Heartbeat - Chapter 1

It was June, and the tree-lined avenues of Linhai University bustled with students. A group of students who had just finished class gathered, books in hand, to gossip.

“Did you hear? A first-year graduate student confessed to Shen Xun this morning.”

“Whoa, that guy’s got guts! How many rejections has she handed out already? Doesn’t he ever learn?”

“Exactly! Miss Shen, the Campus Belle, has everything going for her—except for a romantic bone in her body. So many guys have confessed to her over the years, and she’s turned down every single one. This time will be no different, right?”

“Totally! That graduate student always acts so high and mighty, but Shen Xun shut him down hard. I almost died laughing.”

“Ha! Miss Shen, the Campus Belle, is the only one who can put those arrogant, daddy-complex types in their place. It’s so satisfying to watch.”

The subject of their gossip, Shen Xun, couldn’t care less. She was walking out of the academic building with her roommate, Zhang Qiao, heading to the cafeteria for lunch before returning to their dorm.

Zhang Qiao chattered beside her, “I can’t believe there are still guys lining up to get rejected! They know you don’t do relationships, yet they still come crawling to confess.”

“Just reject them. This is such a waste of time. I’d rather go back to the family company and learn something useful.”

Shen Xun’s expression was cold and stern. The earnest little girl she once was had long since grown into a graceful young woman. Her dark hair cascaded loosely down her back, her skin was as pale as snow, and her cat-like eyes, when not smiling, were deep and icy. Her red lips were pressed into a thin line, radiating an aura that warned strangers to keep their distance.

Zhang Qiao glanced at Shen Xun’s face and couldn’t help but shiver. “You’re definitely more comfortable to be around in the summer. You’re like a walking, talking air conditioner.”

“Get lost,” Shen Xun retorted, glancing at her. Zhang Qiao immediately felt even cooler.

“Exactly! That’s the look! Give me a few more of those glares—it’s way too hot today,” Zhang Qiao said with a grin.

As they walked and chatted, they reached the cafeteria. Shen Xun grabbed a simple meal and sat down with her roommates to eat.

Having been raised with impeccable manners since childhood, Shen Xun maintained perfect posture even in the noisy cafeteria, her back ramrod straight.

Zhang Qiao, sitting across from her, teased, “Seriously, sis? We’re just eating, not undergoing military training. You don’t need to sit so rigidly, do you?”

Shen Xun glanced at her. “I’m used to it.”

With that, she resumed eating, preferring not to talk during meals.

Ding-ding~

Shen Xun heard the notification sound from her phone nearby. She glanced at the screen but had no intention of picking it up, as she disliked using her phone while eating.

However, when she saw the contact name on the green bubble popup, she immediately grabbed her phone.

Zhang Qiao, sitting across from her, teased, “Oh, look who’s using her phone at the table! Miss Shen, the Campus Belle, actually does that too? Who’s messaging you?”

Shen Xun looked up to see her roommate’s gossipy expression. She quickly opened the green bubble app while replying, “My sister.”

“Tch, ‘sister’? More like ‘lover’,” Zhang Qiao retorted.

Shen Xun shot her a cold glare, and Zhang Qiao immediately fell silent, burying her face in her food and avoiding further provoking Shen Xun.

It wasn’t exactly a lie, but Shen Xun was indeed a master of double standards. She treated other Alphas with strict professionalism and rarely smiled. Even her roommate had seldom seen her smile.

There was one exception: whenever Shen Xun video-called her “sister,” her eyes would crinkle into crescents with laughter. During these calls, Zhang Qiao always felt like a third wheel.

Shen Xun, too preoccupied to notice Zhang Qiao, picked up her phone and saw a message from Su Jianyue.

Xiao Yueliang: Sister, I don’t have classes on Friday and want to visit you. I’ll take the first flight tomorrow morning and stay for a few days. Are you free? (Dog blinking eyes emoji)/i

Shen Xun’s eyes softened into a smile. Ever since Su Jianyue started university, she’d visit whenever she had free time, and Shen Xun never refused.

Her fingers moved gently across the screen as she typed:

Shen Xun: Of course! But I have class early tomorrow. I’ll arrange for the driver to pick you up.

Lying on her dorm bed, Su Jianyue rolled around in excitement when she saw her sister’s reply. Another roll and she’d have fallen off the bed!

She quickly sat up and sent a serious message:

Xiao Yueliang: No need! I’ll just take a taxi. It’s not like it’s my first time visiting. (Well-behaved dog emoji)

Shen Xun: No, I don’t feel comfortable with you going alone. I’ll have the driver pick you up.

Xiao Yueliang: Okay~ Thank you, Sister.

Having secured Shen Xun’s approval, Su Jianyue sat on her dorm bed, her eyes curving into crescents.

Her roommate across the way, noticing her radiant smile, asked, “What’s got you so happy all of a sudden?”

“No classes tomorrow! I’m going to visit my sister in the morning,” Su Jianyue replied, her hands already busy booking her plane ticket.

Liu Yujia, her roommate, hissed in surprise before continuing, “Going to see your Shen Xun-jie again? Speaking of which, I used to watch that reality show you were on when I was little. It was super popular back then, right? Rural Cuties, wasn’t it?”

