and retorted helplessly, “Is Jiang Zhe that shallow?”
“Fair point,” Wan Xiaoshan nodded. “Maybe it’s just mutual admiration between two outstanding piano performers.”
Hearing a buzzing vibration, Li Zimeng noticed it was Nan Zhi’s phone and reminded her, “Zhizhi, your phone is ringing.”
Nan Zhi was still working on a group assignment PPT and casually responded, “Answer it for me.”
Li Zimeng, being the closest, picked up the phone and fell silent for a few seconds after seeing the caller ID.
“It’s Feng Sinian. Should I answer?”
“Ignore him.”
Unable to participate in this year’s school anniversary performance, Nan Zhi was still upset about losing two credits and was planning how to make up for them through other activities. She had no time to deal with Feng Sinian.
Li Zimeng tapped to hang up, thinking he would give up, but he called again the next second.
She hung up, and he kept calling.
After several rounds of this, Li Zimeng couldn’t take it anymore and was about to hang up again when her finger slipped and hit answer.
As soon as the call connected, Feng Sinian’s voice came through. “Nan Zhi, my mom’s birthday is this Saturday. Can you come back with me? She misses you the most.”
Li Zimeng didn’t dare make a sound and silently handed the phone to Nan Zhi.
Nan Zhi only replied with one word: “Okay.”
Feng Sinian fell silent for a moment, and before Nan Zhi could hang up, he tentatively asked, “What’s your relationship with Jiang Zhe?”
Nan Zhi couldn’t be bothered to answer and hung up directly.
Just this morning I was asking who Jiang Zhe was, and now I already know his name. It seems I’ve heard about Jiang Zhe.
Li Zimeng leaned against Nan Zhi’s shoulder in a flattering manner. “Zhi Zhi, can I help you vote?”
Nan Zhi had no interest in this School Grass selection—whoever it was didn’t matter to her—so she handed her phone over directly. “Go ahead.”
Happily, Li Zimeng opened the forum and cast a vote for Jiang Zhe in the hotly contested School Grass poll.
What she didn’t expect was that the voting was real-name based.
“Sinian, I just saw Nan Zhi vote for Jiang Zhe in this selection.”
Bai Wei had originally intended to browse the forum to see posts from people envying her for the romantic confession, but the School Grass selection poll was pinned and highlighted at the top, impossible to miss as soon as she entered.
As soon as she opened the post, the real-time voting feed scrolled to the line: 【Nan Zhi has voted for Jiang Zhe】.
Feng Sinian was already annoyed just hearing Jiang Zhe’s name, especially after Nan Zhi had hung up on him earlier. His mood was particularly irritable now.
“I knew she didn’t remember what she said when we were kids. She clearly said that in her eyes, I was the best-looking.”
Bai Wei’s smile gradually faded, and she called out to him unhappily, “Sinian, you two are in the past now.”
Feng Sinian’s expression stiffened, and he scoffed coldly. “If it weren’t for considering my mom’s feelings, I wouldn’t even want to mention her.”
Hearing his dismissive reply, Bai Wei breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively asked, “Then, for Auntie’s birthday this Saturday, can I go with you?”
“Wei Wei, I’ve said before, my mom isn’t in good health right now and can’t handle any stress,” Feng Sinian said, noticing Bai Wei’s displeasure, and comfortingly pulled her into his arms. “I’ll take you shopping tonight.”
Bai Wei’s eyes lit up. “My roommate recommended a new bag that looks really nice…”
He responded dotingly, “Alright, I’ll buy it for you.”
Dormitory 606.
Wan Xiaoshan suggested on a whim, “Zhi Zhi, your hand is injured, so you don’t have to go to the music room to practice tonight. Why not come shopping with us?”
Li Zimeng chimed in, “Exactly, you’re only a freshman and you’re already so busy we hardly see you. Now that you’re on sick leave, shouldn’t you make time for your roommates?”
Geng Tiantian also joined in persuading her, “Besides, Zhi Zhi, we’re all tired of the clothes in your wardrobe. Why not buy some new ones?”
Unable to resist the three of them, Nan Zhi reluctantly agreed, “Alright, alright, you pick the place.”
In the end, fashion expert Wan Xiaoshan chose a shopping mall in the city center.
As soon as the group entered a women’s clothing store, they heard a pleasantly surprised and shy voice, “Sinian, isn’t this dress expensive?”
Who else could that voice belong to but Bai Wei.
Wan Xiaoshan whispered, “Zhi Zhi, should we still go in?”
Nan Zhi raised an eyebrow slightly. “Why not? This store doesn’t belong to Feng Sinian.”
Bai Wei emerged from the fitting room wearing a red dress, about to happily ask Feng Sinian how she looked, when she saw Nan Zhi and the other three entering from outside. Her smile froze.
Feng Sinian also followed her gaze and saw Nan Zhi, stiffly standing up. “Nan Zhi, what a coincidence.”
Nan Zhi glanced at the dress Bai Wei was wearing. The style was indeed beautiful, but it didn’t suit her.
However, she had no intention of engaging with either of them. Just as she was about to turn and leave, Bai Wei, upon seeing Nan Zhi, smiled and approached her:
“Nan Zhi, are you here shopping for clothes too? Sinian is such a typical guy—he can’t tell what looks good or not, just says I look good in everything. Could you give me your opinion?”
Nan Zhi said bluntly, “It’s not good-looking.”