The Twenty-Eighth Chapter

After military training ended, the official freshman year had just begun.

One of the biggest lies in the world: university life is easy.

With a packed class schedule, Liu Mumu didn't even have time to daydream. Not only did she have classes during the day, but she occasionally had electives at night. It was nothing like the promised easy and pleasant university life!

She once suspected that the Welcome Party was the school's final celebration for the new students, followed by an endless cycle of classes. The first class was in Building Number One, the third in Building Number Two, and the first class in the afternoon was in Building Number Three.

She didn't know how much knowledge she was gaining, but her calves were definitely getting slimmer.

As students, everyone's goal remained the same: look forward to holidays while in school, and look forward to the next holiday while on holiday.

The National Day holiday was her only current expectation for university life.

After enduring the two weeks of formal classes, the wonderful seven-day holiday finally arrived.

In Liu Mumu's dormitory, only Wei Xue was going home. She heard that an elder in her family was celebrating a birthday and she couldn't miss it.

Xue Lan had also made plans with her boyfriend long ago, intending to spend the seven days visiting attractions near Qing City.

However, something unexpected happened midway. Xu Anze had to return to Jing City, leaving Xue Lan alone at school.

Before the holiday, he specifically treated Liu Mumu and the others in her dormitory to a meal. While Xue Lan was absent, he asked Qian Xiaomeng to look after her during the holiday.

It wasn't that Xu Anze was overly cautious, but Xue Lan hadn't been feeling well recently. She was relatively normal during military training, but after it ended, she frequently experienced dizziness, nosebleeds, and diarrhea. She had also caught a cold a couple of days ago and hadn't recovered yet.

The outside temperature was as high as thirty-one degrees Celsius, yet she had caught a cold from the wind and cold. It was simply unbelievable.

Qian Xiaomeng had no plans to travel during the holiday anyway, so she readily agreed.

Liu Mumu stayed in the dormitory for one more night. On the first day of the holiday, she got up early and, along with Qian Xiaomeng, saw Wei Xue off at the school gate to catch her ride.

Many students were carrying suitcases like Wei Xue, planning to go home. Even though it was only seven in the morning, the school gate was still bustling.

A white sedan suddenly stopped as it drove past them. Just as Liu Mumu and the others were about to go around the car, the car window rolled down, and a somewhat familiar head popped out.

"Master, it's me, it's me! Do you remember me? I'm Zheng Xuan."

She had almost forgotten, but this address of "Master" instantly brought back Liu Mumu's memories.

Piles Xiao Zheng.

They had added each other as friends at Zhan Hongye's birthday banquet. They hadn't been in contact since then. She figured Xiao Zheng must be doing well recently and didn't need her guidance.

"Oh, I remember you. What are you doing here?" Liu Mumu asked curiously.

"I'm coming back to school to pick up some things." Zheng Xuan saw the suitcase she was pushing and suddenly had an idea. "You're not studying here too, are you?"

"Yes, a freshman."

Zheng Xuan acted as if he had won a five-hundred-dollar lottery. This was too much of a coincidence! Going from "Master" to "junior female classmate" would surely bring their relationship even closer!

He immediately changed his tune and said enthusiastically, "Junior female classmate, where are you going? I'll give you a ride."

As for picking up things, he had long forgotten about it.

Liu Mumu thought for a moment and felt that Zheng Xuan was quite reliable. She told him, "I'm not going anywhere. We're just sending a classmate to the airport."

"The airport is great! I know the way. Your classmate is my classmate. Get in the car quickly."

After speaking, perhaps fearing they would run off, he got out of the car to help them with their luggage.

He was so enthusiastic it was as if he wanted to drag them away and sell them.

Wei Xue and Qian Xiaomeng encountered such an overly enthusiastic senior for the first time. They looked at him with uncertainty. He was dressed in flashy clothes and didn't look like a good person!

Zheng Xuan was wearing tens of thousands of dollars worth of trendy brands. What could be wrong with his clothes? Don't ask.

In the end, out of trust in Liu Mumu, the two of them got into the car.

Initially, Liu Mumu and Qian Xiaomeng only planned to see Wei Xue off to the airport, but Wei Xue definitely wouldn't have gotten into Zheng Xuan's car alone. Zheng Xuan very considerately offered that they could all go to the airport together. He had to return to school later, so he could also drive Liu Mumu and the others back.

