A University.
The women’s dormitory.
Jiang Shiyu was slumping at her desk by the window, limp and completely drained of energy, looking like a delicate porcelain doll that had lost its winding key.
Her alabaster, almost translucent complexion was set off by a cute, upturned nose and soft, cherry-red lips. The outer corners of her eyes tilted upward slightly, naturally giving her a innocent, endearing look. A few wisps of forehead bangs hung down, partially concealing her furrowed brow.
Pouting her rosy lips, her long eyelashes fluttered like tiny paper fans before she let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping right along with it.
Giving up entirely, she let her body go slack, resting her chin directly on the cool wooden surface of the desk and curling her arms around her head. Her glistening, doe-like eyes were half-closed, heavy with exhaustion, as she mumbled softly to herself:
“Arghhh… studying is so tiring!”
A University was a top-tier institution. Top scorers from every province were a dime a dozen here; pick any student at random and they’d be an exceptionally talented prodigy, and its graduates were elite leaders across every industry.
Jiang Shiyu, however, had been admitted through an exception for her artistic talent. Compared to those true “geniuses,” her foundation in academic courses was painfully lacking.
So, in a university like A University—packed to the brim with prodigies—the small amount of studying she forced herself to do every day felt like enduring a trial by fire.
The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. Cheeks puffing out like tiny steamed buns, she complained wildly in her head:
Who was the liar that said hard work pays off, and that college gets easy once you pass the entrance exam?!
Liar! Every last one of them is a liar!
At the thought of the final exams starting next week, Jiang Shiyu sighed heavily again, her breath weighted with despair.
Even as an arts major, she couldn’t escape the core academic subjects.
Failing a class in a competitive, survival-of-the-fittest environment like A University was a nightmare she didn’t even dare imagine.
After psyching herself up for a long moment, she resigned herself to her fate and lifted her head, turning her eyes back to the textbook lying open on her desk.
Except her gaze was filled with deep-seated hatred.
It was as if she weren’t looking at knowledge, but at a sworn enemy.
The tip of her pen tapped against the page without moving a single character. Her mind was a dizzying blur of formulas and theorems spinning out of control.
It was enough to make her head throb.
Sigh.
So frustrating!
Just as she was wallowing in her misery, a soft, crisp sound broke the silence.
With a light click, the dormitory door was gently pushed open.
Immediately, a rich, sweet scent of chocolate cream—swept in by the cool evening breeze from outside—flooded the room.
Jiang Shiyu’s nose twitched involuntarily. Her dim, doe-like eyes suddenly sparked with a glint of light, like stars rekindling in the night sky, and the tension between her brows relaxed for a split second.
But that spark vanished as quickly as it had appeared. She turned her head away with a pout, her petty mood flaring back up instantly.
Hmph!
How annoying!
Jiang Shiyu’s roommate was the ultimate wealthy heiress.
Her family background was absurdly elite—rumor had it that one of the campus buildings had been donated by her family.
To her roommate, studying was a non-issue; her family was there to back her up no matter what.
Though both were arts majors, they lived completely different lives!
Her roommate spent her days shopping, enjoying afternoon tea, or flying all over the country to visit exhibitions and have fun, living completely stress-free.
Unlike her.
Who still had to grind away at books.
It made her so mad!
The more she thought about it, the redder her cheeks puffed up.
Yu Shuyi walked over holding an elegant cake box and placed it down on Jiang Shiyu’s desk.
Lifting the lid, she revealed a rich chocolate mille-feuille cake.
Fine cocoa powder was dusted evenly over the top, while velvety white cream cradled every wafer-thin crepe layer. It looked impossibly tempting.
Just one whiff of the sweet fragrance was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.
“Here, brought this for you.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Jiang Shiyu peeked at the delicious cake, grumbling inwardly.
Take it away, take it away!
I’m not eating it!
I need to study!
Don’t think you can buy me off with a piece of cake! I won’t forgive you for going shopping on your own while leaving me here to suffer over my studies!
And you promised you’d bring me a present—where is it?!
Don’t tell me this cake is supposed to be the gift!
Seething silently, Jiang Shiyu picked up a spoon and scooped up a generous bite of the chocolate cake.
The silky cream melded with the rich chocolate flavor, melting instantly on her tongue. It was sweet without being cloying, and the deep aroma of cocoa paired with the light, flaky layers made for a divine texture.
It was from the very same bespoke bakery she had been craving ever since she tried it last time!
Jiang Shiyu’s eyes narrowed into contented crescents as a satisfied smile spread across her face. Cheeks puffed full, she looked just like a little squirrel happily munching on a delicious nut, her annoyance instantly fading away.
She knew all too well just how ridiculously expensive this bakery was!
A single mille-feuille cost several thousand, and because it was a custom order, money alone couldn’t guarantee you’d land one. Only someone like Yu Shuyi could casually buy it as a casual snack.
When Jiang Shiyu had eaten it for the first time, she had genuinely wondered if it was made of solid gold.
But it really was delicious!
Yu Shuyi sat down beside her, resting her chin on her hand as she watched Jiang Shiyu, her eyes filled with affectionate doting.
The girl before her wore a soft, cozy white knit sweater. Her hair was gathered into a small topknot bun, with two soft strands framing her face, making her look as delicate as a limited-edition doll in a display window.
She gobbled up the cake so eagerly that a tiny speck of cocoa powder caught on her cheek, making her look irresistibly adorable.
After watching her for a moment, Yu Shuyi couldn’t resist reaching out to ruffle Jiang Shiyu’s soft hair, gently pulling at the little topknot on her head.
“Ahhh! Mommy’s little Yu-bao is way too cute! Mommy loves you to death!”
Yu Shuyi laughed as she leaned in, scooping Jiang Shiyu into a tight hug. The luxurious scent of woody rose perfume instantly enveloped her—crisp, gentle, and so comforting it made her feel sleepy.
Caught off guard, Jiang Shiyu ended up buried against Yu Shuyi’s warm chest. Dizzy and disoriented, she forgot to even struggle, merely grumbling under her breath:
“What are you doing… You’re so annoying…”
Distracting me from studying again!
And messing up my topknot! My hair is completely ruined now!
Just as Jiang Shiyu was about to scowl and throw a mini-fit, Yu Shuyi released her and raised her wrist with a sly smile, waving it in front of her face.
On her wrist hung a dazzling bracelet, encrusted with diamonds that surrounded a striking pigeon-blood ruby. The design was exquisitely lavish.
It was the newest high-jewelry piece from VC, starting well into six figures. Every tiny diamond reflected brilliant points of light, radiating pure luxury that more than justified its astronomical price tag.
At first glance, Jiang Shiyu’s eyes sparkled with awe. But a second later, that amazement was replaced by a sting of envy. Pouting her tiny mouth, her resentment flared right back up.
Suddenly, looking at it closely, it didn’t even seem that pretty anyway.
What is she doing?!
Is she showing off?!
Jiang Shiyu had always known Yu Shuyi was rich. Even at A University, where wealthy heirs and political scions were everywhere, Yu Shuyi sat comfortably at the very top.
In truth, when Jiang Shiyu had gritted her teeth and pushed herself to get into A University, this hidden, unspoken reason had played a part too.