Right after getting dumped, He suddenly learned that his best buddy was the legendary cold-as-ice school beauty. - Chapter 96

September 25th.

Just one more day, and it would be perhaps the most important 26th in Lu Yibei’s life.

The weeklong drizzle had finally drawn to a close.

The rain had stopped.

This morning, the sky still seemed to be making a half-hearted attempt to squeeze out a few drops.

By the afternoon, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, as if declaring all that effort null and void.

Not long after the sun appeared, Qingqian sent Lu Yibei a message.

[Qingqian]: Finally drained.]

[Yibei]: …

[Qingqian]: Tomorrow… can we go?

[Yibei]: …

[Yibei]: Finish your sentence properly!!

As always, the heroine’s words ran ahead of her intentions.

But beneath the playful tone, her wish was sincere.

[Qingqian]: I really, really hope we see the sun.

[Yibei]: We will.

Even though Lu Yibei’s reply was firm and certain, his heart couldn’t help but jitter nervously.

Would everything go as planned?

He had prepared every contingency, yet the closer it got, the more anxious he became.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that some sudden, unpredictable mishap might happen.

He opened his phone and checked the 24-hour weather forecast again.

No matter how he looked at it, the interface displayed a sunny icon, with the note: Sunrise: 5:32.

“Phew.”

He leaned back, letting the full weight of his body press against the back of the dorm chair.

Hao Pangzi walked over with a cup of water. Seeing Lu Yibei lost in thought, he patted his shoulder quietly, wordlessly offering comfort.

Zhao Sun, squatting cross-legged in front of his computer, glanced at him, paused his video, and asked seriously:

“Lu Bei… do you think it’ll work?”

Lu Yibei: …

He gave Zhao Sun the middle finger.

“What’s with you guys?”

Liu Jie poked his head out from his bed, having just finished a round of PUBG.

He’d been sensing a strange shift in the dorm’s atmosphere for the past couple of days.

Their dorm had always been a balance of work and play—mostly goofing off, with some effort when needed.

Previously, only Lu Yibei had a fixed routine of keyboard work; Hao Pangzi and Sun went along, indulging in their own leisure.

But since last week, everything had changed.

Suddenly, Liu Jie felt like the odd one out. The other three were so focused they didn’t even have time for a single game.

Yet today, they had all returned to a relaxed state, as if some important chapter had concluded.

Lu Yibei didn’t answer. He checked the time—it was already the final class of the day.

“I’m heading out.”

He grabbed his baseball cap, slipped his phone into his pocket, and shot a wink at the puzzled Liu Jie.

“I won’t be back to sleep tonight. Tomorrow… Jie Ge, I’ve got a surprise for you.”

Liu Jie grinned ear to ear.

“Alright! A surprise! I love surprises—”

Zhao Sun and Hao Zhangwen, in silent unison, nodded at Lu Yibei like wordless encouragement.

Stepping out of the dorm, Lu Yibei quickly sent Qingqian a message.

[Yibei]: I’m coming to pick you up after class.]

He couldn’t quite name the feeling in his chest—like he was marching to the battlefield.

Qingqian, who hadn’t been paying much attention in class, replied within a minute.

[Qingqian]: A little early, you’ll have to wait.]

[Yibei]: It’s fine.]

…

Class ended.

Qingqian walked out with her roommates.

She wore a simple white T-shirt and washed-blue jeans. Yet with her tall, graceful figure and the delicate lines of her slim face framed by jet-black hair, Lu Yibei spotted her instantly in the sea of students.

The heroine, of course, seemed to have locked onto him as well.

He saw her whisper something to her roommates, nodding to them before turning and walking straight toward him.

Among the crowd, she was impossible to miss.

Even along this short walk, Lu Yibei noticed countless glances involuntarily drifting toward her.

Qingqian paid them no mind, heading directly to him.

Her lips pressed lightly together as she adjusted the strap of her baseball cap, matching the one he wore.

When she finally reached him, she lifted her face, her clear, delicate features glowing.

“Yibei… have you been waiting long?”

Her soft voice, the matching hats, the perfect height difference, and the teal-blue cord tied around his wrist—all silently spoke of their connection.

Many students who had been admiring her glanced at the scene, sighed, and shook their heads before turning away.

“Just a little while.”

Lu Yibei pinched his thumb and forefinger to show a tiny gap.

In truth, it had been more than ten minutes.

By his calculation, he should have timed the interval better.

But… staying in the dorm had given him a strange sense of unease. All he wanted was to see this girl in front of him as soon as possible.

“Then let’s go,” she said.

“Is your bag heavy?” Lu Yibei asked.

He was traveling light, carrying almost nothing.

Qingqian, however, had the white canvas backpack she’d used on the first day of school.

The backpack was not small, and now it bulged with the weight of its contents.

“It’s fine.”

“Give it to me.”

“Okay.”

She didn’t resist.

He took it, slinging it over his shoulder and feeling the weight.

“…Heavier than I expected. Heroine, what did you pack in here?”

“You’ll see soon enough,” she said.

“Let me remind you again—we’re just going for one morning, not a long vacation. We’ll be back to study afterward… you don’t need to bring so many snacks.”

“I know,” she mumbled, as if slightly annoyed he treated her like a child.

By now, they were heading downstairs together toward the campus gate.

“Yibei,” Qingqian asked, “we’ll see the sunrise, right?”

She looked up—the sun still hung in the western sky, bright and clear.

He wanted to say yes.

But he hesitated, pulled out his phone to check the 24-hour forecast once more, and only after confirming did he answer:

“…Mm. We should see it.”

Qingqian stopped walking.

Lu Yibei turned back. “What’s wrong?”

She stared at him and suddenly said:

“Yibei… come here.”

“…Mm, okay.”

He stepped back a couple of paces and came to her side.

Qingqian lifted both hands and pressed them against his cheeks, then squeezed inward with force.

“Her-heroine… wha-what are you doing =3=”

Lu Yibei pouted under her playful squeeze.

“What are you so nervous about?” Qingqian asked seriously.

She had keenly sensed the slightest change in his mood.