Chapter 15: Happiness Once Again, Chi

“What are you thinking about?”

Qin Yichi’s low, magnetic voice sounded, slowly pulling her back from her thoughts.

By the time Qiao Zhen returned to her senses, Qin Yichi had already finished off an entire basket of soup dumplings, popping one into his mouth after another at lightning speed.

“…Nothing,” Qiao Zhen mumbled, lowering her head as she began to eat slowly.

The soup dumplings from this cafeteria were particularly delicious—delicate in appearance, and the happiest moment was biting off a small piece to sip the hot soup inside. The skin was thin, the filling generous, and each bite was fragrant and savory.

When Qiao Zhen had eaten four or five, she noticed the person across from her had already finished everything.

She sneaked a glance at Qin Yichi, her gaze quietly landing on him.

The man’s posture was lazy and casual, exuding a wild and unruly charm in every gesture, making it hard to guess his emotions. Those deep, fox-like eyes seemed a bit fierce and difficult to approach, yet the teardrop mole under his right eye added a trace of tenderness, softening his features.

It was an uncanny sort of attractiveness.

This guy—her husband in her previous life, her destined soulmate?

As the man’s gaze slowly shifted toward her, Qiao Zhen immediately lowered her eyes, blinking as she tried to appear nonchalant.

But when Qin Yichi turned his head away, lost in thought, Qiao Zhen couldn’t help but sneak another look at him.

He tapped his fingers idly on the table—long and slender, with a restrained elegance.

Like a crouching beast, patiently waiting for its prey.

A few seconds later, the corners of his lips seemed to curve slightly, and he glanced at her with an inexplicable hint of fondness.

Qiao Zhen quickly withdrew her gaze, continuing to eat her dumplings with feigned composure, nervously sipping her milk tea.

After several rounds of this, her mood rose and fell like a roller coaster, swinging back and forth, though she wasn’t sure what she was so guilty about.

Suddenly, Qin Yichi laughed, leaning back lazily in his chair and calling her name, “Qiao Zhen.”

Her eyelid twitched, and she answered obediently, “Yes?”

After a moment, seeing that he was only smiling without speaking, a vague sense of unease crept over her, and she tightened her grip on her chopsticks.

“Why are you laughing?”

Qin Yichi propped his chin on one hand, lowering his voice as he fixed his eyes on her. “Do you know that when you sneak glances at people, it’s really obvious?”

Qiao Zhen: “?”

???

Caught in the act by the very person she was watching, she stared in embarrassment, her breath catching for a couple of seconds, and her ears began to burn.

Was it really that obvious?

She’d thought she was hiding it well.

Qiao Zhen couldn’t help but feel deflated, lowering her head to finish the last two dumplings, not daring to look up again.

Qin Yichi’s gaze lingered on her, focused and intent.

Today, Qiao Zhen wore something simple—a pale yellow knit sweater with light blue jeans, her single braid draped over her right shoulder. She looked pure and gentle, like a camellia blossom bathed in the spring breeze.

She ate quietly and obediently, taking small, delicate bites, her lips rosy and glistening.

Qin Yichi found himself staring at her mouth for a few seconds, then awkwardly looked away, his throat suddenly dry.

His phone buzzed—several messages from the dorm group chat.

Niu Yaowang (Niu Yifeng): [Yo yo yo, guess who I ran into at lunch today~~~]

[Photo message]

In the picture, the girl was quietly eating, her expression gentle, while the boy across from her looked down slightly, propping his chin as he watched her, the corners of his lips faintly lifted.

The photo was a bit blurry, as if covered in a soft, dreamy filter.

Zhang Yuge (Zhang Yu): [Is Chi making the first move?]

Niu Yaowang: [Living the happy life again, Chi!]

Qin Yichi replied with a laughing “Get lost,” but then pressed his finger on the photo, saving it in silence.

At the same time, someone else in the corner had also snapped a photo of the two of them together.

On the dim stairwell.

A boy suddenly shouted in surprise, “Hey, Ji Shao, look at this!”

Ji Xian frowned slightly, staring at him with a blank expression.

The boy scratched his head and explained, “Qiao Zhen went to eat with another guy again.”

The next second, with a sharp “crack,” Ji Xian stopped in his tracks—his glass cup shattering on the ground.

“What?”

His mood was clearly terrible, chilling to the bone.

The boy, understanding, immediately enlarged the photo, bringing his phone closer. “My friend took this—Qiao Zhen went to eat with another guy again!”

Ji Xian stared at the smile on Qiao Zhen’s face in the photo, his gaze cold as ice, more terrifying than a blade.

At that moment, a boy named Zhou Tiantian muttered quietly, “She’s already turned us down before. I guess she’s not coming back, is she?”

Hearing this, Ji Xian’s expression darkened, his tone icy and certain, enunciating each word: “Impossible.”

Qiao Zhen liked him so much, had chased after him for so many years—how could she just leave?

Yu Wenjian, standing beside him, snorted disdainfully. “She’s just playing hard to get, bro. Don’t take it seriously. Next Monday is your birthday—if we don’t invite her, she’ll definitely freak out.”

Another boy chimed in, “Yeah, I overheard that Qiao Zhen’s birthday gift for you this year is a hand-knitted scarf—khaki, I think.”

As soon as he spoke, the group burst into laughter.

“That’s hilarious—who knits scarves these days?”

Someone snickered, “So cheap!”

But Ji Xian’s frown slowly eased, and the emotion in his eyes grew softer.

As expected, Qiao Zhen couldn’t leave him.

…

That afternoon, the camphor trees along the road at Beijing University were lush and green, sunlight filtering through the branches to paint delicate, shimmering patterns on the ground.

Inside the café, there were a series of private rooms.

After ordering two slices of mousse cake, Qiao Zhen added a latte for Qin Yichi.

With an air of magnanimity, she patted her chest and declared, “My treat!”

Seeing her insist, Qin Yichi didn’t refuse—he just smiled lazily, his voice indulgent: “Alright, I’ll let you spoil me this once.”

Qiao Zhen took out study materials meant for middle schoolers, determined to fully understand every question—her conscience wouldn’t allow otherwise.

But as she worked, drowsiness crept in.

Why did studying always make her sleepy? How annoying…

The little room was peaceful, faint strains of piano music drifting in, making her feel inexplicably cheerful and relaxed.

Qin Yichi opened his study materials, preparing for the advanced mathematics competition.

He bent his head silently over the pages, face calm as he worked on calculus problems.

But while he usually solved these questions in no time, more than half an hour passed and he hadn’t written a word.

His gaze kept drifting toward the girl sitting across from him. She fought sleep, propping her head up as she struggled to stay awake, wavering between dozing off and waking up—adorable.

Qin Yichi swallowed, forcing himself to look away and finally put pen to paper—only to realize there was no ink.

He’d been holding the pen upside down…

After laboring over a single problem for ages, his mind wandered, and he found himself glancing at Qiao Zhen.

She was fast asleep, her head pillowed on her arms.

She must have been exhausted—her breathing was even, her skin white as snow, one cheek pressed into a soft mound, long lashes curled and thick, her whole air serene and captivating, innocence incarnate.

It was as though a tiny hammer was beating in Qin Yichi’s chest, making his heart race uncontrollably.

Qiao Zhen had no idea how radiant she was, how wonderful.

But Qin Yichi knew.

The girl frowned in her sleep, as if suffering some great grievance, whispering in a daze, “…Yuan.”

It seemed she was having a nightmare.

Qin Yichi didn’t catch it and leaned in slightly, asking, “What was that?”