Zhang Yang shook his head. "Nothing, just saying these beasts are all dressed up like human beings!"

Hu Xin tilted his head, glanced at Zhang Yang, and murmured, "Before talking about others, look at yourself first. You're no different. I remember only seeing you wear this outfit twice: once for the freshman welcoming party, and once when you ran for Student Union President. Why are you suddenly wearing it today?"

"Exactly! I was just feeling down about it. If I'd known, I would have dressed nicer too!"

Gu Cheng immediately chimed in, looking at Zhang Yang with a hint of jealousy. Zhang Yang already had the potential to be handsome, and dressed up like this, even if he wasn't a total heartthrob, he was the type who could make girls turn their heads.

Today's attire also managed to conceal some of Zhang Yang's **wounds; only the gauze on his head remained. However, the bandage didn't detract from Zhang Yang's appearance; rather, it lent him an unexpected aura of ruggedness.

And sure enough, many of the girls passing by the three of them couldn't help but subtly size up Zhang Yang.

"No matter how well you dress, you won't compare to Zhang Yang. Just forget it!"

Hu Xin teased Gu Cheng from the side. Gu Cheng was too short, and his build and looks were just average—he was the least conspicuous of the three.

Hu Xin was tall, but unfortunately, his features were somewhat fierce. Girls usually found people like him intimidating and wouldn't dare approach. Only Zhang Yang seemed relatively normal.

Flowers need green leaves for contrast. With Zhang Yang standing there in well-fitting clothes, Hu Xin and Gu Cheng immediately became the unfortunate backdrop, which explained why the girls were only paying attention to Zhang Yang.

"You beast, you're no different..."

"Stop talking, they're coming out!"

As Gu Cheng was speaking, Zhang Yang suddenly cut him off. Three girls were emerging from the exit of the Girls' Dormitory Building Number One.

The three girls were all wearing skirts, specifically knee-length ones that fully showcased the vibrancy and ** of young women in their prime.

Mi Xue, in particular, had let her hair down, adopting a lovely straight fringe. It not only covered the gauze on her forehead but also accentuated her quiet, elegant demeanor, giving her an indescribable quality.

As the three girls stepped out, they drew a wave of hungry, wolf-like gazes from the surrounding onlookers.

Especially Mi Xue; she was the tallest at about 1.68 meters and was wearing high heels. Most average guys would feel intimidated standing in front of her, taking a significant blow to their self-confidence.

"How long have you been waiting!"

Mi Xue walked straight up to Zhang Yang and smiled sweetly, immediately drawing more envious, almost murderous looks from the bystanders.

Mi Xue was in the Mathematics Department and was widely considered the prettiest girl there—the department's recognized beauty. If not for her reserved nature and the painful lesson learned by someone previously, the line of admirers waiting for her daily would likely stretch quite far.

Seeing Mi Xue being so warm and pleasant to a particular guy today sent the blood pressure of the Math Department guys soaring as their male hormones spiked.

"We just got here!"

Zhang Yang immediately replied, while Gu Cheng and Hu Xin both rolled their eyes; they had been waiting for twenty minutes, but according to Zhang Yang, they had just arrived.

"Perfect, then let's go out!"

Mi Xue gave a soft laugh and then took the lead, pulling the girl beside her as they started walking out. As she walked away, she gave Zhang Yang a coquettish glance, a look that made Zhang Yang's heart suddenly thump a little faster.

Mi Xue knew Zhang Yang was deliberately lying, and a strange sweetness bloomed in her heart.

In reality, Mi Xue and her classmates had spotted Zhang Yang and the others from the window as soon as they arrived. Girls always take time to get ready, and Mi Xue was no exception; it took them twenty minutes before they stepped out.

Considering they had started preparing even earlier, this was actually quite prompt. Otherwise, Zhang Yang and the others would have been waiting even longer.

The three girls walked in front, chattering and laughing continuously. Zhang Yang followed behind with his friends, while Hu Xin and Gu Cheng occasionally muttered under their breath.

The two girls with Mi Xue were the same two who had gone to the hospital with them earlier that day.

One of the girls was in the English Department, and the other was in the Medical School. The girl from the Medical School was named Dai Li. Because her name sounded too similar to that of a certain notorious special agent, Dai Li usually asked people to call her Xiao Dai. Over time, Xiao Dai morphed into Xiao Dai (which can also imply 'slow' or 'dull'), but Dai Li didn't seem to mind.

Xiao Dai and Hu Xin were from the same hometown and had grown up together. Zhang Yang and Mi Xue had actually met through Xiao Dai.

The other girl was named Meng Nan, usually called Nan Nan. Nan Nan was the shortest but also the lightest, a petite and exquisitely beautiful girl.

Gu Cheng secretly admired Nan Nan but had never dared to confess his feelings.

It was precisely because of these connections that the group converged and became close friends who spent time together frequently.

After walking a short distance, Hu Xin immediately pulled Gu Cheng to run ahead, creating an opportunity for him and Nan Nan. Xiao Dai was also sharp; she pulled Mi Xue back, effectively leaving Mi Xue behind, and then ran off with Hu Xin.

This arrangement instantly split the six people into three pairs, leaving Zhang Yang and Mi Xue walking alone together.

"The apartment, how is it?"

After walking a few steps and seeing Zhang Yang remain silent, Mi Xue felt compelled to make conversation. As she spoke, her heartbeat began to accelerate again.

