Li Yundong returned home that afternoon and finished reading The Śūraṅgama Sūtra and Zōngjìng Lù. The next day when he went to school, he first returned the books to the library and then checked out Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases and Húandān Fùmìng Piān.

The old man at the library saw that Li Yundong wasn't borrowing Buddhist classics this time, but turning to medicine and Daoist texts instead, and he couldn't help but wonder, "You read quite widely, don't you? Can you even understand these?"

Li Yundong smiled and nodded: "So-so. I can barely get by. If there's anything I don't understand, I'll gradually grasp it later."

The old man nodded: "Mm, 'to read widely but not seek overly deep understanding'—excellent. You have the spirit of Tao Yuanming!"

Li Yundong smiled faintly and walked out of the library with the two books.

Although the semester had just begun, the campus was already teeming with people—new students full of vigor, curious and unfamiliar with everything, and returning students clustered in small groups, pointing out and sizing up the newcomers.

Li Yundong stood amidst the crowd on campus, the Seven-Treasured Spirit-Guiding Fan on his back, and felt a sudden wave of emotion.

He vividly recalled the day he met the little girl—the day Su Chan flew into his arms like a dancing, iridescent butterfly, changing his destiny from that moment on.

Looking at the familiar campus and the familiar faces, Li Yundong remembered every moment shared with Su Chan, remembered the arduous practice he undertook in Tibet. He suddenly felt as if he had crossed into another world.

With a soft sigh in his heart, Li Yundong strode toward the teaching building.

Any upperclassman who recognized him upon seeing him immediately stopped their chatter and roughhousing, standing silently to the side, their eyes fixed on Li Yundong, not daring to utter a single word.

And the girls, who had been chattering and laughing vivaciously, also ceased their conversations, watching Li Yundong with looks of awe. Even the boldest among them only dared to steal a distant glance, refraining from approaching to say hello.

Wherever Li Yundong walked, the crowds parted as if before a water-repelling pearl entering the ocean, leaving a path clear. Those nearby dared not even draw a deep breath.

Though two months had passed, the legends Li Yundong had forged at this school were deeply ingrained. Those who had witnessed or heard of these events would spend a lifetime remembering and retelling them.

Yet, among the newly arrived freshmen, although they too automatically stepped aside, following the actions of those around them to pay their respects to Li Yundong, their gazes held more curiosity, confusion, bewilderment, envy, and even jealousy.

"Who is this guy? Why does he look like a triad boss?" one freshman asked, perplexed.

A sophomore standing beside him looked at him with disdain and retorted, "Your life probably won't even reach the level of a triad boss!"

"Then who is he?" the freshman challenged, unconvinced. "Is he even more arrogant than a triad boss?"

The sophomore sneered, "Young man, check the school forum more often. This is our campus legend!"

The freshman snorted dismissively, "What's so great about him? Acting like he owns the place!"

In the past, hearing such discussions might have stirred something in Li Yundong’s heart, but now, his mind was as still as water.

Li Yundong entered the classroom and took his seat. Immediately, the students who had been whispering and murmuring fell silent, their gazes sweeping toward him in unison, following his movements until he settled down. Only then did they resume their hushed conversations, the entire topic now revolving around him.

"It's only been two months, but he seems even more handsome, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, they say girls change significantly by eighteen—do men change that way too?"

"He looks a bit tanner, which makes him even more mn [masculine/magnetic]!"

Li Yundong scanned the room. He spotted the class monitor, Sun Li, and offered her a gentle smile and a nod as a greeting, but Zhou Qin was nowhere in sight.

Zhou Qin did not appear throughout the class period, though Ding Nan arrived late, just before the lecture began.

When the morning session ended, Li Yundong called out to Ding Nan, "Ding Nan!"

Ding Nan had changed considerably too. Previously, her attire was fashionable and sexy, but now she wore a plain, light-blue casual maxi dress, looking no different from any ordinary student. Her hair hung loosely, appearing very simple.

Seeing Li Yundong, her eyes immediately lit up, a mixture of surprise and joy on her face. "Li Yundong, it's you! Two months and you've gotten even more handsome!"

Li Yundong smiled, "Not bad, not bad. By the way, have you seen Zhou Qin?"

At the mention of the name, the smile vanished from Ding Nan's face, replaced by profound disappointment and anger. "You never used to talk to me proactively. I wondered why you suddenly sought me out today—it was to ask about Zhou Qin? Humph! I must have been making too much of it!"

Li Yundong's smile froze. He mumbled awkwardly, "Aren't you good friends? I just thought it was strange she wasn't here today."

Ding Nan snapped, "Just call her yourself! Don't you have her number?" With that, she turned and swept away, a trace of tears glittering in the corner of her eye.

