After class, Gu Xing received a call from Teacher Qin, asking him to come to the office.
A trace of reluctance crept onto his cool, detached face.
Gu Xing walked in the opposite direction of Duxing Building and called his advisor: “Teacher, can we handle what you want to discuss over the phone? Or by email?”
Qin Zhen clicked his tongue: “It’s a bit complicated. You’d better come over. Don’t worry, I won’t keep you from seeing your girlfriend.”
Gu Xing hung up and reluctantly turned back.
A BMW sped past, weaving through the campus.
Gu Xing was looking down, texting his girlfriend, when he glanced up and saw the BMW reversing back toward him.
The window rolled down, revealing Li Wei.
He was smiling like an ugly, wilted chrysanthemum.
“Gu Shen, long time no see.”
His former undergraduate roommate—a sneaky, scheming clown, a bootlicking lackey, a second-rate bully who relied on others’ influence.
Thanks to Lu Tian’s connections, he barely managed to get into the master’s program at their university and was now in the same class as Lu Tian.
Gu Xing and a few others were on the professional master’s track, a two-year program that focused more on algorithm practice than theory.
Although they belonged to the same college, their training directions were different. Gu Xing was also often stationed in the lab, so this was the first time they had run into each other since starting their first year of graduate studies.
“Gu Shen, recognize this car?” He exaggeratedly held up an eight with his fingers. “A BMW X5, costs this much—enough to buy an apartment.”
“Mm, congratulations.”
Gu Xing started walking.
Li Wei continued reversing: “Don’t go, Gu Shen. Where are you headed? Hop in, I’ll give you a ride. It’s way more comfortable than those shared bikes, and better than Teacher Qin’s beat-up Toyota too.”
Gu Xing stopped, his eyes turning cold. He opened the car door and sat in the back seat: “Let’s go, Duxing Building.”
It was just three turns away.
Gu Xing sat in the back with the air of a CEO.
Li Wei, short and small, sat in the driver’s seat, craning his neck and hesitating to speak, looking like a sleazy chauffeur.
“Do you mind if I take a photo?”
Gu Xing raised his phone toward Li Wei.
Li Wei’s vanity instantly soared: “Sure, Gu Shen, take as many as you like.”
Gu Xing took a photo of Li Wei’s profile and sent it to a small group chat, along with the location of Duxing Building.
When they arrived, Gu Xing suddenly remarked: “You drive well. After you get out, you could try working as a driver.”
Li Wei was confused.
“Hey, Gu Xing, explain what you mean…”
Li Wei anxiously honked the horn.
But Gu Xing had already strode off on his long legs and entered Duxing Building.
Qin Zhen stood by the window, stirring his coffee. From the second floor, he had a perfect view of the luxury car downstairs.
“Whose car did you get out of? Did Xiao Ji get a new car?”
“No, it was Li Wei’s.”
Qin Zhen paused his stirring: “Young Master Lu is that generous now? An 800,000-yuan car, just given away like that.”
Gu Xing frowned at his teacher, having glanced at the time three times already.
Could we please not waste time?
Qin Zhen understood his thoughts perfectly: “Oh, I just wanted to ask you—are you moving out of the dorm? Your teacher’s wife already gave me the keys to the faculty apartment building. If you’re willing, she’ll arrange for someone to clean it up in advance.”
“Teacher, I’m not moving.”
Qin Zhen set down his coffee cup and leaned on the desk with both hands: “What’s gotten into you? If those people are hard to get along with, just stay away from them.”
Gu Xing: “If I move out, how will I deal with them?”
Teacher Qin: “…”
Qin Zhen was always worried he’d be bullied.
But in reality, Gu Xing enjoyed it. Who was bullying whom wasn’t necessarily clear.
Studies were exhausting; teasing a few mice for amusement was a nice diversion.
Qin Zhen was speechless.
After a moment of thought, he changed the topic: “And then there’s your girlfriend from the vocational college…”
Gu Xing’s expression suddenly turned cold.
“Alright, alright, your girlfriend who’s still studying at a vocational college. Gu Xing, my plan for you starts with a Ph.D. If you really intend to go further with her, you must intervene and guide her development as a mentor. Otherwise, you won’t last long.”
In short, their frequencies needed to sync.
If one moved forward while the other stood still, the gap would only widen, leading inevitably to a breakup.
Although Qin Zhen didn’t believe they would last a year.
He also understood that his disciple was more stubborn than a computer.
At least a computer had 1s and 0s, at least it could choose yes or no.
Gu Xing had only one choice: what Gu Xing believed was right.
So even though he strongly opposed it, he didn’t directly advise them to break up.
Instead, he planned to subtly persuade them to part ways, like surrounding the city from the countryside.
“Gu Xing, I really can’t understand. With outstanding girls like Ruan Xingyue and Ji Ling around you, each with their own unique style, how could you fall for someone like…”
How should he describe her? The female equivalent of a brash young man?
