“Who is Jiang Fuyue?” The dorm manager knocked on the door of Room 4-3.
“I am.” Jiang Fuyue closed her laptop and stood up. “What’s the matter?”
“The gatehouse just called. There’s an international parcel for you. Bring your ID and student card to pick it up.”
An international parcel?
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow.
Huo Fanjin said, “A purchase from abroad? What did you buy? Clothes? A bag? Perfume? I remember you don’t need an ID for that, just report your phone number at the parcel station.”
“I don’t know,” Jiang Fuyue replied. “I’ll go take a look.”
“Sister Yue, I’ll go with you!” Cen Qiaoqiao suddenly spoke up.
“You’ve got a package too?”
“No… I ran out of snacks. I’ll buy some while I’m out.”
Huo Fanjin: “…”
“Do you want anything? I can bring it back for you!”
“Three bags of chips, two packs of spicy strips, and a few pieces of chocolate,” Huo Fanjin blurted out.
“…”
At the gatehouse.
Cen Qiaoqiao went to the supermarket across the street, while Jiang Fuyue stood by the window and asked the security guard, “Is there a parcel for me?”
“For packages, you need to go to the parcel station—” The man paused mid-sentence. “You’re Jiang Fuyue?”
“Yes.”
“Ah, you’re finally here! It’s been sitting here for two days. Wait a second, I’ll call them!”
He picked up the landline and began dialing. “Hello, this is Ming University’s West Gate. Jiang Fuyue is here for her parcel… yes, the recipient herself… okay, I’ll ask…”
He covered the receiver and looked up at her. “Do you have your ID and student card?”
“Yes.”
“…Alright, got it. Goodbye.”
After hanging up, the guard said, “Miss Jiang, please wait here a few minutes. They’ll be here soon.”
Jiang Fuyue gave a small hum. “Is it really this complicated to pick up a package now?”
“For regular parcels, no, you just go to the parcel station and dig through the pile. But yours is different. It came through the special confidential channel, so the procedures are stricter.”
The confidential channel, short for “Confidential and Important Document Delivery Route,” is usually used between state or government enterprises. Because it involves encryption and tracking, both sending and receiving are strictly controlled.
For instance, after Ming University finishes admissions each year, students’ records must be transferred through this channel.
But…
Why would she receive something through it?
Jiang Fuyue frowned, a certain person’s face flashing in her mind.
“Hey! They’re here!” the guard waved. “Over here!”
The newcomer was in uniform but without any courier company logo.
He was dragging a square stainless-steel case with a fingerprint sensor and a lock, double security.
“You are Jiang Fuyue?” he asked, stopping a step away, posture upright.
“Yes.”
“May I see your ID and student card?”
Jiang Fuyue handed them over.
After carefully checking, he returned them, opened the case, and took out a parcel labeled with her name. “Please sign here and add the date.”
She did as instructed.
After confirming everything, the man went inside the guard booth to sign a form, then left with the case just as he came.
Jiang Fuyue looked down at the parcel in her hand. It looked like an ordinary package except for one thing: every word printed on it was not in Chinese.
And the sender’s address, Nigeria.
“Sister Yue! I’m back!” Cen Qiaoqiao returned, arms full of snacks. “Did you get it? Oh, that’s it? Weird… why’d they deliver it to the gatehouse?”
“Huh? Is that Thai? Those squiggles look like drawings…”
Jiang Fuyue shook her head. “It’s Arabic.”
“Sister Yue, you can read that?”
“A little.”
Cen Qiaoqiao pointed at one line. “What does this say?”
Jiang Fuyue glanced and translated for her.
Cen Qiaoqiao immediately realized her “little bit” was Cen Qiaoqiao’s “a hundred thousand miles away.”
“What kind of item needs to be bought from an Arabic-speaking region…” Cen muttered, full of curiosity.
Jiang Fuyue smiled. “It’s not a purchase. Someone sent it.”
….
Back in the dorm, Cen Qiaoqiao and Huo Fanjin were splitting snacks.
“I want that cookie!”
“Hey, that’s mine. You didn’t say you wanted cookies, so I didn’t buy you any.”
“But I see it now, and I really want it, what do I do?”
Cen Qiaoqiao looked conflicted. “How about… I share half?”
Huo Fanjin grinned. “Deal!”
“Sisi, there’s chocolate on the desk for you~” Cen Qiaoqiao said cheerfully. She loved sharing; in her words—better all fat together than fat alone.
