Since childhood, I have never liked feeling jealous.-Back to 2003(Rain, snow, and purple frost at dawn.)

This large round table could seat twelve people during banquets, but now, with just Fang Chang'an and his two companions, plus two other girls, and the addition of two more people, it still didn't feel crowded.

The two boys didn't deliberately sit too close; as soon as they sat down, they started talking loudly. "Damn it, Gao Yanxi is such a pain. He always drags class out. If it weren't for him, we'd have been here eating ages ago."

The other chimed in, "Exactly! I'm starving to death over here."

Their voices were loud and laced with all sorts of expletives. Zheng Lili and Wang Ke fell silent, and Fang Chang'an frowned slightly but said nothing.

The boy with the dyed yellow hair spoke up again, "It's all because of that Fang Luguo. If he hadn't swapped classes with Gao Yanxi, none of this would've happened. Who knows what he's up to..."

"He's a teacher. If he wants to swap, he swaps. What can you do?"

"Being a teacher makes him so great? Bastard..."

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Fang Chang'an rapped forcefully on the table, fixing his gaze on the boy. "Hey, when you speak about teachers, show some respect."

The two boys had been getting worked up, so the sudden interruption caught them off guard. They stared at Fang Chang'an, sizing him up. The yellow-haired boy snorted, curling his lips into what he thought was a menacing sneer, and taunted, "What business is it of yours?"

Wang Ke and Zheng Lili hadn't expected Fang Chang'an to suddenly confront them and exchanged worried glances. What happened in front of the classroom last week had made the rounds in the nearby classes; both girls knew Fang Chang'an had some "clout," but their impression of him was still that of a formidable, outstanding student.

Their upbringing inclined them to avoid trouble whenever possible, to take a step back and let things go.

Wang Ke, seated between the three, closest to Fang Chang'an, tugged discreetly at his sleeve under the table.

Fang Chang'an smiled at her first, signaling her to relax, then turned back to the two boys, calmly stating, "My name is Fang Chang'an. Fang Luguo is my uncle. So, do you think this concerns me?"

Wang Ke and Zheng Lili finally understood why he was confronting the boys. Wang Ke quietly let go of his sleeve, nervously twisting her own clothes beneath the table, still anxious.

She instinctively glanced into the shop, hoping to spot a familiar face—if a fight broke out, Fang Chang'an was sure to be at a disadvantage.

The two boys hadn't expected to run into a teacher's relative, and for a moment, they were at a loss. But pride wouldn't let them back down. The yellow-haired boy looked Fang Chang'an up and down again, seeing a slender figure he was sure he could take down with one hand. Aside from his good looks, he thought, he's just a pretty boy.

The other two were girls—certainly not about to get involved in a fight.

Sizing up the situation, the yellow-haired boy regained his confidence, forcing a fierce expression and staring at Fang Chang'an with a sneer tinged with threat. "So what if you are?"

Fang Chang'an smiled. "Nothing much. I was just giving you some friendly advice. If you don't want to listen, that's your choice. What can I do?"

Seeing that he was soft-spoken, the two boys relaxed in unison, ready to throw out a few more harsh words when Fang Chang'an added with a smile:

"At most, I'll tell my uncle and tag along with him as he goes from class to class looking for you."

They weren't model students, but at most they cursed teachers behind their backs. The authority of a teacher was still an invisible, imposing weight; even if Fang Luguo was usually mild-mannered, neither dared let him know they'd insulted him. Now, they didn't know what to do.

The yellow-haired boy and his friend had barged in cursing and bad-mouthing teachers, eager to show off their rebelliousness, but now, after Fang Chang'an's confrontation, even those seated far away had turned to watch. The room fell silent.

The proprietress was busy cooking spicy hotpot, and unless a real fight broke out, she wasn't about to get involved in student disputes. Just then, perhaps by chance, she called out, "Number 32, your order is ready!"

It was the number Zheng Lili had just received. She was nervous but quickly answered and stood up.

Wang Ke nudged Fang Chang'an. "Ours is next. Let's go wait."

Fang Chang'an understood and smiled. "Alright."

Wang Ke beamed, her face lighting up with a sweet smile.

