A Beauty Passing By.

"Damn it!"

"My back is killing me from standing so long!"

While the drill instructor was away, Lv Pengju next to Lin Yu leaned slightly and whispered weakly, his voice full of complaint.

Lin Yu shot him a disdainful sidelong glance and muttered without moving his lips:

"Cut back on the jerking off and you’ll be fine."

"Fuck off!"

Lv Pengju immediately perked up, his voice firm and full of vigor.

Lin Yu chuckled and ignored him.

The intensity of military training was no joke for the average person.

But for Lin Yu, it was nothing. Aside from some initial soreness in his feet, he had no trouble adjusting.

However, the southern climate hit him like a brick wall.

The heat was manageable, but the humidity? That was something Lin Yu just couldn’t stand!

The instructor had wandered off to chat with another class’s instructor, leaving the group stuck standing at attention with no end in sight.

Under the scorching sun, everyone was worn out, hoping for an early break.

Lin Yu was no exception. Though the training itself wasn’t exhausting, the feeling of his clothes sticking to his skin was unbearable.

Just as he shifted his shoulders, trying to peel the damp fabric away, a sudden wave of energy rippled through the lifeless formation. Soft murmurs of admiration and hushed "wows" filled the air.

Curious, Lin Yu turned his head. About twenty meters to the left of the group, where all eyes were glued, a beautiful woman in a white dress walked gracefully by, a book cradled in her arms.

At first glance, Lin Yu was stunned too.

She was stunning—her skin fair and flawless, her lashes long and thick, her profile delicate yet striking. There was a gentle softness in her features that perfectly matched the image of a tender southern belle.

She looked like the kind of flawless campus goddess you’d see in a manga—the one the ordinary protagonist secretly pines for but never dares confess to.

Strangely, though, when Lin Yu first saw her, he had this inexplicable feeling that she reminded him of Tang Manman.

But the thing was, this girl and Tang Manman were nothing alike.

In terms of looks, while both leaned toward the gentle type, their features were distinctly different, each with their own charm.

As for figure, the girl was perfectly proportioned—curves in all the right places, not overly voluptuous but just right for her slender frame. Especially when the wind blew, pressing her white dress against her body, the subtle contours of her figure embodied perfection.

Tang Manman? Not even close.

Maybe due to childhood malnutrition, she was on the thinner side. Even after Lin Yu had fed her well in their last year of high school, her growth had already settled. She couldn’t compare to this girl.

And their personalities? Worlds apart.

This girl seemed gentle and approachable, but if you looked closer, there was an unmistakable aloofness beneath that warmth.

She carried herself like a noblewoman raised in luxury—polished, graceful, but with an air of quiet confidence that came from privilege and experience.

In simpler terms? She was effortlessly self-assured.

Beneath that soft exterior was a pride nurtured by wealth and sophistication.

Tang Manman, on the other hand?

Sure, she seemed easy to push around.

But if you actually tried?

Well…

You’d find out she really was.

Timid, soft-spoken, even her voice barely rose above a whisper.

Compared to this girl, Tang Manman was like a timid little stray—practically wearing a "kick me" sign on her forehead.

As Lin Yu silently compared the two, the woman suddenly stopped walking, as if sensing the stares.

Honestly, how could she not? Half the class was ogling her, whispering "wow" like a bunch of creeps.

Under the weight of so many gazes, she turned her head.

A face worthy of a campus queen appeared, leaving everyone speechless.

Amid the collective gasp of admiration, Lin Yu frowned, a strange feeling creeping up on him.

Weird.

Why did she look familiar?

But not quite.

Like when he first met Tang Manman’s mother—recognizable, but no memories of her in any… adult material surfaced.

Just as he was lost in thought, the girl suddenly smiled—bright, effortless, breathtaking.

The unexpected gesture made Lin Yu flinch, a cold sweat breaking out.

Why the hell is she smiling at me?

Is this destiny’s doing?

Is this manga-level beauty about to fall for me at first sight?

And then drag me into some ridiculous plot?

While Lin Yu panicked, Wu Zhen, the bespectacled guy on his other side, whispered excitedly:

"She smiled at me!"

"She smiled at me!"

"She’s into me!"

Lin Yu turned and gave him a look of utter disdain.

Freaking weirdo.

Total closet pervert.

Lv Pengju shot Wu Zhen an equally scornful glare, though his was tinged with irritation.

"Bullshit!"

"She was looking at me!"

Lin Yu turned again, now completely done with both of them.

"Cut the delusional crap!"

"She was obviously looking at me!"

Lang Hua, standing behind Lin Yu, chimed in indignantly.

Listening to these three idiots argue, Lin Yu could only marvel at the sheer audacity of human self-absorption.

How could anyone be this full of themselves?

Then he remembered his own fleeting thought that she’d smiled at him, and suddenly, he had no room to judge.

When he looked back, the girl was already walking away—her smile likely just a polite gesture, nothing more.

The trio’s bickering continued, joined now by a few other randoms insisting the beauty had eyes only for them. It wasn’t until the instructor noticed and barked at them to shut up that the nonsense finally ended.