After everyone got into the car, Zheng Xuan turned the car around and drove them to the airport.

Although he seemed a bit unreliable, he was quite talkative, and being a senior in his fourth year, they all got acquainted after chatting for a while.

After calling Liu Mumu "junior female classmate" a few times, Zheng Xuan felt that calling her "Master" had more gravitas and changed it back.

While driving, he said to Liu Mumu, "Master, aren't you planning to go out and play during the holiday? There are several scenic spots nearby, and the scenery is quite nice. There's also Qingshan Temple, which has quite a few pilgrims."

"What are they praying for?" Qian Xiaomeng and Liu Mumu's minds, once again, had a telepathic connection.

Zheng Xuan thought hard. It seemed his ex-girlfriend had dragged him there once. "It seems to be... for marriage?"

He had gone through the whole process: praying for blessings, making wishes, and hanging a lover's lock. In the end, his ex-girlfriend dumped him. Too much to say, only tears.

Of course, he didn't need to tell Master this. He figured Master wouldn't be going to the temple just to pray for marriage.

"I think we shouldn't waste the seven-day holiday in the dormitory," Qian Xiaomeng said earnestly.

"We should go to the temple to experience the influence of traditional culture," Liu Mumu added.

"Shall we go tomorrow?" The two said in unison.

Wei Xue held her forehead. In truth, she was also a little bit tempted to go.

"I happen to be free tomorrow. I'll drive you guys there," Zheng Xuan enthusiastically offered to be their driver.

It wasn't impossible...

Liu Mumu thought, "Are you sure it's not a bother?"

"It's no trouble. I'm just playing games at home anyway. Might as well go out for a bit. You junior classmates can give me a chance to be your escort!"

"Alright, it's settled then. We'll meet at our school gate tomorrow morning at eight-thirty?" Liu Mumu didn't stand on ceremony with him.

Although Zheng Xuan spoke a bit frivolously, his facial features were honest, and he seemed like someone trustworthy.

"Okay."

The car quickly arrived at the airport. After Zheng Xuan parked, he helped Wei Xue with her luggage, then took her to check it in and get her boarding pass.

He busied himself, handling everything, appearing very reliable.

Finally, the three of them escorted Wei Xue to the security check. After passing through, she turned back and waved at Liu Mumu and the others, "I'll be back in a few days. I'll bring you delicious food."

"Go early, come back soon. Have a safe trip."

After seeing Wei Xue off, they were about to leave when Qian Xiaomeng suddenly tugged on Liu Mumu's wrist.

"What's wrong?" Liu Mumu turned to look at her.

She pointed at a tall guy pushing a suitcase in the distance, her face full of surprise, "Mumu, look, isn't that Xu Anze?"

Liu Mumu followed her gaze and indeed, it was Xu Anze. He was wearing a black T-shirt and light blue jeans, pushing one black and one pink suitcase.

He wasn't alone; there was a girl beside him, wearing a white dress. Because she was partially obscured by him, they couldn't see her face clearly.

The pink suitcase in Xu Anze's hand probably belonged to her.

"Is he going home with an acquaintance?" Liu Mumu asked hesitantly.

"Could it be a relative?" Qian Xiaomeng said, also a bit uncertain.

The girls in their dormitory had a good impression of Xu Anze. He was more anxious than Xue Lan herself about Xue Lan's poor health, and he was very polite when asking for their help.

A boyfriend who was patient and considerate was already a rare species. They had been discussing in the dormitory the day before that Xu Anze's existence had raised their standards for choosing a partner.

To see him so close to another girl today, they couldn't help but feel a bit strange.

"Who are you talking about?" Zheng Xuan chimed in.

"That one, the tall and handsome one."

As soon as she finished speaking, the two in the distance stopped. More precisely, the girl next to Xu Anze stopped. They didn't know what was said, but then Liu Mumu and the others saw Xu Anze put down his suitcase and kneel on the ground to tie the girl's shoelace.

The girl stood there calmly, unfazed by the attention of passersby.

With no one blocking their view, they could clearly see the other person's face.

