The two sisters remained silent throughout the journey. Ruan Xingmian feared that saying too much would lead to mistakes. She hadn’t fully absorbed the original owner’s memories yet, with only a few vague childhood fragments lingering in her mind. Because they were too warm and tender, she knew they didn’t belong to her.
Ruan Xingyue was heading back to school.
Ruan Xingmian stammered that she was also returning to school.
She didn’t dare to reveal everything all at once and could only pretend she was still attending classes.
This trip back to school was mainly to retrieve some clothes and documents.
“When did you and Gu Xing start?” Ruan Xingyue suddenly asked.
Rumors were spreading around the school about a junior college student hooking up with Gu Xing.
She hadn’t believed it at first.
It wasn’t until she heard Lu Tian teasing Gu Xing in front of her that she dared to believe it.
Her beautiful but foolish younger sister had actually managed to win over that scheming iceberg, Gu Xing.
“It was… last month…” Ruan Xingmian stammered.
No wonder she seemed like a different person.
Ruan Xingyue glanced sideways at her sister, marveling at the greatness of love while also feeling a hint of suspicion.
Was Gu Xing’s charm that powerful?
Could he really turn decay into magic, transforming someone from the inside out?
“Mianmian, you seem… much more mature now.” Those icy eyes seemed to carry a laser-like intensity, a single casual glance packing a powerful punch.
Ruan Xingmian was too scared to meet her gaze.
She lowered her head, fiddling with the hem of her clothes, pretending to be a lovesick young woman.
“He’s very good, and I really like him.” This was the truth.
Ruan Xingyue looked at her sister and, for once, offered a positive comment. “Gu Xing is a man with principles.”
Much better than Lu Tian.
Ruan Xingmian got out of the car first.
She waved goodbye to her sister with a smile and followed the crowd toward the school.
She decided she should go home less often and avoid appearing in front of Ruan Xingyue as much as possible.
Earlier, Ruan Xingyue had stared at her without saying a word, her eyes dark and intense, as if she were looking at someone else entirely. It had sent chills down Ruan Xingmian’s spine.
At the Fashion Institute, Ruan Xingmian entered her dormitory, only to be hit by a foul, fishy smell that made her frown.
Her bed was piled high with clutter and trash.
On the desk sat the leftover residue and broth of a recently finished bowl of luosifen.
“Oh, look who’s back—Miss Ruan.”
The speaker was none other than Sang Rou, Ruan Xingmian’s upper bunkmate and one of Lu Tian’s harem members.
She could be considered the woman with the best figure in their Fashion Modeling Major.
Her facial features were average, but she had a curvaceous figure and fair skin.
With a bit of packaging, she could be considered a rare beauty.
However, her mouth was filthy—she’d coo and whimper in front of boys but spew vulgarities and act like a know-it-all in front of girls.
After graduation, thanks to her cunning ways and good figure, she stayed by Lu Tian’s side as his personal assistant.
Later, on the day Lu Tian married her sister,
these two despicable lovers even fooled around on the wedding bed.
No one else was in the dormitory.
It seemed this bowl of luosifen was hers.
The most effortless and effective way to deal with a flea is either to crush it in one go or, if you find it too dirty, simply ignore it.
Ruan Xingmian didn’t respond. Instead, she opened her suitcase and began packing her things.
Sang Rou jumped down from her bed and inexplicably started applying makeup.
She tried on one high-end lipstick after another, tirelessly asking Ruan Xingmian which shade looked better.
“Lu Tian bought these for me. This weekend, he’s taking me abroad for a trip.”
She stood up, showing off the platinum necklace around her neck and her one and only luxury handbag.
“Why did you change your hairstyle? I think green hair really suited you.”
She covered her mouth and laughed in a way that was physically uncomfortable to witness. “A green hairstyle would suit your sister too.”
She took great pride in her affair with Lu Tian.
Being used by a man as if she were a mere object seemed to give her a sense of victory over the two sisters.
Ruan Xingmian quickly packed her things, grabbed her suitcase, and left.
Sang Rou chased after her for a few steps.
“Ruan Xingmian! Why aren’t you jealous and angry?”
She had been waiting for Ruan Xingmian to lunge at her and have a big fight.
She had shown off for so long, wasting her energy for nothing.
Ruan Xingmian turned back and gave her a light, dismissive glance.
Then she went downstairs on her own.
Feeling utterly ignored, Sang Rou angrily kicked the table.
Not only did she stub her big toe, but the snail noodles on the table also fell downstairs, splashing oily broth all over her.
From far away, Ruan Xingmian could still hear Sang Rou shouting and cursing.
The curses were disgusting.
Of course, the scumbag Lu Tian was even more disgusting.
Ruan Xingmian really wished her sister would break up with this deadbeat scumbag soon, but she wasn’t the type to act impulsively. For one thing, Lu Tian had a powerful background and could crush her as easily as an ant. Secondly, she wasn’t yet close with Ruan Xingyue and didn’t dare speak ill of Lu Tian in front of her. She could only wait a little longer.
