On the way, Fang Zheng yawned repeatedly, his eyes half-closed as he trailed beside Gu Wujin.
“Hey, seriously—what made you suddenly decide to show up for classes?”
Fang Zheng was exhausted. He’d pulled an all-nighter working at the company, only to be dragged back to campus early in the morning by Gu Wujin.
Gu Wujin gave him a sidelong glance.
“Grandpa was nagging me to death.”
“Tch, who are you kidding?”
Fang Zheng curled his lip, clearly unconvinced. In their three years of high school, the number of times Fang Zheng actually went to school could be counted on ten fingers. Old Master Gu had nearly beaten him to death in rage, yet Gu Wujin had never shown the slightest fear. Or rather—when had Gu Wujin ever truly cared about anyone’s opinion?
Gu Wujin remained silent.
Monday morning classes were packed. Students hurried along the paths to their lectures. Many couldn’t help but glance at Gu Wujin as they passed. He stood out too much—his striking appearance combined with that obvious limp made people quietly feel it was a pity.
Fang Zheng raked a hand through his messy hair. Of course he noticed the stares from passersby, but he didn’t care—he was used to it. He glanced at Gu Wujin. The other man’s handsome face was completely indifferent; he cared even less.
Ji Huaixiang dripped perfume from the bottle onto a scent strip. The fragrance slowly bloomed—fresh, with a touch of softness and sweetness, a faint milky note, warm and comforting.
She sprayed a little on her wrist. The base notes unfolded more clearly. Ji Huaixiang inhaled the scent at the tip of her nose and smiled softly. Success—it was exactly the fragrance she had imagined.
She had just stepped out of the lab when her phone pinged with a bank notification: a deposit had arrived—the down payment.
The next second, the phone rang.
It was from Vance Perfume Company, a famous brand in Country Y. They agreed to purchase her perfume formula. After being reborn, she had quickly sent the perfume to Vance and offered the formula for ten million. At the time, Vance had only been willing to pay three million.
That was the perfume that had won first place in a competition in her previous life—“If Love” (若愛). It marked her true entry into the world of perfumery.
Top notes: cedar, lemon, pear blossom, and peach.
Middle notes: seductive black rose, green leaves, almond.
Base notes: lingering musk, vanilla, and caramel.
The perfume centered on night-blooming rose—its flower language: I love you, I will conquer anything for you, give everything; you belong to me completely.
In her previous life, Vance had bought the award-winning formula for twenty million steel bullets (currency). On the first day of release, sales reached ten million USD, and it sold out within five days. Although this time she had brought the formula out early without the award’s boost, she knew Vance would eventually buy it.
After hanging up, a wave surged in Ji Huaixiang’s heart. In this life, the path ahead would be longer and more challenging.
When she returned to the dorm, Lin Xiaoxuan and the others had just come back too.
“He’s even more handsome in person than in photos. Such a shame about his leg—total waste.”
Lin Xiaoxuan walked in holding a cup of milk tea.
“Yeah, really a pity.”
Ji Dongqing remembered that unforgettable, outstanding face. A faint flush warmed her fair cheeks—then she recalled the way the boy walked, and the heat quickly faded.
“Whose leg is bad?”
Ji Huaixiang was especially sensitive to those words.
Lin Xiaoxuan held her milk tea and tilted her head toward Ji Huaixiang.
“Huaixiang, you didn’t know? A super handsome guy joined the Finance Department. Someone took photos of him and posted them on the forum—practically the whole school knows him now. We just saw him in the cafeteria. Turns out… his leg is actually lame.”
She bit her straw, keeping to herself that she had secretly recorded a video of him walking and planned to post it on the forum.
“The forum?”
Ji Huaixiang’s dark eyes deepened.
“Yeah, go check it out. It’s already exploded.”
Ji Huaixiang took out her phone, logged into the school forum, and immediately saw the top pinned, red-highlighted thread: “S University’s Newest Male God.” She clicked in. The first thing that popped up was a photo of the man’s side profile—sharp, refined, and mesmerizing.
