Chapter 484: The Boy Named Chu Yi
Qu Youran's Frustration
Qu Youran had been in a bad mood lately.
After appearing in public with Luke a few times, she had unintentionally acquired the title of "Luke Shaw's Mysterious Girlfriend." Because of her outstanding looks and otherworldly temperament, she had become a recent hot topic online.
Many media outlets were trying to uncover her identity and speculating about their rumored romance.
As the news spread, friends and family began calling to ask questions, their words full of excitement and anticipation. Her mother even suggested finding time to bring Luke home for a visit. Due to the relationship between their elders, Qu Youran had lived in the Shaw family's estate for a while as a child and was connected to several of the Shaw children.
Qu Youran didn't want to waste time on these matters, so she rushed out of the house after dinner.
Besides her secret work, she was also a university student at Shanghai University. Once on campus, she couldn't shake the feeling that strange looks were being cast her way. Several people were even standing in corners pointing and whispering about her.
Qu Youran felt extremely uncomfortable, but due to her dignity, she couldn't lash out publicly. She hurried toward the dormitory entrance, where she saw a boy in a white shirt with a bright smile.
The boy held a bouquet of red roses, his expression a mix of anticipation and nervousness.
"F-F-For you."
The scent of roses filled her nostrils, but Qu Youran felt an inexplicable surge of irritation. She batted the bouquet away and turned to enter the dormitory.
The roses scattered onto the ground, broken into countless pieces.
The boy stood rooted to the spot, his face a picture of bewildered shock. The girls in the dorm were already used to this. Some covered their mouths and giggled, while others took out their phones to film the moment for posterity.
The boy ignored the mockery. He painstakingly picked up the scattered petals, trying to restore the bouquet to its original shape. After glancing up at the dormitory bathed in sunlight, he turned and left.
His behavior piqued the curiosity of some of the girls.
"Who is he?"
"Chu Yi from the Physics Department."
"Chu Yi? Is that the one who was in a car accident a month ago?"
"Yes, that's him."
"I thought he died."
"He didn't quite die. He was barely breathing, but then, for some reason, he just woke up. I heard his mind is a little off; he's rambling and strange all the time."
"No wonder he's here."
The girl's tone was half-jealous, half-mocking. "Ever since Luke Shaw appeared, all the guys pursuing 'Swan Qu' disappeared. Only a fool like him would camp out by the door to give her roses."
Due to Qu Youran's appearance and demeanor, many people jokingly referred to her as a "dumb white swan"—a reference to a classical Chinese poem—giving her the nickname "Swan Qu." Of course, she herself didn't know this.
The Persistence of Chu Yi
Back in the dorm, her roommate asked curiously,
"Another person sent you roses?"
Qu Youran nodded coldly, sitting down in her chair to stare blankly.
Seeing her mood, her two roommates stopped talking. Although the three shared a room, their relationship with Qu Youran was merely ordinary—they weren't even friends.
At 1:30 PM, Qu Youran left the dorm for class. Upon arrival, she found the seat next to hers occupied by a boy—the same one who had given her roses at noon.
Her expression instantly froze, becoming utterly cold.
Chu Yi, oblivious, took out the carefully prepared snacks and treats he had brought and placed them on the desk, looking at her with expectant eyes.
The atmosphere in the classroom became awkward.
The other students pretended to play on their phones while secretly stealing glances from the corners of their eyes. They eagerly anticipated the unfolding drama.
Predictably, without incident, Qu Youran abandoned her usual seat and chose a corner seat across the room.
Disappointment flashed in Chu Yi's eyes. He packed up the snacks and walked over to her, speaking softly.
"Can we talk?"
"Sorry!"
Qu Youran controlled her tone as much as possible. "Please do not bother me again. I have absolutely no interest in you."
"I..."
Before he could speak, Qu Youran cut him off.
"If you harass me again, I will call the police."
Chu Yi could only smile bitterly and walk away. After taking two steps, he turned back and said,
"Actually, you really should talk to me."
The only reply he received was silence.
Chu Yi sighed and left the classroom crestfallen. Once outside on campus, a voice echoed in his mind:
"Aren't you giving up yet?"
Chu Yi clenched his fist. "Never!"
"What a fool."
"Beyond saving."
"We're waiting to laugh at you."
"If you dare cry, I'll beat you with my boot."
The voices in his mind gradually faded away, as if they had never been there.
"I won't give up. I will definitely find the most perfect love."
Chu Yi made his vow, beginning his strange quest for love.
The Spirit Void Sect's Keeper
Kunlun Mountain, Spirit Void Sect.
After wandering around for most of the day, Luke finally found a living person in the mountain ravine. If one could call him a person—he was essentially a complete simpleton.
He was five-foot-seven, looked about sixteen or seventeen, and wore a dusty long-sleeved shirt, faded jeans, and athletic shoes with exposed big toes. His face was black and dirty. An outsider might have mistaken him for a mud monkey from the mountains.
Seeing Luke and Linda, the youth instinctively shielded his pocket, looking extremely wary.
Linda spoke up.
"What's your name? Are you from these mountains?"
The youth remained silent, retreating subtly backward on his legs, looking increasingly unsettled.
Linda started to ask again, but Luke shook his head. He took out a can of meat, opened it, ate a bite, and then placed it on a rock, gesturing for the youth to take it.
The smell of meat stimulated the youth's nerves. He couldn't help but swallow, his eyes involuntarily darting toward the can.
After waiting for a moment and seeing that Luke and Linda had no other intentions, he cautiously stepped forward, quickly grabbed the can, and tilted his head back to gulp the contents. Perhaps because he was eating too fast, his face turned liver-colored.
Luke watched, amused, and tossed him a bottle of water.
The youth twisted the cap and drained the entire bottle of water in just three seconds.
Luke took two more cans from his backpack and said casually,
"Hey, kid! Can you understand what we're saying?"
The youth nodded. While eating the meat, he curiously observed Linda, his expression like someone looking at a rare and exotic animal in a zoo.
The girl felt secretly annoyed and glared fiercely at him.
The youth didn't dare look again and turned his head away.
Luke pointed to his backpack and smiled.
"We came from outside and got lost in the mountains. Are you from this area?"
The youth nodded, his voice hoarse.
"D-Do... do you want to... to get out?"
"Yes, we'll leave tomorrow. Tonight, we plan to camp in the mountains. Can you find us a safe place?" As he spoke, he opened his backpack, revealing various foods inside.
"If you help us, I'll leave half of the good food for you."
The youth hesitated but ultimately couldn't resist the temptation of the food. He got up and started walking in front, signaling for the two to follow.
The three circled in the mountain gorge and, without realizing it, returned to the Spirit Void Sect.
Seeing this, Linda couldn't help but murmur,
"Is this simpleton a disciple of the Spirit Void Sect?"
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