Chapter 539: with translation of chapter title

Mu Youyu recalled the person she had just seen and guessed, "Want a signature?"

"No." Yu Yu pulled a work ID from her bag, waved it in front of her, "My teacher let me come play; I came out with a senior schoolmate, and she's outside making a call."

Mu Youyu's gaze swept over it; the work ID bore the word "Guest" at the top, and below was a small line with Yu Yu's name and her representative work.

She looked up; Yu Yu was smiling at her, much more pleasing than the lifeless demeanor she had when they first met.

"Impressive." She sincerely praised.

Yu Yu felt delighted, pursed her lips and smiled slightly, "No way, just good luck."

On the other hand, Qiao Xin covered her mouth, "I also wish I had your luck."

As expected, goddesses only hang out with goddesses.

The crowd in the exhibition hall grew thicker; Mu Youyu and Yu Yu exchanged a few words, agreed to meet again for dinner, then went their separate ways.

Qiao Xin and Xiao Yu slipped away first; Jiang Liangjin followed behind Mu Youyu, slowly moving inward along the exhibition hall's flow.

Turning a corner, Mu Youyu's gaze fell on a booth in the corner.

She was engrossed when a tentative voice came from behind: "Mu classmate?"

Mu Youyu turned around, saw Xu Zhiying standing two steps away, and politely said, "What a coincidence."

Xu Zhiying hurried forward two steps, looking as if afraid she'd leave, "I—I've been looking for you forever; I didn't see you at the entrance just now!"

She narrowed her eyes warmly, "Thanks for that day—you lent me your power bank and gave me back a thousand bucks; that's too much, I feel embarrassed!"

Jiang Liangjin silently thought: embarrassed to accept it.

"It's fine, I should have given it to you." Mu Youyu gave a faint smile.

"By the way, Mu classmate," Xu Zhiying moved her lips twice, pondered for a while, then jerked her chin toward the other side of the exhibition hall, "I just ran into someone—guess how old she is?"

Mu Youyu followed her gaze; it was a female classmate, a trendy girl with shoulder-length hair, chatting and laughing with friends.

Xu Zhiying answered herself, wrapped in a thin sense of superiority: "She's nineteen! Nineteen and still a freshman, same year as us—don't you find that odd? At that age still stuck in freshman year, who knows what she was doing before."

Mu Youyu:? Not really normal.

…She then recalled that, while queuing for security at the exhibition hall entrance earlier, Xu Zhiying had been chatting and laughing with that girl, walking together; lately they've sat close in class and even gone to eat together, seeming to get along well.

How did turning around make her become the person Xu Zhiying was complaining about?

Xu Zhiying didn't notice Mu Youyu's changing expression, her speech speeding up uncontrollably: "Unlike you, Mu classmate, who entered university at sixteen and even scored full marks on the college entrance exam—that's truly impressive."

"You're not like us; you're a star in the sky, while we're just mud on the ground."

After saying that, she nodded as if affirming herself.

Jiang Liangjin understood: this person was trying to ingratiate herself with his girlfriend.

"Everyone has their own pace; early or late isn't an issue." Mu Youyu had no intention of going along with the other's enthusiasm.

She didn't want to dwell on the topic, turned and prepared to continue viewing the paintings.

Xu Zhiying followed step for step at her side, gave the paintings a perfunctory glance then looked away; clearly her mind wasn't on the art.

"Exactly, exactly, your pace is just fine!" She first agreed, then immediately launched a new topic, lowering her voice slightly and adopting a conspiratorial posture.

"She was just bragging to me about how many houses her family owns, saying her dad bought her a villa in C Shi just so she could attend school conveniently. What's there to brag about? It's not like she earned it herself."

She glanced at Mu Youyu, saw she wasn't saying much, assumed she liked hearing it, and leaned in closer: "Some people just haven't seen the world; they have a little something and want everyone to know. They can't compare to you at all."

Mu Youyu glanced at her, a subtle hint already in her eyes, "And then?"

This is just behind-the-back nitpicking and trampling, isn't it?

Xu Zhiying felt a bit guilty under that look, her eyes drifted, then she forced a smile: "I just think you're really outstanding, Mu classmate."

"Thanks." Mu Youyu sidestepped her and kept walking, "I have other things to do, so I'll go first."

Jiang Liangjin passed by Xu Zhiying, giving her not even a flicker of expression.

Mu Youyu had nothing to say to her, her impression worsening; she looked up at Jiang Liangjin and obediently said, "Let's go assemble first."

"Okay."

That remark was clearly meant for outsiders; the assembly was still far off, and besides, they weren't heading that way—Xu Zhiying's smile completely fell apart.

Outside the door there were even more people than inside, with several cosplayers in splendid costumes weaving through the crowd.

They were surrounded by several spectators holding up phones, taking photos.

Mu Youyu pulled Jiang Liangjin along the edge of the crowd, intending to first find a place to eat, rest a bit, then return when assembly time came.

Having taken just a few steps, a figure slanted in from the side and squarely blocked their path.

The person wore a dark gray casual jacket, thick eyebrows, light eyes, facial features showing obvious mixed-race traits, hair slightly wavy.

He held a bottle of coffee barely sipped, steam curling up from the lid.

Mu Youyu's steps halted.

The person had already spoken first, smiling brightly, "Miss Mu, what a coincidence, running into you again!"

Jiang Liangjin shoved the person slightly behind her, heart stirring—this was the guy who, back in April near Nan Feng restaurant, had claimed to be from the neighboring school and tried to hit on them; back then he had a companion beside him.

"What do you want?" Jiang Liangjin stood in front of Mu Youyu, showing no intention of moving aside.

"No, no," Shi Che said with his mouth, but his gaze swept over Jiang Liangjin's shoulder and landed on Mu Youyu.

"Miss Mu, I just saw you over there and thought I'd mistaken you. Never mind—it really is you! You're also here to see the exhibition?"

Jiang Liangjin pondered.

Mu Youyu's impression of this person extended only to "we've met once"; not knowing how to respond, she simply stayed silent, letting him keep talking to see what he'd say.

Shi Che obviously didn't need anyone to prompt him; he could keep the conversation going himself: "I happen to be discussing something nearby, passed by this exhibition, and decided to stroll in. I didn't expect to run into an acquaintance—what fate!"

As he spoke, he raised his coffee cup and gestured toward Mu Youyu.

No one responded.

"…" Shi Che's hand hovered in midair for a moment, then naturally lowered; his smile remained unchanged.

Jiang Liangjin tilted her head, finally recognizing the familiar tone and voice, and said with a hint of amusement, "Not acquainted."

Oh, it's him.