Hu Jia's appearance greatly surprised Xiao Li.
In his memory, her attitude towards Xiao Li had never been this good.
One could even say she disliked him.
Now she was actually willing to personally deliver a gift to express her gratitude; her change was quite significant.
"Everyone is from the same academy; there's no need to be so polite."
Nevertheless, Xiao Li accepted the box of pastries.
Just then, another beautiful figure in a silver dress arrived in the courtyard.
"Elder Xiao, so you have company here."
Both looked over; it was Han Yue!
"Han Yue? Are you looking for me for something?"
A charming smile appeared on her face, and she said, "I came to thank Elder Xiao for saving my life yesterday."
"These are pastries I made myself; I hope Elder Xiao won't refuse them."
She handed over a pastry box.
Xiao Li: "..."
What a coincidence? Two people came to thank him at the same time.
And both gave him pastries they made themselves.
"Did you two plan this? What a coincidence."
Han Yue was momentarily stunned. Seeing the other pastry box in Xiao Li's hand and Hu Jia nearby, she immediately understood.
"Sister Hu Jia also came to give Elder Xiao pastries."
"Yes... this is just a small token of gratitude. I didn't expect Senior Sister Han Yue to be here too," Hu Jia said, lowering her head slightly, with a somewhat unnatural shyness and bashfulness.
Such an expression was extremely rare on her face.
Hu Jia had an independent and unconventional personality; she was arrogant and didn't think much of most people inferior to her.
There weren't many people who could make her lower her head or show shyness.
And it seemed that she and Han Yue knew each other, and their relationship was quite good.
"I didn't expect us both to have been saved by Elder Xiao," Han Yue was a bit more casual and less reserved.
Actually, Hu Jia wasn't the type to be easily reserved, but her relationship with Xiao Li was a bit complicated.
Initially, their relationship wasn't good; Xiao Li had even spanked her, which caused her great humiliation.
Now, after being saved by Xiao Li, she found that her attitude towards him had changed a lot.
It was only because of the harsh words she had spoken before that she felt a bit embarrassed.
"Don't just stand there; come in and sit down."
"No, no need. I won't disturb Elder Xiao. I'll be leaving now." Hu Jia shook her head, refusing, and left somewhat hastily.
She felt too awkward to go in.
Mainly, her mindset hadn't fully adjusted yet.
Han Yue also smiled faintly and said, "I won't disturb Elder Xiao either."
If they hadn't come at the same time, perhaps they would have gone in to sit.
But now that they came together, they both felt a bit awkward, so they simply didn't go in.
Xiao Li secretly sighed with regret.
Only after both women had left did Xiao Li's room door open a crack.
"Are Sister Han Yue and the others gone?"
Zi Yan peeked out with half of her small face from behind the door.
She felt a bit guilty.
She knew Han Yue, and if Han Yue knew she was here with Xiao Li... it would be mortifying.
"They're all gone. You're awake? How do you feel?" Xiao Li asked with a smile.
"Alright..." Zi Yan was already dressed, but when she walked out, her steps were still a bit unnatural.
"But it's still a bit sore..."
Yesterday was a bit too wild.
Although in the latter half, she did experience an unprecedented, extreme pleasure, and she matured overnight.
But the consequence of excessive indulgence was that she now walked very unnaturally.
"I have medicine here; do you want me to help you apply some?" Xiao Li showed a mischievous smile.
"No!"
Zi Yan shook her head like a rattle-drum.
She absolutely didn't want Xiao Li to help her with such an embarrassing thing.
Her heart was filled with shyness, and she quickly left.
Xiao Li couldn't help but chuckle.
Indeed, young girls are more prone to shyness.
Of course, his thoughts had temporarily shifted from Zi Yan.
Han Yue and Hu Jia... he would choose one first... student dormitory.
Hu Jia returned to her dormitory feeling a bit down.
Her two roommates were just about to go out together. Seeing her return, they invited her,
"Hu Jia, we're going to the back mountain to hunt two Magical Beasts. Do you want to come along?"
"Ah? I... I won't go, you two go, be careful."
Hearing the words "back mountain" and "Magical Beast," she remembered her experience a few days ago.
It was while hunting a Magical Beast in the back mountain that she not only almost lost her life but also almost implicated several people.
As a result, she still had some lingering trauma.
That day, if Xiao Li hadn't arrived in time and saved her, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Today, she had mustered up the courage to go and give Xiao Li a gift to express her gratitude.
But because Han Yue was also there, she felt too awkward to say some of the things she had wanted to say.
"Annoying..."
Hu Jia flopped onto the soft covers, feeling her mood in a mess.
She had never let a man make her feel this way.
Ever since she was saved by Xiao Li that day, she found that Xiao Li's figure often appeared in her mind.
That absolutely powerful figure, seemingly unstoppable, easily annihilated a Fifth-Rank Magical Beast.
Wasn't this the kind of powerful person she had always pursued?
It was also because of this that she had mustered the courage to personally make some pastries and give them to Xiao Li.
She wondered if he would eat her pastries... or Senior Sister Han Yue's pastries?
"So annoying~"
She covered her head with a pillow, lost in thought.
Until a familiar voice suddenly spoke: "If you have any troubles, you can tell me. Maybe I can help you."
Hu Jia froze for a moment.
Then she suddenly sat up and saw Xiao Li at the doorway.
"Elder, Elder Xiao? Why are you here...?"
She was surprised for a few seconds, then immediately tidied her slightly disheveled clothes, her cheeks flushed.
Xiao Li held up the pastry box in his hand: "Didn't you give me a box of pastries? So, I thought I'd come and taste them with you. You wouldn't mind, would you?"
"Of course not!"
Hu Jia quickly cleared the messy things on the table.
Xiao Li then placed the pastry box on the table and opened it.
Inside were various small and cute pastries.
"I didn't expect you to have such a delicate touch to make such adorable pastries," Xiao Li praised sincerely.
Before coming, he hadn't opened this box of pastries.
"I was afraid you'd dislike them..."
"How could I? These pastries are as beautiful and cute as you are. I couldn't love them more," Xiao Li said with a smile.
As beautiful and cute as you are... Is he praising her?
Hearing these ambiguous words, Hu Jia felt no repulsion in her heart; instead, she felt an unprecedented throb.
"Thank you for the compliment, Elder Xiao... Would you like to try how they taste?" She heard her voice was very soft.
Xiao Li picked up a pastry, put it in his mouth, and savored it carefully.
Under Hu Jia's expectant gaze, he gave his evaluation,
"Mmm, it's delicious, and as sweet as you are."
Upon receiving the evaluation, Hu Jia was overjoyed.
The latter half of the sentence made her heart feel sweet as well.
A very strange feeling welled up in her heart.
It felt like things were about to get strange...