◎Gu Jiasui x Xiao Qingnang◎
On the day of their first movie date, Xiao Qingnang returned to his dorm and pulled out an untouched bag of snacks from his backpack.
He hadn’t bought much—both of them preferred lighter flavors.
The items he did purchase came from a small list provided by A-Yan, things her dorm usually enjoyed.
"Xiao, didn’t eat any?" Zhu Jue raised an eyebrow.
Xiao Qingnang looked slightly embarrassed. "Too nervous. Forgot to take them out."
Zhu Jue couldn’t help but chuckle. "Then we won’t hold back."
Though Xiao hadn’t said much, his expression made it clear the date had gone well.
Chu Shen clicked his tongue nearby. "I’m not jealous. Really, I’m not."
Yuan Ye wheeled his chair over. "Master Xiao, care to share some tips?"
He unceremoniously grabbed a bag of yam chips, glanced at the "original flavor" label, and twitched his lips.
Xiao Qingnang watched as his self-proclaimed "strategists" gathered around and smiled helplessly.
"Just... watched a movie, had a meal, then walked her back. Pretty ordinary."
There were clearly details about their final conversation he couldn’t share—except perhaps with Zhu Jue.
"That’s way too vague. Too basic," Yuan Ye complained, though he didn’t press further.
Given that it involved a public figure’s private life, they only needed to know the two were doing well.
If word got out, even unintentionally, it could cause unnecessary trouble.
Xiao Qingnang pulled his "strategist" closer, murmuring something in his seat.
Zhu Jue paused mid-bite of his chips, then cleared his throat.
"Xiao, you’re saying she caught you searching up date ideas online?"
Xiao Qingnang fidgeted, clutching his purple water cup. "She said she’d seen them before."
"Felt like getting caught with cheat sheets."
"Xiao, there’s something you might’ve missed," Zhu Jue said, eyes gleaming.
"With how algorithms work these days, how do you think Teacher Gu came across that content?"
Xiao Qingnang looked up abruptly, suddenly realizing what Zhu Jue was hinting at.
Zhu Jue patted his shoulder.
"You’re not the only one putting effort into this."
If she hadn’t searched similar things herself, the algorithm wouldn’t have shown it to her.
"Skip the ice-cold beers. Have a little more confidence, Xiao." Zhu Jue returned to his seat, leaving Xiao to bask in his flustered happiness.
An old house on fire—tsk.
But when the feelings are real, what does it matter if it’s clumsy?
...
Learning to date like a modern person was a serious and earnest undertaking.
Outdoor activities naturally escalated from easy to challenging.
Even as campus routines became familiar, their first outing together still left them nervous.
In early October of their sophomore year, Bin City’s lingering summer heat had faded. Post-National Day, the crisp autumn weather was perfect.
Gu Jiasui wore a sunhat and sunglasses, hiding most of her face—a common sight at the zoo under the midday sun.
Unlike other tourist spots in Bin City, the zoo mostly drew families with annual passes.
Without a fixed plan, they followed an online guide, starting with the enclosed safari bus through the predator zone.
"Modern zoos are far larger than the Imperial Menagerie," Gu Jiasui remarked, studying the map.
"Even the tribute beasts from foreign states back then couldn’t compare to a tenth of what’s here now. Times have changed," Xiao Qingnang mused.
The Imperial Menagerie, inherited from the previous dynasty, had housed exotic creatures for the Great Zhou royalty but never expanded.
"Lions, rhinos, elephants from Jiaozhi, leopards..." Gu Jiasui recalled. Animals once rare to commoners were now recognized by children.
Let alone species from distant continents.
"I’ve seen little of those. But mountain wildlife? Plenty," Xiao Qingnang said quietly.
As a traveling healer, encounters with snakes and predators were routine—some nearly fatal.
Xiao Qingnang wordlessly took her hand as they boarded the safari vehicle’s front row.
Once the bus filled and entered the predator zone, the surroundings transformed into untamed landscapes.
