Chapter 18

The meal was a strange mix of awkwardness and warmth, but even the longest meal had to end eventually.

When the six of them finished eating and got up to clear their trays, Ji Kailan made a rare show of emotion. To everyone else, he still wore his usual aloof, heartthrob expression, but to Shen Boyang—his childhood friend who had grown up beside him—the barely concealed sulkiness in Ji Kailan's eyes was almost tangible.

Shen Boyang let out a quiet sigh inwardly. Twenty-two years, and his best friend had finally fallen for someone for the first time. He might as well lend a hand.

"Qingyan," he spoke up, "since Old Ji and I are both free right now, how about we walk you all back?"

Qin Qingyan turned to look at her three roommates. Jiang Yi and Liu Mengting exchanged a quick glance. They didn't know the full story, but with Ji Kailan's gaze practically glued to Su Louzhi, only a fool would miss it.

Su Louzhi nodded too. She didn't know why—she hadn't known Ji Kailan for long, but she could sense it somehow... he seemed a little reluctant to part?

And so Ji Kailan got a little more time with Su Louzhi.

Even though the two of them didn't speak, just walking side by side.

Building 1 wasn't far from the cafeteria—just a few minutes' walk. Su Louzhi and the others stopped, turning around to say goodbye to Shen Boyang and Ji Kailan.

Ji Kailan took a step forward, standing in front of Su Louzhi. "Zhizhi," he said softly, "get some good rest. Good afternoon."

Su Louzhi's cheeks warmed slightly. She lowered her head, quickly typed out two words, and held up her phone.

【Good afternoon.】

Ji Kailan looked down at the words, then at her faintly flushed face, and let out a low chuckle. "Alright, Zhizhi, go on up."

Su Louzhi nodded, turned, and followed her roommates into the dormitory building.

Ji Kailan stood there, watching her figure disappear around the corner of the stairs.

The moment the door to room 302 clicked shut, Jiang Yi darted forward, blocking Su Louzhi's path to her bed.

"Zhizhi!" She planted her hands on her hips, a sly grin spreading across her face. "Confess and you'll get a lighter sentence! Did you lie to us yesterday?"

Su Louzhi looked bewildered, lowering her head to type: 【What did I lie about?】

Liu Mengting chimed in with a laugh from the side: "Just now, Senior Ji was clearly here for you, wasn't he?"

Jiang Yi nodded vigorously. "Exactly, exactly! And after the meal, the way he looked at you—it was like he wanted to stick to you! And you're telling us there's nothing going on?" She paused, squinting. "Or is it that he's chasing you now, but you haven't agreed yet?"

Su Louzhi was flushed red from being bombarded by the two of them. She quickly typed: 【Senior Ji said that after eating with me every day during this seven-day holiday, it feels a bit off without me now. That's why he came to find me. There's really nothing between us.】

She held her phone up high, looking utterly innocent.

Jiang Yi suddenly leaned in, eyes locked on hers. "Alright, Zhizhi, I believe you. There's really nothing between you two right now."

She stepped back, grinning meaningfully. "But that might not be the case later."

Su Louzhi blinked, completely clueless.

Liu Mengting looked at her expression, mildly surprised. "Zhizhi... you're not telling me you don't understand love at all, are you?"

Su Louzhi kept staring back at her, blank-faced.

Qin Qingyan frowned slightly from the side and spoke softly, "Zhizhi, actually, I think Jiang Yi and Mengting have a point."

She walked over to Su Louzhi, her tone gentle. "I don't know Ji Kailan very well, but even I can tell he's unusually warm toward you."

"You didn't know him before the National Day holiday, so you might not know what he's usually like." Qin Qingyan paused. "But we told you about the forum posts yesterday. You should have looked them up by now, right?"

Su Louzhi nodded.

"Then you must have seen," Qin Qingyan continued, "whether it's the 'cold heartthrob' people describe on the forum, or the 'hard to get along with' I mentioned—those descriptions are completely different from the gentle Senior Ji you've met, aren't they?"

Su Louzhi froze.

"The way he treats you so well, so gently," Qin Qingyan said, looking at her with a hint of worry, "if it's not because he's after something, then what else could it be?"

She let out a soft sigh. "It's hard not to think that Ji Kailan has taken a liking to you."

Su Louzhi was utterly stunned.

Senior Ji... likes her?

How could that be?

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Her mind went completely blank.

Qin Qingyan, seeing her completely dumbfounded state, frowned like a worried mother hen. She was about to say more when Jiang Yi suddenly jumped in.

"Alright, alright, Qingyan!" She grabbed Qin Qingyan's arm. "Let's not push Zhizhi. She clearly doesn't have a clue!"

She winked at Su Louzhi. "We'll let you off for now, Zhizhi. We'll wait patiently for you to grow up! And if not, the three of us will help keep an eye out for you!"

Qin Qingyan frowned, but eventually nodded.

After being released by her three roommates, Su Louzhi was still dazed.

But she couldn't just stand in the middle of the dorm like a statue, so she quietly climbed into bed, tucked herself under the covers, and stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

They said Ji Kailan had taken a liking to her.

