Love rises with the wind

In the scorching summer heat, the cicadas' incessant chirping between the trees sounded like a drill, making one's head ache. Louder than the cicadas was a girl's hysterical complaint from the bathroom— "I just knocked over my paint box, and now my skirt is completely ruined!" "Do you think it's obvious? I'm wearing a white skirt! And of all colors, it had to be red oil paint—there's no way I can show up like this." "No, it's too late to go back and change. The art sharing session is about to start." The girl angrily hung up the phone, dampened a tissue with water, and began wiping the stained white skirt. As Lin Yiwei passed by her, she glanced at the girl's skirt. The red paint had soaked into a large patch of fabric. Although it had been diluted with water, making the color lighter, it still looked embarrassingly noticeable. Lin Yiwei averted her gaze, calmly washed her hands, and moved to the wall-mounted dryer. The restroom at Faige University was as luxurious as a five-star hotel, with a faint scent of sandalwood lingering in the air and the countertops almost entirely free of water stains. The girl twisted her body, trying to clean the stain on the side of her skirt, occasionally glancing at the Cartier diamond watch on her wrist, growing increasingly anxious. Lin Yiwei turned and said, "I can swap skirts with you." The girl, Chi Xiyu, paused her actions and looked at Lin Yiwei. The girl had fox-like eyes, clear yet aloof, with a lazy and understated beauty, wearing no makeup. Chi Xiyu didn’t have time to scrutinize her face, quickly assessing her slender figure instead. The preppy-style uniform skirt she wore emphasized her slim and tall figure. Their body sizes were similar; she should be able to wear her skirt. "Are you willing to swap with me?" Chi Xiyu asked, puzzled. "The art sharing session is about to start. I can lend it to you in an emergency." There wasn’t much time left, so Chi Xiyu didn't hesitate. The two girls swapped skirts in a stall. Chi Xiyu fit well into Lin Yiwei's preppy-style uniform, while Lin Yiwei put on the other girl's now-wet and uncomfortable white skirt. But Lin Yiwei had no other choice. This was a rare opportunity, and she had to seize it. Before leaving, Chi Xiyu raised her eyebrows proudly and asked, "What's your name?" "Lin Yiwei." "Art school?" "Yes, a freshman this year." "My name is Chi Xiyu, also a freshman this year." Typically, girls would be flustered and overly complimentary upon hearing Chi Xiyu's name. In Faige University and across the upper-class circles of Qinggang City, few girls didn’t want to befriend her. Lin Yiwei merely smiled politely. "You helped me out a lot today. I'll repay the favor." After saying that, Chi Xiyu grabbed her diamond-encrusted handbag and turned to leave. The smile on Lin Yiwei's face deepened. ... The red paint stain on the white skirt, Lin Yiwei scrubbed repeatedly until her fingers ached before she managed to wash out the color. As she left the bathroom, she heard the mocking laughter of boys behind her and instinctively used her backpack to cover her backside. The wet skirt invited unwanted thoughts, especially among young boys who had little more than crude ideas in their minds... Lin Yiwei quickened her pace and entered the auditorium for the presentation. Fortunately, everyone’s attention was on Chi Xiyu on stage, and no one noticed Lin Yiwei standing at the back in her damp skirt. Lin Yiwei looked at the painting on stage, titled Secret, a springtime portrait of a young girl. Her heartbeat suddenly quickened. The girl in the painting stood by the window, gazing at the distant sunset, with a cross necklace faintly visible around her neck. This Secret was created by Lin Yiwei’s brother, Lin Xiezhi, who had left home years ago and lost contact with her. Now, it bore someone else’s name: Chi Xiyu. At this moment, Chi Xiyu sat gracefully on stage, explaining the creative process behind her “work” Secret with the elegance of a muse— "I believe everyone has their own secrets." The preppy-style uniform skirt highlighted her shapely figure, and her dusky pink lipstick complemented her fair complexion. "The girl in the painting also has her own secret. She stands at the window, gazing at the scenery in the distance, perhaps thinking about someone special to her." A teacher chuckled softly below the stage. It was well known that Secret had recently won the gold medal at the International Art Festival. But the artist’s interpretation… was hard to describe. The students, unaware of any issue, looked at Chi Xiyu on stage with admiration. There was no doubt that among the freshmen at Faige Art Academy this year, she was the most dazzling, having won countless domestic and international awards and being the cherished daughter of the Chi family. Her future was undoubtedly bright. The side door of the auditorium opened, and a group of boys entered, laughing loudly, ignoring the ongoing live-streamed art sharing session. They walked to the back row of the auditorium and casually took their seats. One