I Can Be Alone

After dinner, the group of seven returned to Lin University under the moonlight and night sky.

Little Rich Woman walked slowly the whole way. She did not say anything, but it was obvious she did not want to return to the dormitory too soon. Her little scheme was practically written all over her face, so Jiang Qin decided to take her on a stroll around campus and deliberately hinted that the other five should head back first.

Fan Shuling was clearly worried. She did not really want Feng Nanshu to stay with Jiang Qin.

What a scumbag. People like him should be avoided at all costs, so how could anyone throw themselves at him? As the dormitory's big sister, she felt obligated to remind her roommate to keep her eyes open.

But Gao Wenhui was an excellent wingwoman. Without a word, she grabbed Fan Shuling.

"Spring flowers, autumn moon, beautiful moments—anyone who insists on being a third wheel will stay single for life!"

After hearing Gao Wenhui's vicious curse, Fan Shuling did not dare struggle. She could only watch helplessly as Feng Nanshu obediently followed Jiang Qin into the distance.

After returning to the dormitory, Fan Shuling still wore a worried expression. "That Jiang Qin is a scumbag. I saw him with my own eyes, tangled up with four girls. And those four girls are all from the same dormitory. I've lived this long and never seen anything so ridiculous!"

As she soaked her feet, Gao Wenhui comforted her. "Nan Shu may be a little introverted and a little airheaded, but she isn't stupid."

"But she's easy to deceive."

"Then I don't know. But she definitely knows who makes her happy." Gao Wenhui thought happiness was important.

Fan Shuling decided to stop talking. She picked up a book and began reading, but after a while she could not help speaking again. "Wen Hui, you're acting strange. He tricked you into eating ginger! Anyone can see he's not a good person!"

"Shu Ling."

"Hm?"

"Nan Shu has been waiting for him for a long time."

"..."

"Forget it. I'm not getting involved anymore."

The post-rain night sky was cool as water, and the moonlight stretched the shadows of the two figures walking along the campus road farther and farther.

But the figure in front suddenly stopped for no apparent reason, causing the smaller figure behind her to run into her without warning.

Still, Jiang Qin did not feel entirely justified taking advantage of the situation.

Feng Nanshu was dazed and naïve, and her understanding of the world was incomplete. Most of what she knew came from fantasy novels like Magic Eye Girl.

Fantasy novels aimed at younger readers could be very entertaining, but they certainly contained no romance.

Why? If novels written for children were full of people madly falling in love, what the hell would that look like?

So Feng Nanshu definitely did not know she had been taken advantage of.

Thinking of this, Jiang Qin felt a little guilty. She had given him money to start a business, and he had turned around and taken advantage of her. What a beast.

One last time.

The last time tonight.

Jiang Qin stopped and waited for Feng Nanshu to bump into him, then said with a perfectly serious expression, "I heard your roommates invited you to see a movie. Why didn't you go?"

Feng Nanshu tugged at the clothes over her chest, and a trace of stubbornness flashed in her eyes. "I don't like watching movies."

"You must have read Pinocchio. Liars get long noses, just like yours now."

Feng Nanshu froze in place. Then she quietly raised a hand and touched her nose.

Hmph. He's trying to scare me again. Lying doesn't really make your nose grow.

"Have you ever gone out for a walk at night?"

Feng Nanshu hurried after him for a few steps. "No. Linchuan is a little dark at night."

Jiang Qin could not help stopping. He turned around and looked at her. "Isn't it dark now too? Are you scared? If you want, I can take you back."

"No. I'm not scared when I'm with a friend."

"Your roommates are friends too. Why do you become so timid when they ask you to watch a movie?"

Feng Nanshu said nothing. Her soft, rosy lips pressed together as she followed Jiang Qin forward on her own.

It isn't as if I feel safe with every friend...

There was not much fun to be had at Lin University at night. The Maple Forest was especially unpleasant: every three steps, they would run into a couple kissing, and then every three steps after that, another couple kissing. The Front Square, meanwhile, was packed with people, and Feng Nanshu clearly would not like that kind of atmosphere.

There were people playing cards on the School Field under desk lamps, but the surroundings were just as chaotic, and there were people kissing there too.

Jiang Qin was already numb from seeing it all. How about I lend you money to rent a room? he thought, then covered Feng Nanshu's curious eyes and hurried away.

In the end, after wandering around, the two arrived at the shore of Moon Gazing Lake.

It was the largest artificial lake on campus, deliberately designed to resemble a natural lake. Strange, jagged rocks surrounded it, along with a huge Stone Boat Workshop.

The inlet facing east had been deliberately made into a stepped waterfall. The water crashed down with a rushing sound, making it barely different from the wilderness.

Jiang Qin thought the place was relatively quiet, so he pulled Feng Nanshu down beside him.

Frogs croaked. Water murmured. Moonlight shone. The night breeze blew.

Feng Nanshu suddenly removed her Small Leather Shoes and thin white lace-trimmed socks, revealing a pair of delicate little feet. Her adorable toes were round and pink, and then she gently slipped them into Jiang Qin's lap.

"?"

"I promised you during military training. I'd let you play with my feet." Feng Nanshu looked at him calmly.

Jiang Qin became embarrassed and angry. "Are you kidding me? I'm an upright gentleman! You're using this to test an upright gentleman? I'm telling you, I won't even touch them."

Feng Nanshu suddenly furrowed her brows slightly. "Hiss... gentler. That hurt."

"Damn it, why does my hand have a mind of its own?"

"It tickles a little." Water began to shimmer in Feng Nanshu's eyes.

"It's fine. No big deal. Bring the other one over too."

Jiang Qin kneaded the warm, smooth softness in his hand as his gaze drifted across the lake. "Actually, I've been pretty free these past few days. But I have military training every day, so I don't have time to do anything else. And after military training ends, I might become even busier."

After saying this, Jiang Qin paused slightly, feeling that the scene seemed strangely familiar.

Oh, right. During Summer Vacation, after receiving his relocation compensation, he had needed to learn to drive while also researching the state of various industries. He had said something similar back then.

At the time, Little Rich Woman had said she would not feel lonely. She had also said she had always been alone. Yet within a few days, she had started sulking and acting moody, unable even to keep reading the books she liked.

Jiang Qin turned to look at Feng Nanshu and saw Little Rich Woman pressing her lips together while pretending to gaze into the distance nonchalantly.

"Feng Nanshu?"

"I can be alone." Feng Nanshu continued looking elsewhere.

Jiang Qin could not help leaning closer to look at her. "You're really strong, huh?"

"Mm."

"Then turn your face over. Let me have a look."

"No."

"All right, don't cry. I'll take you with me when I'm busy in the future, but you're not allowed to cause trouble."

"I'm not crying."

Feng Nanshu spoke softly, then quietly gazed across the lake. Her little feet felt warm and cozy, and she only wanted to sit there forever.