She’s a Passerby, But Can See the Protagonist’s Halo

Yan, Zhu Jue, Xiao Qingnang, and the other classmates who came to testify were soon asked to leave the scene. However, having personally witnessed President Lin Lu dominating the office, Yan had only one word in her heart:

Satisfying!

The thrill of experiencing the drama firsthand was indeed different from hearing about it from others. Yan looked at Lin Lu with starry eyes—her sister was both beautiful and fierce, exuding an aura of power. No wonder she could keep the "King of Soldiers" in check.

Fortunately, they didn’t have classes in the afternoon, or else they wouldn’t have been able to enjoy the drama for so long before rushing to class. Due to the incident, about a dozen classmates who came to testify missed their meals. To compensate, the school issued them free one-day meal cards, typically given to invited visitors, which could be used in any campus cafeteria with a limit of 100 yuan.

It was Yan’s first time getting such a meal card, and she found it quite novel.

“Jue, let’s go and experience the feeling of eating in the cafeteria for free,” Yan said.

Eating in the cafeteria with a student card was already cheap, but today they could eat for free. Along with Xiao Qingnang, the three of them headed to the nearest cafeteria. The dinner gathering at the boys’ dormitory, Room 414, would have to be postponed.

Meanwhile, Zhu Jue was checking the group chat. Yuan Ye, Ye Ping'an, and Chu Shen had gone to class in the afternoon, but their phones were buzzing non-stop with messages. They were both concerned about Lin Fan’s situation and quietly enjoying the drama.

**[Zhu Jue]:** Not sure when Fan’s issue will be resolved. We’ve been kicked out of the office and are now eating in the cafeteria. Let’s talk tonight.

Yan’s situation was similar. Rumors about two male classmates fighting had quickly spread across various class and dormitory group chats.

“What happened? Why did they suddenly start fighting?”

“I heard one of them made inappropriate comments about the other’s wife and child, and the married guy just snapped.”

“Damn! He deserved that. Insulting someone’s wife and kid? But wait, someone’s already married?”

“Yeah, I heard his wife is a famous online celebrity.”

“What? Tell me more. Is there a video?”

“Was the fight serious? Will they get punished? The guy who insulted him shouldn’t get off easy, right?”

The love for drama seemed to be ingrained in everyone’s DNA. Yan hadn’t mentioned anything in the dorm group chat, but Chu Bingbing, the drama queen, had already managed to get her hands on several videos of the incident.

And then—

Yan and Zhu Jue were spotted in the videos.

Now, the entire dorm was tagging Yan, asking for firsthand updates. Ding Ling and Gu Jiasui also popped up, sending [peeking] and [gimme the tea] emojis.

Yan had no choice but to briefly explain the situation in the cafeteria, asking everyone not to spread the news yet, and satisfying her roommates’ curiosity.

The weather was still hot. Yan was eating a bowl of cold noodles, occasionally stealing a piece of crispy rice from Zhu Jue’s claypot rice. She noticed that Xiao Qingnang was eating very healthily.

His tray had three self-selected dishes: stir-fried beef, oyster sauce greens, and cold tofu, served with rice and a bowl of silver ear soup.

Xiao Qingnang ate slowly, savoring every bite as if cherishing the food in front of him.

It looked so healthy. Yan glanced at her own spicy, sour, and heavily seasoned cold noodles and the fried chicken strips covered in chili powder beside her.

Well, she was a certified junk food lover. As for healthy cafeteria food, she’d been eating that since childhood. Her happiest memories were sneaking out with Zhu Jue to buy junk food.

Before their next class, Zhu Jue received a message from Lin Fan.

**[Lin Fan]:** Sorry for making everyone worry. The matter has been resolved. My wife will stay on campus until the evening. @Everyone, how about dinner together?

**[Lin Fan]:** @Zhu Jue, can you bring your girlfriend along?

The three of them hadn’t finished eating yet. Yan peeked at Zhu Jue’s phone and read the message.

“It was resolved pretty quickly,” she said, swallowing a piece of chicken. “I’m fine with it, but dinner in the cafeteria might not be the best idea.”

Lin Lu’s image and charisma were as striking as Gu Jiasui’s. Wherever she went, she drew attention. News that Lin Fan’s wife was Lin Lu would soon spread across the entire campus. Even if they booked a private room in the cafeteria, it wouldn’t be very convenient.