It was indeed a familiar face. Wasn't it Zhuo Ran, who had become instantly famous throughout the school on the night of the welcome party for her opening performance and had now firmly secured the title of campus belle?

Did the bouquet from the opening ceremony lead to a romance, or did they know each other before?

Liu Mumu thought about it. She remembered that Xu Anze and Zhuo Ran were both from Jing City.

"Damn, what's Xu Anze's deal? Playing both sides?" Qian Xiaomeng was about to explode. She let go of Liu Mumu's hand and started walking towards them.

Before she could take two steps, Liu Mumu pulled her back, "What are you doing?"

"Of course, I'm going to ask Xu Anze. He already has a girlfriend, so why is he acting ambiguously with other girls?"

"And then?" Liu Mumu looked at the two in the distance, finding them particularly glaring.

"And then?" Qian Xiaomeng was bewildered. "What else? Someone like that should be dumped immediately!"

"Tell Xue Lan that we saw Xu Anze with another girl, kneeling on the ground to tie her shoelaces. Tell her to break up with him. Even if she believes you, do you really think they'll break up over this?" Liu Mumu retorted.

Yes, this act of tying a girl's shoelaces was very ambiguous, but it was just tying shoelaces. They weren't caught kissing. For Xue Lan, it might not be considered evidence.

Although the four girls in their dormitory had a good relationship, they had actually only known each other for a month.

The most likely outcome was that Xue Lan wouldn't break up with him but would instead develop a resentment towards them.

Xu Anze and Xue Lan had been together for over a year, and he was usually so good to her. They all knew how much Xue Lan trusted Xu Anze.

"Master is right. We need to clarify things before saying anything. If he's really playing both sides, we need more evidence. When it comes to other people's relationships, we should be cautious," Zheng Xuan chimed in.

Qian Xiaomeng wasn't unaware of this logic, but she was still very angry.

She took out her phone, found a good angle, and took several photos of the two of them. She said indignantly, "I'll keep these photos for now. I'll definitely find other evidence sooner or later."

They were all at the same school. If someone was determined to keep an eye on him, they would surely catch him slipping up.

"Master, can you tell from his facial features if this guy is really playing both sides?" Zheng Xuan asked.

Liu Mumu shook her head regretfully, "I'm not proficient in physiognomy. I can only see the most superficial things, or particularly obvious facial features."

If Xu Anze could cast a divination, perhaps she could calculate something.

Liu Mumu then had a sudden inspiration. If she couldn't calculate Xu Anze, she could calculate Xue Lan. She could find an opportunity to let Xue Lan cast a divination.

While they were talking, Xu Anze and Zhuo Ran had already walked towards the security check.

Liu Mumu and the others couldn't be bothered to watch anymore and left with Zheng Xuan.

They had been in a good mood when they arrived, but who knew they would encounter such a vexing situation.

Before entering the security check, Zhuo Ran suddenly looked around. Unfortunately, she didn't recognize Liu Mumu. Even if she saw them, she didn't pay them any mind.

"What's wrong?" Xu Anze asked.

"It feels like someone is watching us," Zhuo Ran smiled. "Guess if we'll run into any of your acquaintances? What if they tell your little girlfriend they saw us?"

Xu Anze's face turned cold. "Can you just behave yourself?"

"Angry?" Zhuo Ran smiled maliciously. "You never got impatient with me in front of Dad and Mom before. It's just tying your shoelaces, not asking for your life."

Four hours later, the plane took off from Qing City and landed in Jing City.

As soon as they walked out of the airport hall, Xu Anze saw a middle-aged couple waving at them. "Ranran, Xiao Ze is back too."

Xu Anze stepped forward and respectfully bowed to them. "Uncle Zhuo, Aunt Lin."

"Xiao Ze, you're too polite. It's been over a year, and you've become distant with us." Zhuo Yongqi patted Xu Anze's shoulder and suddenly asked, "I heard Xiao Ze has a girlfriend?"

Xu Anze's expression stiffened.

Zhuo Ran stepped forward and linked her arm with Xu Anze's. "Dad, you've watched Anze grow up. Don't you know what kind of person he is?"

