Qiao Yuxian went to the cafeteria to buy three breakfasts and returned to the dormitory.
As soon as she entered the dormitory, the three people inside rushed over to her.
Qiao Yuxian handed them the breakfast and said, "No classes in the morning sure feels good."
All four of them in the dorm lived in the Foreign Language Institute, but the other three were in the German major, while she was the only one in the English major.
The three took their breakfasts, and Zhou Yunbing said, "Enjoy it while it lasts during these opening days; you can’t be this lazy every day."
Qiao Yuxian went to her desk, sat down, and turned on her computer.
The three exchanged glances, then synchronously gathered around.
Qiao Yuxian looked up at their gossip-filled eyes: "This is... some juicy news?"
"There’s gossip about you," Zhao Meng said.
The other two nodded.
"About me?" Qiao Yuxian raised an eyebrow.
"Did you sit with Ji Xiaoxiao today?" Han Yangliu asked, "You guys also left class together? Since when did you become so close?"
Qiao Yuxian paused and asked, "Is it on the school forum?"
The three nodded in unison.
Qiao Yuxian: "......"
"Kyoto University’s two campus beauties have reconciled, hand in hand going to class," Zhao Meng said.
"How is this rumor being spread?" Qiao Yuxian said disdainfully, "Who was holding hands?"
Zhou Yunbing pulled up the post on her phone and showed it to Qiao Yuxian. There were a few photos taken at an angle that made it look like they were very close, but the hand-holding part was pure nonsense.
The feud between Qiao Yuxian and Ji Xiaoxiao started a year ago.
After Qiao Yuxian took a break from school, it was just when Ji Xiaoxiao entered university and was titled a campus beauty right off the bat.
And a year ago, when Qiao Yuxian returned, she ended up in the same grade, same department, and even the same class as Ji Xiaoxiao.
The title of campus beauty seemed to be slipping away with her return.
So Ji Xiaoxiao had a lot of hostility towards her.
She often competed with Qiao Yuxian, though it was mostly one-sided provocation, and Qiao Yuxian would just occasionally jab back.
"There are also posts on the forum saying Ji Xiaoxiao is engaged," Zhao Meng said, looking at her phone, "She has a big diamond ring on her hand."
"Let me see, let me see..." Zhou Yunbing and Han Yangliu peeked over.
"Wow, that’s a huge diamond," Zhou Yunbing said.
Zhao Meng added, "Many people are crying because the campus beauty is taken."
Qiao Yuxian’s looks were more alluring, a bit sultry, but with a gentle demeanor that gave off an obedient feel.
Like a charming yet well-behaved beautiful fox.
Ji Xiaoxiao’s appearance was purely innocent, and often, within that innocence was a bit of daze, with an arrogant personality that made her seem not too bright at times.
Han Yangliu looked at her phone on the post too: "Someone says her fiancé’s family is quite powerful, like... the Gu Family."
"The Gu Family?! Could it be Gu Yanjing?" Zhou Yunbing exclaimed in surprise.
Upon hearing a familiar name, Qiao Yuxian looked at the three beside her who were gossiping with an egg pancake in one hand and a phone in the other.
Han Yangliu laughed, "Don’t be silly! How could it be Gu Yanjing? The Gu Family has more than just Gu Yanjing as a man."
Qiao Yuxian had looked into Gu Yanjing in detail.
Gu Yanjing was the eldest grandson of the Gu Family. He had a half-brother a year younger than him and a cousin.
"From a glance, Ji Xiaoxiao looks so gullible, she might foolishly end up marrying Gu Yanjing," Zhou Yunbing retorted.
Qiao Yuxian frowned. That comment... didn’t sit well at all.
"Even a fool wouldn’t marry Gu Yanjing," Han Yangliu said between bites of the egg pancake. "Who’s Gu Yanjing? He killed his parents, harmed his siblings, and most importantly, he’s cursed to lose his wife!"
"What era are you living in with this cursed-wife talk?" Qiao Yuxian countered.
Zhao Meng waggled her index finger in front of her eyes. "He even killed parents; do you think he’d treat his own wife well? Isn’t that being cursed if it’s anything? From his features, I can tell, this guy is... ruthless, cold-blooded, and heartless."
