Chapter 10

Li Jiao touched her own face, placing her two fair and tender little hands on her cheeks, rubbing them as if kneading dough. While rubbing, she muttered to herself foolishly.

“Ah, it seems a bit hot.”

Su Linlin quickly grabbed her self-torturing little hands and said, “Okay, okay, stop rubbing, Jiaojiao; don’t burn yourself silly, okay?”

“Huh?” Li Jiao turned slowly. “Boil water; what water?”

“It’s so hot, I’ll use cold water.”

“Ah—” Su Linlin helplessly touched her forehead and said, “Oh no, completely burned silly.”

“What spilled? What spilled?”

The foolish Li Jiao, with her eyes wet from water, approached Su Linlin, staring at her with big, puzzled eyes, tilting her head in confusion, and forming a large question mark.

“Not spilled, silly. It’s being silly,” Su Linlin corrected.

“Spill?”

“Silly.”

“Scatter?”

“Silly, silly.”

“Three?”

“Oh, it’s silly, silly.”

“Kill, kill?”

“No, it’s silly, s-i-l,”

Su Linlin impatiently corrected, “Why am I telling you this? You’re a silly little one who got burned silly.”

“Huh?” The silly girl tilted her small head, her face turning red from the heat, making her look frighteningly flushed. “What?”

“Oh dear, I can’t explain it to you now…”

“Hey, I’m coming; I’m coming; I’m coming -”

Zhang Yue yelled with her loud voice, running wildly towards the two of them, attracting countless glances along the way, but she didn’t care at all.

Holding a white object, she rushed to the two and abruptly stopped in front of them.

“coming, coming, coming.”

After arriving, she bent over, hands on her knees, breathing heavily.

Su Linlin glanced at her and said, “Boss, what did you bring?”

“Ice, ice pack,” Zhang Yue gasped, explaining, “I went to buy it from another class.”

“Come, let Jiao use it,” she said, reaching out and handing the white ice pack to Su Linlin, gesturing for her to give it to Li Jiao.

“Okay.”

Su Linlin took the ice pack, opened the packaging, rubbed it a few times to crush the small particles inside, and then applied it to Li Jiao’s hot face.

As the cold ice touched her cheeks, Li Jiao shivered involuntarily, her neck reacting with a sudden tingling sensation, like a cat with its fur suddenly standing on end, instantly curling and arching her back.

Her hazy and confused mind cleared up a lot all at once.

After getting used to it, the ice-cold ice pack felt like a life-saving remedy, incredibly soothing on her face. She couldn’t help but close her eyes contentedly, enjoying the sensation.

Su Linlin held the ice pack and carefully cooled every inch of her little face. Li Jiao’s flushed cheeks gradually returned to normal, looking fair and moisturized, with small droplets of water still lingering on her face.

Zhang Yue took out three ice patches from her pocket and handed them to the two, saying, “Here, I just bought these. Put them on later, and it’ll be refreshing for sure.”

Saying that, Zhang Yue was the first to open one ice patch, sticking it to the back of her neck. The cool sensation instantly spread, and Zhang Yue raised her eyebrows in comfort, exaggeratingly saying, “Refreshing~”

Su Linlin quickly followed suit, opened the packaging, and stuck one on her neck, instantly echoing Zhang Yue’s exclamation.

“So refreshing~”

Li Jiao looked at the two, holding the ice pack in her hand, feeling a bit frozen. Clumsily, she opened the ice patch, imitating the two, and stuck it on the back of her neck. The cool sensation instantly dispersed.

In addition to the ice pack on her face, oh my god, it’s like a deity.

“Ah, so cool~”

It was so refreshing that Li Jiao couldn’t help but sneeze, her nose feeling a bit stuffy.

The people around them, witnessing the trio’s actions, looked at them with envy. Especially with the small ice pack in Li Jiao’s hand, they were simply jealous and envious.

Several people who knew Zhang Yue and Su Linlin came over and asked where they bought it. Zhang Yue and the others were enthusiastic, and as they spoke, they were about to take people to buy. Zhang Yue threw a sentence.

“Jiaojiao, I’ll take them for a while; you sit obediently.”

“Okay~”

Li Jiao was immersed in using the ice pack on her face; her voice was soft and milky.

