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Chapter 4: It’s Pointless, Stop Chasing

A crowd started to gather—mostly students from nearby universities. Some recognized Zhou Shubei and the two people kneeling.

Beicheng University had strict rules on student conduct. The head of student affairs was notoriously harsh and forbade any scandal that could damage the school’s image. If Zhou Shubei really laid a hand on them, he’d definitely get a major demerit.

Seeing Zhou Shubei about to strike, Jian Li quickly stepped forward to stop him.

“Don’t fight.”

Her warm and soft hand couldn’t fully grasp his wrist, but it was strong, as if she feared she might be too late to stop the punch aimed at Liu Liang’s face.

The breeze stirred her hair, carrying the faint fruity floral scent from her body.

Zhou Shubei’s brows twitched—this girl looked familiar, but he couldn’t quite place where he had seen her.

Feeling the heat where they touched, Jian Li quickly pulled her hand back and hid it behind her.

“Not worth it for people like them,” she said, turning to the two trembling guys. “I recorded everything you just said. When my two roommates come out, you’ll apologize in front of everyone. If not, I’ll hand the recording to the school radio station and let everyone hear it.”

Her voice was calm. “I bet this isn’t the first time you’ve done this. I’m sure plenty of people already hate you.”

As soon as she finished, people in the crowd chimed in.

“Yeah, yeah, Liu Liang tried to chase one of my roommates. After buying her a cup of bubble tea, he kept nagging her to say yes. When she clearly rejected him, he tried to make her pay him back for the tea—including his bus fare! She just wanted to avoid drama, so she paid him. But then he went around telling people she led him on,” a girl sipping on bubble tea said. “And that guy next to him? Same breed. Took a girl out for hotpot and tried to lock down a relationship right after. When she didn’t agree, he made her split the bill and even borrowed a few hundred yuan from her—never paid it back. When she asked, he cursed her out. She had to go through his family to get the money, and his mom ended up paying.”

“Zhou Shubei really taught them a lesson. Just proves you can’t filter out trash by academic background.”

The crowd began nodding and talking all at once, sharing stories of how these two had harassed other girls.

Qing Wen and Tan Xueying came out to find the scene and assumed the two scumbags had been bothering Jian Li.

Jian Li gave them a small smile to signal she was okay. She turned to the two kneeling guys. “We’re all here. You can apologize now.”

“We’re all classmates, no need to go this far,” Liu Liang said, glancing at Zhou Shubei who was watching like a spectator with one hand in his pocket. Trying to make a peace offering, Liu Liang added, “We were wrong. We had too much to drink and talked nonsense. Let me make it up by treating you to a meal. For Zhao Xun and his girlfriend’s sake, let’s just drop it. If this blows up, it won’t be good for her in your dorm either.”

Even though he hadn’t known Jian Li long, he figured she was the quiet, small-town type—easy to scare, easy to handle. She said she had a recording, but he didn’t believe it. If you didn’t see it with your own eyes, it wasn’t real.

But Jian Li’s calm eyes turned cold as she lit up her phone screen and held it up.

The lock screen clearly showed a recording in progress—over 10 minutes long. She had started recording the moment she walked over.

Liu Liang and Dai Jiangtao’s eyes widened in shock. Dai immediately lunged to grab the phone, but Jian Li had anticipated it and took a step back.

“If you don’t want to apologize this way, there’s always another way.”

She shoved the phone in her pocket and turned to Tan Xueying and Qing Wen. “Let’s go.”

“Wait!”

Seeing them about to leave, Liu Liang and Dai Jiangtao finally realized there was no escaping this. Who knew where that recording might end up tomorrow?

They exchanged glances, then grudgingly bowed their heads and apologized from the position Zhou Shubei had kicked them into.

Tan Xueying, hearing the apology, figured out what they had said and was about to curse them out when Jian Li stopped her.

She patted her shoulder gently. “If you do that again to other girls, I’ll release the recording immediately.”

Her tone remained flat. Without sparing the two a second glance, she turned and walked away.

As she passed Zhou Shubei, Jian Li took a shallow breath and looked up at him. Her mind rehearsed the words several times.

“Thank you… for your help,” she said. Remembering what those guys had said earlier at the hotpot place, she started, “If you’d let me treat—”

“Hi! I’m in the finance department too. Can we add each other on WeChat? I’d love to ask for help if I get stuck on something.”

A honey-sweet voice interrupted her.

The girl was beautiful, dressed nicely—like a princess from a storybook.

And herself—

Jian Li looked down at her faded jeans and mud-stained shoes and swallowed the rest of her sentence.

As she left through the crowd, she caught a glimpse of Zhou Shubei pulling out his phone.

A loud rumble—the rain had started again. Jian Li picked up her pace.

Back at the dorm, she sent the recording to Qing Wen and Tan Xueying.

Tan Xueying asked, “Why didn’t you let me go off on them? Those scumbags were disgusting. We should’ve at least cursed them out.”

“Making them kneel and apologize publicly was already enough,” Qing Wen said. “Pushing further wouldn’t help. They’re not criminals, just morally bankrupt. And what Jian Li said was a warning—they’ll think twice next time. Facing off with people like that won’t scare them unless they know you’ve got leverage. We’re not Zhou Shubei—even three of us might not beat them. If they turn around and start spreading rumors, we’d be defenseless.”

