Emily Thompson gave a sweet smile after transferring the money, put down her phone, responded with a fragrant kiss, lightly patted the hand that was still testing on her thigh, and took out a sanitary wet wipe from her bag.

　　Are you okay? If I look for you again, I’m that kind of person!

　　Brian Clark received the payment instantly, took a few screenshots, then went straight to the three dots in the upper right corner and deleted the contact.

　　……

　　……

　　502 girls’ dormitory.

　　“My silly little sister, you distanced and abandoned your childhood playmate just for your girlfriend, and you still help someone like that when he’s in trouble?”

　　Megan Harris poked at the white rice in her lunchbox, chattering nonstop, completely unable to understand her best friend’s actions.

　　“I…”

　　Grace Carter closed the lid of her barely-touched meal, rested her chin on one hand, and gazed thoughtfully out the window. “I’ve known him for so long, and he’s never asked me for anything…”

　　“So what?”

　　Megan Harris rolled her eyes, got angry just thinking about Brian Clark’s rascal face, and put down her chopsticks too. “So you didn’t even ask what he needed help with, you just agreed? And so readily! Did he ever save Blue Star or something?”

　　“He didn’t…”

　　Grace Carter pursed her lips and shook her head, her gaze falling on the faded plastic rogue rabbit bracelet on her wrist. Ripples appeared in her eyes as she murmured softly, “But he saved me when I was six.”

　　Her feelings for him weren’t about strong possessiveness.

　　To Brian Clark, she was more like a star—she didn’t need the star to remember her, it was enough that she remembered it herself.

Chapter 3 Combination Names

　　“Oh yeah!”

　　“Oh yeah!!!”

　　Boys’ dormitory, room 416.

　　Brian Clark sat in front of the computer, copying song files while practicing the rap lyrics he’d need for the first episode.

　　At this moment, he was very glad that the song rewarded by the system was the relatively low-profile “Above the Moon.” Otherwise, with his current rap (E) level, even the “oh yeah” part would sound terrible.

　　So annoying!

　　Brian Clark irritably scratched his hair.

　　“Oh yeah, oh yeah die, oh no, oh my god!!!”

　　“If you want to be horny, go do it somewhere else!”

　　Brian Clark grabbed a slipper from the floor and flung it at his howling roommate.

　　“Dodge, dodge, you can’t hit me, hehehe!”

　　Jason Reed mischievously closed the dorm door, put a bottle of cola on Brian Clark’s desk, and grinned, “What’s up, Third Bro? Watched too many Western movies? Why are you oh-yeah-ing alone in the dorm?”

　　“That’s what you think after hearing it?”

　　“Yeah, if it’s good quality, don’t forget to share it with me!”

　　Looks like my singing really is terrible…

　　Brian Clark slapped his forehead, feeling exhausted.

　　Jason Reed dragged a chair over, plopped down, put his arm around Brian Clark’s shoulders, and raised his eyebrows with a gossipy smile. “Third Bro, your childhood friend is really loyal to you. She agreed so quickly. Why do I feel like her feelings for you aren’t just childhood friendship?”

　　Brian Clark stared at the computer screen, distracted. “What are you talking about? We’re just pure friends. Isn’t it normal to help out after so many years of friendship?”

　　“Alright then.”

　　Jason Reed lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and as he exhaled the smoke, the corners of his mouth slowly curled up. “Watching you two today reminded me of my own childhood friend. We lived in the same alley when we were kids. I don’t even know when I started liking her.”

　　“I just know that every day, I’d spend half an hour tying my shoelaces at her door just to wait for her to go to school; I’d worry so much I couldn’t sleep before she got back from the study room; on my birthday, she gave me a pink shirt and I was over the moon—it’s still in my suitcase now…”

　　“And then? Cough, cough…”

　　Brian Clark lit a cigarette too, offering one in return, but since his previous self didn’t smoke, he choked several times.

　　The smile on Jason Reed’s lips gradually faded, and a trace of loneliness appeared in his eyes. “Later, when I found out my good friend liked her too, I gave up on confessing…”

　　“Do you regret it?”

　　“Not really, my girlfriend now is pretty great.”

　　Jason Reed shook his head with a smile, patted Brian Clark on the shoulder, and said seriously, “Speaking from experience, girls don’t have a god’s-eye view. The love you hide, she can’t see. If you like someone, don’t be proud or hesitant—bold favoritism is the catalyst for love!”

　　Ding!

　　“Got it, you dog Jason.”

　　Brian Clark pulled the freshly transferred USB drive from the computer and stood up. “I’m heading out. Oh, next time you bring cola, make sure it’s Coke. Pepsi tastes awful!”

　　“……”

　　Jason Reed looked dumbfounded as he watched him rush out of the dorm and scratched his ear.

　　Isn’t this guy only into Pepsi?

　　A moment later…

　　“You don’t even smoke, why’d you take my cigarettes?!”

　　……

　　……

　　Evening on the sports field, the night breeze was gentle.

　　“Gēzi!”

　　Brian Clark hurried to the meeting spot, clutching the USB drive.

　　Grace Carter was already there. She wore a pure white knee-length dress, so simple in style yet perfectly highlighting her figure—collarbones, slim waist, long legs, every feature on full display. Her soft black hair was braided, with loose strands framing her face, sweet yet with a hint of allure.