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

The fifth floor of the library is the ancient books reading room.

This is the quietest and most mysterious place in the entire Linjiang University.

Because it houses a large number of precious ancient books and rare editions, only graduate students and professors are usually allowed to enter with valid credentials.

Of course, as the student council president, Yan Xi has special privileges.

Li Chen couldn't get in after swiping his campus card, so he finally messaged Yan Xi and was led in by her best friend, Leng Qingge.

Leng Qingge looked at Li Chen with a teasing gaze.

"I heard you had a pretty good performance last night?"

She asked quietly in the elevator.

Li Chen almost choked to death on his own saliva.

This rumor spread way too fast!

"Rumor! Absolutely a rumor!"

Li Chen refuted him righteously.

Leng Qingge shrugged.

"Fine, whatever you say."

"but……"

She pointed to the innermost corner of the reading room.

"Your partner seems to be in a bad mood today."

"Just now, a clueless junior tried to chat her up, and one look from her almost made him drop out on the spot."

"Good luck to you."

After saying that, Leng Qingge waved her hand and left without any sense of loyalty.

Li Chen took a deep breath.

I straightened my clothes.

I tiptoed toward the corner.

The afternoon sun streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling blinds, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the floor.

Yan Xi was sitting at a large mahogany desk.

He was holding a thick, thread-bound book called "Yingzao Fashi" in his hands.

The sunlight fell on her profile, giving her a golden glow.

It's as beautiful as a painting.

But his brows were slightly furrowed.

It seemed that the contents of the book were somewhat troubling to her.

Li Chen walked to the opposite side of her, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

The movements were very gentle.

But Yan Xi noticed it immediately.

She looked up.

Their gazes fell on Li Chen.

That aloof and distant aura vanished the moment she saw him, like ice and snow melting away.

"You're here?"

The voice was very soft, so as not to disturb others.

"Um."

Li Chen nodded.

I placed a hot Americano that I had bought on the way next to her.

Sugar-free, extra concentrated.

Yan Xi glanced at the cup of coffee.

The corners of his mouth rose slightly.

"You've put your heart into it."

She closed the book and rubbed her temples.

"Didn't sleep well last night?"

Li Chen asked tentatively.

After all, he was the one who started it all.

Yan Xi gave him a half-smile.

What do you think?

"There was a huge furnace lying next to me, turning over and over."

"It's hard for me to sleep well."

Li Chen awkwardly touched his nose.

Can you blame him?

It's all because someone is too tempting.

"By the way, Lin Feng was looking for me earlier."

Li Chen quickly changed the subject.

I briefly recounted the events of the hackathon.

After listening, Yan Xi nodded thoughtfully.

"Alright."

"So you won't be idle all day thinking about all sorts of nonsense."

Li Chen: ...

Where did he think of such nonsense?

That's a normal physiological reaction, okay?

"Moreover, that competition was indeed quite prestigious."

Yan Xi picked up her coffee and took a sip.

"Winning an award would be good for your future resume."

She paused for a moment at this point.

A sly glint flashed in his eyes.

"However, since you're going to participate..."

"So, you won't have time to spend with me during this period?"

Li Chen's heart tightened.

This is a question that could cost you your life.

"How could that be!"

He immediately pledged his loyalty.

"Spending time with you is my main job; competing is just a side job."

"I'll be there whenever you need me."

Yan Xi nodded in satisfaction.

"That's more like it."

She reopened the book.

He ignored Li Chen.

Li Chen also took out his laptop from his bag.

I started researching information about this competition.

The two sat facing each other.

One is reading ancient books, and the other is coding.

They do not interfere with each other, yet there is a strange sense of harmony between them.

Time passed quietly.

The reading room gradually filled up with people.

After finishing typing the last line of code, Li Chen stretched.

I looked up.

He met Yan Xi's gaze.

She seemed to have finished reading the book and was resting her chin on her hand, quietly staring at him.

I don't know how long I watched it.

"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

Li Chen subconsciously touched his face.

