Tea-flavored Romance

Although they didn't receive much pay, they also didn't put in much work. Aside from being background extras and moving equipment, their tasks were very easy. Everyone present was extremely satisfied to have such a satisfying wrap-up dinner.

Perhaps because of their youth, the students in the ivory tower haven't yet developed much worldliness and cunning. Amidst the clinking of glasses, smiles sway in the liquor, in the light reflecting off the glasses, and in the bright, sparkling eyes of the boys and girls.

This was the first time many of them had experienced such pure joy—doing what they were interested in and making compatible friends. People often say that the main theme of youth is regret, but that's not the whole picture of youth.

Never has been.

Gu Xihua seemed to be born for such high-profile occasions. She had an excellent alcohol tolerance and could still keep her eyes clear even after a few drinks. She also had a great personality, which made it easy for people to develop a liking for her. One person after another came to toast with her, and she was even more prestigious than Ning Yuan, the director.

This is indeed Gu Guanxue's personal charm. Even setting aside her stunning figure and face, her free and unpretentious temperament alone would make her extremely popular.

Lu Jiujiu held her juice cup with both hands, glanced at the graceful figure of Gu Xihua, and looked quite dejected.

When can I drink alcohol again...? I'm already an adult...

After symbolically toasting his colleagues with a beer, Ning Yuan, the chief director, sat down and started eating with a clear conscience. The red wine mixed with cola was incredibly refreshing, and paired with the melt-in-your-mouth matsutake mushrooms, Master Ning experienced a long-lost sense of joy.

"You guys keep eating, I'm going to the restroom." Ning Yuan wiped his mouth with a napkin, got up and left the table. He gently pushed open the door of the private room, and the lively atmosphere lingered inside. It seemed that no one noticed that someone was missing.

The water in the sink was running loudly. Ning Yuan reached in and scooped up a handful of water to wash his face. Although he hadn't drunk as much as the department beauty, his eyes were already slightly red. The cool water stimulated his senses, making him feel a bit more awake.

The boy in the mirror was strikingly handsome, with deep-set eyes. His face, washed clean and damp, seemed to give him an even more refreshing air. Ning Yuan touched his chin, feeling that he seemed to have become even more handsome lately.

Oh my god, my irresistible charm... If it weren't for this face, I could have gotten so many more friend cards...

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most handsome director in the world?"

Chapter 62: The Curious Child's Ambition

A girl's whisper suddenly came from behind, followed by a respectful reply: "It's the beloved Director Ning~"

Ning Yuan: ? ? ?

A beautiful young woman, the most attractive girl in the department, jumped out from behind him with a smile, and suddenly a stunningly beautiful girl appeared beside the boy in the mirror. Looking at Ning Yuan in the mirror, the girl grinned and said, "How about it, Ning Yuan? Wasn't my strategy perfect?"

Master Ning revealed a slightly helpless expression, thinking to himself, "Why are all the young ladies around me so childish? Lu Jiujiu is a given, she's a complete idiot, and Jiang Xihua is also a standard childish girl, so arrogant when she's competing... Now, even Gu Guanxue has caught this disease."

The only one who's acting normally now is the icy, temperamental, and arrogant Ning Yiling... I hope he's alright...

"The overall structure is there... but it still feels a bit stiff... could it be more natural next time?"

"Okay... But speaking of which, Director Ning, what are you doing looking in the mirror all by yourself?" Gu Guanxue blinked, her eyes alluring, seemingly tinged with a hint of alcohol, yet her gaze remained clear and bright, making her exceptionally beautiful.

Ning Yuan only then noticed the guy's condition. It would be a lie to say he was completely fine after drinking so much, even though he had shouted, "Gu Guanxue, my Superman!" But Gu Guanxue was still just a normal person, and she would get drunk eventually.

“I’m reflecting on it,” he said seriously.

"As the saying goes, one can use a bronze mirror to straighten one's clothes, use history as a mirror to understand the rise and fall of dynasties, and use people as a mirror to understand one's gains and losses. Now I am using myself as a mirror to examine my gains and losses during this period."

"So formal?" Gu Xihua leaned closer, her cool, refreshing scent of alcohol and her overall fragrance filling Ning Yuan's nostrils. He suddenly felt something was off; the delicate fragrance on Gu Xihua was clearly not the same as her perfume... Why did this girl carry perfume with her?

