Sandalwood Street

Sandalwood Street.

Sandalwood Street was one of the riverside roads in downtown Xia City, only a few hundred meters from Xia City's most prosperous pedestrian street.

Because it lay within the riverside scenic belt, plenty of pedestrians came and went.

After finishing today's classes, Baili Qingfeng hired a taxi and came here. After having the taxi pull over, he got out and stopped in front of No. 101, Sandalwood Street.

It was a six-story building with a courtyard. Numerous signs hung by the gate, and guards stood watch. It did not appear to be open to tourists.

Baili Qingfeng swept his gaze around and quickly found a dessert shop not far from the building.

He ordered a drink and sat down in the dessert shop.

He sat...

For two whole hours.

During that time, the servers came over several times to ask whether Baili Qingfeng wanted to order anything else, but he refused them all.

The sky gradually darkened...

"Ding-a-ling!"

The doorbell rang.

A group of men and women walked in from outside.

Baili Qingfeng glanced at the group, then his gaze fell on the two women.

The two women wore matching outfits, though one was dressed in an elegant blue gown and the other in green. They were brimming with youthful beauty, like a captivating scenic view.

The dessert shop was small. When his gaze landed on the two women, they noticed him as well.

One of them immediately called out cheerfully, "Little Brother Qingfeng, you're here too."

"Qin Lanshan."

Baili Qingfeng greeted her, then looked at Gu Lingying. "Are you two out shopping?"

"Yeah."

Qin Lanshan came over and said, "Little Brother Qingfeng, you haven't come to visit us at our school lately. And Yun Jie said you haven't gone to Shuiyun Yayun either. We've really been longing to hear your musical talents again."

"I've had something to deal with lately and haven't had the time. But if you often go to Shuiyun Yayun, I'll come by when I have time."

"Then let's set a time. How about Saturday afternoon every week? We go shopping on Sundays, so Saturday morning or afternoon would be best."

"Whenever you have time is fine."

Baili Qingfeng nodded.

"Wonderful."

Qin Lanshan gave an excited cry and turned to Gu Lingying. "Yingzi, what do you think?"

Gu Lingying smiled and nodded. "Sure."

Afterward, her gaze fell on Baili Qingfeng. "Senior Qingfeng, do you have any new masterpieces lately?"

"I do have a duet."

"Wow, really?"

Qin Lanshan's beautiful eyes lit up. "What a pity Yingzi didn't bring her xiao today. Otherwise, we'd have had a treat for our ears."

"It's fine. Today's Thursday, and the day after tomorrow is Saturday. Senior Qingfeng, would that work?"

There was a trace of anticipation on Gu Lingying's face as well.

"Of course."

Baili Qingfeng inclined his head slightly. "I'll be waiting to experience Junior Gu's xiao-playing skills then."

"Senior Qingfeng's zither skills are the truly wonderful ones. To this day, the lingering notes of your zither still echo in my mind."

Gu Lingying smiled as she spoke.

Seeing the two converse, one of the other three people accompanying them—a handsome and refined man—smiled and asked, "Lingying, Lanshan, you haven't introduced this junior student to me yet."

"This is Baili Qingfeng, a second-year senior at Xia'er University next door."

Qin Lanshan introduced him spontaneously, then said to Baili Qingfeng, "Little Brother Qingfeng, this is our school's third-year senior, Su Wei. Those two are my roommate Nicole and her childhood friend Gude."

"Hello."

Baili Qingfeng greeted them politely.

"Hello, Junior Baili."

Su Wei nodded with a faint smile. "Junior, have you been sitting here for a while? Waiting for someone? At a dessert shop, you must be waiting for a female friend, right?"

Baili Qingfeng glanced at Su Wei. "I was tired, so I sat down to rest."

"Is that so... Resting at a dessert shop? Junior Qingfeng's tastes are rather unique. I thought that, when alone, only girls liked visiting dessert shops."

Su Wei maintained his smile as he spoke.

Baili Qingfeng said nothing more.

His attitude made the smile on Su Wei's face grow somewhat stiff.

"Baili Qingfeng."

At that moment, Gude, Nicole's boyfriend, seemed to recall something. "Baili Qingfeng from Xia'er University... Junior Baili, you know Gule, right?"

