Stepping onto the familiar yet long-unseen campus, Lan Yucheng felt like a single drop of water dissolving into a boisterous ocean.
Qing Xinxue, clinging to her arm like a tenacious burr, practically wore the word “ownership” emblazoned across her face.
Only when they reached the academic building did Qing Xinxue, under Lan Yucheng’s calm yet unwavering gaze, reluctantly release her grip. She then walked towards her own classroom, casting lingering glances back every few steps.
“Wait for me after school!”
Her eyes held a final warning and plea.
Freed from Qing Xinxue’s “personal protection,” Lan Yucheng immediately sprang into action.
She needed a reliable source of information, a leverage point that would enable her to swiftly re-immerse herself and uncover a crucial breakthrough.
Senior You Ran, a name Qing Xinxue had specifically mentioned and who had even called her personally, was undoubtedly the best choice.
Lan Yucheng approached a seemingly kind-faced junior, offering a perfectly measured smile that hinted at a touch of bewilderment.
“Excuse me, classmate, I apologize for bothering you, but do you happen to know… Senior You Ran? I have some academic questions I’d like to ask her.”
The junior student paused, her gaze turning slightly odd as she looked at Lan Yucheng.
“You’re looking for Senior You Ran? She’s the Vice President of our Student Union, very well-known. Usually, at this time, she should be in the Vice President’s office on the third floor of the administration building, handling matters.”
“Vice President?” A subtle shift occurred within Lan Yucheng. This identity certainly offered convenience.
After thanking the junior, she headed straight for the administration building.
Standing before the door marked “Vice President’s Office,” Lan Yucheng took a deep breath, quickly adjusting her demeanor. She then knocked on the door.
“Come in,” a clear, crisp female voice called from within.
Pushing the door open, Lan Yucheng’s gaze first fell upon an impeccably tidy desk, behind which sat a female student.
The student wore a simple white shirt, her long hair meticulously tied back, revealing a smooth forehead and a slender neck. A pair of rimless glasses rested on her nose, and behind the lenses, her eyes were sharp and composed as she reviewed documents, exuding an aura of competence and undeniable authority.
This was Senior You Ran. Her appearance was precisely as Lan Yucheng had envisioned.
Upon hearing footsteps, You Ran lifted her head. When her gaze landed on Lan Yucheng’s face, she visibly froze, her brow furrowing almost imperceptibly. A flicker of extremely complex emotions — surprise, confusion, and a hint of suppressed concern — momentarily crossed her calm eyes.
“Lan Yucheng?”
You Ran set down her pen, her voice remaining steady, though her words came a fraction faster. “You’re… back already? Is your health fully recovered?”
‘She knows me, as expected.’
Lan Yucheng’s face appropriately displayed a touch of confusion and apology. She walked forward and sat in the chair before the desk, speaking in a slightly uncertain tone.
“Yes, I’m back. Um… hello, you must be Senior You Ran? I’m so sorry to bother you.”
She paused, her fingers curling slightly, appearing a little lost. “I… I might have been a bit muddled from my illness before. Many things… including people and events at school, I don’t remember very clearly. The doctor said it’s temporary selective amnesia, and it might take time to recover…”
She looked up, her eyes clear yet tinged with vulnerability, perfectly portraying the confusion of an “amnesiac” and their eager desire to reintegrate.
“So, if I do anything wrong later, or forget anything important, please… remind and bear with me, Senior.”
“Amnesia!?”
You Ran repeated the word, her gaze behind the glasses suddenly sharpening. It swept over Lan Yucheng’s face like a searchlight, seemingly trying to discern the truth in her words.
The air in the office seemed to solidify for a few seconds.
Lan Yucheng maintained her expression, though a fine sheen of sweat appeared on her palms.
She was gambling. Gambling that the system would rationalize this excuse, and gambling that this seemingly astute and capable senior harbored even a sliver of lingering sentiment or responsibility for the ‘Lan Yucheng’ of the past.
Finally, You Ran leaned back slightly in her chair, crossing her hands on the desk. Her expression returned to its previous composure, yet a deeper sense of scrutiny and an unidentifiable gravity now resided in her eyes.
“I understand.”
She spoke indifferently, her tone devoid of emotion. “There’s no need to worry about academic matters. I mentioned before that I would tutor you, and that offer still stands. Since you ‘don’t remember,’ I’ll say it again.”
She pulled open a drawer, retrieving a brand-new notebook and a pen, which she pushed towards Lan Yucheng.
“Take these. They contain the key points of this semester’s core courses and the outline of my notes. If there’s anything you don’t understand, or procedures you can’t recall, you can always come to me with questions.”
Her tone was businesslike, yet it carried an undeniable forcefulness. “Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, I’ll be in the east reading room on the third floor of the library. Come whenever you have time.”
There were no excessive inquiries, no overt sympathy, only clear, efficient arrangements and an invisible, assertive form of care.
Lan Yucheng took the notebook, her fingertips brushing against the smooth paper.
She could sense that Senior You Ran was not nearly as “businesslike” as she appeared. That lingering, complex emotion beneath the sharp scrutiny was the breakthrough.
“Thank you, Senior.”
She offered a grateful smile, laced with a hint of dependence. “Then I… won’t disturb your work any longer.”
She stood up, politely excusing herself. As she reached the door, You Ran’s calm, unruffled voice came from behind her.
“Lan Yucheng.”
Lan Yucheng turned around.
You Ran looked at her, her gaze profound. “Since you’ve ‘forgotten,’ let’s start anew. I am Lin Youran, Vice President of the Student Union, and your direct senior. And also…”
She couldn’t bring herself to say the rest.
Her tone was flat, yet the phrase “start anew” carried a subtle, intriguing implication.
“Understood, Senior Lin.” Lan Yucheng readily agreed, nodded, and gently closed the door.
The moment the door shut, Lan Yucheng leaned against the corridor wall, letting out a soft breath. The first step had been successfully taken.
The hook had been set for You Ran’s storyline.
However, before she could ponder further, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Qing Xinxue, accompanied by a pitiful emoji.
[Sister Cheng, did you go find Senior You Ran? [Kitty peeking.jpg]]
Lan Yucheng looked at her phone screen, her eyes subtly darkening. A new target for strategy had emerged, and the “ally” who had just completed her “binding” was proving to be more perceptive and possessive than Lan Yucheng had anticipated.
“Yes, she’s quite nice.”
Lan Yucheng tucked her phone back into her pocket, closing her eyes in thought.