C16 The Military Training Was about to Begin

Lin Chen was startled by the unexpected bow, finding himself completely bewildered.

Zou Kai's gesture drew the attention of all the students in the room.

Thinking Lin Chen might not have heard him the first time, Zou Kai repeated his words and bowed deeply at a precise 90-degree angle.

The students looked on, not understanding the situation.

"What's going on? Why is our class monitor Zou Kai apologizing to him?"

"I have no idea! Can someone fill us in on what's happening?"

Lin Chen finally snapped out of his daze:

"You're overthinking it. I didn't take it personally."

Zou Kai, on the other hand, was internally frantic.

If it's no big deal to you, why not just respond to my message?

But he kept his composure, not letting his agitation show.

"Thanks!"

With his thanks given, Zou Kai returned to his seat, breathing a sigh of relief.

Lin Chen was still perplexed. He caught Shen Mengqi's inquisitive look and shrugged helplessly.

He truly hadn't dwelled on the incident and hadn't anticipated Zou Kai's public apology.

Soon after, the military training orientation came to an end. The students dispersed from the classroom with their new uniforms in hand, including Shen Mengqi, who had left early for other matters.

Lin Chen, with his uniform in tow, was ready to head out.

...

Downstairs, Soong Qingwan eyed the Rolls-Royce Phantom with a hint of curiosity. It was her absolute favorite car.

"Huh? Someone at school has a Rolls-Royce Phantom? How have I never noticed before? Could it be a freshman?"

Her curiosity was piqued just as Lin Chen emerged.

She was about to approach him when she saw Lin Chen climb into the Rolls-Royce Phantom and drive away with poise.

Soong Qingwan stood in shock, her papers scattering to the ground.

That Rolls-Royce Phantom... was it Lin Chen's?

...

Unaware of this brief episode, Lin Chen went straight back to his Water and Clouds residence.

Upon arriving at the villa, he received a message from Soong Qingwan.

Soong Qingwan: Junior, you're starting military training tomorrow. Here are some friendly tips: make sure to have at least one pair of soft, thick insoles and don't forget the sunscreen.

Soong Qingwan: Otherwise, you'll just have to hope the instructor lets you all get a more even tan.

Lin Chen couldn't suppress a chuckle at that last remark.

What did she mean by a more even tan?

As a guy who's clueless about skincare, Lin Chen was totally unaware of the wonders of sunscreen.

But it was getting late, so it looked like he'd have to wait until tomorrow to get some.

...

The next morning, since it was the first day of military training, everyone was up at the crack of dawn.

The campus was a sea of camouflage.

Lin Chen and his group weren't so lucky—they ended up with a shadeless sports field for their training ground.

Despite it being early September, the heat was still intense.

Their field felt like a massive steamer, and the students were like little dumplings inside, sweltering.

After the first day, Lin Chen examined the stark tan lines on his arms and just shook his head.

And this military training was set to last two weeks.

Now he got what Soong Qingwan meant—without sunscreen, their only hope was for an even tan courtesy of the instructor.

With a sigh, Lin Chen pulled out his phone and tapped on Soong Qingwan's contact.

"Senior, which sunscreen brand works best?"

Soong Qingwan couldn't help but smile upon receiving his message.

Soong Qingwan: I stocked up on quite a few small bottles of sunscreen at a recent sale, and I've got several unopened ones left. I doubt I'll use them all. How about I give you one tomorrow?

Lin Chen felt a bit awkward accepting her offer.

Soong Qingwan reassured him, "What's there to be shy about? It's just a bottle of sunscreen."

Lin Chen: Okay then, I'll treat you to a meal after the training as thanks.

After a brief exchange, Lin Chen set his phone aside and went to shower.

...

The following day, everyone assembled in formation.

The instructor's face was stern.

"Yesterday, our class leader came across a post on the school's intranet. A freshman was complaining that our military training wasn't challenging enough and that they weren't getting the full experience. So, we've decided to step it up a notch!"

As soon as those words were spoken, a wave of grumbling swept through the crowd below.

This didn't sound like something a freshman would say; it was clearly a prank by sophomores or juniors. The instructor, however, seemed to be the only one taking it at face value.

Yet, it was the freshmen who were bearing the brunt of it.

The instructor's mood soured upon witnessing the sea of discontent among the new recruits.

"Look at you all, so frail that you can't even take a single punch from me. I'm ramping up the training to toughen you up, not to punish you!"

At the back of the line, Lin Chen jolted with a start—he had just been handed another task by the system.