The gift

Was this Book of Fate... really that powerful?

He squeezed the envelope, feeling its thickness. That undeniably real sensation brought a trace of clarity to his muddled mind.

This really seemed... like good luck.

"Xiaoliang! Five hundred yuan! Let's go feast!" Li Jun's face glowed with excitement as he slung an arm around his shoulders, nearly spraying spit in his face.

"Come on, come on! Twice-cooked pork, braised pork, grilled fish! Let's have a few drinks. These past two days have been so damn depressing." Li Jun pulled him toward the exit, unable to wait.

Wang Xiaoliang, however, wanted to hurry back to their dorm.

He had only opened one page of that mysterious Book of Fate, and it had already produced such results.

Surely he'd understood it now? Surely he could read the next page?

Just then, his phone rang.

It was their student advisor.

Wang Xiaoliang was very surprised. In all his years of muddling through university, he could count his meetings with the advisor on one hand. Nothing good ever came of them-just warnings about failed courses or threats of public reprimands.

"Hello, Mr. Feng."

"No need to be so formal." The advisor chuckled. "Congratulations to you and Li Jun. You really did our department proud at today's assembly. So, are you free right now? Li Jun is with you, isn't he?"

"He is." Li Jun leaned over too, curiosity all over his face.

"Perfect. Come over to Hongbin Tower. I'll treat you to a meal to celebrate."

Hongbin Tower?

Wang Xiaoliang froze.

It was the most upscale restaurant on campus. Supposedly, its chefs had all been poached from five-star hotels, and one meal could swallow half a month's living expenses for an ordinary student. Even ordinary teachers rarely went there, let alone students. It was the university leadership's private dining hall.

"Sir, isn't that... a bit too expensive?" Wang Xiaoliang hesitated.

"You deserve it. You're role models, after all. You have to be rewarded! No arguments. I'm already waiting on the second floor of Hongbin Tower. Hurry over."

With that, the advisor hung up.

Li Jun's eyes had long since lit up as he listened beside him. "Holy shit! Hongbin Tower! The advisor's treating us! Did the sun rise in the west today?"

Wang Xiaoliang couldn't share his excitement.

People didn't offer favors out of nowhere unless they wanted something.

This meal probably wouldn't go down easily.

But as a student, he had no real room to refuse his advisor's invitation.

Hongbin Tower was indeed impressive, with rosewood tables and chairs, carved beams, and painted pillars. Every waitress in a cheongsam stood tall and poised. Dressed in faded T-shirts and jeans, Wang Xiaoliang and Li Jun looked utterly out of place in those lavish surroundings.

Their advisor, Feng Yuan, stood and waved them over.

"Over here!"

Feng Yuan was actually only four years older than they were. He had stayed on at the university after graduating. His face was no longer deathly pale as it had been yesterday, and his gold-rimmed glasses gave him a refined, scholarly air.

"Sit down, sit down." Feng Yuan greeted them warmly. "Don't be nervous. Outside of work, we're practically friends."

Li Jun immediately sat down, nodding and bowing as he said, "Thank you, sir."

Wang Xiaoliang silently took a seat on the other side.

Without looking at the menu, Feng Yuan told the waitress, "Steamed grouper, Hongbin roast duck, squirrel-style mandarin fish, Dongpo braised pork knuckle, two stir-fried vegetable dishes, and a mushroom soup. Start with those."

Every one was a substantial dish.

"What would you two like to drink? Beer or baijiu?" Feng Yuan asked with a smile.

"You choose, sir. We're fine with either!" Li Jun answered eagerly.

"Let's have beer, then. Less likely to get drunk."

The food and drinks soon arrived. Feng Yuan personally poured their beer and raised his glass. "Come on. For our first toast, congratulations on your honors. And you're always welcome to come to me. Whether it's your studies or your daily life, tell me if you have any difficulties."

The three clinked glasses. Li Jun drained his in one go, exclaiming how good it was, his face full of satisfaction.

Wang Xiaoliang only took a sip.

Feng Yuan set his glass down and placed a piece of roast duck in Li Jun's bowl. "Li Jun, I've read your file. You're very active. It's a shame you haven't taken on any student leadership work, but you'll have plenty of opportunities to put that energy to use."

"Thank you, sir!" Flattered by the attention, Li Jun sat even straighter.

Feng Yuan turned to Wang Xiaoliang with the same gentle manner. "Xiaoliang, what happened in your dorm was painful for everyone. But we have to look ahead, don't we?"

Wang Xiaoliang said nothing and merely nodded.

"As for your failed courses..." Feng Yuan changed the subject. "Don't worry about those. I've already spoken to the professors. I'll get their lecture notes and make copies for you, and have them mark the key points. You'll have no trouble with the resits."

At those words, Li Jun's eyes shone with startling intensity.

Those failed courses had weighed on them like a boulder. Their graduation certificates and degrees depended on them. And now a few words from their advisor had solved everything?

"Really, sir? Thank you so much! You're our very own Song Jiang, coming to the rescue just when we need you!" Li Jun jumped to his feet in excitement, ready to offer another toast.

"Sit down, sit down. It's nothing." Feng Yuan waved him back into his seat. "You're my students. Of course I should help you."

He paused, then moved on to matters further down the road. "A lot of companies have been recruiting on campus lately, and some are quite good. After what you did today, I'm planning to give you a strong recommendation. As long as you don't get into any more trouble before graduation, getting into those companies shouldn't be a problem."