Taken a liking to her?

She didn't quite understand.

Her previous life hadn't been great, but it had taught her a few things.

She'd known since she was little that she was good-looking. That wasn't vanity—it was the truth. From kindergarten on, people would point at her and say, "That pretty little girl." Teachers liked her, and classmates enjoyed stealing extra glances at her.

But she also knew that being pretty wasn't a shield.

Her mother had been a great beauty too. Too proud to marry any of those rich old geezers or unattractive trust-fund brats, she'd ultimately chosen her father—a man who was equally handsome.

Handsome as sin, and poor as dirt.

The early years were probably sweet, at least. She could still vaguely recall some fuzzy images from before she turned three: her father spinning her around, her mother laughing beside them.

After she turned three, those images vanished, replaced only by arguments.

They fought over money. They fought over day-to-day expenses. They fought over "you ruined my life."

And then they got divorced.

Neither of them wanted her—she was baggage, and carrying a child made it harder to find a new partner.

So Su Louzhi became a child no one wanted.

At school, her beauty made her the center of attention. But children's innocence could be cruel, and a pretty girl with no parents to back her up was the perfect target for bullying.

She had met kind people—truly she had. She still remembered those moments of warmth.

But she couldn't forget the bullying either.

So she never learned how to interact with classmates normally. Nor did she know what a normal marriage between husband and wife should look like.

She thought Ji Kailan treating her well was just how a senior treated a junior.

But now—

Her phone screen lit up.

Su Louzhi tapped it open. It was a message from Ji Kailan.

【J: Zhizhi, I checked your schedule. You don't have class this afternoon. How about I pick you up and take you out to play?】

She stared at the line, pressed her lips together, and typed: 【Silent Little Tail: Okay, Senior.】

After seven days of the holiday together, Ji Kailan had already figured out her routine. He knew when she would wake from her nap. Sure enough, another message popped up soon after: 【J: Then I'll wait for you downstairs at your dorm at three. Okay?】

Su Louzhi pressed her lips together again and typed once more: 【Silent Little Tail: Okay, Senior.】

Su Louzhi woke up at half past two as usual, lounged in bed for a few minutes, then slowly got up, washed up, and changed. By the time she was ready, the phone screen read 2:50 PM.

She thought it over and decided to head down early.

What if Ji Kailan arrived first?

But when she got downstairs, he was already standing there.

Sunlight fell across his shoulders, making him look like he'd stepped straight out of a painting.

Su Louzhi hurried over, stopped in front of him, looked up, and gazed at him with bright eyes.

Ji Kailan heard her footsteps and looked up. Seeing it was her, his brows curved into a smile immediately. "Zhizhi, no need to rush."

Su Louzhi lowered her head to type quickly: 【Senior Ji, sorry to keep you waiting.】

Ji Kailan glanced at it and chuckled lightly. "Waiting? I came early. And Zhizhi didn't make me wait long at all."

Su Louzhi didn't plan to trade pleasantries with him, so she kept typing: 【Where is Senior taking me to play?】

Ji Kailan curved his lips. "How about the amusement park?"

Su Louzhi looked up, a little surprised.

"The National Day holiday just ended, so there should be fewer people. It'll be more comfortable to enjoy," Ji Kailan explained. "It's about half an hour's drive from here. Does Zhizhi want to go?"

The amusement park.

Su Louzhi's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

She'd never been to an amusement park before.

She nodded firmly.

Ji Kailan, seeing her eagerly expectant expression, smiled even deeper. "Let's go, I'll drive you there."

Su Louzhi settled into the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt. The car slowly pulled out of the school gate, the street scenes outside beginning to recede. Only then did she belatedly recall what her three roommates had said before her nap.

Ji Kailan had taken a liking to her.

Suddenly, she felt a twinge of guilt, and her hands unconsciously tightened on the seatbelt.

During a red light, Ji Kailan turned his head and caught sight of her slightly tense profile.

"Zhizhi, what's wrong?"

Su Louzhi shook her head.

He was driving; safety came first. She could talk about it later.

Ji Kailan seemed to understand her meaning.

"There's a place ahead where I can park," he said. "Do you need me to stop?"

Su Louzhi hesitated for a moment.

What if they got to the amusement park and she brought it up, things turned awkward, and they couldn't enjoy themselves—wouldn't that just waste the long drive?

She gave a small nod.

Ji Kailan turned the car into an open-air parking lot.

It was a small park, with lush greenery all around—quiet and nearly empty. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. He parked the car, turned around, and spoke in a warm voice: "Zhizhi, is there something you want to tell me?"

Su Louzhi hesitated for a moment, then gave a small but firm nod.

Ji Kailan, seeing her nervous but mustering her courage, softened his tone further. "Alright, I'm listening. Don't be nervous, Zhizhi."

Su Louzhi took a deep breath, lowered her head to type, her fingers pausing briefly on the screen. She took another deep breath, then lifted her head, met Ji Kailan's eyes, and slowly held the phone screen up to him.

【Senior Ji, have you taken a liking to me?】