Light moonlight spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the hotel, the sound of a man and woman locked in passionate kisses filling the entire room.
The man was bare-chested, wearing only a loose pair of dark cargo pants.
He had undone the waist buckle, the edge of his black underwear peeking out slightly, veins on his abs bulging sensually.
He pressed the girl against the wall, one hand gripping her slender waist, the other clamping her jaw, kissing her with overwhelming dominance.
The girl kept her eyes closed, clumsily kissing him back.
He nibbled at her neck, trailing downward, bending slightly to bury his face in her chest. She heard his low, restrained voice,
“First time?”
The girl nodded slowly, her thoughts sluggish, then tenderly pressed herself against him, hugging him, and innocently kissed the corner of his lips.
In the dimness, she could only make out the taut, wild lines of his muscles and the dark eyes he lifted with a teasing glint.
Her obedient demeanor seemed to please him.
He pulled her closer, lashes lowered, looking at her reddened earlobes. He bent down to kiss them, then murmured against her ear in a lazy, husky voice,
“I’ll make you feel good.”
…
The sudden surge of memory made Xia Shuran blush so hard she stopped dead in her tracks.
A couple behind her nearly crashed into her, the man barking, “Watch where you’re going!”
“Sorry, sorry.” Xia Shuran quickly stepped aside.
Her mind was now flooded with those ambiguous, sensual images.
Faced with the situation at hand, she couldn’t think, relying only on unconscious reflexes to respond.
The man caught a glimpse of Xia Shuran’s face, and whatever insults he was about to hurl died in his throat.
He coughed, his tone softening, “No worries, no worries. Just be more careful next time.”
The man was dragged away by the woman beside him, who cursed under her breath, “Damn bastard, keep staring and I’ll gouge your eyes out.”
Xia Shuran leaned against the wall, trying to calm the chaotic thoughts in her head.
That time was so long ago.
Looking back now, she even admired herself—how had she been so bold?
It had started with losing a game. Her friends teased her, egged her on, and she ended up downing a glass of spiked liquor.
That kind of drink was actually common in Italy, but Xia Shuran had never had it, so her reaction was stronger than most.
Not long after, her whole body burned, and she felt drowsy and disoriented.
And then… in the suite upstairs at the nightclub…
She’d regretted it afterward, but thinking about it later, she figured she hadn’t come out on the losing end.
That man had an incredible body, and his personality was captivating too. (Don’t ask how you can tell personality in one night.)
Anyway, Xia Shuran had been willing at the time.
Aside from the pain, the experience had been great, so the next morning, she’d left money before leaving.
Her family’s finances were already in decline by then, and she’d left nearly half a month’s living expenses. That was pretty generous, right?
She’d originally planned to lift the covers and see the man’s face.
But the moment she stirred, she felt him beginning to wake, and in a panic, she dropped the money and bolted.
Forgive a girl who’d never even been in a relationship for scrambling out of there like her life depended on it.
Xia Shuran took a deep breath and continued forward. Chi Yu and Xu Yanxi were already out of sight.
She grabbed her luggage, exited the airport, and took the nearest bus to Jing University.
Most of the buildings at Jing University were steeped in classical charm, yet grand and imposing.
Today was the first day of the semester, and the campus was buzzing with activity.
Welcome banners hung high, and freshmen dragged their suitcases, their eyes still innocent.
Clearly untouched by the harsh realities of life, full of anticipation for college.
But the moment she stepped through the gate, she was surrounded by senior students offering to carry her bags.
Xia Shuran thanked them politely.
They walked her to the dormitory building, where they couldn’t go any further.
They also reminded her that the dorm matron was especially strict, so she should try not to return past lights-out.
Finally came the standard move—asking for her WeChat. Xia Shuran gave it, since they’d helped with her luggage.
The seniors watched her head upstairs, sighing, “This year’s campus beauty rankings are about to change.”
Xia Shuran pushed open the dorm door, and the room, which had been loud and rowdy just moments before, fell instantly silent.
One girl wore black-rimmed glasses, one had short hair, and one was moderately pretty.
In order: Su Yao, Jiang Xiaoyue, and Chen Feifei.
The first two were huddled together, looking at a photo on the school forum—a candid shot someone had taken on the plane of the girl Chi Yu had approached.
Chen Feifei was at the mirror fixing her hair, but she was also eavesdropping on their conversation.
At that moment, three pairs of eyes swiveled in unison, all fixed on Xia Shuran standing at the door.
Xia Shuran smiled naturally. “Hi, I’m Xia Shuran.”
Chen Feifei lifted her chin slightly, scanning Xia Shuran from head to toe.
She gave her a once-over, didn’t bother greeting her, and turned back around on her own.
Xia Shuran let out a cold laugh inwardly.
Whatever. Do what you want.
She dragged her suitcase in and was about to check out her bed.
The other two, slow on the uptake, suddenly gasped.
They looked at Xia Shuran, then at their phones, at Xia Shuran, then at their phones, at Xia Shuran, then at their phones…
Back and forth five or six times, the two moving in eerie synchronization.
Chen Feifei, confused, frowned. “What are you two doing!”
Jiang Xiaoyue stared with her round eyes, fixing her gaze directly on Xia Shuran. “Identical, exactly alike, so similar!”
Su Yao trembled as she pushed up her glasses, her voice quivering. “White long dress.”
Jiang Xiaoyue nodded vigorously. “Got it!”
“Canvas shoes.”
“Got it!”
“Canvas schoolbag.”
“Got it!”
“Looks innocent like a little white rabbit.”
“Got it!”
“Curvy figure with a hot body.”
“Got it!!”
The two of them helped each other to their feet, pointing at Xia Shuran in terror,
“How did you crawl out of the photo?! A ghost!!”