He's Back in the Country

[Sharpshooting genius Xi Jin takes the men's 10-meter air pistol crown again at the world championships!]

In the Peking University cafeteria.

The television hanging overhead played Xi Jin's championship match on a loop.

On the screen, he wore a black baseball cap pulled so low it concealed nearly half his face, leaving only the taut line of his jaw exposed.

One hand was tucked into his trouser pocket. He raised the gun in his right hand and aimed at the bull's-eye, his gaze cool and detached, too languid to look like he was competing.

Without the slightest hesitation.

Bang! A gunshot rang out.

Piercing the silence.

A fine score of 10.9 points promptly flashed onto the electronic display.

The spectators immediately erupted in cheers.

"Ahhh—"

The people around Nan Xingyu went wild too, even though they had already watched the replay several times.

"Girls, who gets me?!"

Her roommate Lin Piaopiao grabbed Nan Xingyu, who was drinking soup.

"He's so ridiculously, authoritatively handsome. Seeing that face makes me want to give the world a smile."

The spoon Nan Xingyu had just raised to her lips shook back and forth.

She couldn't get it into her mouth.

Nan Xingyu helplessly put down her spoon.

She lifted her eyes slightly and looked at the young man on the television.

Some people were born destined to be looked up to.

She, however, wanted to escape his dazzling radiance.

In the end, Xi Jin claimed the championship with an overwhelming score.

His gaze beneath his cap remained calm, tinged with disinterest, as if the result had been expected all along.

He put down his gun and shook hands with his opponent in a friendly manner.

His opponent said something in his ear.

The corners of his mouth rose almost imperceptibly.

Only Nan Xingyu knew.

It wasn't the joy of victory, but cold disdain.

He took the black backpack a teammate handed him, slung it over one shoulder, and strode past the spectators on his long legs.

The camera zoomed in for a close-up. Without any filter, his skin was cool and pale, and his features held a naturally crisp, youthful air.

Who would have thought that someone as radiant as a clear moon would turn into a venomous snake coiling tightly around its prey after nightfall?

"Ahhhhh—"

"It's Xi Jin!!"

"So handsome!!"

Several more girls went wild.

She really wanted to tell them.

Don't be fooled by his clean-cut appearance.

If there hadn't been people around, she would have loved to give the screen an internationally recognized "friendly gesture."

"Being a sharpshooting genius is one thing, and he's a top finance student too. But what's even more outrageous is—"

Lin Piaopiao tilted her head back and let out a long sigh.

"A man with both beauty and talent is actually single!"

She slammed the table indignantly. "What a criminal waste of heaven's gifts!"

Nan Xingyu flinched in fright.

She silently guarded the corn and pork rib soup in front of her.

Lin Piaopiao nudged her elbow. "Xingyu, didn't you go to the same high school as him?"

Nan Xingyu immediately said, "I don't know him well."

Lin Piaopiao laughed. "Don't get all wary the moment you hear about a guy. Anyone who didn't know better would think there was something between you."

Nan Xingyu: "..."

She couldn't have figured it out, could she?!

Fortunately, Li Ziyan chimed in. "Stop teasing Xingyu. A coward like her runs whenever a guy comes near her. How would she dare get involved with someone like Xi Jin?"

"..."

If they found out that she, this coward, had slept with Xi Jin for three years,

would their jaws drop in shock?

After that little interlude, Lin Piaopiao continued gossiping.

"There's another rumor going around the jianghu. Xi Jin was originally given special admission to Peking University in his first year of high school."

She glanced at Nan Xingyu and said, drawing out the suspense, "Do you know why he didn't go?"

Nan Xingyu shook her head blankly.

But she knew perfectly well.

He wanted to stay in high school and keep bullying her.

Boo-hoo-hoo.

Li Ziyan couldn't wait any longer. "What is it? Hurry up and tell us."

Lin Piaopiao leaned closer. "I heard he was waiting for a girl so they could go to Peking University together."

Nan Xingyu glanced at her suspiciously.

How did these rumors even get out?

Only Xi Jin and I knew about it.

"Huh?" Li Ziyan exclaimed in surprise. "No way. Who was it?"

The two exchanged a glance, then both looked at Nan Xingyu, who had attended the same high school as Xi Jin. Lin Piaopiao nudged her again.

"Hey, Xingyu, did that really happen?"

Under their expectant gazes, Nan Xingyu said calmly,

"...H-how could that be possible?"

"Tsk."

Both women sat up straight at the same time.

"True. Someone as aloof as Xi Jin probably isn't interested in women. What kind of vixen would it take to stir up his desires?"

Lin Piaopiao said, "Right, Xingyu?"

Nan Xingyu nearly spat out a mouthful of soup.

Not because of what Lin Piaopiao had said, but because she had received a message.

[Don't leave after class.]

Was he back in the country?

The previous message was one she had sent him a month ago:

[I don't want to be with you anymore.]

That day had been her birthday.

It was also the day before the men's 10-meter air pistol final at the world championships.

She had gone clubbing with her roommates and had two shots of hard liquor. With alcohol putting courage in a coward's heart, she had messaged him to break up.

She remembered drinking too much that night.

She didn't even know how she had gotten back to the dorm.

The next day, she saw the breakup message she had sent him.

Her courage shattered in an instant.

First, knowing him as she did, he would surely have cooked up something nasty after seeing the message and used all kinds of perverted methods to deal with her.

