Of course, the inner thoughts of Jin Zhengxian towards Ai Mu were not entirely pleasant. He despised smokers, and Ai Mu was exactly the kind of person who relied on cigarettes to relieve boredom and cravings. No matter how strong the scent of perfume he used to cover it up, it couldn't escape the sensitive nose of someone who detested the smell of smoke.

And, in all the years they had known each other, Jin Zhengxian had never seen Ai Muluo walk up to him holding someone's hand and introduce them seriously, saying, "This is my girlfriend." Every time, it would be a few days of chatting, a few meetings, holding hands, and then it would seem like things just ended. Ai Muluo always seemed to keep his emotions in a state where they hadn't quite reached the level of being lovers. Jin Zhengxian had once asked him why he did this, and Ai Muluo simply replied with two words: "Light-heartedness." This made Jin Zhengxian feel like Ai Muluo was a heavy burden to carry. Who would suppress their desires just because they found it troublesome?

However, it is precisely because of Ai Mu's personality that she rarely deeply interacts with the people around her, and only has a few friends. Although she has a pretty face that is sought after by girls, she never relies on this to do things. Sometimes, Jin Zhengxian feels that Ai Mu is like a blank diary. When he is troubled by complicated interpersonal relationships, he will pour out these things to Ai Mu all at once, and Ai Mu will just listen, share the burden, and help him dilute and digest his troubles. Perhaps this is the memorial of a long-lasting friendship between two people, intertwined and interconnected. If one link is wrong, our story will have to change the protagonist.

There are two more male gods in the girls' mouths. One is Kyle, a mixed-blood of France and China, and the other is Hideyuki Kojima from Japan. Although Kyle is also a mixed-blood like Emu, he has mostly inherited Chinese blood, with black hair, black eyes, and naturally tanned skin. Kyle has a dreamy face that every girl fantasizes about. He is gentle, flawless, handsome, but also playful. His facial features are very distinct, like a Roman sculpture carved with a knife. Kim Jung-hyun is probably around 180cm tall, Emu is 183cm tall, but Kyle stands at an impressive 193cm, inheriting his French father's stature completely. He has broad shoulders, long legs, strong but not bulky.

But the last one is completely different. Xiuzhi is the youngest among the four, a sophomore majoring in linguistics. Among the three towering figures who are all over 180 centimeters tall, his 175 centimeters make him look particularly thin and small. Xiuzhi is known as the guy from the world of anime, with his long bangs neatly combed to one side, delicate features, and a round face. Combined with his classic Japanese boy outfit, he looks like a boy who has walked out of the two-dimensional world. Unlike Jin Zhengxian, who is confident and speaks fluently even with a strange accent, Xiuzhi, who has never been fluent in Mandarin, often chooses to remain silent when communicating, opting to smile instead. Being naturally shy, he appears even more bashful and cute in the eyes of outsiders.

"Tonight, we've reserved a bar at the back gate of the school! It's a welcome party for all you freshmen," proclaimed Jin Zhengxian with a raised voice. "We hope you can all join us~ And our senior students from the second and third year will be there too!" Finishing his words, he mischievously winked, "This is the best opportunity for your four years in college!"

With his head lowered, Ye Cang was busy replying to his girlfriend's messages, completely ignoring the four people on the podium. He buried his head under the table, giggling foolishly.

"Oh, right... the classmate who can't drink alcohol..." Ai Mu suddenly squinted his slender eyes and raised the corner of his mouth, revealing a mischievous smile. "Good luck to you..."

"Today, besides alcohol,"

"There's no other beverage..."

"What have you been busy with these past few days, Ai Mu?"

"Mmm..." The characteristic dismissive response once again, Ai Mu held an unlit cigarette in his mouth, twirling it with his lips. Glancing at Jin Zhengxian, who was staring at him intently, his brows furrowed. "Stop staring at me like that, it makes me uncomfortable. I don't smoke!"

Kim Jung-hyun had an expression that seemed to say, "Good, you know your place." Nana returned his intense gaze.

It's so cold...

Ai Mu put on the hood of her hoodie, tightly gripping the collar to prevent any air from seeping in. The rain had just stopped, and it was time for everyone to gather for the New Year's welcoming party. Thankfully, the heavens were on their side, otherwise they would have had to run frantically to their destination under umbrellas.

The wind after the rain brought with it a cold moisture. A damp chill permeated every pore, causing them to contract tightly. He, who already had a tendency to feel cold in his hands and feet, didn't really feel comfortable in this season of significant temperature differences between day and night.

A large group of people wearing all sorts of clothes came quickly from afar, shouting, "Senior brothers!!~~"

"Are they all here?" Jin Zhengxian widened his dark, petite eyes and surveyed the sophomore junior sisters.

"All set, all set~"

"Let's go then, Da Er's Kai and Xiu have already gone ahead."

"Do you Koreans like to omit a few words when you talk?" Ai Mo took the opportunity while Kim Jung Hyun wasn't paying attention to light up a cigarette and took a long drag. The warm breath traveled from between his lips and teeth to the depths of his body, then slowly escaped through his lips. Sensing Kim Jung Hyun's gaze, which seemed ready to kill him, Ai Mo gently propped himself up using his knees and stood up. He leaned forward, blowing a thick cloud of smoke slowly onto Kim Jung Hyun's face, wearing a mysterious smile.