Chapter 5 Deliberate Distancing: The Counselor's Struggle

The grand auditorium of Xingcheng University was buzzing with noise as thousands of freshmen, dressed in neat military training uniforms,

packed the massive venue to capacity.

The LED screen in front of the rostrum played a scenic film of the school on a loop, the stirring melody of the school anthem echoing in their ears.

The air was thick with the youthful energy of boys and girls mixed with the nervousness of just entering campus, creating an atmosphere both lively and solemn.

Lin Chen had changed into a newly bought black Adidas short-sleeved shirt paired with slim-fit trousers.

Walking with a tall and straight posture through the crowd, he deliberately avoided the swarming figures in the front rows and found a corner seat toward the back.

Just as he settled in, his gaze uncontrollably drifted over the dense sea of heads toward the rostrum.

A group of school leaders and Counselors sat in rows, with Su Qingran positioned in the middle of the Counselor group.

She wore a crisp white shirt, her long hair neatly pulled back into a bun.

Clutching a speech tightly in her hands, her profile was soft yet her expression serious, forming a sharp contrast with her colleagues whispering nearby.

Lin Chen's fingertips paused slightly as fragments of that night involuntarily flashed through his mind. A flicker of complex emotion crossed his eyes before he regained his composure.

Following the Host's announcement, the speech segment began in sequence.

When it was Su Qingran's turn, she took a deep breath and slowly stood up.

The knuckles of her fingers gripping the speech turned slightly white, and even her arm had an imperceptible tremor.

As she walked onto the podium, her steps were slightly hesitant.

Once she stood still, her clear voice spread throughout the auditorium via the microphone, though it couldn't hide the hint of nervousness in her tone.

Su Qingran's gaze quickly swept over the dark mass of people below, her eyes focused yet deliberately evasive, accurately avoiding the corner in the back row where Lin Chen was.

Throughout the entire time, she didn't make any eye contact with him, as if the two were just strangers with no connection at all.

As if the events of that night had never happened.

"Freshmen, welcome to Xingcheng University..."

Her speech was logically sound, ranging from the school's history to words of encouragement for the newcomers; the content was detailed and comprehensive.

However, compared to the calm and composed nature of the other Counselors, she ultimately lacked a certain degree of ease.

Lin Chen leaned against the back of his chair, his gaze locked firmly on her tense profile.

Watching her slightly furrowed brows and the small habit of lowering her head to purse her lips occasionally, he understood instantly.

She was still troubled by the accident that night, feeling both guilty and at a loss, only able to use this deliberate avoidance to mask her inner turmoil.

Lin Chen sighed inwardly, tapping his fingertips lightly on his knee, already having made a plan.

Since she wanted to pretend nothing was wrong, he would go along with it.

He wouldn't actively provoke her for now, opting instead to observe secretly to see her subsequent attitude.

Over an hour later, the Freshman convocation came to a successful close.

As the dismissal order sounded, the freshmen rose in an orderly fashion to leave, and the previously quiet auditorium instantly became noisy again.

The Counselors for each class waited at the exit. Su Qingran stood at the very front of the line.

She had put on her professional smile again, though her eyes were still somewhat evasive.

Once the freshmen from her class had all gathered, she took the lead and turned, guiding everyone toward the teaching building without looking back once.

Entering the designated classroom, Su Qingran walked straight to the podium, deliberately steering clear of the window seat where Lin Chen was, as if there were some fierce beast there.

She placed her folder on the podium and cleared her throat.

She began arranging various matters for enrollment, her tone steady as she tried to maintain her professional posture as a Counselor.

But to his surprise, his high school rival Wang Hao was actually in the same major and even the same class as him again.

Afterward, Lin Chen turned his gaze toward Su Qingran on the podium.

Su Qingran's cheeks flushed slightly under his gaze, and she looked away in a panic.

The class meeting continued. After reminding them of a few more precautions, Su Qingran announced the meeting adjourned.

Students began to get up and leave to organize their dormitories, and the classroom quickly became empty.

Lin Chen deliberately slowed down his packing, leisurely organizing the textbooks on his desk until only he and Su Qingran were left in the classroom.

Su Qingran kept her head down as she packed the materials in her folder, her movements somewhat frantic.

Her pen accidentally fell to the floor. As she bent over to pick it up, she inadvertently knocked over the water cup beside her, splashing water onto several pages of paper.

Becoming even more flustered, she could only hurriedly pull out tissues to wipe it.

She didn't dare look up at Lin Chen the whole time, and the atmosphere in the classroom was so oppressive it was hard to breathe.

"Teacher Su."

Lin Chen was the first to break the silence, his tone gentle without the slightest hint of blame.

He stood up and walked slowly to the podium, his gaze falling on her flustered profile.

Su Qingran's movements paused, her body instantly freezing, and the tissue in her hand fell to the floor.

She took a deep breath, her voice carrying an unmistakable sob:

"I'm, I'm sorry, that day..."

She opened her mouth, but the words she wanted to say were stuck in her throat, and she couldn't utter a single syllable.

The accident from that night was like a hurdle weighing on her heart.

Moreover, she could tell that it had been Lin Chen's first time.

Facing Lin Chen, she could never be composed, only able to use avoidance to hide her inner panic and guilt.

Furthermore, she was worried Lin Chen would use it to blackmail her for something.

"There's no need to say sorry."

Lin Chen bent down, picking up both the tissue and the pen from the floor. He then helped her organize the water-splashed materials and handed them over.

His fingertips inadvertently brushed the back of her hand. Both of them paused for a moment. Su Qingran pulled her hand back as if she’d been electrocuted, her cheeks instantly turning bright red.

Lin Chen withdrew his hand naturally, his tone remaining calm:

"We're both adults. Let's just treat that night like a dream, isn't that what you said?"

"From now on, you are my Counselor and I am your student. We'll each stick to our roles and not disturb each other."

Su Qingran took the materials, her fingertips trembling slightly. She finally mustered the courage to look up and meet Lin Chen's gaze.

His eyes were clear and calm, without the slightest hint of ambiguity or resentment.

There was only a perfectly measured sense of distance and respect.

At that moment, the awkwardness in her heart eased slightly. A hint of gratitude appeared in her eyes as she said softly:

"Thank you, Lin Chen."

Lin Chen smiled and said nothing more, turning to walk toward the classroom door.

Standing on the podium, Su Qingran watched his figure gradually disappear at the door. Her tense nerves finally relaxed.

Yet, a complex emotion inexplicably welled up in her heart—she couldn't tell if it was relief or something else.

She didn't know if this deliberate estrangement would make their relationship even more complicated.

Lin Chen walked out of the teaching building. The evening breeze blew gently, carrying the fragrance of plants from the campus.

He pulled out his brand-new huawei mate 7, just about to unlock the screen.

A system notification pop-up suddenly jumped out:

[Detected Host has established a bond with the beauty Su Qingran. charm value +2. Current charm value: 12. Unlocked Su Qingran's favorability Panel (Current favorability: 20 (Awkward Avoidance)).]