**[Zhu Jue]:** Both of us are fine, but since your wife is here, should we eat off-campus?

Lin Fan’s roommates gradually replied, agreeing to the plan. Bin University didn’t have mandatory morning or evening self-study sessions, so their time after class was completely free.

**[Lin Fan]:** Great, guys! Let’s meet at 6? My wife reserved a table at Wenji Restaurant near the campus.

Wenji Restaurant was a well-known mid-to-high-end chain in Bin City. From what Yan knew, a simple meal for two would cost around 500-600 yuan, while a seafood meal for four or more could easily run into the thousands. It was famous for its excellent dishes, quality ingredients, and top-notch service.

Yan silently marveled at how today was a day of culinary indulgence. She had eaten fried rice for breakfast, essentially got a free lunch at the cafeteria, and now a fancy dinner. This was far from the ordinary life of a college student!

During the afternoon class, Gu Jiasui, who had saved a seat for Yan, slid her phone over. Yan looked at the screen and saw Lin Lu’s latest Weibo post.

**[Lin Lu V]:** Married with children. Military marriages are protected by law. All legal matters related to this account have been entrusted to @Bin City Wanhe Law Firm.

Yan: !

“Gu Jiasui, you’re such a gossip,” Yan thought, surprised that the seemingly aloof “princess” was also into drama.

She took a closer look. The images in Lin Lu’s Weibo post showed that she had already signed a contract with the law firm a long time ago to pursue legal action.

Yan knew this law firm—it was a high-end firm famous not just in Bin City but across Asia.

She glanced at the teacher lecturing at the front of the class and then scrolled through the comments.

“Is this for real?”

“President Lu is actually a military wife? No wonder her partner’s identity was kept secret. Protecting military marriages is everyone’s responsibility! [fist emoji]”

“Is your husband really a student at Bin University? Image.JPG”

Yan’s eyes widened. Wait, wasn’t that screenshot from Lin Fan’s WeChat Moments? She had seen it on Zhu Jue’s phone. How had it spread so quickly?

The comment with the image sparked a flurry of questions.

“Damn, I’ve never seen this photo before.”

“Lin Fan, Lin Lu’s husband is also named Lin? A top student at Bin University, serving in the military, and with a wife like her? What a life!”

“I don’t believe it. Let her husband come out and say it himself. Lin Lu is mine, mine, mine.”

“A reminder to some: her Weibo post mentioned that the law firm is handling this. Every comment you make might be screenshot, saved, and notarized by professionals. With real-name registration, think about the consequences of insulting or defaming a military personnel.”

This comment quickly gained traction. Yan watched as comments calling Lin Lu “wife” disappeared the moment they appeared.

Hah! Now they’re scared.

What kind of people were they? Lin Lu had previously declared she was married with children, but instead of deterring them, it only fueled their fantasies.

They were just losers who thought they could marry a beautiful CEO and take over her fortune because her husband never showed up.

Yan didn’t have many group chats on her phone—just her dorm group and her major’s group. The major’s group, which included the counselor, wasn’t very active. However, in the class group without teachers, someone had already posted the screenshot of Lin Fan’s WeChat Moments.

She smirked. Everyone seemed to be paying attention in class, but secretly, they were all gossiping.

Without a doubt, this had become the biggest news on campus today.

After class, as Yan and Gu Jiasui walked back to the dorm, they overheard people marveling at the fact that a fellow student was already married.

“Married so young? That’s early. By the time their kid goes to college, they’ll only be in their forties. So young!”

“They’re way ahead of their peers in life stages.”

Yan thought about it. In her previous understanding, marriage and having kids were things that happened after graduating from college and working for a few years. For people their age, hearing about someone getting married and having kids felt like something only older generations did—completely like a different generation.

After all, Yan still feels like she hasn’t grown into a proper adult yet.

Speaking of which, President Lin Lu is only a year or two older than them, but she already seems like a mature and reliable adult.

Thinking of this, Yan feels a bit envious.

Gu Jiasui, on the other hand, isn’t particularly remarkable. Nowadays, things are different from the past. In this era, children are considered adults at eighteen, and men can get married at twenty-two while women at twenty, with the state’s official recognition.

In the past, girls would come of age at fifteen, and boys at twenty. By their teens or even earlier, they would already be looking for potential partners.

