“‘Afraid of needles’—pfft, hahahaha!”
Back in the dorm, Ruan Yu couldn’t stop laughing. “You were amazing, Nian Nian! I never realized your comebacks were this sharp!”
Ji Nian had always been a well-behaved girl. The most outrageous thing she’d ever done in her life was chasing after Xie Qingwang in college.
Now that she’d lived two lifetimes, it was time for some changes.
“Did you see his face? Darker than his clothes,” Ruan Yu said, clearly approving of her friend’s hidden talent for verbal attacks. “Keep it up. Want to shower?”
“You go first, I’ll sit for a bit.”
“Alright.”
Ji Nian sat at her desk in a daze. She had almost forgotten what college life felt like.
On the desk was still a photo of Xie Qingwang playing basketball. The young man in a red jersey looked bold and dazzling, frozen mid-air as he took a shot.
This was the first person Ji Nian photographed after buying a new camera.
Or rather, she had bought the camera just to take pictures of him—saying she wanted to record their daily life together.
Except… she was the only one who cared.
Ji Nian reached out and touched the photo, then took it out of the frame and casually tucked it into a book.
Out of sight, out of mind.
The dorm had four beds; the other two roommates hadn’t returned yet.
Ji Nian took out her pajamas, waiting for her turn to shower.
Bored, she picked up her phone and started scrolling, only to see someone mentioning her in a freshman group chat.
I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spread rumors or affected your relationship with Xie Qingwang. I sincerely apologize!]
It was that guy Jin Li. He must have been confronted by Xie Qingwang and was now apologizing in every group chat.
Ji Nian didn’t plan to reply—responding would feel awkward. Better to pretend she hadn’t seen it.
But…
”? What kind of name was that?
Oh right—she had changed her username specifically for Xie Qingwang.
Oh god, how embarrassing!
Ji Nian quickly went into her profile to edit a new nickname. But what should she call herself?
After thinking for a long time without results, she decided one thing—she absolutely couldn’t keep the old one.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
Got it.
She’d call herself: “Pure and Innocent, Hot Abs On Fire.”
Ruan Yu came out after her shower. “Nian Nian, you can go now!”
“Okay.”
Ji Nian plugged in her phone to charge, grabbed her pajamas, and went into the bathroom.
When she came out, the other two roommates had returned.
“Some people, huh—if they can’t have someone, they just spread rumors. So shameless. Good thing he saw through her tricks and wouldn’t even touch her.”
Ji Nian was drying her hair when she heard Li Ping’s sarcastic voice from across the room.
Since she didn’t name names, Ji Nian didn’t bother responding.
Seeing no reaction, Li Ping snorted. “Ji Nian, how can some people be so shameless? Trying to climb up the social ladder while slandering it—I just don’t get it.”
“If you don’t get it, try knocking your head open—you might understand then,” Ji Nian replied calmly.
Li Ping had expected her to stay silent like before. Instead, she snapped back. “Ji Nian, what do you mean?”
“Didn’t you say you couldn’t understand? I’m just offering a suggestion,” Ji Nian looked at her innocently. “What, is it a bad one?”
“You’ve got some nerve. Didn’t get a second glance from Young Master Xie, still acting like you mattered—just a glorified companion for meals and smiles.”
She constantly lurked in group chats for updates about Xie Qingwang. She knew very well how he treated Ji Nian—he didn’t think much of her at all.
“Li Ping, watch your mouth!” Ruan Yu came in carrying a basin, just in time to hear that nonsense.
Ji Nian set down her towel. “Are you jealous? Why don’t you call Xie Qingwang and tell him you want to accompany him for meals and smiles—see if he accepts.”
Li Ping was jealous, but she wouldn’t admit it. “What do I have to be jealous of? I have dignity—unlike you.”
“You have dignity? Then what’s with you collecting all the trash Xie Qingwang throws away?” Ji Nian sneered.
In her previous life, she had accidentally discovered that Li Ping’s wardrobe was filled with things Xie Qingwang had discarded.
The more decent items were things like old earphones or notebooks.
The less decent ones… his discarded shoes and socks, and other random things.
Back then, Ji Nian had been furious, and the two had gotten into a huge fight.
Li Ping had fallen and injured herself, then twisted the story, accusing Ji Nian of bullying her using Xie Qingwang’s influence—making Ji Nian’s already bad reputation even worse.
“H-How do you know?” Li Ping’s eyes widened. She always kept those things locked away. “Did you go through my cabinet?!”
“You collected so much trash, you don’t even remember leaving some on your desk?”
Ji Nian said it deliberately—Li Ping was already guilty anyway.
“Enough, be quiet! Stop arguing!” Zhang Yuan, who had been lying in bed, shouted from behind her curtain. “Are you going to let people rest or not?”
Li Ping shut up, grabbed her clothes, and rushed into the bathroom.
Ruan Yu walked over to Ji Nian and comforted her. “Ignore her. Her brain’s flooded.”
“I’m fine,” Ji Nian smiled. She couldn’t entirely blame Li Ping—her past behavior really did look like that.
Climbing into bed, she curled up in the soft blanket.
Before, she always sent Xie Qingwang a message before sleeping, forcing him to say goodnight before ending the day.
That definitely wouldn’t happen anymore.
Might as well scroll through handsome guys online before bed—maybe she’d find someone even better and finally get over him.
Ding.
A message from “Dear Wangwang.”
She’d been so busy changing her username, she forgot to change his contact name.
Ji Nian quickly edited it to “187”—his height, and also the first three digits of his phone number.
[187: Ji Nian, you changed your nickname?]
Noticed pretty fast.
[Pure and Innocent, Hot Abs On Fire: Well?]
[187: What kind of nickname is that? Does it suit your image as a student?]
[Pure and Innocent, Hot Abs On Fire: So?]
[187: Change it.]
[Pure and Innocent, Hot Abs On Fire: Get lost!]
After sending that, Ji Nian blocked him in one go.
On the other side, Xie Qingwang stared at the red exclamation mark.
She actually dared to block him?
Good. Very good!
If he ever contacted her again, he’d be a dog!
He tossed his phone aside and went to sleep.
“Big brother, your abs are so big~”
“Big brother, your hands are so big too~”
“Oh right, big brother, down there—”
Ji Nian appeared, wrapped in red gauze, her eyes seductive like hooks.
Xie Qingwang swallowed. When had he ever seen something like this?
“Y-you… why did you become like this?” His voice was already hoarse.
It felt like fire was running wild inside his body.
Ji Nian smiled, her eyes curving like a crescent moon. “Of course… it’s all for you, big brother.”
With that, she tossed the red gauze over his head.
A fragrance filled his nose—it was Ji Nian’s scent.
“I—I don’t like you! Don’t do this!” Xie Qingwang panicked, tearing off the gauze.
“Really, big brother? Why don’t you like me?” Ji Nian’s voice sounded a little aggrieved.
Hearing that, he grew nervous. After pulling off the gauze, he looked at her face. “I don’t like girls like you—delicate, high-maintenance.”
Ji Nian suddenly laughed, then pointed downward. “Then why is it, big brother…?”
“What?”
Following her finger, Xie Qingwang looked down—his “little brother” looked like it was about to roar.
Suddenly, Ji Nian rolled her eyes and fainted.
“Ji Nian?! What’s wrong with you?!”
Through gritted teeth, she said, “Needles… I’m afraid of needles…”
Xie Qingwang looked again—and saw a needle.
“NO—!”