Right after getting dumped, He suddenly learned that his best buddy was the legendary cold-as-ice school beauty. - Chapter 81

The formation march began with speeches from the school leaders.
And ended with speeches from the school leaders.
The whole morning was spent that way.
But the leadership at Jiang University was relatively concise. When the last speaker stepped up, he even admitted:
“I know you all don’t like listening to old folks like us talk. Don’t worry—I’ll only say a few words—”
Though he ended up saying about ten sentences, in the world of school leadership, that was shockingly brief.
Finally came the true farewell.
The instructors lined up to leave, and the freshmen sent them off.
Having just gone through the college entrance exams, the first-years were at the peak of emotional intensity. Many of them had red, tear-filled eyes.
They had spent only fourteen days with the instructors.
Perhaps tomorrow, or even later today, these feelings of reluctance would fade.
But no one could question the sincerity of their emotions right now.
“Instructor! Goodbye!”
“Old Wang! We’ll miss you!”
“Old Li—!”
Calls and shouts echoed in waves.
“Brother Hou! Brother Hou! You’re amazing, no mountain of the five elements can hold you down—”
Listening to the heartfelt singing behind him, Sun Bing furrowed his thick, short brows in emotion. Turning around, he looked at his students, moved:
“Get moving! Scram!!”
“Ha ha ha ha!”
“Goodbye, Brother Hou.”
“Bye!”
“Brother Hou, don’t stare at us with that piercing gaze—if the bus leaves, you’ll have to flip back!”
Some laughed, some cried.
Sun Bing’s tense face finally relaxed, and he raised his hand to wave.
He finally noticed the tall, slim youth taking his photo:
“Though years may pass before we meet again, we will meet again! Goodbye!!”
He pointed at the youth with force.
The boy chuckled lightly. Sun Bing turned, not looking back.
“Damn, plagiarism…”
Lu Yibei lowered the camera, checking the photos while laughing and cursing.
It was a line he had said to Brother Hou at last year’s farewell… but it didn’t matter—he had just borrowed it from Han Han anyway.
Ji Qingqian silently stood by his side.
Lu Yibei glanced at her, smiling:
“What’s up?”
Ji Qingqian shook her head: “Nothing.”
The girl seemed calm.
“Feeling a little sad?” Lu Yibei asked again.
“A little,” she admitted. Perhaps it was the farewell atmosphere affecting her.
Lu Yibei continued reviewing the photos, but the conversation with her didn’t pause.
“If meeting someone is already a stroke of luck, there’s no need to be sad about parting,” he said softly.
He looked at Ji Qingqian. Her expression was calm, but her eyes betrayed a faint ripple of emotion.
He thought it normal—his heroine rarely displayed emotions outwardly, but that didn’t mean she felt less.
“If philosophy doesn’t comfort you, let me give you something practical,” Lu Yibei said.
“Hmm?”
“My relationship with Brother Hou? If I ever want to see him, and he’s free, one phone call is enough,” he said.
Ji Qingqian blinked. The faint ripple in her eyes immediately stilled.
“And he also said…” Lu Yibei started, then stopped halfway. Better not mention it for now.
Ji Qingqian, however, couldn’t stand leaving the sentence half-spoken. Her brows knitted slightly:
“Said what?”
“Nothing.”
“Tell me.”
Seeing her assertive stance, Lu Yibei thought for a long time… it wasn’t cowardice—just that leaving her hanging mid-sentence tugged at his heart. He scratched his ear awkwardly:
“He said… if one day you and I became a thing, I should treat him to a meal…”
His voice grew quieter as he spoke.
Ji Qingqian bit her lip softly, momentarily stunned.
So he had said what he hadn’t wanted to say… Lu Yibei thought, and prepared to shift the topic to ease the awkwardness.
“…‘If’,” she murmured, as if she had something against that word.
“Uh… heroine?” Lu Yibei whispered.
She paused, then lightly spat:
“…Always dreaming of good things.”
Lu Yibei fell silent. He thought she was teasing him.
But actually, she was scolding herself.
Li Si and Xia Li walked over.
During the leaders’ speeches, Li Si had stood nearby as the student representative, while Xia Li waited close by for any instructions. Now, she had finished handling some minor tasks.
“All the photos taken?” Li Si asked.
“Yeah.”
Lu Yibei returned the camera. “As per your request, I also took the farewell photos of instructors and students.”
“Thanks for the effort.”
Li Si glanced at the calm, poised junior standing beside Lu Yibei. He removed the memory card from the camera and pulled a dual-head Type-C/USB reader from his pocket.
“Since Brother Yibei took them, pick out a few you think are best… about a dozen should be fine.”
Lu Yibei was slightly surprised but took it: “Okay.”
“Hey, you…”
Xia Li wanted to complain—taking photos is fun, but selecting the best ones is a nightmare. Hundreds of photos, and only a handful to pick… she originally wanted the president to do it, now she was freeloading off Brother Yibei’s work!
“Let’s go,” Li Si interrupted Xia Li.
“You freeloading—” Xia Li started.
Li Si ignored her and walked off first.
Xia Li, seeing Lu Yibei and Ji Qingqian, furiously flipped him off repeatedly, but eventually followed.
Lu Yibei didn’t mind the extra work.
In fact, he realized he had taken more photos of Ji Qingqian than he intended. Perfect—he could import them to his computer.
He squeezed the cold card reader in his hand… was the president being deliberate?
Xia Li quickly caught up to Li Si, ready to scold him.
Li Si preempted her:
“Next time you ask Lu Yibei out to eat, I’ll cover it. He skipped the last gathering anyway, so this will be two at once. You can also discuss the freshman welcome party. Oh, and you can bring his girlfriend—you wanted to meet her, right? Also, bring back the card reader and memory card for me.”
Xia Li froze, skeptical:
“…You’re really that kind?”
Li Si smiled wryly. “You think I’m what kind of person?”
“A fox.”
Xia Li blurted it, then realized: “You really want to sabotage me! I bring Brother Yibei and his girlfriend, I become the third wheel!”
Li Si nodded: “True. Then just go with Lu Yibei alone—you save some money.”
“No way! Brother Yibei has a girlfriend now!” Xia Li protested.
“So, no invite?” Li Si asked.
“Nope!”
Xia Li refused again: “Brother Yibei worked hard, and you barely let me get any budget out…”
“What do you suggest, then?” Li Si spread his hands.
Xia Li’s clever eyes lit up—she found a compromise:
“You come with me.”
“…”
“Then with Brother Yibei and his girlfriend, I’m not the only third wheel~”
Li Si pushed up his glasses helplessly. “I’m busy…”
“Come with me!”
“I said I’m busy…”
“Busy my foot! Brother Yibei did most of the work already, and you’re still busy?”
Xia Li lightly kicked Li Si’s heel: “Come with me! Come with me!”
“Let’s see,” Li Si said.
“Come with me, come with me!! You jerk! I don’t care!”
Li Si nearly laughed out loud.