I have a heart ailment that can only be cured by my brother giving me an injection.

The foot under the table ground against him again.

Chen Zhi's hand trembled. A freshly cooked slice of fatty beef plopped back into his bowl, splashing a few drops of red chili oil.

"Hiss—"

"Brother, why are you sweating?" Pei Ningxue tilted her head, asking despite knowing the answer perfectly well. "Is this mutton too nourishing for you? Is your body too weak to handle it?"

The others at the table stopped their chopsticks, their gazes uniformly turning toward him.

Chen Zhi forced out a smile and grabbed a tissue to wipe his forehead.

"Hehe, how could that be."

"The hotpot is just too hot. It's making me sweat all over."

As he spoke, he stretched his leg under the table, trying to hook the offending foot away.

But Pei Ningxue anticipated his move. Her other foot pressed down directly, using a two-pronged approach to pin him firmly in place.

"Then eat some more." Pei Ningxue looked at him with a beaming smile.

"Our dad said that studying away from home is hard work. You need to keep your body in tip-top shape so you can carry on the family line in the future."

...

The meal was eaten amidst surging undercurrents.

Chen Zhi was in both pain and pleasure.

The pleasure came from the fact that the Beihua instant-boiled meat was truly authentic; the pain came from the fact that this vixen Pei Ningxue was playing little tricks under the table the entire time, either rubbing against his calves or stepping on the instep of his foot.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill.

Looking at the mountain of empty plates on the table, Pei Ningxue's roommate suggested, "Say, let's split the bill."

Since they were all freshmen and didn't know each other very well, going Dutch was the best choice.

Li Zicong took out his phone and said, "I have a group payment app, let's all add..."

"No need."

A cool, clear voice interrupted him.

Pei Ningxue wiped her mouth with a tissue, casually pulled a bank card from her bag, and handed it to the approaching waiter.

"How can we do that!" Guo Yang became anxious. "There's no reason to let a girl treat us."

"It's fine."

Pei Ningxue walked behind Chen Zhi, rested both hands on his shoulders, leaned over slightly, and flashed a brilliant smile at the three dumbfounded roommates.

"This brother of mine, although he's been smart since he was little, his ability to take care of himself is a bit lacking. Since you'll be in the same dorm from now on, I have to ask you all to look after him."

"Just treat this meal as protection money paid on his behalf by his younger sister."

Guo Yang opened his mouth wide, looking at Pei Ningxue and then at Chen Zhi, who looked like he had nothing left to live for.

"Um... you are too polite, sister!" Guo Yang swallowed hard and immediately changed his tune. "From now on, Chen Zhi is my own brother! If anyone dares to bully him, I, Lao Guo, will be the first to object!"

"Then thank you."

Pei Ningxue smiled in an incredibly gentle and virtuous manner.

The waiter returned after swiping the card and handed the receipt to Pei Ningxue.

Walking out of the restaurant's main doors.

"Alright, you guys head back first."

Pei Ningxue showed no intention of letting go of Chen Zhi's arm. "I still have some things to discuss with my brother."

The three roommates exchanged glances.

They revealed knowing looks.

"Understood! We understand!"

Guo Yang chuckled and patted Chen Zhi on the shoulder. "Brother Chen, make sure to take good care of your sister! No need to rush back to the dorm, really. I'll cover for you during room checks tonight!"

Li Zicong also gave Chen Zhi a meaningful look: "Take care of your body. You just ate some kidneys, don't let them go to waste."

After saying that, the three of them ran off with their arms around each other's shoulders, as if afraid of interrupting a good thing.

Watching the backs of those three disloyal friends disappear around the corner, Chen Zhi sighed.

"Alright, they're gone, let go." Chen Zhi moved his arm.

Pei Ningxue didn't let go; instead, she pulled him toward a dim little alley on the side.

"What are you doing? Trying to silence me with murder?" Chen Zhi asked warily.

"My bed isn't even made yet, and there's a class meeting tonight. If there's nothing else, I'm heading back."

"How could there be nothing else."

Pei Ningxue pushed him into the shadows of the alley. This spot avoided the streetlights, with only a faint glow filtering in from a distance, creating an atmosphere that was perfectly ambiguous.

She pushed Chen Zhi against the wall and then pressed her entire body against his.

Pei Ningxue covered her heaving chest, furrowed her brows slightly, and put on a heartbroken expression.

"I have an illness waiting for my brother to cure with the Taiyi Rejuvenation Needle."

Chen Zhi looked at the beautiful face so close at hand, smelled the faint natural fragrance of her body, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

This vixen really wasn't planning on letting him live.

"What illness?" Chen Zhi asked cooperatively. "You looked like you were enjoying your food just now; you didn't seem sick at all."

"A sickness of the heart."

Pei Ningxue grabbed Chen Zhi's hand and pressed it over her heart.

Beneath his palm was a patch of softness and the rhythmic sound of a heartbeat.