"Yes, yes, you two have had a good relationship since you were young, otherwise, we wouldn't have arranged your engagement back then," Zhuo Ran's mother, Lin Qiu, quickly added.

"Xiao Ze has always been reliable. Uncle and Aunt trust you." Zhuo Yongqi seemed to have completely forgotten what he had just said.

Xu Anze twitched the corner of his mouth, unable to say anything.

"Don't worry, Dad and Mom know. You have a girlfriend for my sake. They aren't really angry, just warning you not to forget what you're there to do," Zhuo Ran leaned close to Xu Anze's ear and whispered.

Zheng Xuan dropped Liu Mumu off at the school gate before leaving. After getting out of the car, they bought a breakfast for Xue Lan to take back.

She had a slight fever last night. She took medicine, but she didn't know if she had gotten better.

When they returned, they found that Xue Lan was already awake. Qian Xiaomeng handed her the breakfast and asked, "Do you still have a fever? Do you want me to accompany you to get an IV drip this afternoon?"

Xue Lan took the breakfast and smiled. "Thank you. I took medicine last night, and the fever has subsided."

Liu Mumu sat sideways on her stool, watching Xue Lan eat breakfast with her head down. She suddenly said, "Xiaomeng and I are going to visit Qingshan Temple nearby tomorrow. Why don't we go together?"

Xue Lan was clearly tempted, but she hesitated. "But Aze..."

Before Xu Anze left, he repeatedly told her to rest well these few days and not go out.

"Oh, he's not here anyway, and we won't tell him." Qian Xiaomeng leaned next to Xue Lan and shook her arm. "Let's go. The car is already arranged. We're just going out for a bit, it won't be a big deal. Even if you're not feeling well, you can't always be cooped up in the dormitory."

Qian Xiaomeng now had a rebellious streak towards Xu Anze. Whatever he didn't want Xue Lan to do, she insisted on persuading Xue Lan to do it.

"...Alright, then I'll go too."

Xue Lan was naturally an active person. Unfortunately, her health problems later made her unwilling to worry her family and boyfriend, which led to her current state.

Thinking about it carefully, it had only been a little over a year.

The three of them agreed to go out. Liu Mumu simply stayed in the dormitory for another night.

The next morning, the three of them, carrying backpacks filled with snacks and water, waited at the door for Zheng Xuan to pick them up.

Zheng Xuan was as reliable as ever, arriving ten minutes early. After picking them up, he drove them straight to Qingshan Temple.

As he introduced, Qingshan Temple had very strong incense offerings. However, it was just a local tourist attraction, and the number of visitors was limited.

Like all temples, temples with strong incense offerings were always shrouded in smoke.

After entering the temple gate, they first received three free incense sticks from the old monk at the entrance. They bowed in all directions and placed them in the huge incense burner in the center of the courtyard.

Then they went to the main hall to queue up to pray to Buddha.

Whether it was useful or not, one always had some hope.

When it was finally Liu Mumu's turn, a middle-aged woman was kneeling beside her in front of the Buddha statue. The woman's voice was a little loud as she prayed, so Liu Mumu heard her clearly.

The woman clasped her hands together and prayed, muttering, "May the Bodhisattva bless my grandson with perfect scores on his exams, bless my daughter to get married soon. Her son-in-law doesn't need to be rich, just handsome. Bless me to win every mahjong game and lose none, and preferably let Old Hu next door lose more..."

Emmm... Liu Mumu felt like she had learned a new way to pray to Buddha, but it wasn't quite suitable for her.

She clasped her hands together and prayed devoutly. After thinking for a moment, she said, "May the Bodhisattva give me a few more boyfriends, with long legs, handsome faces, who look good in suits, and preferably have strong destinies... If that's not possible, then give me Yan Xiu."

Another way to pray to Buddha: first make a wish that is difficult to fulfill, then make an easy one. Perhaps the Bodhisattva would grant it.

Yan Xiu, who was resting at home during his holiday, suddenly shivered. He had a feeling that someone was maliciously thinking of him behind his back.

After praying to Buddha, everyone gathered outside the main hall. Zheng Xuan took them to hang lover's locks.

Given that three out of the four were still single, only Xue Lan bought a small lock, wrote her and Xu Anze's names on it, and hung it among the layers of lover's locks.

