Shen An, who had graduated years ago, suddenly recalled the terror of being dominated by English.
It had even happened back in his tender high school days.
After entering university, he had deliberately chosen a literature-focused major to avoid studying English and math.
He still had to take basic English courses, of course, but with the enthusiastic help of his classmates, he had scraped by.
He never imagined that karma really comes around. Now it felt like a wild boar charging straight into Zhang Fei—delivering himself right to the door.
With trembling hands, Shen An stuffed his student ID back into the folder. He desperately wanted to call Zhao Li right then and ask if they could cancel the whole thing.
But on second thought, what was there to fear about a little English?
He was only here to complete the mission, not to actually study and earn a diploma.
Once he wrapped up this commission, he could bolt.
Even if he skipped classes every day and flunked out, it wouldn’t matter one bit.
Shen An quickly adjusted his mindset. He grabbed the handle of his suitcase and strode into what amounted to a “neighborhood” on campus.
Passing through the front gate, rows of apartment buildings came into view. The area was filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers, the scenery picturesque and serene—a perfect living environment, both tranquil and inviting.
Every now and then, Shen An spotted middle-aged people or seniors who clearly weren’t students. They didn’t look like teachers either.
The doubt lingering in his heart seemed to find an answer.
This neighborhood might not actually be part of the school facilities. Its location was unique, straddling the campus boundary and connecting to the downtown area beyond.
In truth, it was a genuine apartment complex, with about half of it built inside the school grounds.
One thing was certain: this residential area had a close relationship with the university—likely some kind of partnership.
Shen An paused in front of the map for a moment, memorizing the layout. Then he gripped his suitcase handle tightly and headed toward Building D.
The deeper he ventured, the more spacious it felt.
The buildings dazzled his eyes with their density, making it hard to pinpoint exact locations.
Glancing back, the path looked utterly unfamiliar. Shen An raised an eyebrow. He seemed to have gotten lost.
Just then, a graceful figure approached from the Little Bridge ahead.
It was a graceful figure because the newcomer was a girl.
She stood around five foot seven, wearing short boots that accentuated her slender calves. As she walked in the sunlight, they gleamed like jade suffused with light.
But this jade was red.
Her outfit was strikingly unique, resembling a streak of sunset glow come to life at the horizon.
She was draped in red from head to toe, vivid crimson swirling around her.
Her orange-tinted, softly permed curls stopped at her shoulders. Silver chain earrings dangled from both earlobes, and at her collarbone rested a pendant embedded with a blue gemstone.
Yet more dazzling than the red was her snow-white skin and her slightly aloof features, sculpted with exquisite precision—natural yet effortlessly masterful in every curve.
Between her short-sleeved top and short skirt, a strip of bare midriff was exposed, stealing the show from all that red and drawing the eye to its bold expanse of pale flesh.
She was the most stunningly beautiful girl Shen An had ever encountered. Her red attire couldn’t hide the innate chill she exuded, like a crimson rose blooming amid ice and snow.
Her beauty captivated his thoughts, as if it had hooked his very soul in that instant.
But that moment lasted only a second.
The next second, Shen An regained his composure. He pegged her as a student.
With no one else around, he boldly wheeled his suitcase forward to intercept her.
The girl clearly noticed Shen An drawing near.
A flicker of disgust crossed her face, subtle but unmistakable. She veered deliberately to the side, as if to deny him any chance to speak.
Shen An smoothly shifted direction too. Just as she thought she’d evaded him, he suddenly cut in front of her.
“Hello!”
He modulated his smile perfectly—the bright, sunny grin of a friendly guy.
The girl instinctively flashed a shallow smile, but her feet took an unconscious step back.
She crossed her arms over her chest in a classic defensive pose.
“Are you a freshman?”
Despite her wariness, she spoke first. Her voice carried the same faint chill as her appearance.
“Yeah, yeah, I just enrolled.”
Shen An switched to a dopey grin, emphasizing his harmless vibe.
“So, freshman, do you need something?”
Her tone was even, but Shen An detected a veiled contempt beneath it.
This wasn’t the reaction of a normal girl.
The disdain didn’t seem targeted at him specifically—it was aimed at every guy who approached her.
“Here’s the thing—I wanted to ask how to get to Building D.”
Shen An had intercepted her deliberately, but not to hit on her.
He just needed directions.
“Building D?” The girl’s eyes flickered slightly at the mention. Then her smile warmed a touch, seeming more genuine.
“You’re a tenant in Building D?”
“Uh, sort of.” Shen An softened his voice.
“Oh, just moved in?” The girl glanced at his suitcase.
But as her gaze swept over his slightly rumpled white shirt, a hint of amusement flashed in her eyes.
She raised her fair arm and checked her watch.
“That way. Head straight from here, turn right at the corner, keep going until the next corner, then left, and straight on from there. You’ll arrive.”
While peering at her watch, she extended a slender finger to point out the route.
That complicated?
Shen An eyed the direction she indicated. It was a long way off!
“Oh, got it. Thanks.”
Shen An sighed. He hadn’t realized Building D was so tricky to find.
It hadn’t looked that complex on the map earlier.
“No problem.” The girl looked up, beaming at him. “Did you get that? Want me to repeat it?”
“Uh, yeah, I got it.”
“Good. I’ve got things to do—see you around, underclassman.”
The girl waved casually, sidestepping to avoid any brush with Shen An before departing.
Such subtle moves might go unnoticed by others. They could even spark fondness based on her beauty and that line: “Did you get that?”