Thump—
Liu Sisi punched the sandbag, drenched in sweat. At Cen Qiaoqiao’s words, she looked over briefly and said thanks.
Ever since she’d flipped Li Yan, her secret that she knew martial arts was out. Girls from other dorms came to peek at her.
For days, people would “happen” to walk by, sneaking glances inside.
Liu Sisi herself hadn’t expected such a small show of skill to cause such a stir.
At first, she was surprised then uncomfortable.
She’d always been the quiet, invisible one, never used to being the center of attention.
Later, she got annoyed especially when those girls squealed whenever they saw her, and some even called her “husband.” So she started staying in more. When she didn’t have class, she stayed in the dorm, even skipping the gym, practicing casually on a sandbag to keep from getting rusty.
Cen Qiaoqiao put down the chocolate and looked over at her sweat-soaked, muscles taut with every punch, A-level coolness exploding.
Her eyes sparkled with stars.
Meanwhile, Jiang Fuyue’s first action upon returning was opening her parcel.
Inside the cardboard box, cushioning material surrounded another box.
Jiang Fuyue picked it up, it was surprisingly heavy.
Opening it revealed a cup: intricate patterns, dazzling colors. A closer look showed every design made of geometric shapes, with a luminous white circle at the center like a rising moon.
Its overall style was Roman-Byzantine: opulent, elegant, yet touched with religious solemnity and mystery.
She set it aside and took out a letter tucked within, tearing it open—
The handwriting was upright, sharp.
As expected—it was him.
And the writing style, as always, was concise and restrained—
Yueyue,
I’m sorry for leaving without notice, it was urgent.
I finally found a shop where the owner said I had to buy one of his cups before he’d sell me paper and envelopes.
I chose this one. I think you’ll like it.
All’s well. Don’t worry. Wait for me to return.
— Yuan
“Wow! That cup is so pretty!” Cen Qiaoqiao had come over to share snacks, but once she saw it, her eyes couldn’t move away.
She’d never seen colors so vivid: bright yellows and blues, geometric patterns covering the entire surface without a hint of blank space.
It radiated exotic charm.
Huo Fanjin came over to look. “…It is beautiful. Which seller did you use? Do they have other designs? I want one too.”
“It wasn’t a purchase,” Cen Qiaoqiao said. “Someone sent it to Sister Yue.”
“Oh…” Huo Fanjin sighed. “I’m not worthy.”
Cen Qiaoqiao pursed her lips. “Neither am I.”
Jiang Fuyue: “…”
At that moment, Liu Sisi, drenched in sweat, said, “I’m turning on the air conditioner.”
The vent faced Jiang Fuyue’s desk. As the power turned on, the letter on the table was blown to the floor. Cen Qiaoqiao, closest, bent to pick it up, her gaze accidentally landing on the final character, Yuan.
Her eyelids twitched, heart thumping wildly.
“Thanks,” Jiang Fuyue said.
“No problem! Sister Yue, here are your snacks.” Cen Qiaoqiao set them down quickly and hurried off.
….
Afternoon, class time.
When the four arrived, the classroom was nearly empty, no hint of academic seriousness.
Huo Fanjin clicked her tongue. “So deserted.”
They found seats.
A moment later, someone approached.
“Lin Shumo?” Huo Fanjin raised an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you’re in Peiya class too?”
“Problem?” The boy stood tall, face calm as ever.
“Didn’t you major in math?”
“So?”
Huo Fanjin twitched her mouth. Great, just like her, another who switched majors halfway through.
“Mind telling me why?”
He glanced at her. “For the same reason you did.”
Huo Fanjin’s eyes flicked toward Jiang Fuyue instinctively—
Only to see her toying with her new cup, not even looking up.
Then she noticed Lin Shumo’s gaze doing the same.
Tsk…
“Wanna sit here?” Huo Fanjin patted the seat beside her.
He didn’t refuse.
One or two minutes before class started, the room began to fill.
Most students rushed in right at the bell and immediately pulled out their phones.
Today’s class was calculus. The teacher stepped up to the podium but the room stayed noisy.
He didn’t care, just like Wang Kequan before him, and began lecturing on his own, the space above and below the podium split into two entirely separate worlds.
Everything fell silently into Jiang Fuyue’s eyes.
Suddenly, the classroom door was shoved open from the outside. The force was so strong that it slammed into the wall with a loud bang.
On the podium, the teacher froze.
Below, the room fell deathly silent.
Everyone turned toward the door. Four boys walked in.
