Chapter 4: The Exceptionally Handsome Senior

Lu Qingyue blinked, increasingly convinced that this man was dissolute and unruly. Yet, she couldn't muster even the slightest aversion toward him.

Because the face before her was, quite frankly, the absolute embodiment of her aesthetic ideal.

What principles can a face-enthusiast possibly uphold? Naturally, she follows wherever fine features lead!

Even with her brother sitting right beside her, Lu Yi was busy chatting with Chen Shujie and paid no attention to the silent exchange of glances happening nearby.

Lu Qingyue’s curiosity remained unsatisfied; she knew she wouldn't sleep tonight. Gathering her courage, she met the deep, obsidian gaze across from her and asked in a quiet voice,

“There’s a rumor that the medical school at Jiang University has two outrageously handsome seniors. Are you one of them?”

No sooner had she spoken than Cheng Xingye raised his brows in mild surprise.

He hadn’t expected her to be so forthright.

Most people, when confronted with such direct praise, would show a modicum of modesty.

But he simply leaned back, arms folded, chin tilted up with a lazy swagger, as if to accept the title without protest.

His demeanor only piqued Lu Qingyue’s curiosity further, prompting her to ask,

“And who’s the other one?”

Cheng Xingye’s brows arched slightly.

Sitting right here before you, and you’re still concerned about the other one? Isn’t this the same as eating from your bowl while eyeing the pot?

Before he could answer, Lu Yi gave a discreet cough beside them.

But Lu Qingyue, wholly absorbed in the man across from her, ignored her brother’s attempts to catch her attention.

She blinked her wide, guileless eyes, asking with great earnestness,

“Is he even better looking than you?”

Frankly, she found it hard to believe that a university could boast not one, but two men with looks like his.

Did they save the universe in their past lives?

Yet, Cheng Xingye fell silent at her question.

How was he supposed to respond to that?

Men have their pride—not out of vanity, but because when matched in looks, none would concede the other’s superiority.

Cheng Xingye touched the tip of his nose, pondering how to answer without betraying his own confidence.

Lu Yi coughed twice more—“Cough, cough.”

Lu Qingyue remained focused on Cheng Xingye, chin resting in her palm, eyes bright with anticipation, entirely oblivious to her brother’s increasingly desperate signals.

Seeing his sister so oblivious, Lu Yi rolled his eyes and finally reached over to tousle her hair roughly.

Annoyed, Lu Qingyue turned to him, hair in disarray.

“What’s wrong, brother?”

Lu Yi’s jaw tightened as he looked at her, a half-smile playing at his lips, eyes full of unspoken meaning.

Lu Qingyue blinked in confusion. “Did you catch a cold?”

Lu Yi: “...”

She could see his exasperation, but still failed to grasp his intent. Only when she caught Cheng Xingye’s meaningful glance from the corner of her eye did realization dawn, her eyes widening in surprise.

“It’s you? You’re the other one?”

Lu Yi finally huffed, neither admitting nor denying, but leaned back with an air of arrogance, chin lifted, as if to claim the title.

Lu Qingyue drew a sharp breath, incredulous.

“Are your standards for ‘campus heartthrob’ a bit too lenient?”

Lu Yi: “...”

The weather’s turning cold; perhaps it’s time to bury this unwanted sister...

This time, Lu Qingyue caught on quickly. Noticing the dangerous glint in her brother’s eyes and recalling the afternoon’s training, she hurried to apologize before Lu Yi could act.

“...Sorry, brother.

Maybe I’ve just known you too long—I’m a little aesthetically fatigued.”

Lu Yi’s face was grim with impatience. He grabbed his tray and walked off without another word.

Chen Shujie hadn’t expected such drama between siblings over a meal, and stared after Lu Yi’s retreating figure in disbelief. After a moment, he turned back.

“Little sister, your brother seems upset.”

Lu Qingyue was well aware that her brother was annoyed. She sighed with practiced indifference.

“Is it really such a big deal?”

So she hadn’t recognized him as the other outrageously handsome senior—was that such a crime?

After growing up together, even the most aesthetically pleasing face would lose its impact.

Lu Qingyue quietly finished her soup and, wiping her mouth, suddenly looked up to meet Cheng Xingye’s gaze with utter sincerity.

“I really do think you’re better looking than he is.”

Cheng Xingye, sitting across from her and still half a head taller, lowered his lashes at her words, an inexplicable urge to laugh rising within him.

This girl was disarmingly direct.

The soft glow of the overhead fluorescent lamp cast gentle light over his youthful features, making them seem even milder.

