A girl slowly walked onto the athletic field.
She wore a simple white dress, the hem swaying gently with her steps. On her feet were a pair of pristine white canvas shoes, spotless. Her long hair fell loosely over her shoulders, the ends curling slightly, giving her an effortlessly languid air.
Her features were refined, and her appearance could only be described as flawless.
The most striking thing about her was her eyes. They were clear and bright, yet carried a hint of distant aloofness.
The field fell instantly silent. Almost everyone's gaze locked onto the suddenly appearing girl.
The freshmen widened their eyes and dropped their jaws, filled with awe and curiosity.
"Who... who is she? She's gorgeous!"
"No idea, never seen her before. Could she be a new teacher?"
"No way, what teacher is this young and pretty? She has to be an upperclassman!"
"Wait... our school has an upperclassman this pretty? How did I not know? She's not even on the campus belle list!"
"What do you know, the campus belle list is nothing! With looks like that, she completely crushes those so-called campus belles!"
"She has such an amazing aura..."
"Is she even from our school?"
"Her face is so tiny, and she's so pretty..."
Forget the boys; even the girls were marveling at how gorgeous this young woman was.
Even the boys who had been sizing up Zhāng Yáng's girlfriend moments ago now snapped their mouths shut.
Compared to the girl before them, Liú Zhēn instantly paled into insignificance.
Zhāng Yáng was completely dumbfounded, staring in a daze.
Because Lin Jiayu was simply too stunning. His own girlfriend looked utterly weak by comparison; whether in looks or figure, she was far too ordinary.
As for Lin Jiayu, she paid no attention to the surrounding gazes and whispers.
She scanned the field, seemingly searching for something.
She walked up to someone at random and asked, "Excuse me, do you know where Lu Huai'an is?" Lin Jiayu's voice was crisp, melodic, and pleasant to the ear.
"Lu Huai'an? Isn't he in Computer Science Class 1?"
"Beauty, why are you looking for him? Are you sure you're looking for him?" a boy mustered the courage to ask, his tone tinged with a hint of hesitation and uncertainty.
After all, why would such a gorgeous girl be looking for Lu Huai'an?
He simply couldn't figure it out.
Lin Jiayu ignored the boy's question, merely casting a cool glance over the crowd before her eyes finally locked onto a specific spot.
There, Lu Huai'an and a few of his roommates were sitting and resting.
The corners of Lin Jiayu's mouth turned up slightly, forming a faint smile.
"Huai'an," she called out softly. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for Lu Huai'an to hear.
Hearing that familiar voice, Lu Huai'an raised his head, a look of disbelief washing over his face.
Lin Jiayu?
How did she get here?
His mind went completely blank; he had no idea how to react.
"No way... Old Lu... you..." Jiang Chuan's jaw literally dropped. His eyes had been locked on Lin Jiayu ever since she walked over, and now he learned she was here looking for Lu Huai'an?
He nudged Lu Huai'an beside him, still finding it hard to believe.
Hu Yishu also stared blankly at Lin Jiayu, his mouth wide open, unable to utter a word for a long time.
Lin Jiayu walked slowly toward Lu Huai'an.
The athletic field was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone's gaze followed her movement, as if pulled by invisible threads.
Lin Jiayu walked right up to Lu Huai'an and stopped.
She lowered her gaze slightly, looking at Lu Huai'an with a gentle smile on her face.
"What are you staring at? Training over?" Lin Jiayu asked softly, a hint of concern in her tone.
Lu Huai'an finally snapped back to his senses, staring at the breathtakingly pretty face right before him.
He opened his mouth to say something, only to find his throat clogged as if by an obstruction, unable to squeeze out a single syllable.
"Wait, wait, wait... Jiayu..." Lu Huai'an finally recovered his voice, hurriedly standing up and grabbing Lin Jiayu by the wrist.
"Come with me," Lu Huai'an said, paying no heed to whether she agreed or not as he dragged her running toward the edge of the field.
He ran fast, not wanting Lin Jiayu to be gawked at by others.
Dragged along behind him, Lin Jiayu stumbled a little, yet a faint smile remained on her face the entire time.
Seeing this scene, even the young military instructors couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
They had overseen military training for several years and had seen plenty of girls bring water to the boys.
But this was the first time they had ever witnessed a girl this gorgeous and graceful taking the initiative to deliver water to a boy during military training.
This guy was truly deep waters, concealing his capabilities well...
The two ran all the way out of the athletic field and into a secluded grove.
Only then did Lu Huai'an stop. He turned around to face Lin Jiayu, his face a picture of confusion and bewilderment.
"How... how did you find your way here?" Lu Huai'an asked, panting heavily.
"What, aren't you happy to see me?" Lin Jiayu blinked and shot back, "Didn't you say last night that you guys were in military training?"
"Weren't you... taking a leave of absence?"
"Yeah, so I was bored and came to check on you." Lin Jiayu said it as if it were the most casual thing in the world.
"Check on me?" Lu Huai'an was taken aback. He hadn't expected Lin Jiayu to be so blunt.
"Right, to see if your military training is tiring, and if you've been slacking off." Lin Jiayu tilted her head, her smile playful.
"Upperclassman, you..." Lu Huai'an wanted to ask more, but Lin Jiayu cut him off.
"Alright, stop asking so many questions. I just missed you and came to see you. Is that a crime?" Lin Jiayu said, handing a bottle of water to Lu Huai'an.
"Didn't bring any water? How can you be so careless?"
"It's all my roommates' fault," Lu Huai'an scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "Time was tight anyway, and we had to spray our hair with hairspray before leaving. In the rush, I completely forgot to grab any."
Lin Jiayu gave him a reproachful look. "Idiot, you sweat so much during military training—how can you not replenish your fluids in time? What would you do if you got heatstroke?"
She shoved the water into Lu Huai'an's hands, her tone gentle yet carrying an unquestionable firmness. "Hold it. And finish it."
Lu Huai'an took the bottle, unscrewed the cap, and took a few big gulps. The cool water slid down his throat, instantly dispersing much of the stifling heat.
"Thanks, upperclassman," Lu Huai'an said softly, his gaze drifting away involuntarily, not daring to meet Lin Jiayu's eyes.
"No need to be so formal. Just relax."
"Then... Jiayu?" Lu Huai'an tentatively tried out her name, his voice very quiet, as if confirming it.
Lin Jiayu's eyes curved into crescents, her smile deepening. "Mm, I'm here."
Lu Huai'an gazed at her. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dancing across her face. Amidst the mottled light and shadow, her fair skin looked even more luminous, almost unreal in her beauty. He suddenly felt his throat go dry and his heartbeat quicken a few beats.