Just Had to Meet You - Chapter 1

As autumn arrived, a single autumn rain brought a wave of chill. Just a few showers during the National Day holiday, combined with strong winds of force four or five, and the temperature plummeted sharply. Only two days ago, people wearing short sleeves and tank tops filled the streets, but today, the attire had turned into a chaotic mix—short sleeves, tank tops, shirts, hoodies, and even light cotton jackets—creating a peculiar scene unique to B City. You didn’t even need to go elsewhere; just a stroll around P University would let you see it all. Most students had messy hair, blank faces, and walked hurriedly with their heads lowered.
Among the crowd, Tong Yao strode forward with her suitcase, head held high, making her stand out. She wore the latest trench coat, a white shirt paired with dark jeans, and a pair of black knee-high boots that drew attention to her slender waist and long legs, exuding an intimidating aura. However, that aura instantly vanished the moment she pushed open the dormitory door.
“Girls, I’m back!” As soon as she spoke, a petite figure lunged at her, and the two embraced tightly. Tong Yao pinched the other girl’s waist and exclaimed in surprise, “Xu Jiaojiao, you’ve lost weight!”
“Really?” Xu Jiaojiao said with a grin, “I’m cosplaying Hatsune Miku at the comic convention next Saturday, and I plan to lose ten pounds first!”
“Ambitious goal, weight loss within reach.” Tong Yao nodded knowingly and turned to retrieve a Hatsune Miku figurine from her suitcase.
“I love you the most!” Xu Jiaojiao was overjoyed and gave Tong Yao a tight hug, along with several playful air kisses.
Tong Yao then pulled out a bottle of perfume from her suitcase and smirked. “Is Qing’er out on a date again? I got her ‘Pink Love Song’—just right for a little woman in love like her.”
Xu Jiaojiao sucked in a breath, squeezed Tong Yao’s hand, and motioned toward the upper bunk. Only then did Tong Yao notice that the quilt on Xu Qing’s bed was trembling slightly, and the trash bin next to it was overflowing with tissues. She gently tugged at the blanket and asked in surprise, “Qing’er, what’s wrong?”
A tear-streaked Xu Qing emerged from under the blanket, her eyes red and swollen. She choked out, “I… got dumped.”
Tong Yao was stunned. Xu Qing had been dating her boyfriend for less than two months, and whenever she talked about him, she radiated happiness from every pore. The girls had even been joking about meeting him to “vet” him. But before they even got the chance, the relationship was already over? She hurriedly asked, “Got dumped? What do you mean?”
“That scumbag hooked up with the campus beauty from the neighboring department. Qing’er heard rumors and confronted him, only to find out they had been together for half a month already. The scumbag made Qing’er lose face in front of the campus beauty, telling her not to pester him anymore.” Xu Jiaojiao showed Tong Yao a photo of the two from her phone and clenched her fists in frustration. “A two-timer like him only dares to bully our Qing’er because she’s too nice! If my combat skills were any good, I’d have slapped him in the face.” Despite being only 148 cm tall, Xu Jiaojiao had the ambition and determination of someone 180 cm.
“This is going too far!” Tong Yao slammed the table in anger, startling both Xu Qing and Xu Jiaojiao. Rubbing her palm, she said angrily, “Qing’er, stop crying!” “Come on, let’s go confront him and make him give us an explanation.”
Xu Jiaojiao clapped lightly. “Mighty Tong Yao!”
But Xu Qing, shaken by Tong Yao’s sudden outburst, hesitated. “Forget it… maybe… maybe I really have my bad points. I saw her. That campus beauty is really pretty and elegant. They actually look quite good together. ”
“Qing’er, that’s not right. Why put yourself down while building others up?” “Besides, true beauty comes from within, not just appearance. You’re amazing—it’s that scumbag who doesn’t deserve you!” Tong Yao said earnestly. “And no matter how you look at it, he’s in the wrong.” She cracked her knuckles. “If you don’t want to go, then Jiaojiao and I will. We have to demand justice!” With that, she grabbed Xu Jiaojiao, ready to march out the door.
“Don’t!” Xu Qing cried out, jumping off the bed with surprising agility. She clung to Tong Yao’s arm, pleading, “Please, I beg you. Just let this go. Let’s never bring it up again.”
Tong Yao was fuming, but seeing Xu Jiaojiao also shaking her head at her, she had no choice but to swallow her anger and comfort Xu Qing. “Alright, alright, I’ll listen to you. But you should listen to me too—don’t be sad. Take this as a lesson learned for the future.”
