It started with a laugh.
Not just any laugh — Yao Yixuan's high-pitched, bubbly giggle that floated across the campus courtyard like a perfume trail.
Lin Shuyun glanced up from her book, instinctively.
A few steps away, Xiao Lie stood near a bench, wearing a simple black jacket, hands in his pockets, calmly listening as Yixuan rambled on about something he clearly wasn't that interested in.But he smiled — faintly.
Not the desperate kind. Not the shy kind. Just calm. Confident.
And oddly… it suited him.
That's new, Shuyun thought.
She turned her eyes back to the book in her lap — a volume on logic in modern debate. But the words blurred for a moment.
Didn't he used to stumble over himself around me?
She remembered the old Xiao Lie — awkward, hesitant, always looking for approval.She used to find it mildly annoying. Predictable. Boring.So she ignored him.
But now...
He walked past her a few minutes later, Yixuan beside him, and didn't even glance her way.
That small shift — that lack of attention — pricked something deep inside her chest.
"That girl's not even in our club," muttered someone from nearby.
Lin Shuyun didn't respond, but she closed the book.
Her eyes lingered on the corner where Yao Yixuan stood with Xiao Lie, still chatting, twirling her hair, laughing like she'd already won something.
Debate Club Meeting – Two Days Later
Lin Shuyun arrived earlier than usual.It wasn't intentional, she told herself.
Xiao Lie walked in a few minutes after. Alone. No Yixuan.
Strange.
He sat near the front, pulled out a notepad, and immediately started reviewing materials. His focus was sharp, posture relaxed — completely different from the guy she remembered.
She watched him interact with a new member — patient, clear, helpful — and yet, never overstepping.Every word, every action, had purpose.
She found herself… observing him more than she should have.
Why does he feel like someone I don't know anymore?
When did he become like this?
After the session, Xiao Lie packed up quickly and headed toward the door. Their paths crossed briefly.
She spoke first.
"You're doing well."
He paused, met her gaze.His eyes were calm — not burning with admiration like before.
"Thanks," he replied. No lingering. No attempt to extend the conversation."See you around."
And just like that, he was gone.
For the first time in a long while…Lin Shuyun felt a flicker of something unfamiliar.
It wasn't jealousy.
Not yet.
But it was curiosity mixed with the faintest hint of… discomfort.
Why am I thinking about him so much?
She shook her head, walking out under the warm yellow lights of the corridor.
It's nothing. Just a passing thought… right?