Chapter 165

The first floor was cleaned, then they went to the second floor.

While wiping dust from the books in the study, Sun Manning ran her fingers along the rows of shelves and sighed enviously:

"We study just to pass exams, but they've already earned great fame. People really can't be compared—if you do, you'll suffocate yourself."

Mai Sui agreed with this.

Watching her friend tidy up the messy desk, Sun Manning said, "I remember when you missed Peking University by two points, you thought the sky had fallen—you locked yourself in your room for days, saying you wanted to retake the exam. Now I feel you've actually moved on."

Mai Sui said, "I haven't fully moved on, but you have to face reality. Peking University is still the university I long for most."

Sun Manning smirked, defending her own alma mater: "Heart in Fudan, body in Cao's camp—what's wrong with Fudan? Li Heng never said he had to go to Peking University."

Mai Sui smiled and said, "Li Heng and I are different. Without Xiao Han in Shanghai, he definitely would've gone to Peking University."

Sun Manning blurted out, "He didn't get in—he was one point short."

Mai Sui said nothing, crouching to wipe the desk legs.

Sun Manning sighed, "It seems Xiao Han means more to him."

Mai Sui said, "That's not entirely fair. His first choice was Peking University, but I think his original intention was to be with Song Yu. Fate just played a trick."

Sun Manning challenged, "Then why didn't he go to Peking University?"

Mai Sui analyzed, "Maybe it's because of Chen Chen Chen Zijin. And Xiao Han is equally beautiful—he's probably a very greedy man in love."

Hearing the word "greedy," Sun Manning smirked with delight: "Tsk tsk, indeed, even heroes fall for beauty—no man is perfect; he's inherited the romantic charm of a scholar."

Then, with a sly glance, Sun Manning added, "By the way, I forgot to tell you—he's incredibly charming. During military training, a girl named Li Xian really liked him."

Mai Sui said, "I know."

"Huh?"

Sun Manning gasped, indignant: "So he went to see you during military training? Favoritism?"

Mai Sui laughed, "No way. The story about Li Xian spread like wildfire in the girls' dorm—we all on our floor heard about this girl chasing a guy."

Sun Manning asked, "So, does Li Xian have bigger breasts? Do you think she has a chance?"

Mai Sui thought for a moment, then shook her head: "With Xiao Han in Shanghai, other girls have almost no chance during these four years. Li Xian isn't strong enough."

Of course, Mai Sui said this based on the many love letters girls had given Li Heng in high school, and on his status as a famous writer.

Boarding the bus, as they passed through the bustling Yang Pu Center, Li Heng's gaze unconsciously swept toward the piano training center.

Chen Chen Chen Siya held a cup of coffee, chatting with a woman by the second-floor window—the woman's back faced the street.

Chen Chen Chen Siya seemed to spot Li Heng and waved deliberately: "I just saw a really interesting guy."

"?" Her friend looked puzzled.

Chen Chen Chen Siya recounted how Li Heng had refused the acting role, then laughed: "You know what? A while back, bored out of my mind, I had someone dig into Li Heng's background. Turns out he's from a village in Xiangnan—not some deputy's son at all. My casting assistant and I were both fooled."

The friend asked, "From Xiangnan? Li Heng? Is he the new freshman at Fudan?"

Chen Chen Chen Siya was startled: "You know him?"

The friend sipped her coffee: "I don't know him personally, but if it's the same guy, I've heard his name."

Chen Chen Chen Siya was even more surprised: "Someone like you? How would you have heard his name?"

The friend turned sideways, glancing out the window—where was the bus now?

Chen Chen Chen Siya's curiosity was piqued. "Stop being cryptic—tell me what's going on!"

The friend said, "It involves a friend of mine. I can't say."

The 7th was the Mid-Autumn Festival, falling on a Wednesday—would the school even give us a holiday?

With this thought, Li Heng had barely stepped off the bus in Xu Hui when he fought off his motion sickness and headed toward the nearby department store.

With this thought in mind, Li Heng had just stepped off the Xu Hui stop and forced himself toward a nearby department store, suppressing his motion sickness.

And she had a peculiar habit: she preferred cheap five-nut mooncakes and traditional ones.

According to her, the cheaper the mooncake, the better the flavor—expensive ones were only good for gifting or scamming money.

Li Heng fully agreed. Every Mid-Autumn, he deliberately bought loose mooncakes, especially loving the candied orange peel and rock sugar inside.

He bought five each of five-nut and traditional mooncakes, then added one expensive box for appearances.

