Right after getting dumped, He suddenly learned that his best buddy was the legendary cold-as-ice school beauty. - Chapter 89

A plump little squirrel clung to the wet trunk of a London plane tree, its head pointing downward.
It chomped eagerly on a pine nut handed to it by a tourist.
Lu Yibei could feel the gleam in Qingqian’s eyes brighten even more beside him.
She seemed to be deliberately inching closer.
But with so many people around, she didn’t quite know how to squeeze to the front.
“Move forward a bit, there’ll be more space,” Lu Yibei said.
Wild squirrels weren’t uncommon along the West Lake.
The Dragon Xiang Bridge station wasn’t far, so tourists were abundant.
But in reality, plenty of trees nearby were home to these tiny creatures.
Ji Qingqian nodded and followed Master Lu, the West Lake expert, as he stepped forward.
Then Master Lu stopped under a tree, tilting his head upward.
Qingqian followed suit.
Among the bronze-colored branches and lush green leaves, a bushy tail rustled—attached to a little squirrel making its way down.
Lu Yibei dug into his single-shoulder canvas bag, pulling out an ordinary cookie. He unwrapped it and waved it toward the squirrel.
Squirrels by the lake ate all sorts of things: pine nuts, corn, even cookies.
This one, sensing it was mealtime, scampered down quickly.
Lu Yibei broke off a piece and handed it to Qingqian:
“Here, you feed it. Be careful.”
Qingqian made a small affirmative sound. Though her expression remained calm, her eyes betrayed her excitement.
No wonder she was a herder’s child—she had no fear of wild animals. Taking the cookie, she extended her hand immediately.
The squirrel clutched the other half and started nibbling.
It ate like it had a tiny motor inside, fast and precise.
“It’s so cute,” Qingqian said.
“…Mm,” Lu Yibei replied.
“Look how chubby it is.”
“…Mm.”
“And its cheeks are so round.”
“…Mm.”
“Look—”
Qingqian paused, noticing something. She turned to Lu Yibei. “I was showing you the squirrel. Why are you staring at me?”
“…Oh.”
Lu Yibei withdrew his gaze, smiling. “I’ve seen squirrels many times; they don’t surprise me anymore. But watching you feed one? That’s a first.”
Qingqian: …
She turned back to the squirrel, continuing her careful feeding.
After a short while, she finally spoke again:
“Squirrel, colon, you jerk—lost interest when it’s no longer new?”
Lu Yibei panicked: “Don’t say that.”
“Hah~ I’m too good for the squirrel~” Qingqian smirked, her voice teasing yet delicate.
Lu Yibei thought for a moment:
“Getting a new crush and insulting the old love… heroine, you’re not any better.”
“I don’t remember teaching you to talk back like this, little brat.”
As the small triangle of Qingqian, Lu Yibei, and the squirrel tangled in playful banter, Lu Yibei suddenly noticed someone far off, a camera lens pointed directly at them.
One glance was enough.
The camera’s owner jogged over.
An elderly man, about sixty, with very short, fully white hair.
He carried a camera, a backpack, and even had a small sports bag on his waist.
Judging by the size of that lens, he wasn’t just a casual photographer—he was a serious amateur.
“Excuse me, young man,” the old man said cheerfully, apologizing first. “I was originally trying to photograph that squirrel. But seeing your couple vibes, I took one of you two. Don’t worry, just for fun. If it bothers you, I can delete it immediately.”
Lu Yibei looked at Qingqian.
She shook her head lightly.
Enjoying the scenery sometimes meant becoming part of it. That was inevitable.
“It’s fine,” Lu Yibei smiled. “I used to take photos too, and if people minded, I’d delete them.”
“You do photography too?” the old man asked.
“Occasionally,” Lu Yibei replied.
“Then take a look at this one.”
The old man handed over his massive Sony camera.
In the photo, Qingqian fed the squirrel while Lu Yibei watched her. They seemed to be talking, relaxed and natural—not posed, but perfectly “in the moment,” just as the old man said.
Lu Yibei couldn’t help but admire it: the old man really knew his craft.
Previously, that photo Xia Li had criticized… this, by comparison, was flawless. The background cut sharp as a blade, the subjects smooth as butter.
“Impressive,” Lu Yibei said, glancing back at Qingqian.
The old man urged: “Young lady, you should see it too. If you like it, I can send it to you.”
Photographers loved hearing praise from their subjects.
Qingqian nodded, taking the camera from Lu Yibei.
Careful not to strain it, Lu Yibei still supported the bulky lens as she held it.
She blinked at the screen, then nodded affirmatively. Feeling that silence was rude, she murmured a single word:
“Six.”
The old man laughed heartily. “Looks like it’s really good! For you young people, ‘six’ is the highest rating.”
He quickly popped the memory card out of the camera, handed it and a reader to Lu Yibei:
“Here, copy the photos to your phone.”
Lu Yibei was silently impressed—true professionalism, delivering results on the spot.
As he inserted the reader, Qingqian called softly:
“Wait.”
“Mm?”
“Sir…”
Qingqian, timid but bold, asked: “Could you take one more photo?”
The old man, encouraged, smiled.
“This is the highest compliment to my skills. Of course I can. Another couple shot?”
Qingqian shook her head, pointing at Lu Yibei. “Just him.”
Lu Yibei: ?
He didn’t understand.
The old man pressed the shutter.
Lu Yibei alone, feeding the squirrel, was captured perfectly.
After transferring the two new photos, Lu Yibei gave them to Qingqian.
She immediately set them up.
Once done, she dimmed the phone, then lit it again.
The lock screen showed Lu Yibei feeding the squirrel—alone.
Unlocking revealed the desktop: their photo together.
—Now she could join him and play.
Qingqian smiled faintly.
She was extremely pleased with her new lock screen and desktop wallpaper.
“Thank you,” she said politely to the old man.
“You’re welcome,” he replied, smiling. “You’re students, right?”
Lu Yibei nodded.
“Good,” the old man reminisced. “When I was in college, my partner and I used to stroll along West Lake like this…”
…