But Shen An was adept at reading tiny shifts.
In body language, expressions, even emotions.
He wasn’t particularly fazed. He simply grabbed his suitcase and followed her directions.
Underclassman, huh?
So this gorgeous girl must be a senior sister.
Wonder if we’d cross paths again~
Before long, Shen An’s mind had fully detached from the girl.
Because this route was ridiculously long.
Corner after corner, dragging the suitcase—it wasn’t heavy, but it was tiring.
After several twists and turns, he finally spotted Building D.
And then something amusing happened.
Standing at the entrance to Building D, Shen An realized the Little Bridge he’d seen earlier was right beside him.
He had been on the other side of the bridge just moments ago.
If he’d crossed directly from there, it would have taken only a few minutes at most.
Instead, he’d circled a huge loop, wasting at least half an hour.
In other words, the girl had deliberately sent him the wrong way.
She’d tricked him into taking the long route for no reason.
He wasn’t angry. Instead, a faint smile curved his lips.
Shen An had one little flaw: he held grudges fiercely.
Their earlier encounter had sparked a mild curiosity.
Now, he was eagerly “anticipating” his next meeting with that senior sister.
He entered Building D and stepped into the elevator.
Shen An pressed the button for the 13th Floor and waited as it ascended.
Ding.
The doors slid open. Room 1301 was the first one.
He approached the door and gently pressed the doorbell.
After about a minute, the door cracked open—just enough for him to see a face.
A pair of bright, limpid eyes, like those of a startled fawn, peered through the gap. As the door opened wider, Shen An took in the full visage.
He took back his earlier words.
This girl before him was the most breathtaking presence he had ever laid eyes on.
It went beyond mere beauty; it was an exquisite contradiction, balanced on a knife’s edge.
The senior sister he’d met earlier had a pure look laced with chill, like a red rose in the snow—cold yet alluring.
This one, at first glance, evoked purity too, thanks to those clear, fawn-like eyes.
But that was an undeniable illusion!
A closer look at her features revealed eyes that were the sole innocent element. The rest was utterly seductive: enchanting allure like a siren’s rose, stirring desire amid fragile, snow-melted petals.
Just like the first time he’d seen Zhao Li!
The girl even had a beauty mark beneath her eye in nearly the same spot as Zhao Li’s.
But she was younger than Zhao Li—and even more beautiful!
For a moment, Shen An unconsciously compared Zhao Li’s daughter to that senior sister.
If the senior sister stunned at first sight, Zhao Li’s daughter hit like a breathless, shattering beauty.
At the same time, the senior sister appeared pure with a cold edge, yet her bold, glamorous attire drew every eye.
Zhao Li’s daughter was enchantingly alluring, yet she radiated a serene tranquility from head to toe—like a demure literary girl, a begonia blossom waiting to unfold.
These two girls made completely opposite first impressions, both in style and appearance. They seemed like inverted mirror images of each other.
“Hello?”
The girl’s voice rang out crisp and clear, like the tinkling of spring water flowing along a stream through mountains and fields.
Shen An held steady as ever, completely unfazed by her breathtaking beauty.
He flashed a broad smile and said casually, “You’re Aunt Zhao’s daughter, right? I’m Shen An—the ‘An’ from ‘peaceful’.”
The girl narrowed her eyes slightly. Her doe-like gaze scanned him up and down.
It wasn’t judgmental scrutiny, just a simple, innocent once-over.
Her eyes passed over his white shirt, marked with smudges and worn a bit sloppily, but her reaction remained perfectly calm. “Mm, you’re here for the part-time gig, right?”
With that, she turned. “Mom already told me about it. Come on in.”
“Sorry for the trouble.”
Shen An grabbed his suitcase and stepped inside, carefully setting it down on the tiled floor.
“No worries.”
The girl shook her head. She didn’t seem to mind the sudden arrival of a new housemate one bit.
Shen An took the chance to size up the apartment.
It was huge—far bigger than average.
At least 150 square meters, with an elegantly understated decor that clearly showed a lot of care and thought.
And it was spotlessly clean, as if dust itself had been banished.
“I’ll show you to your room first.”
The girl led the way ahead of Shen An.
Shen An hoisted his suitcase to keep it from scraping the floor.
“By the way, I don’t even know your name yet.”
“I’m Xu Yijing,” the girl said softly.
Xu Yijing?
Shen An murmured, “That’s a beautiful name.”
“Thank you.”
Xu Yijing smiled and nodded.
They reached the room. When she pushed open the door, it revealed an exquisitely appointed space.
“Is this room okay?”
Xu Yijing asked.
“Yeah, this is basically on par with a five-star hotel suite, isn’t it?”
Shen An joked. It was obvious Xu Yijing hadn’t cut any corners—the room she’d prepared for him was quite lavish.
“Then this is the one.”
Xu Yijing turned. “Go ahead and unpack. I won’t disturb you.”
“Alright.”
Shen An stepped into the room with his suitcase. Xu Yijing even closed the door for him.
On first impressions, Xu Yijing came across as polite and gracious. Her speech and manners were impeccable—not at all like Zhao Li had described.
Of course, she wasn’t particularly outgoing. Her responses seemed more courteous obligation than enthusiasm.
But in any case, she didn’t strike him as abnormal in the slightest.
The “dullness” Zhao Li had mentioned was probably just quiet reserve.
And there was nothing wrong with quiet.
Shen An appreciated quiet himself, at certain times.
He narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself, “So, cohabitation begins now?”