Yes, Qin Zhen had once witnessed that little green-haired girl shamelessly chasing after his disciple.
He remembered how disgusted Gu Xing had been with her back then.
Could it really be that even the toughest man can’t resist a persistent woman?
Gu Xing didn’t answer.
Qin Zhen knew very well that unless he could provide a satisfactory answer, he wouldn’t respond casually.
Qin Zhen sighed: “In any case, you must help her grow.”
If she lacked ambition and had no drive to improve, his disciple would eventually develop a distaste for foolishness.
Qin Zhen secretly rejoiced; he was truly skilled at breaking up couples.
A sudden sound of shattering glass drew the attention of the master and disciple.
Qin Zhen turned first: “What’s going on? Are zombies surrounding the car?”
They saw twenty to thirty girls of varying styles—some wielding hammers, others carrying stones—unanimously and fiercely attacking the brand-new BMW A5.
They smashed the car windows with clubs and pelted the body with stones. The BMW X5’s windows were quickly shattered, and the car body was covered in dents and scratches.
Qin Zhen pulled out his phone: “What did Li Wei do? Should we call the police?”
Gu Xing shook his phone; he already had.
Qin Zhen immediately called the Institute while heading downstairs.
Regardless of who was right or wrong, public opinion had to be controlled first; otherwise, it would be detrimental to A University.
Gu Xing caught sight of a familiar figure among the onlookers.
Collarbone-length hair, a yellow hairband, and a polka-dot maxi dress.
Her expression as she craned her neck and stood on tiptoe to look.
Gu Xing leaped down two or three steps at a time, quickly running downstairs and soon leaving Qin Zhen behind.
“Why are you running so fast?”
As soon as Qin Zhen stepped out of Duxing Building, cameras and microphones were pointed at him.
Oh no, today was the Autumn Corporate Presentation Session, and there were media on campus.
Not to mention every student in the crowd had their phones raised.
Some held one in their left hand and helped others hold another in their right.
It was a full-scale live broadcast—the campus luxury car being smashed from start to finish.
As soon as Gu Xing appeared, Ji Ling waved and prepared to leave: “I’m going to catch up with my aunt for old times’ sake. I’ll handle the public opinion from here! I’m returning your girlfriend to you.”
Ji Ling felt indebted after eating someone else’s food, a feeling that lasted until the afternoon when she finished running the algorithm, exhausted and dizzy.
Bored out of her mind, she went to Wutong Road to help Ruan Xingmian with her sales.
And successfully earned herself a meal ticket.
Gu Xing exchanged a brief glance with her, showing no concern for the center of the incident.
His gaze settled on his girlfriend’s face.
Ruan Xingmian had no idea what was going on, just innocently watching the drama unfold.
As soon as Ji Ling left, Gu Xing pulled her into his arms, shielding her from the excited onlookers.
“What happened? That guy got beaten up pretty badly, and the car is even worse off.”
Ruan Xingmian whispered regretfully, “My old car was just like that one, I still miss it…” She nearly bit her tongue.
Careless!
“I mean, it’s a car I used to like.”
Fortunately, Gu Xing didn’t seem to mind the inconsistency in her words.
The police arrived.
Gu Xing led Ruan Xingmian away from the crowd.
Her hand was soft, like cotton.
Her fingers were slender and long, with clean, neat knuckles tinged a soft pink.
A healthy and adorable color.
“I know what happened.”
He coaxed his girlfriend away, not wanting to waste their time together on this.
Ruan Xingmian tugged at him with both hands: “Let’s go through the gate on Wutong Road, I left something there.”
The two walked against the flow of the crowd toward Wutong Road.
With her boyfriend holding her hand, Ruan Xingmian felt both happy and excited.
She temporarily forgot about the drama.
Since they finally had a chance to meet, she had a lot to share with Gu Xing.
She raised her hand and whispered proudly, “I sold a hundred servings of sushi today, and each one earns about 4.5, so my net income is 450.”
Ruan Xingmian smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.
But Gu Xing gently squeezed her soft, delicate palm.
He recalled his teacher’s concerns and firmly dismissed them in his heart.
How could his girlfriend be anything but driven?
She was so capable it made him feel ashamed, leaving him with no ground to stand on.
“Look, these are the friends I added. I made a WeChat group just for them, and word spread quickly. There are already over two hundred people.”
Gu Xing glanced at it, his eyes cooling slightly.
About eighty percent of them were male.
He looked down at his girlfriend, whose smile was gentle and warm.
His thin lips pressed down again and again.
Annoyed.
Slightly annoyed.
“Oh, and this is the house key.” Ruan Xingmian had bought a keychain of an astronaut hugging a computer. “Would you like to move in with me?”
Gu Xing took the key, his eyes softening slightly.