Military training begins

In the early morning two days later, before dawn had broken, more than fifty young people in military uniforms had already assembled on the training ground at the Jinling Central-South Military Region base.

With a stern expression, Tang Shaojie shouted, "For the next two weeks, you'll be serving as instructors at Jinling University. Are you confident you can complete your mission?"

"Yes!" Their synchronized roar sounded like a single voice, shattering the camp's silence. A few weak, listless voices were mixed in, however.

"Hao Jun, Wang Meng, Su Xiaoxiao, you three especially had better behave. Don't cause any trouble." Tang Shaojie glared at them, still uneasy enough to issue another warning.

"Rest assured, sir! The three of us never cause trouble!" Three people in the formation answered loudly in unison.

The corner of Tang Shaojie's mouth twitched involuntarily. As if you haven't caused enough trouble already! Having you lot around is going to shave three years off my life.

After glaring at them, he waved a hand. "Get on the bus. Don't go overboard."

Watching the military bus slowly pull away, Tang Shaojie finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Those little bastards are finally gone."

The political instructor asked uneasily, "Sir, aren't you worried about sending them to be instructors?"

Tang Shaojie had been fine until they were mentioned, but now his temper flared again. "What good does worrying do? Should I keep them in camp and put you in charge of watching them?"

"No!" The political instructor immediately waved his hands. "Pretend I never said anything. I'd like to live a couple more years."

Since the freshmen's military training began that day, Li Yichen got up bright and early.

He had also somehow ended up as the Journalism Department's Acting Counselor. Just thinking about having to deal with all those younger students for the next two weeks gave him a headache.

"How did I become the 'Acting Counselor'? Wasn't I supposed to be a volunteer?" Li Yichen shook his head helplessly. "Now I can't even slack off."

"Count your blessings." Sun Kai poked his head out from under the covers. "It's the Journalism Department! There are loads of pretty girls there. You've got an opportunity other people can only dream of, all to yourself."

"I heard one of this year's campus beauties is in the Journalism Department," Zhang Yong added sourly, no longer able to sleep either.

"I also heard that since the Archaeology Department has so few students this year, they're being combined with the Journalism Department into one squad." Yang Weifeng shared a piece of news he had heard from someone from his hometown.

"So they're combining them. What's the big deal?" Li Yichen curled his lip.

"The big deal is that a girl from the Archaeology Department also made the Top Ten Campus Beauties," Yang Weifeng said indignantly. "What kind of ridiculous luck do you have? You get to spend every day with two campus beauties for two whole weeks!"

"I don't know either..." Li Yichen shrugged. "Maybe it's because I'm so handsome?"

"Handsome, my ass! Get lost. Just looking at you pisses us off." All three gave him looks of contempt and shooed him out as if swatting away a fly.

By the time he strolled over to the training ground, it was already packed with freshmen, all looking bright and energetic in their brand-new camouflage uniforms.

When he reached the Journalism Department's area, he found pretty girls everywhere he looked. Li Yichen rubbed his nose. The Journalism Department really does have plenty of beauties.

"Why is he here too?" Ouyang Xuanxuan had been happily chatting with her roommates when she caught a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help turning to look.

As it happened, Li Yichen spotted her too. He smiled at her and waved.

Ouyang Xuanxuan gave a "Hmph!" and immediately turned away.

"Xuanxuan, what are you looking at?" one of her roommates asked, curiously following her gaze.

"Nothing." Ouyang Xuanxuan's face reddened slightly. "I just saw someone annoying."

"Annoying? No way. I think that guy's really handsome." Her roommate looked back at her, then said knowingly, "Oh... I get it... Our Ouyang Xuanxuan has a crush."

"Y-you're talking nonsense!" Ouyang Xuanxuan's face burned as she reached for her roommate's ribs. "Keep that up and I'll tickle you!"

"Hehe... I won't do it again!" The two dissolved into giggles.

After being brushed off, Li Yichen rubbed his nose awkwardly, then called out, "Journalism Department students, gather around me!"

Apart from a few people nearby who gave him puzzled looks, however, no one paid him any attention. They simply carried on chatting.

After all, he looked like just another student, a year or two older than them at most. Why would anyone listen to him?

Only Ouyang Xuanxuan watched him curiously out of the corner of her eye, wondering what this young man was trying to do.

Seeing that no one was paying attention, Li Yichen narrowed his eyes, irritation rising within him. Unless I teach these guys a lesson, they won't know who they're dealing with.

With a thought, he sent spiritual energy flowing through his meridians and throughout his body before gathering it in his throat.

Then he roared, "I am your Acting Counselor! My words are orders! Now gather around me!"

Everyone present felt as though a great bell had been struck right beside their ears, leaving their heads buzzing.

"Oh my God." Everyone immediately fell silent. The girls in particular stared at him as though he were a monster.

Then, seeing Li Yichen frown, they snapped out of it. Not daring to waste another moment, they all hurried over to gather around him.

"Wow, our Acting Counselor is so manly." The girl beside Ouyang Xuanxuan had stars in her eyes.

"Boy-crazy," Ouyang Xuanxuan muttered, rolling her eyes disdainfully.

"Our Acting Counselor is so handsome. I wonder if he has a girlfriend." A girl ahead and to her left clutched her chest, gazing dreamily at Li Yichen.

"He's the manliest guy I've ever seen. I want to have his babies."

Comments like these kept coming from every direction, making Ouyang Xuanxuan so angry she nearly cried.

The look she then gave Li Yichen was filled with resentment.

"Hehe." Just then, her roommate leaned over and whispered, "Xuanxuan, you have so much competition. You'd better keep a close eye on him."

Then, sounding a little reluctant to give him up, she added, "Honestly, he really is handsome. Even I'm a little tempted."

"You... you bunch of little perverts." Ouyang Xuanxuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

It wasn't that she had already fallen in love with Li Yichen. After all, they had only met twice, and neither encounter had been particularly friendly.

But he had taken her first kiss, and deep down, she vaguely felt that this boy ought to belong to her.

Only once she no longer wanted him could anyone else have him.

Now that so many rivals had inexplicably appeared, her feelings had begun to shift without her even realizing it.

As Ouyang Xuanxuan's thoughts wandered, a clear, bright voice rang out, making her look up.

"Hey, handsome, is this the Journalism Department?"