After sending the message, Fu Yin tossed her phone aside. She then began to look through new jewelry designs. Compared to clothes, she preferred these jewels.
"Ding!" The notification sound for a new message interrupted Fu Yin's browsing.
Fu Yin picked up her phone. As expected, it was a reply from that young lady.
"The clothes look great, thank you, Yin Yin."
"Then let's go shopping together. I don't have classes this week. When are you free? I'll bring the catalog, and we can look together?"
"It's summer vacation now, I'm free every day."
"Then let's go the day after tomorrow. I'll pick you up then."
"Okay, Yin Yin, you're the best!"
A mocking smile played on Fu Yin's lips. She was also an outsider in this circle, and she knew very well that if someone showed them kindness, they would be incredibly grateful, treating that person as their best friend.
This was exactly what she intended to do. She was confident that this naive young lady would consider her her best confidante!
After entering university, Lin Yan chose computer science, with her current research focus being artificial intelligence.
The reason she chose a military academy was that the most advanced technology in this world was undoubtedly held by the state and would first be applied to the military.
Lin Yan's learning ability astonished everyone, making her the favorite of many professors. Furthermore, Lin Yan had expressed her intention to dedicate herself to research work, which greatly improved the teachers' attitudes towards her and granted her more freedom.
Lin Yan's first research product emerged during her sophomore year's summer vacation.
Lin Yan's talent in weapons research and manufacturing endeared her to professors in that field. However, Lin Yan was resolute in continuing her own research. Nevertheless, she still worked for a period in the professors' laboratory.
Silently, she integrated some of her experiences into their research, helping them to avoid detours.
This also made Lin Yan the most popular person in the laboratory. They didn't realize that Lin Yan had solved their problems; they simply felt that Lin Yan had brought them good luck, improving their fortunes the moment she arrived.
When Lin Yan's research bore fruit, everyone finally confirmed that she had not wasted her talent.
It was a completely new positioning system, more accurate than the previous ones. The system had no idea what its host intended to research, but its host wouldn't listen to it anyway. All it could do was silently let its host research whatever she pleased.
After submitting the system, Lin Yan continued her research, completely unconcerned about how it would be used.
However, Lin Yan distinctly felt that her security had been taken seriously. Every time she left school, she sensed people following her.
This protection was a form of attention, indicating that Lin Yan had entered the radar of higher authorities.
While engrossed in her research, Lin Yan did not forget to stay in touch with Meng Shuo Jing, though Meng Shuo Jing initiated contact more frequently.
After all, compared to the busy Lin Yan, Meng Shuo Jing had more time. Although he had said he would wait until Lin Yan came of age, he hadn't said he would simply wait idly.
When he had time, he would send Lin Yan messages. Even though Lin Yan couldn't always reply promptly, he didn't mind, and instead, he shared details of his life every day.
From his messages, Lin Yan learned that he had started taking over some of his family's businesses and was interning at the company during his holidays.
However, whenever Lin Yan had free time, he would come to accompany her. In this relationship, Meng Shuo Jing had invested more than Lin Yan.
Lin Yan was indeed touched. Therefore, on her eighteenth birthday, she took leave from her teachers, booked a flight to Jingcheng, and prepared to visit Meng Shuo Jing's university.
As she had informed Meng Shuo Jing in advance that she would be helping a professor in a laboratory, she had told him not to come and celebrate her birthday. Although Meng Shuo Jing was a little disappointed, he understood.
Since she didn't know if Meng Shuo Jing was on campus, she used her own positioning system to find his location.
Although the system had been handed over, Lin Yan had installed it on her phone. She had reported it and assured them she wouldn't misuse it.
Meng Shuo Jing was aware of the system and that Lin Yan could locate him, and he was delighted that Lin Yan cared about him so much.
Although Lin Yan wanted him to know where she was, her security level had increased, and some of the projects she was involved in required secrecy, so she couldn't let him know.
However, Meng Shuo Jing didn't mind. He understood Lin Yan's predicament and gave her ample freedom.
Lin Yan carried a small cake and walked towards the location indicated by the positioning system. Before she even reached him, Meng Shuo Jing spotted her.
"Yan Yan, how did you get here! Didn't you say..." Meng Shuo Jing ran over in surprise, wanting to hug Lin Yan, but afraid of being too forward.
The people around him also looked over in surprise, seemingly curious about the person Meng Shuo Jing cared about so much.
"To give you a surprise. It's my birthday today, aren't you going to wish me a happy birthday? Look, I even brought the cake myself!" Lin Yan jiggled the small cake in her hand.
"I thought..." Meng Shuo Jing was still immersed in surprise. "Yan Yan, happy birthday!"
He took the small cake from Lin Yan's hand. "How long did you take leave for, and how long can you stay?"
He actually wanted to hold Lin Yan's hand, but since their relationship wasn't yet confirmed, he could only stand next to her.
"Well, I only took one day off, but tomorrow is Saturday, so I can go back on Sunday."
Lin Yan proactively placed her hand into Meng Shuo Jing's, and he immediately grasped it tightly.
"Then I'll book a restaurant first. Is there anything you want to eat?"
"Whatever, I'm not hungry right now anyway. But aren't you going to tell your friends?" Lin Yan gestured towards the group of people who were curiously looking in their direction.
"Then I'll go tell them first. You wait here." After speaking, he reluctantly let go of Lin Yan's hand and walked towards his group of friends.
Lin Yan stood in place and smiled politely at those people.
Meng Shuo Jing exchanged a few brief words and then returned.
"Let's go, my car is parked over there." Meng Shuo Jing walked up to Lin Yan and directly took her hand.
Although he appeared nonchalant, Lin Yan could feel the dampness of his palm.
Lin Yan didn't pull her hand away; instead, she leaned closer to him, walking half-supported by his side.
"What did you say to your friends?"
"Nothing much, just that I had something to attend to and left. Those are just my classmates, not really friends yet."
"Oh, I thought you would tell them that your girlfriend is here and you need to accompany her!"