Su Jianyue nodded with a smile. “Wow, you remember it better than I do! Though you must have been pretty young back then, right?”

“Yeah, I watched the second season when I was three or four. I loved it so much that I made my mom find the first season for me. But I have to say, you were absolutely adorable as a kid!” Liu Yujia couldn’t stop grinning as she recalled Su Jianyue’s childhood appearance.

Su Jianyue tilted her head back, striking a proud pose. “Of course! I’m still adorable now, aren’t I?”

Liu Yujia pursed her lips, but she couldn’t deny that Su Jianyue had truly blossomed. Many child stars faded into mediocrity as they grew older, but Su Jianyue had only become more stunning with age.

When Liu Yujia first started university, she had met Su Jianyue’s mothers, Mo Yuxin and Su Yubing. Her immediate impression was that time had no power over true beauty. The two women looked as youthful as they had on television when Liu Yujia was a child, perhaps even more radiant now.

Su Jianyue’s face perfectly inherited all the best features from her mothers. Throughout the entire university, no Alpha could rival her beauty, making her the object of relentless pursuit by countless Omegas from the moment she stepped onto campus as a freshman.

“Tch, narcissistic,” Liu Yujia scoffed, returning to her game.

Su Jianyue quickly hopped out of bed. Their dorm room was a quad, but two of their roommates had apartments off-campus and rarely stayed in the dorm. Su Jianyue, eager to enjoy campus life, usually only went home on weekends.

It was already past four in the afternoon. Su Jianyue got dressed and prepared to head home.

As she walked toward the parking lot, she greeted the many people who waved to her along the way, responding with her usual good-natured smile.

When she reached the parking lot, Su Jianyue immediately spotted her red Panamera. This car had been specially purchased by her mother for her daily commute; the family’s other vehicles were too extravagant and would draw unwanted attention at school, so they opted for a more modest, million-yuan model.

Su Jianyue started the car and drove toward her family’s villa.

Half an hour later, she parked in the underground garage and cheerfully entered the villa.

“Aunt Li, I want watermelon juice!” Su Jianyue called out as soon as she stepped inside, instinctively using her usual affectionate tone with the housekeeper.

Aunt Li was long accustomed to Su Jianyue’s ways. The young woman had always been sweet-talking and affectionate since childhood.

“Alright, I’ll make you some fresh watermelon juice right away. Just sit there and wait a moment,” Aunt Li replied with a smile as she headed into the kitchen.

Su Jianyue stretched lazily on the sofa and lowered the living room air conditioning by a few degrees, finally feeling less overheated.

After sitting for a while, she sprawled out on the sofa and pulled out her phone, beginning to playfully pester her mother, stepmother, and younger sister one by one.

Su Jianyue: Mommy~ I’m home! I missed you so much! When are you coming back to see me? (Puppy-dog eyes emoji)

Su Jianyue: Mom~ I’m home! I’m going to play with Sister tomorrow! (Puppy spinning and jumping emoji)

Su Jianyue: Xingxing, when are you getting out of school? I miss you! (Puppy snuggling emoji)

After sending individual messages to everyone, Su Jianyue opened the family group chat and posted a childhood meme of herself with lipstick smudged all over her face from her mom’s kisses, later edited with the words “I’m back from my shenanigans.”

Having “harassed” everyone at home, Aunt Li returned with the watermelon juice. “The watermelon juice is ready. I added some ice for a better taste.”

“Thank you, Aunt Li,” Su Jianyue said with a bright smile, taking the glass and gulping down a large sip.

The sweet watermelon juice, chilled with ice, instantly lifted her spirits.

Just then, someone replied to her message. Su Jianyue checked and saw it was her mom. Her smile widened uncontrollably.

Mo Yuxin: You’re in college now, and you’re still so clingy! I’ll be home soon to see you. (Head-patting dog emoji)

Su Jianyue was overjoyed, taking another large gulp of watermelon juice as she typed a reply to her mother.

Su Jianyue: Waiting eagerly! (Dog eagerly waiting.jpg)

Just as she finished replying to Mo Yuxin, her mother responded.

Su Yubing: You’ve always been so clingy with your sister since you were little. Have you asked Xunxun if she’s free tomorrow?

Su Jianyue quickly replied: Of course! Sister told me to come over and even insisted on sending a driver to pick me up. I was planning to take a taxi myself.

Su Yubing: Be a good girl and listen to your sister. Let them pick you up—it’s safer that way.

Su Jianyue: Okay, okay! I’m always the most obedient~ (Well-behaved dog.jpg)

Su Yubing, still at the office, chuckled and shook her head. Her little moon, Xiao Yueliang, had always been good at acting cute and coaxing people, and she hadn’t changed a bit.

Meanwhile, Su Jianyue finished her watermelon juice and still hadn’t received a reply from her younger sister. As she walked upstairs, she said to Aunt Li, “Aunt Li, I’m going to take a shower. When Mom and the others get back, please let them know I’m here.”

“Alright, I will.” Their young miss had always been clingy and loved to be pampered.