Zheng Lili, unwilling or afraid to pass behind the two boys, stood up to wait inside. Fang Chang'an rose as well, glancing at the yellow-haired boy. The latter glared at him provocatively, as if daring him to do anything.

But Fang Chang'an cared only for results, not empty shows of bravado; he couldn't even be bothered to glare back. Suddenly, the boy with the close-cropped hair raised a hand and called toward the entrance, "Ping-ge, over here!"

The yellow-haired boy turned as well. His fierce expression instantly softened into a sunny, friendly smile as he called, "Ping-ge!"

Two boys entered, one tall, one short. The shorter one had a more commanding presence, and they were clearly friends with the two troublemakers. As they walked over, the shorter one scolded, "You two sure ran over quick!"

"We came right after class," the boys replied, looking entirely obedient, not a trace of foul language.

Fang Chang'an, standing up, saw the newcomers and thought they looked familiar, as if he'd seen them before, though he couldn't recall their names. The short one, "Ping-ge," paused when he saw Fang Chang'an.

The taller boy reacted first, bowing slightly with a smile. "Chang'an, you're eating here too?"

Fang Chang'an finally remembered—these two had been with Chang Wei yesterday, helping carry steamed buns. They'd been so reserved, standing in the back, he hadn't paid much attention.

Ping-ge quickly bowed as well. "Chang'an."

He hastily stepped aside, making room for Fang Chang'an.

Even the shorter Ping-ge was nearly 1.7 meters tall, with a ring of dark stubble around his mouth; compared to the youthful Fang Chang'an, he seemed far more imposing. Yet, faced with Chang'an, he was deferential. The entire shop fell into silent speculation about the handsome boy’s background.

The yellow-haired boy and his friend were dumbstruck, staring blankly, wanting to ask Ping-ge what was going on. They watched as Ping-ge and his companion exchanged glances, then moved to another table rather than sit at theirs.

The two troublemakers exchanged bewildered looks, panic and confusion in their eyes, unsure of whom they had just provoked.

Meanwhile, Fang Chang'an walked to the counter, out of sight. The yellow-haired boy hurried after him to Ping-ge.

Ping-ge sat upright at a table with his classmates, not even crossing his legs as usual. When the yellow-haired boy approached, a trace of anxiety in his manner, Ping-ge asked quietly, "What's up?"

The yellow-haired boy tried to steady his racing heart and was about to speak when several familiar voices echoed from the entrance, followed by the rustle of the plastic curtain.

He and Ping-ge turned together, and sure enough, in walked Wei-ge, Xu-ge, Yan-ge, Yan-ge's cousin, and several others—five or six in all.

They seemed to be chatting about a TV series, completely absorbed, even as they entered. But as soon as they stepped inside, it was as if something had cut them off; conversation ceased abruptly, even Liu Cheng, bringing up the rear, fell silent.

Chang Wei led the way, smiling warmly and bowing slightly. "Chang'an, you're here too?"

Zheng Lili, having just added vinegar and chili to her meal, was returning to her seat; Wang Ke's was still in the pot, and Fang Chang'an's was last.

Perhaps to ease her nerves, Wang Ke remarked quietly, "You sure added a lot of vinegar."

Zheng Lili replied, "That's how I like it. Don't you?"

"I've never liked vinegar since I was a kid," Wang Ke muttered, then turned to Fang Chang'an. "What about you?"

Fang Chang'an smiled. "It depends."

Before he could tease her further, Chang Wei and his group swept in, like a gang greeting their boss.

Fang Chang'an was a little helpless but had no choice—he couldn't just ignore them. He smiled and replied, "Yes, I'm here with my classmates."

Chang Wei had already noticed Wang Ke—a striking girl he'd seen delivering buns to Class Four over the past two days. He smiled at her as well.

"Chang'an!"

...

Liu Yan, Zhao Xu, and the others all greeted him in turn, voices overlapping but all with the same message. In that moment, as if in a scene from a fantasy novel, the name "Chang'an" reverberated through the little shop, rolling out in waves, leaving everyone breathless.

Now, not only the students eating there but even the proprietress seemed awed. As she served Fang Chang'an his food, her hands shook, accidentally grabbing two extra pieces of tofu, then shaking again and dropping them back.