Xue Xunzhi had already rehearsed this scene countless times.

"What a coincidence, junior, you also chose this course?"

He looked up casually, a practiced smile playing on his lips.

God knows he'd been losing sleep for several nights because of this natural and smooth chance encounter.

"I remember... you're a third-year computer science student, right?"

Aren't you busy?

Zi Xi tilted her head and looked him over, sunlight streaming through the window and casting dappled golden light on her eyelashes.

"I'm not busy. I'm studying both arts and sciences."

"Should we sit here?"

Xue Xunzhi pointed to the books on the table, secretly glad he had done his homework beforehand. He shifted his position, indicating the empty seat next to him:

Zi Xi hesitated for a second, but to Xue Xunzhi it felt like an eternity.

She nodded, then put down her book and sat down next to him, her body still faintly scented with shampoo.

Xue Xunzhi's breathing immediately became cautious, as if even a slightly heavier breath would scare away the butterfly that had landed beside him.

"You said last time... if we meet again someday, we can exchange WeChat contacts?"

After a long silence, Xue Xunzhi suddenly spoke in a low voice, taking out a highlighter and sticky notes from his pencil case.

Zi Xi was stunned. She didn't expect Xue Xunzhi to bring this up, and she was even more surprised that he would remember this casual promise.

This personality is kind of cute.

She chuckled and quickly covered her mouth so as not to disturb the other students.

"You have a pretty good memory!"

Her eyes curved into crescent moons.

"So, since we're so destined to meet..."

"How about we add each other on WeChat? It would be easier to discuss the course later."

Xue Xunzhi's Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice unconsciously softened. The last four words seemed to be stuck in his mouth, so muffled that they were almost inaudible.

What nonsense is he spouting!

Discussing the course?

What kind of 21st-century pickup line is that?!

Zi Xi blinked, her long eyelashes casting small shadows under her eyes.

She slowly took her phone out of her bag; there was an orange cat hair stuck to the case.

Xue Xunzhi frantically unlocked the phone, which slipped from his palm and almost fell into a freefall.

When he pulled up the QR code, he was devastated to find his fingertips trembling slightly.

Oh no, she must have seen how stupid he looked.

Zi Xi's gaze lingered on the shaking QR code for half a second, and the corners of her lips curled up almost imperceptibly, but she considerately did not point it out.

While scanning the QR code, she deliberately looked towards the podium, pretending to listen attentively.

You have added "Cat is the Best" as a friend.

Xue Xunzhi stared at the notification box, his heart pounding loudly in his chest.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zi Xi quickly save his contact as "Big Orange Rescuer," and his expectations were instantly dashed.

Sure enough... in her eyes he was just a nobody.

Although they were disappointed, they had nothing to do with each other now.

He secretly changed Zixi's nickname to "Little Orange" and then locked the screen like a thief.

In the sunlight, the tips of his ears were so red they were almost transparent.

The professor's voice echoed on the podium, but it was as muffled as if it were coming through frosted glass.

Xue Xunzhi's entire world collapsed into that small area on the right.

When Zi Xi was taking notes, a few unruly strands of hair would always fall onto the pages, swaying gently with her movements. When she encountered a difficult problem, she would unconsciously bite her lower lip, leaving shallow teeth marks. The scratching sound of the pen across the paper was more beautiful to him than any music.

He stared intently, as if observing some rare bird, or admiring a painting that seemed to breathe.

It wasn't until the bell rang that he realized he had been staring in the same direction for a full forty-five minutes.

"Senior, would you like to see how Big Orange is doing lately?"

Zi Xi suddenly turned her head, her smiling eyes curving into crescent moons.