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

He neither pushed her away nor took it any further.

He simply reached out and gently put his arm around her waist.

"I just finished eating, so it's not suitable for strenuous exercise." His voice was deep, with a hint of suppressed magnetism.

Yan Xi was stunned for a moment.

She hadn't expected Li Chen to react this way.

Unromantic, yet... damn sexy.

"Who said we were going to do strenuous exercise?" She raised an eyebrow and gently ran her fingers across the skin on the back of his neck.

Li Chen's Adam's apple bobbed.

He could feel that the anger he had just suppressed had been reignited by this small action.

This woman is a born enchantress.

"Then what do you mean by 'eat'?" Li Chen asked knowingly.

"The literal meaning." Yan Xi's lips curled into a sly smile.

She released her grip, took a step back, and increased the distance between them.

"However, considering your good performance tonight, I'll give you a choice."

"Oh?"

"Go wash the dishes, or go take a shower." Yan Xi leaned against the refrigerator, arms crossed, like a queen surveying her prey.

Li Chen looked at her and suddenly smiled.

He finally understood.

Yan Xi never intended for anything to actually happen.

She simply enjoyed the thrill of being in control, watching him become restless yet forced to restrain himself.

"I choose the third one," Li Chen said.

There is no third one.

"If I say it exists, then it exists."

Li Chen suddenly stepped forward and, before Yan Xi could react, scooped her up in his arms.

"Ah!" Yan Xi let out a short exclamation.

The feeling of weightlessness made her instinctively wrap her arms around Li Chen's neck.

"Li Chen, what are you doing!"

"I'll carry you to take a bath," Li Chen said matter-of-factly.

He carried her through the living room and towards the bedroom.

Yan Xi struggled slightly in his arms.

"I can walk by myself!"

"You're walking too slowly," Li Chen said, looking down at her. "I'm in a hurry."

Yan Xi was speechless after hearing his words.

Looking at his sharply defined jawline and deep eyes, her heart skipped a beat.

This man is getting better and better at flirting with people.

Li Chen carried her into the bedroom and gently placed her on the soft bed.

Then, he leaned down, placed his hands on either side of her body, and trapped her between himself and the bed.

"Now, do you still think I wouldn't dare?" His voice carried a dangerous smirk.

Yan Xi looked at the handsome face so close to hers and remained silent.

She simply reached out and touched his cheek.

"Li Chen".

"Um."

"Your heart is beating so fast."

Li Chen stopped moving.

He could definitely feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

"You win." He sighed helplessly and got off her.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his back to her.

"I'll go wash the dishes."

He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would really lose control.

A rustling sound came from behind me.

Then, a soft body pressed against me from behind.

Yan Xi rested her chin on his shoulder.

"I'm just teasing you." Her voice softened, a rare occurrence for her.

"I just... enjoy seeing you lose control because of me."

Li Chen did not turn around.

He simply raised his hand and covered her hands that were wrapped around his waist.

"I know."

"Aren't you angry?"

"I'm not angry." Li Chen smiled. "It's just that I feel a little... stifled."

Yan Xi burst out laughing.

She buried her face in his back, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

"Okay, go take a shower." She let go of my hand. "I'll wait for you."

Li Chen stood up and went into the bathroom.

The icy water poured over his head, taking away all the heat from his body.

He leaned against the cold tiles, his mind a complete mess.

Being with Yan Xi is like riding a roller coaster.

One second you're on cloud nine, the next you could be plummeting to the bottom.

This extreme tension was both addictive and exhausting for him.

But he knew he was happy to do it.

When he came out after taking a shower.

Yan Xi had changed into a silk robe and was leaning against the headboard reading a book.

Only a dim bedside lamp was on in the room.

The light outlined the soft contours of her profile.

The years are quiet.

Only these four words remained in Li Chen's mind.

"Come here." Yan Xi beckoned to him.

Li Chen walked over and lay down beside her.

Yan Xi put down her book, turned to the side, and looked at him.

"Li Chen".

"Um?"

"Thank you for the late-night snack."

"You're welcome."

"Thank you for your New Year's gift too."

Do you like it?

"Mmm." Yan Xi nodded. "I like it very much."

Silence fell over the room again.

After a while, Yan Xi suddenly snuggled into his arms and found a comfortable position.

"Good night." Her voice carried a hint of weariness.

"Good night."

Li Chen turned off the bedside lamp.

In the darkness, he held the person in his arms even tighter.

He could smell the fresh scent of her after her shower, mixed with his own.

It was a scent that gave him immense peace of mind.

He closed his eyes, a smile on his lips, and fell into a deep sleep.

……

The next morning.

Li Chen was awakened by the vibration of his phone.

He opened his eyes, but his arms were empty.

Yan Xi is no longer here.

On the other side of the bed, her warmth and fragrance still lingered.

He picked up his phone.

It was a message from Wang Qiang; people were frantically tagging him in the dormitory group chat.

Wang Qiang: "@Li Chen Lao San, where are you? You didn't come home again last night?!"

Zhao Zixuan: "I think he's so happy he's forgotten all about home."

Chen Mo: "Based on the photos posted on WeChat Moments last night, the third brother and his senior were celebrating the New Year in the city center."

"Given his absence this morning, there are two possibilities."

"First, they are staying at a hotel off-campus."

Second, they went to the senior's apartment.

"Considering the senior's personality, the latter probability is 87.3%."

Li Chen looked at Chen Mo's analysis and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

This guy is wasting his talent not being a detective.

He was preparing to reply.

The bathroom door opened.

Yan Xi was already dressed in a smart business suit and was touching up her makeup in front of the mirror with a lipstick in hand.

"Awake?" She glanced at him in the mirror.

"Hmm." Li Chen sat up.

"What time is it?"

"8:30." Yan Xi put on her lipstick, turned around, and said, "I have a meeting at 9:00, so I'm leaving now."

She walked to the bedside and bent down.

She gently placed a kiss on Li Chen's forehead.

Breakfast is on the table.

After saying that, she turned around, put on her high heels, and left without looking back.

"Click".

The apartment door was closed.

The room returned to silence.

Li Chen touched his forehead, where the traces of her lipstick and its soft texture still remained.

He threw back the covers and got out of bed.

On the table were a sandwich and a glass of warm milk.

There was also a sticky note next to it.

The handwriting was cold and clear, yet carried a hint of Arle's domineering nature that was not easily discernible.

"Eat it all, no leftovers."

Li Chen looked at the note with its cold, clean handwriting, and shook his head with a wry smile.

This woman even left a note with a commanding tone.