Right after getting dumped, He suddenly learned that his best buddy was the legendary cold-as-ice school beauty. - Chapter 36

Jiangnan University was pretty big.

If you weren’t familiar with the campus, getting lost was only natural—especially at night.

Ji Qingqian’s roommates didn’t doubt her explanation.

When she returned to the dorm, the others were all curled up on their beds, the light from their phones casting their faces in pale, ghostly glow.

They asked if she was okay. When she said yes, they sank back into silence.

Ji Qingqian brushed her teeth in the dark and climbed into bed.

A little sleepy.

Before sleeping, she sent a message to Lu Yibei.

[Ji Qingqian]: Are you back at your dorm?

[Lu Yibei]: I’m back at the apartment.

[Ji Qingqian]: ?

[Lu Yibei]: The aunt said she’d leave the door open for you, but your dorm supervisor didn’t promise me anything.

Ji Qingqian’s pupils jolted.

Right—Auntie only looked after their dorm.

The boys’ dorm? What did the female supervisor have to do with that?

It was such a simple fact, yet Ji Qingqian had completely forgotten. No wonder he mentioned leaving at eleven…

Ji Qingqian, you only think about yourself!!

[Ji Qingqian]: I forgot… sorry.

[Lu Yibei]: Don’t worry about it.

[Lu Yibei]: Honestly, I also wanted to spend a little more time with you.

Ji Qingqian stared at the message.

Then she hugged her phone to her chest, rolling left—bam!—hit the wall, then right—bam!—hit the railing, then left again—bam!—hit the wall…

Several rolls later, she finally calmed her racing heart.

[Ji Qingqian]: So, are you at the apartment yet?

[Lu Yibei]: Not yet, but I’m close.

[Lu Yibei]: You should sleep first; you’ve got an early morning tomorrow.

Ji Qingqian wanted to reply with “okay.”

But before she could type it, she heard Ma Jiaojiao’s soft whisper:

“Good night~”

It sounded like her usual sign-off when chatting with her boyfriend.

Then Chu Cu’s lazy voice drifted over:

“Doubling the words is so gross.”

“I’m gonna die!”

Ma Jiaojiao, embarrassed and angry, was separated from Chu Cu by just one aisle—otherwise, she’d have kicked her: “Never seen people in love?”

Chu Cu grinned cheekily:

“Good night~ I’m going to sleep~”

Ma Jiaojiao: “You!”

Wang Jue timed it perfectly and dimmed his phone screen:

“Good night~ I’m going to sleep too.”

Ma Jiaojiao: “You too! Ugh!”

Ji Qingqian: “Good night.”

Ma Jiaojiao: “!?”

Why was Ji Qingqian joining in on this nonsense?

…

[Ji Qingqian]: ))1s

Walking down the street, Lu Yibei opened the voice message.

“Good night.”

The clear, crisp voice of a young girl.

Lu Yibei smiled softly.

“Mm, good night to you too.”

Good night to the whole world.

…

“What are you doing, Lao Bei?” Hao Zhangwen asked.

Inside the 404 dorm, Hao Zhangwen was grinding daily missions in a mobile game.

Liu Jie was scrolling on his phone, seemingly at random.

Zhao Sun curled up in a chair, binging new anime episodes.

As for Lu Yibei, he had his phone face-down, using the dim screen to illuminate his own face.

“Stop shining it, you’re already handsome enough,” Hao Zhangwen said.

“Fatty,” Lu Yibei muttered, putting the phone down. Hesitantly, he asked: “Do you think girls these days would like someone like me?”

Hao Zhangwen hadn’t answered yet.

Zhao Sun pulled off his headphones, shouting from his bed:

“Lao Bei, did you get brainwashed by PUA or what?”

“No.”

“Then why ask such a ridiculous question? You walk out, find a girl—any girl—ask for her WeChat… not a hundred percent success, but at least eighty percent, right?”

Zhao Sun thought for a moment, then added: “Unless you met the girl through gaming. Otherwise, even if she doesn’t like you, she’d have some kind of good impression at least.”

Lu Yibei: “…Damn.”

Hao Zhangwen thought he was cursing at him for criticizing his gaming skills.

But Lu Yibei was thinking: he did meet Ji Qingqian through gaming…

“Breaking news!” Liu Jie suddenly shouted, holding up his phone.

Zhao Sun asked: “Your wife is giving birth?”

“Shut up! Your wife just gave birth!”

“Calm down, your mom hasn’t,” Zhao Sun replied dryly.

Lu Yibei asked: “What’s up?”

Liu Jie flipped Zhao Sun the middle finger.

“A new round of the campus beauty contest has started! The Jiang University Campus WeChat account is open for voting.”

Zhao Sun, uninterested, put his headphones back on:

“Not as exciting as saying your wife is pregnant.”

“Seriously, nothing’s more explosive than A-Jie being pregnant,” Liu Jie shot back.

Lu Yibei jumped down from his bed, tapping Zhao Sun on the shoulder: “Let’s check it out.”

Zhao Sun pouted but opened the link Liu Jie had shared in the dorm group.

Hao Zhangwen and Liu Jie pulled chairs closer.

“Who do you think will be the campus beauty?” Liu Jie asked.

“Sister Le Zi,” Hao Zhangwen replied.

Sister Le Zi referred to Jiang Zile, a third-year media student and their senior.

Last year, she was wildly popular in the voting.

“The third-year seat is basically hers, but second-year and freshmen? That’s still up in the air,” Liu Jie said.

Each year at Jiangnan University voted for one beauty queen.

Fourth-year seniors were usually tied up in internships, barely appearing on campus, so they were automatically skipped.

The webpage loaded.

The first page showed the third-year senior.

Even though voting had just started, Jiang Zile was already in a league of her own, with over 85% of the votes.

“Sister Le Zi teaches you how to win in the explosive fish game,” Liu Jie commented sharply. “Photos are still from last year.”

She had a delicate oval face, graceful features, and a small teardrop mole under her right eye that added a touch of charm. Her thin lips curved slightly, wearing a subtle, playful smile—as if asking: Are you here to compete for second place?

“Boring to watch a steamroll; let’s check the second-year candidates,” Hao Zhangwen said.

Compared to the third-year landslide, second-year was full of competition.

Several dozen contestants had entered, none standing far ahead of the others.

Third-year was just for fun; the real battle was second-year.

Lu Yibei, Hao Zhangwen, and Zhao Sun’s eyes quickly scanned each contestant.

Not because it would be easier to date someone in the same year, but…

“Chen Dan isn’t competing~~”

All three sighed in unison, disappointed—no bride-to-be in sight.

Liu Jie: “Damn! With her personality, she wouldn’t enter anyway!”

Hao Zhangwen glanced sideways: “What’s her personality like?”

Liu Jie: “Just… that kind… ugh!!”

He let out a helpless, frustrated sound.

“I thought her friends would sign her up,” Lu Yibei said with a smile.

You don’t even need the person—just a photo, their class, and name. Once approved, they’re in.

For someone like Jiang Zile, it was usually a kind-hearted friend putting her forward.