05
A video of Shen Qingyu tearing apart a rumormonger and frankly admitting that the photo was of her was posted to the campus forum that very same day. The poster even added the caption, "Computer Science Department Chen Qingyu confronts rumormongers head-on in class! She's so cool!" The accompanying video, though shaky, captured Shen Qingyu striking someone, grabbing their collar, and calmly confronting them. Even her final words, "I'm afraid you can't handle this 'trouble' of mine," were captured perfectly.
The popularity of the post soared like a rocket, reaching the top of the school forum homepage in half an hour, and the comment section was directly pushed to 999+. The school forum server was stuck and could not refresh new content for a long time. It was said that the computer department student who was in charge of backend maintenance was so busy that he almost smashed the keyboard, and complained in the group that "I have never seen such a large amount of traffic in my life."
The comment section was completely divided into two camps, and the arguments were even more intense than the professional class group discussions.
One group strongly supports Shen Qingyu, and the comments are pouring in quickly:
"Sister, you're so cool! Those who spread rumors and stir up trouble deserve a slap! If it were me, I'd give them a couple more slaps!"
"Honestly, if someone points at your nose and calls you 'flirting' and you don't talk back, that's what you call a coward, right? Shen Qingyu is just defending herself!"
"I've always thought that Chen Qingyu wasn't a pushover. I've seen her confronting boys who took up seats in the library. Now it seems she's really tough!"
"I'm a fan! I'm a fan of this girl! She's a hundred times better than those who only gossip behind her back!"
The other faction, however, kept harping on the accusation of "bullying," with a tone full of accusations:
"No matter what, hitting someone is wrong, right? And grabbing someone's collar in public, isn't that bullying?"
"You're so arrogant just because you're good-looking? If Yu Wang is really in a relationship with her, he's blind. The school hunk deserves better!"
"The school hunk is the only one who is beautiful! He refuses to be tied up! Can Shen Qingyu stop riding on the popularity?"
"Honestly, she doesn't look like a top student in the computer science department at all. She looks more like a gang member..."
The two groups argued over everything from "the assault issue" to "who is the school idol," then "the authenticity of the photo" to "the person's character." Even that "princess hug" photo was resurfaced for the hundredth time, with screenshots and analysis charts flying everywhere from every angle. The few sensible comments, such as "First understand the cause and effect before criticizing" and "It's normal for someone to fight back after being slandered," were drowned out by the verbal battle, leaving no trace, not even a splash.
Meanwhile, Chen Qingyu, the real perpetrator of the incident, was now lying comfortably on her bed in the dormitory, applying a moisturizing mask while browsing her phone and humming a tuneless slow-rock song she had heard in the bar last night. At her feet was the strawberry sundae that Le Yan'er had just bought for her.
"Yuyu, you didn't see it! The school bar is almost noisy right now!" Le Yaner came over with her phone, "So many people are praising you for being so handsome!"
Su Yi nodded, holding a freshly washed grape in her hand, and stuffed a grape into Shen Qingyu's mouth: "That's right! I used to think you were too lazy to pay attention to those gossips, and you were easy to bully. I didn't expect you to be so tough!"
Ji Yuanyuan pushed her glasses up and sat at her desk, tapping away at her keyboard. She spoke seriously, "I'm bound to get gossiped about, but at least I'm relieved. It's so frustrating to hold something in. That's just you. I just edited the video of that girl provoking me in class and posted it online to avoid people saying you're 'indiscriminately hitting people.'"
Shen Qingyu lifted a corner of her mask, curled her eyes at them, and smiled sweetly: "That's right. No matter what they say. Anyway, I don't eat their food. They can scold me if they want, but I will just listen to it in one ear and out the other."
As he was speaking, a WeChat call message suddenly popped up on his phone screen with the note "Qu Sheng Sheng".
She swiped the phone to answer it, but before she could say anything, a deafening "Fuck! Shen Qingyu, you're awesome!" exploded from the receiver.
Shen Qingyu quickly moved the phone further away and asked with a frown, "Are you in the bar?" He could vaguely hear noisy electronic music and the sound of wine glasses colliding on the other end of the receiver, and someone shouting "Have another drink."
"Yeah, that's right. A senior from our department is having a graduation party at a bar..." Qu Shengsheng's voice paused, then suddenly rose, "No! Don't change the subject! Tell the truth! That 'heartless man' is Yu Wang, the handsomest man on the Tsinghua campus?! You actually kept it a secret from me for so long!"
"How did you know?" Shen Qingyu was a little surprised - she hadn't had time to tell Qu Shengsheng about Yu Wang's identity in detail.