"Gu Guanxue, are you drunk?"

"Almost there~" she said, taking out paper roses from her pocket and smiling. "Speaking of which, I really admire Director Ning's versatility... Have you ever folded them for Jiang Manyue?"

"No, I wouldn't have that opportunity."

Gu Guanxue said "Oh," and said with some regret, "I thought she would come tonight... Ning Yuan, that was a good move. You can consider showing off to that girl Jiang Manyue in the future."

Master Ning thought to himself, "Don't you know whether Jiang Xihua is coming or not? It would be troublesome if she really came... When the full moon mission and the snow viewing mission collided, which one should I prioritize?"

For computer science students, meticulousness is paramount; bugs that cause logical errors are absolutely unacceptable. For Ning Yuan, it would be best if Jiang Manyue and Gu Guanxue remained separated by the Chu-Han border, adhering to the principle of generals not meeting in person, strategizing and planning within their respective territories.

The conditions for achieving the Snow Moon Kill are so demanding... What if the two girls get together and figure something out?

"I'll consider it... Actually, I can fold other things too. Do you know what Jiang Manyue likes?"

“Well…” Gu Guanxue hesitated for a moment before saying.

"Can you fold the Ultimate Blue-Eyes White Dragon?"

"???"

"I only know a little bit of handicrafts... I don't know any god-level summoning magic." Master Ning retorted mercilessly, "Can't you suggest something more practical? Like origami cranes or something?"

“Jiang Manyue can fold paper cranes herself…” Gu Guanxue shrugged helplessly: “Then you’d better not fold them, lest that girl mock you and say that it’s not something anyone with hands can do.”

"Gu's assist was as simple and clear as ever. I've learned a lot."

"You flatter me!"

"Want to go for a walk to clear your head?" Ning Yuan suggested, noticing the growing tenderness in the girl's eyes.

That's exactly what I was thinking!

The two left the restaurant one after the other. Ning Yuan sent a message to Lao Wu and the others as he walked, saying he was going out for a walk and would be back soon. After sending the message, he seemed to remember something, so he asked Gu Xihua to wait for him at the door. Then he turned around and pulled out a bewildered Lu Jiujiu.

"I'm going out for a bit, you're not allowed to drink... Old Wu, you guys keep an eye on her for me."

"Don't worry, don't worry... Jiu Jiu, why don't you sit among them? That's the juice area."

Upon hearing this, several young ladies introduced by Ning Yiling immediately patted their chests, expressing their determination to carry out Director Ning's instructions and not let Senior Sister Lu drink a single drop of alcohol tonight.

Lu Hanhan: Feeling wronged.jpg

Why does everyone bully me? I'm an adult now...

Having resolved Lu Jiujiu's issue, Master Ning finally felt relieved and went to take a walk with Gu Xihua to sober up. As they stepped out of the private room, the girl stood at the doorway, a cool breeze blowing, her dyed red hair fluttering in the night wind, exuding a kind of enchanting yet unrestrained beauty.

In the short time she had been gone, a man approached Gu Guanxue. He was a middle-aged man who was trying to get her attention by casually showing off his car keys and Rolex gold watch. Gu Guanxue didn't answer, but just looked at him with a smile, as if she were looking at something new and interesting.

Master Ning slowly typed out a question mark.

The rest of the story ended naturally. Ning Yuan appeared, the middle-aged successful man glanced at the two of them, and tactfully left. Before leaving, he seemed to sigh, whether he was regretting that he couldn't win over such a beautiful young lady as Gu Guanxue, or comparing how much he was inferior to Ning Yuan when he was young.

Gu Xihua giggled so hard she bent over, clutching her stomach in a very unladylike manner. The middle-aged successful man seemed to have heard the girl's undisguised laughter, glanced back angrily, and strode away.

"Is it really that funny?" Ning Yuan asked.

His expression was slightly speechless. He thought to himself that this girl's sense of humor was really strange, and her aesthetic sense was the same. The high-end and sophisticated "The Tuner" was only so-so for her, but she enjoyed filming the very corny "Legend of the Dragon King" very much. She was just short of urging Ning Yuan to film a sequel.

"Didn't you hear what he said when he struck up a conversation with me?" Gu Guanxue's eyes were watery, as if she was laughing until tears streamed down her face: "'Miss, you look a lot like my ex-wife.'"

