Chapter 6: THE COMPETITION SYSTEM.
For a moment, Hua Rong couldn't believe her eyes. Seeing him after so long—it felt surreal. Her body reacted before her mind could catch up, her feet moving swiftly down the staircase toward him.
"Hey, Xu Lingwei!" she called out, reaching his side and patting his arm.
He had changed. The boy she once knew had grown—not just in height but in presence. His features had sharpened over time; his thin lips curved into something between amusement and indifference, and his hazel-brown eyes, once bright with warmth, now carried an edge. His shadow stretched over her as he stood tall, exuding a confidence she didn't remember him having before.
"I didn't know you were my roommate!" Hua Rong said, her voice laced with genuine surprise. "I kept thinking your name sounded familiar, but I just couldn't remember..."
Xu Lingwei didn't respond right away. He simply studied her, his expression unreadable. Then, just as the silence began to stretch, a smirk tugged at his lips.
"You're acting really friendly," he said, tilting his head slightly. "Did you forget what you said to me?"
Hua Rong blinked, confusion flickering in her mind—until it hit her.
'Liking? Someone like you? Forget it, I'm not into weak boys.'
Her eyes widened slightly as the memory resurfaced. Their last meeting. His confession. Her rejection.
"Oh," she exhaled, a little awkward chuckle escaping her lips. "Come on, forget it!" She waved it off, forcing a casual tone. "We were young. There's no way you still hold a grudge over that, right?"
But Xu Lingwei didn't look amused.