We agreed not to date, so why are you crying now that I've become the richest man?

Lin Wanqing stopped breathing.

Ye Chen walked past her.

Without stopping, without glancing to the side, not even a sliver of light fell upon this corner.

He tilted his head and whispered something to Gu Yuxuan beside him, a smile on his lips, his steps unhurried.

It was as if there was nothing else in this world except the girl beside him.

That kind of complete disregard is more damaging than any harsh words.

Lin Wanqing stood frozen in place, staring down at her phone screen, her fingertips turning white.

The well-matched couple disappeared through the doorway, the wind chimes rang crisply once, and then fell silent again.

She slowly raised her head, staring at the empty glass door, her eyes instantly turning red.

"Wanqing, what's wrong? Why are your eyes red?"

My roommate with the ponytail leaned over, her voice filled with surprise.

Lin Wanqing lowered her head and rubbed her eyes haphazardly with the back of her hand.

"It's nothing, it was just windy outside and some sand got in my eyes."

Her voice was thick with nasal tone, and she forced a stiff laugh.

On the phone screen, the chat box that had just opened was blurred by tears.

It turns out that when someone truly decides to leave your world, they don't even bother to say goodbye.

……

The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the campus of Jiaotong University in a warm orange hue.

Ye Chen and Gu Yuxuan walked side by side on the playground, where the autumn wind was slightly cool.

Students strolled in twos and threes along the plastic track, some whispering, others taking leisurely walks.

The sounds of dribbling and cheers came from the basketball court in the distance.

Neither of them spoke, enjoying the rare tranquility.

One by one, the dim lights on the playground came on, their hazy glow blurring the surroundings.

Gu Yuxuan followed beside Ye Chen, looking down at her toes.

Her fingers rubbed the bag strap, her lips moved a few times, then closed again.

After walking half a lap around the playground, she finally spoke.

"Ye Chen".

"Um?"

"You...you're so outstanding, you must have a lot of girls who like you."

Her voice was soft. She paused for a moment, then added, "Definitely, you've been in quite a few relationships?"

After asking the question, she didn't dare to look up at Ye Chen's expression, only staring at the tips of her shoes, waiting for his answer.

Ye Chen stopped and turned to look at her. The dim light cast deep shadows on his sharply defined face.

He suddenly chuckled softly, the sound particularly clear in the quiet night.

"No."

He put his hands in his pockets, his tone nonchalant, yet carrying a hint of undisguised self-deprecation.

"I'm not afraid to tell you this, but I never had a successful relationship. However, I was a 'simp' for a long time. Back then, I was young and I treated someone with all my heart. I thought that as long as I gave her all the good things and was always there for her, I would eventually win her over."

He tilted his head slightly back, looking at the blurry night sky in the distance, a hint of helplessness and clarity in the curve of his lips.

"It turned out that all the emotion I felt only moved me. My one-sided, desperate efforts were worthless in the eyes of others. I gained nothing and didn't even hear a ripple."

He paused for a moment, as if he had completely turned the page on that past, then turned back and looked at Gu Yuxuan’s eyes, which were filled with tension and astonishment, and his smile deepened.

"Later, I was completely awakened. Instead of wasting my dignity and time on people who give me nothing in return, I should earn more money and live like a human being."

He looked at her, his tone becoming light and resolute:

"So right now, all I want to do is make money."

These words were like a small pebble, creating ripples in Gu Yuxuan's heart.

She didn't ask who the "person who gave no response" was.

All she knew was that the boy in front of her had said the most captivating words in the most understated tone.

Gu Yuxuan looked up, and her eyes unconsciously filled with a touch of infatuation as she gazed at Ye Chen.

As dusk fell, the wind on the playground picked up a chill.

Ye Chen escorted Gu Yuxuan all the way to the girls' dormitory building of the Foreign Languages ​​Department.

"Alright, we're here. Go upstairs and get some rest."

"Um."

Gu Yuxuan stood at the dormitory door, looking up at him.

"Thank you for today."

"What are you thanking me for? For having dessert with you, or for bringing you back?"

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, deliberately teasing her.

"Thank you all."

Gu Yuxuan couldn't help but smile, her eyes crinkling under the light.

The two exchanged a smile, everything understood without a word.

"I'm going up now, you should go back early too."

"Okay, bye-bye."

"Bye-Bye."

After watching Gu Yuxuan's figure disappear through the dormitory gate, Ye Chen turned and left.

After walking a few steps, my phone vibrated in my pocket.

He took out his phone, and a WeChat message popped up on the screen.

Xia Shiqing: "Ye Chen, don't forget to pick me up tomorrow (..›ᴗ‹..)"

Ye Chen smiled and typed a few words on the screen.

"I won't forget. Tomorrow morning at nine, dress up nicely and wait for me."

He locked the screen, put it back in his pocket, took long strides, and his figure quickly disappeared into the night at Jiaotong University.

Ye Chen pushed open the door to dormitory 417.

As soon as he stepped across the threshold, Sun Haoyu, who had been slumped in his chair grinning at his phone screen, sprang up as if he had springs in his body.

"Old Ye! You're finally back!"

Sun Haoyu's eyes lit up, and he moved right up to him, his gossip radar fully activated.

"You've been disappearing all day, tell me honestly, where have you been gallivanting off to?"

Ye Chen smiled helplessly, didn't reply, and closed the door behind him.

Today's schedule is non-stop, with consecutive appointments with Xu Jiao and Gu Yuxuan.

Even with the mental fortitude of a forty-year-old, he felt mentally exhausted after dealing with it all.

Before Ye Chen could speak, Sun Haoyu eagerly continued.

His urge to confide in Ye Chen had reached its peak, and he shoved his Nokia phone right in front of Ye Chen's eyes.

"Look, look! My buddy's come back from the dead this time!"

Sun Haoyu rubbed his hands together excitedly, pointing at the penguin chat interface on the screen.

On the screen was his chat history with Li Meng from the Foreign Languages ​​Department.

"Thanks to Lao Lu's girlfriend for acting as a go-between and helping to clear up the misunderstanding that day!"

Sun Haoyu was spitting as he spoke.

"Li Meng just replied to my message. She said she really did have a stomachache that day, and it wasn't intentional. She even thanked me for buying her the plum juice!"

Ye Chen, holding his toiletries, glanced at the chat history and chimed in with a compliment.

Congratulations, you're almost in love!

"That's right!"

Sun Haoyu was practically strutting around with pride, but then his excited face fell, and he awkwardly scratched at the corner of the table.

"Hey... Lao Ye, now that the misunderstanding's been cleared up, I'm thinking of striking while the iron is hot and asking her out for dinner or a movie this weekend."

Sun Haoyu moved closer to Ye Chen, looking at him expectantly.

"But I'm not sure what to do! What if I ask and they reject me outright? Wouldn't that make our hard-won relationship sour again? You're so full of ideas, give me some advice. Should I just send a text message, or make a phone call to seem more formal?"

Ye Chen yawned, grabbed a towel, and turned to walk towards the restroom.

"I've exhausted all my brain cells today. I'll have to figure things out myself. If all else fails, I'll go find a fortune teller under the overpass and get my fortune told."

The sound of water could be heard.

Sun Haoyu stood there, stunned, and couldn't help but mutter to himself:

"Has Old Ye taken the wrong medicine today? Our top strategist from 417 has actually gone on strike?"