Yet when he spoke, his voice remained as lazy and irreverent as ever.

“I think so too.”

Chen Shujie: “???”

----------------------

She’d thought that after offending the drill instructor, her afternoon would be nothing short of a disaster.

To her surprise, Lu Yi treated her no differently than he did the others—his expectations were the same, no favors shown, but also no special punishments.

The two of them passed the afternoon without incident.

During a break, Zhou Tingting and Hu Qiuyue gathered around, gazing at the man crouched at the front of the formation with starry-eyed admiration.

“Qingyue, is Instructor Lu really your brother? He’s just too handsome!”

Lu Qingyue shuffled closer to the shade, trying to hide beneath the trees.

“You call that handsome? I think he’s pretty average. And could you stop calling me ‘little Qingyue’? Every time you do, I feel like I should crack a joke or something.”

Zhou Tingting burst out laughing, poking her cheek—so soft that even girls couldn’t resist.

While Lu Yi was distracted on his phone, Zhou Tingting stole another glance and only grew more convinced: their instructor’s looks were simply unparalleled.

“You call that ‘average’? Then find someone extraordinary for us!”

Extraordinary... she really did know someone like that.

Lu Qingyue couldn’t help but recall the long-legged fellow who’d sat across from her at lunch—clear eyes, striking features, a voice always tinged with lazy allure, restrained yet roguish.

But she only knew him as the chief instructor; his name remained a mystery.

She glanced around but didn’t spot the person she hoped to see. Withdrawing her gaze, she replied airily,

“I really do know someone leagues above my brother.”

She remembered the nickname Lu Yi had given him and added,

“But he doesn’t have the best reputation—my brother calls him a ‘playboy’.”

A playboy: someone adept at keeping ambiguous relationships with the opposite sex.

Lu Qingyue wasn’t particularly surprised. With looks like his, even if he didn’t take the initiative, girls would surely line up for a chance to date him.

Yet Zhou Tingting and Hu Qiuyue’s enthusiasm evaporated at once, disappointment written all over their faces.

“Oh... never mind if he’s a playboy.”

Lu Qingyue was puzzled. “What’s wrong with a playboy? Even a heartbreaker can turn over a new leaf, can’t they?”

Zhou Tingting tutted and replied with seasoned detachment,

“You’ve read too many romance novels if you think you’d be special to him.”

Lu Qingyue had never imagined she’d be special in his eyes.

But wouldn’t a fling with someone like that be thrilling?

......

Military training at Jiang University’s affiliated high school lasted a week—neither too long nor too short.

Over those days, Lu Qingyue occasionally caught sight of Cheng Xingye on the field.

Wherever he went, he drew every gaze, dazzling and radiant.

But he never seemed to notice her again; whenever he passed her class’s formation, his eyes never strayed, so different from the teasing man who’d once joked about chasing away her ‘flies.’

By week’s end, the once-vibrant students were wilted like frost-bitten eggplants, drained and listless.

At last, the final day arrived.

For the report performance on the last day, only the performing teams had to rehearse; the other classes were free of training.

Lu Yi had been called to instruct the neighboring class in self-defense and hadn’t been seen all morning.

With the instructor absent, a certain little troublemaker grew restless.

“Want to go get some fish balls?” Lu Qingyue whispered, nudging Zhou Tingting.

Zhou Tingting, idly plucking grass, was immediately tempted.

So, the two of them hunched over and sneaked out of line.

All the performance teams were gathered near the stadium entrance, making that exit too conspicuous.

Luckily, the wall beside the field wasn’t very tall. Having been classmates since middle school, they’d scaled it countless times, and now scrambled up with practiced ease.

Dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves.

Lu Qingyue peeked over the wall, estimating the drop on the other side.

The field was built on a slope—the wall looked manageable from inside, but outside, it was half a meter higher.

At sixteen, Lu Qingyue still stood at the 163 centimeters she’d measured in ninth grade. But the thought of piping-hot fish balls from the convenience store pushed all doubts aside. She closed her eyes and jumped—

Sunlight sparkled, flowers bloomed, all seemed delightful in imagination.

Reality, though, was much harsher.

Instead of a graceful landing, she tumbled forward and landed with a thud, knees hitting the roots of a thick tree. Wincing in pain, she curled up, resembling a mortified quail offering prayer to the tree.

She already felt humiliated enough, having taken such a spill in front of her friend.

But she’d forgotten: in life, one must never underestimate just how much worse luck can get.

Because the next second, a familiar voice floated down from above, colored with amusement and lazy mischief,

“Little Dot Lu?”