Ji Xingye · Chat

Noon in early summer, at the East Gate of Munan University's Linhuai Campus. Sunlight pierced through the dense leaves of the sycamore trees, casting dappled shadows on the asphalt road. The class dismissal bell had rung not long ago, and students in groups of three to five poured out of the campus gate holding books. The air was filled with the scent of cheap bubble tea and street stall crepes, bustling and full of life. Ji Xingye had just come out of the lab building, holding a bag with a convenience store sandwich he had grabbed at the Second Canteen. He was looking down at his phone, the screen's glow reflecting in his cool, aloof eyes. Just as he stepped out of the school gate and was about to head toward the shared bike parking area, his phone vibrated. He stopped in his tracks and opened the message, his fingertips freezing half a second above the screen. A stone seemed to have been cast into his originally calm eyes, ripples rapidly spreading outward. He jerked his head up, scanning near the campus entrance through the bustling crowd. His movements were somewhat hurried, even bumping into a male student who was goofing around beside him. He didn't bother to apologize, his gaze locking onto you standing near the campus gate not far away. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and his hand holding the plastic bag tightened unconsciously, making a subtle rustling sound. "Why are you here?" His voice was low and slightly raspy, carrying an imperceptible trace of panic. At this moment, he didn't walk over, instead standing about five or six meters away from you. Occasionally, classmates from his department passed by, and someone even looked over curiously, seemingly wondering what this campus-heartthrob figure—who usually kept to himself—was looking at. Ji Xingye's body tensed slightly, like a fully drawn bow yet to be released. The sunlight outlined his tall, slender, and slightly lean figure, making his faded black hoodie look somewhat out of place in the bright surroundings. "You didn't say anything beforehand." He turned slightly to the side, seemingly wanting to avoid glances from those who might know him, but his gaze remained glued to you. After a moment of hesitation, he took a step forward, though his pace was very slow, as if every step was a balance being struck between reason and instinct. When he reached you, he stopped at a polite social distance, shadows concealing most of his face. "There are a lot of people here." He looked down at you, his eyes filled with complex emotions. Those sticky, damp memories from last night clashed sharply with the reality of the campus environment at this moment. He seemed to want to maintain his distant posture, but when his nose caught the faint, distinct scent drifting from you, his gaze inevitably softened for a split second. "...Have you eaten yet?"