Chapter 48:

In the drizzling rain, a sky-blue umbrella drifted through the curtain of rain, like a delicate blue flower swaying in the downpour.

Beneath the umbrella was a girl with long, straight black hair cascading down her back. Her fair skin was complemented by perfectly arched brows, beneath which sparkled a pair of star-like eyes. Her long, upturned lashes fluttered like tiny fans, as if they could tickle one’s heart. She wore a light blue, subtly stylish long-sleeved blouse with ruffled sleeves that extended to her chest, paired with a fitted plaid skirt that matched the blouse. The ensemble exuded both intellect and elegance, embodying a fresh, youthful aesthetic.

This picturesque scene, reminiscent of a drama, captivated many onlookers.

“Who… who is that girl?” Tan Xiaohong nudged his friend’s arm, his eyes filled with admiration.

“Who?” His friend, engrossed in texting his girlfriend—whom he had accidentally upset the day before—temporarily put his phone away and followed Tan Xiaohong’s gaze. “Oh, you mean her?”

“You know her?” Tan Xiaohong grabbed his friend’s sleeve excitedly.

“Why are you so worked up?” His friend eyed him curiously, then smirked as he noticed the lingering admiration in Tan Xiaohong’s eyes. “Ah, so our esteemed scholar Tan has fallen for someone?”

Tan Xiaohong pursed his lips, releasing his grip on his friend’s sleeve and turning away with feigned nonchalance. “What’s wrong with that? I’m not getting any younger. It’s perfectly normal to be interested in someone.”

His friend raised his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright, you’re the boss. Whatever you say!”

But then, a mischievous grin spread across his face. “Since you’re rarely on campus, you might not know—the girl you’ve taken a liking to is quite the celebrity. Her name is Qin Chaoyu, a freshman in the Traditional Chinese Medicine program. She’s ranked second on that boring campus beauty list you despise. So, is she stunning?”

“Yeah, she’s pretty.” Tan Xiaohong, ever the strategist, wanted to gather more information about Qin Chaoyu—whether she was single, her department, her social circle—so he pressed on, “Tell me what you know about her.”

His friend chuckled. “Tan Xiaohong, who would’ve thought? Countless beauties have chased after you, and you’ve always brushed them off. I was starting to think you were either celibate or not into women. But now, here you are, ready to pursue someone!”

Tan Xiaohong shot him an impatient glare. “Xiong Wen, cut the nonsense and get to the point!”

“Fine, fine.” Though usually carefree and fond of teasing Tan Xiaohong, Xiong Wen knew when to be serious. “I don’t know much about her, and most of it’s hearsay, so take it with a grain of salt. But one thing’s for sure—she doesn’t have a boyfriend!”

Hearing that the girl he fancied was single, Tan Xiaohong felt a wave of relief. He had strong principles—if she had been taken, he would never interfere.

“Her medical skills are impressive. During a acupuncture class once, a male classmate had an asthma attack. Witnesses said he was on the verge of collapse when she stepped in and saved him with just a few needles.” Xiong Wen couldn’t hide his admiration. Though he studied computer science and had limited knowledge of TCM, he understood the difficulty of mastering acupuncture. “Oh, and that class was taught by Professor Wei Bolan. He later said even he might not have done better than Qin Chaoyu.”

Tan Xiaohong’s admiration for Qin Chaoyu deepened. His gaze fixed firmly on the direction she had disappeared, as if he had already made up his mind.

Meanwhile, Qin Chaoyu remained unaware that her rainy stroll had captured someone’s heart. Returning to her dorm, she shook the umbrella at the door to let the water drip off before placing it on the floor to dry.

The dorm was empty—her roommate, Bai Pengpeng, hadn’t returned yet.

As soon as she entered, Tuantuan, her pet, leaped excitedly at her feet, bouncing up and down to express his joy at her return.

Qin Chaoyu tossed her bag aside and scooped up Tuantuan, tapping his head affectionately. “Missed me, little one?”

Tuantuan stretched his paws onto her shoulders, nuzzling her chin playfully.

Qin Chaoyu couldn’t resist his antics. She kissed his head and chuckled. “Alright, alright, you win.”

