Chapter 28

The military-training closing ceremony wrapped up in half a morning.

Third Company didn’t let the instructor down: overall standings—first place.

While the freshmen celebrated the end of their two-week boot camp, the instructors who’d watched the ceremony quietly boarded the buses back to their units—no good-byes.

Afterwards the students finally shed the uniforms they’d worn for fifteen days.

Standing on the Lihai University campus, Lin Zhe slipped off his glasses and drank in the moment.

My real college life is about to start.

Once the timetable settles I can file the paperwork to start my own club.

Because the welcome gala doesn’t begin until seven, the freshmen flood out of campus like birds freed from cages, tasting hard-won liberty—no crushing homework, no parents’ nagging.

Chen Zhijing trails him like a tiny tail. Hands behind her back, she hops up a step and then skips ahead of him.

Watching her block his path, Lin Zhe smiles. “So, Zhijing—how’s college treating you?”

She scuffs a pebble, head down. “Kinda... boring.”

The answer doesn’t surprise him; he chuckles.

She’s still a social-anxiety case—before I patched her up her interaction stat was basically zero.

Better now, at least; she can talk to people she knows.

She spins around, hands still behind her, and beams.

“But it’s fine as long as Xiao Lin’s here. With you around, nothing’s boring.”

The smile drifts into his heart like a sun-lit feather.

Cute.

If he ever tried to catalogue the cuteness of every girl he’s met, he could fill a whole book—each one a bright star.

Zhijing, Zhao Ge, Yunxiao, the rest—each shines in her own way.

“Club recruitment starts soon,” he says. “Anything you want to join?”

“Nope. Wherever you go, I go.”

He sighs at the obedient, adorable answer.

“Lihai’s academics are brutal; club credits count big-time. Flunk them and you won’t graduate.”

She nods, still smiling. “Mm, I know. So—wherever you go, I go.”

He’d meant to lecture the social dummy, but her words hit him right in the chest.

Too cute...

He falls silent, then finally says, “I’m starting my own club. Follow me and you might earn zero credits.”

“Doesn’t matter.” She blurts it out.

“And if I still can’t graduate, I’ll just support you.”

Right—her commission fees as a popular illustrator already dwarf most white-collar salaries.

She could bankroll ten of me without noticing.

I almost forgot—this dummy’s a little rich girl.

The thought warms him; his investment in her wasn’t wasted.

Club’s first member—and built-in artist—secured.

Walking backwards, Zhijing bumps into a senior sister.

Neither falls; the girl apologises softly.

The instant they collide, Zhijing switches to dead-fish-eyed-beauty defence mode and stares.

The senior sister fidgets, touching her cheek and looking away.

Then, voice flat enough to sound like a playground challenge, Zhijing says, “Sorry for bumping into you.”

“Um, our club will be recruiting in a few days. Drop by if you’re free.”

She offers a flyer.

Zhijing flicks her eyes over it, bows slightly, and rejects it.

“Sorry, not interested.”

Polite—barely.

The poor senior stands frozen, then laughs awkwardly and retracts the flyer.

Can’t watch this.

Lin Zhe steps up beside Zhijing and plucks the flyer before it disappears.

“Thanks. We’ll come if we have time.”

The senior blinks, eyes sparkling again—saved.

Guess she’s not great at socialising either.

Unlike Zhao Ge senior sister, who simply couldn’t be bothered to speak first, the girl in front of me looked borderline socially terrified. The pigeon-print shirt marketed specifically to otaku programmers was a dead giveaway—she was probably a shut-in too.

The unassuming senior sister suddenly grabbed Lin Zhe’s hands, voice quivering with gratitude. “Thank you, thank you so much! You have to come—promise me, please!”

She was practically babbling, as if she’d just landed a hundred-billion-yuan contract.

Lin Zhe flushed under the unexpected enthusiasm.

Right then a sulky growl cut in: “Mmph—”

Chen Zhijing puffed her cheeks like a cranky kitten, glaring at the hands clasped around her boyfriend’s.

The senior sister caught the stare, glanced at the junior she was still holding, and realized her mistake. Any girl would flip if a stranger clung to her boyfriend in public.

She yanked her hands away and bowed frantically. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!”

Chen Zhijing answered with flat, lifeless eyes, locking on the girl like a wolf pup guarding its dinner. Without a word she tugged Lin Zhe’s sleeve and stalked off.

Even after they’d gone a fair distance, she kept shooting backward glances, as if the rude creature might still pounce and steal her meal.

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