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

Yan Xi stepped out of the elevator, her high heels clicking crisply on the marble floor.

She pushed open the door to dormitory 505.

Leng Qingge was leaning on the balcony railing, holding a half-eaten apple in her hand.

"Revenge! This is absolutely settling a personal score!"

Leng Qingge turned around and pointed at Yan Xi.

Yan Xi sat down at her desk and opened the book "The Little Prince".

A ten-yuan banknote with yellowed edges and creases lay in the middle of the book.

She pressed her fingertips against the edge of the banknote without saying a word.

"You didn't have this icy expression when Li Chen was holding your hand downstairs just now."

Leng Qingge leaned closer and stared at Yan Xi's profile.

Yan Xi closed the book and put it back on the top shelf.

I'm leaving home at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Yan Xi turned her head and looked at Leng Qingge.

"Dating?"

Leng Qingge tossed away the apple core, clapped her hands, and asked.

"Going out to collect folk art, and while I'm at it, I'll buy a couple of autumn outfits."

Yan Xi opened the drawer, took out a tube of hand cream, and said.

"Should we bring along some junior students from the computer science department for the field trip?"

Leng Qingge leaned against the bookshelf and asked.

Yan Xi squeezed out a little white paste and spread it evenly on the palm of her left hand.

That's the spot where Li Chen just held my hand.

"He's physically strong and can carry bags."

Yan Xi lowered her head and answered calmly.

She picked up her phone and swiped her finger across the screen.

In the chat box, Li Chen's profile picture was a husky that looked a bit dazed.

She forced him to change it.

See you at the school gate at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Yan Xi typed this line and clicked send.

Boys' dormitory 302.

Li Chen was sitting in front of the computer, with a complex matrix of code flashing on the screen.

My phone vibrated.

He picked it up, glanced at it, and then leaned back in his chair.

"Godfather, why are you smiling so broadly? Is your sister-in-law checking up on you?"

Wang Qiang leaned out from the top bunk and stared at Li Chen's screen, asking a question.

Li Chen turned off his phone screen and turned around.

I'm going out tomorrow.

Li Chen looked at Wang Qiang and said.

"Where are we going? Want to take the guys with you?"

Zhao Zixuan turned his head away from the mirror, still holding hair wax in his hand, and asked.

"My senior invited me to go on a field trip."

Li Chen stood up and walked towards the wardrobe.

"Field research? That's an art student's term. What does it have to do with us programmers?"

Chen Mo pushed up his glasses, looked up from his "Introduction to Algorithms" book, and asked.

Li Chen opened the wardrobe and ran his fingers across a row of shirts.

He had anticipated tomorrow's itinerary.

If it's just a simple field trip, wearing casual clothes is the safest bet.

But Yan Xi mentioned buying clothes.

This means that the place they entered and exited was most likely a high-end shopping mall in the central business district.

Dressing too casually might embarrass her in front of acquaintances.

Dressing too formally makes one appear overly awkward.

He gave up the plaid shirt that programmers typically wear.

He took out a dark blue cotton shirt, the fabric was thick and the collar was crisp.

"Is she testing your aesthetic sense, or your endurance?"

Zhao Zixuan walked up to Li Chen and looked at the shirt, asking a question.

"Probably both."

Li Chen hung his shirt on the back of the chair and answered.

He went into the bathroom and turned on the tap.

The cold water splashed on my face, taking away the heat from my skin.

He mentally reviewed the details of what had just happened on the tree-lined path.

Yan Xi's palms sweated when the couple made a sound.

This shows that she wasn't as calm as she appeared.

When she called out "husband," her speech was 0.5 seconds faster than usual.

He was analyzing her psychological defenses.

This kind of game gave him an unprecedented sense of excitement.

……

The next day, at 9:50 a.m.

Li Chen stood at the main entrance of Linjiang University.

He was wearing that dark blue shirt, the cuffs rolled up to his forearms, revealing his strong physique.

Several girls passing by slowed down.

"Is that Li Chen? He's even taller in person than in the photos on the forum."

One of them whispered to his companion.

"He's waiting for someone, could it be Senior Yan Xi?"

The other person glanced back and said.

Li Chen stared straight ahead, ignoring the sounds around him.

A silver-gray Porsche 911 was parked on the side of the road.

The car window rolled down, revealing Yan Xi wearing sunglasses and a delicate face the size of a palm.

"Get in the car."

Yan Xi gripped the steering wheel and turned to speak.

Li Chen opened the passenger door and got in.

