I walked back to the classroom where I’d just had class. As soon as I stepped inside, everyone stared at me with weird looks. That guy C from earlier glared like I’d murdered his father. If classmates A and B hadn’t dragged him away, he’d have charged me on the spot.
I’d better take the front door instead.
“Xiaobai, you little rascal! Come here—spill how you snagged Senior Yeping!” Lin Xiaopang grabbed me the moment I entered.
“Snag? Snag your dead head! All you think about is girls. I just discussed academic stuff, you fatso!” I shot back.
“Academic stuff? You’re kidding me?” Lin Xiaopang said.
“Heh.”
“Actually, I’m curious too—how did you meet Senior Yeping, Xiaobai?” Zhao Jianwen, the sunny guy beside us, suddenly asked.
“Huh? Jianwen, you’re interested?” I didn’t vibe with Zhao Jianwen. He was the opposite of me—bright, handsome, totally incompatible. For friends, I’d pick someone like Fat Lin.
“Yeah. Don’t you know who Senior Yeping is?” Zhao Jianwen grinned.
“Sure. The Education Department’s beauty queen.”
“She’s not just that. She’s ranked third among Dongchuan Guang University’s top ten campus beauties. President of the Karate Club. Chair of the Education Department student council. Vice president of the university student council. She even has her own fan club. Plus, she’s won awards citywide. I heard it from Xie Pai just now.”
“Karate Club president?! Chair?! A fan club?!” I gasped.
“She’s a campus legend. Isn’t she the model on our admission brochure?” Zhao Jianwen added.
“Damn, I’m in deep trouble,” I muttered under my breath.
“Huh? Xiaobai, what trouble?” Lin Xiaopang said.
“You heard that whisper?” I groaned.
“Also, why’d you come back after skipping out?” Lin Xiaopang slapped my shoulder.
“The bell rang—time for class!”
“Class? You were gone a whole period with the senior. That was the dismissal bell. Our homeroom teacher said she’d remember you.” Lin Xiaopang pointed and laughed.
“Ugh.” I facepalmed. Glancing around, half the class had already left. Only a few girls remained—even Guys B and C were gone.
As we chatted, a pretty girl from our Advertising class approached. “Li Xiaobai? Please fill out this form.”
“Oh, sure.” She was cute, but nowhere near Yeping or Wuxiaowu’s league. I took the sheet—it held basic personal info, probably handed out while I skipped class.
“Hey, Class Rep, when’s your dorm planning a mixer with ours?” Lin Xiaopang called to her.
“Heh. Get Jianwen to join, and I’ll guarantee a stampede of volunteers.” The class rep, Yun Shuwen, winked at Jianwen. Ugh, good looks win every time.
“Don’t say that, Shuwen,” Zhao Jianwen smiled warmly. That sunshine grin? I’d never pull it off.
“Done.” I handed the form back.
“Oh, already? I’m Yun Shuwen. Find me if you need anything.” She returned to the girls’ circle.
First day done. Nothing else should happen. Time to head back to my apartment and game. No—better track down that Yeping woman and get this straightened out.
Just as I turned to leave, seven or eight older students barged in. Seniors, probably.
“Where’s that bastard Li Xiaobai?” The burly leader barked.
Crap—it’s for me! I tried slipping past quietly.
“Hey! Kid, you know him?” The burly senior grabbed my arm.
“Uh… I’m Li Xiaobai.” Caught. Might as well own it.
“So you’re the punk who harassed our Education Department’s beauty!” A scrawny senior beside him yelled.
“Harassed her?” I gaped. But I guessed what happened.
“Bold move, hitting on Senior Yeping on day one?” The burly senior yanked my collar.
“Hit on Yeping?” I kept gaping.
“Hey, hands off!” Lin Xiaopang shoved between us, pulling me back.
“Let’s talk this out calmly,” Zhao Jianwen stepped in. His peacemaking felt rehearsed—like every TV drama ever. Even Qin Hui, who’d stayed silent all day, stood up.
“Proof! Where’s your proof I hit on her?” I shouted.
“Senior Yeping said so herself! She came back from your Arts Department looking upset. Her bestie told us you made crude remarks!” The burly senior roared.
“Are you brainless? She’s Karate Club president! Hit on her? I’d be dead!”
“T-then you insulted her and ran like a coward!” The burly senior sputtered, jabbing a finger.
“Hah! Muscle-headed idiot—you’ve been played by Yeping!” I jabbed back. Getting hit by a woman? I’d swallow it. Insults from men? Never.
“You dare badmouth Senior Yeping? I’ll kill you!” The 6’0”, 180-pound senior swung a right hook.
*Thud!* His punch landed square on my face—full force, precise. But it felt like a light tap. No pain at all.
“What?!” He gaped.
“Xiaobai? You okay?” Lin Xiaopang pulled us apart.
I blinked. Holy crap—I’d been hit by a man! No pain, but a hit’s a hit.
“You hit me?!” I yelled.
I kicked his gut. Useless against his bulk, I thought. But this time—totally different!
My foot slammed into his stomach. The 180-pound senior flew two meters, crashed face-down, clutching his belly. His face turned ashen, eyes wide, tears welling. He looked seconds from foaming at the mouth. No way he’d stand soon.
“Holy crap!” Lin Xiaopang and I gasped together.
“Holy crap!” The other six seniors echoed.
“You called that? Weren’t you the one who kicked?” Lin Xiaopang deadpanned.
“He hit a senior! Brothers, get him!” The scrawny senior yelled. The rest surged forward.
“Ganging up?!” Lin Xiaopang cried.
“Fight!”
Just as they closed in, Qin Hui—who’d barely spoken to me—darted forward. He kicked one senior down and grappled with him.
Huh? This long-haired guy Qin Hui had guts. Real loyalty in this era?
“Xiaopang, what now?” Zhao Jianwen asked as Qin Hui wrestled.
“What now? Help!” Lin Xiaopang charged a senior. Zhao Jianwen sighed and joined.
They held off three. Three still charged me. Something snapped—like those gangster flicks I’d binged.
The scrawny senior swung a punch at my head, just like his buddy.
This time, I didn’t dodge. I met it with my own right hook.
*Thud!* His fist hit my face—zero impact. The burly senior’s punch had felt like a tap; this weakling’s? Nothing.
As his fist landed, my hook cracked his jaw. My first real fight—I might’ve aimed poorly.
But it didn’t matter!
