The dormitory provided by the university wasn’t available, but that evening Zhou Wu called Li Xu and said, “If you don’t mind, you can stay at my place. I have several empty rooms here, and a fully-equipped kitchen. As long as you make an extra portion for me when you cook, that’s all I ask. What do you think?”
Li Xu replied, “I’ll just order takeout.”
Zhou Wu: “?”
Zhou Wu: “But there’s also a friend living with me, he’s a guy too. You don’t mind, right? Don’t worry about safety, we’re both good people.”
Li Xu: “Alright, I’ll look for you after military training.”
After saying that, Li Xu hung up.
Zhou Wu was left speechless.
But soon, he opened Douyin again and started scrolling through Li Xu’s video clips.
As he watched, he thought Li Xu was a real streaming genius. Watching her eating on stream made Zhou Wu feel a bit hungry himself.
On the eve of military training, Li Xu still posted a text update on Douyin, saying she was starting college and military training, and would be away for a while before coming back to stream.
As soon as that post went up, the likes and comments skyrocketed. Fans who had just gotten a taste of Li Xu’s livestreams wailed in despair.
Her latest IP location—Haishi—also caught everyone’s attention.
【Did Maoxu go to Haishi for college?】
【She’s actually a freshman?】
【Maoxu isn’t dumb, which university will she attend? Don’t tell me it’s Hai Da】
【That’s a bit much, the cutoff for Hai Da is way too high… Not something ordinary people can get into】
【But Maoxu isn’t ordinary either, all the best universities in Haishi are top 10】
【So it’s over with vv right from the start?】
【Nooo, I actually liked them. Military training lasts at least two weeks, so we won’t see Maoxu and w play Werewolf Kill together for two weeks?】
【LOL, I went to w’s stream yesterday, he said playing Werewolf Kill without you just feels wrong. Thinking about how w will be suffering for half a month makes me laugh】
【Ahhh, I miss you, please post more updates, show us your weight loss progress】
【Zhou Zhou and Xu Min are learning Werewolf Kill too, when you’re back, can we do a four-stack?】
The comment section was like a fantasy free-for-all.
Because everyone had gotten used to Li Xu’s “attitude” these past few days, no one really picked on her during her disappearance.
Instead, most comments urged her to come back to streaming soon, with a coaxing tone.
After posting her update, Li Xu finally glanced at her private messages, and saw a bunch of DMs from vidong, who she followed back.
vidong:【Are you still there, are you still there, are you still there】
vidong:【Are we playing Werewolf Kill tonight?】
vidong:【It’s already nine, aren’t you streaming?】
vidong:【(screenshot of game stats)】
vidong:【I’m dying playing with these teammates】
vidong:【Do you not check DMs? Can we add each other on WeChat?】
vidong:【Sigh, not streaming again tonight?】
vidong:【Add me on WeChat (thinking)】
Just as Li Xu was reading, a new message suddenly popped up:
vidong:【Oh, you went to college, no wonder. Is it in Haishi? My hometown is Haishi too…………】
vidong:【Seriously, can’t we add each other on WeChat? Feels like you’ve forgotten about me】
@Unlimited good stories, all at Jinjiang Literature City
vidong mainly wanted to play Werewolf Kill with Li Xu. He was a total gaming brain.
Li Xu:【Sure, send it to me, I’ll invite you next time】
vidong could hardly believe it:【You actually saw this??】
Li Xu:【Just saw it】@Unlimited good stories, all at Jinjiang Literature City
vidong immediately sent over his WeChat ID. Li Xu copied, pasted, and added him as a friend in one go.
vidong:【Awesome, finally connected】
vidong:【Next time I play, can you give me some tips?】
Li Xu’s reply was as concise as ever:【If I have time, I’ll come】
***
Li Xu’s military training wasn’t with Xie Tingting and the others, but with twelve students from Class Z.
The day she arrived at the training grounds was the first time Li Xu met the other students from Class Z.
Three girls and ten boys—an extremely uneven gender ratio.
Compared to her three roommates, the people in Class Z were generally quiet and reserved.
Everyone stood in formation, hardly speaking, but Li Xu was even more of a heavyweight in the “silent type” department, so she didn’t feel awkward at all.
On the ground in front of their lineup, the words “Class Z” were painted in white, very conspicuous.
Students from other classes glanced over from time to time, sizing them up with curiosity in their eyes—so that’s the genius class, they really do look like academic elites.
With a cold face and no expression, Li Xu waited for the instructor on the sweltering training field. Thanks to the System’s enhancement, she stood still, but soon,
Sweat was pouring down her face.
Before long, a boy behind her widened his eyes.
“Hey, are you okay? Are you getting heatstroke?”
As soon as he spoke, everyone turned to look at Li Xu, all shocked: the girl looked like she’d just been fished out of water, her hair soaked, her eyelashes wet with sweat.
