The first day at Jinlu International University (JIU) was overwhelming. Meilin Huang walked through the grand campus gates, a short 10-minute walk from the Liang mansion, her chest tight with anticipation. The campus was modern and bustling, a blend of sleek glass buildings and leafy courtyards. Students laughed and hurried to classes, their designer bags slung casually over shoulders. She clutched her own modest bag a little too tightly, a quiet reminder that she still came from Qingshi.
Her first class was International Economics, and as she entered the lecture hall, she felt eyes on her immediately. Some were curious, some indifferent, but a few were unmistakably observing her — most notably, a cold, dark gaze from the back row. Kael Liang.
Kael was seated in his usual spot, posture perfect, expression unreadable. Meilin felt a shiver of nerves as she took a seat across the room, trying to appear calm.
Before the lecture began, a cheerful voice pulled her attention.
"Hey! You're new, right?"
Meilin turned to see a girl with short, dyed-rose hair and sparkling brown eyes smiling brightly. "I'm Lin Xiaoyi. Come sit with us!"
Two other students waved — a tall, athletic girl in a sporty jacket and a boy with messy black hair and a mischievous grin. Their warmth was a stark contrast to the formal atmosphere of the Liang mansion.
Meilin hesitated, then nodded. "I'm Meilin," she said quietly.
Xiaoyi clapped her hands. "Perfect! You need friends here, trust me. Jinlu can be… intense."
As they chatted, a tall, carefree male student joined them. He had sharp features, a playful smirk, and an easy charm that made the room feel lighter. "I'm Ren Kai," he said, extending a hand. "Don't worry, we'll make sure you survive your first week."
Meilin shook his hand, feeling a mix of comfort and caution. There was something about Ren Kai — easygoing, confident, and annoyingly charming — that made her pulse quicken.
The lecture began, and Kael's presence at the back of the hall was a silent shadow.
His gaze never left her, quiet, calculating, sharp. Unlike Ren Kai, who laughed with her friends and seemed to radiate warmth, Kael's attention was heavy, intense, and… dangerous in a way she couldn't ignore.
After class, Xiaoyi dragged Meilin through the campus courtyard. They shared lunch under the cherry blossom trees, their laughter echoing in the spring air. Meilin felt the strange thrill of belonging, of being part of a group that didn't judge her origins or her awkwardness.
Yet, even amid this new friendship, her mind drifted back to the mansion and the portal. Every decision, every laugh, carried the weight of secrecy. She had to maintain her dual life: helping her real family, blending with the Liang household, navigating university life, and managing the growing tension with Kael.
Meanwhile, Ren Kai, the charming classmate, had already noticed the glimmer of hesitation in her eyes. He wasn't just playful — he was observant, teasing her gently about her seriousness and cultural refinement, unknowingly challenging her moral boundaries.
Kael, on the other hand, was patient and silent, always watching, always calculating, and growing more suspicious by the day.
Meilin realized, with a pang, that life at JIU was going to be far more complicated than she had imagined. Friends, responsibility, a secret double life, and two men — one playful and charming, the other cold and intelligent — were pulling at her heart in different directions.
And she was only just beginning.