"You two are so famous that you've even reached the Film Academy!" Qu Shengsheng smacked his lips, his tone filled with gossipy excitement. "Today, several of my former high school classmates asked me, 'Is your girl from Tsinghua University dating Yu Wang?' They said the Tsinghua University online forum is practically dominated by you two. Even our department counselor saw your videos! Don't you fucking go online, Miss Shen? I don't believe you don't know!"
Shen Qingyu deliberately dragged out the question, her tone skeptical: "Oh, I don't know. I just came back from the library and was busy applying a facial mask. I didn't have time to read those."
Qu Shengsheng obviously didn't believe it and continued on to her own: "That 'it' you said in class was so cool! You really deserve to be my sister! But you're so tough, will those Yu Wang fans give you trouble? I see a lot of people scolding you in the comment section, do you want me to help you fight back?"
Shen Qingyu raised an eyebrow, a hint of laughter in her voice: "Trouble? When have I, Shen Qingyu, ever been afraid of trouble in my life? If they dare to come, I will teach them another lesson and let them know what "trouble comes from the mouth" means. "
"That's right." Qu Shengsheng sneered, "With your arrogant personality, you won't suffer any loss. Anyway, if you have anything to say, tell me. Sisters will always be by your side, dear~"
"...Don't fucking disgust me." Shen Qingyu got goosebumps and quickly interrupted her.
"What? I just care about you~" Qu Shengsheng dragged on, pretending to be aggrieved, and the ending tone had a hint of coquettishness.
Shen Qingyu was amused by her: "Alright, alright, drink your wine, don't get drunk and get kidnapped. Hang up."
"Oh, bye~ Remember to think of me~"
After hanging up the phone, Shen Qingyu became more interested. She'd always heard the three dorm friends talk about how lively the campus bar was, but she'd never opened it herself. She clicked on the campus bar app, and the first item on the homepage was her class video, which had over 10,000 views. The second item was a blurry, "princess-hug" photo of her and Yu Wang, their faces blurred out. The caption read, "Uncovering More! The Clues Between Shen Qingyu and Yu Wang."
She clicked on the photo and studied it carefully for a long time—luckily it was her. Anyone else would have been blurred out by the blurry camera. She scrolled through the comments and saw a top-ranked comment: "These two don't even match! Yu Wang is so handsome, Shen Qingyu doesn't deserve him!" There were hundreds of other comments echoing the sentiment.
Chen Qingyu curled her lips: "Not worthy? A match made in heaven, okay? Who can resist this atmosphere? It's really tasteless." She calmly clicked "dislike" and muttered to herself: When I get Yu Wang's WeChat, I'll be the first to post it on my Moments to piss you off to death.
When she looked at the photo again, her eyes fell on Yu Wang's blurry profile. Was it love? She couldn't tell. He was the first person to reject her, and that alone made him different from others; the way he played basketball, the way he walked her to the infirmary, the way he whispered in her ear, "You can't handle me"... Every scene lingered in her mind, making her more interested in taking a few more glances.
"It's more like a female boss falling for a fresh-faced guy..." Shen Qingyu chuckled, her fingertips pausing at Yu Wang's jawline on the screen - probably like him. After all, who wouldn't be interested in a handsome and somewhat "annoying" guy?
On a weekend afternoon, when Shen Qingyu came out of the library with her computer on her back, the sky was gloomy, like ink soaked in water, and the clouds were so low that it was hard to breathe. She quickened her pace to return to the dormitory, and as she passed the roadside flowerbed next to the library, she heard a short and weak "meow".
The sound was as thin as a silk thread, almost invisible.
She stopped and glanced behind the flower bed - another "meow" was heard, lighter than before, with a hint of grievance.
Shen Qingyu pushed aside the half-human-high weeds and squeezed in. The dew on the weeds soaked her trouser legs. After taking two steps inside, she saw a frail gray kitten lying in the grass. Its eyes were still closed, its fur was wet, and it was curled up like a tiny ball of yarn. It was shaking violently, looking like it had just been born and couldn't even walk.
There was no one around, only the rustling of the wind through the weeds. She cautiously reached out her hand, and as soon as her fingertips touched the kitten's fur, the little guy trembled even more violently, meowing non-stop, his voice filled with fear. Shen Qingyu gently brushed away the grass debris on its body, and slowly stroked its back with her fingertips, saying in a very gentle tone: "It's okay, it's okay~ I won't hurt you~"
The kitten gradually calmed down, probably feeling the warmth in her palm, and leaned closer to her arms, its small body still trembling slightly.
