Chapter Fifty-Three: Soul Illusion – Ai Jing

Andy slipped the thin piece onto his brow and was immediately engulfed in darkness...

He had no idea how much time had passed when he suddenly felt someone shaking him.

“Andy, wake up! Wake up!”

Huh? Andy rubbed his eyes and opened them, staring straight at the face looming almost unbearably close. “Who are you?”

The person rousing him was a bespectacled young man, about twenty years old. Seeing Andy awake, he straightened up and declared, “Not bad, not bad. I’ll give your act an eighty-two, the rest I’ll send to you as six hundred sixty-six. Stop pretending to be dead and get up—it’s time for class!”

“What class?” Andy’s mind was a muddled mess. This experience seemed oddly familiar, but he couldn’t recall anything.

“Financial Management, first and second period this morning. It’s your retake for the semester! Hurry up or you’ll be late!” The young man pressed, “Don’t tell me you’re still drunk? Why are you so dazed?”

Andy shook his head hard, finally dredging up the memory of the young man before him—his roommate for three years in college, Zhang Peng.

“Zhang Peng?”

“Oh, my brother! You’re finally back to yourself. Hurry up and get ready for class, it’s already seven fifty.”

“Class? You go ahead. I’ve got a headache!” Andy’s mind was in utter turmoil; he had no desire for classes now.

“Wow, truly a brave soul who dares to face the bleakness of life head-on. Skipping Master Extinction’s class, that’s bold!” Zhang Peng grumbled as he gathered his things. “I’m not covering attendance for you—actually, you don’t need it. They scan faces now for attendance.”

At the mention of Master Extinction, Andy couldn’t help picturing a stern-faced middle-aged woman, shivering involuntarily. Oddly enough, his headache eased a bit.

Just then, Zhang Peng was about to leave the dorm, but paused at the door, remembering something. He reached over and touched Andy’s forehead.

“Damn, you’re burning up! Looks like you really are sick,” Zhang Peng said as he fished out his phone, dialed, and waited for the call to connect.

“Hello, Sister Ai? Your man is sick. Yeah, the one who celebrated finally escaping singlehood yesterday. He drank too much, and now it seems like he has a fever... Come over soon, okay... okay... got it!”

“Hey, buddy! If you want to lie down, Sister Ai will be here soon. I’ll leave you two to your dog food—I’m off to scan my face.” With that, Zhang Peng hurried out.

Hearing Zhang Peng mention Sister Ai, Andy pictured a graceful figure with flowing long hair—his goddess, Ai Jing, whom he had secretly admired for three years in college.

He recalled that in his junior year, Ai Jing was a senior. During graduation season, he finally confessed his feelings to her, though she hadn’t responded at the time.

Then, at the start of his senior year, Ai Jing appeared before him, having already been admitted to the graduate program at their university.

When Ai Jing stood before him, pointing at him with her soft, fair fingers and calling him a fool, Andy’s heart brimmed with happiness.

Lost in thought, Andy was startled as Ai Jing entered, her long hair cascading behind her. She waved her delicate hand in front of her nose as she walked in.

She sighed, “No wonder this is the boys’ dorm—it really has that masculine aroma!”

Andy hurriedly shoved his socks under the bed.

Before he could say anything, Ai Jing sat on his bed, took a thermometer from her small bag, and said, “Zhang Peng said you have a fever. Let’s check first, then I’ll take you to the clinic.”

“It’s nothing. I’m not feverish, just a bit of a headache. Probably from blacking out yesterday,” Andy muttered in explanation. Seeing Ai Jing’s insistence, he obediently took the thermometer.

“Thirty-six degrees—not feverish. Strange, though, you feel warm to the touch,” Ai Jing said as she pressed her hand to Andy’s forehead.

“Uh... maybe it’s spring fever!” Andy felt his headache improving. Though he still seemed to have forgotten something, with his beloved beside him, what else mattered? He seized the chance to tease her.

“Spring fever, my foot!” Sister Ai Jing threw the quilt over Andy.

“All right, stop playing dead. Get up and come eat something with me. It’s the university’s centennial celebration, and I still have to help set up the hall.”

Hearing Ai Jing had things to do, Andy didn’t delay and quickly got out of bed.

As he rose, he felt a faint puzzlement—he remembered how much he used to like Ai Jing, how he’d imagined basking in happiness for a whole year if he ever won her heart.

Why didn’t he feel that excitement today? It was as if he couldn’t muster any energy for anything.

Andy and Ai Jing left the dormitory. As they stepped outside, Andy greeted the old man downstairs listening to his radio; the man responded with a sly grin and a thumbs-up.

Even in the dormitory area, the campus was festooned with decorations in anticipation of the centennial celebration.

It was said that the main city leaders would attend this time, so the university was taking the event very seriously.

Andy and Ai Jing strolled leisurely. Seeing Andy’s furrowed brow, Ai Jing spoke, “What’s on your mind?”

“Uh, nothing. I was just wondering what exactly the goddess Ai saw in me.”

“Ha, that’s getting the benefit and pretending otherwise. Well, since I’ve vowed to become a master of psychology, let me boost your ego a bit,” she smiled.

“Although you have a bit of cleverness, you lack real wisdom, a touch of cunning but no grand vision...” Ai Jing said, then seeing Andy’s frustrated look, she changed her tone, “But...”

“But you give people a unique sense of security. First, you’re very devoted—once you set your mind to something, you never give up. Since I noticed your interest in me, I’ve observed you, and found you’re nothing like other guys your age, who always have some fantasy about pretty girls.”

“Moreover, you’re courageous—and I don’t just mean your confession. Even before that, the groundwork you laid, like those hundreds of chance encounters over three years.”

Seeing Andy’s slight embarrassment, Ai Jing chuckled and continued, “You have determination, you take action, and you possess a thick skin most people lack. Such a person won’t just succeed in romance, but anywhere.”

Andy couldn’t deny it—being praised by the girl he liked felt wonderful, even if some of Ai Jing’s words were meant to tease.

“But...” Ai Jing suddenly continued, “But Andy, you’re really off today.” She pulled a small mirror from her bag and held it up to his face.

“Look at yourself. That furrowed brow—even when you smile, it’s so forced. Even if I hadn’t studied psychology, I could tell from watching soap operas that you’re preoccupied.”

“Preoccupied? Not at all. You know I’m an orphan—who would I be worried about? Well, at least now I have you.”

Ai Jing looked at him seriously. “No, I’m the expert here. Since I saw you today, you’ve been restless, as if there’s a fire burning inside you. Don’t you feel it? Why don’t you come to the lab later? I can hypnotize you and see what’s troubling your heart...”

“What am I troubled about...” Andy stopped, brow tightly knotted, head bowed, standing motionless in the bustling campus, with Ai Jing quietly beside him.

Just then, two girls’ voices drifted nearby.

“Wow, where did you get that kitten? It’s adorable!”

“I bought it because it’s cute, but pets aren’t allowed in the dorm. Later, help me distract the dorm supervisor so I can sneak it in...”

The girls spoke as one gently stroked the white kitten in her arms, making it purr contentedly.

“Meow...”

Andy suddenly looked up!

Ai Jing, watching him closely, clearly saw: a fierce fire kindled in his eyes.

“Katherine!”