Time always slips away quietly when you're not paying attention.
Lately, Caesar has been glued to Nono, like they've got endless things to talk about.
To Lu Mingfei, that's totally fine. They've always looked like a perfect match anyway. So why should he keep crushing on her from the shadows like he used to?
That's just lame.
As for Xia Mi and Chu Zihang, it's like they've gotten back on track. But somehow, it doesn't feel that simple.
That cold-as-ice senior of his… it's like he's finally met someone who can melt him. He even shows this silly smile sometimes when he's not paying attention.
And Xia Mi—when she looks at him, there's this gentle warmth in her eyes.
It feels like the whole world's soaked in pink bubbles of romance, and Lu Mingfei can't take it anymore, so he hides away on his own.
Back when the little devil was still around, he always thought he was annoying.
But now… now that he's really alone, it feels different. He feels empty, like a piece of him is missing.
He doesn't know how to fill that emptiness—so he turns to drinking.
Thankfully, after winning a day of freedom, he took over the old student council building.
It's totally empty now, filled with nothing but bottles. It looks more like a recycling depot than a lounge.
After downing the last sip, Lu Mingfei staggered to his feet, grabbed the limited-edition German pork knuckle he packed from the cafeteria, and headed back to the dorm.
The moment he pushed open the door—
A tall figure came flying at him.
At the same time, a howl burst out, loud enough to rival a ghost's wail.
"GODFATHER——!!!"
Even though Lu Mingfei was drunk, he casually stepped aside, letting the figure crash straight to the floor.
Thud!
A tall figure crashed to the ground with a loud bang.
Good thing Cassell's dorm floors were built sturdy. If it were any normal building, the tiles would've cracked from that fall.
Lu Mingfei walked in like he'd seen it all before, setting down a takeout box on the desk. "Just picked this up. Eat it while it's still hot."
"Godfather, you're my second dad, I swear!"
The tall guy shot up from the floor like nothing happened, dusting himself off. He rushed into the room in a few quick steps, shut the door behind him, and plopped down at the table.
The rich smell of meat made his eyes light up.
"Whoa! Limited edition pork knuckle? Man, I haven't had this in ages!"
Lu Mingfei gave him a sideways glance and sighed.
"Finger, you were an A-rank once. Don't tell me you've fallen so far you can't even afford a pork knuckle?"
"Don't get me started," Finger said, totally unbothered.
"I flunked a bunch of exams again. Professor Guderian's already thinking of dropping me to G-rank."
"G-rank, man! I'm so broke I could chew on the bed frame. If it weren't for you saving me with this, I'd be starving by now!"
He tore open the box and started devouring the food like a beast, completely immersed in eating.
Lu Mingfei looked at him, a tangle of emotions in his heart.
"Finger… are you really planning to keep living like this forever?"
Finger von Frings—Cassell's infamous 'slacker.'
The guy who single-handedly lowered the academy's performance baseline and created the concept of 'F-rank.'
But truth was, this senior of his wasn't always like this.
Lu Mingfei knew a lot about Finger.
He used to be a legend at the academy—once hailed as a super genius, a real man among men. Back then, he was unstoppable, shining like a star.
No exaggeration—today's Caesar and Chu Zihang probably still couldn't compare to how dazzling Finger once was.
Of course, if the story had ended there, it wouldn't have been perfect—but at least it wouldn't be tragic.
But then came the Frozen Sea Incident, years ago.
Finger lost his girlfriend, his comrades, his glory, everything.
Even his confidence shattered.
The super genius, the warrior with unshakable will, fell into despair and never stood back up.
Finger's hand paused for a second—
Then he kept eating, voice muffled by food.
"What else can I do? Let myself starve?"
Even though he said it like he had let everything go—
Lu Mingfei sharply noticed a fleeting change in Finger's eyes.
Just for a split second, deep within those focused pupils, something shifted.
Like a blade slicing through confusion and doubt— What lay beneath was raw anger and hatred.
A look in someone's eyes... it really can change everything.
From a shameless, cowardly slacker—
To a man burning with the fire of vengeance!
The air in the dorm felt heavier somehow.
Lu Mingfei looked at Finger, who was still gnawing on a pork knuckle, and said softly, "I get it. Because I've lost someone important too. If I had the chance to avenge him, I'd give up everything."
Finger didn't respond. He kept eating the pork knuckle, but now, he avoided looking Lu Mingfei in the eyes.
He didn't dare to.
Because he was afraid—
Afraid that flame might stir up the pain and hatred
That had long been buried deep in his heart.
For some reason, Lu Mingfei felt… like he could truly empathize with Finger.
That night, he talked and talked.
About the little devil. Nothing major. Just scattered memories. But they wouldn't leave his mind, like a looping tape stuck on repeat.
And Finger— He just listened, the whole time. Never interrupting.
Until Lu Mingfei finally fell asleep.
Finger quietly covered him, laying a thin blanket over the boy sleeping on the lower bunk.
He stared at Lu Mingfei's furrowed brows—still tense even in sleep, like he was trapped in some kind of nightmare.
And sighed softly, eyes filled with loneliness.
Maybe it was from hearing too much that night—
Finger found himself, almost instinctively, wandering down to the underground level of the Cassell Library.
In a room filled with pitch-black servers and tangled pipelines, he leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head, staring at the translucent girl projected before him.
As if only in this way, could he find a moment of peace amidst the endless pain and anger.
"Every time something bothers you, you come hiding here."
The projected girl wore a dark green school uniform. Her calm, fair face carried a playful hint of complaint.
"What are you saying? I come to see you even when I'm fine!"
Finger grinned lazily, "Can't help it. My girl's the most understanding, after all."
Eva tilted her head, one side of her hair falling all the way down to her feet, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "I like hearing that. Say more~"
"My girl is the best!"
Finger threw his fist in the air and shouted.
"Fufufu~~~"
Eva giggled, amused by his silly antics.
"Actually… it's Lu Mingfei. He's like a kid who lost the most important thing in his life. Looks like he's given up hope."
Finger's smile faded into bitterness as he spoke softly. "I don't know what exactly happened to him, but that feeling… it's too familiar."
Eva was quiet for a long time. She looked at the lonely man, reaching out with her data-made hand, gently brushing his hair as if trying to comfort him.
"You've grown old. The old you never said stuff like this. You were proud, like a wild beast, and never cared how others felt."
"Ever since I lost you… I've changed."
Finger reached out, trying to hold her pale, gentle hand—but in the end, all he touched was air and light.
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