The car was filled with a faint scent of fir trees.

"I wasn't late today."

Yan Xi stepped on the gas, and the vehicle glided smoothly out of the car.

"I'm afraid Her Majesty will make me run laps if she keeps me waiting too long."

Li Chen fastened his seatbelt and looked at the road ahead before answering.

Yan Xi's fingers on the steering wheel twitched slightly.

"I need a few thicker coats for my trip to MixC today."

Yan Xi stared at the rearview mirror and said as they merged onto the main road.

"Weren't we supposed to be going on a field trip?"

Li Chen turned his head and asked.

"Buy clothes first, then go; architecture students often draw inspiration from the accumulation of material civilization."

Yan Xi answered without looking to the side.

Li Chen looked at her tense profile.

He realized that Yan Xi seemed more concerned about her image than usual today.

She wore lipstick, a shade darker than usual.

This shade is usually used when she needs to assert her dominance or enhance her presence.

He made his judgment in his mind.

This is more than just a simple date.

This is her sending a definite signal to the outside world, or to him.

The vehicle was parked in the underground parking lot of MixC Mall.

Li Chen pushed open the car door, walked to the driver's side, and opened the door for Yan Xi.

Yan Xi got out of the car and casually tossed the car keys into Li Chen's arms.

"Take it."

Yan Xi walked towards the elevator and said.

Li Chen grabbed the key and followed behind her.

The elevator mirror reflected the two figures.

Yan Xi wore a black spaghetti strap dress today, with a thin white cardigan draped over it.

Li Chen stood half a step behind her.

The word "perfect match" popped into the minds of several passing sales associates the moment the elevator doors opened.

Yan Xi walked straight into a high-end women's clothing store.

The sales assistant immediately came to greet them.

"Ms. Yan, the items you ordered have arrived."

The sales assistant bent over and said in a humble tone.

Yan Xi pointed to the sofa in the rest area not far away.

"Sit there and wait."

Yan Xi said to Li Chen.

Li Chen sat down on the leather sofa and accepted the lemon water offered by the sales assistant.

Yan Xi picked up a dark red cashmere coat and walked into the fitting room.

Li Chen put down his cup.

He noticed that the fitting room doors in this store were made of thick frosted glass.

Three minutes later.

The fitting room door was pushed open a crack.

Yan Xi's voice came from inside, carrying a rare hint of hesitation.

"Li Chen, come here for a moment."

Li Chen stood up and walked to the door of the fitting room.

"What's wrong?"

Li Chen stood outside the door and asked.

"The zipper at the back is stuck, I can't reach it."

Yan Xi's voice came through the glass, sounding somewhat muffled.

Li Chen stopped in his tracks.

He anticipated the sales assistant's behavior.

The sales assistant was about to step forward to help.

"I'll do it."

Li Chen said to the sales assistant.

The sales assistant paused for a moment, then wisely retreated a few meters away.

Li Chen pushed open the door to the fitting room and went inside.

The fitting room wasn't particularly cramped, but once two adults were squeezed in, the airflow slowed down noticeably.

Yan Xi stood with her back to him.

She hadn't put her coat on properly, revealing a large expanse of her fair back.

The zipper is positioned below the shoulder blades.

"Don't look around."

Yan Xi stared at Li Chen in the mirror and said.

"I'm looking at zippers."

Li Chen reached out his hand, and his fingertips inevitably touched her skin.

Slightly cool, like silk.

Yan Xi shrugged.

Li Chen pinched the metal buckle of the zipper, gently pulled it downwards to avoid the stuck fabric, and then slid it steadily upwards.

The sound of the zipper closing was exceptionally clear in the quiet space.

Li Chen released his grip and took a step back.

Yan Xi turned around and straightened her collar.

"Is it pretty?"

Yan Xi raised her head and looked at Li Chen, asking.

Her breathing was slightly rapid, and her chest was rising and falling faster than usual.

Li Chen stared into her eyes.

"The clothes are so-so, but the person is good-looking."

Li Chen looked at her and answered.

Yan Xi reached out, grabbed the second button of Li Chen's shirt, and pulled it down forcefully.

The distance between the two instantly shrank to less than five centimeters.

"You have a sweet tongue, keep it up next time."

Yan Xi let go of her hand, pushed open the door, and walked out.

Li Chen stood in the fitting room, smelling the lingering scent of fir trees in the air.

He looked down at the button that had been pulled loose.

He realized it.

This game, ostensibly about gathering local folklore, has only just begun.