At Orion City University, the morning sun cast a warm glow over the campus, filtering through the gaps between the buildings and the neatly lined trees along the pathways. Students hurried to their classes; some sat on benches, flipping through their textbooks, while others walked quickly, chatting with friends. Amid this bustling morning, a young woman ran lightly, her steps quick and graceful, chasing after a young man walking ahead.
The girl, Su Yiran, had a delicate and captivating face. Her long black hair swayed gently in the breeze, and her bright eyes sparkled with determination, tinged with a hint of nervousness. Each step she took was urgent, and her breaths had begun to grow shallow from the sudden sprint. Ahead of her, Li Wen walked calmly, his simple yet tidy clothing giving him an effortless elegance. His handsome face carried a serene expression, seemingly unbothered by the chaos around him.
"Wen, wait!" Su Yiran called, her voice soft but carrying far enough to catch his attention.
Li Wen stopped and glanced back, offering a faint smile. "What's up, Yiran?" he asked, his tone casual, yet his eyes showed genuine attentiveness.
"I… I want to return the anatomy book I borrowed from you yesterday," Su Yiran replied, trying to steady her breath as she held the slightly heavy volume in her hands. Her cheeks glowed pink from both exertion and nervousness.
Li Wen took the book and flipped through a few neatly stacked pages before looking back at her. "Thank you, Yiran. You didn't have to run all the way here just for that," he said, his voice warm, almost teasing.
Su Yiran smiled shyly, her fingers brushing the edge of the book. Over the past few months, her feelings for Li Wen had quietly grown. Every time she saw him, her pulse seemed to quicken, yet an obstacle weighed heavily on her heart: her parents had already arranged her engagement to another man. Zhao Yan, her betrothed, was charming and playful, with a polished exterior. To everyone, he seemed charismatic and confident, but Yiran knew the truth — his nature was far less serious than it appeared.
She gazed at Li Wen for a fleeting moment, then quickly looked away, struggling to suppress the conflicting emotions swirling inside her. "I… I have to go now," she said softly, trying to sound casual, though her heart raced with turmoil.
Li Wen's expression flickered with concern, his brows knitting slightly. "Alright. Be careful, Yiran," he said, his tone gentle yet protective.
Su Yiran nodded in return, walking away more slowly now, as if trying to savor the brief encounter. Beneath her polite smile, she felt a sharp pang of confusion. This short meeting with Li Wen had only stirred her emotions further. Torn between her duty to her family and the feelings blossoming in her own heart, Yiran realized she stood at a crossroads with no easy way forward.
The sun had climbed higher by midday, and the heat began to press against skin with a dry, persistent weight. Campus life hummed with the ordinary rhythms of student afternoons: the low clatter of cups in the canteen, distant laughter, the clack of footsteps on stone.
"Boss, I saw your fiancée earlier," said Wang San, leaning forward with a grin that had too much mischief and too little sympathy in it. "She was with Li Wen. They seemed—well, close. I think Li Wen fancies her."
Zhao Yan's expression shifted like a darkening sky. "San, are you saying that for real?" he asked, and the calm in his voice trembled at the edges.
"Seriously, boss. I saw them myself," added Chen Bo, the other friend, who always matched Wang San's tone with eagerness. "They were talking and laughing. Pretty friendly."
A cold smile surfaced on Zhao Yan's lips, a smile that did not reach his eyes. "That rascal from the countryside has the nerve to tail my fiancée," Zhao Yan said, his voice low and dangerous. "I'll make him regret it for as long as he breathes."
"Both of you come with me," Zhao Yan ordered, rising as if pulled by a single taut string. The three of them left the canteen in a knot of purpose, the rest of campus blurring into background noise.