"Have you seen him?" Han Yangliu asked.
Gu Yanjing’s reputation was widespread, the name alone loud enough, but few had actually seen him.
Otherwise, Qiao Yuxian wouldn’t have not known who he was the first time they met.
"Attended a banquet with my dad, I got to see him once," Zhao Meng said, "Really good-looking, the kind that outshines all the showbiz beauties. A heartthrob.
Qiao Yuxian nodded. Finally hearing something agreeable.
"Those long legs, those shoulders, that physique..." Zhao Meng’s fangirling grew stronger, "that waist... must be well-used."
Qiao Yuxian was nodding in agreement, suddenly hearing that, almost twisted her neck, "Ahem..."
"A cold-hearted person like that might have someone die on the bed," Zhao Meng added.
The other two were shocked, staring at Zhao Meng.
Qiao Yuxian also turned to look at her, and suddenly had a shiver from some thought, ears turning red.
She quickly grabbed the water beside her, opened it, and took a sip.
"Just saying," Zhao Meng chuckled.
"What’s the point of money, power, and looks? Marrying into the family, you wouldn’t survive long, couldn’t even spend the money," Zhou Yunbing said.
Qiao Yuxian took small sips of water, feeling somewhat offended.
"Let’s put it this way," Han Yangliu said munching, "Unless someone’s brain is damaged, nobody would think of marrying Gu Yanjing."
Qiao Yuxian: "......"
In their dorm, these three were all locals from the Capital City, each with a better family background than the other. They understood the dynamics and people here well.
Compared to them, Qiao Yuxian was the outsider.
Qiao Yuxian looked at the three, then got up, taking her computer to bed.
"Yu Xian, what are you doing?" Zhou Yunbing asked.
"Taking a nap," Qiao Yuxian said dryly.
Being called an idiot in your conversation topics, better not to join in.
"Oh, we’ll lower our voices then."
In the afternoon, Qiao Yuxian had no classes and spent the whole afternoon in the library.
Checked some emails, collected some literature materials.
Then... grabbed a novel to read, spending over three hours on it.
It wasn’t until 7 p.m. that Aunt Mei called her, prompting her to pack up and get ready to go back to Fenglin Villa.
At the school gate, she realized Meng Yan had driven to pick her up.
Qiao Yuxian saw him, and greeted him with a smile, "Mr. Meng."
Meng Yan stood by the car, opened the door for her, smiling distantly, "Miss Qiao."
Qiao Yuxian gave him a curious look, how did a day apart make him feel so distant.
Meng Yan still smiled, a face saying, "let’s not communicate too much."
Qiao Yuxian took another look at him, got into the car, and as he closed the door, she said, "Thank you."
Both of them were silent along the way, except for Meng Yan’s smile, he seemed muted, saying nothing.
Upon reaching Fenglin Villa, Qiao Yuxian gave Meng Yan a puzzled look, then turned and entered the villa.
"I’m back," Qiao Yuxian called as she changed shoes at the entrance.
After putting her shoes on, into the living room, she realized besides Gu Yanjing, there was another man she hadn’t seen before. Standing in front of Gu Yanjing, seemingly just having reported something.
Her steps halted, the smile on her face dulling a little. Though still smiling softly, the agility had faded from her eyes: "Busy, huh."
Gu Yanjing sat on the sofa, glanced at her, seeing her smile fade slightly, introduced, "Shang Chen."
Shang Chen looked at Gu Yanjing, thinking he was being called, took a moment to realize he was being introduced.
He then looked at Qiao Yuxian, his curiosity growing for this woman he had never seen before.
Qiao Yuxian took a look at Shang Chen.
All black attire, tanned skin, sharp features. Eyes sharp like they could pierce, with a keenness to them and a sharpness that seemed dangerous.
Shang Chen, Gu Yanjing’s top enforcer. Handling matters for Gu Yanjing domestically.
There’s said to be another top enforcer under Gu Yanjing, unknown name, unknown appearance, unknown gender, rarely making an appearance...