“Wow~ so comfortable~”

Holding the ice pack, she kept rubbing it on her face, like a little kitten splashing water on its face. With her soft paws, she carefully massaged her small face back and forth.

Closing her eyes, she was enjoying it to the fullest.

“Ah~ so cool~”

While Li Jiao was focused on rubbing her face, she suddenly felt darkness in front of her, and the heat on her body also decreased. It seemed like someone stood behind her.

Huh?

Opening her eyes, there was a tall shadow in front of her, wearing a military cap, broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and standing upright. His tall and slender figure was deliberately elongated by the sunlight, giving a sense of both grandeur and tranquility.

He stood behind her, perfectly blocking Li Jiao’s petite body from any sunlight.

Li Jiao blinked her eyes, staring at him for a while. She had never thought that a shadow could look so good.

He looks so tall, probably around 1.8 meters…

Zhang Jiuling had walked over for a while; he had seen this girl from a distance, holding something and rubbing it on her face. Out of concern for the student, he walked over to see what was going on.

When he just stood behind her, it seemed like the girl also became aware. The face-rubbing motion stopped. He then saw that she was holding an ice pack. Zhang Jiuling frowned slightly, wondering where she got it from.

After a while, Zhang Jiuling remained silent, and the girl didn’t seem to be doing anything either. She stopped rubbing her face, hanging her small head as if staring blankly at her own shadow?

Zhang Jiuling lowered his eyes, calmly watching her. Indeed, the girl was completely absorbed in staring at his shadow.

After a while, the girl still didn’t move. Zhang Jiuling took a slight step to the side.

As the shadow moved, Li Jiao’s little ears and a portion of her side were exposed, and the scorching sunlight instantly fell on her.

In no time, she felt intensely hot.

Li Jiao snapped back to reality, quickly shifting her little buttocks and following the movement of the shadow to the side. Once again hiding in the shadow, the scorching sensation disappeared, and it instantly became much cooler.

She slightly opened her small mouth, exhaling a breath, finally feeling cool again.

Zhang Jiuling, who witnessed the girl’s actions, raised his dark eyebrows slightly. A hint of light leaked from his cold, silent black pupils; his expression was somewhat intriguing.

He lifted his foot again, and the black military boot took a slight step to the side. The girl on the ground had another small part of her body exposed to the sun. This time, her movement was even faster, smoothly shifting her little buttocks and once again retreating into his shadow.

A small figure was concealed within his shadow, while her own shadow disappeared completely.

Li Jiao bent her knees, hugging her two legs and crouching behind the shadow of the person to hide in the shade. It was too hot, and if she could stay cool for a while, that would be great.

Could this person please not move anymore? Just let her peacefully enjoy the shadow for a moment, can’t he?

Just as she was thinking this, the shadow on the ground moved again. Suddenly, Lijiao found another small part of her body exposed to the scorching sunlight. Quickly, she shifted her little buttocks once again, following the movement of the shadow.

Shadow moved, and she moved.

Moved again, she followed.

Moved again, she followed.

After a few times, sweat started to bead on Lijiao’s forehead. She quickly used the ice pack and pressed it onto her forehead to cool down.

Internally praying, please, don’t move again. Otherwise, she might not be sunburned to death but would certainly be exhausted.

Just as she finished the thought, the shadow on the ground took another step to the side, and Lijiao immediately showed a distressed expression. Why is he moving again?

Just as she was thinking of moving again, a cool voice suddenly came from behind.

“Is hide-and-seek fun?”

This voice!!!

Lijiao turned her head abruptly, first seeing a pair of long legs clad in camouflage military uniform. She slowly raised her gaze, angular jaw, attractive thin lips, and a high and straight nose.

Looking up, she met a pair of bright, cold, and profound black pupils, like a clear ancient spring.

Looking down at her from a higher position, there was a faint sense of pressure.

Meeting such eyes, Lijiao’s originally somewhat confused mind instantly cleared up. She stammered as she spoke.

“In-instructor.”

Oh no, oh no, when did the instructor stand behind her?

Then, did she just use the instructor as a shade from the sun?

With this realization, Lijiao almost cried. Who gave her the courage to use the instructor as a sunshade?

God, just kill her now~

While she was scrutinizing Zhang Jiuling, he was also observing her. The girl looked up at him with wet, dewy almond eyes. Because of the small droplets produced by the ice pack in response to the heat, her face was covered, and her hair was damp, sticking to her temples.