The comments below had already reached over a thousand.
Mars Baby: “Confirmed with my eyes—he’s the one I’ll never get in this lifetime. Ahhh, my maiden heart just exploded again.”
Sheep Wool One: “My heartbeat stopped. Can I still be saved? Which department is he in?”
Fallen Leaves Return to Roots: “AHHHHHHHHHHH is he from our school??? I’ve never seen him. I want all his info in three minutes.”
Big Little Pride: “Begging for a front-facing photo. Licking screen over the side profile. This man who conquered me with his looks—I claim him.”
Koi Possession for Life: “This face is lethal. Absolute campus heartthrob. Is he trying to steal my soul?”
Baby Who Won’t Grow Tall: “Too much, too much. Falling for one after another. Yesterday you were all calling Jiang Haocheng the campus king…”
…
Ji Huaixiang scrolled quickly through the comments, silent.
“He’s hot, right?”
Lin Xiaoxuan took another sip of milk tea. “Too bad he’s already taken. I just saw your department’s flower Jiang Mengwan walking beside him. They were chatting and laughing—such a perfect match.”
She looked at Ji Huaixiang. Logically speaking, in terms of looks, Ji Huaixiang was clearly more beautiful than Jiang Mengwan. But Jiang Mengwan was very well-known on campus: freshman representative speaker, member of the student council, rich family, outstanding appearance, gentle temperament—she had naturally become the universally acknowledged department flower, even once dubbed the campus belle. Meanwhile, Ji Huaixiang was often elusive, kept to herself, and spent most of her time either in the lab or the library. How could she compare?
Ji Huaixiang lowered her lashes. Her thick, curled eyelashes fluttered a few times, casting shadows under her eyes.
She opened WeChat and looked at the message she had sent Gu Wujin yesterday. He still hadn’t replied. Without thinking further, Ji Huaixiang grabbed her crossbody bag and headed out.
“Hey, Huaixiang, where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?”
Lin Xiaoxuan asked around her straw.
“Maybe to the cafeteria,” Ji Dongqing said casually, blinking.
“Bet the handsome guy already finished eating with his girlfriend and left.”
Lin Xiaoxuan didn’t pay much attention. She took out her phone and logged into her alt account to browse the forum.
The midday sun blazed high, its harsh light glaring everywhere. The heat made the green leaves on the trees droop slightly. Classes had just ended, and students crowded the paths toward the cafeteria in groups.
Ji Huaixiang stood at the cafeteria entrance. Her clear black eyes scanned the dense crowd inside. Her red lips pressed into a thin line. She had no idea where to start looking for Gu Wujin.
At that moment, her phone rang.
“Where are you?”
A low, lazy male voice came through, carrying a faint drawl.
Ji Huaixiang’s slender fingers tightened around the phone.
“Mr. Gu.”
She answered softly. The stifled frustration in her chest suddenly found an outlet.
“I’m at the cafeteria.”
“Third floor. Room No. 1.”
“Okay.”
Ji Huaixiang’s eyes brightened. The heavy feeling in her chest melted away.
Lin Xiaoxuan held her milk tea and turned her head toward Ji Huaixiang.
“Huaixiang, you didn’t know? A super handsome guy joined the Finance Department. Someone took photos of him and posted them on the forum—practically the whole school knows him now. We just saw him in the cafeteria. Turns out… his leg is actually lame.”
She bit her straw, keeping to herself that she had secretly recorded a video of him walking and planned to post it on the forum.
“The forum?”
Ji Huaixiang’s dark eyes deepened.
“Yeah, go check it out. It’s already exploded.”
Ji Huaixiang took out her phone, logged into the school forum, and immediately saw the top pinned, red-highlighted thread: “S University’s Newest Male God.” She clicked in. The first thing that popped up was a photo of the man’s side profile—sharp, refined, and mesmerizing.