Xu Qing nodded with tears in her eyes. Tong Yao patted her head. “How about we go sing karaoke tonight and cheer up a bit?”
“You guys go ahead, I just want to rest,” Xu Qing listlessly climbed back onto her bed.
Xu Jiaojiao shrugged helplessly at Tong Yao. Left with no choice, Tong Yao let it go, but she muttered to herself, that scumbag better hope I never run into him.
About 500 meters outside the east gate of P University, there was a KTV with a prime location and a bustling crowd, though its soundproofing wasn’t the best.
When Tong Yao started singing “The Song of a Hero”, the guys in the next private room, who had been singing soft Japanese pop songs, suddenly fell silent. Snapping back to their senses, the boys continued singing, just in time to catch Tong Yao’s line: “If injustice appears, roar out loud! Take action when it’s time to act…” After a few rounds of this, they couldn’t help but get carried away and started shouting “Waaah” along with her. Realizing what they were doing, they awkwardly cut themselves off mid-“Waaah!”
From the other side of the wall, a teasing voice rang out: “A battle of karaoke champions—ended before it even began?”
His voice was crisp and clear, like water striking jade, but laced with sharp sarcasm. Xu Jiaojiao waggled her eyebrows, gave a thumbs-up on the screen, and shouted into the microphone, “Yao baby, you’re awesome!”
The voice next door clearly heard her but wasn’t offended, simply replying, “Be a gentleman.”
The music resumed, this time with a lighthearted and cheerful rhythm.
Xu Jiaojiao listened intently for a moment and hesitantly asked, “Wait… is this…?”
Tong Yao immediately responded, “Yes, it’s that German song—The Naughty Little Crocodile.”
This playful children’s song had gone viral in China because of its peculiar pronunciation.
Xu Jiaojiao sighed, “Forget fearing a scoundrel—what’s truly scary is a cultured scoundrel.” If they kept competing, it would just make them look petty.
Tong Yao felt both amused and exasperated. “Forget it, let him be. Anyway, after singing A Hero’s Song, I’m fully recharged and back to life!” She switched to “Feeling Cute” and Xu Jiaojiao joined in enthusiastically.
Before they knew it, half the day had passed. Tong Yao put down the microphone and chugged a bottle of water. “That was satisfying!”
Xu Jiaojiao saw that most of her frustration had dissipated and consoled her, “They say it’s not just about winning but about dignity, but you have to choose your fights wisely. Qing’er has always been soft-hearted—of course, she’d stop you from making a scene.”
Tong Yao clenched an empty water bottle, crushing it before tossing it into the trash can. “If only I had been there at the time! If I ever run into him, I’ll make sure he understands the true meaning of ‘justice.'”
Xu Jiaojiao teased, “Who knows? Maybe you’ll bump into your ‘enemy’ the moment you turn around.”
Tong Yao made a face like she was about to vomit, and the two burst into laughter. Because she had been singing too passionately, Tong Yao ended up drinking two whole bottles of water. Handing the microphone to Xu Jiaojiao, she headed to the restroom—only to run into a human “roadblock.” A young man and woman were half-embracing each other, standing right in the middle of the hallway leading to the restrooms. Every few words, they would exchange a flirtatious gesture, making Tong Yao even more annoyed. Just as she was about to ask them to step aside, she heard the woman say, “I heard Xu Qing caused a huge scene in front of your dorm today?”
It is true that good news never leaves the house, but bad news travels a thousand miles. “Yeah, Xu Qing used to bring me breakfast, save me a seat and stuff. I always thought we were just good friends. Who would’ve thought she was so disgusting, harboring those kinds of thoughts?”
“You mean you didn’t know she was chasing you?” the girl pressed.
“How could I have known with such a clumsy way of pursuing me?” the guy said, sounding a little wronged. “Besides, haven’t I always been chasing after you? You’re the only one I think about, miss, and see.”
The girl finally relented, giggling. “I knew it. With looks like hers, as if she’d ever catch your eye.”
In the dim lighting, Tong Yao hadn’t been able to make out their faces at first, but hearing this, she was certain—the pair before her were none other than the “scumbag” and the department beauty.
The “scumbag” was still rambling on. “Let’s not talk about her anymore. Someone like her isn’t even worthy to carry your shoes—” Before he could finish, a sharp kick landed straight in his abdomen.
The shoe was this year’s trendy pointed heel, and the impact was undeniable. The “scumbag” let out a pained scream, clutching his stomach as he staggered back several steps before stopping. The department beauty, who had been leaning against him, suddenly lost her support and shrieked as she tumbled backward—only to be steadied by Tong Yao’s firm hand on her back.