The campus was unusually quiet, the usual chatter replaced by the anxious rustling of papers, tapping keyboards, and whispered discussions about exams. Everyone was buried in textbooks and notes, including Danni and her friends, huddled in a corner of the library. Zhu Yixin had a mountain of notes, Ye ShuQi was solving problems, and Chen Nanxi sighed dramatically, slumping in her seat.
"I'm not sure I'll survive this," Chen Nanxi groaned.
"Relax, we've still got a few days," Danni said with a small smile, highlighting a section in her business textbook. "We've faced worse."
Despite the exhaustion settling in, Danni seemed focused—perhaps more than usual. But every now and then, her mind drifted to a certain someone. She hadn't seen CK outside their usual passing glances during the rush of exams, but when she did, CK's gaze was unmistakable. It was as if Danni was the only person CK noticed in a sea of students.
On the other side of campus, CK was equally busy. She sat at a round table in the common area with Yao Yao, Yuan Yiqi, and the others, surrounded by notes and textbooks. Yao Yao rubbed her eyes and yawned. "I swear these exams will be the end of me."
"Don't say that," Yuan Yiqi muttered, his head buried in his notes. "We've survived every semester so far."
CK, however, was unusually quiet. She sat with her arms crossed, staring at the textbook in front of her but clearly not reading it. Instead, her thoughts drifted—back to the brief moments she had seen Danni in the halls or library. It was strange how, in the midst of her own stress, Danni's face brought her a moment of clarity.
Yuan Yiqi glanced up, noticing the distant look on CK's face. He nudged her arm. "Thinking about something other than exams, CK?"
Yao Yao gave CK a sly smile. "Or someone?"
CK shot them both a glare but didn't deny it. "It's nothing."
"Oh, it's definitely something," Yuan Yiqi teased.
Yao Yao leaned in, grinning. "I told you. CK's got something—or someone—on her mind."
CK exhaled sharply, trying to focus back on her notes. "I said it's nothing."
Yao Yao exchanged a knowing look with Yuan Yiqi, but they didn't push further. They all knew CK well enough to see the subtle shift in her demeanor.
Even with her family constantly pressuring her to focus on the business courses and prepare to take over the family company, something—or rather, someone—was slipping into CK's mind. And it wasn't just a passing thought.
Later that evening, the library was packed with students cramming for exams. Danni and her friends were still deep in study when CK and her group walked in, looking for a quiet corner.
CK's gaze scanned the room—and there she was. Danni, leaning over her notes, her fingers tapping lightly on the table as she tried to memorize formulas.
For a brief moment, the noise of the library faded into the background. CK's cold expression softened just slightly as she looked at Danni. She didn't care about the other students, the looming exams, or even her family's demands. In that moment, all she saw was Danni.
Yuan Yiqi smirked as he followed CK's gaze. "You're not even trying to hide it, are you?"
CK gave him a sideways glance. "Shut up."
Yao Yao chuckled quietly. "This is fun to watch."
"She's just someone I find... interesting," CK muttered, as if trying to convince herself more than her friends.
