Not good at lying, Shi Aotian nodded.
Dongfang Qing exclaimed happily, "You still remember!" Then, her cheeks flushed as she added, "I've kept it all this time… you won't blame me, will you?" It was the first time she had ever spoken to a man in such a tone, and she felt deeply embarrassed.
"I don't mind," Shi Aotian replied coldly.
Dongfang Qing wasn't hurt by his icy, emotionless words. When she had met him three years ago, he had always been this way—cold, aloof, and rarely showing any expression when speaking.
In truth, this was the result of ten years spent deep in the mountains and forests, facing nothing but birds and beasts every day. His only conversational partner had been his master, and over time, he had naturally lost the habit of showing expression when talking.
Carefully putting away the bloodstained scrap of cloth, Dongfang Qing said, "My name is Dongfang Qing."
"Dongfang Qing…" Shi Aotian murmured to himself. My sister's name is Shi Ting.
Not knowing what he was thinking, Dongfang Qing cheerfully confirmed, "Yes, Dongfang Qing."
Seeing that Shi Aotian was covered in dirt, she pulled him along to bathe, washing his clothes as well. With nothing else to wear, Shi Aotian had no choice but to wrap a scarf around his lower body.
Dongfang Qing, without the slightest embarrassment, even combed his hair for him before instructing him to rest early. Since she had class the next day, she said she would return to her dormitory that night.
"Stay here and don't wander around. I'll come see you in the morning. Your clothes aren't dry yet—tomorrow I'll buy you a set," she told him.
In truth, she had every reason not to want to go back to her dorm. But to avoid unnecessary suspicion—and because she really did have class tomorrow—she couldn't delay any longer.
Shi Aotian stared blankly at Dongfang Qing bustling about, not refusing her help. Besides, he hadn't rested for several days, so he simply nodded coldly to show he understood.
After fussing over him a little longer, Dongfang Qing finally gave him a lingering look, then closed the door and left.
Once outside, she was in especially high spirits—she had just seen the person she most wanted to see. She walked like a little girl, almost skipping along, having already forgotten about the assassin, knowing that Shi Aotian would protect her.
She quietly climbed over the wall and carefully observed the surroundings. Seeing that all the overly enthusiastic suitors had already left, she felt relieved and walked boldly into her dormitory building.
When Dongfang Qing returned to the teachers' dormitory, it was already 11:30 p.m. She took out her phone and checked it—thankfully, it wasn't broken. After a quick wash, she was about to go to bed.
Just then, her phone rang. Feeling a little impatient, she glanced at the caller ID. It's Xu Feng, she thought, hesitating over whether to answer. Only after the third ring did she finally pick up. "Hello?"
"Hey, you're still awake?" came Xu Feng's gentle voice through the phone.
"Yeah. What is it?" Dongfang Qing replied perfunctorily. She knew full well what Xu Feng's intentions were.
"I couldn't sleep… so I thought I'd give you a call, see if you were asleep." At such a late hour, Xu Feng could hardly think of any other excuse.
"I'm going to sleep. If there's anything, let's talk tomorrow." Dongfang Qing rejected him once again.
Silence fell.
"Alright, I won't disturb your rest. Good night." Xu Feng had already expected this outcome. In his heart, apart from disappointment, there was only helplessness. Every day, seeing all those men pursuing Dongfang Qing made him restless and anxious, afraid she might one day truly be taken away. Yet each time he thought of calling her, his heart was filled with hesitation.
"Good night." Dongfang Qing hung up calmly.
Of course, she understood Xu Feng's feelings. But Xu Feng simply wasn't her type—and now that Shi Aotian had reappeared, she was even less likely to accept Xu Feng's love.
That night, Dongfang Qing tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She wished the night would pass quickly so she could see Shi Aotian sooner.
Meanwhile, lying in Dongfang Qing's bed, which still carried her faint fragrance, Shi Aotian quietly thought about his family—especially his sister. Surrounded by that lingering scent, he gradually drifted into a deep sleep.
