Chapter 1 The Failed Pursuit
Because I once had a ridiculously successful online romance.
The first time I chased a guy in real life, I thought I was unstoppable.
Yet after half a month of adding each other as friends, Xu Jiaqing had only replied once.
"Don't send more. It's annoying."
Watching him get closer and closer to other girls, I panicked and messaged my best friend for help.
You have so much dating experience. Teach me how to chat with guys.
She agreed right away. Sure. First, send me your usual messages. Can't switch styles too drastically.
After she read the chat log I forwarded, she went silent for a full ten minutes.
You there?
Sorry, I was laughing for ten minutes straight.
...
Once she calmed down, she started giving advice. Wanwan, why do you keep calling him little beauty and Xu the Mighty?
I paused. So later I can upgrade to beloved consort and husband.
Are you two planning an ancient drama romance or a sworn brotherhood? I know you read tons of historical novels, but you can't just copy-paste everything!
I do use modern ones too.
Blushing, I admitted, I also call him spicy little brother and handsome pancake.
She disappeared for another ten minutes.
Sorry, I just...
It's fine. Your sense of humor is weak. I forgive you.
A few minutes later she got serious. You said Xu Jiaqing is the university's recognized aloof flower. For that cold, repressed type, you have to be direct. Flirt until his face burns, until desire consumes him, then take him down in one move.
Teach me. I'm on my knees.
Okay, I'll send one line. You copy and paste it.
Right now? In broad daylight... isn't that bad?
She sounded so confident. Flirting is a vibe. It doesn't care about day or night.
I took a deep breath and glanced up guiltily at the front of the lecture hall.
Professor Xu Yan was preparing his PPT slides.
This whole class, I'd been chatting on WeChat instead of listening.
I'd stolen glances at him countless times.
Luckily, he seemed focused on teaching and hadn't noticed me hiding in the back corner.
I'm ready. I looked down and typed.
Right then she sent: You mere mortal, do you want to taste an immortal fairy?
I winced. ...Huh?
Don't huh. Endure it. This is just to smooth over your earlier little beauty and Xu the Mighty phase.
Okay okay, sent. Next?
She sent a wiggly-eyebrow smirk emoji. Don't rush. Wait for his reply first.
Waiting for Xu Jiaqing to reply could take forever.
I set my phone down and looked at the professor again.
He was drinking water. His silver-rimmed glasses sat aside on the podium.
The collar he usually kept buttoned to the top was undone one button today. His long fingers tugged at it again.
I swallowed unconsciously as he swallowed.
After finishing the cold water, his face stayed flushed.
He braced himself on the podium, breathing lightly. The usual cold, detached look was completely gone.
The girls in our department called him the abstinence-type beauty.
Clearly I'd never understood why.
Because right now, with his head tilted back and collar open, Professor Xu looked anything but abstinent. He looked full of desire.
I glanced up at the central air-conditioning vent.
Strange. The heat wasn't turned up today.
Why was Professor Xu's face so red?
Before I could think further, my phone screen lit up.
Xu Jiaqing actually replied so quickly today?!
Xu Jiaqing: No class today? I just woke up.
I hurriedly asked my best friend for the next attack wave.
Sleeping? Without me, can you even sleep soundly?
Terrifying.
My toes curled hard just reading the words.
But it seemed to work on Xu Jiaqing.
He actually replied again: Who are you? Please give the phone back to Tian Wan.
I messaged my friend: He suspects something.
She replied: Normal. Your old style was rough. Suddenly turning imperial sister? Anyone would question it. Just send a selfie to prove it's you.
I hesitated. Maybe better not? If it fails, I'll have to avoid him forever.
She got a bit mad. Tian Wan, can you do this or not? Have some confidence. You're the department beauty. All our friends are coupled up, and you're still stuck in online romance. Such a waste of that gorgeous slag-girl face. Repeat after me: Hmph! Men? Toys!
"Hmph, men, toys..."
I closed my eyes and whispered it once. While Professor Xu Yan was drinking water again, I quickly posed and snapped a selfie.
In the photo, I smiled with sparkling eyes and deep dimples.
But I threw up a 666 hand sign.
After receiving it, Xu Jiaqing sent back six dots instantly.
I knew being too direct wouldn't work.
Bestie, Xu Jiaqing is already speechless at me.
She laughed: Not necessarily speechless. Maybe his right hand is busy right now. Let's finish fast. Send one last message and ignore whatever he replies.
I understood. Playing hard to get.
So I copied and pasted:
You are like a wild beast, accidentally breaking into my world, and you even want to crash through my chest.
Xu Jiaqing, those three words are my heartbeat switch.
Tonight can I come to your place for dinner? And maybe rub against you a little.
After sending, I couldn't hold it in. I slapped my thigh and laughed out loud.
Way too absurd.
"Tian Wan."
I was still clutching my phone when a well-defined hand knocked on my desk.
My smile froze. I jerked my head up and met Professor Xu Yan's wet, reddened eyes.
His gaze was icy. My heart started pounding.
"In this class, you're the busiest. Your hands and eyes never stop."
I forced a smile back on and clapped awkwardly. "That's because your lecture is just too amazing, Professor Xu Yan. I was listening so..."
Professor Xu Yan's eyes darkened. He turned and dropped one sentence: "Come with me."
I hurriedly packed my bag and followed him out of the classroom.
I thought he was taking me to his office.
But when we passed the stairwell, he suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.
"Professor Xu Yan?"
