The morning sun spilled gently across the courtyard, its golden light carrying the faintest hint of spring. It stretched through the carved lattice windows, scattering patterns of light and shadow across the stone floor. Though the air was still crisp enough to nip at the skin, the sharp bite of winter was softening, as though the season itself was loosening its grip. Days were growing longer, and with each sunrise the frost that clung stubbornly to the tiled roofs and bare branches surrendered more quickly, melting into fine beads of water that glistened like pearls before dripping softly onto the ground below.
A faint fragrance of damp earth rose from the flowerbeds along the courtyard walls, mingling with the scent of sun-warmed pine. From the eaves, icicles that had once hung like daggers now thinned into delicate glass threads, breaking and falling with gentle plinks into the stone basins beneath. Birds, braver with each passing day, hopped along the rooftops and branches, chirping with a liveliness that carried a promise: winter's rule was waning, and spring was waiting just beyond the corner.
Jia Lan stirred awake far earlier than she would have liked, curling under her warm quilt with a groan. "College… when will I finally graduate? How is it possible that getting up so early every day feels like a punishment worse than exams?" she muttered into her pillow.
Her thoughts wandered lazily as she sat up, rubbing her eyes. Despite her complaints, she swung her legs off the bed, padded across the room, and began her morning routine. Teeth brushed, face washed, skincare carefully patted on her reflection in the mirror rewarded her effort with a glow. She tilted her head, adjusted her collar, and smiled at herself.
"Beautiful as always. Who wouldn't fall in love with me?" she teased her reflection, amused by her own vanity.
From the courtyard came Aunt Li's familiar voice, carrying the authority only years of looking after others could provide. "Lan Lan! Breakfast is ready! Don't dawdle, or you'll be late!"
Jia Lan sighed, giving the mirror one last glance before heading out.
At the dining table, the steam of hot porridge and freshly fried dough greeted her. She sat down, savoring the warmth of the food against the cool morning. Aunt Li, bustling in and out with dishes, decided breakfast was the perfect time to chat.
"I heard so much about Shen Mingrui from Aunt Mu," Aunt Li began casually. "They say he's steady, focused, a smart man who'll have a bright future. But after seeing him yesterday…" she trailed off, shaking her head with a chuckle.
Jia Lan nearly choked on her porridge. Wiping her lips with a napkin, she gave Aunt Li a look of disbelief. "Steady? Focused? Smart? Auntie, Grandma Mu must be blind in love for her grandson. What I saw was a blundering fool who nearly flattened me on the road! He's nothing more than a… a idiot man in disguise.Imagine...if I hadn't caught myself yesterday, we'd both have been rolling on the street like comedy performers!"
Aunt Li's lips twitched, her eyes full of suppressed laughter. "Lan Lan, you do exaggerate," she teased gently.
"Exaggerate?!" Jia Lan stabbed at her fried dough stick dramatically. "That man's words came out like a waterfall, one after another, without sense or pause! I felt like I was in a recruitment interview..only he was recruiting me into his army of ridiculous people."
Aunt Li chuckled softly, wisely deciding not to press further.
Aunt Li laughed softly at her indignation but didn't argue further.
Finishing her meal, Jia Lan stood, adjusted her satchel, and walked to the gate where her bicycle was waiting. She mounted it with practiced ease, waved goodbye to Aunt Li, and began pedaling toward the college.
The city was already awake: shopkeepers sweeping their storefronts, office workers hurrying with briefcases, children chasing each other on their way to school. Sunlight streamed over the roofs, scattering warmth across the bustling streets. Jia Lan wove through the rhythm of morning life, her heart steady despite the chaos around her.Children chased each other on their way to school, laughter ringing out over the clatter of bicycle bells. Vendors pushed carts heavy with vegetables, shouting prices in loud voices that blended into the melody of the morning.
Jia Lan pedaled through it all, her hair lifting slightly in the breeze, her cheeks flushed pink from the cold air. Sunlight streamed over the roofs, scattering warmth across the bustling streets, catching on her profile as if the entire city paused to glance her way.
"Another day, another battle," she muttered to herself, though she couldn't help the faint smile tugging at her lips as she pedaled faster, hair fluttering behind her.
Jia Lan pedaled her way to the college gates, locked her bicycle neatly, and stepped inside. The campus was buzzing with life—students clutching books as they hurried to class, laughter spilling out from little clusters gathered under the bare branches, the sound of leather shoes and cloth soles mingling on the stone paths.
When she reached her building, the hallways were already crowded, but as soon as she walked in, something subtle shifted. People automatically moved aside, their gazes following her with a mixture of admiration and curiosity. Jia Lan, used to this by now, offered a polite, reserved smile, acknowledging them without slowing her pace.
"Lan Lan!" A cheerful voice called. Lin Yu jogged up beside her, her braid bouncing with each step. "I thought you'd oversleep today after coming back from break!"
"How could I dare?" Jia Lan teased lightly, adjusting the strap of her satchel. "First day back, if I come late, Professor Chen will scold me until my ears fall off."
Lin Yu laughed, covering her mouth. "That's true. He has a special kind of scolding just for you."
As the two chatted and walked side by side toward their classroom, Jia Lan's gaze flicked ahead and landed on Bai Xue.
Bai Xue was leaning casually against the wall outside the classroom, flanked by two girls from their year. Her arms were crossed, lips curved in a smirk that didn't reach her eyes. The moment Jia Lan appeared, Bai Xue's gaze sharpened with that familiar hostility, as though the mere sight of her ruined her morning.
Jia Lan blinked. For a moment, she truly couldn't place her. Then she turned to Lin Yu, lowering her voice.
"Who's that again?"
Lin Yu stopped mid-step, staring at her like she'd grown a second head. "You're kidding me, right?"
Jia Lan tilted her head innocently. "No, really. I can't remember."
Lin Yu's jaw dropped. "That's Bai Xue. Your dorm roommate. The one who's been glaring holes into your back since the day you moved in."
"Oh." Jia Lan let out a soft, airy "ah" as though she'd just recalled a distant acquaintance. "So that's who she is. I honestly forgot."
Lin Yu nearly tripped over her own feet, grabbing Jia Lan's sleeve. "Lan Lan, do you mean to tell me you've been living in the same dorm with her for over a year and you don't even remember her name?"
"Names are like passing clouds," Jia Lan replied serenely, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "If someone is hostile for no reason, why should I waste my memory on them?"
Lin Yu covered her face, half laughing and half exasperated. "Heavens, you really are something…"
Ahead, Bai Xue's smirk faltered just a fraction, as if she'd noticed the casual way Jia Lan had dismissed her existence without even a second thought.