He was typing on the keyboard of his notebook computer when he heard a knock on the door.

The man in the library earlier, Gao Tian Yu, as seductive as he was, now looked nerdy with a pair of square-framed spectacles as he prepared his proposal. "Come in," he said.

Pushing open the door that it was slightly ajar, Gao Tian Yin placed her pretty head in the noticeable gap. "Are you really... free to talk?"

The tall man sighed. "Come on in, little sister. Unless you really need me to invite you in with open arms?" He was indeed blessed to have a sister who stuck her nose in every part of his life and knowing the look in her eyes. It wasn't just a talk that she wanted. It was pure interrogation. Nevertheless, he couldn't leave her standing at the door, or she would be ratting off her mistreatment to their parents, very soon.

It was part of their parents' arrangement that they inherited an apartment deep in the city, not far from the university where Gao Tian Yin studied. Tian Yu was entrusted with keeping an eye on and caring for the delinquent younger sister, and at times, he felt more like a father and mother than an older sibling. As beautiful as she was, Tian Yin was pampered and mischievous.

Tian Yin finally invited herself into the room, joining her brother to sit cross-legged on his gigantic couch. "So..." she looked around the room, "..why were you at the library today?" she asked inquisitively, changing her focus to her handsome brother's face. She scrutinised his face for any signs that he was secretly dating behind her back.

She would really be the death of him, Tian Yu groaned.

Tall, fair and muscular, the twenty-seven-year-old Tian Yu was a remarkable alumni member that would often visit from time to time, the main reason being the fact that his beautiful, 20-year old sister was a second-year student in the university. He had been afraid that his beloved younger sister would be tainted and have her feelings tricked by some boy in the university, so would visit or have his male assistant Ying, who was a fourth-year student, check on her. But now, after the event at the library earlier, he had another reason to come back to the university as an alumnus: the girl at the library.

The girl had appeared strangely familiar as if he had seen her somewhere before. Maybe there would be an opportunity to know her better. He would come to the university again.

Tian Yin hated that her brother would often wear the same cold look on his face regardless if he were happy, sad, angry or upset. His mood and emotions had been so hard to guess from a mere look at his face. Hence, that was where he had got his nickname during university: Mr Stone!

After some minutes, she gave up finally, understanding that Tian Yu would probably never give her the answer to why he was on her campus. She changed the topic, asking about the girl in the library instead. Her brother answered directly, "Don't know her. She just fell at the library while trying to grab a book that was too high up. Fortunately, I passed by and caught her."

Tian Yin replied with an 'Oh, such a Samaritan', before quickly trying to grab the remote control to Tian Yu's Smart TV. "Hey, the series I was waiting for, the Golden Arrow of Hou-Yi is being broadcast! And there's another remake of Journey to the North! What should I watch?"

"Can't you see that I'm trying to finish my proposal?" Tian Yu snapped. "You have your own smart TV, why do you insist on watching TV here?" He was a bit irritated with Tian Yin trying to change the channel while he was using music to relax while he was working.

"So do you like her, Bro?" Tian Yin said, looking relaxed as she chewed on a biscuit stick.

"I'm not answering your question." Tian Yu looked away. "And your biscuits won't tempt an answer from your big brother."

"Are you sure you don't want to know?" Tian Yin asked suddenly. "She is my classmate Zhen Jie's older sister's boyfriend's brother's sister-in-law's cousin, studying in the Faculty of Social Sciences. Her name is-"

Tian Yu ushered her out the door. "My proposal is due tomorrow morning at ten" were the last words she heard from him as she heard the clicking sound of the doorknob being locked.

.............................................................

SUNDAY

Zhi Xun was apprehensive as she opened the door to find a well-prepared Herman who had brought with him several snacks, and had even rented all the possible movie DVDs he could get his hands on.

Her roommates, however, coincidentally had an event to go to with their boyfriends. She felt extremely uneasy that she would be alone with her boyfriend, remembering the soap operas that she had watched. A first time happened this way, but was Herman, the person she was ready to give herself to?

One night ago, after she had bid goodbye to Herman, she crept into bed thinking of how close he was in kissing her and how frightened she was. On the other hand, she felt aroused at the library when the stranger's lips had merely brushed against hers. As she laid in bed, she began to recall how the man had caught her in his arms and warmed her with the heat of his own body and smiled. She wondered what it was like to have an actual kiss with the man.

But she couldn't keep thinking of the impossible, after all. The man himself likely had a girlfriend, and she had a boyfriend. Besides, he had only caught her because she had fallen. It was just too much for her to think he would like her just because of one incident.

And also, she had no reason to end things with Herman all because a stranger had caught her in his arms and swept her off her feet. Was this even fair to Herman? Perhaps it was just a temporary admiration thing, and she would forget about the stranger soon.

She braced herself and faked the best smile she could.

"Herman, I'm not sure where the others have gone. I'm sure they'll be back soon-"

She almost screamed as he scooped her up in his arms and took her to her room without warning. With a devilish grin on his face, Herman whispered, "Zhi Xun, I promise you that you will enjoy what comes after."

Zhi Xun shuddered. What had just come over Herman, and what was he going to do to her?