Second, his final was the next day, and kindhearted as she was, she feared she might affect his performance.

After all, this was the final stop on his path to a grand slam in international competitions.

It was also his retirement match.

And the result?

He had shown no reaction at all after seeing the message.

He had outdone himself in the competition and broken the world record.

She had to admit it.

That damn man was frighteningly strong.

Or perhaps,

he hadn't taken her breakup message to heart at all.

Seeing him win had put half her heart at ease.

The other half was still gripped by fear.

How would he deal with her over the breakup message?

It felt like slapping your own face in front of someone far stronger than you and recklessly courting death as you said,

"Hit me, come on, hit me..."

That "slap" had yet to fall.

It felt as though a critical hit could land at any moment.

Stranger still, he normally messaged her every day, yet after that day, he hadn't sent a single message for a whole month.

And her mother had told her that he had gone to Iceland alone to see the northern lights.

He hadn't been affected by the breakup message in the slightest.

She had even secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he might have agreed.

Just when she thought their relationship had been tacitly declared dead,

why had it come back from the grave?

She looked at the calendar again.

Tomorrow was his birthday.

Could he have rushed back especially to give me a breakup declaration on his birthday too?

Nan Xingyu was in a daze throughout her classes that afternoon, lying on her desk and thinking about why Xi Jin might be looking for her.

"Nan Xingyu, tell us, what determines the value of a commodity?"

Professor Li held a laser pointer, its red dot fixed on the projection screen.

Nan Xingyu was asleep.

Lin Piaopiao had to admire her thick skull.

She even dared to sleep in an ideological and political theory class.

Professor Li was a big shot at Peking University, famous for docking points.

Holding her breath, she poked her with a pen beneath the desk.

Nan Xingyu sensed something and whimpered, frowning.

Lin Piaopiao gritted her teeth and jabbed her hard in the thigh.

"Ow—"

"You bastard!!"

"Xi..."

Nan Xingyu had been bullied by him since childhood. It was as if it had been engraved in her genes, and she instinctively assumed it was him.

She jerked her head up and stared wide-eyed at Lin Piaopiao, who stared back.

Lin Piaopiao forced out a smile uglier than a crying face and flicked her eyes quickly toward the lectern.

Nan Xingyu's breath abruptly stopped.

I'm done for.

I'm barbecued.

Nan Xingyu stood in the office while Professor Li lectured her for over an hour.

Xi Jin would surely think she was avoiding him again.

Though she did rather want to hide from him.

But she was even more afraid of angering him.

Knock, knock, knock.

The knocking interrupted Professor Li's nagging.

"Hello, Professor Li. I'm here to pick up the coursework for the classes I need to make up."

A cool, mild voice came from behind her, respectful but carrying a distant chill.

Who else could it be but that dog Xi Jin?

Nan Xingyu clutched the hem of her clothes and averted her eyes, not daring to turn around.

When Professor Li saw who it was, he reacted like most teachers did upon seeing a good student: with the delighted surprise of a monster spotting Tang Sanzang.

His eyes went as wide as bronze bells.

"Xi Jin! You're back in the country already. I watched your match. Well done, bringing glory to the country."

"Thank you for your encouragement, Professor. It's an honor to be able to do my part for the country."

Xi Jin wore a white shirt, looking so clean-cut he was almost dazzling. He spoke at an unhurried pace, his voice magnetic and warm.

He gave an impression of composure and strength.

Nan Xingyu shot him a contemptuous glance.

Loading cargo.

The other party keenly caught that glance, his gaze sweeping past her as if by accident.

Nan Xingyu quickly dodged it, turning her head away.

"All right, it's getting late. You should both head back."

Professor Li had talked until his mouth was dry. He picked up his teacup and took a sip of water.

Xi Jin said politely, "All right, Professor Li. I'll come to seek your advice again when I have the chance. I'll be going now."

Professor Li pursed his lips at Nan Xingyu, who was rooted to the spot. "You should learn from Xi Jin..."

Pah.

He can only fool people like you who don't know what he's really like.

A little while later.

Nan Xingyu skulked out of the office behind Xi Jin.

There weren't many students around at this hour.

The setting sun slanted through the corridor windows, casting long shadows on the floor.

The two walked one behind the other.

Tall and slender, he walked in front with his hands in his pockets, a dangerous aura already spreading around him.

Nan Xingyu had a premonition that big trouble was brewing and nothing good was coming.

Better slip away, and fast.

"Um..."

Nan Xingyu stopped and faced his back. Her voice was a little weak as she said, "I have something to do, so I'll be going now."

He turned his head, the corners of his eyes sweeping briefly over her. There was clearly no intense emotion in his gaze, yet it was as though an invisible pressure was bearing down on her, leaving her breathless.

The next second, Xi Jin's thin lips parted, his gaze cold and wicked:

"If you want to do it here."

"That works too."

[Reading guide]

The male lead has issues early on and doesn't know how to express love. Some of his behavior will be extreme, but the female lead will train him up later. If that bothers you, proceed with caution.

The female lead is the male lead's salvation. He can't live without her: he's clingy, a control freak, youthful with a daddy vibe, and a love-brained lunatic.

The female lead is a little cutie. The biggest hurdle she's encountered in her life is being pursued by the male lead.

If you like it, lovelies, come along with me~