He gently pushed me into the camera blind spot. Then he stepped forward,
almost pressing against me.
He looked down at me. "Is Xu Jiaqing easy to chase?"
I blanked for about five seconds. "Huh?"
"So it's true. You're chasing the freshman Xu Jiaqing."
I stared at his eyes, now tinged with anger. My brain spun wildly.
Wait, dating in college isn't illegal, right?
Why was Professor Xu Yan stricter than our counselor?
While I was speechless, my phone vibrated.
I gave him an obedient smile. "Sorry, Professor Xu Yan. Just replying to one message."
I opened WeChat. It was Xu Jiaqing:
Can you stop messing around? My brother Xu Yan and I sometimes... have a Synesthesia Link.
Synesthesia Link? Who would believe that.
Wait—Xu Yan???
My hand shook. Xu Yan caught my wrist and pinned it against the wall.
The next second, my phone was in his hand.
"Professor Xu Yan, you're Xu Jiaqing's brother?"
"I am his brother. Do you need my help chasing him?"
His tone sounded normal, but his eyes looked like they were about to shatter.
My back pressed against the wall. One hand was still gripped tightly by him.
When my brain crashed completely, my mouth started running wild. "So... you two really have a Synesthesia Link?"
He didn't answer.
I gave an awkward laugh. "Just kidding. Professor Xu Yan, please let go. It's bad if someone sees..."
Xu Yan curved his lips. "Whether we have a Synesthesia Link or not, why don't we test it?"
My eyes widened.
A shadow fell over me. The scent of mint from his breath came with soft pressure against my lips.
Xu Yan deliberately nipped once, startling me into shoving him away hard.
He handed my phone back with a smile that held no warmth. "Xu Jiaqing sent a message. Want to reply?"
I had zero mood to reply. I grabbed the phone and tried to run.
He blocked my path.
His gaze was dark and murky as he looked at me. "I haven't even gotten over my last relationship, and you're already chasing someone else so hard? Wanwan Riding The Tiger, you're really something."
My spine stiffened. "Professor Xu Yan, how do you know my QQ name?"
Xu Yan gave a cold laugh. "I'm Tiger."
"..."
Dead memories attacked me again.
Half a year ago, bored in class, I added a nearby person while playing a game.
We ended up chatting and it turned into an online romance.
I only gave him my alt QQ account.
Unexpectedly, we clicked more and more.
My name was "Wanwan Riding The Tiger", so I gave him the matching one: "Tiger".
I thought he'd refuse, but he changed it instantly.
He even used the same ridiculous couple avatar as me.
When I was in a bad mood, I called him Mighty.
He said this humble scholar could try holding a sword for the lady.
When I was in a good mood, I called him beautiful maiden.
He replied that whether beautiful or not, Your Majesty hadn't seen yet—why not flip my tablet tonight and find out?
No matter how cheesy or lame my jokes were, he never let them fall flat.
Just as I started getting really into him, I accidentally discovered his secret.
His signature was probably meant to block only me, but he set it wrong and made it visible to only me.
Tiger: Every month there are those few days. I miss you so much I'm going crazy, but I can't... I both look forward to meeting you and worry how you'll see me after we meet.
Those few days every month—weren't those a girl's period?
Afraid to meet because he feared I couldn't accept he was actually a girl.
Reading that signature felt like a bucket of ice water dumped over me.
Xu Yan's cool voice pulled me back. "Why did you delete me?"
I couldn't hide things. I told the truth. "Because I thought you were a girl, but you pretended to be a guy and chatted with me. You were playing me the whole time."
Xu Yan laughed in anger. "All those photos I sent you were for nothing?"
My face burned. I couldn't look up. "They were too perfect. I thought you screenshotted them from some site."
"You..." He was probably furious. He grabbed my hand and pressed it to his chest, then slowly guided it downward.
I yanked my hands back in panic.
Xu Yan pulled open his shirt collar, revealing a small red mole below his collarbone.
"Look clearly."
It was really him.
I stared at that tiny crimson spot on his pale skin. My fingertips dug into my palms.
Back when we first met.
To trick him into sending a selfie, I sent one of mine first.
He refused to send any face-revealing photos no matter what.
I got mad and asked why.
He said, "I've been having breakouts lately. Full of pimples. I'm afraid you'll be scared if you see me. Wait... after our hundred-day mark, when our feelings are stable, we'll meet directly, okay?"
"That's not fair. I already sent one."
"Then can I exchange with other photos?"
He was so careful, calling himself your humble servant and addressing me as Your Majesty. He coaxed me for ages.
In the end he started sending photos.
White shirt, black trousers, broad shoulders, narrow waist, golden ratio carved by the belt.
Only his jawline showed, but it was sharper than my life plan.
I pretended to be calm. "...That's it?"
"Baby, wait a moment. I'll go take a shower."
An hour later, the photo bombing started on QQ.
I said shoot whatever, he shot whatever—except the face, which was his absolute taboo. Everything else was basically unrestricted.
QQ notifications kept ringing under the blanket.
At night, it made my heart race.
I remembered that mole especially clearly.
While wiping my nosebleed with tissue, I messaged: "This mole is in such a good spot, ambitious chest... I guess you're a cultured person. You must have studied really well from childhood, right?"
"Studies were okay. Helping you with homework is no problem."
When I didn't reply for a while, he sent three unhappy emojis. "So I'm only good because of the mole?"
Of course not. Everything else was deadly perfect.
But only if the photos were real.
I hadn't been sure—until today, when he stood in front of me and everything became undeniable.