Lin Feng arrived at the meeting spot - a small plaza near the campus gate.
Su Yue was already there, standing by a bench with her phone in hand.
He walked up to her.
She looked up from her screen, and her eyes brightened when she saw him.
"You look beautiful today," he said.
A faint blush crept across her cheeks. "T-Thank you."
"Did I keep you waiting?" he asked.
She shook her head quickly. "No, I just got here."
Lin Feng observed her for a moment.
Then he frowned.
"You're not wearing the accessory I bought you," he said. "Didn't you like it?"
Su Yue's eyes went wide. She waved her hands frantically.
"Of course not! I mean - of course I liked it!" She stumbled over her words. "I love it, actually."
Her gaze dropped to the ground, and her voice became a quiet murmur.
"I just felt... it was special, you know? Like something you save for a special occasion..."
Lin Feng smiled.
He stepped closer to her.
"I'm just messing with you," he said, walking past her. "Let's go."
Su Yue turned to follow, a small pout forming on her lips.
Hmph. Always teasing me.
As she fell into step behind him, her eyes drifted to his free hand swinging at his side.
Should we hold hands?
It wouldn't be weird, right? They had done it all day when they went shopping together.
But last time, he had been the one to initiate it.
How was she supposed to…
"Not coming?" Lin Feng asked, glancing back at her.
She blinked, realizing she had fallen behind.
"I am! I am!" she said quickly, hurrying to catch up.
Lin Feng smiled and turned forward again.
"What did you want to eat?" he asked. "I was thinking..."
…
The two of them sat opposite each other in a cozy restaurant, eating as they talked.
"Do you miss home?" Su Yue asked between bites.
Lin Feng let out a soft sigh. "Yeah, I do."
He paused.
"Though I have to admit, I'm also a little relieved."
He set down his chopsticks and looked at her.
"What about you?"
Su Yue's expression softened. "I miss my siblings. Those two can be a handful, but..."
She trailed off, her voice carrying a hint of warmth.
Lin Feng nodded slowly. "I understand."
The conversation continued to flow naturally - small talk about classes, the holiday, their plans for the week ahead.
At some point, Lin Feng's gaze lingered on her.
His mind seemed to drift somewhere far away.
Su Yue noticed him staring and glanced down at herself, wondering if something was wrong. She was about to speak up when he beat her to it.
"Say... you mentioned wanting to start a business, right?"
She blinked at the sudden shift. "Yeah. Maybe a small shop or a café."
He looked at her thoughtfully.
"Ever heard of livestream e-commerce?"
He had just remembered - this was around the time it was beginning to gain traction. He recalled hearing about one girl who had made over 50 billion yuan in sales within 24 hours.
Su Yue tilted her head. "Livestream e-commerce? Can't say I have."
Lin Feng nodded. "Makes sense. It's not that popular yet."
He picked up his chopsticks again.
"Well, look into it. It might suit you." He paused. "If you run into any problems, just let me know."
Su Yue is quite the beauty, he thought. She would definitely succeed in that field.
And if she did, it would benefit him too.
This could also be considered investing in people, right?
As long as she remembered him as the one who helped her take the first step, they could form a solid business relationship in the future.
Though this was more of a long-term plan.
"Lin Feng."
Her voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"You're really good with women, aren't you?"
Lin Feng nearly choked on the water he was drinking.
"Cough…cough cough!"
Su Yue immediately stood up and moved to his side, patting his back with concern.
"Are you okay?"
He waved his hand weakly. "I'm fine. Just... a little surprised."
Once they had both settled back into their seats, he looked at her with a bewildered expression.
"Where did that come from?"
Su Yue glanced to the side, avoiding his gaze.
"Well, it's just... you always seem to know what to say."
Her voice dropped to a murmur.
"You might be a little insensitive sometimes, but it doesn't seem to hurt your position."
She turned back to face him.
"You're also popular with women."
"Popular?" Lin Feng raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it just you and the class monitor? I don't have any other female friends beyond that."
She studied him for a moment.
"For now," she said.
He coughed lightly, trying to regain his composure.
"Say..." Su Yue began, her tone shifting. "You like the class monitor, right?"
Lin Feng held his chin in thought.
"I guess you could say that."
He smiled.
"The class monitor is a nice person. Everyone likes her."
Su Yue's gaze didn't waver.
"If she were to confess to you... would you go out with her?"
Lin Feng paused.
He looked directly into her eyes. She seemed to flutter slightly under his gaze, but she held firm.
He understood what she was getting at.
Well... this is a nice way to let her down softly.
"Even though the class monitor is a nice and beautiful girl," he said slowly, "I don't think I would."
Su Yue's eyes widened slightly. "Why not?"
Lin Feng's expression grew distant.
"Dating... I just can't afford that privilege right now."
He met her gaze again.
"Before, I was a loser with almost no friends. This time around, I want to make something of myself. That's why I started a business. That's why I'm making friends."
His voice softened.
"I don't want to let my parents down."
He tilted his head slightly.
"It's probably the same for you too, right?"
Su Yue was quiet for a moment.
Then she nodded slowly.
"Yeah... I also need to make something of myself. For my siblings. For my parents."
Lin Feng smiled warmly.
"We seem to have a lot in common."
He raised his glass.
"Let's get along well."
She lifted her own glass and clinked it against his.
"Mm."
Lin Feng watched her as she took a sip. A cheery expression had settled onto her face.
Looks like she's hooked.
He turned and raised his hand toward a passing waiter.
"Excuse me, could we get the bill?"