I started as a spirited young man, and the system made me a male god.

At 11 p.m., the cinema lobby was not as lively as usual, with only a few couples picking up their tickets at the front desk.

Shen Shaoting gripped Meng Sixian's wrist, shielding her behind her.

She stared intently at the three boys in front of her who had clearly been drinking, especially the tall one who tried to reach out and touch Meng Sixian.

"It's okay, I just wanted to check your movie tickets so I could buy the seats next to you and watch the movie with you."

The tall boy reached out again, but the strong smell of alcohol on him made Meng Sixian instinctively take a half step back, hide the movie ticket behind her back, and show a flustered expression on her face.

Shen Shaoting felt something explode in her chest cavity with a "bang".

The incident at the bar was like a thorn in her heart, lingering for days.

Chen Fei's question, "Do you know she has to go to work tomorrow?" wasn't harsh, but it kept her tossing and turning for several nights, unable to sleep.

It was her suggestion to watch a horror movie tonight, and she was the one who persuaded Meng Sixian to buy the midnight showing. If what happened last time happens again...

No.

Absolutely not.

She wouldn't allow herself to fail to take good care of Meng Sixian again, and she didn't want to disappoint Chen Fei again!

"WCNMD, getting cocky, huh? Get lost!"

The sound burst from deep in Shen Shaoting's throat. She raised her hand to slap that restless hand, her movements fierce.

However, his hand was intercepted in mid-air.

The force coming from her wrist was strong; the well-defined fingers held her firmly, and the warmth seeped through her skin.

"Who the hell is arresting me?!"

She turned her head away, her eyes red and brimming with tears. But what she saw wasn't a cinema security guard, nor any stranger.

It's Chen Fei.

He was standing right next to her; they had gotten so close without her even realizing it.

The cinema ceiling light cast a small shadow on his eyelashes. His eyes looked at her without blame or dissatisfaction, only a reassuring gentleness.

"Leave it to me, don't cry, your makeup will run."

Chen Fei released her wrist, naturally took out a tissue, and wiped away her tears.

He then stuffed the remaining tissues into her hand, gently stroking the back of her hand with his fingers, before turning around and shielding the three girls behind him.

The whole process took only two or three seconds, but Shen Shaoting felt that the time had been stretched out for a very long time.

She stared blankly as Chen Fei walked away, the lingering warmth from her hands burning all the way to her ears.

"Hello, why is security taking so long? There's someone harassing us here!" Chen Fei shouted towards the front desk, his voice not loud, but clear enough.

The receptionist, a girl with a ponytail who looked to be no more than twenty years old, was frantically holding her phone, the screen showing a call she had just made to her supervisor.

Her face was pale and her lips trembled slightly; it was clearly the first time she had ever handled such a situation.

"I'm so sorry, security will be here soon..." The girl's voice was trembling with tears.

The tall boy chuckled and swayed as he walked over.

He was slightly shorter than Chen Fei, and his upward gaze carried a clear provocation: "Which one is your girlfriend?"

The smell of alcohol wafted out with each word, spreading through the air.

Chen Fei's expression remained unchanged: "Neither."

"Then what are you doing here?" The boy tilted his head, his smile carrying the arrogance typical of a drunkard.

Chen Fei didn't answer the question, but calmly said, "Please wake up, or I'll call the police. There are surveillance cameras here."

He pointed to the corner of the ceiling, where a red monitoring indicator light was flashing regularly in the darkness.

"So what if there's surveillance? What business is it of yours if I hit on someone!" Another boy in a plaid shirt suddenly stepped forward and shoved Chen Fei in the chest with both hands.

Caught off guard by the sudden push, Chen Fei took a half step back, his shoes making a slight "squeak" as they rubbed against the marble floor.

Almost simultaneously, Shen Shaoting supported him from behind, placing her hand on his back.

Chen Fei took a deep breath.

It was a very soft sound, but Shen Shaoting heard it.

She saw Chen Fei's shoulders rise and fall slightly, then relax, and then he put his hands behind his back, making a clear gesture—step back.

Upon seeing this, Lin Jingyi immediately pulled Meng Sixian back two steps.

Shen Shaoting bit her lower lip, staring intently at Chen Fei without blinking, and didn't move.

"Shao Ting." Chen Fei didn't turn around, but simply called her name softly, "Leave it to me."

After saying this, Chen Fei took a few steps forward and stood in front of the three boys again.

His demeanor was relaxed, even casual: "It's late at night, we're out watching a movie, let's not ruin things, or nobody will feel good if something goes wrong."

"Warning our relationship? You think I'm being too nice to you?" The tall boy grinned as if he'd heard a joke. He reached out and lightly patted Chen Fei's cheek.

