To boost credibility, Bai Ningning picked up a water bottle, twisted off the cap, and took a few small sips.
Gulp. Gulp.
Qin Xin stared at Bai Ningning’s swan-like neck, watching the faint outline of water sliding down.
She’s actually drinking it.
“I’ve got something to handle. I’ll head out first,” Bai Ningning said, tucking the bottle back into her pocket and standing. “See you later.”
“Mm, bye, Ningning-senpai.”
After rounding the formation’s corner and confirming Qin Xin was out of sight, Bai Ningning hurried to the front row and found the loli artist, Nana.
Under the scorching drill-ground sun, Nana had tied her signature black long straight hair into a single ponytail. Her petite frame sat nestled in the grass—easy to miss without a careful look.
Bai Ningning handed her the last chilled bottle. “Here. Take it.”
Nana looked up, recognized yesterday’s senpai, and lit up. “Senpai! You came!”
“Mm. Promised I’d bring water,” Bai Ningning said, sitting beside her. “Drink up. It’s sweltering.”
Due to their positions, when Nana lifted her head, her gaze landed squarely on a pair of long, fair thighs.
Senpai’s wearing hot pants today… So… so lewd.
She twisted the cap and chugged—glug, glug, glug.
Cool down. Fast.
“Military training’s tough, huh?” Bai Ningning tucked a stray strand behind her ear. “First day’s hardest. Once you adapt, it gets easier. Just push through these days.”
Her tone stayed cool, but the rare warmth in her words made Nana’s heart flutter.
Wait—does this make me hotter again?
Cool down! Glug, glug, glug.
Task complete. Bai Ningning stood, satisfied. *Another volunteer duty done. What a good senpai I am.*
Just as she turned to leave, a tall figure blocked her path.
The squad leader of Formation 17—a sun-kissed, statuesque girl—grinned. “I saw. And heard.”
Bai Ningning blinked, confused. “Saw what?”
“You went to the back-row junior first, then came up front to find another,” the girl murmured, voice low. “Keeping both in the dark… seeing them separately. Thrilling, huh?”
Bai Ningning’s eyelid twitched. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t? Fine. I’ll go tell the back-row girl right now.”
“Wait!”
The words slipped out before Bai Ningning saw the teasing smirk—and realized she’d walked straight into a trap.
The girl rolled up her camo sleeves, revealing toned arms sculpted by regular training. No wonder she was squad leader.
A flicker of panic stirred in Bai Ningning.
“W-what do you want?”
Against someone this physically imposing… resistance felt impossible. She probably even knew military boxing.
Seeing Bai Ningning’s flustered pout, the girl laughed. “Relax, senpai. Broad daylight. Drill ground. I won’t do anything.”
She paused. “Break’s short. I’m lazy. Hand over your leftover water.”
“The… leftover bottle?”
Bai Ningning held out the one she’d sipped from. “But I already drank from it…”
The girl snatched it, twisted the cap, and tipped it back—
Gulp. Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.
Her throat bobbed rapidly. Half the bottle vanished in seconds.
“Thanks for the treat,” she said.
Bai Ningning stayed silent. Even *drinking* radiated raw power. Terrifying.
Thankfully, break ended. The instructor called formations back. The tall girl returned to line.
Bai Ningning exhaled in relief, pressing her slightly trembling thighs as she scanned for an exit.
*Retreat. Run.*
She’d promised to meet the juniors at noon, so she waited in a nearby rest room.
That under-thirty-minute ordeal had been wild. Just being a caring senpai—no wrongdoing—and suddenly ambushed, interrogated…
It wasn’t cowardice. That girl’s fitness-model physique was genuinely intimidating.
Good grief. That height. That complexion. Those muscles.
“Why did this happen?” Bai Ningning propped her cheek, baffled. “Did I dress too lightly today?”
But others wear this too… No difference. *…Except I look better.*
Cicadas chirped. Lunch break began.
The juniors returned to dorms, showered quickly, then followed Bai Ningning’s location pin to the rest room.
“Senpai, you saved me!” Lanlan plopped down and opened her delivery app. “Without that iced water, I wouldn’t have survived dismissal!”
“Mm.” Bai Ningning replied flatly.
Lanlan, focused on ordering, missed her odd stillness. After morning drills, energy needed replenishing.
Ajin arrived next, also tapping her screen.
“Senpai Bai, the iced water and floral water were lifesavers. Military training’s ruthless—thank goodness for you.”
“Mm.”
Qin Xin and Xiaoyi arrived last. Qin Xin had held Xiaoyi back, probing about campus loli circles.
Last night’s investigation gave Qin Xin a headache: top-ranked girls on the Moe Loli Chart all had alibis for yesterday afternoon.
So who was that little fox?
“I’m not sure,” Xiaoyi admitted honestly. “They added me to the group chat, but I muted it. Not really familiar with everyone.”
Tch.
After ordering food, the group finally noticed Bai Ningning drifting in thought.
“Senpai… what’s wrong?” Xiaoyi asked.
“Nothing. Just thinking,” Bai Ningning shook her head, snapping back. “Not important.”
*Just nearly got ambushed by a terrifyingly strong girl. That’s all.*
To shift focus, she asked, “How’s training? Holding up?”
The juniors instantly collapsed.
“Can’t… anymore…”
“Okay, just tired.”
“I’m dead. Only Senpai’s healing can revive me.”
Ajin, eyes locked on Bai Ningning’s figure, blurted: “Senpai Bai looks so pretty today in such a simple outfit… I wonder what’s underneath.”
Bai Ningning froze. “What?”
“No—I just meant,” Ajin clarified, “we gave you four lingerie sets last time. Curious which one you’re wearing today.”
Active in loli, hanfu, and JK fashion circles, Ajin had *very* keen interest in Senpai Bai’s style.