After all, Xiao Han's dorm had so many girls—only loose mooncakes wouldn't do. Where would he save face then?

After paying, Li Heng grabbed the mooncakes and headed straight for Shanghai Medical University.

He still knew the way to the girls' dorm building, but this time luck was with him—he spotted her outside on the grass before even entering.

Xiao Han was laughing with her roommates, walking toward the dorm, when suddenly she heard a familiar voice:

At that moment, Xiao Han was laughing and chatting with her roommates as they walked back to the dorm, when suddenly she heard a familiar voice calling out:

Xiao Han turned her head.

Her seven roommates turned too.

But before any of them could react, Li Heng had already set the mooncakes down on the grass and rushed over like a rocket, scooping Xiao Han into his arms.

He said, tenderly, "Baby, you've lost weight—you're lighter now."

The seven roommates stared, stunned into silence. Their glances held both envy and shock.

Envy, of course—what girl at this age doesn't dream of romance?

Especially since Li Heng's looks and aura were exactly what girls found irresistible.

But the shock? They all thought the same thing: Who the hell is this guy? How bold is he? To make such an intimate move in broad daylight?

This scene truly shook the seven girls.

But even more stunned were the nearby male and female students—especially the guys in the adjacent dorm building, who erupted in chaos.

Within moments, the news spread. Windows in every dorm room filled with heads, all craning their necks to see who had carried away the medical university's goddess.

For a month now, Xiao Han's beauty had spread like wildfire—passed from one dorm to another, reaching every nearby building.

Almost every guy knew that this year's freshman class in clinical medicine had a girl who looked like a fairy. They loved to gather at windows, timing their glances to catch her passing below.

Now, their goddess—their fairy—was being held in the arms of a stranger, lifted off the ground by her hips.

But now, the goddess they revered as a fairy was being held in the arms of a stranger, her hips lifted off the ground by both hands.

This was just… unscientific!

They hadn't even gotten a chance to be heroes—heartbroken, all of them.

"What major is this guy from?"

"Brothers, I need to know his name!"

"Someone snatched Xiao Han right under our noses? Damn it—I want to punch him!"

"Count me in! So infuriating—such a good cabbage, plucked by a pig."

"Count me in! It's infuriating—such a good cabbage has been snatched by a pig."

As students from nearby dorms leaned out windows to watch, Li Heng had already dragged the blushing Xiao Han away from the scene.

He had to run—his girl's face was so flushed it looked like she'd burst into steam.

They reached a quiet patch of grass. Xiao Han, finally breathing easy, twisted her face in exasperation:

"Mr. Li, I've told you so many times—there are so many people here. Do you think you're at home? Hugging me is one thing, but lifting me up?"

Li Heng grinned shamelessly: "Is there really a big difference between hugging you and lifting you up?"

Midday sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting soft, intoxicating rings of light across Xiao Han's exquisite face.

She sighed pitifully: "There's not much difference—it's a tiny difference—but I'm not your girlfriend."

Li Heng cut in immediately: "Let me ask again—will you be my girlfriend?"

She looked away, unable to meet his burning gaze, and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear:

"Fine, fine, forget I said that. I won't hold you accountable for hugging me."

To ease her own embarrassment, Xiao Han lowered her head to examine the mooncakes he'd brought.

Li Heng asked, "I bought several kinds—do you like them?"

Xiao Han said, "The mooncakes are good, and I like them—but I don't like owing people."

Li Heng raised an eyebrow: "Owing me? Do you really feel you owe me?"

Li Heng raised an eyebrow: "Owe me a favor? Do you really think you owe me one?"

Xiao Han said clearly: "I haven't repaid a single bit—and it's only growing every day."

Li Heng asked, "In our relationship, are you really so bothered by owing me?"

Xiao Han half-closed her crescent eyes: "Yes, very bothered. I'm not some girl showered with endless affection."

With that, she closed the bag and hugged it to her chest: "I wish I could repay you all at once—but I'm just a weak woman, with no power. I can't refuse you, so what can I do? I can only repay you slowly, bit by bit."

Li Heng asked, "Why not just not repay? Keep owing me—just accept my kindness without shame."

Xiao Han tilted her head slightly, gazing earnestly into his eyes: "Why emphasize that I'm shameless? Isn't it you who's been chasing me? Isn't it you who's clung to me like a medicinal patch, wanting to protect me, worry about me, and make me your girlfriend?"

Their eyes locked. Li Heng said firmly: "Yes."

