7:55 a.m., the morning sun cast a gentle glow over the tree-lined path at the entrance of Tianyao Academy.Lu Chen pedaled slowly down the lane on a second-hand shared bicycle.The fresh scent of watered flowerbeds mixed with the earthy aroma of grass and soil, painting a peaceful start to the day.
With his old backpack slung over one shoulder and the usual calm look on his face, it seemed like just another ordinary morning—
Until he hit the brakes, hard.
"Hey!"
A slightly annoyed female voice snapped through the air.
Snapped out of his thoughts, Lu Chen realized he had nearly collided with a girl crouching to pick up a stack of books.
She was slender, with softly curled hair, wearing a moss-green trench coat. Her arms were full of thick philosophy texts, and her eyes narrowed in displeasure.
"Do you even look where you're going?"
"Do you usually squat in the middle of the sidewalk?" he shot back reflexively.
The girl blinked—then gave a cold laugh.
"Impressive. First time I've seen someone dodge responsibility so naturally."
Realizing his tone had been a bit sharp, Lu Chen scratched his head.
"Yeah… my bad. I panicked. You okay?"
She stared at him for two seconds, as if trying to figure out whether he was actually apologizing, then gave a short "hmph" and turned to gather her scattered notes.
Lu Chen got off the bike to help, crouching beside her.
"You're reading… Being and Nothingness? You actually enjoy this?"
"Not much harder than the Advanced Calculus you're lugging around." She didn't even look up.
Lu Chen paused, caught off guard.
"Touché. You win."
"I always win," she replied coolly, standing up and stuffing the books into her bag with a practiced flick."Lin Wan'er. Junior year. Philosophy major. Transfer student."
"Lu Chen. Economics. Forum team member. And… not an attempted vehicular manslaughterist." He gave her a mock-serious handshake.
She raised an eyebrow—then surprised him with a faint smile as she touched his hand briefly.
"See you around, campus philosopher."
Lu Chen watched her walk away, his heart beating slightly faster than it had after climbing stairs.
"…That girl's got something."
9:00 a.m., Building B, Classroom 2.
Su Qingyu sat in the front row, flipping through her files while waiting for Lu Chen—who, true to form, arrived just in time.
He strolled in with two cups of coffee, humming a light tune. Taking the seat beside her, he handed her one.
"You're in a good mood," she noted.
"Witnessed a miracle this morning."
"What kind of miracle?"
"Got scolded by a philosophy major.Somehow… it felt great."
Su Qingyu raised an eyebrow, studying him.Then, unexpectedly, she chuckled.
"What, are you into verbal abuse now?"
"No," Lu Chen waved her off, "I just appreciate well-structured arguments. She's got logic. I respect that."
She didn't respond, but her expression shifted slightly—something unfamiliar flickering in her eyes.
A tiny flare of… irritation?
She didn't understand it herself.
Lu Chen wasn't exactly expressive, and yet… he had this way of pulling attention, almost unintentionally.And the worst part?
You wanted to keep watching.
That afternoon: Forum Presentation Rehearsal.
Dozens of students filled the lecture hall. A few student council members and a supervising teacher sat in the front row.
Su Qingyu stood by the podium, setting up the slides. Lu Chen waited nearby, calm as ever.
"Next up, we have Su Qingyu and Lu Chen presenting on logic fallacies in modern discourse," the host announced.
Just as they were about to begin, someone muttered from the crowd:
"Lu Chen? Isn't he that bankrupt rich kid?"
Several heads turned.
Lu Chen didn't flinch. He simply took the mic with a small smile.
"Before I start on logical fallacies, I want to thank the student who just spoke—You've provided a perfect real-world example."
The room stilled.
"That, ladies and gentlemen, is a textbook case of ad hominem—using someone's background to discredit their argument before they've even spoken.It's a common tactic in online bullying. And today, we're going to talk about why it works—and why it shouldn't."
Silence swept through the hall.
Su Qingyu turned to look at him—lips curving ever so slightly.
In the back row, Lin Wan'er sat with her chin resting on her hand.Watching that lean, sharp-eyed boy command the room with calm, confident words, she murmured:
"Not bad, Lu Chen… not bad at all."
That day, two very different girls found their attention drawn—from different places, in different moods—toward the same boy.
A boy with an old backpack and clear eyes.
A boy who stood on stage with nothing but words and will.
A boy who, like a wild beast stirring from its slumber, had just begun to open his eyes.
He had not yet roared—But already, his edge had begun to gleam.