Assuming Tuantuan was hungry, she retrieved some of his favorite pine nuts from her spatial storage and placed them on the table, setting him down beside them. “Eat up. Let me know if you want more.”

Using her mind to retrieve items from her spatial storage was a skill Qin Chaoyu had discovered by accident. She liked keeping cash there for convenience and security. Once, while shopping, she realized her wallet was empty and her card had no funds. Desperate, she focused on retrieving money—and suddenly, it appeared in her wallet. Though startled, she paid quickly and later experimented with the ability.

After repeated trials, she learned she could summon objects with her mind, even specifying their landing spot—as long as it wasn’t too far. However, heavier items or excessive use would cause headaches, limiting her daily retrieval frequency.

Over time, though, her capacity improved. She could retrieve more items more often, and even her memory and comprehension sharpened—a delightful discovery. Now, she frequently used this ability.

After tending to Tuantuan, Qin Chaoyu pulled back the curtains, fetched a chair, and settled by the window with a book, listening to the soothing patter of rain as she read.

Time slipped away unnoticed, and soon, winter in Yuzhou gave way to spring.

Spring in Yuzhou was notoriously fickle—locals joked it was like experiencing all four seasons in a day, with temperatures and weather shifting unpredictably. Rain was frequent; within a month of spring’s arrival, Yuzhou had already seen over a dozen rainy spells, some lasting days.

Many disliked living in Yuzhou for this reason, but Qin Chaoyu adapted well. Having lived near forests before, she was accustomed to humidity.

In truth, she loved rainy days—not torrential downpours, but gentle drizzles. The sound of rain made reading or napping feel magical.

For a while, the dorm was quiet save for the rustling of pages and Tuantuan’s munching.

*Bang!*

The door swung open violently, startling Qin Chaoyu. She turned to see Qian Fangyuan at the entrance.

“Chaoyu, did I disturb you?” Qian Fangyuan apologized upon noticing Qin Chaoyu’s book.

Qin Chaoyu set the book down with a smile. “Not at all. I was just about to take a break.”

Relieved, Qian Fangyuan sighed and resolved to be gentler with the door in the future.

She tossed her bag onto her desk and collapsed into her chair, exhausted.

“Fangyuan, why so tired? Class just ended,” Qin Chaoyu remarked.

“Just ended? Chaoyu, you must’ve lost track of time!” Qian Fangyuan sat up, pointing at her phone. “It’s been over two hours since class!”

“Ah?” Qin Chaoyu shook her head, helpless about her time-blindness when reading. “You’re right.”

“Typical you—once you start reading, everything else fades. A true bookworm!” Qian Fangyuan rolled her eyes, then groaned. “Ugh, these club meetings are killing me. Two hours of sitting there, forced to listen—it’s exhausting.”

She rubbed her stiff shoulders and neck. “Everything hurts.”

Unable to help with her commitments, Qin Chaoyu offered, “Let me give you a massage. You’ll feel brand-new afterward.”

“Really?” Qian Fangyuan perked up. “Come on, then—I’m ready for some pampering!”

Qin Chaoyu stood behind her, rolled up her sleeves, and began massaging with practiced ease.

She had learned the skill while caring for her ailing master. Bedridden in his final days, he suffered from poor circulation, so she studied medical texts and practiced on dummies and herself to perfect the technique. Gifted with a knack for it, she soon mastered the art and massaged him daily to ease his discomfort.

After half an hour, Qin Chaoyu stepped back. “Better?”

Qin Fangyuan exhaled contentedly. “Chaoyu, you’re amazing! All my fatigue’s gone—so relaxing!”

“Glad it helped.”

Suddenly, Qian Fangyuan grinned smugly. “Heh, I got a Chaoyu special massage. Bai Pengpeng hasn’t—something to rub in her face!”

Qin Chaoyu shrugged, staying out of their playful rivalry.

Meanwhile, at Changhua Hotel, Bai Pengpeng sat grumpily in a corner, watching the mingling crowd.

*Why do I have to be at this boring event?*

Just as she considered sneaking out, a voice she loathed rang out:

“Well, well, Bai Pengpeng, hiding in the corner? Where’s your entourage?”