Oh no! I've only been a freshman and I've already been targeted by a mean upperclassman.

Li Chen stood up and noticed that her gaze was still fixed on the river.

He reached out and took her hand.

Yan Xi turned around.

"I didn't make a wish," Li Chen said.

Why?

"unnecessary."

His thumb gently rubbed the back of her hand.

Everything I wanted is here.

Yan Xi's pupils dilated slightly.

She withdrew her hand, turned around and left.

I walked a little faster than usual.

Li Chen followed behind, watching the red tinge at the tips of her ears, unable to suppress the smile on his lips.

The two walked along the riverbank for a while and then circled around to the east side of the ancient town.

This area was noticeably quieter than the place I visited yesterday, with fewer shops and more residential buildings.

The alley narrowed as you walked, and the walls on both sides were covered with moss and vines.

"It seems like there aren't many people around here," Yan Xi observed her surroundings.

"Yes, tourism development hasn't reached this area yet."

Li Chen glanced at the map on his phone.

"There's a bridge ahead, said to be from the Ming Dynasty, and it's very well preserved. The travel guide says it's worth seeing."

"Is there anything in your guide that's not worth reading?"

"have."

Li Chen put away his phone.

"Nowhere you are is worth visiting."

Yan Xi stopped and turned around.

"Li Chen".

"Um?"

"You've gotten better and better at sweet talk lately, has anyone told you that?"

"have."

"Who?"

"you."

"..."

Yan Xi took a deep breath.

"At least I would blush before."

"You've improved." Li Chen shrugged.

Yan Xi glared at him and continued walking forward.

The stone arch bridge from the Ming Dynasty is indeed very well preserved. The stone of the bridge has been polished smooth by the years, and the carved patterns on the railings are still faintly discernible.

The two stood on the bridge, looking down at the river below.

The river widens here, and its flow slows down.

Smoke rose from the chimneys of several houses on the opposite bank, drifting into the gray-white sky.

Yan Xi took out her phone and took a few photos.

Li Chen stood behind her, waiting for her to finish taking the picture.

"Come here." Yan Xi beckoned to him.

Li Chen walked over.

Yan Xi raised her phone and pointed the camera at the two of them.

On the screen, behind them are ancient bridges, rivers, and cooking smoke.

Yan Xi pressed the shutter button.

She glanced at the finished product and put her phone away with satisfaction.

"Should I post it on WeChat Moments?" Li Chen asked.

"certainly."

A warm sensation welled up in Li Chen's chest.

What she is willing to show the world is a declaration of sovereignty.

The two came down from the bridge, preparing to return the way they came.

As soon as I entered the alley, three men came towards me.

They were all quite young, in their early twenties, dressed in flashy clothes, and had cigarettes dangling from their mouths.

The one in the lead had dyed his hair yellow and walked with a deliberately swaying gait.

The three of them slowed down the moment they saw Yan Xi.

The blond-haired man's gaze slid from Yan Xi's face to her body, lingering for two seconds.

Then he whistled.

Li Chen's eyes turned cold.

The whistling sound was amplified in the narrow alley, becoming sharp and piercing.

Li Chen didn't stop walking. He naturally reached out his right hand and shielded Yan Xi behind him.

Yan Xi felt the strength in his arm. It wasn't heavy, but his attitude was clear.

She didn't break free.

The three people blocked the middle of the alley, showing no intention of making way.

The blond-haired man flicked the ash from his cigarette and tilted his head to look at Yan Xi.

"Beautiful lady, are you a local?"

Li Chen didn't look at him.

His gaze swept over the three men's positions—the blond-haired man in the middle, the short, fat one on the left, and the lean one on the right.

The short, stout man had his hands in his pockets, while the lean man was rubbing his fingers together.

None of them are trained martial artists.

A conclusion is reached within three seconds.

"Excuse me," Li Chen said calmly.

Only then did the blond-haired man's gaze fall on him.

I scanned it from top to bottom.

"Hey, handsome." The blond guy smiled, revealing a set of teeth stained yellow from smoking.

"Your girlfriend? She's really pretty. Want to be friends?"

Li Chen did not answer.

He took a step forward.

With that step, the distance between the two shortened to less than a meter.

The blond-haired man's smile froze for a moment.

He couldn't quite describe the feeling—the young man in front of him, wearing a white sweater, had a clean-cut appearance and wasn't particularly burly.

But when he took that step forward, the air seemed to be compressed.

A sense of oppression that seeps into your bones.

Huang Mao subconsciously took a half step back, then realized that he had lost face in front of his two brothers.

His face darkened.

"I'm talking to you, stop pretending—"

"The last time."

Li Chen interrupted him.

Two words, devoid of any extra emotion.

The blond-haired man met his eyes.

There was no anger or threat in those eyes.

It was as clean as a pool of water.

But underwater, there's something that sends chills down your spine.

The blond-haired man's Adam's apple bobbed.

The short, stout man behind him tugged at his sleeve.

"Brother, forget it, don't cause trouble."

The blond-haired man shook off his hand, but his foot had already moved to the side.

"Okay, okay, make way."

He leaned against the wall to make way for the two of them.

Li Chen took Yan Xi's hand and walked between the three of them.

His pace was neither fast nor slow.

As Huang Mao passed by, Huang Mao smelled a faint scent of laundry detergent on him.

Clean and fresh.

A world completely different from his.

Only after the two figures disappeared into the alley did the blond-haired man's legs go weak.

"Damn it," he cursed, slamming the cigarette butt to the ground and stomping it out.

The thin man leaned closer, his voice weak.

"Bro, who was that guy just now? The way he looked at me..."

"Shut up."

Yellow Hair wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

Outside the alley, the sun was shining brightly.

Yan Xi's hand was held by Li Chen and he didn't let go.

She could feel that his palms were dry, at a normal temperature, and his heartbeat wasn't accelerated.

Throughout the entire process, his emotions remained completely unchanged.

This discovery brought a slight smile to Yan Xi's lips.

"Did I scare you?" Li Chen turned to look at her.

What do you think?

Li Chen looked at her face, which hadn't even twitched its eyebrows, and smiled.

Also.

Yan Zhen's daughter has seen all sorts of situations since she was a child.

Three street thugs weren't even worth a second glance from her.

"However—" Yan Xi squeezed his fingers.

"Well done."

"What's good about it?"

"No one did it."

Li Chen remained silent for a moment.

"Doing it yourself is too time-consuming and it's easy to get your clothes dirty."

Yan Xi glanced at him sideways.

"So what were you doing when you took that step forward just now?"

"Let's be reasonable."

"..."

Yan Xi pulled her hand out of his palm and instead took his arm.

"Okay, from now on you can explain the reasoning to me."

The two walked slowly along the main street.