Li Yundong stood rooted, unsure whether to laugh or cry. How could he have known the feud between Zhou Qin and Ding Nan had deepened almost irreparably? He just thought he had said the wrong thing.

While he was standing there speechless, he suddenly felt a hand reach out to clap his shoulder from behind.

Li Yundong instinctively sidestepped and spun around, only to see Feng Na’s hand grasping empty air, while Cheng Cheng watched him with a subtle smile playing on her lips.

"Heh heh, it's you two," Li Yundong laughed.

"It really is you!" Feng Na stared at him, momentarily stunned. "I saw you yesterday, but I almost didn't recognize you."

Li Yundong chuckled, "Have I changed that much?"

Feng Na studied him closely. In her eyes, this young man was thinner than before, but this leanness made him appear more refined and masculine, radiating a sense of power. His skin was darker, clearly the result of heavy sun exposure over the summer. His hair was longer, yet it looked flowing and ethereal, possessing a certain dashing quality. Ah, and his eyes had become deeper, brighter, and infinitely more captivating. Most importantly, she could no longer detect the trace of a mere boy in him; instead, there stood a man moving toward maturity and steadfastness.

"You..." Feng Na felt a wave of disorientation. It was as if the Li Yundong before her had become someone else entirely—only a similar physical shell remained; so much of what was inside had changed. She felt she didn't know him anymore.

"You've changed so much..." Feng Na impulsively reached out, wanting to brush his cheek. "You've changed so much I barely recognize you. Are you... are you really Li Yundong?"

Li Yundong offered a faint smile. "Genuine, guaranteed!"

Cheng Cheng also scrutinized him from head to toe, clicking her tongue in admiration. "What did you do over the summer? You look like you've become a different person!"

Feng Na suddenly asked, "Something very important must have happened to you during these two summer months, right?"

Li Yundong’s heart tightened. He inwardly marveled: women's intuition is truly terrifying! He smiled, neither confirming nor denying it.

Knowing Li Yundong didn't wish to elaborate, Feng Na didn't press further. She gazed at him dreamily for a long moment until Cheng Cheng nudged her elbow discreetly. Feng Na snapped back to attention. "Ah, look, since the new semester has started, how about I treat you to a meal somewhere?"

Li Yundong laughed, "No way! You want to treat me on the very first day?"

Cheng Cheng giggled from the side, "You want to take advantage of Nana? Great, great! She'd love that!"

Feng Na’s face flushed crimson as she turned and pinched Cheng Cheng’s soft flesh near her waist, saying in mock anger, "I said stop talking! Stop talking!"

The two wrestled playfully for a moment. After Cheng Cheng's humiliating plea for surrender, Feng Na emerged victorious. She glanced at Li Yundong, her cheeks still flushed, as if afraid he might misinterpret anything.

But when Feng Na looked, she saw Li Yundong standing there, still as a mountain, a faint smile on his face, his gaze calm and warm. He seemed detached from the common throng.

Feng Na’s heart gave a sharp jolt! She knew her feeling was entirely correct; this young man was genuinely different from before. He had grown, matured, which was evident in the tranquil demeanor he exuded just by standing there!

"Sorry for making you watch the spectacle..." Feng Na coughed dryly, explaining with a blush.

Li Yundong smiled slightly, "It's nothing. Where shall we eat?"

Cheng Cheng chimed in happily, "Didn't we say we'd go to that restaurant last time? But then CEO Cao showed up, and we couldn't go. Shall we go there now?"

Feng Na smiled, "Great, great, let's go there." Then, thinking of something, she asked, "By the way, where is Su Chan? Why isn't she with you? Weren't you inseparable?"

Li Yundong smiled and said, "She went to stay with her master."

Although Li Yundong spoke calmly and plainly when saying this, Feng Na keenly detected a flicker of longing and faint sorrow in his eyes. Her heart stirred, and she probed tentatively, "Then... when is she coming back?"

Li Yundong smiled gently, "It won't be long. Probably in about two months, I'll go pick her up."

Feng Na fell silent, a shadow of disappointment crossing her eyes.

The three descended the stairs. Just as they exited the teaching building, Jiang Xiuxiu spotted Feng Na. She was about to step forward to greet her when she saw the boy who had acted so shamelessly cool while helping her with her luggage the last time was with her.

Jiang Xiuxiu sneered inwardly, "Well, well. He told me last time he didn't know me, and now he's hooking up with you? So he just didn't want me to meet him yesterday! Hmph, he’s just some guy who likes to act cool; what’s so great about that? How dare he put on airs with me? I’ll go provoke him a little!"