of them even threw a basketball, which clattered against the wall. The audience murmured, some frowning in disapproval, but no one dared to voice their complaints. Faige University was filled with the heirs of Qinggang City’s elite families, boys who had power and influence, treating every occasion as if it were their own domain. A tall boy whistled at Chi Xiyu. Chi Xiyu recognized him—Deng Xiao, the second son of the Deng real estate family, who had been pursuing her for a long time. She rolled her eyes and ignored him. Finally, a teacher couldn’t stand it any longer and stood up to restore order, urging them to quiet down. But these rich second-generation kids were unruly. Instead of quieting down, they became even more disruptive, laughing and making a ruckus. Just when it seemed the sharing session might be ruined, a slender figure entered the auditorium. He wore a white shirt, leaning lazily against the backrest, playing with a lighter between his long, slender fingers, wearing frameless silver glasses, giving off an air of refined roguishness. No one didn’t recognize him. Qinggang City’s richest man’s son, Xie Bo. Deng Xiao initially acted recklessly, disregarding everyone. But once Xie Bo entered and gave him a sharp look, he immediately quieted down, sitting obediently in his chair like a cat that had been tamed. Xie Bo sat among his friends, smiling and greeting the boys around him, who exchanged meaningful glances and whispered jokes about him and Chi Xiyu. Xie Bo didn’t mind, casually playing with his lighter... He looked rebellious and carefree. Seeing him, Chi Xiyu on stage blushed, and her voice softened. She emphasized that winning the gold medal at the International Art Festival with Secret was thanks to her parents, her supportive friends, and... Someone very special to her. Her gaze subtly swept over Xie Bo. Xie Bo smiled at her, then politely yet indifferently looked away. As he inadvertently turned his head, he noticed a thin, unremarkable figure standing near the side door. ... The white gauzy curtains by the floor-to-ceiling windows billowed in the wind. Lin Yiwei stood by the deserted corridor window, clutching the cross necklace at her chest, nearly suffocating. Her brother had been away for years, severing all contact with her. Where had he gone? Why was his painting now bearing Chi Xiyu’s name? While she pondered, footsteps approached from behind. The white curtains fluttered like waves in the wind, and through the flowing fabric, Lin Yiwei glimpsed the sharp, handsome brow of a young man. Xie Bo. Seeing him, Lin Yiwei’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively turned to run, but the young man grabbed her wrist and pulled her back forcefully. The girl was trapped in his arms. His fingers, long and defined, had a tattoo on his wrist. A thin black snake, flicking its tongue, in the shape of an "S." "I thought I was mistaken, but it really is you." "Let go of me." The girl’s expression was panicked, and she lowered her voice, "I don’t know you." "You don’t know me?" He leaned in close to her ear, his breath warm and teasing, "It’s been less than a month, and you’ve already forgotten me?" "…" "Back then, I didn’t know you were Xie Bo!" "Now you know?" "Now that I know, I deleted your number. I’m sorry, but I really don’t want to get involved with you." The young man chuckled lightly. Footsteps approached from a distance, and Xie Bo pulled her into the white curtains. Students passed by, noticing two people behind the curtain seemingly intimate, but no one could tell who they were… nor did anyone bother to look closely. In the university, couples in love were a common sight, nothing unusual. But Lin Yiwei felt a thrill of fear—if anyone at Faige Art Academy found out she had a past with Xie Bo… All her carefully laid plans would be ruined. Xie Bo leaned close to her ear, his voice low and seductive, "I’ll come find you tonight." "Not tonight, it’s my period." "Lies." "It’s true. I just stained my skirt earlier, which is why I went to the bathroom to wash it." "Stop lying." "Not lying." "Then lift your skirt and let me see." "…" Lin Yiwei felt a rush of embarrassment, not just because he had seen through her excuses, but because the skirt really was damp and uncomfortable... After washing the paint off earlier, she had tied her hoodie around her waist. Xie Bo’s slender fingers gently grazed her leg, and she slapped them away. His chuckle held a hint of cruelty, "Good girl, I’m leaving now." "Will you really leave?" she asked, suppressing her anger. The boy’s silver-rimmed glasses reflected a cold light as he walked away, hands in his pockets, without turning back. But just as Lin Yiwei sighed in relief, her phone vibrated. A new message appeared on the screen. —Wait for me tonight. If you don’t show up, you’ll be sorry. Her breathing hitched. He couldn’t find out about this… She frantically tapped her phone, deleting their conversation history as if this could erase the shadow hanging over her heart. But she knew, deep down, she could never truly erase this shadow.