The comments below had already reached over a thousand.
Mars Baby: “Confirmed with my eyes—he’s the one I’ll never get in this lifetime. Ahhh, my maiden heart just exploded again.”
Sheep Wool One: “My heartbeat stopped. Can I still be saved? Which department is he in?”
Fallen Leaves Return to Roots: “AHHHHHHHHHHH is he from our school??? I’ve never seen him. I want all his info in three minutes.”
Big Little Pride: “Begging for a front-facing photo. Licking screen over the side profile. This man who conquered me with his looks—I claim him.”
Koi Possession for Life: “This face is lethal. Absolute campus heartthrob. Is he trying to steal my soul?”
Baby Who Won’t Grow Tall: “Too much, too much. Falling for one after another. Yesterday you were all calling Jiang Haocheng the campus king…”
…
Ji Huaixiang scrolled quickly through the comments, silent.
“He’s hot, right?”
Lin Xiaoxuan took another sip of milk tea. “Too bad he’s already taken. I just saw your department’s flower Jiang Mengwan walking beside him. They were chatting and laughing—such a perfect match.”
She looked at Ji Huaixiang. Logically speaking, in terms of looks, Ji Huaixiang was clearly more beautiful than Jiang Mengwan. But Jiang Mengwan was very well-known on campus: freshman representative speaker, member of the student council, rich family, outstanding appearance, gentle temperament—she had naturally become the universally acknowledged department flower, even once dubbed the campus belle. Meanwhile, Ji Huaixiang was often elusive, kept to herself, and spent most of her time either in the lab or the library. How could she compare?
Ji Huaixiang lowered her lashes. Her thick, curled eyelashes fluttered a few times, casting shadows under her eyes.
She opened WeChat and looked at the message she had sent Gu Wujin yesterday. He still hadn’t replied. Without thinking further, Ji Huaixiang grabbed her crossbody bag and headed out.
“Hey, Huaixiang, where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?”
Lin Xiaoxuan asked around her straw.
“Maybe to the cafeteria,” Ji Dongqing said casually, blinking.
“Bet the handsome guy already finished eating with his girlfriend and left.”
Lin Xiaoxuan didn’t pay much attention. She took out her phone and logged into her alt account to browse the forum.
The midday sun blazed high, its harsh light glaring everywhere. The heat made the green leaves on the trees droop slightly. Classes had just ended, and students crowded the paths toward the cafeteria in groups.
Ji Huaixiang stood at the cafeteria entrance. Her clear black eyes scanned the dense crowd inside. Her red lips pressed into a thin line. She had no idea where to start looking for Gu Wujin.
At that moment, her phone rang.
“Where are you?”
A low, lazy male voice came through, carrying a faint drawl.
Ji Huaixiang’s slender fingers tightened around the phone.
“Mr. Gu.”
She answered softly. The stifled frustration in her chest suddenly found an outlet.
“I’m at the cafeteria.”
“Third floor. Room No. 1.”
“Okay.”
Ji Huaixiang’s eyes brightened. The heavy feeling in her chest melted away.
Ji Huaixiang responded softly. Her fingertips pinched the menu tightly, her pink nails turning slightly white. Her lashes were half-lowered, partially concealing the burning heat and brightness in her eyes. Every day she reminded herself not to rush things—liking him a little was enough. Too much fierce passion and liking would scare him away.
“Besides scallions and ginger, I don’t touch anything else. I’m not really picky about the rest, and I don’t have a favorite dish.”
Gu Wujin bit down hard on the cigarette filter, tearing the paper. He simply took it out and stubbed it in the ashtray. “Did you hear me clearly?”
“Mm-hmm, I’ll remember it all.”
Ji Huaixiang nodded obediently. Her ponytail swayed gently with each little nod of her head.
In the end, Ji Huaixiang ordered braised shiitake chicken, crab roe tofu, stuffed shrimp balls, a vegetable dish, and a carrot-corn pork rib soup.