A light rain suddenly began to fall, a gentle patter hitting the leaves. Shen Qingyu instinctively placed her hand over the kitten to shield it from the rain, fearing it would catch a cold. She simply tucked the kitten, along with her arms, into her coat, letting it rest against her chest—where it was warm. The rain soaked her hair, feeling cool against her cheeks, but she simply stared at the kitten in her arms and breathed a sigh of relief—it finally stopped moving, its breathing evening out.
"Senior Shen?"
A familiar voice suddenly sounded behind him, with a hint of doubt.
Chen Qingyu looked up and saw Yu Wang standing on the roadside not far away. He was wearing a black hooded jacket with the hood off, revealing his loose hair on his forehead. He was holding a large black umbrella in his hand with the umbrella slightly tilted, and was looking at her.
Afraid of waking up the little guy in her arms who had finally calmed down, she made a "hush" gesture to Yu Wang, signaling him to speak in a lower voice.
Yu Wang walked over slowly, his steps light. When he reached her, he tilted the umbrella most of the way towards her, almost covering her completely: "What are you doing hiding behind the flower bed? Why don't you open an umbrella when it's raining?" His eyes fell on her trouser legs stained with weeds and her slightly wet hair, and his brows frowned almost imperceptibly.
Shen Qingyu moved closer to him, making herself closer to the umbrella, then gently lifted a corner of her coat and motioned him to look at her arms: "I picked up a little kitten, it seems to be dying."
Yu Wang lowered his head and saw the girl with her coat slightly open. A scruffy little kitten was curled up in her arms, so small it barely filled her palm. He looked at the girl again—her black hair was slightly damp, a few strands clinging to her face, a few drops of rain on her long eyelashes. But her eyes were crooked, a faint smile on her lips, her eyes so gentle they could drip tears of water, and she carried the faint scent of gardenia.
"It seems very weak, and there are wounds on its paws." Shen Qingyu noticed that there was some blood on the kitten's pink paws, probably scratched by weeds, and frowned, "We have to go to the pet hospital, otherwise it may not survive today."
"Let's go." Yu Wang suddenly spoke, his tone was very calm, but with unquestionable certainty.
Chen Qingyu was stunned for a moment and looked up at him: "Ah? Don't you have to go to training? I remember you seem to have basketball team training on weekends in the afternoon." She had heard from Le Yaner before that Yu Wang was the main player of the Computer Department basketball team and basically trained on weekends.
Yu Wang looked away, touched the back of his neck awkwardly, the tips of his ears reddened, and lowered his voice: "Today's training is cancelled. You don't have an umbrella, let's go together."
"...Okay, thank you." Shen Qingyu's heart moved slightly - it turned out that he was not so ruthless. She had always thought that he was a "cold-blooded animal" before, but now it seemed that he was not.
She was petite, and Yu Wang's umbrella was quite large, so she could fit in it perfectly. Shen Qingyu kept a distance from him, intentionally or unintentionally, with their arms spaced a fist apart, afraid that getting too close would be awkward. Yu Wang glanced at the raindrops on her shoulder, which had a small wet spot on her clothes. He reached out his hand calmly, gently supported her shoulder, and brought her into the umbrella. He then moved himself out of the umbrella, leaving half of his shoulder exposed to the rain. His black coat was quickly soaked by the rain and stuck to his body.
Shen Qingyu's heartbeat suddenly skipped a beat, and the tips of her ears instantly felt hot. She quickly raised her head and whispered, "Thank you... Don't move outside, this is enough for me."
Yu Wang said nothing, only a soft "hmm," but didn't move—the umbrella remained tilted, mostly covering her. Chen Qingyu tactfully kept quiet, staring down at the kitten in her arms—unaware that Yu Wang was internally wondering: Does she usually skip meals? Why is she so light, like she's weightless? When I'd supported her shoulders just now, it felt like I could push her away with just a little effort.
On a small path on the Tsinghua campus, amidst the patter of rain, a young man and a young woman shared an umbrella. As their pace slowed, even the air seemed thick and sticky, carrying a vaguely ambiguous feeling. An occasional breeze blew, bringing the coolness of the raindrops, but it didn't chill them—instead, it made their hearts race.
Arriving at the veterinary clinic near the school, Shen Qingyu carefully handed the kitten to the doctor, fearing to hurt it. While waiting, the two sat on a bench in the hospital, the atmosphere a little awkward. Shen Qingyu was thinking about what to say to break the silence when her nose suddenly itched—"A-choo!"