Yan Xi shook her head.

She took a piece of candy out of her pocket.

Peel off the candy wrapper.

Those were the blue mints he had given her before.

Open your mouth.

She gave the order in a low voice.

Li Chen obediently opened his mouth.

Yan Xi did not throw the candy directly into his mouth.

Instead, he reached out his hand.

Her fair fingers held the crystal-clear candy.

It slowly reached across the tabletop.

Her fingertips touched Li Chen's lips.

Slightly cool.

Then, gently push it inward.

The sugar cube landed on the tip of my tongue.

The refreshing taste exploded instantly.

But Li Chen didn't care about the taste at all at that moment.

Because Yan Xi did not immediately retract her finger.

Instead, she gently pressed his lower lip.

It carried a hint of ambiguous flirtation.

Li Chen's breath hitched.

He instinctively wanted to put that finger in his mouth.

But Yan Xi, like a slippery fish, quickly withdrew her hand.

"This is a reward."

She looked at Li Chen's still unsatisfied expression and smiled like a little fox.

"This is a reward for your hard work just now."

"He's also very handsome."

Li Chen's face turned red again.

This woman.

She can really make people itch anytime, anywhere.

"Just candy?"

Li Chen asked somewhat unwillingly.

"Otherwise what?"

Yan Xi raised an eyebrow.

"This is a library."

She pointed to the top students around her who were engrossed in their studies.

"If you dare to do anything reckless, you'll be kicked out."

Li Chen glanced around.

indeed.

People were everywhere.

There were even a few girls secretly glancing in this direction.

But the fire in his heart burned ever brighter.

Since the above is not feasible.

What's next?

Li Chen's eyes darkened.

He slowly stretched out his leg from under the table.

Long legs crossed the boundary between the two.

He gently brushed against Yan Xi's calf.

Yan Xi paused for a moment as she turned the pages of the book.

She looked up and gave Li Chen a warning look.

Li Chen pretended to be nonchalant as he looked at the computer screen.

But the activity under the table didn't stop.

His legs continued forward.

Until it hooked onto Yan Xi's ankle.

Gently rub.

Yan Xi was wearing jeans today, with a small section of her fair skin showing at her ankles.

He brushed against me like that.

That tingling sensation traveled straight to my brain from my nerve endings.

Yan Xi bit her lower lip.

That kid.

They've gone astray.

How dare he try to pull a sneaky trick on her in a place like this?

Is she the kind of person who would let herself be taken advantage of?

Obviously not.

Yan Xi did not dodge.

Instead, he simply lifted his foot.

The foot wearing white sneakers landed precisely on Li Chen's instep.

Grind it hard.

"hiss--"

Li Chen gasped.

I almost screamed.

That woman really kicked me hard!

But he did not back down.

Instead, they took the initiative.

Their two feet were intertwined under the table as if they were fighting.

Back and forth.

Neither side would give in.

This is a secret interaction that only the two of them can know about, even under the watchful eyes of others.

It carries a forbidden sense of excitement.

This made their hearts race a little.

until--

"Hey there, classmate!"

Suddenly, the librarian's penetrating voice rang out.

"What are you doing under the table? Stop shaking your leg! The table is wobbling!"

"Anyone who didn't know better would think there had been an earthquake!"

Swah——

All eyes in the reading room immediately turned to him.

Li Chen and Yan Xi froze at the same time.

Their faces turned red at a visible speed.

This time.

Even the aloof Yan Xi couldn't hold back.

She quickly withdrew her foot.

He grabbed a book to cover his face.

Li Chen wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

What a shame!

A once-handsome campus heartthrob was publicly criticized for "fighting" with his girlfriend under a library table.

If this gets out, will he still have any reputation left?

Looking at Yan Xi, who was hiding behind a book, her shoulders were still trembling slightly.

Li Chen ground his back molars.

Row.

He made a note of this debt.

Wait until you win the prize money in the hackathon.

On my birthday.

We must get it back, with interest!