Night Fire Lingering

Wen Yan received a notification from the college that she needed to restart the direct PhD program.

From the initial public release of her resume, subject to scrutiny and reporting from all students, to the final interview selection, Wen Yan consistently held a commanding lead. Unless she voluntarily relinquished this guaranteed admission opportunity, she was undoubtedly the direct-entry PhD candidate.

"Wen, this is my last year supervising doctoral students. How about you become my student?" The dean approached Wen Yan, clearly intending to make amends.

Wen Yan smiled politely: "Thank you, Dean. I'll think about it."

Seeing her cold attitude, the dean sighed: "Indeed, the college acted in a poor manner before, and Mingzhu has received the punishment she deserved. I believe that you will still be the best student in our college in the future."

Since the last public meeting, Mingzhu has been anonymously reported by several students for plagiarism and disciplinary violations. Feeling humiliated, she chose to suspend her studies.

"Teacher, I have a debate rehearsal. If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now." Wen Yan didn't want to talk to him anymore; this matter left her with a lingering resentment.

The Imperial Capital University's debate team is among the best in the country, and Wen Yan is a key member of the team.

The group practiced for more than four hours, then reviewed their performance, and it was already 8 p.m. when they finished.

Someone said they were hungry, and someone suggested having barbecue. They easily made plans to go out.

“I heard it’s hard to find a job this year. Several senior students haven’t found jobs yet. Only the first three years of university are happy!” a student suddenly said.

"Looking for a job? All I'm hoping for now is to pass my finals!" After saying that, the boy quickly bowed to Wen Yan, "God of Learning, please bless me so I don't fail my finals! God of Learning taking on the entire college is so cool, a role model for us all!"

The others also bowed to Wen Yan.

Wen Yan couldn't help but chuckle.

"Has Senior Jiang decided which company to join?" someone asked. "Senior Jiang has several patents, and many companies are vying for them!"

Jiang Huaixu is a senior majoring in bioengineering and is the only graduate among this group.

He was casually dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, but he stood out just by sitting there. He had handsome features, a tall and slender figure, a clean-cut demeanor, and a calm personality. He was the quintessential campus heartthrob of his student days.

"Not yet." Jiang Huaixu's fingers were long, strong, and exceptionally beautiful. He peeled a plate of crayfish meat and pushed it to a few people to eat.

Several people immediately started to jeer:

"Oh my! Yan Yan loves eating shrimp the most here!"

Wen Yan's chopsticks froze awkwardly in mid-air.

She and Jiang Huaixu only officially met a year ago, and their main interactions came from the debate team and a few club activities, so they weren't actually very close.

Jiang Huaixu chuckled, his smile dashing and amiable, and said, "If any of you don't like it, then don't eat it."

"I love it! How could I not love it when it's peeled!"

"Thank you, senior!"

Jiang Huaixu defused the awkward situation perfectly, as if everyone was just talking nonsense.

Wen Yan glanced at Jiang Huaixu, and their eyes met unintentionally.

Jiang Huaixu's heart skipped a beat, but he found that Wen Yan's gaze was very pure, and he could not see any ambiguous signals between men and women.

Jiang Huaixu recalled the news he had heard—she had a boyfriend.

She hasn't replied to the WeChat message he sent her yet; she's probably forgotten about it.

"Yan Yan, my friend saw you walking with a super handsome guy at the food street the other day. Who is he?" a classmate suddenly asked, her eyes full of gossip.

Everyone looked at Wen Yan.

Wen Yan was taken aback, not expecting that these people would gossip about her, but she wasn't surprised.

With so many people at the food street that day, she was prepared to be seen by someone she knew.

"Yan Yan, is that your boyfriend?" she asked eagerly.

"Hmm," Wen Yan said, "but we're breaking up soon."

The difference between a husband who is about to get a divorce and a boyfriend who is about to break up isn't that big; they'll both be 'exes' soon anyway.

Jiang Huaixu's expression remained unchanged, but the hand he had just clenched slowly loosened.

"Oh—!" A boy nodded in a drawn-out tone, glancing at Jiang Huaixu out of the corner of his eye.

Jiang Huaixu gave him a cold look, and the latter immediately stopped joking.

"Junior Wen, you don't live on campus, let me take you home. It's not safe at night," Jiang Huaixu said as they finished.

Wen Yan nodded her thanks and said okay.

Watching Wen Yan and Jiang Huaixu walk away side by side, the group whispered among themselves:

"Jiang is handsome and has a great personality. He has so many girls pursuing him that they could fill an entire class. How come he's still single?"

"He likes Wen Yan! Senior Wen was the national champion in the previous debate competition. He didn't come when the teacher asked him to give us guidance, but when he heard that Wen Yan was there, he came on his own initiative!"

"Wen Yan must have feelings for the senior too, otherwise why would she agree to let him give her a ride?"

"Wouldn't that be a seamless connection, which is a bit crappy?"

……

The evening breeze in midsummer is slightly warm, urging one's heart to beat even more violently.

Jiang Huaixu wanted to help Wen Yan carry the canvas bag containing the books.

Wen Yan glanced at his left chest and shook her head in refusal: "Senior, you've had a heart transplant, it's best not to overexert yourself."

Jiang Huaixu asked in surprise, "How...how did you know?"

"I'm sorry, I was organizing some documents and accidentally saw it." Wen Yan lied, her gaze shifting from his left chest to his face. "How is your recovery after your heart transplant?"

"It's great, the surgery was a success. I'm very grateful to that stranger who was willing to donate his heart to me, allowing me to have a normal life."

Wen Yan was slightly lost in thought.

That stranger was someone she knew!

An electric scooter sped past—

"careful!"

Jiang Huaixu reacted quickly and pulled Wen Yan into his arms.

The unfamiliar masculine scent and temperature made Wen Yan feel uncomfortable, and she subconsciously wanted to struggle.

As soon as Jiang Huaixu sensed Wen Yan's resistance, he immediately let go of her and naturally took her canvas bag from her hand.

"You and your boyfriend...are you really breaking up?" Jiang Huaixu asked casually, pretending not to care. "I heard he's very handsome and seems like a very outstanding person."

"Yeah, he's actually a good guy, it's just that we're not a good match."

"The direct PhD program quota has been allocated. What are your plans?" Jiang Huaixu got the answer he wanted and naturally changed the subject.

"I'm still considering it. I'm worried I won't be happy staying at the academy." Wen Yan glanced at her bag, feeling like she wouldn't be able to get it back.

"It is something you should seriously consider. Although the relevant people in your department have been punished, and many professors, including the dean, like you, this matter is indeed irritating."

"What about you, senior? Are you going to continue studying or working?" Wen Yan asked politely in return.

"I'm still considering it." Jiang Huaixu was in a good mood, and his eyes crinkled beautifully when he smiled. "I want to be closer to someone."

"Is it a relative?"

No. It's someone I like.