The one in front wore a basketball jersey, a ball tucked under his arm. Tall and long-limbed, his features were sharp and handsome, his brows carried a trace of arrogance, and his expression was cool and distant.
Jiang Fuyue heard someone nearby whisper a name, Li Chen.
In an instant, she understood. So this was Li Yan’s unlucky cousin, the son of one of the Ming University board members, one of the so-called “heirs.”
Next to him was a guy in a ripped denim jacket and distressed jeans, a thick gold chain with a skull pendant hanging around his neck whether it was his taste or simply for show, who could tell. The chain was as thick as a finger, turning his would-be hip-hop look into something distinctly tacky.
There were actually girls screaming nearby—
“Ahh! That bad-boy vibe, totally my type!”
“Who is he?”
“You didn’t see the campus forum photos? That’s Liang Jingzhou! His family literally owns a mine!”
“What about the two behind them? They look kind of low-key.”
“The one in the white shirt, gentle, scholarly looking, that’s Gu Huaiyu. The guy in black with no expression? Cheng Lian.”
“Weren’t they on a break, skipping class for a long trip? I heard they swore they wouldn’t come back for half a semester. Why are they suddenly here?”
“Why do you think? Li Yan got beat up. You think Li Chen could sit still after that?”
“Hiss… so they’re back to back him up?!”
“Can’t think of any other reason.”
“Then isn’t Sister Yue in danger?!”
“You’re a fan of Sister Yue?”
“Cough… not allowed?”
“No, I mean, me too! Watching Li Yan get beat was pure joy, Sister Yue and Husband Liu totally danced on my happy nerves!”
“What now? Sister Yue won’t get bullied, right?”
“You’re underestimating her brains—and Husband Liu’s fighting power. Just wait for the show.”
…..
“Bro, you’re finally back!” Li Yan jumped up from his seat the moment he saw Li Chen, rushing over excitedly.
He’d just been discharged yesterday, first day back to class today and every time he saw Jiang Fuyue or Liu Sisi, his legs went weak, forcing him to keep his distance.
He’d been brooding in a corner thinking, Am I going to have to hide from those two girls forever?
Then—bang, the door flew open, and Li Chen appeared like divine justice.
Suddenly, the world was bright again.
“Pathetic,” Li Chen snapped coldly.
Li Yan straightened at once, not angry even at being scolded. He grinned ingratiatingly. “Bro, you came back to help me get revenge, right?”
“Who is Jiang Fuyue?”
Li Yan pointed instantly. “Fourth row from the left, by the window.”
Li Chen’s eyes narrowed.
Jiang Fuyue immediately sensed the gaze from behind her: cold, sharp, unmistakably hostile.
The next second, she suddenly tilted her head and shifted sideways.
At the same time, a basketball flew past her cheek, narrowly missing, and slammed into the podium with a loud thud, bouncing several times before rolling still.
The throw had been hard.
Had she not moved just then, it would have struck her squarely on the head. The precision and force behind it were unmistakable; if it had hit, the consequences would’ve been serious.
The classroom went dead silent.
The teacher was frozen. The students were dumbstruck.
Even Li Yan looked stunned.
“Wasn’t that a bit too much?” Gu Huaiyu murmured, hand to his lips.
Cheng Lian was unmoved. “If you’re reclaiming dignity, you can’t start off weak.”
Liang Jingzhou swallowed nervously. “S-still… that’s kinda violent, isn’t it? She’s a girl…”
Li Chen casually dropped his hand, a trace of regret crossing his face. “Didn’t hit. Shame.”
By then, Jiang Fuyue had already stood up and turned around, staring at him with a calm, expressionless gaze.
Li Chen smiled lightly, his tone playful. “Sorry, classmate. Did I scare you?”
Bang!
Liu Sisi slammed her desk, face cold and fierce, words utterly mismatched with her delicate looks—
“You looking to die?!”
And she lunged.
Li Yan’s face changed, he knew that tone too well. “Bro! Watch out! She’s got skills!”
Li Chen had expected it. The moment Liu Sisi rushed forward, two men in black entered from outside, blocking her path.
“Whoa, private bodyguards?!”
“Looks like Young Master Chen came prepared. He’s definitely here to stir trouble.”
“That’s some serious overkill.”
“Cr*p, is my Husband Liu about to get beaten up?”
“And my Sister Yue too? Nooo…”
Liu Sisi faced the two hulking men before her, voice cold as ice. “Move.”
They didn’t budge.