“But since they know we’ve got evidence, they’ll back off,” Tan Xueying realized, admiring Jian Li. “You really thought it all through.”

Qing Wen smiled too. “She is the top scorer in the college entrance exams, after all.”

Jian Li just gave a small smile and said nothing.

At 10 p.m., after washing up, she sat on her bed and scrolled through job listings near campus. On the way back, she had checked some spots—none were hiring part-timers. Delivering food from the cafeteria would take too much time, and with her packed schedule, she just couldn’t manage it.

Tan Xueying and Qing Wen chatted away.

“Zhou Shubei being voted campus heartthrob three years in a row makes total sense. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs—he’s even better looking in person,” Qing Wen said, scrolling on her phone. “I wonder if he’s really the heir to Guanghui Group.”

“Not likely. He’s got two older brothers—one has his own company in Hong Kong, the other is already helping the old man run the business. Probably won’t get passed to him,” Tan Xueying replied.

“How do you know that? You know him?”

“Not really. My brother’s friends with him. That’s how I know.”

Qing Wen gave her a mock-respectful gesture. “Ah right, you’re a rich second-gen too.”

Tan Xueying raised a fist playfully. “I’m a low-key rich second-gen—hardworking and humble.”

“Sure thing, Miss Low-Key Heiress,” Qing Wen teased. “I heard Zhou Shubei used to study in Xiyuan before the Zhou family brought him back. Is that true?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know the details. I don’t like him, so I don’t care.”

“You like him, huh?” Qing Wen teased.

Qing Wen looked at her like she’d heard a bad joke. “I’m just curious, that’s all. Guys like that are five-tool players—only five-tool girls can handle them. Jian Li might have a shot, not me.”

The topic suddenly landed on Jian Li. She accidentally swiped the corner of her phone screen and winced in pain.

She lowered her eyes and rubbed the sore spot on her thumb.

Luckily, they just moved on without waiting for her to respond. She was usually quiet anyway—if she didn’t answer, they just shifted topics.

She expanded the job search range to the whole Beicheng city.

Eighteen years old, first-year student, majoring in robotics. A middle ground age—either too young and underpaid, or limited by her major. Her top scores seemed average in a city full of elite students.

After scrolling around without finding anything useful, she exited the app and opened a long-hidden folder where she kept Weibo.

She logged in.

Zero followers, zero following.

Over 300 posts—all visible to herself only. The screen’s glow lit up her face as Zhou Shubei’s sharp features flashed in her mind.

She typed a line of text:

“Zhou Shubei, long time no see.”

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The Next Morning

All freshmen gathered wearing green military training uniforms. The track was still wet from the autumn rain, and the scent of osmanthus flowers hung faintly in the air.

On stage, school officials gave speeches. Drill instructors stood in front of each class, ready to begin training after the ceremony.

“Let me be clear,” the instructor said after roll call, eyes sharp and sweeping over everyone. “I remember every one of your faces now. No absences without real reason. I don’t care what you’re used to—during training, there’s only one word: obey. If you’re injured, report in advance. If you need leave, get it in writing from your counselor. No excuses.”

“Do you all understand?!”

The force in his voice made the chatty crowd go silent.

“Everyone, turn left. In formation. Two laps—run.”

Barely a few steps in, the group started falling apart. Others began picking up speed to pass the slow ones. The 400-meter track quickly filled with dozens of mixed-up classes.

Tan Xueying caught up with Jian Li. “Your instructor looks strict. The forum says he’s the harshest one.”

“Do you remember who’s on your left?” Jian Li asked.

“Yeah.”

“Stick with them. Don’t pass them.”

“Why?”

With so many students, it wasn’t like the instructor could track everyone. Just like P.E. class, some people would barely run a lap.

“How do you think they run in the military?” Jian Li asked.

Tan Xueying thought for a second. “Got it.”

After two laps, most people were gasping for air. When everyone finished, the instructor scanned the group.

“Everyone except Jian Li, run two more laps.”

Cries of protest broke out.

“Why?!”

“We did run two laps!”

“What did I say before? Run in formation. Who followed that except Jian Li?” the instructor snapped. “Again. Turn left. In formation. Run.”

As the group groaned and shuffled off again, Jian Li was allowed to rest and drink water.

She had just opened her bottle when she heard a slightly whiny voice not far behind her.

“I’ve been chasing you for so long. What do you mean?”

Jian Li had no interest in eavesdropping—until a familiar voice responded:

“You tell me.”

It was Zhou Shubei. Jian Li stopped in her tracks and turned.

Under a tree by the track, Zhou Shubei had a bag slung over one shoulder. He looked a little tired, casually brushing a fallen leaf off his shoulder.

“What type of girl do you like?” the other girl pressed.

“Fall in!” the instructor shouted.

The others had finished their laps. Jian Li quickly turned back, barely screwing the lid on her bottle in time.

As she ran, Zhou Shubei looked in her direction—just in time to catch a flash of her darting away like a startled rabbit.

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