This Beautiful Counselor Was My Neighbor

Wen Ce met their gossipy gazes, feeling a little helpless. "Don't make things up. Doesn't a girl have a reputation to protect?"

"We're not making anything up." Wang Meng looked eager for gossip. "The class beauty really did ask me. Look, I've even got the chat history."

As he spoke, he took out his phone to show them, but Wen Ce reached over and covered it with his hand. "Mengzi..."

His tone grew a little stern. "It's bad for her reputation."

Wang Meng froze.

Lin Fan smiled and smoothed things over. "Right, let's not talk about this. She's a girl, after all."

Liu Shumu nodded too. "Let's eat. It'll all get cold soon. I really missed this taste while I was home..."

Wang Meng looked displeased, but he put his phone away in the end, though he did have a few other thoughts about it.

Wen Ce had no such twists and turns in his mind. Seeing him put his phone down, he soon picked up his chopsticks and joined them in eating.

After a few sips of beer over dinner, the atmosphere warmed up again.

Wen Ce mostly listened, only answering a sentence or two when someone brought him into the conversation.

After dinner, Wang Meng said he was going to see his girlfriend and left first.

The other three remained seated.

Lin Fan sighed and reached over to pat Wen Ce. "Little Wen, don't mind Wang Meng. He's just a little petty."

Liu Shumu nodded too. "He has no gate on his mouth. Ignore him."

Wen Ce smiled and shook his head. "It's fine."

During dinner, Wang Meng's words had been full of barbs aimed at Wen Ce.

Although Wen Ce was fairly quiet by nature, he wasn't the type to take a beating without fighting back or abuse without answering, and he had parried those barbs.

That was why Wang Meng had finally left with a sour expression, saying he was going to see his girlfriend.

"But Little Wen's no pushover either." Remembering Wang Meng's expression, Lin Fan couldn't help laughing. "Isn't it just that his girlfriend confessed to you before? Why's he so petty about it? That happened back in freshman year."

Wen Ce merely shook his head. "I imagine anyone would feel pretty uncomfortable about it."

Lin Fan and Liu Shumu thought about it. It really would feel uncomfortable.

Neither of them brought up the subject again. The three chatted for a while before going their separate ways.

Classes started tomorrow, and before they parted, Lin Fan reminded Wen Ce not to be late.

Wen Ce smiled and nodded.

He strolled home. Wen Ce actually thought his looks were pretty average, decent at most.

But he seemed surprisingly popular with girls.

He let out a breath. Forget it, he wouldn't think about that. He had no plans to date anyway.

Yet as he thought that, the somewhat familiar face of his neighbor across the hall flashed through his mind, along with those long legs.

Wen Ce immediately went into a small supermarket nearby and bought a bottle of ice water. It had to be because he hadn't rewarded himself in too long lately, leaving his thoughts running wild.

The next morning, Wen Ce got up fairly early because it was the first day of term.

When he stepped outside, he happened to see the elevator doors closing. Through the gap, he thought he caught sight of his beautiful neighbor's face.

But she hadn't seen him.

By the time Wen Ce reached the classroom, Lin Fan and the others were already there.

After a winter break apart, quite a few people greeted him warmly.

Wen Ce walked over with a smile and sat in the seat Lin Fan had saved for him.

As soon as he sat down, he heard them discussing what seemed to be a change of counselor.

Unexpectedly, quite a few people knew about it, though everyone was only half convinced.

As Wen Ce listened to their discussion, the girl in front of him suddenly turned around, a smile on her delicate, gentle face. "Wen Ce, have you had breakfast?"

As she spoke, she set the milk in her hand on his desk.

The girl was Qin Yanran, the class beauty Wang Meng had mentioned last night. She really was pretty, with the sort of nonthreatening looks that stirred a strong protective instinct in boys.

At that moment, her puppy-dog eyes were fixed on Wen Ce, making her look very cute.

The boys sitting around them unconsciously lowered their voices and watched the two.

Only Wen Ce's expression seemed unchanged. He merely pushed the milk gently back. "Thanks, but I've already had breakfast."

Qin Yanran didn't seem embarrassed either. She reached out and took the milk back. "Okay, then. I heard you moved out. Which complex do you live in? We're juniors now, and I want to move out too..."

A boy who heard her let out a drawn-out "Ooh," wanting to start some teasing.

Wen Ce frowned slightly. He really disliked being stared at and teased like this.

Just as he was struggling with how to answer, the crisp sound of high heels striking the floor rang out.

Even in the noisy room, the sound was distinctly clear.

Someone blurted out, "Holy shit."

Wen Ce looked up.

A young, beautiful woman stood on the platform, holding books.

She wore light makeup, and her exquisite, pretty face held a smile. This time, her beautiful long curls weren't loose down her back but tied up loosely, lending her a touch of intellectual elegance. She wore a white shirt, and instead of a skirt, she had on black dress pants.

The fabric of dress pants was unforgiving, especially in a fitted style like hers. Three rows of buttons fastened at her waist made it look particularly slender and elongated her proportions. Her already long legs looked even more heaven-defying with the dress pants and high heels.

For once, Wen Ce stared at someone in a daze. Wasn't that his beautiful neighbor?

The woman on the platform hadn't seen him yet. She merely tapped lightly on the desk. "Quiet down."

A boy called out teasingly, "Beautiful, can I add you on WeChat?"

Luo Lianqing wasn't angry. Her smile remained unchanged. "Of course. I imagine we'll be in the same group chat shortly."

The teasing calls from below grew louder.

She reined in her smile slightly. "Let me introduce myself first. My name is Luo Lianqing. Technically, I'm your senior, but I'm also your temporary counselor for this semester."

"Holy shit, brothers, we've got a shot at the 'gorgeous counselor falls in love with me' plot!"

Luo Lianqing looked toward the voice. Her smile remained unchanged, but her words carried a hint of sternness. "Could you quiet down? Let me explain the situation. Your counselor can't look after your class this semester because of some personal matters. However, I'll only be stricter than your counselor."

As she spoke, the smile gradually disappeared from her face, and she seemed a little cold.

The boys who had still wanted to joke around slowly quieted down.

The class monitor spoke up then. "Everyone, quiet down. Respect the teacher!"

Beside him, Lin Fan nudged Wen Ce and whispered, "This new counselor's pretty, but she's got such a powerful aura. Still, she really is gorgeous. A mature beauty! Just my type."

Lin Fan sounded quite excited and emphasized her beauty twice.

Wen Ce's eyes shifted toward Lin Fan. He started to speak, then stopped, unsure whether to tell him that this beautiful counselor with her powerful aura was his new neighbor.

Luo Lianqing swept her gaze around the room. Suddenly, her pupils contracted as she spotted a familiar face.

Although she could only see his profile, wasn't that clearly the neighbor who always caught her dying of embarrassment?