It was nearly the end of the semester—final exams were just a week away.
After class, Liu Dan said goodbye to Xiaopang and the others and headed straight to the campus hospital to pick up Huang Jing on their way home.
As he neared the grove beside the hospital, he heard a man and a woman arguing. At first, he assumed it was just a quarrel between a couple—common enough in such places. But the voices grew louder and more intense, and curiosity got the better of him. He edged closer, hiding behind a large tree, and peeked around its trunk.
Sure enough, a man and a woman were arguing.
The man had long, flowing hair and a handsome face, but his narrow eyes and thin lips lent him a sinister, unsettling look. He radiated coldness.
The woman was stunning—poised, graceful, and serene. The kind of woman male students privately called a goddess.
And to Liu Dan's dismay, that goddess was none other than Zhou Qianru, his computer science instructor—and the one person he least wanted to run into.
Ever since their first class, Zhou Qianru had singled him out for attention. Every session she would ask him several questions, sometimes even walking right up to his desk and leaning in close, her breath fragrant and warm. Liu Dan, usually quick-witted, would go completely blank under her gaze.
To others, her laugh was like a melodious chime. To Liu Dan, it was the sound of doom.
Her special attention had made him the envy of every boy in class. Gao Wei had even teased him, "No wonder you're our boss—you're drowning in female attention wherever you go!" That comment had drawn raucous laughter from the group, and Liu Dan had barely resisted the urge to punch him.
After a few weeks, he began actively avoiding her. Once, he'd spotted her in the library and tried to slip away, only for her to catch him.
She'd grinned like a cat cornering its prey and whispered, "Running again?" Then, loudly for all to hear, she added, "Don't forget—you're coming to my place tonight!"
Before Liu Dan could process the words, he felt a dozen jealous stares boring into his back like daggers. From that day forward, he branded her: angelic face, devil's heart.
Back in the grove, the man's voice snapped Liu Dan back to reality.
"Are you coming with me or not?"
"I told you," Zhou Qianru replied, her tone ice-cold. "I'm not going back. I never want to see that man again."
"He's still your father. And the head of our clan. You dare disobey him?"
"I've made my decision," she said. "And I don't change my mind."
The man narrowed his eyes. "Then don't blame me for using force."
Zhou Qianru scoffed. "Just like the rest of you—when charm fails, you resort to violence."
Before she finished her sentence, the man lunged at her like a hawk diving for prey.
But Zhou Qianru was ready. With a swift sidestep and a powerful palm strike, she dodged and retaliated. The man twisted midair, narrowly evading her blow, and leapt into the branches of a nearby tree.
Zhou Qianru shot upward in pursuit.
Liu Dan was stunned. He'd suspected his teacher was unusual, but this? She was a martial artist—an expert, no less.
Sure, Liu Dan had his own secret strength, thanks to the nameless technique he'd inherited, but this level of skill? She was far beyond him.
The two combatants darted through the trees like shadows, exchanging rapid strikes. Their speed was astonishing, their movements elegant yet lethal.
But as the battle wore on, Zhou Qianru began to slow. Fatigue was setting in.
Her opponent, calm and unhurried, seemed to grow more dangerous with each passing second.
"Come quietly," he called. "Your internal energy is almost gone. If I hurt you by accident, Master won't be pleased."
"Spare me your concern," Zhou Qianru snapped. "You're just like him—cowardly and cruel!"
Enraged, the man pressed his attack. Zhou Qianru, now visibly struggling, misstepped and fell from the treetops.
Just then, his palm struck her in the back. She cried out, and blood burst from her lips.
Watching from below, Liu Dan clenched his fists. He might not like his teasing teacher, but she had never truly harmed him. And letting her be taken away? That wasn't an option.
He launched himself forward, catching her as she fell, barely evading another strike.
Zhou Qianru, expecting a harsh landing, instead found herself cradled in a warm, solid embrace. A faint masculine scent filled her senses.
Looking up, she saw Liu Dan's face. A blush spread across her cheeks. "Be careful," she whispered. "He's dangerous."
Liu Dan nodded, more composed than usual. Her closeness still made him a little nervous, but not enough to lose focus.
Huo Zijian's face darkened. "Who are you? Step aside, and I'll forget what just happened. Otherwise…" He trailed off with a menacing laugh.
Liu Dan's heart pounded. He had no martial arts training, only the internal energy he'd cultivated.
Zhou Qianru seemed to sense his hesitation. "If it's too dangerous, run," she said softly. "Don't worry about me."
But Liu Dan shook his head. "She's my teacher. I can't abandon her."
He turned to Huo Zijian. "Let's settle this with one strike. If I lose, I'll walk away. But if I win, you leave her alone."
Huo Zijian sneered. "Fine. But don't expect mercy."
Zhou Qianru whispered in Liu Dan's ear again, "Are you sure about this?"
Liu Dan smiled faintly. "Honestly? Not really. But if I win, and you get the chance—run. He won't care about me."
Huo Zijian snapped, "Enough! Let's get this over with."
Liu Dan gently set Zhou Qianru down and stepped into the clearing.
He took a deep breath and summoned the golden energy from his inner core—the product of half a year of quiet cultivation. The energy surged through his body, down his arms, pooling in his palms.
When the moment felt right, he struck.
Huo Zijian, confident and dismissive, met the attack with half his strength. He expected to knock Liu Dan unconscious.
Instead, the moment their palms met, a tidal wave of force slammed into him. His eyes widened in disbelief as the energy tore through him.
He flew backward, blood spraying from his mouth.
Liu Dan blinked, stunned by what he'd done.
Huo Zijian crashed to the ground and staggered to his feet, his face pale, his chest heaving. He stared at Liu Dan, eyes burning with venom.
He hadn't expected such overwhelming power—not from someone so young. Not even his own master had this much force at that age.
But he'd lost. And a loss was a loss.
Without a word, he turned and fled into the shadows.
Liu Dan breathed a sigh of relief.
He walked back to Zhou Qianru. "Are you alright?"
She looked up, her lips still stained with blood, her expression unreadable. "I had no idea you were that strong."
Liu Dan winced inwardly. He'd just revealed his secret—and to the one person who would surely make his life a living hell.
As if on cue, she tilted her head, her lips curving into a mischievous smile. "You're not planning to take revenge on your poor teacher, are you? After all my teasing?"
She leaned in close and whispered, "You know, girls don't like men who hold grudges."
Even injured, she was relentless.
Liu Dan helped her to her feet. "Come on. Let's get you to the hospital."
As his hand slipped around her waist, she softened against him, her body briefly pressing into his.
Then she smirked and murmured into his ear, "You're not trying to cop a feel, are you?"