Xia Tian already knew where the art group was located, so he went there directly. Along the way, the two of them drew plenty of attention. To be precise, it was Zeng Rou who drew the attention—almost everyone turned to look at her.
Zeng Rou was undeniably stunning. Everything about her, from her outfit to her demeanor, exuded poise and sophistication. Unlike the girls on campus, her beauty carried a mature, composed quality.
Men couldn't take their eyes off her, while women couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.
The two quickly reached the art and literature group. When Ye Qingxue saw Zeng Rou, her brows furrowed immediately.
"Xia Tian, who is she?" Ye Qingxue asked coldly, eyeing Zeng Rou warily. Zeng Rou's beauty was impossible to ignore—it made her feel an inexplicable sense of rivalry.
"My name is Zeng Rou," Zeng Rou said calmly, instantly understanding what Ye Qingxue was thinking. Years of worldly experience had sharpened her instincts; she could tell at a glance that the woman before her had feelings for Xia Tian. The moment she entered the room, she sensed Ye Qingxue's hostility.
"Let me introduce you," Xia Tian said. "This is my cousin Ye Qingxue, and this is Sister Rou."
"Cousin?" Zeng Rou and the other members of the art group were all taken aback.
"She's your cousin?" Zeng Rou asked, puzzled. Could she have misunderstood?
"Of course," Xia Tian replied with a nod. "We grew up together."
"Sister Xue, so he's your cousin? You really kept that from us. We all thought he was your boyfriend," one of the art group girls teased. They had always assumed Xia Tian was Ye Qingxue's boyfriend—after all, he always showed up to help her whenever she was in trouble.
"Sister Xue, you're not being fair. Look at my sister, she's still single!"
"Sister Xue, I can cook and clean. If I became your sister-in-law, I'd definitely take good care of him!"
"Sister Xue, don't listen to them. I'm still pure!"
The art group girls quickly became animated, clearly infatuated. To them, Xia Tian was their Prince Charming—they still vividly remembered his performance at the last basketball game and at the KTV.
"Brother Tian, I'm a gentle girl and very obedient," one of them said shyly, inching closer.
"I didn't realize you were so popular with women," Zeng Rou said with a slight smile.
"Haha," Xia Tian chuckled awkwardly. "Sister Rou, even you're teasing me now?"
"Brother Tian, I'm serious!" the girl said in a coquettish voice.
"Alright, I didn't bring you all here to flirt. Look at you—completely useless!" Ye Qingxue snapped, glaring at them.
At her words, the girls quieted down, though they continued to sneak flirtatious glances at Xia Tian.
"Ye Qingxue, come out!"
"Senior, bad news!" a delicate-looking boy from the art group ran in, panicked. "The sports team guys are here to cause trouble!"
"The Physical Education Team?" Xia Tian turned and walked outside.
"Well, if it isn't Xia Tian," Yan Xu sneered. "I thought you were still hiding. How dare you show your face today?"
Xia Tian looked at him calmly. "Who are you?"
"Don't play dumb. I'm the one you played basketball with last time. Forget me already?" Yan Xu said with disdain.
"I don't remember," Xia Tian replied lightly. "I only remember the beauties."
"Hmph!" Yan Xu snorted. He thought Xia Tian was mocking him. "Enough games. We came here today for you."
"What do you want?" Xia Tian asked.
"We're here to challenge you—to compete with us in training," Yan Xu said.
"Are there any beauties?" Xia Tian asked casually.
"Our sports team is all men!" Yan Xu snapped, furious.
"Then that's boring," Xia Tian said seriously.
"Whether you're interested or not, you're competing today!" Yan Xu barked, stepping in front of him.
Bang!
Xia Tian slapped him so hard that Yan Xu flew backward. The crowd froze in shock. No one expected him to strike so suddenly—or with such force. Yan Xu wasn't small, but he was sent flying like a rag doll.
"You dare hit me?" Yan Xu shouted, clutching his face.
"Why? Did you bite me?" Xia Tian replied calmly.
"Hmph!" Team Leader Fang Li's face darkened. His subordinate had been hit in front of everyone—an open insult. The sports team was known for its strength and dominance. No one dared to provoke them. Until now.
"If you dare hit me, I won't let you go!" Yan Xu shouted. But deep down, he knew he wasn't Xia Tian's match, so he tried to retreat behind Fang Li.
Just then, Xia Tian kicked him hard in the rear, sending him crashing to the stone pavement.
When Yan Xu got up again, his two front teeth were gone.
"You've gone too far," Fang Li said angrily. "Even when you beat a dog, you should at least look at the owner."
"Oh? Your master is here? Where?" Xia Tian asked innocently, glancing around. His expression made the entire art group burst into laughter.
"You dare insult me?" Fang Li's eyes blazed with fury.
"Team Leader, you can't let him go!" Yan Xu shouted. "He hit me because he doesn't respect you! When he kicked my butt, it was your face he was kicking!"
"Your butt, his face," Xia Tian said seriously.
"You little brat—you're looking for death!" Fang Li roared and launched a kick at Xia Tian. As the leader of the Physical Education Team, his fitness was far superior to that of an average student. His moves were quick and powerful, honed by years of training.
"Be careful!" Ye Qingxue and Zeng Rou shouted in unison.
Bang!
A sharp slap echoed through the air, snapping everyone back to their senses.
"This slap is for the guy behind you," Xia Tian said coldly. "How can you call yourself a boss with so little ability?"
Bang!
"This one's for you—acting tough even though you knew you'd lose."
Bang!
"This one's for the art group. You're disturbing their lunch break, don't you know that?"
Bang!
"And this one's for the flowers and plants. You scared them. Understand?"