After hanging the lover's lock, she also prayed, as if this could truly make her and the person she liked be together forever.

The three people standing behind her watched her in silence, and no one spoke for a moment.

When Xue Lan turned around, everyone had a relaxed smile on their faces. Zheng Xuan suggested, "I see they also have fortune-telling and talismans next door. Shall we go take a look?"

"Let's go. I think I need a charm to attract romance," Qian Xiaomeng was the first to raise her hand in agreement.

"I don't think the temple would sell such improper charms," Zheng Xuan looked at Liu Mumu for agreement.

"What's improper about it? When you were asking for a girlfriend from the Bodhisattva just now, why didn't you think you were improper?" Qian Xiaomeng retorted.

Liu Mumu thought to herself, she also wanted to ask for an improper charm.

There are thousands of ways to seek marriage in the world, and one should not let go of any of them!

Casting a wide net, eventually some unlucky fish would swim into her trap.

Zheng Xuan thought Qian Xiaomeng was being unreasonable and turned to Xue Lan. "You definitely don't need a charm."

Xue Lan thought for a moment. "I want a 'No Failing Exams Charm'."

Zheng Xuan: "...There's no such thing."

Seriously, why were masters' roommates' brains wired so differently from everyone else's?

"Then ask for a 'Peace Charm' too," Qian Xiaomeng said, leaning closer to Xue Lan.

"I have a 'Peace Charm'," Xue Lan replied. She took out a delicate pouch from her inner pocket, untied the drawstring, and revealed a yellow charm folded into a triangle. "Aze asked for this for me before."

Liu Mumu glanced at it and said casually, "The more the merrier. This one was requested by him, and we'll ask for one for you each in a bit, so that'll be four blessings of peace."

The four of them chatted as they arrived at the main hall for requesting charms.

Then Zheng Xuan discovered, to his despair, that not only did a 'Peach Blossom Charm' actually exist here, but there was also an 'Exam Pass Charm'.

Why would such a thing exist?

No, he should be asking, why did he only discover these things in his senior year when he no longer had any exams to take?

Everyone devoutly requested several charms of different functions to take back.

The 'Peace Charms' they requested were all given to Xue Lan in the end. Xue Lan thanked them and accepted them one by one. She opened the small pouch she carried, took out the 'Peace Charm' inside, and prepared to place it with the others.

As she walked, she fiddled with the pouch in her hand and didn't notice a small stone underfoot. Her foot slipped, and she almost fell.

Zheng Xuan quickly caught her, but the pouch and the 'Peace Charm' in her hand weren't held steady and fell to the ground.

Liu Mumu and Qian Xiaomeng quickly crouched down to help her pick them up. Just then, a gust of wind blew, and the light talisman paper and pouch were blown several meters away.

The two chased after them. As soon as Qian Xiaomeng picked up the pouch, she turned and saw Liu Mumu picking up a triangular 'Peace Charm'. In the blink of an eye, the charm turned into black ash in her hand.

In fact, when Liu Mumu touched the 'Peace Charm', her fingers just tingled. The Diviner's License hanging around her neck instantly grew hot, and then the charm vanished.

Qian Xiaomeng's eyes widened. She wanted to speak, but saw Liu Mumu look at her and make a shushing gesture.

Qian Xiaomeng silently closed her mouth. She watched as Liu Mumu took out a 'Peach Blossom Charm' she had requested, placed it with three other 'Peace Charms', and it was difficult to tell with the naked eye if it was the original 'Peace Charm'.

She handed the four charms to Qian Xiaomeng. Qian Xiaomeng nimbly put them all into the pouch, tied it securely, and handed it back to Xue Lan.

Xue Lan didn't think much of it and put the pouch away after thanking her.

Something felt off. Liu Mumu walked behind, rubbing her still-tingling fingers.

Although she didn't study the art of talismans from Mystic Masters, Yan Xiu had drawn charms for her before. At first, they would turn to dust upon contact, but she hadn't felt anything.

Moreover, back then, she had just divined someone's fortune, and her own destiny was unstable, which was why she had such a strong reaction.

Now, she was completely normal. Even if Xu Anze had requested a genuine talisman, it shouldn't have caused such a strong reaction in her.