Chapter Thirty-Five: So the Junior Already Has Someone?

Night was tranquil.

Lying in bed in her dormitory, Xia Shu tossed and turned. At home, Su Rouxue soaked in the bathtub, sighing again and again. At this moment, both were struggling with the same issue, though neither quite understood why it troubled them so.

Su Rouxue was about to turn thirty. Recently, her closest circle of friends had been relentlessly brainwashing her, urging her to find a partner. For now, though, she had decided to keep things under wraps. She would wait until she and Xia Shu had spent some time together before telling her best friends about him.

The confession wall at Yunda University was still buzzing with activity, and the group chat with her girlfriends was abuzz with gossip too.

“Wow, Xue, isn’t this the freshman who’s been all the rage at your university lately? Honestly, you two look pretty good together in this photo.”

“If all else fails, just go for the younger guy—why not make a move?”

“Don’t worry about identities or titles; you’re both in university. Dating a student is perfectly normal, and you’re just a part-time professor anyway. If you want, I can help you sound things out, play matchmaker for you two.”

“You look no worse than any of those female students, you know. With your looks and charm, did you see the way that boy gazes at you in the photo? So much affection in his eyes!”

“And he’s a freshman—such a precious age! I’m shipping this couple all the way.”

“+1”

“+1”

“+1”

...

Reading the chat records on her phone, Su Rouxue couldn’t help but smile with happiness. Her sighs in the bathtub moments ago had only been because she’d seen so many bystanders in the comment section calling Xia Shu “husband” again and again…

It would be a lie to say she felt no jealousy at all; after all, she was the real one in his life! But overall, seeing so many people supporting their pairing made her truly happy.

“Hmm… this boy seems pretty nice.”

“I’m getting sleepy, girls. Let’s call it a night. Goodnight.”

After sending these last two messages to the group, Su Rouxue put down her phone, let gentle, melodious music fill the room, and closed her eyes to rest.

...

The next day, military training continued.

Xia Shu hadn’t slept well the previous night; he’d spent hours turning over the recent events in his mind, unable to shake the sense of strangeness.

Being the center of attention felt good, but sometimes too much focus from others really did disrupt his normal life. At first, all he’d wanted was to date Su Rouxue peacefully during college, spend four quiet years together, and graduate smoothly. He never expected that one viral freshman interview would bring so much trouble in its wake.

Just two days ago, he’d received an invitation from Xinyu Media, which he’d already declined the night before. In the end, Chen Yuxin maintained a friendly attitude, telling him that if he changed his mind, he could always contact her. At least he had a backup plan of sorts.

But as a freshman, Xia Shu decided not to think too much about those things for now. With his monthly allowance from home and earnings from writing, he could just about cover his living expenses and the costs of dating Su Rouxue. After all this time together, he knew well that she wasn’t a materialistic woman.

Their dates usually meant movies and meals, and he’d occasionally surprise her with small gifts. The money added up, but with careful budgeting, it was just enough. Of course, Xia Shu also planned to keep working hard to earn more—after all, sometimes there were unavoidable expenses, like trips together or shopping for couple’s items.

That afternoon, after her first class, Lin Wanwan grabbed her equipment and, with two assistants in tow, headed to the gymnasium.

She hadn’t slept well the previous night, either, thinking things through. Gradually she realized that winning Xia Shu’s heart would require real effort. Seeing the posts about him on the university’s confession wall had shaken her confidence. For a moment, Lin Wanwan even thought about giving up, but her roommates rallied around her, giving her renewed encouragement.

Sometimes, if you want love, you have to be bold—pursue it bravely and express your feelings. She admitted she’d fallen for the younger student at first sight, and she knew that winning his special favor would be very difficult. But having chosen this path, she would face the challenge head-on—perhaps she might even have a sliver of a chance.

Entering the gym, Lin Wanwan did her best to relax. To keep today’s interview from feeling too forced, she planned to interview several other freshmen during their military training break, asking about their experiences. The highlight, of course, would be reserved for Xia Shu.

She and her assistants waited quietly. At the sound of the coach’s whistle signaling the mid-session break, she immediately stood up and hurried into the formation, eyes locking on Xia Shu’s position.

He had been prepared for this—after all, they’d agreed yesterday about today’s interview.

“Good afternoon, junior!” Lin Wanwan approached with elegance, her face adorned with a sweet smile. Today’s makeup was even fresher and more youthful than the day before, emphasizing her sweetness.

“Hello, senior,” Xia Shu responded with a small smile and a nod, glancing at the two assistants behind her—they looked familiar. It seemed to be the same team from his first interview.

“Here, I brought water for you and your roommates,” Lin Wanwan said, taking several bottles from the bag carried by one of the boys behind her.

Lin Xiang and the others, standing by Xia Shu, raised their brows slightly. Liu Zhuang grinned broadly and took initiative: “Senior, you’re so kind!”

“No need to be so polite…” Lin Wanwan replied with a smile as she handed him the water. Then her gaze returned to Xia Shu. “Junior, time is tight, so let’s get started with the interview.”

“Alright,” Xia Shu nodded, distracted for a moment. He maintained a smile, but facing the camera always made him feel a little awkward. Unless he was truly comfortable and proactive, he always felt a tinge of fear toward the lens.

“Relax! We’ll just talk about some easy topics.” Lin Wanwan noticed his nerves and quickly offered encouragement.

“Okay, let’s begin,” he agreed.

“Great!” Lin Wanwan handed him the microphone.

The interview began.

“Junior, it’s been a while since school started. How are you finding military training so far?”

“It’s alright, pretty standard… The weather is fine, not too hot, the instructor is nice, and so are my classmates…”

“Hehe, you’ve become quite the sensation lately. Do you have any special feelings about your sudden popularity?”

“Yes… It happened very suddenly, so the reality has impacted my daily life a bit. But it’s okay—I’m just going with the flow and facing it calmly.”

“Hmm, the university’s confession wall has girls declaring their feelings for you every day. There’s one question everyone’s curious about: Do you have someone you like?”

“Ah? Well, since you ask, I should clarify—I do have someone I like.”

“…So, does that mean you’re already in a relationship?”

“Yes!”

“!?!?”