First time.

The sound was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the empty hall.

Shen Shaoting's blood rushed to her head instantly.

Just as the second blow was about to land—

Chen Fei moved, his movements so fast they were almost invisible.

Raise your left hand and accurately parry the opponent's wrist. At the same time, lower your right shoulder and thrust your body forward like a cannonball.

His shoulder slammed into the other person's chest with just the right amount of force, knocking them back three or four steps without actually injuring them.

The tall boy staggered backward, his drunkenness instantly dissipating.

His eyes widened, clearly not expecting this seemingly slender boy to possess such skill.

"You fucking—" The boy, enraged and embarrassed, swung his fist and charged forward.

Chen Fei dodged the punch by turning to the side, then grabbed the opponent's wrist with his left hand and supported the opponent's elbow with his right hand. With a press and a twist, he tightened the opponent's hand joint in the opposite direction.

The movements were clean and crisp, as if they had practiced countless times.

"Ouch—it hurts!" the tall boy screamed, his body involuntarily bending over.

The other two boys, who had initially wanted to help, froze when they saw this scene.

They glanced at their companion's contorted expression, then at Chen Fei's calm and composed face, realizing they'd met their match, and their drunkenness vanished completely.

"I'm so sorry, brother, he drank too much..."

"We're leaving now, we're leaving now..."

Chen Fei didn't immediately let go. He maintained his suppressive posture, his voice remaining calm: "Stop harassing my friend. Understand?"

"I understand! I understand!"

Chen Fei released his grip. The tall boy clutched his arm and backed away, his face still showing pain and lingering fear.

The three of them exchanged a glance, then ran towards the exit without looking back. Their backs looked so disheveled that it seemed as if a ghost was chasing them, and they didn't even dare to think about revenge anymore.

Chen Fei breathed a sigh of relief. The series of smooth movements that subdued the other party were actually the original owner's muscle memory.

This body is deeply imbued with the instinctive reactions formed from years of street life. Chen Fei only needs to relax, and his body will react accordingly on its own.

The only thing he needs to be careful about is to concentrate and seize the right moment to suppress his instinctive reactions.

If he had remained relaxed while holding the other person's joint, the other person's arm would most likely have been dislocated, which was not what Chen Fei wanted to see.

In a civilized society, if you win a fight, you go to jail; if you lose, you go to the hospital. You should never take action unless absolutely necessary, and even then, you should hold back.

Chen Fei was quite rational in this regard.

He flexed his wrists and turned to look at the three girls behind him.

Shen Shaoting remained standing there, her fists clenched, her eyes fixed on the doorway, as if she were ready to rush up and kick it a couple more times at any moment.

Lin Jingyi and Meng Sixian jogged over and handed Chen Fei a bottle of mineral water that they had somehow gotten from somewhere.

"Brother Chen Fei, are you alright?"

"It's alright." Chen Fei took the water, but didn't drink it. He just smiled and said, "Sorry I'm late. I promise this won't happen again."

Just then, two security guards rushed over. The receptionist also came over.

"I'm so sorry, the security guards were busy tonight, that's why we're late."

"These snacks are for you all, to help you calm your nerves."

Chen Fei briefly explained the situation and repeatedly stated that he did not need any other compensation.

In the end, each of them was carrying a full bag of things: popcorn, cola, potato chips, and French fries—enough for a late-night snack.

The turmoil subsided just like that.

However, Shen Shaoting was still a little worried. On the way to the ticket gate, she tugged at Chen Fei's sleeve and softly asked, "Brother Fei, will you be angry with me?"

Chen Fei was taken aback: "What's it to you about?"

"It's my fault... I caused trouble again." Shen Shaoting's voice was even lower. "I suggested going to the movies tonight, and I had Sixian choose the time. If we hadn't come to the movies so late, this might not have happened..."

"Shen Shaoting," Chen Fei interrupted her, his tone gentle, without a trace of accusation.

Shen Shaoting looked up and met a pair of smiling eyes.

"Isn't the horror movie more immersive when watched late at night?" Chen Fei said with a smile, taking a bucket of popcorn from her arms to lighten her load. "This kind of thing is 100% their fault. You did a great job protecting your friend. Don't take it to heart."

The moment the words fell, a system notification quietly appeared at the edge of Chen Fei's vision:

[Congratulations on gaining 220 charm points in Shen Shaoting's eyes. The system rewards you with 2200 yuan.]

[Congratulations on gaining 120 charm points in Lin Jingyi's eyes. The system rewards you with 1200 yuan.]

[Congratulations on accumulating 120 charm points in Meng Sixian's eyes. The system rewards you with 1200 yuan.]