Hearing such a blunt admission, Xiao Han looked away—then glanced back at his eyes, then flushed again and turned away, pressing her lips together, fanning her chest with her right hand like a fan:

"What's gotten into you lately? Every time I joke with you, you turn serious about love—it's so sudden, I'm thrown off guard."

Seeing Li Heng silent, just staring at her, Xiao Han, still talking to herself, felt her whole body burn. Her heartbeat surged again, nearly leaping into her throat. She forced calm:

"Can you just act normal? Talk normally—"

Seeing Li Heng silent, staring at her steadily, Xiao Han felt her whole body burn; her heart raced again, pounding so hard it felt like it might leap into her throat. She forced a calm tone and said:

Before she could finish, her hand was seized—then she was pulled backward, her back slamming against a tree, pressed flat with no gap between her and the trunk.

Li Heng leaned in, his hot breath aimed at her lips: "Since you hate owing me so much, from today on, repay me this way."

Xiao Han hadn't finished speaking when her hand was suddenly gripped tight; someone seized her hand, and she was pulled backward, pressing firmly against the tree behind her, her back pressed flush against the trunk with not a sliver of space between.

Li Heng pressed against her, his hot breath aimed at her small lips, "Since you dislike owing people so much, starting today, repay your debts this way."

Caught off guard by his sudden move, Xiao Han stammered, "What? What are you doing?"

But "what" was doomed to remain unsaid—Li Heng seized the moment, pressing his lips to her slightly parted mouth, then swiftly hooking her dental cavity with a red fishhook, forcing her jaws open and locked.

Instantly, the air around them froze; an indescribable aura arose, slowly, gradually filling every crevice with an intimate tension.

Eyes wide, they stared into each other's at close range.

One kissed her mouth.

The other's tiny heart leapt from her throat to her mouth, her chest heaving erratically with nervous tension, straining her blue-and-white plaid shirt taut.

Looking and looking, she watched him, he watched her—neither knew how long it had been.

At some moment, Li Heng tilted his head slightly and kissed her deeply, his movements gentle yet firm, leaving no room for resistance or doubt.

At first, Xiao Han, panicked beyond words, instinctively pushed against his chest—but it was useless. His body didn't retreat; instead, he pressed closer, pinning her slender frame against the tree trunk, as if rivets had been driven between them, contours fitting perfectly, seamless and tight.

"Mr. Li, you can't do this."

"Mr. Li, I beg you."

"Mr. Li!"

"Mr. Li…"

Her voice grew weaker, more feeble—until finally, her mouth full, she stopped calling out altogether, trembling fingers clutching his waistband, helplessly watching him, feeling every motion he made.

Undeniably, she loved him—deeply.

In quiet moments, she had imagined him countless times in romantic fantasies; now that escape was impossible and it had already happened, Xiao Han swiftly convinced herself, then cherished his sweet tenderness, treasured her first kiss, and fully savored the beauty he brought.

It was a kind of beauty—unutterable.

A tingling numbness spread through her entire body; slowly, Xiao Han ceased resisting, accepted it—because it was exactly as she'd imagined, even more intense, more unforgettable.

But!

Reality was always cruel—just as she was beginning to surrender, her eyes suddenly flew open, staring in shock at two heads emerging from the bushes behind him.

Xiao Han froze.

The two girls behind the bushes froze too.

Xiao Han never expected anyone to be here, in such a secluded spot!

The two girls never expected that after just sitting down to rest, they'd stumble upon someone making out—so passionately!

"Ah?!" Realizing too late, Xiao Han shoved Li Heng away with all her strength and fled, turning her back.

As she ran, her dark hair bounced behind her like a terrified white rabbit, scrambling wildly in panic.

Li Heng was stunned, turning to face the two unfamiliar girls—more stunned.

He'd just gotten into the rhythm, lost in the kiss—his experience told him Xiao Han was about to yield, about to cooperate—only to fail at the most critical moment.

What the hell was that?

The two girls finally recognized Li Heng's face, exchanged glances, then stood and ran off too.

Watching their hasty, flustered retreat, Li Heng felt deeply frustrated—and profoundly disappointed.

In pursuing Xiao Han, he relied on unpredictability, on sudden strikes, never on etiquette or polite hesitation—otherwise, when would she ever agree to be his girlfriend?

He'd thought today was perfect—timing, place, opportunity—all aligned—yet still, it fell apart!

Truly!

Li Heng followed after her, finding Xiao Han in a corner of the campus.

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(Still)

(End of chapter)