Jiang Zixuan didn't stay long at the Shu household. He'd originally just come to check on his best friend—admittedly, things hadn't gone exactly as planned, but he'd still accomplished his goal.
Before leaving, he asked Shu Yuxin which university she'd gotten into.
It's worth noting here that Shu Yuxin's university was located right in Minghai City. As the provincial capital, Minghai ranked among the top cities nationwide in terms of sheer number of higher education institutions. Even excluding so-called "diploma mills," the overall academic quality of Minghai's universities remained exceptionally high. Shu Yuxin had been admitted to one of the better second-tier universities—**Minghai Nanhu New City College**, commonly abbreviated as **Nanhu College**. Among second-tier universities in the province, Nanhu was consistently well-ranked, and its campus was conveniently situated near the city center. But that alone wasn't enough to make it the dream school for countless average high school students.
Nanhu College's biggest draw was its proximity to **Minghai University**—arguably the crown jewel of Minghai's higher education scene. Minghai University frequently ranked among the nation's top five institutions. Beyond its outstanding faculty, it was celebrated for its picturesque campus, elegant environment, and excellent facilities—all of which countless students longed for. Thanks to this geographic advantage, the two universities maintained close ties: students frequently mingled, joint events were common, and even "unofficial" class-hopping from Nanhu to Minghai University was tacitly permitted by both administrations. In short, getting into Nanhu College was practically the same as getting halfway into Minghai University.
Now, why have I gone into such detail about these two schools?
Because—of course—Shu Yuxin's best friend got into them too.
But Jiang Zixuan hadn't just gotten into Nanhu—he'd been accepted into the full-fledged, prestigious Minghai University itself, and thanks to his outstanding entrance exam scores, he'd even secured a full tuition waiver for his first year.
Watching Jiang Zixuan's smug grin as he mentioned this, Shu Yuxin genuinely wanted to smash a chair over his head.
Of course, Jiang Zixuan hadn't come over just to show off. As a truly devoted friend, he'd already known during the college application period that Shu Yuxin had applied to Nanhu College. Originally planning to attend university in the capital, Jiang Zixuan had defied his parents' complaints and objections to instead submit Minghai University as his first choice—solely so he could stay close to his best friend. Today, he'd come specifically to confirm that they'd both be attending school in the same city. Now that Shu Yuxin herself confirmed it, Jiang Zixuan immediately offered to take her to campus together—both schools held orientation tomorrow.
Shu's parents were overjoyed. To save their child, they'd spent nearly all their savings over the past year. Now that everything was behind them, they'd been scrambling to find new jobs and get their lives back on track—busier now than they'd ever been before. If Jiang Zixuan hadn't shown up, they'd probably have just sent Shu Yuxin off to campus alone. But with him around, at least she'd have someone to watch over her on the way. To the elderly couple, Jiang Zixuan was becoming more and more likable by the minute.
Shu Yuxin, of course, had no idea what her parents were thinking. Right now, she was wrestling with an entirely new dilemma: what clothes should she pack?
Staring at the sea of skirts in her closet, she fell into deep contemplation.
...
Time flew by. On yet another bright, sunny day, Shu Yuxin was practically shoved out the door by her parents—had they been any more eager, they might've kicked her out.
Standing at the entrance of their residential complex with a massive travel backpack slung over her shoulders and a large suitcase in tow, she felt oddly melancholic.
Didn't they say just a few days ago that daughters were their parents' "little cotton-padded coats"? Now she felt more like a disposable cleaning rag.
Absentmindedly tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she pulled out her phone and dialed.
"Zixuan, where are you? Are you almost here?"
"I'm here—right in front of you."
No sooner had he spoken than the window of a white coupe parked across the street rolled down. Jiang Zixuan, seated in the driver's seat, waved at her with a grin.
Shu Yuxin hung up without a word, shoved her phone away, and dragged her suitcase toward the car.
Seeing her approach, Jiang Zixuan immediately hopped out, popped the trunk, and took her suitcase before tossing it inside with practiced ease.
Then, leaning against the open trunk with one hand and resting the other on his hip, he gave her a knowing, half-amused look.
"…What?" she muttered, unnerved by his stare.
"Nothing," he said, eyes crinkling. "Just thinking you look really nice today."
Unlike yesterday, Shu Yuxin was no longer hiding in baggy clothes. Today, she wore a snug white crop top that showed just a sliver of midriff. Though the weather wasn't particularly hot, she'd layered a small vest over it, paired with tight jeans that showcased her near-perfect figure without reservation. Her long hair had clearly been carefully styled—nothing overly flashy, just a simple decorative hair clip on the left side, with two strands artfully framing her chest, swaying gently in the breeze.
"As if I wanted to!" Shu Yuxin rolled her eyes. "My mom forced me into this mess. Seriously, it's not like I'm going on a blind date—she spent forever fussing over it."
Jiang Zixuan chuckled, closed the trunk, and walked around to open her door. "Well, you *are* a girl now. You've gotta start paying attention to these things."
"But I don't *feel* like one inside," she retorted, sliding into the passenger seat.
She tossed her backpack onto the back seat and exhaled softly. "By the way… this car isn't actually yours, is it?"
"Who else's would it be?" Jiang Zixuan shut the door, took a sip from his drink, and shot her a teasing look.
"You're loaded, huh? And it's a BMW, too." Shu Yuxin glanced around the interior with open curiosity.
Jiang Zixuan smirked, fastened his seatbelt, and waved a hand dismissively. "My dad got it for me over summer break. Not that expensive—just over 600,000 RMB."
"'Not that expensive' my ass!" Shu Yuxin punched his shoulder—not hard, but enough to sting—and cursed.
He absorbed the hit with a laugh, opening his mouth to say something else—then suddenly remembered that Shu's family had drained their savings on medical bills. He paused, and the words that came out instead were gentler:
"What's there to envy? We're practically family. My car is your car. If you ever want to drive it, just say the word."
Shu Yuxin's fist, still hovering in the air, froze mid-motion. She blinked, clearly caught off guard by his words. After a moment, she bit her lip and looked away. "I don't even have a driver's license."
"Then get one!" Jiang Zixuan said lightly, starting the engine and pulling slowly away from the curb. "Need money? I'll lend it to you." He didn't dwell on the topic, just glanced over. "Buckle up first."
"Ugh… the seatbelt…" Shu Yuxin cast a resentful glance at the strap beside her, then sighed in resignation as she pulled it across her chest.
The belt pressed snugly against her, cleaving her generous bust into two distinct peaks.
"…This is so weird," she muttered under her breath.
Jiang Zixuan stole a quick glance—then immediately looked away, swallowing hard.
From what he could tell, she was at least a solid C-cup.
But the moment he remembered that the person sitting beside him was his *best friend*…
Well, if Shu Yuxin hadn't gotten used to her new body yet—neither had he.