"I know him. He's one of my roommates."

"Then there's no mistake."

As Gude spoke, he glanced at Baili Qingfeng. "Heh..."

He said nothing more.

Hearing his tone, Su Wei keenly sensed something and immediately asked, "What is it, Gude? You two know each other?"

"Nothing much. Gule is my cousin. I just happened to hear a few things about Junior Baili from him."

As Gude spoke, he said to Nicole, Qin Lanshan, and Gu Lingying, "What desserts do you want? It's on me. After we finish, let's keep walking around and shopping."

"What things?"

Su Wei smiled again. "What happened to Junior Qingfeng?"

"Better not say."

Gude replied indifferently, his gaze toward Baili Qingfeng somewhat cold.

"Tell us. I'm curious too."

Nicole added her voice.

"Then I'll tell you. You should know about that major incident at Xia'er University a few months ago, right? At the time, many students from Xia'er University spontaneously went to the Aurora Consulate to stage a sit-in protest. My cousin Gule was one of them. He invited Junior Baili to go too, but Junior Baili refused. And when the students from Xia'er University clashed with those people from Aurora at noon that day, my cousin and Baili Qingfeng were both there. My cousin was about to rush over and help, but Baili Qingfeng pulled him away."

Gude spoke.

Although he recounted the two events from a relatively objective standpoint, without saying anything openly disparaging, it was not difficult to hear what his words implied...

The label of a timid coward had been plastered onto Baili Qingfeng.

"The incident at Xia'er University caused quite a stir. Although the school authorities never explicitly supported the students' sit-in protest, the temporary holiday was the clearest possible tacit approval. When I heard about it, I rushed to the consulate to show my support. After all, we're all part of Xia, and even if the people suffering were students from Xia'er University, we should still have stood up and contributed our strength at a time like that. Unfortunately, by the time I arrived, Councilor York had already resolved the matter."

Su Wei spoke with some surprise.

Baili Qingfeng glanced at the surprised Su Wei, then at Qin Lanshan, whose brows had drawn together slightly. He was just about to say something when a sedan drove out of the courtyard at No. 101.

Because the car windows were open, Baili Qingfeng could clearly see Eddie, the person in charge of the Stability Maintenance Group, sitting inside.

"Sorry, I have something to do. I'll leave first."

Baili Qingfeng excused himself, hurried out of the dessert shop, and soon reached the side of the taxi he had hired.

He got in. The taxi started up and soon disappeared without a trace.

"There are several bus routes here that go directly to Xia'er University. Taking a taxi isn't an economical choice. It looks like Junior Qingfeng comes from a good family. No wonder he didn't rashly get involved in Xia'er University's sit-in protest—he probably places a great deal of importance on protecting himself. But people from truly great clans should understand that there are things one should do and things one should not."

Seeing Baili Qingfeng hurriedly leave in the taxi, Su Wei spoke with a smile.

Only then did he turn to Gu Lingying and say, "All right, let's order something to eat. Lingying, Lanshan, what would you like?"

"We've been walking all afternoon and are a little tired. I don't feel like shopping anymore. Yingzi, let's go back."

Qin Lanshan spoke.

Gu Lingying looked in the direction where Baili Qingfeng had driven away and nodded. "It's getting late. We should head back to school too. Let's go together."

As they spoke, the two said to Nicole, "We'll head back first, then. Let's go shopping together another time."

Afterward, they nodded politely at Gude and Su Wei before walking straight out.

"Lingying, Lanshan, why are you leaving already? Aren't you going to keep shopping? I've already reserved a restaurant..."

Su Wei was about to continue, but Nicole cut him off. "Don't call after them."

Then she called out to the two who had already left the dessert shop, "Wait! We'll go back together."

As she was about to leave, she paused slightly and shot Su Wei a sidelong glance. "Lingying and Lanshan aren't very old, but they're extremely clever. Do you think they couldn't see through your aim in smearing Junior Qingfeng's image? What you did not only accomplished nothing, it will also leave them with the impression that you're narrow-minded. You really thought yourself clever."

After saying that, she quickly followed them out.

Seeing the three leave without the slightest hesitation, Su Wei's originally handsome face instantly turned ugly.