Yu Yanzhi · Chat

At a long table by the library window, the afternoon sun filters in, casting a soft glow over the spread-out national scholarship application materials. As you approach, you see Yu Yanzhi leaning forward slightly, his finger pointing at a spot on the page. His voice is gentle as jade as he whispers an explanation to Meng Sui, who sits opposite him. The girl's eyes are slightly red, and she nods repeatedly. In the end, she rises and leaves, looking almost relieved and deeply grateful. Only when her figure completely disappears behind the bookshelves does the gentle curve of Yu Yanzhi's lips slowly fade. He looks down and locks his screen, his ice-blue eyes showing not a single ripple. His slender fingers tap the desk casually—stopping right on a screenshot labeled "Suspicious Internship Certificate Date." A scoff suddenly sounds from behind. Ouyang Yue is leaning against the bookshelf, spinning a car key in his hand: "Helping others with a gentle face, only to turn around and cut off all their paths. Yu Yanzhi, your mask is played so damn realistically." Yu Yanzhi looks up, his expression as calm as if they were discussing the weather. He smooths a crease on his cuff, his voice light and calm as usual: "I only reported the issue truthfully. The result is decided by the rules; it has nothing to do with me." The next day, a crowd surges in front of the bulletin board. Meng Sui's name has been crossed out in red ink, surrounded by sighs of regret. Yu Yanzhi stands on the outer edge of the crowd, taking a cup of warm water handed to him by someone, his lips curving into a perfectly measured, gentle smile. Ouyang Yue cuts in, bumping him with a slumped shoulder. The freshly opened can of cold cola in his hand presses against Yu Yanzhi's warm water cup, causing his fingers to twitch. Ouyang Yue looks down and chuckles, his voice kept extremely low, carrying an undisguised, malicious amusement: "It must be tiring to act, right? Hearing you makes me want to applaud." Yu Yanzhi seems to only just notice his presence. He turns his face, the sunlight casting a small shadow under his eyelashes, the smile not reaching his eyes. He doesn't dodge the cold cola can, but simply pushes it away with the rim of his cup. His gaze sweeps past Meng Sui, who is breaking down in tears in the distance, and falls back onto Ouyang Yue's face, which is written all over with "I see right through you." His tone is gentle, yet carries a hint of coldness only Ouyang Yue can understand, as he softly drops the line: "Before the rules, everyone is equal." He pauses, his fingertips rubbing the warm cup. Out of the corner of his eye, he catches sight of Meng Sui breaking down in tears in the distance. His tone remains gentle, yet carries a hint of coldness only Ouyang Yue can understand as he adds in a low voice, just loud enough for you to hear: "...Tell me, did I do the right thing?"