The grudge with Zhao Gao had been firmly established. As the second young master of the Zhao family, he was not an easy target.
Getting revenge was simple—just catch him and give him a good beating. However, I was more concerned about the powerful forces backing him.
In recent days, Lu Sen had been keeping a low profile. During military training, he stayed with us and didn’t wander around aimlessly.
Diao Sinan, being the tagalong he always was, wasn’t much of a concern. As for Hao Shuai, his carefree personality meant there was no need to worry about him.
I wasn’t one to take a loss lightly. Since Zhao Gao wanted to mess with me, I intended to repay him double. What I lacked now was a good strategy.
“Boss, here you go!” Diao Sinan handed me a bottle of water with a grin. I accepted it with a smile. “Thanks.”
Diao Sinan had undergone the most noticeable change. Under the scorching sun, his skin was no longer as fair as before.
Lu Sen remained the same rebellious guy. What surprised me was Hao Shuai—no matter how much sun exposure he got, his skin never tanned. After each day of military training, it turned slightly red but returned to normal by the next morning.
“Old Fourth, why didn’t you get a bottle for your second brother?” Lu Sen teased, pretending to be jealous.
Diao Sinan handed the last bottle to Hao Shuai and said, “Sorry, my hands are small and can only carry three bottles.” Then he opened his own bottle, ready to drink.
Before he could take a sip, Lu Sen snatched it away and drank most of it before handing it back. “Next time, bring more bottles!” he quipped before lying down to sleep, leaving Diao Sinan speechless.
I chuckled and handed my half-full bottle to Diao Sinan. “I’m not that thirsty. You can have it.”
“Boss, you’re the best!” Diao Sinan laughed as he took the bottle and started drinking.
Hao Shuai, watching from the side, muttered with a strange expression, “That’s not very hygienic, you know.”
“Not everyone’s a clean freak like you!” I retorted with a laugh. During my time with Hao Shuai, I’d realized he truly had a bit of an obsession with cleanliness.
Oddly enough, after military training, he’d take off his socks and sniff them. I couldn’t tell if he loved cleanliness or something else entirely.
Hao Shuai furrowed his brows. “Boss, Zhao Gao has been quiet these past few days. Do you think he’s planning something big?”
“I’m worried about that too. We can’t go head-to-head with him; his power far exceeds ours,” I sighed. Zhao Gao, leveraging his position as the Zhao family’s second young master, had gathered a group of followers and even called himself a ‘prince.’ So far, he hadn’t taken any direct action against us.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
A sudden knock at the door broke the silence.
Since we’d only recently arrived at Shenghua, we hadn’t made many acquaintances, let alone had visitors. It was quite late—who could it be?
“Old Fourth, go open the door!” Lu Sen called out while lying on his bed, playing with his phone.
Diao Sinan grumbled, “You’re closer to the door. Why don’t you open it?”
Hao Shuai rolled his eyes at the two of them. “Fine, I’ll get it,” he said, getting out of bed.
I stopped him. “I’ll go. If someone’s coming this late, it’s probably trouble. It might even be Zhao Gao’s people.”
Hearing this, the three of them quickly sat up and got dressed, worried I might not be able to handle it alone. I chuckled helplessly and opened the door.
“Why did you take so long to answer the door?!” A barrage of complaints greeted me as I opened it.
Recognizing the familiar figure, I sighed. “Sister Lin, why are you here?”
“Of course, I came to see my most handsome little brother, Xia Tian!” Sister Lin beamed with delight upon hearing her own words.
Noticing the wary expressions of my roommates behind me, she asked curiously, “Why do they look so on edge? Am I really that scary?”
“No, no. Let’s talk outside!” I ushered Sister Lin out the door, then turned to my roommates. “I’ve got something to take care of. Be right back!”
Lu Sen gave me a sly grin. “We understand!”
What the heck was he imagining? Ignoring his insinuations, I closed the door and followed Sister Lin out.
“Sister Lin, how did you know where my dorm was?” I asked, puzzled. I’d never told her.
She smiled. “Nana told me.”
“Nana? Who’s Nana?” I asked, confused.
“Zhao Na—the girl who helped you move in!” she explained impatiently.
I nodded, recalling the person. “Oh, the one with a bigger che*st than yours.”
“Hmph! So what if her ch*est is bigger? Mine will grow too!” Sister Lin’s expression was a mix of annoyance and embarrassment.
Not wanting to dwell on that topic, I asked, “Why did you come looking for me, Sister Lin?”
She still seemed miffed. “Can’t I just come to see you?”
“Well, sure,” I replied awkwardly, hoping she wouldn’t stay mad.
Grabbing my hand, she led me downstairs. “Come on, let’s go for a walk!”
I hesitated but eventually gave in. As a grown man, what harm could it do? Still, I couldn’t help but wonder why Shenghua didn’t have stricter dormitory rules. How could Sister Lin just waltz into the boys’ dormitory?
“Sister Lin, did something happen to you?” I asked as we walked along Shenghua’s paths.
She paused, looking at me curiously. “Why do you ask?”
“If nothing’s wrong, why take me for a walk?” I replied, feeling exasperated. It wasn’t like we were a couple. What if someone saw us and misunderstood?
“What’s wrong with taking a walk with me? Plenty of people would love to!” she retorted, clearly displeased.
I could only laugh awkwardly, saying nothing.
As we walked, she suddenly asked, “Xia Tian, do guys prefer girls with bigger che*sts?”
Her timing was a bit late for such a revelation. Though I thought this, I answered with a smile, “Not necessarily. Personality is what really matters. Not all guys are that shallow!”
“Really?” She looked skeptical.
“Really!” I lied through my teeth.
We were still chatting when a sweet voice called out from afar, “Xia Tian!”
Looking up, I saw Tang Shuyao and Qin Mengdie approaching.
Smiling, I greeted them. “Out for a stroll too?”
“Yes. And this is?” Tang Shuyao asked, gesturing to Sister Lin.
Before I could answer, Sister Lin smiled warmly. “What adorable little sisters! I’m Xia Tian’s older sister!”
“I’m Tang Shuyao, and this is Qin Mengdie,” she introduced.
I noticed Qin Mengdie didn’t talk much, seemingly shy.
“Your little brother promised to take us out for dinner but hasn’t followed up,” Tang Shuyao said, looking at me with a pout.
I laughed awkwardly. “Well, today’s weather is—” My words were cut off as I noticed a glint of light on the dormitory rooftop. Focusing intently, I saw someone aiming a sniper rifle at us!
D*mn it! Could my luck get any worse?
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