Three Videos

The comments flooded in like water bursting through a dam.

"Front row! This is Little Wei's first video. Gotta support our senior!"

"Oh my god, that calligraphy is incredible! So fluid and beautiful!"

"Our university really is full of hidden talent! A like for both our seniors."

Wang Xiaoliang was delighted that Wei Zijin's video had been so well received, and secretly pleased that people appreciated his calligraphy.

He kept scrolling.

"Wei Zijin is as beautiful as ever. No wonder she's Jiang University's goddess. Even her videos have so much depth."

"The guy who saved someone is so handsome! Wang Xiaoliang, I'm your fan now!"

"Little Wei, I hereby declare you my goddess."

The praise sent Wang Xiaoliang's spirits soaring. But the internet never spoke with just one voice. Soon, some jarring comments popped up.

"Ugh, why make an interview so pretentious? Calligraphy, saving lives... how formulaic. Is this scripted?"

"Heh, isn't this Wei Zijin just getting by on her looks? Is she that desperate to become an influencer?"

"Who's that guy? Bet he gave Wei Zijin something in exchange for putting him in the video!"

Some went even further, directing filthy abuse at Wei Zijin without restraint. Those ugly words instantly wiped the smile from Wang Xiaoliang's face. Anger flared in his chest, and his fingers tightened around his phone until his knuckles turned faintly blue. He wanted to argue, to defend that girl with the fiercest words he could muster. But after typing a few words, he found them feeble and useless, and could only delete them in frustration.

Just then, two highly liked comments pinned near the top caught his full attention.

The first already had over a thousand likes.

"Holy shit, I came because of Jiang University's goddess, expecting a proper interview. Didn't expect to get blindsided by a mouthful of lovey-dovey romance."

Replies piled up beneath it in an instant.

"What do you mean? What's the timestamp? How did I miss it? Point me there!"

The commenter quickly replied, "'Green, green is my collar; endlessly you fill my heart.' The creator's name is Wei Zijin. Think about it. Really think about it."

The replies immediately exploded.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! You're right! Every little detail is so sweet!"

"Mystery solved! So this first episode isn't a Song of Ordinary People at all. It's a love song dedicated to her boyfriend!"

"I can't accept this! My goddess has a boyfriend? She's mine!!!"

"A beautiful flower stuck in cow dung. My heart is broken."

That "flower and cow dung" comment received a staggering number of likes and the most replies agreeing with it.

Wang Xiaoliang felt as though countless needles had pricked his heart.

Cow dung... He unconsciously touched his face.

Yet amid all the wailing and jealousy, an account called "Yingyingzi" replied, "I can confirm they're a couple. Our Zijin has excellent taste."

That reply added fuel to the fire, sending the comments into a complete frenzy.

Of course, plenty of people disagreed.

"Those of you calling him cow dung should watch your mouths. Didn't you see him save someone later in the video? His character alone speaks for itself."

"That calligraphy, and the little romantic touches hidden between the lines, would take you clueless guys a lifetime to learn."

"A beauty and a hero belong together! I ship them!"

"This is a match made in heaven, okay? Talent, responsibility, looks, and depth! They're locked together, and I've swallowed the key!"

Reading those arguments, Wang Xiaoliang felt a jumble of emotions. There was anger at being misunderstood, gratitude at being defended, and a trace of... secret delight that even he couldn't quite explain.

Were he and Wei Zijin a couple?

The moment that thought surfaced, he forcibly pushed it down.

No. At least, not yet.

The other highly liked comment was very direct, almost blunt.

"Is Wang Xiaoliang, the guy doing calligraphy in the video, here? I'm moving into a new home soon and would like to commission a piece from you. I'll pay, and the price is negotiable."

That comment also had quite a few likes, with a string of "me too" replies beneath it.

"His calligraphy is seriously amazing. I want some too!"

"Name your price. My new shop is opening, and I need a masterpiece to display!"

"Looks like you're about to blow up. Leave your contact details!"

Wang Xiaoliang was a little dazed. He had never imagined that people would one day want his calligraphy like this, or even... pay for it.

Wei Zijin's influence at Jiangcheng University far exceeded his expectations. After its release, the video spread across campus almost like a virus. The likes, shares, and comments from Jiang University students played a decisive role in promoting it.

In just three days, it passed three hundred thousand views.

For a brand-new account, especially one posting a long video, that was nothing short of an astonishing result.

And just as she had promised, Wei Zijin followed her plan rigorously.

Three days later, the second video went live right on schedule.

Its thumbnail showed the profile of a girl holding a guitar, tears streaming down her face.

Wang Xiaoliang recognized her, of course. She was Wei Zijin's roommate, the girl named Wang Fen.

The video opened with Wang Fen in her dorm room, playing and singing "The Third Person." As she reached the most emotional part, her voice choked and tears rolled down her cheeks. Wei Zijin didn't interrupt her. The camera simply recorded in silence.

Then the scene changed. With her gentle yet compelling voice, Wei Zijin guided Wang Fen through telling her story.

She had dreamed of becoming a singer since childhood, but her parents considered it "neglecting proper pursuits." They insisted she study hard, get into a good university, and find a stable job. Singing could only be a hobby. Interspersed throughout the video were photographs of Wang Fen growing up and audio clips of her singing that she had secretly recorded.

At the end of the video, the scene returned to the dorm room. Wang Fen wiped away her tears and faced the camera, singing "The Third Person" again, firmly and all the way through. This time, she didn't cry.

Even without the tears, the song was still beautiful.

After watching it, Wang Xiaoliang was filled with emotion.

He was certain that Wang Fen had deep feelings for her ex-boyfriend.

Three more days passed, and the third episode was released.

It featured another roommate, Li Lanxiang.

The video opened with an intense battle on the volleyball court. Li Lanxiang leaped high and smashed the ball with all her strength. Sweat soaked her jersey, and her arms were covered with protective gear and faintly visible scars.

Next came glimpses of her university life as a student admitted for her athletic ability. She spoke candidly about her less-than-stellar academic grades and her career plans after graduation, and even openly shared the news that she and her boyfriend would marry as soon as they graduated. Her face radiated a healthy confidence throughout.

Wang Xiaoliang was thoroughly impressed.

He admired Wei Zijin's ability to get things done. Once this girl decided to do something, she would give it everything she had and do it as well as possible. Her videos had no attention-grabbing gimmicks or manufactured conflict. She simply told the stories of ordinary people with sincerity.

But that very authenticity was what touched people most.

It would be hard for a girl like her not to succeed.

Above all, she was perfectly suited to being on camera: beautiful, natural, relaxed, and utterly approachable. Wang Xiaoliang couldn't help recalling what the Book of Fate had said: one who felt ease and contentment in her actions.

Wei Zijin was born for this line of work.

Before he knew it, visiting the Little Wei Interviews profile in his spare time each day, watching her new videos, and browsing the comments with interest had become a new hobby for Wang Xiaoliang. He liked reading comments praising Wei Zijin, as well as the various discussions sparked by the videos.

That evening, the sunlight stretched the Library's shadow long across the ground.

As usual, Wang Xiaoliang carried a backpack full of chilled drinks and headed along the familiar route to the Library. This was one of his many part-time jobs: delivering "lifesaving water" to the senior students buried in their studies for the postgraduate entrance exams.

He pushed open the heavy glass door and was about to slip inside.

"Excuse me, wait a moment."

A somewhat stern voice stopped him.