Ever since that hotpot meal, Mo Ran had fallen in love with Wang Yibo at first sight.
He himself was considered quite the campus heartthrob and wasn't without means—he immediately activated his network to dig into Wang Yibo's background. The results of his inquiry left Mo Ran both satisfied and even more smitten.
Wang Yibo was cool and aloof, clearly uninterested in anyone beyond his studies, work, and motorcycles. Despite being crowned the heartthrob of the finance department thanks to his good looks, he was emotionally unavailable—no rumors, no gossip, nothing at all.
Such a clean, upright boy lit up Mo Ran's heart with pink bubbles and ignited a strong sense of hope.
Maybe Wang Yibo swung the same way? Maybe he'd be open to liking a guy?
Mo Ran started to appear—intentionally or not—within Wang Yibo's social circle, creating chances to meet, finding common topics, exchanging contact info.
Wang Yibo wasn't clueless; he could see through the tactics to some extent. He didn't particularly like or dislike Mo Ran—he was just someone he knew. So, no matter what Mo Ran did, it didn't seem to catch much of Wang Yibo's attention.
But Mo Ran rarely liked anyone, and this time he was going all in—relentless and undeterred.
Meanwhile, ever since that rainy day encounter with Wang Yibo, a dark green umbrella had taken up permanent residence at Xiao Zhan's home.
After the vet visit that day, Wang Yibo had given him the umbrella, saying he was heading off to take care of something else. The two weren't acquainted and didn't chat much—Xiao Zhan had hesitated but eventually accepted the umbrella.
Since then, Xiao Zhan had wanted to return it but hadn't seen the guy again. Though Wang Yibo looked familiar, Xiao Zhan hadn't been able to find him on campus afterward.
Not knowing Wang Yibo's identity, the umbrella stayed with him, leaving a lingering sense of guilt.
Wen Qing and Fang Tianze had been together for nearly two years—breaking up and getting back together multiple times—but despite the drama, their bond was strong.
Knowing Fang Tianze liked motorcycle races, Wen Qing had secretly saved money to buy two tickets to a B University motorbike race as a surprise. But going to such an event with just the two of them felt boring, so she brought along Xiao Zhan, Jiang Cheng, and a few others.
Just as they found seats in the audience, Xiao Zhan spotted Mo Ran sitting a few rows ahead.
"Mo Ran's here too? Why didn't he come with us?"
Mo Ran was a close friend of Wen Qing's, someone she'd known for years, now studying in the math department at B University.
People often said Xiao Zhan and Mo Ran looked alike—same appearance, same smile. Xiao Zhan had always been well-liked, and anyone who interacted with him would end up praising him. If someone wanted to be his friend, they usually succeeded. From the first time Wen Qing had noted how similar they were, to when she introduced them, the moment their hands met, both Xiao Zhan and Mo Ran realized:
This pretty boy in front of me... is just like me.
They were equally attractive, equally sociable, and equally skilled at charming others.
Even their connection to Wen Qing was the same—they were both her good friends.
Now part of the same social circle, Xiao Zhan and Mo Ran didn't particularly like being compared. Over time, people stopped pointing it out—after all, resemblance didn't mean they were twins. But that faint competitive edge had already taken root in both of them.
Wen Qing laughed at their pettiness but also understood.
Everyone's a little narcissistic. That doesn't mean you want someone out there who looks just like you.
So, Wen Qing wasn't surprised. "Hasn't he been chasing that junior recently? I heard he's racing today too—Mo Ran came to cheer him on!"
They were all part of the same friend group, so Xiao Zhan had heard about it, though he hadn't paid much attention.
"Mo Ran's usually the one who flirts but never commits. Him chasing someone is pretty rare."
Wen Qing shrugged and handed Fang Tianze a bottle of water.
"Well, he fell hard for that little cutie. He's the campus heartthrob of your finance department, right? Even colder than Mo Ran—barely says a word."
She pointed at the track. "Hey, there he is!"
Xiao Zhan followed her gesture.
The racers were coming out for warm-ups, not wearing helmets yet. Among the group, Wang Yibo stood out as the most handsome. Cheers erupted for him—it would've been hard not to notice him.
And now Xiao Zhan finally placed that familiar face.
That fleeting glimpse on a rainy day—that elegant boy who'd lent him an umbrella—was actually the junior from his own department.
So, he was Wang Yibo—the guy Mo Ran was so invested in chasing.
Xiao Zhan's gaze lingered for a moment.
"...It's him."
Wen Qing raised an eyebrow. "You know him?"