On Thursday and Friday, Ruan Xingmian spent her time moving and cleaning.
She didn’t have many belongings, so she hired a moving company and got everything done in one trip.
Most of the remaining time was spent browsing secondhand markets, hunting for furniture and household items.
After editing the first episode of her video, Ruan Xingmian checked it three times and eagerly uploaded it to her new account.
She had chosen a simple, easy-to-remember name.
Stars Sleep Well.
Gu Xing praised her for the nice name, and she felt the same way.
It was both memorable and related to her personally, giving it a distinctive touch.
After posting the video, Ruan Xingmian prepared to start filming a video focused on unboxing packages.
She also planned to do a goodies-sharing episode.
Just as she set up the camera, Gu Xing called at that moment.
They hadn’t seen each other for three days since parting ways that day.
Gu Xing had a lot of classes.
The autumn heat in September was intense, and Ruan Xingmian didn’t want him running back and forth.
Now, looking at the static image of Gu Xing on her computer screen, slightly bowing his head as he wiped the stove, she missed the warm, dynamic version of him.
“Class is over.”
He always made a point of calling her after every class.
Ruan Xingmian would tell him to go eat, then they’d chat for a bit before hanging up.
Today, she didn’t want him to eat at the cafeteria. She wanted to see him. “Do you have class tonight? I’ve stocked up my kitchen and made a pot of potato and beef stew. I was thinking of making beef noodles…”
She held the phone and asked, “Do you like beef noodles?”
Gu Xing answered quickly, “Yes.”
From the phone, she could hear his long, brisk strides.
“What drink would you like?” he asked as he walked out of the school gate. “I’ll bring it over.”
Ruan Xingmian tilted her head and thought for a moment. “One Yogurt Cow, original flavor with oats.”
“Okay.”
Okay… she mimicked his tone in her mind, holding the ended call and feeling overjoyed—he wants to see me too.
While Ruan Xingmian was boiling water, the doorbell rang.
He arrived so quickly.
She opened the door.
There stood a handsome guy with cool, clear features, his forehead hair damp, his gaze burning like fire.
Books often described the Second Male Lead as aloof and distant.
But in Ruan Xingmian’s eyes, there was nothing distant about him—he had warm, puppy-dog eyes.
“The water isn’t boiling yet. Are you hungry?”
Gu Xing stepped into the entryway.
Ruan Xingmian bent down and took out a pair of large black slippers from the shoe cabinet.
Placing them at his feet.
He usually wore an indifferent expression, his eyes like a thin layer of frost, exuding a coldness that kept others at a distance.
But at this moment, touched by something unknown, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing an extremely faint smile.
“Are you hungry?” Ruan Xingmian asked again.
“Not hungry.”
Gu Xing set down his backpack and went straight into the kitchen.
He washed his hands, turned on the stove, and opened the refrigerator.
“You’re here?”
Ruan Xingmian followed him in and asked.
He stared at the water in the pot and simply hummed in response.
The beef and potato stew had been simmering for two hours, its color, aroma, and flavor all delightful.
It was enough to make one’s mouth water.
Gu Xing only needed to blanch some greens in the boiling water below.
Ruan Xingmian dug out two eggs.
“Can you fry eggs? I like them runny.”
Gu Xing answered without a second thought, “Yes.”
The book didn’t mention he could, so Ruan Xingmian was half-convinced, half-doubtful.
She left the kitchen to him and went to the living room to continue unpacking.
Fifteen minutes later, Gu Xing, wearing a black apron, brought out two steaming bowls of potato and beef noodles.
“Gu Xing, rewind that shot just now. I want to record it.”
After all, this was their first meal together in the rented apartment.
How could they not record it?
Gu Xing rewound the shot.
Ruan Xingmian set up the camera.
Then she took out her phone, ready to capture close-ups and details.
The noodles were placed on the dining table.
Ruan Xingmian rearranged the dishes.
Then she began capturing the details.
The tender, stewed potato chunks nestled among the springy, chewy noodles, soaked in the rich broth and glistening with an amber sheen.
Large slices of beef displayed clear marbling, interwoven with deep brown and light red hues.
Bright green vegetables adorned the sides, their leaves saturated with the savory broth.
The most eye-catching was undoubtedly the fried egg on top, its runny yolk encased in crispy, fragrant egg white, trembling ever so slightly.
The moment a chopstick pierced it, the golden egg yolk slowly flowed out, merging seamlessly with the crimson broth.
It was enough to make one’s fingers twitch with anticipation; just looking at it was enough to make one’s mouth water.
After finishing the recording, Ruan Xingmian replayed it to admire it once more, then turned to look at Gu Xing. “Does it look good?”
Those eyes, usually as cold as a deep pool, were now fixed intently on her.
“It looks good.”
As he spoke, his Adam’s apple bobbed ever so slightly.
Receiving positive feedback, Ruan Xingmian’s eyes curved into crescents, her smile revealing the dimples at the corners of her mouth.
Her smile was as radiant as spring blossoms in April.
Gu Xing blinked ever so lightly, as if afraid of shattering the joyful light dancing in his eyes.