When opening that same door, some people can say:  
”If I never get to see you again, then I wish you good morning, good afternoon, and good night.”  

But others...  
are more like adorable girls secretly trying on their boyfriend’s clothes 😋.  

↓  

Hua Xin stood there, wearing a pair of old, faded white sneakers, black sweatpants, and a hoodie that easily absorbed and trapped the sunlight’s warmth. Her face was completely hidden behind a mask and bangs hanging low over her eyes—utterly anonymous.  

Her pant legs had clearly been crudely cut; loose threads dangled near her shoes, swaying with every step. The oversized hoodie reached down almost to her knees.  

Anyone unfamiliar might mistake her for some avant-garde fashion blogger—abstract enough to rival Erwa himself.  

What’s there to be scared of…? (Her voice trembled.)  
I’ve already been through way worse…  

The image of her “penis flying away” was still vividly burned into her mind.  

Hua Xin stared silently at the stairs, gripping the handrail tightly. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tentatively stepped forward—  

“Click.”  

She suddenly felt weightless beneath her foot.  

…Her shoe had fallen off. 😥  

With a sullen sigh, the girl—backpack slung over one shoulder—resignedly put her shoe back on and continued down. The oversized heel clattered loudly against each step: clang, clang, clang.  

Hua Xin lived on the second floor, and no one else occupied the building above or below.  
That was precisely why she was still alive despite her nightly screams and wails echoing through the empty halls.  

Her earlier resignation worked surprisingly well.  
Head bowed, she trudged forward numbly, making no sound at all.  

Behind her curtain of hair, her eyes were already shimmering with unshed tears, on the verge of breaking into sobs at any moment.  

Ever since her “penis fled home,” her height had shrunk by over ten centimeters. That morning, she’d realized all her old clothes and shoes were now comically oversized—completely unwearable. 😭  

And Hua Xin couldn’t afford to buy new ones… she couldn’t even buy proper bras, resorting instead to cloth strips and band-aids. 😭  

Silently, she flipped the sun the middle finger. 🖕🏻  
—Though only inside her wide sleeve, of course.  

”I’ve sent my message… Hurry up and take over Earth, oh my Lord! Save me, Lord—humanity can’t survive without you! When you arrive, I’ll be the first to surrender! 🥺…”  

Lost in her delirious daydream, Hua Xin shuffled toward the front door in a daze.  

————————  

”Old man, I really am NOT a food delivery guy.”  

Xia Yan pulled off his helmet, revealing his handsome face and tousled, slightly wavy hair.  

He sighed helplessly at the old security guard standing before him, whip in hand.  

The old man huffed, his mustache twitching:  
”I already told you, kid—if you’re delivering food, use the side gate! You can’t come through the main entrance!”  

”But sir, I’m not wearing a delivery uniform—I’m just waiting for someone.”  

”I already told you, kid—if you’re delivering food, use the side gate! You can’t come through the main entrance!”  

”Wait… old man…”  

”I already told you, kid—if you’re delivering food, use the side gate! You can’t come through the main entrance!”  

”…?”  

”I already told you, kid—if you’re delivering food, use the side gate! You can’t come through the main entrance!”  

Xia Yan twitched, taking two cautious steps backward in fear. 😨  
Did I just trigger some AI keyword?  
Are there really Synths in this world?!  

Seeing the young man still refusing to comply, the guard snapped his whip—crack!—right onto the pavement.  

”I already told you, kid—if you’re delivering food, use the side gate! You can’t come through the main entrance!”  

He then began slowly waving the whip again, trying to intimidate Xia Yan with his “martial prowess.”  

Suddenly, his technique faltered—and Xia Yan heard a sharp, unmistakable thwack of leather meeting flesh.  
Hmm… that sound feels oddly familiar…  
Oh wait—I’ve definitely heard that exact noise while watching adult videos… 🤔  

…No, scratch that!  

Just as Xia Yan stepped forward to help the grimacing old man, the guard straightened up sharply, barking once more:  

”I already told you, kid—if you’re delivering food, use the side gate! You can’t come through the—“  
”Agh!” (His face contorted in pain.)  
”—main… wait, where’d you go?!”  

💨 Blink—gone.  

”You must be Hua Xin, right?”  

Xia Yan gently appeared before Hua Xin, offering a warm, reassuring smile while keeping a respectful distance.  

He recognized her instantly.  

Though her oversized, worn-out clothes completely concealed her skin and face, his gaze held no mockery or disdain—only kindness and quiet concern.  

Startled by his voice, Hua Xin instinctively stepped back, keeping her head lowered.  

(Who—who’s talking to me?!)  
(Where’s my hammer? 🛠️)  
(I’ll smash you! Smash you! Smash you! 😭)  

Back in reality…  

She clutched her backpack tightly against her chest and gave a tiny, hesitant nod—while mentally calculating how quickly she could pull out her hammer and knock this stranger out cold in one clean hit.  

”Well, let me introduce myself. I’m Xia Yan—your class monitor. It’s a shame we couldn’t be roommates. Worried you might get lost on your first day, so I came to pick you up myself.”  

He spoke slowly and softly, careful not to startle her further.  

”I’m a good person—you can trust me. If you’re unsure, feel free to check with Instructor Li first. Just hurry, though—we’ve only got half an hour before class starts.”  

(Hah! All bad guys say they’re “good people.”)  
(Do I look that gullible?!)  
(I’ll slide-tackle you, then—)  

Hua Xin silently nodded again.  

A flicker of warmth appeared in Xia Yan’s eyes. Well, the hardest first step is already done.  

He would help her.  
It felt just like helping his past self.  

Gently, Xia Yan held out a helmet and placed it carefully on her backpack—never forcing, never rushing. Giving her space to choose.  

This was his rule for befriending Hua Xin: Patience. Distance. Let her decide.  

(Is he gonna kidnap me? 😭)  
(I still have those frozen dumplings in the fridge—been saving them for National Day! 😭)  

Though terrified inside, her body moved on its own—reaching out to take the helmet.  

(She just can’t say no to people out here… 😭)  

Her sleeves, hanging halfway down her forearms, flopped loosely as she stood frozen, helmet in hand, utterly lost.  

Xia Yan smiled softly, picked up the helmet, and gently placed it on her head.  

Then, with the lightest touch on her sleeve, he offered subtle guidance—leading her forward.  

Every movement was tender.  

But Hua Xin noticed none of it. Her mind was now a scrambled mess—like egg whites dropped into hot pot soup: utterly chaotic.  

The once-sassy, bratty girl had shrunk into a trembling, nodding little waif.  

(Help me… please help me… 🆘😫)  

She inwardly sobbed, yet her feet kept moving—automatically following him.  

Only after she’d already climbed onto the back of his motorcycle did it finally dawn on her:  

Wait…  
How did I even get on this motorcycle?! 😨  
Where’s my bag?! Where’s my hammer?! 😨  

”Hold on tight,” Xia Yan reminded her gently.  

Eh? Se7en B@lls 6 Fin—?  

A sudden surge of acceleration made her instinctively grab the fabric of his jacket—through her sleeves, of course.  

(Crying loudly inside)  
(Tears streaming under her hood)  

The roar of the engine and rushing wind drowned her thoughts in utter confusion.  

Maybe… he’s in a hurry to sell me off quickly? 😭😭  

”I’m worn out every single day—my kidneys aren’t worth a dime!” 😭😭