Xiao Zhan smiled. "How could I?"
Right then, Fang Tianze leaned in to monopolize his girlfriend's attention, and Jiang Cheng dragged Xiao Zhan into a mobile game. The moment passed quickly.
When the race began, it was anything but tame despite being an internal university competition. The thrill of speed was irresistible. Every time Wang Yibo leaned into a turn, the crowd roared in excitement.
Xiao Zhan glanced at Mo Ran—he was so pumped he'd leapt up, his face dripping with sweat.
With Wang Yibo's speed and performance, he was poised to win. But something went wrong—his motorcycle suddenly stalled and refused to start, no matter how many times he tried.
The race wouldn't stop for anyone. As other racers sped past him, Wang Yibo made one last attempt to start the engine. When it failed again, he said nothing, simply turned and left the track.
From potential champion to dead last—the audience's cries were deafening.
Mo Ran had planned to join them for dinner afterward, but now he was nowhere to be found. Wen Qing tried calling him, but he didn't answer. Everyone exchanged glances until Fang Tianze suggested:
"He's probably gone to find Wang Yibo. Should we check backstage?"
Jiang Cheng frowned. "Can we even get in? We're not exactly diehard fans."
Wen Qing shrugged. "We'll just try. Worst case, we get kicked out. At least we made the effort. Unlike him—abandoning us for love."
Jiang Cheng snorted. "You two are the most love-struck of all."
They bickered their way to the back, where they saw a crowd gathered around Wang Yibo, with Mo Ran at the centre.
The junior sat with his head down, unresponsive to all the comforting efforts—jokes, tears, nothing got through. Mo Ran handed him water, which Wang Yibo ignored.
Compared to the dramatic fans, Mo Ran was calm and composed.
He said gently,
"I know you're upset. This kind of loss doesn't count—you'll get another chance next year. If you're not happy, we'll stay with you, okay?"
His words were thoughtful and kind—especially compared to the chaotic wailing around them.
"Yeah! Yibo, let's just drink and forget everything!"
"Right, there's always next year!"
Xiao Zhan stood behind Wen Qing and Fang Tianze, watching Mo Ran's focused expression.
...Mo Ran really did like Wang Yibo.
Wang Yibo didn't react for a long time—then suddenly stood and walked toward the locker room.
Mo Ran, anxious at his continued silence, grabbed his wrist.
"Yibo..."
But Wang Yibo shook him off and walked in without a word.
Maybe it was the angle or the sunlight behind Xiao Zhan, but he thought he saw a hint of tears behind the helmet.
All this over one race—what a strong sense of pride.
Mo Ran had always believed that since Wang Yibo hadn't told him to get lost, he must hold some place in his heart.
But that wrist shake... that was a blow to both pride and feelings.
No one else was allowed in the locker room. After waiting a while, the fans began to leave, sighing.
Wen Qing patted Mo Ran's shoulder. "Mr. Mo, didn't we agree on dinner after the race? Still coming?"
Mo Ran shook his head. "I'm not in the mood."
They all took turns trying to persuade him, but he wouldn't budge. In the end, they just sighed and told him he was overreacting.
Everyone left for their respective cars.
Xiao Zhan hesitated, then turned back to Jiang Cheng. "Can you drop me off at the dorm? I'll skip dinner too."
Jiang Cheng groaned. "What now? Why aren't you going?"
Xiao Zhan replied casually. "I have some school stuff to handle. You go with Wen Qing and Fang Tianze—they've been wanting to try that restaurant for a while."
Jiang Cheng grumbled. "Great, third-wheeling again..."
But since Xiao Zhan was firm, Jiang Cheng gave in and drove him back.
Once back in the dorm, Xiao Zhan took a shower, blow-dried his hair, and carefully combed his growing bangs.
In the mirror, he looked completely different from that rainy day—then he was soaked and dishevelled, now he looked fresh and radiant, his eyes shining when he smiled. He changed into light-coloured clothes and sneakers.
He looked so young; you could mistake him for a high schooler.
Xiao Zhan walked to the corner of his room, looked at the dark green umbrella, and smiled faintly.
At night, the race track was deserted. In the summer evening, it felt cool and peaceful.
Wang Yibo was lying on the track, still in his race gear, fists loosely clenched, deep in thought.
He didn't expect the sudden, clear voice behind him:
"Still, that upset? Planning to lie there until morning?"
A smiling face appeared in his field of vision—upside down, bright and warm.
It was the face Wang Yibo hadn't forgotten.
That smile—sunny and dazzling.