A massive brown bear suddenly lumbered toward them, climbing onto the window.
Bears, tigers, hyenas—each predator surged forward, separated only by trenches. The bus felt fragile, the animals demanding "tolls" of meat.
Behind glass, humans were the caged ones.
After the safari, they stepped off, still shaken.
"Even back then, I disliked the Imperial Menagerie. Others praised the tigers’ majesty, but I only saw their misery. Fed daily, yet confined forever."
Gu Jiasui remembered imperial visits—honors for nobles, but as she grew older, the spectacle suffocated her.
"Southern Ridge had many tigers. Every winter, livestock fell prey, and brave hunters earned imperial rewards. I used to wonder: Is freedom with danger better than lifelong captivity?"
"Freedom and safety would be ideal. But if forced to choose... I don’t know either," Xiao Qingnang admitted.
"Nor do I. To impose human judgment on creatures—isn’t that arrogance?" she murmured.
"Was that Southern Ridge hunter Cheng Ben?" he asked.
"Oh? Yes! Reports called him a fierce, righteous man."
"I treated his injuries. A filial son."
"From tiger hunting?"
"No, a broken leg from cliff-climbing to gather herbs for his mother. I set the bone. Saw the imperial porcelain statue awarded to him—far more heroic than the real man."
Gu Jiasui’s expression turned odd. "I painted that."
Xiao Qingnang coughed, laughing. "Majestic and lifelike. A masterpiece."
Gu Jiasui couldn’t help but glare at him. "No need for such flattery. That report described him as some mighty, Herculean figure, so I imagined he’d be a towering, brawny man."
"Who knew Cousin would snatch it away as soon as he saw it and then send someone to destroy the porcelain figurine? It’s all his fault," she grumbled.
"Right, all his fault," Xiao Qingnang chuckled softly.
Engaged in their private conversation, the two skipped the zoo’s miniature train and instead strolled hand in hand, admiring the many unfamiliar creatures around them.
"We’re being photographed," Gu Jiasui noticed, observing the person ahead who appeared to be taking family photos but whose body language was unmistakably angled toward them.
Though her acting projects had dwindled, she was still recognizable to some.
Xiao Qingnang tightened his grip on her hand. "I’m ready."
Gu Jiasui gave a quiet "Mm" in response.
Professions reliant on public adoration and exposure inevitably demanded some surrender of privacy.
They had discussed this before stepping out.
"I don’t want you to face unnecessary trouble because of me," Gu Jiasui had said.
But he had gazed steadily at her and replied, "I accept all of it."
The whispers, rumors, insults, and envy lurking in the shadows—he would gladly bear them for her.
"Whether in wealth or poverty, health or sickness, smooth sailing or storms, no matter what lies ahead, I’m desperate to face it all with you."
He had no fear. He was prepared, even eager.
...
The night the candid photos were leaked, on another continent separated by oceans and time zones, in the halls of a prestigious university, Su Jing burst into laughter as he scrolled through the images and accompanying article.
In the study of his secluded garden villa, only his amused voice filled the room.
"Ah, what a pair—talented beauty and dashing gentleman, a match made in heaven."
A sharp pain throbbed in his head, but his pen never paused, scribbling equations faster the more it hurt.
He spoke as if to himself, or perhaps to something unseen.
"You can’t have your cake and eat it too."
"Choices come with no undo button."
"Pick a path, and you bear its consequences."
Su Jing suddenly groaned, then sneered at the empty air before him. "What kind of mentor are you? Get lost, you old fool."
Reincarnation, past-life awakenings—he believed in none of it.
Countless people shared similar faces, and identical names were even more common.
He was himself.
This was his body, his life, and he wouldn’t let some intruding entity steal it from him.
"Pity I’m stuck abroad for a few more years. A congratulatory email will have to suffice."
"They’ll surely stay united in love till their hair turns white. As for those yapping nuisances—who do they think they are?" His tone was sincere, his laughter bright.