However, Yan thinks the current laws are excellent. In the past, girls married too early. From today’s perspective, they were still children, their bodies not fully developed, yet they were expected to bear and raise children, which was truly difficult.

The dinner reservation was for six in the evening. As soon as class ended, Yan rushed back to her dorm to take a quick shower.

“Yan, is that roommate who makes fried rice going to be at your boyfriend’s dorm gathering tonight?”

After learning why Yan was going out for dinner, Chu Bingbing suddenly had an idea.

“Yes, he’ll be there,” Yan replied, looking at her, unsure what Chu Bingbing was planning.

“Could you ask him when he’s opening his shop during the holiday and if he’s got any new dishes? I’d like to stop by and support him,” Chu Bingbing said, blinking her eyes.

“No problem,” Yan gave an OK sign.

“I’ll ask him if it’s okay to share his WeChat. If it’s fine, I’ll pass it along to you guys.”

Seeing how her roommates had all fallen in love with his fried rice, Yan was afraid of her boyfriend’s jealousy. It’d be better to let them contact him directly in the future.

…

At six in the evening, Wenji Restaurant.

Zhu Jue’s dorm had six people, plus Yan and Lin Lu, making a total of eight—just enough for a small private room.

As the only two women in the room, Yan and Lin Lu sat together, each accompanied by their respective partners.

In contrast, the other roommates seemed a bit reserved.

At that moment, Yan was forcing herself to shift her attention from the five glaring golden halos in the room to Lin Lu beside her.

Five! Five halos! That’s one more than in her own dorm.

Ye Ping’an—his name reflected his parents’ hopes for him. He sat relaxed in his chair, his slightly curly black hair giving him a lazy, carefree vibe, like those genius students who slept through class but aced every exam.

Compared to the other roommates—whether it was the ethereal medical prodigy Xiao Qingnang, the fair-skinned and handsome Yuan Ye, or the sharp and formidable soldier king Lin Fan—Ye Ping’an exuded a sense of ease and freedom.

The halo above Ye Ping’an’s head read “Interstellar Livestream,” which made Yan pause for a moment.

Interstellar… as in the sci-fi novels and movies she’d read and watched? Spaceships, starfighters, mechs, wormholes, and humanity spreading across the universe?

Zhu Jue had mentioned that Ye Ping’an liked to tinker with video livestreams. He’d done some on-campus broadcasts before and seemed to go out on weekends to stream as well.

Yan had never thought much of it before. With livestreaming and e-commerce being so lucrative these days, she wondered what niche Ye Ping’an was aiming for.

She’d seen plenty of student-run channels from top universities, showcasing everything from makeup tutorials to gaming, or even just daily campus life. Even the cafeteria food seemed to draw endless fascination from viewers.

But this “Interstellar Livestream”… Yan pondered it for a moment.

What did Ye Ping’an study again? Computer science, right?

Was his livestream meant for interstellar audiences? Showing them modern Earth and Xia Country? Letting future humans see the present?

Interstellar… that’s the interstellar era!

Yan couldn’t help but wonder: What races existed in the interstellar age? Had humans already settled on other planets? What did the future look like?

She really wanted to know! But no, she had to hold back. What if this “interstellar” wasn’t the same as the one she imagined?

Yan forced herself to shift her attention away from Ye Ping’an and glanced at Yuan Ye instead.

If Ye Ping’an’s halo had merely made Yan curious, Yuan Ye’s halo outright froze her brain for a few seconds.

【Girl’s Dress-Up Game】

Yuan Ye’s appearance didn’t quite match his name.

The name “Yuan Ye” might conjure images of a free-spirited nature lover.

But in reality, Yuan Ye was the shortest in Zhu Jue’s dorm, standing at only 175 cm, with a small frame and a slim build.

With his bangs framing his face, he looked even more delicate—fair-skinned, red-lipped, and big-eyed. Dressed in plain clothes, he had the classic “pretty boy” look.

Yan remembered Zhu Jue mentioning that Yuan Ye’s wardrobe included Lolita dresses and Hanfu. She couldn’t help but imagine what Yuan Ye would look like in women’s clothing… He’d probably be indistinguishable from a girl!

The phrase “girl’s dress-up” immediately reminded Yan of the dress-up games she used to play on 4399 as a kid.

Picking out clothes, skirts, and accessories for the main character.

