"You're not familiar with this place yet, are you? Shall I take you to the teaching building?" Ming Xiaoxiao said with a smile. "By the way, I haven't had a chance to congratulate you yet. I heard you got into university the other day, and I was truly happy for you."

"As for those rich young ladies, don't take them to heart. That's just how they are."

Xie Li nodded and followed Ming Xiaoxiao toward the teaching building.

As they walked, Ming Xiaoxiao couldn't help but look back at Xie Li several times.

Was it her imagination? Xie Li wasn't wearing a mask today, and there wasn't any messy stuff on her face. Instead, her skin looked very white, as white as jade.

Her features were clearly not made up, yet they inexplicably gave off a stunning feeling, instantly making her feel resistant.

She inexplicably thought of Xie Li when she first came to the village; she was as beautiful as a princess…

The only saving grace was that Xie Li's hair was very short, which made him look somewhat out of place and not at all like a girl, so he didn't seem very aggressive.

Ming Xiaoxiao bit her lip, somewhat absent-minded, and almost bumped into someone.

The other person grabbed Ming Xiaoxiao by the collar, his face full of displeasure. "Are you blind? Can't you watch where you're going?"

Ming Xiaoxiao raised her head, bit her lower lip, and glared at the person with tears welling up in her eyes.

The other person looked annoyed, and didn't wear his school uniform jacket properly, just casually draped it over his shoulders, revealing his strong and powerful arms.

"Stop crying! If you cry again, I'll throw you into the lake!"

Xie Li: "..."

Looking at the four tall boys in front of her, she belatedly realized that they had encountered school bullies.

The leader, with his buzz cut, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, had a fierce appearance. Coupled with his tall and burly build, the petite Ming Xiaoxiao looked even more pitiful under his palm, instantly arousing one's protective instincts.

Xie Li swiftly pulled Ming Xiaoxiao back, shoved her behind his back, and coldly said, "Want to fight?"

She usually seems easy to talk to, but when she unleashes her full power, she becomes incredibly imposing.

Beside him, the bespectacled, refined-looking boy couldn't help but slightly contract his pupils.

However, the man with the buzz cut had no time to pay attention to Xie Li, who was in his way, and said impatiently, "Get lost." A tomboy like her wasn't worth his attention.

Ming Xiaoxiao also whispered, "Xie Li, I'm fine, let's go."

Xie Li thought she wanted to settle things peacefully, "It's okay, he can't beat me."

He paused, glanced at his three henchmen beside him, and added, "Even if all four of them went, they couldn't beat him."

Even in elementary school, she could already pin a grown man to the ground and rub him all over. That's no exaggeration; she was quite infamous in the village back then.

Hearing this, Ming Xiaoxiao became even more anxious. Seeing that she couldn't persuade Xie Li, she finally couldn't hold back anymore, "Young Master Pei, why aren't you leaving? I don't want to see you!"

Xie Li: "...Huh?"

Pei Shao, the short-haired man, glared at Ming Xiaoxiao with agitation. Seeing the girl's pleading expression, he finally kicked a pebble at his feet and walked away with a cold face.

The bespectacled man glanced thoughtfully at Xie Li, then left.

After all four of them left, Ming Xiaoxiao forced a smile and explained to Xie Li, "That person... isn't a good person. You'd better stay away from him in the future."

Xie Li was just wondering if he had mistaken a good person for a bad one when he heard this: "...?"

Never mind, none of that matters. Xie Li thought for a moment and then said seriously, "If anyone dares to bully you in the future, you can tell me and I'll beat them up for you."

Ming Xiaoxiao agreed, but her smile seemed somewhat forced.