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nTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

nSong Fengwan and Qiao Xiyan arrived in the capital at around noon, and it was a little past one when they left the airport with their luggage. The two of them casually found a restaurant and ate something before heading straight to the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

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nIt was September in the capital, and the sun was burning like a fire. The heat waves hit their faces, making them feel dry and parched.

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nJingmei1 was a school under Beijing University. The school was also within the Beijing University campus, and it only recruited around 200 people every year. The qualifying scores for the cultural subjects were too high. Even so, 20,000 to 30,000 people applied every year, and it was not too much to say that only one in a hundred made it in.

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nToday, all the departments in Beijing University were welcoming new students. Before the taxi reached the school gates, it was blocked.

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nSong Fengwan and Qiao Xiyan got out of the taxi and walked. Before they reached the school gates, they saw a red welcome banner. There were many volunteers composed of second-year students at the gates, and many new students and parents were slowly walking with large and small suitcases.

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nBeijing University was an educational institute that focused on science. There was a normal university beside it, and the number of girls there was around 80%. The two universities were close to each other, and they often had social events. Their relationship was very close.

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nIt was half past two in the afternoon. It was the hottest time in Beijing, so there were not many students reporting to school. A few second-years were drinking water under an umbrella. They looked at Song Fengwan and even poked the people beside them.

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n“Is she going to the normal university?”

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n“Most likely. Our department doesn’t have a single girl this year.

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n“Do you have to be so miserable? Our department has nine this year.”

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n…

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nThe few of them were chatting and laughing when they saw Song Fengwan walking over. “May I know where to report for the art school?”

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nThe few of them hurriedly came back to their senses. “Jingmei?”

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n“Yeah.” Song Fengwan smiled.

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nShe was beautiful, and her facial features were exquisite. She didn’t have an umbrella, and the hair on her forehead was soaked in sweat. She was wearing a white shirt and jeans, looking clean and refreshing.

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n“Jingmei is still inside. Let me bring you there.” The boys’ eyes lit up.

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nIn fact, most of the boys who came to volunteer were single. They just wanted to take the opportunity to hook up with their juniors. It was better to take action early.

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n“No need. Just point the way. We won’t trouble you.” Qiao Xiyan walked over directly.

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nThe man was tall and slender. His sharp eyes were as deep as the sea, and he was much taller than these people. The superior elite aura around him made people shrink back at the sight of him.

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nThe boys pointed the way for them and watched them leave.

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n“They don’t look like a couple. I don’t think he’s her boyfriend.” Although Qiao Xiyan was protecting Song Fengwan, his actions were proper. Although he was close to her, there was no intimacy between them.

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n“Most likely not, but he’s fierce enough. His gaze can even kill.”

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n“This junior is mine. Don’t snatch her from me. I’m going to take a look. What’s her name?”

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nA few of them followed.

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nSong Fengwan arrived at the reporting venue. The art academy students reported in the gymnasium, and there were also the physics and biology departments. Even with the air conditioner on, the venue didn’t feel cold.

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nA few senior female students received her. When they heard her name, they even looked at her in surprise.

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n“Sign here.” A senior passed a form over. Song Fengwan’s name was first. “The number on it is your student ID, and you’ll be using it for your four years in university. It’s very important. You have to memorize it and fill in your phone number.”

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n“Okay.” Song Fengwan nodded.

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n“This is your meal card, the key to your dormitory…” The senior explained a lot to her. “There’s a class meeting on the eighth in the afternoon, and you’ll be receiving your military training supplies. The venue is at Yuhe Tower 403. This is also where you usually attend evening self-study. You have to attend evening self-study during your first year of university.”

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nYuhe? Song Fengwan’s pen paused.

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n“Our art school is only three buildings away. It’s at the southernmost part of the school. Go walk around more and familiarize yourself with the school.” The senior smiled.

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n“Yeah.”

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n“You have to go to the second cafeteria to collect your water bottles and mosquito net. Your dormitory is in Building 58. Outside the gym along the main path, there’s a dormitory distribution map.” Only then did the senior finish explaining everything.

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n“Thank you.” Song Fengwan thanked her and left with Qiao Xiyan.

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n“This is our department’s top scorer this year. Her cultural classes scores were surprisingly high. With such results, she could have definitely gone to another school.” The few of them smiled.

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n“I wanted to talk to her more, but the man standing beside her was too scary.”

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n…

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nWhile the few of them were chatting and laughing, Song Fengwan had already arrived at the dormitory. Her dorm room was on the third floor. Because new students were reporting to school, the female dormitory was also open to boys for the next three days.

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nIn the four-person room, there were four beds, a table, and four chairs. It was very simple. Everyone’s name was already pasted on the beds, so there was no need for them to choose beds. With Song Fengwan, three girls had already arrived in the dorm room. One of them was a round-faced girl with bangs, sitting on the bed and talking on the phone.

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nOne of the others had her suitcase lying against her bed, but she wasn’t here. Song Fengwan sized up the beds. They were all loft beds with desks underneath. After a summer vacation, there was a lot of dust.

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nQiao Xiyan wiped her chair for her. “Sit down first. I’ll go get your things.”

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nAs soon as he left, the round-faced girl finished her call. “Song Fengwan?” Her name was pasted on the bed.

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n“Yeah.”

