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

They chatted about their families, and the atmosphere was relaxed and warm.

Li Chen put down the silver fork in his hand and gently stroked the dark red tablecloth with his fingertips.

He quickly went through every family detail they had just discussed in his mind.

When Yan Xi mentions Yan Zhen, her fingers gripping the cup handle unconsciously tighten by two millimeters.

This is a sign of insecurity.

He abandoned his plan to delve deeper into the Yan family's past and instead steered the conversation toward the Wellington steak on the table.

He picked up the knife and cut vertically.

The sound of the pastry breaking apart was clearly audible in the quiet private room.

"This restaurant has a good grasp of cooking time; it's medium-rare, and the juices are locked in perfectly."

Li Chen pushed a small piece of beef that he had cut in front of Yan Xi.

"Try it, it'll help you get some protein. You've lost weight recently."

Yan Xi looked at the neatly cut beef on the plate.

She could sense that Li Chen was deliberately avoiding those heavy topics.

This man could always accurately sense her emotional fluctuations and resolve them in the most natural way.

She forked the beef and put it in her mouth.

The tenderness of the meat spreads across the taste buds.

"Young Master Li also has an interest in Western cuisine?"

Yan Xi swallowed her food and raised an eyebrow.

"Or is this also a 'required course' that Uncle Li is teaching you?"

"It's not really research, I just learned how to do it by watching those boring banquets that my father forced me to attend."

Li Chen chuckled self-deprecatingly and picked up his glass of red wine, swirling it around.

He looked at the swaying liquid in the glass, and the image of Li Mohan sternly teaching him manners in the study flashed through his mind.

At that time, he felt that these things were cumbersome and hypocritical.

Now he was glad he had studied it, so that at least in this moment, he could provide Yan Xi with a dignified sense of comfort.

"Actually, I prefer the barbecue stalls at the school gate."

Li Chen added a sentence.

"It's more down-to-earth there, and there aren't so many formalities."

Yan Xi put down her cup and leaned forward slightly.

"Then why did you bring me here today?"

"Because today is New Year's Eve, we need a bit of a sense of ritual."

Li Chen looked directly into her eyes.

"I want you to know that whether it's roadside barbecue or Western food here, I'll go with you if you want to eat it."

There was a gentle knock on the restaurant door.

The waiter brought in a delicate dessert.

That was a Black Forest cake that Li Chen had ordered in advance, decorated with a few pieces of gold leaf.

A commotion arose from the next table.

A young couple seemed to be arguing; the man's voice was rather loud, and he mentioned designer bags and the amount of money transferred.

Yan Xi frowned slightly.

She abhorred this behavior of venting her emotions in public, especially since it disturbed her peace.

Li Chen noticed her displeasure.

He didn't turn his head, but simply waved to the waiter standing to the side.

"Please remind your neighbor that this is a public dining area, not a debate venue."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable power.

The waiter paused for a moment, then nodded and left.

Soon, the arguing next door subsided.

"Li Shen is becoming more and more adept at handling things."

Yan Xi teased.

"I thought you would just rush over and punch each of them like you do on the court."

"That's the way barbarians do things."

Li Chen picked up a small spoon, scooped out a piece of cake, and held it to her lips.

"I must maintain a gentlemanly demeanor in front of the Queen."

Yan Xi took a bite of the cake, and the sweet cream melted in her mouth.

She looked at Li Chen, and a thought flashed through her mind: This man is growing at an astonishing speed.

He has transformed from a junior who would blush at the slightest teasing from her into a capable man who can stand on his own.

This change delighted her, but it also gave rise to a subtle sense of crisis.

The prey seems to be taking the initiative.

"After we eat, I'll take you to the square."

Li Chen used a tissue to wipe away a bit of cream from the corner of her mouth.

"There might be a lot of people, are you scared?"

"With you here, what do I have to be afraid of?"

Yan Xi asked in return, her eyes revealing a blind trust.

Li Chen put away the tissue, the touch of her skin still lingering on his fingertips.

He anticipated the flow of people in the square and had already sketched out several evacuation routes in his mind.

He abandoned the idea of ​​taking a taxi and decided to walk there.

Because walking hand in hand in a crowd is itself a way of asserting sovereignty.

He stood up and took the down jacket from Yan Xi.

"Let's go and welcome the New Year."

The two walked out of the restaurant.

The wind outside was still cold, but the noise coming from the direction of the square could already be faintly heard.

Li Chen took Yan Xi's hand and put it into his pocket.

Several college students passing by were pointing and whispering about the two of them.

"Isn't that Li Shen from the Computer Science department?"

"Is that his girlfriend? She's so beautiful, her aura is amazing."

Li Chen listened to these discussions but ignored them.

He simply gripped the hand in his pocket.

He could feel Yan Xi's fingers gently scratching his palm.

This is a signal that belongs only to them.

Ahead, a huge electronic screen is flashing.

The New Year's Eve atmosphere reached its peak at this moment.

The crowd in the square was even denser than Li Chen had anticipated.

The dense crowd, like a rising tide, converged on the clock tower in the center from all directions.

The air was filled with noisy cheers, whistles, and the mixed scents of various cheap perfumes.

Li Chen adjusted his pace.

He turned to the side, using his shoulders and back to create a small space, tightly protecting Yan Xi in his arms.

His left hand remained in his pocket, gripping Yan Xi's fingers tightly.

His right hand rested lightly on her waist, ready to respond to any sudden impact.

"Stay close to me."

Li Chen called out in Yan Xi's ear.

The sound was half drowned out by the surrounding noise.

Yan Xi pressed herself against his chest.

She could hear Li Chen's steady heartbeat through his thick down jacket.

The crowds and shoving around her seemed to have nothing to do with her.

She only needs to follow this silhouette to get anywhere.

This feeling of being completely protected reminded her of hiding under the table in Yan Zhen's study when she was a child.

Then there was fear, now there is peace.

A sudden commotion broke out among the crowd.

A group of drunk young people were pushing forward from behind, shouting foul language.

The force of the shoving passed on like dominoes.

A burly drunkard stumbled and bumped into Li Chen's back.

Li Chen exerted force with his feet, lowered his center of gravity, and remained motionless like a pine tree rooted in a rock.

The drunkard was jolted back two steps by the force of the rebound, cursing under his breath.

"Don't you have eyes?! What are you doing blocking the way?!"

The drunkard reached out to push Li Chen's shoulder.

Li Chen suddenly turned his head.

His eyes looked unusually cold under the streetlights, like a long knife chilled to the bone.

The killing intent honed in the fighting arena instantly locked onto the opponent.

The drunkard's hand froze in mid-air.

Looking at Li Chen's imposing face, he instantly sobered up a bit.

The young man's eyes instilled in him an instinctive fear.

That's the gaze of a predator fixed on its prey.

"roll."

Li Chen only said one word.

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable ruthlessness.

The drunkard shrank back, not daring to utter another word, and slunk away into the crowd beside him.