From a few steps away, Li Yan went from panic to smugness in 0.1 seconds, even letting out a laugh. “Oh? Want to hit people again? Too bad, you won’t get the chance.”
“Is that so?” Liu Sisi smirked.
Before he could blink, she took one bodyguard down with a single surprise move.
The other lunged in and started grappling with her.
Seeing his fallen man writhing on the floor, Li Yan’s pupils shrank.
Only now did he realize his own beating had been nothing compared to this.
….
Fists flew, students screamed, the classroom dissolved into chaos.
The teacher on the podium shouted hoarsely, voice cracking—
“Stop! What are you doing?! This is a classroom! You want to get expelled?!”
No one listened.
Some fought, some watched, some filmed.
Cheng Lian watched for a few seconds, rubbing his chin. “…Not bad.”
Such skill was more than enough to deal with someone like Li Yan.
Gu Huaiyu winced. “Seriously? You’re still making comments now? How are we supposed to end this?”
Cheng Lian lifted his eyes lazily. “Why rush? The show’s just getting good. You want to wrap it up before we even know who wins?”
Liang Jingzhou, watching eagerly, nodded. “Exactly! It’s not over yet!”
Gu Huaiyu: “…”
He turned, ready to tell Li Chen to stop before things went too far—
—but the guy was gone.
“Where’s Li Chen?”
“Wasn’t he right next to me—hey, where’d he go?”
Cheng Lian tilted his chin toward one side, grinning. “There, off to settle it personally.”
Jiang Fuyue watched Li Chen stride closer until he stopped right in front of her, wearing a half-smile, feigning superiority. “I heard you think you’re pretty tough?”
Jiang Fuyue: “Not as tough as you.”
His smile deepened, but his eyes stayed cold. “Li Yan’s my cousin. You embarrassed him, means you embarrassed me.”
“So?”
“Apologize to him. Right here. In front of everyone.”
Jiang Fuyue laughed, her gaze on him like he was a clown. “And if I refuse?”
His eyes narrowed dangerously. “I advise you not to be stupid.”
“And I advise you not to overestimate yourself.”
“Heh…” Li Chen sneered. “Who do you think you are? No power, no background. Your only fighter’s busy with my men. You’re done for, and you still talk tough?”
Jiang Fuyue didn’t bother replying. She just looked toward Liu Sisi’s side and yes, the sandbag training had paid off; her moves were sharper than ever.
Li Chen, irritated by being ignored, reached out to grab Jiang Fuyue’s arm. “You little—”
She dodged, voice icy. “Keep your hands to yourself.”
“Oh? I’ll do what I want. What can you do about it?”
Before he finished the sentence, his hand lunged again—
Jiang Fuyue twisted his right index finger backward with a sharp snap.
A scream tore out of him; his face went white.
“You—”
Her gaze was cold and distant. “Don’t provoke me. You can’t afford it.”
Rage flared. Li Chen kicked over the desk in front of her, the heavy thud of wood and shattering glass echoing through the classroom. Gasps rippled through the room as fragments scattered.
He finally felt satisfied. “Oh yeah? I don’t believe that cr*p. You say I can’t provoke you then I will!”
Smugly, he added, “I’ll give you one last chance. Either apologize in front of everyone or call me Daddy. Then we’re even. Otherwise—”
Jiang Fuyue didn’t hear a word. Her eyes were fixed on the floor, on the shattered pieces.
Blue and yellow shards everywhere, jagged edges breaking the geometric patterns apart. The exotic brilliance, the sacred mystery, all gone in that single crash.
Huo Fanjin gaped. “The cup…”
Cen Qiaoqiao murmured, dazed, “It broke?”
A surge of fury rose in Jiang Fuyue’s chest: raw, violent, uncontrollable.
A minute ago, she’d been calm, detached, merely observing.
Now—
She was angry.
“Hey—why aren’t you talking? Cat got your tongue? Don’t say I bully girls, I’m giving you a choice: apology or ‘Daddy.’ Pick one!”
She didn’t look at him, still staring at the ground.
Li Chen grew impatient, his tone sharp and nasty. “Keep pretending, and I’ll—”
Jiang Fuyue suddenly lifted her head.
Her eyes, almond-shaped, luminous, cold, met his. Her delicate features, snow-white skin, and crimson lips framed by black hair were so striking up close that for a second, Li Chen froze in surprise.
Then he caught the chill in her gaze and shivered involuntarily. “W-what?”
Someone… was about to be very unlucky.
