There were few female students in Peking University's science and engineering departments to begin with. Xiao Fei and Susu, with their cheerful personalities and outstanding appearances, soon attracted a lot of attention. A second-year senior disciple brother from the mathematics department proactively approached them, inviting them to host the college's freshman welcoming party.
On the night of the party, the two of them captured everyone's attention the moment they appeared: one beautiful and poised, the other bright and composed. During the hosting, they not only handled themselves with ease and showed great tacit understanding, but also sang a song together as the party neared its end, a tribute to friendship.
After the party, the number of their admirers clearly increased. However, even though Xiao Fei was the prettier one, more people pursued Susu—it was unclear whether it was because of her curvaceous figure or the gentle aura she unconsciously exuded. Among those who liked Susu was Han Yicheng, a third-year student in the mathematics department.
Han Yicheng was different from other guys; he never confessed his feelings to Susu, but instead maintained a relationship with her as a friend, keeping a careful distance. He was witty and humorous, and always knew exactly how to act. Susu could tell his feelings, but she didn't pay them any mind. She liked Han Yicheng as a friend but never thought they would become lovers.
One evening during her first semester of sophomore year, Susu invited Han Yicheng to meet at a small restaurant outside the campus gate again. She always enjoyed a drink, and Han Yicheng was always the one who would join in her fun while also looking out for her, never drinking too much himself. After Susu's face grew flushed from drinking, she called out to Han Yicheng to walk back to the dormitory together.
Once they entered the campus, Susu's drunkenness began to take hold, and she stumbled into a flower bed. Han Yicheng, afraid she would fall, followed closely behind. Suddenly, he held her shoulders, lowered his head, and tried to kiss her.
Susu was startled by his sudden action, her legs went weak, and she sat down with a plop on the grass. She didn't feel embarrassed, let alone romantic; instead, it was as if a funny bone had been tickled, and she couldn't help but laugh.
Han Yicheng reached out and pulled her up from the grass, his face showing a hint of embarrassment. "Next time someone tries to force a kiss on you, remember not to dodge like that."
After this incident, Susu and Han Yicheng continued to interact as good friends, as if nothing had happened.
Not long after, Susu sprained her ankle during volleyball practice. For the next few days, she could only rest in her dorm room, feeling incredibly bored. She might as well have called Han Yicheng and asked him to bring a friend to play bridge in the dorm, casually adding, "Xiao Fei will be here too."
The person Han Yicheng brought was Chen Ming, his classmate. The first time Susu saw Chen Ming, she thought this senior disciple brother was tall, with handsome features, a straight nose, and red lips and white teeth; he had a clean, yet aristocratic air about him.
Right from the start, the four of them decided on teams: the boys on one team, the girls on the other. As soon as the cards were dealt, the dorm immediately became lively—Han Yicheng was a chatterbox, deliberately trying to make the girls laugh, and Xiao Fei joined in the teasing, laughing until she was doubled over.
Chen Ming spoke little, his gaze often unintentionally falling on Susu's face, lingering for half a second before quickly moving away, as if afraid of being caught. Occasionally, when Susu met his eyes, he would immediately lower his head to look at the card table, his ear tips slightly red. Susu pretended not to notice, slowly arranging her cards, but she gradually couldn't hide the smile at the corner of her lips.
A few days later, in the evening, Susu was walking back to her dorm after class, her foot not yet fully healed, still limping slightly. She happened to run into Chen Ming walking from the opposite direction. He smiled with youthful charm, "Your walking posture... need me to escort you back?"
Susu didn't refuse, and the two walked together for a while. When they reached the downstairs of Susu's dorm, he naturally asked, "Your foot still isn't better; you can call me if you need anything. Give me your mobile phone number, and I'll call you now?"
✦✦✦