Wait… Yan suddenly thought of something.

If it’s a “girl’s dress-up system,” could Yuan Ye actually be a girl disguised as a boy?

No, no, she’d read too many melodramatic novels. Schools required physical exams, and reality wasn’t that dramatic. His roommates would’ve noticed by now.

So, maybe this so-called “girl’s dress-up system” had bound itself to the wrong person?

And Yuan Ye, stuck with this system, had no choice but to wear women’s clothing for some reason?

A squeeze on her hand from Zhu Jue snapped Yan back to reality.

No, no, she couldn’t keep thinking about this. She’d have to ask Zhu Jue to observe and analyze it later.

For now, Yuan Ye didn’t seem dangerous. Yan couldn’t imagine what kind of special power a “girl’s dress-up system” could have.

But with Ye Ping’an… she couldn’t help but wonder. If it was a livestream, there must be donations, right? A cross-temporal broadcast… What if Ye Ping’an got his hands on some advanced interstellar tech? Would Earth be doomed?

She hoped he was a good person! Yan fretted.

The five halos had overloaded her brain. Zhu Jue’s roommates seemed way more dangerous than hers!

She forced herself to stop looking at the halos and focus on the beautiful woman beside her instead.

Lin Lu sat at the head of the table, with Yan to her left. Yan couldn’t help but notice the shyness on Lin Fan’s face.

Here was this tall, strong man, but sitting in his seat, he seemed to shrink under Lin Lu’s presence.

Bro, you’re a soldier king!

Was Lin Lu’s aura just that overwhelming? The soldier king had turned into a bashful husband in an instant!

“Yan, is there anything you’d like to eat? Any dietary restrictions?” Lin Lu asked with a gentle smile, her eyes warm.

Sitting beside her, Yan was momentarily stunned. That perfect jawline, flawless skin, a face that seemed sculpted by the goddess Nüwa herself, and such a gentle demeanor.

Thinking back to how Lin Lu had commanded the room in her office earlier, and now seeing her like this…

Yan: *swoon.*

She was melting, completely disarmed by Lin Lu’s kindness.

Lin Lu was so nice, but that scumbag deserved to die!

Yan nodded like a little chick pecking at rice. “I’ll eat anything, no restrictions.”

Lin Lu chuckled at her childlike enthusiasm and handed the menu to Zhu Jue. “Zhu Jue, you order for her.”

Zhu Jue glanced at Yan, who was now turned toward Lin Lu, and smiled helplessly.

Beside him, Ye Ping’an was scrolling through a review app on his phone, while Xiao Qingnang seemed deep in thought, studying the menu and its culinary combinations.

Zhu Jue held the menu but hesitated to order. It wasn’t that he couldn’t decide—it was just that the recommended braised cuttlefish was priced per piece, and he wasn’t sure how many to get.

At 20 yuan per piece, he thought it might be better to let Chu Shen handle the ordering. Compared to the prices at his little restaurant, this was still cheap.

He quietly passed the menu along. “Chu Shen, you take care of it.”

Lin Lu, who had been chatting softly with Yan, noticed the boys’ awkwardness. She turned to Lin Fan and said a few words. Immediately, Lin Fan stood up, and the waitstaff handed him a new menu.

Then, the soldier king flipped open the menu and went on a wild ordering spree.

"Braised hairtail, 20 yuan a piece? Huh? One piece isn’t even enough to fill a tooth gap, let’s get sixteen."

"Is one portion of yellow croaker enough? Should we get two?"

"This shrimp is their specialty, how much should we order based on the number of people?"

……

Without even glancing at the prices, Lin Fan ordered with such extravagance that Yuan Ye, upon seeing the menu prices, felt his soul leave his body. He immediately started pulling Lin Fan back.

"Let’s, let’s not order so much for now. We can always order more if it’s not enough."

"Don’t worry, I have a big appetite. I’ll definitely finish it all. I used to have a lot of allowances, so a meal like this is no problem," Lin Fan assured, patting his chest.

Though he frowned at the prices and portions on the menu, this was his wife’s choice, and he couldn’t possibly take her to the canteen.

Today, Zhu Jue and the others had helped out, so it was only right to treat them to a good meal.

Yan had successfully added Lin Lu on WeChat, along with a few other roommates of Zhu Jue’s. After getting Chu Shen’s permission, she even shared his contact in the dorm group chat.