When morning finally came, Dongfang Qing got up early, washed, and went out. She carefully checked the doorway; seeing no one around, she quickly scaled the wall and headed straight for her rented place.
Hearing footsteps approach, Shi Aotian immediately became alert, getting up and hiding behind the door. Moments later, the sound of a key turning in the lock reached his ears. When he saw it was Dongfang Qing, he relaxed a little.
Thinking she had opened the door quietly, Dongfang Qing stepped in—only to find no sign of Shi Aotian, and she felt a sudden pang of disappointment. She closed the door behind her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a shadow moving. Turning quickly, she saw Shi Aotian standing there by the door. Realizing he hadn't left, Dongfang Qing was almost moved to tears of joy. She quickly handed him the breakfast she was carrying and said gently, "I bought you breakfast—eat."
Still wearing only a bath towel around his waist, Shi Aotian stared blankly at her, then at the food in her hands. After several days of hunger, he finally reacted, taking the breakfast and eating at once.
Dongfang Qing poured him a glass of water and smiled. "Slow down—have some water."
"Thanks, sis." Shi Aotian had blurted it out, calling her as he would his own sister, and immediately regretted it.
Dongfang Qing didn't mind at all, nor did she know what was on his mind. Being three years older than him, she simply assumed "sis" was a polite form of address, and she smiled as she watched him devour the food.
While still eating, Shi Aotian took the glass of water from Dongfang Qing. Seeing that she hadn't minded his slip of the tongue, he felt relieved. It was only because he had been lost in thoughts of home that he had momentarily mistaken her for his real sister, Shi Ting.
When he finished breakfast, Dongfang Qing asked, "Are you full?"
"Full," Shi Aotian lied kindly. "That's enough." In truth, he knew very well he wasn't full at all, but he was too embarrassed to ask for more.
"Good. I have to go to work at the school later, and I won't be able to come back at noon. How about you come to the school to find me? It's close—just climb over the wall outside and you'll be there. Then I'll take you to lunch. That's settled." Dongfang Qing wished she could skip work altogether, but although it wasn't anything urgent, the school did have an important meeting today that she couldn't miss.
Shi Aotian nodded mechanically. "Where should I wait?" In truth, after ten years in the primeval forest, he had grown restless by nature and disliked idle waiting. Since there was a chance to go out at noon, he naturally wanted to take it.
Seeing him agree, Dongfang Qing immediately said, "After you climb over the wall, keep walking straight and you'll see a big parasol tree. It's shady under it—you can wait for me there. At noon, I'll take you to try some of our local specialties."
Still hungry, Shi Aotian's eyes lit up at the word eat, and he nodded vigorously.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely come. Oh, your clothes are hanging on the balcony—remember to change before you go out. Here's the key to my place, you keep it for now." After a few more instructions, Dongfang Qing reluctantly opened the door and left.
She scaled the wall and headed straight for her university class. As the homeroom teacher, it was her duty to check attendance during morning study. On the way, she was trailed by numerous male students pursuing her—bringing flowers, love letters—at least a dozen of them. It made her feel quite irritated.
Meanwhile, Shi Aotian, alone at home, felt extremely bored. He transformed Scorpion King into a sharp sword and examined it closely. By noon, unable to endure the loneliness any longer, he changed into the outfit Bai Xue had once bought him and strolled out.
He came to a wall that wasn't very high and wondered why he had to climb over it when there was a perfectly good gate. Still, since she'd told him to climb, he would. After making sure no one was around, Shi Aotian leapt gracefully over, landing inside the university grounds.
Looking around, he saw that he had landed in a secluded corner. Striding forward, he soon spotted the large parasol tree Dongfang Qing had described.
Shi Aotian sat beneath it to wait in the shade. Suddenly, the sharp sound of the class bell rang out, followed by a wave of loud chatter. Looking toward the noise, he saw a flood of people pouring out of a nearby teaching building. Shi Aotian had never seen so many people at once and was momentarily stunned.