The thought of living under the same roof as the person beside her brought both anticipation and a touch of nervousness and apprehension.

"This time, I rented the place my old landlord prepared as a marital home for his son. It's a two-bedroom, one-living room unit; all the furniture is new and untouched!"

Zhang Yang replied quietly, his nose twitching subtly and unnaturally.

Mi Xue carried a very faint, lovely scent that drifted into Zhang Yang's nostrils with the breeze, making his nose tingle and his mind feel slightly unsettled.

Mi Xue hummed in acknowledgment, nodded slightly, and then asked, "How much is the rent?"

"Four hundred a month!"

"Let's be clear, I can only stay for one month at most, and I will cover exactly half the rent later!"

Mi Xue nodded with a smile. Zhang Yang happened to turn his head at that moment and, seeing that radiant, flower-like smile, he momentarily spaced out, completely failing to hear what Mi Xue had said.

"What are you smiling at?"

Mi Xue's cheeks flushed slightly, and she instinctively lowered her head. She didn't know why, but she always felt this way around Zhang Yang.

Ever since Zhang Yang bravely saved her the previous night, his image seemed permanently etched in her mind. It had to be admitted: the hero saving the damsel effect was truly powerful.

"Nothing, you're very beautiful!"

Zhang Yang chuckled foolishly and blurted it out. Whether in his past life or this one, Zhang Yang had no experience dating college girls, but what he said now was the honest truth.

"Why talk about this? Hurry up, they’ve gotten far ahead!"

Mi Xue's face turned even redder, and she reached out to tug Zhang Yang's arm. Their pace quickened, and soon they caught up with Gu Cheng and Nan Nan ahead. The four of them walked together.

Zhang Yang knew Gu Cheng had a crush on Nan Nan, but judging by the way they looked, their progress wasn't great. When they arrived, Gu Cheng looked almost relieved, as if seeing a savior.

Zhang Yang understood this somewhat: Gu Cheng was too shy and awkward around girls; with his personality, winning a girl over would be harder than ascending to heaven.

With four of them together, the atmosphere became much more natural. Soon, they caught up with Hu Xin and Xiao Dai. When they joined them, Xiao Dai was chasing Hu Xin, who was running away.

No one knew what had happened between them, but when Mi Xue went to ask, Xiao Dai’s face was still flushed, and she was yelling curses at Hu Xin half-heartedly.

Amidst joking and talking, the six of them exited the East Gate of the school. Not far outside the East Gate was a small alley called 'Fallen Street' (Duò Luò Jiē). Legend had it that it got its name because a university student was once caught soliciting clients there, though after a crackdown, such incidents never happened again. Nevertheless, the street name stuck.

Fallen Street had evolved into a small snack street, boasting many delicious foods, as well as a newly emerging industry: internet cafes.

Internet cafes were rare at that time, and the fees were high, so few students frequented them. Zhang Yang, however, looked quite excited when he spotted one. At least there was a network now; he wasn't like some novel protagonists who returned to ancient times, forced to live in a place without water, electricity, or the internet. For Zhang Yang, accustomed to modern life, that kind of existence would be terrifying.

After walking for about four or five minutes, the six arrived in front of a small eatery named 'Aunt Zhou's Noodle Shop.' All six were students, so even when they dined out together, they frequented small establishments like this.

These small restaurants were modest in size but served excellent food. The group often came here and knew the owner well.

Drawing upon his prior memories, Zhang Yang easily recalled the details of this little shop.

The small restaurant was run by a couple, and their zhajiangmian (fried sauce noodles) was the best on Fallen Street. Their signature dishes also included braised chicken feet and stir-fried chives.

The shop’s greatest advantage was that it was economical. Even for the six of them, the bill wouldn't be very high. For students, this was the perfect kind of place.

"Aunt Zhou, you're still in the shop!"

Xiao Dai entered first and called out. Inside the small shop sat a woman wearing an apron and sporting a large, pregnant belly.

Zhang Yang recognized this woman from his acquired memories; she was a very warm-hearted and kind proprietress. The old Zhang Yang and his friends often ate here and always received discounts.

"Xiao Dai, you're here. Go sit inside; it’s empty in there today!"

Aunt Zhou, who had been sitting, stood up. The shop wasn't large, only about twenty square meters, fitting four small tables after arranging some things, but it did have a small private room that could seat eight people. This was the group's favorite spot for gatherings.

"Great! Aunt Zhou, please don't get up; we'll go in ourselves!"

Mi Xue and Xiao Dai hurried over to support Aunt Zhou. Aunt Zhou looked quite far along, her belly very large, as if she was close to giving birth.

Aunt Zhou's private room was usually hot property. They weren't particularly early today and had expected to squeeze into the outside tables, so they were thrilled the private room was available. Eating inside felt completely different from sitting outside.

"Hu Xin, hurry up and get inside! If you stand there, you block the whole shop, and no one dares to come in!"

Aunt Zhou said with a laugh when she saw Hu Xin. Her remark made Mi Xue and the other girls laugh. Hu Xin did look somewhat fierce, and standing there, it was true that people might hesitate to enter.

"Aunt Zhou, you only tease me!"

Hu Xin rubbed his nose helplessly. Even Zhang Yang laughed this time; few people could make a tough guy like Hu Xin look so aggrieved.