"Pfft."

Master Ning couldn't help but laugh, thinking to himself that the uncle was quite honest, even knowing to adjust his flirting style according to his age.

Just the fact that he can openly admit to having an ex-wife shows that this middle-aged man's moral character is far superior to that of other middle-aged people.

"Gu's charm truly appeals to all ages."

"No way..." a curious child said with longing, "Actually, it's still a bit of a pity. I've always longed to trigger the legendary rare event... the kind where a villain tries to pick you up and pesters you, and the male protagonist steps in to save the damsel in distress."

"I don't know how to describe it, but it's sure to be super fun!"

Chapter 63: The Campus Beauty, Please Behave Yourself

"So, Gu, you feel quite regretful, huh?" Ning Yuan glanced in the direction the middle-aged man had left. "Didn't you almost trigger a special event just now?"

"That's possible... but that older man doesn't look like he can beat you."

"It's not just a feeling; I've at least built up a lot of muscle."

"That's true... But it would be quite troublesome if we really fought, so let's just forget about it~" Gu Xihua said, raising her small hand. The cool night air brushed lightly across the girl's fingers.

“Let’s go,” she said. “It’s a beautiful time of year!”

Ning Yuan nodded and walked side by side with Gu Guanxue on the sidewalk. The city lights were bright at night, and the hazy glow reflected by car headlights and signs made people feel depressed. Master Ning thought to himself that it was good to have someone by his side; even if he couldn't see the scenery along the road, he could still see the profile of a pretty young lady.

"Am I pretty?" the girl suddenly asked.

Ning Yuan was taken aback: "Gu, please have some self-respect. Asking me this question under these circumstances makes me suspect that you're flirting with me."

"Ah, I'm so sorry." Gu Guanxue realized her mistake and apologized, "Then I'll ask it another way."

"Ning Yuan, were you secretly comparing something to me just now?"

"..."

Master Ning was caught in the act of admiring someone's beauty, and his face turned red: "Pretty much... cough cough... I was just thinking about what it would look like if Jiang had dyed her hair."

Gu Guanxue looked him up and down, then smiled and said, "She won't dye her hair."

"You never know... what if she changes her mind later?"

"If that's the case, then she should dye her hair pink."

Ning Yuan inwardly agreed, but since he was still officially Jiang Manyue's suitor on Gu Guanxue's side, he couldn't just blindly laugh along with the campus belle. So, he glared at the girl with feigned displeasure and replied, "Jiang Manyue's pink hair definitely doesn't look good..."

"Hmm...so what do you think of blondie?"

"..."

Master Ning didn't respond because he felt there was something off about Gu Guanxue's words. The girl, however, didn't stop because of his silence. She continued, "It seems like you can't guess anything just by thinking about it. It would be great if I could kidnap her to a beauty salon someday."

"..."

"It seems promising! What do you think?"

"I don't think that will work," Ning Yuan said calmly. "I just want to flirt with Jiang Xihua, I don't want to end up in jail."

"That's such a shame." Gu Guanxue ran her little finger through a strand of her burgundy-red highlighted hair, her voice tinged with melancholy. "I was hoping to recommend this hair color to her..."

"By the way, why did you choose this hair color?" Ning Yuan asked after thinking for a moment. "Doesn't blue look cooler?"

“Because blue will slowly turn green and then green again.” Gu Xihua complained, “I dyed my hair once before, and in the end, that girl Jiang Manyue chased after me and mocked me: You’re green, you’re green… Gu Guanxue, you’re green.”

"..."

Just listening to Gu Xihua's description, it seems like Jiang Manyue's expression appeared in my mind... This does seem to be something that Jiang Xihua would do.

Combined with Gu Guanxue's earlier suggestion that Jiang Manyue dye her hair blonde...

Wow... so much information... Is this some kind of flag or some kind of omen?

Thinking of this, Master Ning paused for a moment, then kindly comforted him, "It's alright... anyway, you won't be cuckolded now..."

"Your words of comfort sound a bit strange..." Gu Guanxue chuckled, "But that makes sense, since you care about Jiang Manyue after all, you'll naturally lean more towards her."

"No, I have always been upright and honest."

"Have you thought this through?"

The girl suddenly asked a question, and Ning Yuan gave her a puzzled look. So she continued, "About the reasons for getting closer to Jiang Manyue later."