Groups of young university students surged toward his direction. Shi Aotian stood abruptly, watching them coldly. Every single student who passed by turned to look at him; the girls whispered to each other, some even shouting "handsome guy!" in excitement. The boys looked at him with envy and amazement—his powerful, clearly defined muscles and cold gaze seemed to command respect. Even some teachers turned to look at this young man who had never been seen on campus before. His presence was enough to make the young female teachers swoon, and to make the male teachers feel inferior by comparison.
So this was university—a paradise where young people went wild, a place where everything felt so free and open. Stone Aotian felt uneasy under the stares of so many students.
After waiting for a while, he still didn't see any sign of Dongfang Qing. The students around him gradually dispersed, and only then did he feel his heart settle. When the crowd had mostly thinned out, he finally spotted Dongfang Qing running quickly toward him. Stone Aotian let out a sigh of relief and thought, Finally, I can eat.
But just as that thought crossed his mind, he suddenly saw a large group of men chasing after Dongfang Qing. Some of them had already caught up, pestering her relentlessly. Stone Aotian's first instinct was that she was in danger. In a flash, he rushed over, moving at a speed impossible for an ordinary person, and positioned himself protectively in front of her.
Dongfang Qing had no idea what was happening. Suddenly, a tall figure appeared in front of her, making her scream in surprise and fall to the ground. When she realized it was Stone Aotian, she let out a sharp breath of relief, quickly got up, and clutched his right hand tightly. Facing the group of pursuers, she said, "Please stop bothering me. I already have a boyfriend—he's right here."
The moment those words left her mouth, gasps of surprise rippled through the crowd—Stone Aotian included. He gave Dongfang Qing a puzzled look, and she returned a sweet smile before continuing, "He's my boyfriend, so I hope you'll stop disturbing me from now on." With that, she dragged Stone Aotian away, leaving the stunned pursuers exchanging bewildered glances.
From that day on, news that Dongfang Qing had a boyfriend spread throughout the campus. Many began asking who this man was.
Stone Aotian finally understood why Dongfang Qing had wanted him to come here—it was indeed a plan that killed two birds with one stone. First, she could use him to fend off her suitors and enjoy some peace; second, she could spend time openly with him every day, whether eating together or going shopping, all under a perfectly reasonable excuse.
Thinking of this, Stone Aotian glanced at Dongfang Qing again, inwardly admitting, What a brilliant plan. Dongfang Qing, looking pleased with herself, pulled him toward a small restaurant outside the campus. Along the way, they attracted plenty of attention—some people were astonished to see the "ice queen" holding a young man's hand and running out together; others, having seen the handsome guy under the parasol tree earlier, now exclaimed at the sight of him with Teacher Dongfang Qing.
The incident quickly became the talk of the campus, with everyone speculating about the identity of the super-handsome man beside her. Some love-struck female students even went to great lengths to dig up information about Stone Aotian.
In less than half an hour, rumors of all kinds were already swirling through the school.
Dongfang Qing dragged Stone Aotian to a small eatery near the campus. As soon as they stepped inside, they ran into Xu Feng. Dongfang Qing's expression shifted for a split second before she put on a smile and said, "What a coincidence."
Xu Feng, taken aback to see Dongfang Qing holding Stone Aotian's arm, felt a pang in his heart. "Coincidence? I eat here every day. And this is…?"
"He's my… my boyfriend, Stone Aotian," Dongfang Qing said, taking it upon herself to introduce him.
Stone Aotian felt a flicker of displeasure—Always using me as a shield.
Xu Feng's heart turned cold at her words, but he still extended his hand politely. "Nice to meet you. I'm Xu Feng, Dongfang Qing's college classmate, and now the librarian here at the school."
It took Stone Aotian a moment to react to the extended hand. Then he quickly reached out and shook it, replying flatly, "Hello."