A loud sneeze sounded in the quiet waiting area, and Shen Qingyu wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into - it was so embarrassing!
The next second, a coat with a faint smell of tobacco and sunshine was gently draped over her shoulders. The coat still carried Yu Wang's body temperature, and was very warm.
Shen Qingyu looked down at the black coat on her shoulders, then looked up at Yu Wang—he was only wearing a thin black sweatshirt, and the lines of his shoulders were clearly visible. She touched the tip of her nose uncomfortably: "Thank you... You gave me the coat, what are you going to do?"
"I'm fine, I'm not cold." Yu Wang responded, and then stopped talking. He was actually a little cold. His shoulders were already wet in the rain, and now the wind was blowing, it was a little chilly, but he didn't say anything - he couldn't fight with a girl for a coat, could he?
The surroundings were filled with the barking of cats and dogs, the "woof woof" of puppies, the "meow meow" of kittens, and the comforting voices of pet owners. Shen Qingyu looked at the puppy that had just undergone surgery in the cage next to him. It lay listlessly with gauze wrapped around its paws. Suddenly, she heard Yu Wang ask out of the blue, "Do you like cats very much?"
"Ah... well, I guess so." Shen Qingyu was stunned for a moment and explained, "A cat saved my life when I was a child, and I have had a special feeling for cats ever since."
She was only five or six years old that year, still living with her parents in New York. One afternoon, little Shen Qingyu sneaked into the backyard swimming pool to play. She thought the water was shallow, but after just two strokes, she choked. Her leg cramped, and she sank. Fainting in thought, she heard a piercing, high-pitched meow nearby—it was the orange cat that always wandered around the yard, and whom she always loved to feed cat food.
The cat's meows attracted her brother, Shen Zichen, and the family maid, who finally pulled her out. When she regained consciousness, the orange cat was long gone, leaving only a few strands of orange fur by the pool. From then on, she developed a deeper respect for cats. In her free time, she would buy cat food to feed the strays in the neighborhood, and she would even help injured kittens.
"It's like repaying a favor to its kind." Shen Qingyu smiled. "Although I don't know where that orange cat is now, at least I can help other kittens."
Yu Wang looked at her smile—not her usual playful one, nor the cold one she wore when she was being rude, but a genuine tenderness that emanated from her heart, so tender that even the little mole at the end of her eye softened. He stared at her for a long moment before averting his gaze. His Adam's apple moved slightly, but he remained silent.
Shen Qingyu suddenly remembered something and stared at him with raised eyebrows: "How do you know my name?" Seeing that Yu Wang didn't say anything, she narrowed her eyes deliberately, "Follow me?"
"I've seen your video. You've been very popular recently." Yu Wang met her gaze and added, "On the school bar."
Shen Qingyu raised his chin proudly: "How about it? Am I cool?"
"Yeah. Pretty cool." Yu Wang looked at the light shining in her eyes and couldn't help but praise her.
Shen Qingyu, who was praised, became even more proud: "If it weren't for your face, I wouldn't let her go so easily. I'm not a soft-hearted person."
"I saw it." Yu Wang nodded - he had seen it when he saw her kicking the hooligan in the alley.
“You have good vision!”
As the two were chatting, the doctor came out holding the kitten. Shen Qingyu hurried to greet him, and Yu Wang also stood beside him.
"The kitten was born not long ago. It was fed some nutrient solution and fell asleep." The doctor handed the kitten to her and said, "It's nothing serious, just a little weak. Just take good care of it when you get home."
Shen Qingyu hurriedly thanked him, and when she took the kitten, she realized that it was actually snow-white after being washed. Its previous gray appearance was all due to mud. It snuggled into Shen Qingyu's arms, probably because it smelled a familiar scent.
The rain had stopped by the time they left the veterinary clinic. They walked side by side toward school, their shadows stretched out in the sunset.
"Have you named it?" Yu Wang suddenly asked.
"No." Chen Qingyu looked down at the sleeping little creature in her arms, her eyes lit up, and she looked up at Yu Wang, "How about calling it Xue Mei Niang? Look at how small it is, it looks so much like Xue Mei Niang, you can eat it in one bite!"
"...Why is your mind full of food?" Yu Wang glanced at her helplessly.
Shen Qingyu ignored him, lowered her head and poked the kitten's paw, calling softly: "Xue Mei Niang~Xue Mei Niang..."
Yu Wang looked at the tenderness in her eyes, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously rose up - the light of the setting sun fell on the tips of her hair, and her hair was glowing with warm light, which was even more beautiful than the sunset just now.
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