The loose and bulky blue and white school uniform from a few years ago had now been replaced by a more form-fitting white shirt and black trousers.

He was standing under a magnolia tree next to the institute. The diagonally extending branches were like holding a few translucent white flower lanterns, exploring in his direction.

Fang Xianxing’s breath caught slightly, and she frowned.

She didn’t expect that he would come out and wait right after the phone call, not hiding his eagerness—

Being pursued by a handsome boy was always pleasing, and she was no exception. But the premise was that she hadn’t done anything outrageous before.

Fang Xianxing frowned, rubbing her fingers on the steering wheel, hesitating whether to get out of the car now.

*

“Xie Zhi, why are you standing here? Wearing so little, how can that be okay? It’s so cold!”

Just as Fang Xianxing was hesitating, a woman wearing a trench coat and holding a stack of files walked over to Xie Zhi. As she spoke, she tucked the loose strands of hair beside her ears, smiling and revealing a gentle dimple.

Xie Zhi glanced at her, took a half step back, and said in a flat tone, “Waiting for someone. Sister Li and the others are waiting for the photos you took in room 403 of Building B.”

“Okay, I’ll go in a moment. But who are you waiting for? Tell me their appearance, and I’ll help you look.” However, the woman pretended not to understand his urging. Seeing Xie Zhi’s pure and simple appearance in a white shirt, her heart itched. She couldn’t help but have some little thoughts. She stretched her neck to look towards the end of the main road.

She looked like she was going to help Xie Zhi find the person, but her steps deliberately moved towards Xie Zhi’s direction, and her body intentionally leaned towards him.

It seemed like she was so focused on looking for the person that she lost her balance and was about to fall onto Xie Zhi.

Xie Zhi didn’t dodge and even subconsciously raised his free right hand.

The woman caught a glimpse of him subconsciously trying to catch her, and her heart couldn’t help but feel happy. She half-closed her eyes, tilting over with an enjoyable expression.

A little researcher who had just graduated from university not long ago, wearing a white shirt, full of a student vibe, both innocent and easy to tease, a bit interesting, yet very uninteresting.

The woman smugly sighed in her heart.

Xie Zhi’s eyes flashed with a cold light. Without warning, he took a quick step forward and waved at an approaching car on the road. Seeing that the car didn’t stop and drove straight past, he even walked a couple of steps in confusion towards the direction the car had gone.

“Ouch—”

The woman’s cry of pain rang out.

After Xie Zhi walked away, the woman lost her support and tilted over. By the time she reacted, she had barely stabilized her body, but her high-heeled foot had already twisted, and she immediately cried out in pain, grimacing.

Xie Zhi turned his head as if he was startled by her. He quickly turned around and walked towards the guard room at the institute’s entrance, saying to the security guard Fan Jie who came out.

“Sister Fan, Miss Xu twisted her ankle at the entrance, but the person I’m waiting for is about to arrive, so could you please inform Director Li of the Ancient Architecture Department?”

“How did she twist her ankle out of nowhere?”

Sister Fan had already walked out, so it would be a lie to say that she didn’t see it. There was a faint disdain on her face. If Xiao Xie hadn’t mistaken the car, he might have been taken advantage of by her.

Taking advantage of someone from their institute at the entrance, her behavior was quite unsightly.

But work still had to be done. Sister Fan showed an enthusiastic smile on her face. While speaking, she walked over and pulled the person who had twisted her ankle and still wanted to jump towards Xie Zhi, wanting Xie Zhi to support her. “Xiao Xie, if you have something to do, go ahead and take care of it. Leave this to me, don’t worry.”

“Okay, thank you, Sister Fan.” Xie Zhi agreed, not caring at all about what Miss Xu would say or do next. He walked straight to the other side of the institute and stopped under another magnolia tree. He took out his phone, turned on the screen, and checked the time.

Seeing that it wasn’t time yet, a trace of irritation flashed in his eyes that still retained the cold air, but when his gaze fell on his phone’s wallpaper, the cold air and irritation in his eyes dissipated instantly, and his gaze softened.

Fang Xianxing was a little flustered.

Coincidentally, the place where Xie Zhi was standing now was right next to Fang Xianxing’s car, a red luxury car that Xie Zhi had never seen before.

With the intention of seeing what Xie Zhi was like outside of her sight, she watched Xie Zhi’s performance from beginning to end. Through the car window, she experienced the change of Xie Zhi’s sharp gaze turning soft at close range. Even though Song Longsha had given her a warning beforehand, she was still incredibly shocked.