"Let's eat together," Xu Feng suggested deliberately. He wanted to use this opportunity to figure out who exactly this so-called boyfriend of Dongfang Qing was—the man who could make the woman he had pursued for years hold someone else's hand.
Although Dongfang Qing was reluctant, for the sake of her old classmate's face, she couldn't outright refuse. She forced a smile and said, "Alright then."
Hearing her agree, Xu Feng felt a surge of secret delight. Making a "please" gesture, he said, "After you, please."
They followed Xu Feng straight into a small private room inside. Once they were seated, Xu Feng politely handed the menu to Shi Aotian. "This meal is on me. You're the guest, so you should order first."
Dongfang Qing quickly snatched the menu away, smiling as she said, "I'll order instead—ladies first."
The atmosphere instantly grew tense.
After ordering, another silence settled over them, each person lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, it was Xu Feng who broke the deadlock, smiling at Shi Aotian and asking, "Mr. Shi, may I ask what line of work you're in?"
The moment the words left his mouth, the atmosphere became even more strained.
Dongfang Qing cursed Xu Feng in her heart, also silently berating herself—truth be told, she knew almost nothing about Shi Aotian, let alone what he did for a living.
"Sanitation worker," Shi Aotian replied after a moment's hesitation. In his mind, what he did—killing society's scum and human trash—was no different from cleaning the streets.
"Oh." Xu Feng nodded with an ambiguous expression, his jealousy deepening. He hadn't expected Dongfang Qing to take a liking to someone like this. Compared to himself, this man was leagues inferior—at least in Xu Feng's own mind. And Xu Feng was the sort who loved to put on airs and elevate himself.
"The food's here." Seeing the waiter enter with the dishes, Dongfang Qing quickly changed the subject. "Smells so good—don't you think?"
Xu Feng just smiled faintly and nodded, while Shi Aotian remained expressionless. To ease the tense and awkward mood, Dongfang Qing immediately picked up her chopsticks, took a bite, and nodded approvingly. "Tastes great—come on, dig in." She then casually picked up some food and placed it into Shi Aotian's bowl.
Xu Feng saw this and felt a surge of anger. He had invested years of time and effort into Dongfang Qing, only to end up like a blind man lighting a lamp—completely in vain.
Shi Aotian began eating without the slightest hesitation, once again revealing his astonishing appetite. Both Xu Feng and Dongfang Qing stared in shock. As the plates on the table piled higher and higher, Xu Feng began sweating in anxiety—he had already promised to pay, so backing out was not an option.
Wiping his forehead, Xu Feng regretted his decision. This guy can really eat… if this keeps up, my wallet is going to take a serious hit.
"Excuse me, I'm going to the restroom for a moment. I'll be right back." Xu Feng quickly left, slipping into the bathroom, locking the door, and pulling out his wallet to count. This meal would easily cost over 200 yuan. The thought made his heart ache, but he could only sigh helplessly and return to the private room.
By then, Shi Aotian was already full. Dongfang Qing's gaze had barely left him throughout the meal.
"All finished?" Xu Feng forced a smile.
"All done. Sorry for making you spend so much—how about I pay instead?" Dongfang Qing immediately stood up. Seeing the leftover scraps on the table, she didn't want to owe Xu Feng any favors, so she prepared to settle the bill herself.
"No way, how could I let a lady pay? Isn't that right, Mr. Shi?" Xu Feng said with a smile laced with sarcasm.
Shi Aotian caught the hidden meaning in his tone, so he remained silent.
Dongfang Qing also heard it and felt a wave of irritation. She quickly pulled cash from her purse and went to the front desk to pay. Xu Feng hurried out after her, took the money from her hand, and returned it to her. "I can at least afford one meal," he said, pulling money from his own bag to settle the bill.
The whole time he spoke, his eyes were fixed on Shi Aotian, his contempt obvious.