Empty promises.

One after another.

From fixing their failed courses to recommending them for jobs, every offer struck precisely at the most vulnerable spot of a university student about to graduate.

Li Jun was utterly dazed by the enormous surprises coming one after another. Holding his glass, he could no longer say anything except, "Thank you, sir."

But the more Wang Xiaoliang heard, the further his heart sank.

He hadn't touched a single bite of the food in his bowl.

The atmosphere at the table was lively, but only Feng Yuan and Li Jun were engaging with each other.

Wang Xiaoliang watched coldly, like an outsider.

He knew the real purpose would reveal itself sooner or later.

Sure enough, after Li Jun raised his glass for the third time to pledge his loyalty, Feng Yuan sighed softly and set down his chopsticks.

"Well, actually, I invited you here today not only to congratulate you, but also because there's something more important I'd like your thoughts on."

The smile slowly faded from his face, replaced by a grave, regretful expression.

"It's about your roommate, Zhou Tao."

Here it came.

Wang Xiaoliang put down the chopsticks he had just picked up.

Li Jun sobered up a little too, staring blankly at Feng Yuan.

"Zhou Tao's parents have sued the university."

"Sued the university? Why? Didn't the university pay them compensation?" Li Jun blurted out.

"It did, but they weren't satisfied." Feng Yuan nodded, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table. "The university has already been informed through internal channels. The summons hasn't officially arrived yet, but we already know."

He placed extra emphasis on "internal channels."

He was emphasizing the university's power and connections.

Wang Xiaoliang lowered his eyes, his long lashes concealing every trace of emotion.

"Sir, what... what does that have to do with us?" Li Jun began to panic.

"Of course it concerns you." Feng Yuan looked at them both. "When the case goes to trial, the two of you may need to appear as witnesses for the university."

Witnesses.

Wang Xiaoliang knew the weight that word carried.

At that moment, all the concern and promises from earlier acquired a clear purpose.

That wasn't a meal. It was bait.

Those weren't promises. They were a price.

"Sir, what... what are we supposed to say?" Even Li Jun's voice was trembling.

"What should you say? The truth, of course." Feng Yuan smiled slightly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "The university trusts that you're both honest people. As long as you cooperate with the university and give an 'accurate and factual' account of what you know, your failed courses will be no issue. And finding jobs will be even less of a problem."

He deliberately stressed "accurate and factual."

The meaning couldn't have been clearer.

The so-called "accurate and factual" account meant giving the "facts" the university wanted to hear.

Namely, that Zhou Tao's death and their fourth roommate's madness were entirely due to their own personal issues and had nothing to do with the university.

Li Jun's expression shifted repeatedly. He wasn't an idiot. In an instant, he understood the entire purpose of this meal.

He glanced at the table full of delicious food, then thought about the bright future their advisor had promised. Finally, he gritted his teeth, as if he had made up his mind.

"I understand, sir!" Li Jun abruptly picked up his glass and stood. "The university wasn't responsible for this in the first place! Our third roommate... Zhou Tao, he just couldn't take it when his girlfriend broke up with him. He lost his head for a moment and jumped!"

Feng Yuan nodded approvingly, but his gaze settled on Wang Xiaoliang, who had remained silent throughout.

"Xiaoliang, what do you think?"

Li Jun also looked anxiously at Wang Xiaoliang.

Wang Xiaoliang could feel the advisor's gaze shining on him like a searchlight, trying to see through him inside and out.

All he had to do was nod.

All he had to do was say yes.

His failed courses, graduation, finding a job-all the worries weighing on his heart would vanish.

He would have a smooth road ahead, paved by the university.

And the price?

The price was to pin Zhou Tao's death irrevocably on a breakup.

The price was to stab that honest, unassuming couple in the heart all over again.

Was what Li Jun said the truth?

Yes.

Zhou Tao had indeed suffered because of the breakup.

But that wasn't the whole truth.

The final straw that broke Zhou Tao was that cold expulsion notice bearing the university's official seal!

Wang Xiaoliang said nothing. He simply raised his glass and drained the remaining beer in one swallow.

He resolved to demand an explanation for why the university had expelled their third roommate.

"Sir!" Li Jun cut in eagerly. "Xiaoliang feels the same way I do! We both firmly support the university and will give an accurate and factual account of everything! Right, Xiaoliang?"

As he spoke, he kicked Wang Xiaoliang hard beneath the table.

Feng Yuan ignored Li Jun. His eyes remained fixed, unblinking, on Wang Xiaoliang.

"Wang Xiaoliang, I'd still like to hear your thoughts from you."

Wang Xiaoliang slowly set down his glass.

Then he suddenly stood.

The abrupt movement stunned both Feng Yuan and Li Jun.

"Xiaoliang, what are you doing?" Li Jun demanded in a low, panicked voice.

Wang Xiaoliang looked at neither him nor the advisor.

His gaze settled on another table a short distance away.

A young man and woman sat there, chatting and laughing softly, looking very much in love.

Wang Xiaoliang strode straight toward them.

Feng Yuan frowned.

Li Jun's heart leaped into his throat.

With everyone watching, Wang Xiaoliang walked up to the couple's table.

He took something out of his pocket.

It was a plush rabbit, with a few dark stains that were difficult to wash out.

He gently set the rabbit in front of the girl.

Her laughter stopped abruptly. She raised her head in astonishment and looked at Wang Xiaoliang.

"Liang Yanni, this is Zhou Tao's last gift to you."