Li Xu wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, “I’m fine, my constitution’s just like this.
“I’ll probably lose some weight after training.”
The boy adjusted his glasses, “What’s your name? Don’t worry about losing weight, your health comes first. Drink some electrolyte water, careful you don’t get dehydrated. If you’re not feeling well, tell the instructor.”
With that, the usually silent Class Z finally started chatting.
Everyone spoke at once: “There’s not even any sun today, what’ll you do when the sun comes out tomorrow?”
“Yeah, you’re sweating way too much… Should you get checked at the hospital?”
“I heard military training at Hai Da is super strict. I’m already prepared to be carried away in an ambulance…”
“Don’t push yourself, it’s dangerous.”
Faced with concern from all sides, Li Xu wiped her forehead again and smiled, “I’ll definitely last longer than you all.
“My physical fitness is great.”
“Hey, I bet you’ll be the first one down, haha.”
“Seriously, someone behind her keep an eye out. Catch her if she falls.”
“Hahahahaha…”
But Li Xu’s words turned out to be prophetic.
On the very first day of military training, less than two hours in, Class Z had its first case of heatstroke.
Then the second, third, fourth, fifth…
These students all had brilliant minds but weak bodies, hardly exercising at all.
The boy who said someone should catch Li Xu if she fell was the second to go down.
As he was about to hit the ground, Li Xu grabbed his collar with surprising strength, lifting him like a chick, and shouted, “Instructor, someone fainted!”
Sweat covered her face, her training uniform was soaked, but her voice was loud and clear.
Now, the rest of Class Z stood at attention in pain, but all looked at her with newfound respect.
The boy Li Xu picked up like a chick, just before passing out, saw her upside-down face and pitch-black pupils.
Before closing his eyes, he sincerely called out, “Yi Fu!” That made everyone in Class Z struggle to hold back their laughter.
But soon, everyone around Li Xu had fallen, while she remained quick and alert.
Before anyone hit the ground, she would “precisely” lift them up.
Even the instructor could only hold his forehead and sigh at the scene.
By the end of the day, Li Xu had already collected five cries of “Yi Fu.”
At the end of the first day, only three people in Class Z were still standing.
Students from other classes looked at the spectacle in Class Z with envy, jealousy, and resentment.
“Why don’t I have such a brilliant mind and such a weak body? I’d love to sit in the shade too…”
Li Xu, as the “Iron Hand at lifting people,” was placed by the instructor between the last three standing, making it easier for her to “pick people up.”
Realizing the instructor’s intention, the girl to Li Xu’s left and the boy to her right both struggled to keep from laughing.
As the training got tougher, the girl on the left went down by midday, and the boy on the right in the afternoon.
Both were picked up by Li Xu.
A group that used to be like scattered sand, never communicating, suddenly became lively.
【Thank you, Yi Fu, for saving my life @Li Xu】
【Once a Yi Fu, always a Yi Fu @Li Xu】
【Never thought my military training would end so quickly. Too bad I didn’t get picked up】
【…I hit the back of my head on the ground, who gets it】
【Iron Hand, right? @Li Xu】
【Why aren’t you down yet (teary) @Li Xu】
【Chief of the Strong… terrifying as ever…】
【Blind guess, how many days can Xu-jie last? Place your bets, I say three days】
【I saw the instructor scratching his head… I say five days】
【I say Xu-jie will last till the end, I have to support Xu-jie】
【So our Class Z will have a legend too… Prophecy of the Thirteen… I heard last year only five dropped】
【Yi Fu, keep going…】
The instructor looked at the last one standing in the squad—Li Xu, dripping with sweat, and felt anxious.
A small puddle had already formed on the rubber floor beneath her from her sweat.
“How about you go rest too?”
The instructor suggested.
Li Xu’s expression was calm: “No need, instructor, I can keep going.”
The instructor pursed his lips and circled around Li Xu, as if afraid she’d collapse too.
But Li Xu never fell. No matter what the drill, she performed perfectly—only her sweating was a bit abnormal.
What’s more, the instructor noticed that with each passing day, Li Xu looked slimmer than the day before. As time went on, her weight loss became more and more obvious.
@Unlimited good stories, all at Jinjiang Literature City
Li Xu realized that during training, her body fat seemed to be burning rapidly thanks to the System’s enhancement.
She could lose two to three jin a day.
As her weight dropped, her once puffy face became more defined, and her features finally took on their proper shape.
On the last day of rehearsal, the other twelve “cobblers” of Class Z finally returned.
When they arrived at the training ground and saw Li Xu again, everyone was shocked—was this Li Xu?
Her training uniform now hung loosely on her frame, her black hair fluttering in the wind, carrying a mesmerizing impact.
“What, two weeks gone and you don’t recognize Yi Fu anymore?” Her voice was cool, like a breeze brushing through everyone’s hearts.
So cool it hurt.