Due to the moisture from the water droplets, her complexion appeared translucent but not overly fair, and soft, like a wet snow pear.

Noticing the ice pack she still held in her hands, Zhang Jiuling’s handsome brows furrowed slightly.

Seeing him looking at the ice pack in her hands, Li Jiao, thinking that he might not know what it was, hurriedly stood up and explained.

“Instructor, this, this is an ice pack for cooling down.”

“I know,” Zhang Jiuling shifted his gaze back to her, saying indifferently.

Li Jiao nodded nervously. Of course, you think the instructor doesn’t know? People aren’t idiots. Does he not even recognize an ice pack?

What are you telling him for? Are you trying to show off your cleverness?

Thinking this, Li Jiao obediently lowered her head, pretending to be an ostrich.

Seeing her bow her head with a somewhat discouraged attitude, Zhang Jiuling’s eyes narrowed slightly with a hint of doubt. Why was she acting like this?

After a moment, Li Jiao, still pretending to be an ostrich, heard a cold-toned voice from above.

“Feeling hot?”

Li Jiao was puzzled and lifted her head. Zhang Jiuling glanced at the ice pack. Was he asking if she was too hot, so she needed to hold the ice pack?

She smirked and replied, “Actually, it’s not very hot. It’s because I had a fever today, so my roommate bought me an ice pack to cool down.”

Fever?

Zhang Jiuling looked at her face. After the ice pack’s coolness passed, the redness on Lijiao’s face slowly began to recover, and the temperature gradually rose, showing signs of turning back into a red apple.

Her physical condition is really not good. She can catch a cold and have a fever in the summer?

He withdrew his gaze with indifference, glanced at the ice pack in her hand, and instructed, “Throw away the ice pack and join the assembly.”

“Huh? Yes… yes.”

Lijiao silently watched Zhang Jiuling’s figure walk away; he should be going to gather the class.

She looked down at the ice pack in her hand, feeling reluctant. She hadn’t held it for long.

Ah~ didn’t want to throw it away~

“All in formation, turn right!”

“Thump, thump, thump, thump—”

The sound of the entire class’s synchronized marching was firm and powerful, indicating they had received some training.

Zhang Jiuling checked the condition of the whole class. Everyone was present; there were no absentees. When his gaze swept over Li Jiao, it paused for a moment and then moved on indifferently.

He didn’t have anything in his hands; it seems he threw away the ice pack. Zhang Jiuling thought that this girl was going to go against him again.

Zhang Jiuling continued with the commands, “Forward—March!”

“All present, maintain military posture for twenty minutes.”

With the command, the entire class stood upright, eyes fixed forward, resembling straight benchmarks.

Three seconds later, Li Jiao heard a familiar command, specifically for her.

“The last person in the first row, step forward.”

“Yes.”

Li Jiao walked out of the formation as if she knew the routine, and other classmates had gotten used to it. At first, they thought the instructor was going easy on her, and there was a lot of discussion among the students.

As a result, she was pulled out for extra training.

With this, everyone’s gaze toward her instantly turned sympathetic.

Many speculated that maybe it was because Li Jiao had thrown her shoes last time, narrowly missing the instructor. So the instructor held a grudge and gave her extra training every time.

Li Jiao herself also felt this way. Moreover, because of the shoe-throwing incident, she gained a new nickname: “The White Girl Who Throws Crystal Shoes.”

Why not Cinderella? Because she was indeed very fair, especially after the military training, according to her classmates’ comments, she became even fairer.

In the crowd, she was undoubtedly the most eye-catching presence.

Someone is so fair, and you call her Cinderella? Can your conscience handle that?

As Li Jiao walked out, just about to adjust her posture to stand in military formation, Zhang Jiuling added another command.

“Squat down, stand up, and prepare.”

“??????”

Li Jiao widened her eyes in confusion. What’s going on, and why isn’t it standing in military formation? Why do squats and stand-ups?

Clearly, she wasn’t the only one puzzled. Other classmates, with confused glances, sneaked peeks to see if Li Jiao had done something again and was being punished.

I haven’t done anything!

Li Jiao stood in place, bewildered. She hadn’t done anything, so why were the others standing in military formation while she had to do squats and stand-ups? Why, why?

…