"Every night at midnight, I miss you so much that my heart hurts, hurting so much I can't sleep." She tilted her head up, her eyes misty, her voice carrying a hint of a tremble. "Brother, hurry up and cure me."

Damn it.

Who the hell could withstand this?

Even if Liu Xiahui came, he would have to kneel before this vixen and sing 'Conquer'.

"Fine, I'll cure it."

"Since my sister is so terribly ill, we'll have to use strong medicine."

He reached out and tipped up Pei Ningxue's delicate chin.

Then he lowered his head and kissed those rosy lips fiercely.

"Mmph..."

The brief touch felt like an electric current running through his entire body.

When they parted, Pei Ningxue's cheeks were flushed red, looking incredibly charming and seductive.

She stuck out the tip of her tongue and licked her lips, as if savoring the taste from just now.

"That's it?"

Pei Ningxue huffed somewhat dissatisfiedly, tracing circles on Chen Zhi's chest with her finger. "Quack doctor. Is the treatment over already?"

Chen Zhi pulled her hand down and held it in his palm, speaking in a perfectly serious tone, "This kind of illness can't be rushed. It needs to be nursed slowly."

"Tch."

Pei Ningxue rolled her eyes, but the smile at the corners of her mouth couldn't be suppressed.

She leaned close to Chen Zhi's ear. "I might have to take this medicine 365 days a year, for 80 consecutive years, before I can get better~"

"And..."

She paused, then smiled wickedly. "It also needs to be combined with that Taiyi Divine Needle to be fully cured."

Chen Zhi: "..."

He took a deep breath, turned around, and walked away.

"Pei Ningxue, I advise you to be good. Otherwise, sooner or later, I'll show you what real acupuncture is."

A burst of silvery laughter echoed behind him.

"Coward~ I'll be waiting for that needle!"

...

Returning to Dorm 404.

Chen Zhi pushed the door open and went in. The originally noisy dormitory instantly fell quiet.

Three pairs of eyes focused uniformly on him.

Guo Yang was the first to rush up, circling Chen Zhi three times and even sniffing him.

"No perfume scent, no lipstick marks, clothes are neat."

Guo Yang stroked his chin, looking utterly disappointed at his failure to meet expectations. "Chen Zhi, you're hopeless! Such a huge beauty dragged you into the grove, and you came back completely intact? Are you doing justice to those two mutton kidneys?"

Chen Zhi tossed his backpack onto the bed and rolled his eyes at him in annoyance.

"Filthy mind."

As he took his bedsheets and duvet cover out of the closet, he spoke with righteous indignation: "I already told you guys, we are true siblings from different fathers and different mothers. A younger sister seeking out her older brother for a heart-to-heart talk is pure familial affection, understand?"

"Bah!"

Zhang Tianyang couldn't listen to this anymore. "Can familial affection be so sticky and sweet? Just now at the dinner table, the way you looked at each other made even me blush."

"Are you really just brother and sister?" Li Zicong asked again, unwilling to let it go.

Chen Zhi swiftly stuffed his comforter into its cover without even turning his head.

"Don't get the wrong idea. We're actually blood siblings from completely different parents."

"Yeah, right."

The three of them raised their middle fingers in unison.

However, seeing that Chen Zhi didn't want to elaborate, the group didn't press the issue. After all, it was only their first day knowing each other; some gossip had to be dug up slowly.

Chen Zhi climbed into bed and set up his mosquito net, finally securing a little world of his own.

He lay down on the freshly made mattress and let out a long breath.

Pulling out his phone, he saw several unread WeChat messages.

They were from Lin Wanwan.

Chen Zhi tapped them open.

First was a photo.

The background was a practice room at the Central Conservatory of Music. Lin Wanwan was wearing a tight-fitting practice outfit, stretching her legs, her curves on full display.

Below it were a few voice messages.

[Wanwan: Chen Zhi, Chen Zhi! I have great news!]

[Wanwan: My agent just told me the company got me a spot on a variety show, and I'm going to start filming in a few days.]

[Wanwan: So I asked my counselor for a leave of absence. Doesn't that mean I can skip military training? Hehe, this is awesome! I heard the sun in the capital is super harsh, I'd definitely get a tan if I went!]

After listening to the messages, the corners of Chen Zhi's mouth unconsciously curled into a smile.

This girl really had incredible luck.

While others would break their heads trying to squeeze into the entertainment industry, she had a steady stream of opportunities right from the start of college.

However...

Skipping military training?

College military training was a mandatory credit.

If you didn't do it this year, you'd have to do it next year.

If you kept putting it off, you'd end up having to march and stand at attention with the new freshmen during your sophomore or junior year.

Chen Zhi looked at the screen and tapped his fingers on the keyboard, typing out a line: [Actually, college military training is a mandatory credit. If you don't do it this year, you'll have to do it next year...]

Halfway through typing, Chen Zhi paused.

He thought for a moment, then deleted the words one by one.

Never mind, it was better not to tell her right now. He would just let her be happy for a few days.