Chapter 32: A Narrow Encounter with an Old Foe

Fourth Senior Sister! Qin Shiya!

Don’t be fooled by her gentle appearance—inside, she was warm and full of passion.

“Junior Brother, you only now come to see your Fourth Senior Sister? Clearly, you don’t care about me at all.”

Qin Shiya was visibly excited, giving Chu Tian a big, enthusiastic hug.

“Fourth Senior Sister, you’re wrong! I just got your address from our eldest sister and rushed over right away,” Chu Tian said, wrapping his arms around Qin Shiya and feeling how slender her waist was—so delicate he could encircle it with a hand.

“Who’s that guy? Why is he hugging our school’s Teacher Qin?”

“Could he be her boyfriend?”

“Let go of my goddess! Why isn’t it me that Teacher Qin is hugging?”

A short distance away, several male students were watching, pounding their chests with regret.

After all, Qin Shiya was a star lecturer at Tianmen University; every movement she made attracted attention. To see her openly embrace a man at the campus gates was unprecedented—big news, indeed.

“Fourth Sister, how did you recognize me at a glance?” Chu Tian asked, genuinely curious. In this life, she shouldn’t have recognized him.

“Isn’t it obvious? I asked the other sisters for your photo ages ago. Otherwise, were you hoping to sneak up on me?” she retorted.

Chu Tian felt a twinge of guilt. He had indeed planned to approach her quietly, using another identity to make a good first impression. After all, Wu Xingyan’s reputation was abysmal, and Chu Tian didn’t want his Fourth Senior Sister to misunderstand him.

But faced with Qin Shiya’s warmth, his worries seemed unnecessary.

“Fourth Sister, calm down. There are people around. What if your students see this? It might affect your reputation,” Chu Tian said, glancing around to see an ever-growing crowd. He lightly patted her pert hip.

Only then did Qin Shiya realize the scene she was making and gently pushed him away.

She had heard of Chu Tian but never met him in person—only knew that he had helped the Qingxue Group through a crisis. But she’d never seen him with her own eyes.

In fact, the seven senior sisters shared a deep bond, like real siblings. Since Chu Tian had helped Liu Qingxue, it was as though he’d helped Qin Shiya herself, and she already held him in high regard.

“What’s there to worry about? You’re my junior brother, not a stranger,” she said, not caring in the least about the watching students as she linked arms with him.

Chu Tian could only smile helplessly. Was his Fourth Senior Sister really so unconcerned with appearances?

“Junior Brother, you’ve come all this way. You probably haven’t had lunch yet,” she said. “Come on, let me take you to the cafeteria.”

Beaming, she led Chu Tian toward the university dining hall.

“Fourth Sister, you’re being stingy,” Chu Tian complained, exasperated. “It’s our first time meeting, and you won’t even take me somewhere nice? Just the cafeteria?”

“What do you know? I want you to experience university life ahead of time,” she said, unwilling to admit to any stinginess. “You’re in your final year of high school, right? The college entrance exam is coming up. Have you thought about which university you want to attend?”

“If you’re teaching at Tianmen University, then maybe I’ll just apply here. That way, we can be at the same school,” Chu Tian replied with a smile. In truth, if he were to apply, he would like to attend the same university as his Fourth Senior Sister.

“Xiaotian, Tianmen University’s admission scores are very high. Are you sure you can make it?” Qin Shiya asked. Though she didn’t know his grades, even top students in the city found it hard to get into Tianmen University.

“As long as I can stay at the same university as you, no admission score is too high for me,” Chu Tian replied, full of confidence.

Arm in arm, they strolled through the university, enjoying the scenery before entering the cafeteria.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at the university dining hall.

It was lunchtime, and the place was bustling with teachers and students.

“Who’s the guy with Teacher Qin? Is he her student?”

“Doesn’t look like it. Teacher Qin always eats alone—she rarely dines with students.”

“Someone posted a photo on the campus forum—maybe he’s her boyfriend?”

Whispers spread through the crowd, each trying to guess Chu Tian’s identity.

Neither Chu Tian nor Qin Shiya paid them any attention. After getting their food, they chose a quiet corner to sit.

Chu Tian tasted the food—it was surprisingly good, easily on par with many small restaurants outside.

Just then, a loud voice rang out by the serving window.

“To celebrate my promotion, give me extra dishes today!”

Li Shiming was strutting about, head held high in smug satisfaction.

Why him? Chu Tian thought, recognizing the man who had harassed his Eldest Senior Sister at the bar.

Qin Shiya set down her chopsticks, curious. “You know him?”

“I went to a bar with Eldest Sister, and this guy tried to hit on her. When he failed, he got angry and was finally chased off by Second Sister,” Chu Tian explained briefly.

Qin Shiya’s expression changed at once. “He harassed Eldest Sister at a bar?”

“Hmph, I knew he was no good. Ignore him,” she said, her impression of Li Shiming sinking even further.

“What’s the story?” Chu Tian asked.

“He’s just a spoiled rich kid. If it weren’t for his family connections, he’d never have become a teacher at Tianmen University. I can’t stand people like him,” she said, turning her head so she wouldn’t have to look at Li Shiming.

At this moment, whispers continued around them, soft but not beyond Chu Tian’s hearing.

“Li Shiming just got promoted to director of academic affairs. No wonder he’s so pleased with himself.”

“Keep your voice down. If he hears, he might make trouble for you.”

“He’s the stingiest man around—offend anyone but him.”

Chu Tian caught every word.

Li Shiming finished getting his meal and scanned the cafeteria until his eyes landed on Qin Shiya. Immediately, he strode over and stood next to her.

“Shiya, what a coincidence to find you here in the cafeteria,” he said with a broad grin. For a long time, he had admired this campus goddess but never found a chance to approach her. Now, with his promotion, he felt he finally had the standing to get closer.

Before Qin Shiya could refuse, Li Shiming had already sat beside her, placing his tray on the table.

Qin Shiya’s face darkened. The laughter she’d been sharing with Chu Tian vanished.

“Fourth Sister, I was planning to apply to Tianmen University, but now that I see there are such obnoxious people here, maybe I’ll reconsider,” Chu Tian said.