The private room was very quiet. A faint cedar fragrance lingered in the air.
Ji Huaixiang’s nose was extremely sensitive—she knew it was the natural scent of the man beside her. Light, pleasant. She shifted slightly, feeling a little uneasy. They were sitting so close; Gu Wujin must be able to smell her odor too. She stole glances at his side profile—he showed no reaction at all.
“Mr. Gu, do you know there are photos of you on the school forum?”
Ji Huaixiang changed the subject. Her voice broke the silence in the room.
“I do now.”
Gu Wujin didn’t seem to care much.
“The post is pinned at the top of the forum and highlighted in red. Everyone’s talking about how handsome you are. There are so many comments below.”
Ji Huaixiang’s voice lowered. “Were the photos taken secretly? I heard a lot of girls saved them.”
Gu Wujin leaned back in his chair, listening quietly to the girl speak. He actually detected a hint of sourness in her tone. Ji Huaixiang’s voice had a soft江南 (southern) drawl—gentle, whiny, like sticky rice cake—sweet, fragrant, soft and glutinous, with a hint of coquettish charm.
“You don’t like it?”
Gu Wujin raised an eyebrow and asked her.
Ji Huaixiang felt a little embarrassed but answered honestly:
“I don’t like it.”
He wasn’t hers yet.
But she had already become greedy—she wanted to monopolize Gu Wujin, to hide him away.
What should she do…
The food arrived quickly. The server brought in the dishes and politely withdrew.
Ji Huaixiang placed the stewed soup the server had brought beside Gu Wujin and lifted the lid to let it cool.
“The soup is still very hot. Let it cool a bit before drinking.”
She wasn’t upset by his lack of response. That was just her own greed talking.
Gu Wujin frowned.
“You drink it.”
“I ordered it especially for you. It’s bone soup, Mr. Gu. Don’t waste my good intentions.”
Gu Wujin’s deep eyes looked at her for a moment. He said nothing more.
The food was very good. Ji Huaixiang had never eaten on the third floor of the cafeteria before. In the past, when she was obsessed with the lab, she always ate quickly and cheaply on the first floor. She had no interest in coming up here to order dishes. Perhaps she was really hungry—she ended up eating two full bowls of rice.
“Oh, right.”
After Gu Wujin finished the soup, Ji Huaixiang took out the finished perfume from her bag.
“I’ve blended the perfume. Try it—this should be the scent Madam Shen wants.”
Gu Wujin silently looked at the small glass bottle in the girl’s hand. It contained a light green liquid. Although he knew Ji Huaixiang was a freshman in the Spices and Essences Department and had made it into the key class, he couldn’t help feeling surprised. She had actually succeeded in blending a perfume.
Which perfumer didn’t go through years of apprenticeship and accumulate years of experience? Gu Wujin’s fingers resting on the table twitched slightly. His gaze deepened. She really hadn’t lied to him. Regardless of how the perfume smelled, she was indeed outstanding.
“Want to smell it?”
“Okay.”
Gu Wujin reached for the bottle, but the girl didn’t hand it over.
Ji Huaixiang’s clear eyes looked at him—bright and distinct.
“Mr. Gu, can I help you with it?”
Gu Wujin pretended not to notice the sly smile in her eyes and gave a low:
“Mm.”
He extended his arm.
Ji Huaixiang held his arm. She lightly sprayed the perfume onto his wrist. A fine mist settled on his skin, and a faint, fresh fragrance instantly rose.
The moment their skin touched, Gu Wujin’s throat tightened. Her soft, tender palm pressed against him—electric, tingling, numbing.
The man’s voice was low:
“You’re tickling me?”
“No.”
Ji Huaixiang let go. “How does it smell? Is this the right scent?”
Gu Wujin lowered his lashes slightly, ignoring the strange tingling on his skin.
“It’s close.”