One week passed after Lin Mo's encounter with Shen Yichen. Nothing happened. Exactly as Lin Mo had hoped. He didn't see Shen Yichen again. No mysterious messages. No unexpected meetings. No dramatic incidents. Lin Mo considered the matter completely finished. His university life returned to its peaceful rhythm. Classes. Food. Games. Sleep. Repeat. It was beautiful. On Monday morning, Lin Mo sat in the lecture hall with his chin resting against his hand. The professor was explaining something about algorithms. Lin Mo was listening. Technically. His eyes were open. His brain, however, had already left the building. Five minutes later, his pen stopped moving. His eyelids became heavier. Then— A notebook was quietly placed in front of him. Lin Mo blinked. He looked sideways. The student sitting beside him smiled. “Your notes.” Lin Mo stared. The page was filled with neat handwriting. Every important point from the lecture had been written down. “You were asleep.” Lin Mo looked offended. “I wasn't asleep.” The student raised an eyebrow. “You were.” “I was thinking.” “With your eyes closed?” “Yes.” The student laughed softly. “Then I apologize.” Lin Mo looked at him for another moment. He vaguely remembered seeing him around campus. Brown hair. Clean appearance. Gentle expression. He was the type of person who seemed naturally approachable. Lin Mo accepted the notebook. “Thanks.” “No problem.” The student returned to his own notes. Lin Mo looked down. Then at the notes. Then at the student. “You write very neatly.” “Thank you.” “Can I copy them?” The student smiled. “You can keep them.” Lin Mo immediately became interested. “Really?” “Really.” Lin Mo decided this person was good. Very good. He silently promoted him from stranger to useful classmate. He didn't know that the student beside him was— Gu Wen. The second male lead of the original novel. At lunch, Lin Mo saw Gu Wen again. This time, it was in the cafeteria. Gu Wen was carrying a tray and looking around for somewhere to sit. Every table seemed full. Except Lin Mo's. Gu Wen approached. “Can I sit here?” Lin Mo looked at the empty chair. “Sure.” Gu Wen sat down. For several minutes, neither spoke. Lin Mo ate his noodles. Gu Wen ate his rice. It was peaceful. Lin Mo liked peaceful. Then Gu Wen suddenly said, “You really like noodles.” Lin Mo looked up. “How do you know?” “You've eaten them three times this week.” Lin Mo stared. “You noticed?” Gu Wen smiled. “You're easy to notice.” Lin Mo frowned. That sounded dangerous. “Why?” “You always sit in the same place.” “Oh.” “And you always wear headphones.” Lin Mo looked down at his headphones. “And?” “You always buy the same drink.” Lin Mo slowly put his chopsticks down. “Are you secretly studying me?” Gu Wen laughed. “No.” “Good.” Lin Mo picked his chopsticks up again. Gu Wen watched him for a moment. Then asked, “Do you usually spend your free time alone?” “Mostly.” “Don't you get bored?” “No.” “What do you do?” “Sleep.” Gu Wen smiled. “Anything else?” “Eat.” “And?” “Play games.” “That sounds relaxing.” “It is.” Gu Wen nodded. “I can understand that.” Lin Mo looked at him. “You seem like someone who studies all the time.” “Do I?” “Yes.” “Why?” “You have that kind of face.” Gu Wen laughed. “My face?” “Very academic.” “That's the first time anyone has described me that way.” Lin Mo shrugged. “You look like you belong in a library.” Gu Wen smiled. “Maybe I do.” The next few days continued like that. Nothing dramatic. Gu Wen occasionally sat beside Lin Mo during lectures. Sometimes they ate together. Once, Gu Wen helped him fix a programming assignment. Another time, Lin Mo gave Gu Wen half his snacks after discovering that Gu Wen had skipped lunch. It was ordinary. Comfortable. Easy. Lin Mo never once considered that Gu Wen was important. As far as he knew, Gu Wen was simply a nice classmate. Someone he could occasionally eat with. Someone who didn't ask too many questions. Someone who understood that silence wasn't uncomfortable. Lin Mo liked that. A lot. One evening, while walking back from the library, Gu Wen suddenly asked, “Lin Mo.” “Hmm?” “Do you have any plans tomorrow?” “No.” “There's a new café near campus.” Lin Mo looked at him. “Free food?” Gu Wen laughed. “I can buy.” Lin Mo immediately nodded. “Then I'm free.” Gu Wen smiled. “Three o'clock?” “Okay.” They continued walking. Neither noticed the student standing several meters away. Neither noticed the curious glance that followed them. And Lin Mo certainly didn't notice that Gu Wen had been smiling for several minutes. That night, Lin Mo lay on his bed. He opened his phone. A message appeared. [Gu Wen: Don't forget tomorrow.] Lin Mo replied. [Lin Mo: I won't.] A few seconds later: [Gu Wen: Good night.] Lin Mo typed: [Lin Mo: Good night.] He put his phone down. Then frowned. Something felt strange. He couldn't explain it. Gu Wen was just a classmate. A nice one. That was all. Lin Mo turned over. “I'm thinking too much.” He closed his eyes. Tomorrow was just another ordinary day. A café. Some food. A little conversation. Then back to university life. Simple. Safe. Nothing to worry about. What Lin Mo didn't know was that, in the original novel, Gu Wen was destined to become one of the most important people in Shen Yichen's life. And the original plot hadn't yet reached the point where Gu Wen was supposed to become close to anyone. Especially not him. But Lin Mo wasn't following the original plot. And neither was fate. For now, though, Lin Mo slept peacefully. Completely unaware that his harmless little friendship had become the second thread tying him to the story he had sworn never to enter.

A Familiar Feeling