"Thanks a lot for last night, Auntie Su," Li Yun murmured, then picked up a fried dough stick and ate. He couldn't bring himself to look at Su Yuya directly anymore.
He had a hunch about something, but he had to keep it all bottled up inside since she was his mentor's wife. He didn't know how he'd face her if it turned out he was just misreading the whole situation and getting ahead of himself.
"No need to be so polite with me," Su Yuya said as she placed a few buns in Li Yun's bowl. "You probably didn't eat anything last night. Here, have a few more buns."
"Yun, what's wrong with you? Still embarrassed about last night?" Su Yuya smiled slightly. "I already said it's not your fault. Are you still dwelling on it? Hehe, your face is all red. I didn't expect you to be so shy!"
Li Yun's face showed a hint of embarrassment, and his emotions were a bit complicated.
"Yun, why did you suddenly decide to go drinking last night? Did something happen?" Su Yuya changed the subject abruptly, inquiring about the previous night.
Li Yun sighed and confessed, "I was thinking about Yixin."
"Because of that, you went drinking?" Su Yuya's willow-like eyebrows furrowed slightly, her eyes filled with concern.
"I was indeed a bit restless yesterday, so on impulse, I went to drink," Li Yun admitted sheepishly. "As a result, I caused you a lot of trouble. I'm sorry."
"Trouble is a minor issue; hurting your own body is the real concern," Su Yuya's expression turned serious.
"Yun, I'm not trying to lecture you, but drinking to drown your sorrows is the easiest way to harm yourself. Let's let it go this time, but if you act so willfully again in the future, I won't be able to help you."
"Auntie Su, I know I was wrong. Can't you let it go?" Su Yuya's care for him made Li Yun feel somewhat ashamed. He didn't want to dwell on this issue any longer, so he changed the subject.
"By the way, Auntie Su, when you put my clothes in the washing machine last night, did you remember to check the pockets?"
"Hehe, they're all right there!" Su Yuya pointed to the side of the TV. Li Yun got up and went over to take a look. Sure enough, his wallet, keys, lighter, and cigarettes were all there, and it seemed like there was something extra...
Su Yuya watched as Li Yun returned to his seat and asked, "Is everything there?"
Li Yun nodded, but under the table, he quietly played with a delicate business card. It had a pink background with only a phone number and a woman's name: An Ru Bi.
Today was the second day of the school's talent exchange fair. After getting everything ready, Li Yun took a bus to the school.
At nine in the morning, the place was already packed, with people standing shoulder to shoulder, even the square outside the gymnasium was full. There were handsome men in sharp suits and beautiful women in dazzling attire crowding around every booth.
After handing out more than ten resumes, Li Yun hurriedly squeezed out. This place was unbearable, like a giant steamer.
He strolled along the school's shaded path, where the osmanthus trees on either side had been there for over twenty years. Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the branches, casting mottled light on the ground.
A gentle breeze rustled the branches, making a "rustling" sound that naturally brought a sense of coolness to the heart.
The news of Li Yun's breakup with Lin Yixin had somehow spread, and his friends all felt sorry for him, for the genuine feelings he had invested in the relationship. However, there was one exception.
Xia Weiwei, who had been at the top of the school's four major beauties since her first day on campus, was the minister of culture and arts for the student union and the captain of the aerobics team. She had surprised and amazed the entire school with her abilities and talents.
At graduation, she received bachelor's degrees in international finance and business management, and then, two years later, she earned a master's degree in business administration and became a certified public accountant. Currently, she was pursuing a Ph.D. in law.
Having lived in Europe with her diplomat parents since childhood, and occasionally returning to her grandparents' and great-grandparents' homes in China for short periods, she was fluent in Chinese, English, French, German, Latin, and Italian.
Since entering university, Xia Weiwei had won more than ten awards in city-wide intercollegiate and off-campus competitions with her excellent piano skills and fit physique.
Despite being surrounded by accolades, she remained humble, greeting everyone with a sincere smile, which earned her the support of almost the entire school. However, she had no suitors to date.
Perhaps it was because she was too outstanding that everyone felt an unconscious sense of inferiority standing beside her, making her an idol that many could only admire from afar.
She possessed an indescribable, fresh beauty, and had topped the beauty chart for years without any objections.
Some even argued that she shouldn't be included in the list, as it was a demotion; no one else on the list could compare to her. Disagreements over this had even led to heated debates.
Although Xia Weiwei's parents were not only children, due to various economic and political reasons, both families eventually had only one child, her parents. When Xia Weiwei was born, she naturally became the focus of everyone's attention and the apple of the four elders' eyes.
"Life is full of ups and downs." When Xia Weiwei was in her second year of college, her parents were tragically killed in a highway car accident in Europe.
The four elders were all struck ill by the unbearable news. Although they showed signs of improvement with Xia Weiwei's careful care after she returned to Donglai City, within half a year of her returning to school, three of the elders passed away one after another, leaving only her maternal grandfather.
Additionally, in Donglai City, she had an uncle who was a police officer and had died in the line of duty a few years ago, leaving behind only his wife and daughter.
The daughter of this uncle, her younger cousin, had decided to become a police officer after her father's tragic death, vowing to eliminate all evil.
Xia Weiwei and her younger cousin, both having lost loved ones early, felt a deep bond and, with few relatives, became very close. They even celebrated together when her younger cousin was accepted into the Police Academy.
This academic year was Xia Weiwei's second year of her doctoral studies. She had already completed all the required courses with distinction, and all that remained was her doctoral dissertation.
If things went smoothly, she would obtain her Ph.D. next year and graduate from university.
Whether she chose to study abroad or develop her career domestically, her future was limitless.