C9 I, Xiang Liang, Xiang Ying, Only Want to Live a Peaceful Life.(1)

Hee Zi purposefully arrived at school early.

As a once-famous personality, she was all too aware of the media's frenzy for a hot story, and how even a has-been like herself could be spun into a profitable headline with just a touch of creative embellishment.

She had felt eyes on her since her visit to the school the day before. To avoid the journalists—or more accurately, the new media opportunists—she had come in early, hoping to dodge their ambush and the potential of becoming their next moneymaking scoop.

Yet, she miscalculated.

"Hee Zi, why are you at the school? Are you enrolled here, or do you have another agenda?"

"How do you feel about your former teammates' solo successes? Xia Qing was recently named one of the 'Five Little Flowers,' and Yang Yilin has earned a Golden Song Award nomination. Any plans for a comeback?"

"Rumors suggest XYZ-GIRL disbanded because of you. Is there any truth to that?"

"Did your agency engage in illegal dealings using you? Do Xia Qing and Yang Yilin share similar experiences? Was there any internal strife among you three?"

The middle-aged man confronting her clearly wasn't afraid to stir up drama. Typically, mainland reporters were more restrained than their Hong Kong and Taiwanese paparazzi counterparts, often content to snap a few covert shots rather than aggressively probe with leading questions. Moreover, the recent crackdown on the entertainment industry had left many paparazzi jobless. But as the paparazzi waned, the new media rose, with content creators fabricating stories from thin air. This man, lacking any press credentials, was one such new media practitioner.

Hee Zi maintained a stoic demeanor as she continued walking. He knew the school layout well and had cornered her in a less trafficked area—normally, school security would prevent reporters from disrupting the students' learning environment, but universities, unlike high schools, had a harder time controlling entry, and it wasn't unusual for some to slip through.

She neither wanted to nor could afford to answer any questions. A single word from her could be twisted into a myriad of false narratives. So, the best strategy was to remain silent, ignore the probing, and quickly make her way to a more populated area where she could seek assistance from school staff or security to escort this person away.

The middle-aged man clearly wasn't content with just snapping two covert photos before leaving. He doggedly trailed Hee Zi, yet he didn't have the audacity to physically stop her.

"Rumors claim that you fell into depression after the group disbanded. Is there any truth to..."

"Hey, who gave you permission to come into the school!"

His inquiry was cut short by a bellow from nearby. Turning to look, he spotted a plump young man standing on a slope, his face etched with anxiety.

That's... Hee Zi glanced over, recognizing the individual. She had encountered him the previous day at school; he was likely one of her classmates. Was he stepping in to help her?

But the savvy middle-aged paparazzo quickly picked up on the little fatty's unease and nervousness. With a gleam in his eye, he inquired, "You're Hee Zi's classmate, aren't you?"

"Yes, that's right..."

Hu Yanqing, the little fatty, had been chosen by his peers to play the hero. Steadying his voice, he challenged, "What if I am? And who are you? Who let you into the school?"

Oh no. Hee Zi noticed the paparazzo approaching Hu Yanqing with a recorder in hand and realized his scheme. He was surely concocting an article filled with "Hee Zi's classmate says... Hee Zi's classmate thinks..." type of quotes. She quickly interjected, "Classmate, don't engage with him. He's a tabloid journalist. Just go get security..."

Before she could finish, she saw a group of twenty robust young men emerge from behind Hu Yanqing, including seven or eight burly guys who looked particularly intimidating. They stood with their arms folded, glaring menacingly at the paparazzo as he moved closer to Hu Yanqing.

Uh-oh...

The paparazzo, who had thought he'd struck gold with his scoop, was taken aback by the sudden show of muscle. Frozen in place, he awkwardly held his recorder, unsure whether to advance or retreat.

"You guys are all..."

"Rrrrip!"

The lead muscleman suddenly tore his tank top open, twisted his neck, and flexed his pecs, looking ready to throw punches if provoked any further.

He recoiled in fear. Male college students can be an intimidating bunch, particularly in large numbers. They seem fearless, ready to brawl or worse. He assessed the vast disparity between the two sides and didn't dare utter a single word.

"Press ID, your employer."

With a solid backup of his Muscular Club brothers, Hu Yanqing confidently continued as Hsiang Tai had instructed, "If you can't produce it, don't blame us for escorting you to the school's security office."

"You guys..."

The paparazzo was caught in a bind. He didn't have a press pass; he was used to intimidating the uninformed, conducting interviews at will, and stirring up news. Now, facing this group of students, he was at a loss for words.

Hee Zi was startled by the sudden emergence of the burly men. Though she understood they meant to help, the scene was overwhelmingly intense. It felt like they could charge down the hill like tanks at any moment, crushing everything in their path.

With the arrival of the group, onlookers began to gather. Some pointed at the Muscular Club members, while others recognized Hee Zi, who was maskless, and murmured among themselves. She quickly pulled her hat down and bowed her head to hide her face.

When the paparazzo failed to respond, Hu Yanqing bravely stepped forward. His advance was echoed by the synchronized steps of his comrades, obliterating the paparazzo's last shred of confidence. He turned tail and ran without a word.

"Pfft, what a chicken. I was hoping to get a new shirt out of this," Liu Jing scoffed, slapping his biceps. "Scared off just like that."

"Who told you to rip your shirt off? Be careful, or people might think you're a weirdo."

"Vice president, you really should kick that habit. Just because you snagged ten identical tank tops on Pinduoduo doesn't mean you can go around tearing them off."

"Keep it up, and you'll be my next wrestling partner!" Liu Jing retorted, clearly irked by the teasing. Meanwhile, Hsiang Tai stepped forward, nudged Hu Yanqing, and gestured for him to go ahead and ask for WeChat.

After receiving encouragement from Hsiang Tai, Hu Yanqing jogged up to Hee Zi and summoned the courage to ask, "Um, Hee Zi, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, thanks. And you are...?" Hee Zi had already taken note of Hsiang Tai when he appeared. Given that they had met twice just the day before and had experienced some awkward moments, his face was not easily forgotten.

"It's Hu Yanqing. We're in the same class; we probably met yesterday. Oh, right." He nervously pulled out his phone and continued, "Could I add you on WeChat? Oh, I mean, not for any other reason, I just wanted to add you to our class group."