The autumn sun bathed the courtyard of Golden Bridge University, casting long shadows across the cobblestones. Students hurried past, books clutched to their chests, laughter and chatter blending into a constant hum. Mei Lin adjusted the strap of her bag. She hated being late—but she had lost track of time in the library.
When she stepped into the lecture hall, silence fell, just for a moment. Every eye wasn't on her, thankfully—but one gaze made her pulse skip.
Professor Chen Wei. Mid-thirties, tall, impeccably dressed, with sharp eyes that seemed to pierce through everyone's excuses. He didn't smile. He didn't frown. But the weight of his attention was enough to make her sit straighter.
"Late," he said simply, his voice calm, yet firm. "Front row."
Mei Lin obeyed. A few students whispered behind her back. She caught fragments: "Teacher's pet… she's the favorite…"
Her stomach twisted. She wasn't. She couldn't be. She had earned this scholarship herself, through every sleepless night and every essay she'd poured herself into.
As the lecture began, she focused on his words, scribbling notes faster than usual. Theories, critiques, literary history—he spoke with authority, but something about his tone seemed to single her out. She felt it in the way his eyes lingered on her hand writing, on her furrowed brow, on the edge of her focus.
She tried to ignore it.
Yet there was no denying the curiosity, the subtle admiration that lingered in his gaze. A warmth under the formal coldness. Something unspoken, almost dangerous in its intensity.
And when she glanced at the clock, her thoughts whispered a warning: This is only the beginning.
Because in the world of Golden Bridge University, nothing was simple, and being the "teacher's pet" wasn't just a rumor—it was a story waiting to happen.