The nurse's office smelled faintly of antiseptic and jasmine tea.
Allie sat stiffly on the edge of her examination bed, wrapped in a thin blanket the nurse had handed her while her ruined dress was being cleaned in the back room.
The wine stain had been worse than she first thought.
Apparently, someone had dumped nearly half a glass down the front of her.
Great.
Perfect.
Exactly the kind of memory she wanted for her first formal university event in Shanghai to leave behind.
She pressed her hands over her face and groaned quietly.
"This is a nightmare."
Across the room, Lu Feng leaned back in one of his chairs like he had just finished watching a mildly entertaining movie.
"On the bright side," he said, "you've officially become legendary."
Allie peeked at him through her fingers.
"How is public humiliation legendary?"
"You got wine-bombed by the campus mean girls and still looked like a movie star. That's impressive."
"Feng."
"Yes?"
"I'm reconsidering our friendship."
He grinned.
"You'll get over it."
Allie dropped her hands.
"Everyone saw."
"Yeah."
"I'm never going to recover from this."
"You're being dramatic."
She pointed at the door.
"Half the university was there!"
"And half the university also saw you dancing with Lin Xuan," Feng said casually.
Allie paused.
"…that doesn't help."
Feng tilted his head thoughtfully.
"No, actually I think it does."
Before Allie could ask what he meant –
The door opened.
And the room went quiet.
Lin Xuan stepped inside.
He didn't speak immediately.
His gaze moved across the room, landing on Allie first.
Then Lu Feng.
Then the nurse standing near the cabinets.
"Is she injured?" he asked.
His voice was calm.
Controlled.
But there was something sharp beneath it.
The nurse shook her head.
"No injuries. Just a very unfortunate spill."
Lin Xuan nodded once.
"Thank you."
The nurse, sensing the tension in the room, gave a polite smile and quietly stepped out.
The door closed behind her.
Lu Feng watched the interaction with obvious amusement.
"Well," he said lightly, "this feels serious."
Lin Xuan ignored him.
His gaze returned to Allie.
"You should not have been left alone."
Allie blinked.
"I wasn't alone."
"You were separated from your escort."
"You mean you?"
"Yes."
She hesitated.
"Well…technically you were across the room."
Lu Feng whistled softly.
"That sounded intense."
Lin Xuan finally looked at him.
"Where were you when it happened?"
Feng raised both hands defensively.
"I arrived right after."
"You arrived late."
"Hey," Feng said, "I still carried her here."
"Yes."
The single word was flat.
Too flat.
Lu Feng studied him for a moment.
Then a slow grin spread across his face.
"Oh."
Lin Xuan's expression didn't change.
But Feng leaned forward slightly.
"You're jealous."
Allie choked.
"What?!"
Lin Xuan's voice was calm.
"That is inaccurate."
Lu Feng looked delighted.
"You're jealous."
"I am annoyed."
"Same thing."
"It is not."
Allie rubbed her temples.
"Can we not argue about who carried me while I was being publicly humiliated."
Feng stood up suddenly.
"Actually, I think this is the perfect time for me to leave."
Allie looked up.
"What?"
He stretched casually.
"I have fulfilled my heroic duties."
"You literally just got here."
"Yes."
He glanced at Lin Xuan.
"But I think Ice Prince wants to talk."
Lin Xuan didn't deny it.
Feng pointed at him.
"Don't scare her."
Then he pointed at Allie.
"And don't let him pretend he's emotionless."
"Feng—"
But he was already halfway out the door.
"Goodnight, Chicago!"
The door closed.
Silence filled the nurse's office.
Allie stared at the door.
"…he abandoned me."
"Yes," Xuan said.
She turned back toward him.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Then Xuan stepped closer.
"Show me."
"What?"
"The stain."
Allie blinked.
"That sounds worse than you meant it."
He looked mildly confused.
"The damage to your dress."
"Oh."
She awkwardly shifted the blanket aside.
The dark red stain was still visible across the fabric.
Lin Xuan studied it carefully.
His expression cooled slightly.
"That was intentional."
"You noticed that too?"
"Yes."
Allie shrugged.
"It's fine."
"No."
"It's just a dress."
"That is not the issue."
Allie watched him.
"You're really mad about this."
"I dislike unnecessary cruelty."
"Welcome to college."
"This is not normal."
"It kind of is."
Xuan was quiet for a moment.
Then he said something that surprised her.
"They targeted you because of me."
Allie blinked.
"That's not your fault."
"It is related to my presence."
"Still not your fault."
He studied her carefully.
"You're not angry?"
"Oh, I'm angry," she said quickly.
"Just…not at you."
"Why?"
Allie shrugged again.
"Because you didn't pour wine on me."
"That is a low standard."
"Hey, after tonight my standards have dropped significantly."
For the first time—
Xuan smiled.
It was small.
Barely noticeable.
But it changed his entire expression.
Allie blinked in surprise.
"Wait."
He raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"You smiled."
"I do that occasionally."
"No you don't."
"That is incorrect."
"I've seen you like ten times."
"That is not a statistically significant sample."
Allie laughed.
"You sound like a robot."
"I am an engineer."
"That explains a lot."
He leaned against the nearby counter, studying her thoughtfully.
"You handled the situation well."
"I wanted to disappear."
"That reaction would have been understandable."
"You make it sound like I passed a test."
"In a way."
She tilted her head.
"What kind of test?"
"Adaptability."
Allie squinted at him.
"You're evaluating me?"
"I observe people."
"That's creepy."
"It is efficient."
She laughed again.
"You're weird, Lin Xuan."
"So, I have been told."
Another quiet moment passed.
Then Allie said softly,
"You're not actually as cold as everyone says."
He didn't respond immediately.
"People misunderstand efficiency for indifference," he said eventually.
"That sounded like something you've thought about before."
"I have."
Allie studied him carefully.
"You don't seem like someone who cares about what people think."
"I do not."
"Then why do you look tired every time someone calls you Ice Prince?"
That question caught him off guard.
He was silent for several seconds.
Then he said quietly,
"Because titles are rarely accurate descriptions of people."
Allie considered that.
"So, what are you really like?"
Xuan looked at her.
Directly.
And for once—
There was no distance in his expression.
"Still determining that myself."
Allie smiled slightly.
"Well," she said, "so far you're not terrible."
"That is encouraging."
"And you didn't abandon me at the nurse's office."
"That would have been inefficient."
She laughed again.
Then the nurse returned with clean clothing.
Allie stood up carefully.
"Thank you."
Lin Xuan studied the fabric of her stained dress.
"It should be replaced."
"It's fine."
"I will replace it."
"You absolutely will not."
"It was damaged because of my presence."
"That doesn't mean you owe me a dress."
"I disagree."
"Lin Xuan."
"Yes?"
"Please don't buy me expensive clothing."
"That request may be difficult."
"Why?"
"Because I already ordered one."
Allie stared at him.
"You're unbelievable."
He looked completely serious.
"Yes."
She shook her head, laughing.
Maybe the rumors were wrong.
Maybe the Ice Prince wasn't actually ice.
Maybe –
He was just someone who didn't know how to show warmth in normal ways.
And somehow that made him a little less intimidating.
And a little more interesting.
…Or so she thought.