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n“My name is Hu Xinyue. I’m from Shaanbei.” Although the girl had a baby face, her voice wasn’t soft. It was obvious that she had a straightforward personality.

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n“I’m from Yuncheng.”

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n“Do you want to wipe your desk? I have a rag.”

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n“Okay, thank you.” Song Fengwan twisted the rag and started wiping her desk.

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n“Who was the person who sent you here just now? Your boyfriend?” Hu Xinyue had a casual personality. She had already gotten out of bed and started unpacking her luggage.

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n“My brother.”

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n“I thought he was your boyfriend.”

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nSong Fengwan smiled awkwardly.

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n“Are you in a relationship?” She turned her head and looked at Song Fengwan.

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nSong Fengwan grabbed the rag tightly. Seeing her straightforward personality, she was afraid that she would let it slip when Qiao Xiyan came back later, so she smiled without saying anything.

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n“There must be a lot of people chasing you. I fell in love in my second year of high school.” Hu Xinyue was actually a little shy at the mention of her boyfriend.

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n“Second year of high school?” Song Fengwan raised her eyebrows.

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n“Then my family found out and almost killed me. They even made me transfer schools,” Hu Xinyue said casually.

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nSong Fengwan’s heart skipped a beat. “And then?”

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n“I’ve always secretly been in contact with him. But he didn’t perform well in this exam and stayed in Shaanbei to study.”

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n…

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nThe two of them chatted for a long time before Qiao Xiyan carried the items distributed by the school upstairs and tidied up briefly. The other girl had also come back.

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nHer name was Miao Yating, and she was from the south. She was petite and had a childish voice. Her parents had followed her and greeted them. They even gave them some specialties from the south and asked them to take care of their daughter.

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nAt around four o’clock, someone came to the last bed in the dorm room.

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nIt was a middle-aged woman. Because everyone was unpacking, there was inevitably no place for her to go in the dorm room. She even looked down on everyone and spoke with a Beijing accent, giving off a domineering feeling.

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nSong Fengwan turned her head and sized her up. She was dressed fashionably and even carried a branded bag. As soon as she touched the table, she walked to the bathroom in disgust.

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n“Hello, Xinxin. I’m in the dormitory. The environment is too poor. Let’s go home and stay. How can people live in this place?

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n“Our house isn’t far from the school. I don’t think there’s even a place to shower in this dormitory. How are you going to spend the summer?

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n“Besides, they’re all loft beds. It’s too dangerous to sleep at night.”

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n…

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nWhen the others in the dorm room heard her, they fell silent.

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n“She’s from Beijing. No wonder she’s so arrogant.” Hu Xinyue was speechless.

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nSong Fengwan bent over and hung her mosquito net, smiling without saying anything.

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n“Cousin, when are we going to get the blanket?” Almost all of Song Fengwan’s clothes and blankets were with Fu Chen.

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n“I’ll call and ask later,” Qiao Xiyan said as he walked out with his phone.

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nWhen Song Fengwan climbed out of bed, she saw Hu Xinyue holding a roll of tape and pasting a black-and-white picture of an old man.

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nGrandmaster of a generation—

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nQiao Yuhe.

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nSong Fengwan was almost frightened. “Xinyue, this is…”

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n“My idol. I study art because of Old Master Qiao. Don’t tell me you don’t know him? Everyone who studies art knows him. He’s on every test.”

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n“I know him.” Song Fengwan smiled bitterly.

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n“It’s a pity that I was born at the wrong time and couldn’t witness the grandmaster’s elegance.” Hu Xinyue pasted the picture and even wiped it carefully a few times.

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nQiao Xiyan had already returned to the room. “Wanwan, we’re going to the Fu residence for dinner tonight. You can unpack a bit more, and then we’ll leave.”

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n“Are you coming back to stay tonight?” Hu Xinyue hurriedly asked. If Song Fengwan didn’t come back, she would probably be alone in the dormitory.

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n“I don’t think so. I didn’t even bring my blanket.” Song Fengwan smiled apologetically.

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n“Then leave your contact details. Call me when you’re going back to the school.”

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nQiao Xiyan only watched as the two girls leaned against each other and whispered to each other. His gaze landed on the picture on the head of Hu Xinyue’s bed, and his eyes were profound.

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nI didn’t expect this old man to have fans.

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nThe older he got, the grumpier he became. When Qiao Xiyan was young, he was playful and didn’t cherish the jade stones. His grandfather had often beaten him with a feather duster. Later on, he had a problem with his arm and couldn’t carry any weight, so he simply used his feet.

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nIn his memory, the grandmaster in other people’s eyes was a short-tempered, grumpy, and arrogant old man.

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n***

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nWhen Song Fengwan and Qiao Xiyan left the school gates, it was already evening. The two of them took a taxi straight to the old Fu residence.

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nFu Chen went to the school to pick Huai Sheng up and waited at the old residence.

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nIt had been a long time since Old Madam Fu saw Song Fengwan, so she had gotten busy early in the morning. Old Master Fu was sitting on his rocking chair with his tobacco pipe in his hand. He turned his head to look at Fu Chen, who was studying a chess record.

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nWhy did this brat dress up so cleanly today?

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nIsn’t he usually partial to long black robes? Why is he dressed so young today?

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nSince he was a child, he’s always liked to pretend to be mature. Who is he acting young for today?!

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