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

As dawn broke, the campus of Linjiang University was still shrouded in a bluish-gray morning mist.

In room 302, besides the sounds of snoring, there was a pungent smell that was a mixture of instant noodle seasoning packets and fermented old sneakers.

Wang Qiang was sleeping in a very relaxed posture, with one leg draped across Zhao Zixuan's blanket, muttering, "Don't steal my blue buff."

Li Chen stared at the upper bunk bed for half the night with his eyes open.

The mint he ate last night had a really strong aftereffect; the coolness went straight down his throat, making him feel like he was being tossed and turned like a pancake.

Whenever I close my eyes, my mind is filled with Yan Xi's voice, appearance, and smile; I can't shake them off.

Li Chen tiptoed out of bed, the weathered iron frame bed emitting an extremely faint creaking sound.

He held his breath, glanced at his three roommates who were sleeping like logs, and only after making sure he hadn't disturbed them did he grab the washbasin and go to the balcony.

The cool water splashed on my face, and my nerves, which had been agitated all night, finally calmed down.

After changing into athletic shorts and a quick-drying T-shirt, Li Chen stretched his wrists and ankles.

This is a habit he has maintained since childhood.

My grandfather is a martial arts expert, and a Jeet Kune Do master who is really good at fighting.

From the moment Li Chen learned to walk, the old man made him practice horse stance. If he dared to slack off, a bamboo stick as thick as a finger would accurately strike his buttocks.

In the past month or so since I started university, there has been military training and various club recruitment events. In addition, I've been so busy with Yan Xi these past two days that I've really fallen behind on my morning runs.

"If I don't practice now, my father will break my legs when I get back."

Li Chen muttered something to himself in the mirror, grabbed his keys, and went out.

……

The playground was deserted in the early morning, except for a few top students preparing for the postgraduate entrance examination memorizing vocabulary in a corner, their voices buzzing like chanting.

The moist air, when inhaled, carries a unique fragrance of grass and trees.

Li Chen adjusted his breathing and began jogging to warm up.

After two laps, my body gradually warmed up, and that long-lost sense of control returned to my limbs.

He quickened his pace, his steps light and rhythmic, each step landing almost silently.

When Li Chen reached the path beside the artificial lake, he suddenly felt something was wrong.

That feeling was very subtle.

It was as if I was being watched by some kind of gaze.

His martial arts instincts made him feel a tightness in the back of his neck.

So early in the morning, who would bother to venture onto such a secluded path, except for those few who were reciting their lessons?

Footsteps.

It was very faint, but still clearly audible in the quiet morning.

Not far behind him, their frequency was almost identical, indicating they had been following him for a while.

Li Chen didn't turn around, but subtly adjusted his breathing rhythm, his muscles tensing instantly, entering a state where he could exert force at any moment.

If this were back in his hometown, he would have already launched a counterattack and swept past them by now.

But this is a school.

He slammed on the brakes, using the momentum to turn around, and instinctively raised his right hand in a defensive gesture.

"Who?"

A cool morning breeze swept up a few fallen leaves.

Two meters behind, a figure also stopped.

The moment Li Chen saw who it was, he caught his breath in his throat, his posture frozen in mid-air, looking like he was doing some kind of comical calisthenics.

Yan Xi.

She wasn't wearing a figure-hugging dress or shirt today, but rather a dark gray, tight-fitting sportswear outfit.

Her high ponytail was neatly tied, revealing her smooth, full forehead and slender neck.

Because she had just run for a while, her face had a thin blush, and her usually nonchalant cat eyes were now sparkling.

"Quick reaction."

Yan Xi stood still, supporting herself on her knees with her hands to adjust her breathing. Her gaze swept over his awkward defensive gesture, a smile playing on her lips.

"Have you trained before?"

Li Chen quickly withdrew his hand, awkwardly scratching the back of his head: "I was just practicing with the old folks in my family when I was little... What are you doing here?"

What a coincidence!

He gets up at 5:30 and leaves at 6:00, how could we possibly run into each other like this?

"Morning run."

Yan Xi straightened up, tidied her slightly messy bangs, and spoke in a natural tone as if she were saying that the weather was nice today.

"You also go for a morning run?"

Li Chen blurted it out.

In his mind, Yan Xi, a refined academic genius who finds walking tiring and eats only a handful of grains, should be doing yoga in the gym or simply sleeping until noon.

Yan Xi raised an eyebrow and took a step forward.

That familiar sense of oppression returned.

"What, you look down on architecture students?"

She tilted her head slightly, looking at Li Chen, "Do you still think someone like me is just a pretty face who can't lift a finger?"

"No, no, no, absolutely not!"

Li Chen, with a strong survival instinct, waved his hand and said, "I think... it was an accident."

"Since we've run into each other, let's go together."

Yan Xi didn't give him a chance to explain further and directly issued the order.

"Can you keep up?"

She turned her head to look at him, her eyes carrying a hint of provocation.

Li Chen smiled.

If a girl looks down on a man who is a Jeet Kune Do master, he should really commit seppuku to atone for his mistake.

"Senior, that's the question I should be asking you."

"Okay."

Yan Xi chuckled, turned and started running, "Then let's give it a try."

……

As it turns out, Yan Xi is definitely not just a pretty face.

The two ran five kilometers along the ring road around the school.

Li Chen had been deliberately slowing down, afraid that she wouldn't be able to keep up.

The results showed that Yan Xi had excellent control over her breathing rhythm and a stable stride. Although she wasn't as relaxed as him, she was definitely not the kind of novice who would be out of breath after running just a few steps.

When they reached the last uphill section, neither of them spoke.

Only heavy breathing and footsteps mingled together.

Sweat dripped down Li Chen's chin, wetting his collar.

He glanced at Yan Xi beside him.

Her face was covered in sweat, a few strands of hair clung to her cheeks, her lips were slightly parted, and her chest heaved violently.

But this appearance was not disheveled at all; instead, it exuded a wild beauty, more real and more... alluring than his usual aloof demeanor.

"Watch where you're going."

Yan Xi, without looking to the side, gave a reminder while panting.

Li Chen quickly looked away, but his heart was beating even faster than when he was sprinting.

Finally, we reached the finish line.

The two stopped at the bottom of the steps in front of the second canteen.

Yan Xi rested her hands on her knees, breathing heavily, her face as red as a ripe apple.

Although Li Chen was also sweating, he was in much better condition than her, only slightly out of breath.

"Okay, senior."

Li Chen handed her a tissue. "You're a man of few words."

Yan Xi took the tissue, wiped her sweat, straightened up, and glared at him.

This glance wasn't particularly offensive; instead, it carried a hint of coquettishness.

"Did you...do this on purpose?"

She caught her breath and asked.

"What?"

Why speed up on that last stretch of road?

Li Chen blinked innocently: "That's downhill, it's due to inertia."

"I don't believe you."

Yan Xi crumpled the tissue into a ball and accurately threw it into the trash can next to her. "I'm hungry, let's eat."

……