"That was quick," Chu Shen chuckled, looking at the new avatars popping up in his contacts.

Good news: he had a few new customers, though he didn’t really need more.

Bad news: these were Yan’s roommates. If they wanted to buy his fried rice, would he have to bring a whole pot of it back to school every time he returned from home?

"Wait, Gu Jiasui? That Gu Jiasui?" He was stunned. Wasn’t this the campus celebrity who had made headlines on the first day of school?

"She’s my roommate," Yan said, winking at Zhu Jue. She was pretty good at keeping secrets.

"Gu Jiasui is Yan’s roommate?" Lin Lu, who was sitting nearby, was also surprised.

"What a coincidence. I’m working on a show right now, and she’s on the list of potential guests."

"Really?" Yan knew that Lin Lu worked for Jiahe Media, which was involved in the entertainment industry, but she hadn’t expected it to connect so directly with someone in her own circle.

"It’s a collaboration with an official TV station. Originally, it was just an idea for a web series, but it caught their attention, and now we’re working together. But the preparation will still take some time."

Lin Lu thought for a moment and decided to share a bit more with Yan: "It’s a cultural heritage program. There’s a lot of coordination involved, but I think her vibe fits perfectly."

Yan nodded. A cultural heritage program would definitely suit Gu Jiasui, after all, she was a genuine antique—a princess from another era.

"You can mention it to her. If she’s interested, we can discuss her schedule."

Yan hadn’t expected to land Gu Jiasui a gig just by coming out for a meal. Lin Lu didn’t say much, probably because the show was still in the planning stages and details couldn’t be revealed yet. But based on the information and the fact that Lin Lu was a top executive, Yan guessed this was a great opportunity.

As the dishes were served, most of them were individually portioned, and Yan focused on eating.

It had to be said, Wenji Restaurant had every right to charge those prices. The ingredients were top-notch. The 20-yuan-per-piece hairtail melted in her mouth, incredibly fresh and flavorful.

The individually portioned dishes didn’t look like much, but as one dish was cleared and another arrived, Yan found herself eating non-stop. By the time the dessert and fruit course arrived, she was completely stuffed.

The main course was lobster rice, the restaurant’s signature dish, but even this luxurious dish was left unfinished at the table.

"It’s not as good as Chu Shen’s fried rice," Yuan Ye whispered.

This comment immediately earned nods of agreement from several people. Despite the expensive ingredients in the lobster rice, they were still reminiscing about the taste of Chu Shen’s fried rice from that morning.

Chu Shen, the god of fried rice!

With everyone full and Lin Fan needing to take his wife home, the small gathering of Room 414 came to an end.

The restaurant wasn’t far from the university, and they had walked there. After dinner, as the sky darkened and the temperature dropped, it was the perfect time to walk back and digest.

Since this area was a historical and cultural district, it was also ideal for a leisurely stroll. As they walked, Yan noticed Ye Ping’an frantically pulling out his phone.

"You guys go ahead, I’ll walk behind. I haven’t finished my live stream hours for today."

"Wow, Ping’an, you signed with a company? They’re making you stream every day?" Yuan Ye exclaimed.

"Yeah, just to get a basic salary. I just stream casually to meet the hours, and it’s enough to cover my living expenses," Ye Ping’an said, already setting up his handheld tripod to film the surrounding colonial-style buildings.

Seeing that he was about to start streaming, Xiao Qingnang and Yuan Ye walked side by side, while Yan and Zhu Jue held hands, with Ye Ping’an trailing behind them.

However, Yan didn’t hear Ye Ping’an introduce anything to his audience. After a few steps, she turned back out of curiosity, only to be completely shocked.

[Is this really the architecture of Ancient Blue Star? Are you really from Ancient Blue Star, streamer?]

[What era is this? It looks so primitive. Before the Great Galactic Expansion?]

[Wow, these are Ancient Chinese, right? Such classic features. So beautiful. It’s so hard to find pure-blooded faces like this nowadays.]

Yan forced herself to turn back calmly, as if she hadn’t seen anything.

Only after turning back did she vigorously rub her eyes.

Crap! Had she been around too many extraordinary people lately? How could she see interstellar live stream comments? Was it just her imagination?

The Great Galactic Expansion? What on earth was the Great Galactic Expansion?!