C3 It Was Undercurrents

"Spill it, who sent you?" Faang Yu demanded, tossing the kid to the ground, his face betraying no emotion.

The kid, already cowed by Faang Yu, spilled everything in a rush.

It was a straightforward tale. Wang Huanjun had used her charm to sweet-talk some sponsors for the student union at Mr. Fancy's shop. Despite her green tea appearance, Wang Huanjun was principled and had turned down Mr. Fancy's advances. In a fit of pique, Mr. Fancy had paid off some thugs to stir up trouble, leading to today's confrontation. The thug had pulled a dagger, aiming to slash Faang Yu, but hadn't anticipated Faang Yu's ferocity—he ended up stabbing himself.

After listening, Faang Yu paused to consider, then glanced at the hooligan sprawled on the ground. "Scram."

"Thank you, big brother, thank you!" The kid, feeling like he'd dodged a bullet, took off running, leaving his cronies behind. To him, Faang Yu was the kind of man who didn't play by the rules—a terrifying figure. Escaping with his life felt like divine mercy.

"Faang Yu, you... you killed someone?" Wang Huanjun stammered, eyeing the 'corpses' strewn about, her body shaking.

"You're somewhat endearing now," Faang Yu remarked, giving Wang Huanjun a sidelong glance. Without her usual feigned smile, she was quite attractive.

"I—" Wang Huanjun started, taken aback by his comment, but Faang Yu cut her off, "I've got it under control. It's just a flesh wound. Let's go."

"But—" Wang Huanjun's face was still etched with concern, yet seeing Faang Yu's impassive expression brought her a sudden sense of calm. She nodded softly and followed him toward the university.

The University of Paton was picturesque, with flowers and trees lining the pathways, and wooden arbors draped with vines. At night, it became a haven for student couples—some strolling along the campus paths, others whispering sweet nothings in the arbors—a distinctive and romantic part of the campus landscape.

Initially, Wang Huanjun was preoccupied, trailing behind Faang Yu with the recent incident weighing heavily on her mind. Yet, as they continued their walk, she observed Faang Yu's nonchalant demeanor and her thoughts began to race. Considering his mysterious aura and origins from the capital, she suddenly pieced together the reason behind his impressive combat skills and his lack of concern for the potentially fatal street altercation.

"Faang Yu has to be from a military family! A third-generation red aristocrat! That explains his fighting prowess and fearlessness," she mused, growing more convinced by the minute. As a result, her gaze toward Faang Yu intensified with admiration, and her concerns about the earlier incident faded away.

"Faang Yu," she whispered under her breath, quickening her pace to catch up to him. Without hesitation, she slipped her hands into his pockets and pressed herself against his arm, her own full figure brushing against him.

Who was Faang Yu? A once-notorious playboy in the capital's elite circles, he had since adopted a low profile in Paton for reasons of his own. But now, with a powerful system at his disposal, why would he conceal his true nature? Sensing Wang Huanjun's forwardness, a slight smirk played on his lips. He neither welcomed nor rejected her advances, content to bask in her eager attention.

"Damn, am I seeing this right? The guy Wang Huanjun is cozying up to is Faang Yu!?" exclaimed a bespectacled man, his gaze fixed on the approaching pair, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.

Beside him, a tall, muscular student clenched his teeth, his eyes burning with resentment as he watched the two. "You're not mistaken, it's definitely them!"

"Jun, keep your cool. We'll get in trouble if there's a fight on campus," the man with glasses cautioned, addressing the agitated giant.

"What do you think I'm about to do? I'm not an idiot. Come on! We've got to say hello to our classmates, don't we?" Brother Jun huffed, striding toward Faang Yu with determination. The man with glasses followed, his face etched with reluctant compliance.

Wang Huanjun's brow furrowed as she noticed the two approaching figures. The man, Pang Jun, was known for his basketball prowess and good looks. As the captain of the department's team and a key player on the university squad, he had amassed quite a following among the female students at the University of Paton. Despite having dated several girls, Pang Jun had been doggedly pursuing Wang Huanjun for the past six months. While she maintained a friendly demeanor with him due to their shared student council activities, she skillfully dodged any romantic implications, as she had never held him in high regard.

Wang Huanjun wasn't concerned that Faang Yu would find himself in trouble; she was well aware of his capabilities. Her concern was that Faang Yu might see her as a woman who inadvertently stirred up trouble.

"Faang Yu! We've been classmates for two years, yet we've barely crossed paths. I'm surprised to find you with Wang Huanjun," Pang Jun said, his words neutral but his tone laden with an unmistakable threat.

"Who are you?" Faang Yu asked, not out of arrogance, but genuinely lacking any recollection of the bulky figure before him.

"You!" Pang Jun was infuriated, interpreting Faang Yu's question as an insult, his eyes bulging with anger.

"Faang Yu, this is Pang Jun, our class's sports representative. How could you forget? And I'm Xia Ping; we've been classmates for two years. Surely you remember?" The bespectacled man, Xia Ping, interjected with a friendly chuckle.

"Oh," Faang Yu responded, giving them a brief nod, his demeanor remaining cool and detached.

Xia Ping's smile faltered, and he shot a glance at Pang Jun, who was struggling to contain his rage. Seeing the object of his unrequited affections intimately linked with another man—particularly one he deemed unworthy—was too much for Pang Jun. He stepped forward, intent on separating the pair.

Wang Huanjun, who had remained quiet until now, watched Pang Jun's advance with an icy glare. "Pang Jun, what do you think you're doing?" she demanded sharply.

Pang Jun halted mid-action, turning to face Wang Huanjun with a sigh. "Huanjun, come with me. I need to talk to you."

"Pang Jun, we are merely classmates. Please refer to me by my full name from now on." Wang Huanjun had once regarded Pang Jun as a notable, if not exceptional, figure on campus. But now, standing next to Faang Yu, Pang Jun seemed nothing more than a child in her eyes.

"You!" Overcome with embarrassment and anger, Pang Jun opened his mouth to retort but stopped as he noticed a crowd gathering, many of whom were familiar faces whispering and pointing.

"Jun, keep your cool. We'll have plenty of opportunities to take care of this kid later. No need to make a scene now," Xia Ping murmured into Pang Jun's ear.

With a contemptuous snort, Pang Jun shot Faang Yu a fierce glare before storming off, with Xia Ping, his ever-eager sidekick, scurrying behind him.