Lin Xi couldn't resist White Wei's insistence, so she went along with it.
"Xi Xi, let me do your makeup. Your face is too plain," White Wei said, focusing on Lin Xi's face.
Lin Xi had good skin, fair with a hint of pink, enhancing her already delicate features.
White Wei applied some light eyeshadow and a touch of lipstick on Lin Xi. Heavy makeup didn't suit Lin Xi; this light makeup accentuated her beautiful features even more.
"Xi Xi, you look really good like this," White Wei praised generously.
Already possessing a gentle and demure appearance, Lin Xi's light makeup added a touch of charm and innocence.
White Wei brought Lin Xi to a bar near the school.
It was a favorite spot for students and office workers, filled with colorful lights and various people seeking pleasure or drowning their sorrows.
Shapes and colors mingled, creating the hustle and bustle of the world. "What do you think? Isn't this place nice?" White Wei asked enthusiastically.
Lin Xi looked around, feeling like a curious baby. It was her first time in such a place, and everything seemed new and exciting.
"It's quite lively," Lin Xi replied honestly.
As she looked around, she spotted a familiar figure, seeming to be Tang Mingchuan.
Tang Mingchuan sat alone at the bar, with several bottles of alcohol in front of him, his back to Lin Xi, making it impossible for her to see his face.
"Xi Xi, what are you looking at? Come on, let's go over there and have some fun," White Wei said, pulling Lin Xi away.
Lin Xi wanted to say something, but she was dragged away by White Wei.
Tang Mingchuan sat at the bar, drinking. Lately, he had been drinking quite frequently, troubled by something since returning to the country.
When he got drunk last time and met Lin Xi, he didn't expect that the girl would bring some comfort to his weary heart with her kind thoughts.
Occasionally, some women approached him, but they were all deterred by Tang Mingchuan's unfriendly demeanor.
After finishing his drink, Tang Mingchuan was about to leave. There was a loud voice of a man harassing a girl. It was quite common in bars, and Tang Mingchuan couldn't be bothered. There were too many dirty things in the world, and he had seen even more.
Putting down his glass, Tang Mingchuan unconsciously looked up and saw that the one being bullied was Lin Xi.
Lin Xi didn't expect that, while playing with White Wei on the side, two or three men suddenly surrounded them.
"Little girl, how about you accompany me for a drink?" A greasy-looking man reached out to grab Lin Xi's hand.
Lin Xi instinctively dodged, feeling disgusted.
Although White Wei loved to have fun, this was the first time she encountered such a situation and was somewhat at a loss, just wanting to pull Lin Xi away.
The greasy man missed and became frustrated, feeling embarrassed. How could he let these two girls leave?
"Little girl, be sensible and have a drink with me, or else..." The greasy man's smile was lewd, exuding a sense of social pressure.
As he tried to reach for Lin Xi's arm, it was grabbed by someone and then twisted, causing him to fall to the ground in pain. Lin Xi looked up and saw Tang Mingchuan, who had a cold expression and patted the dust off his hands as if he had touched something dirty.
The greasy man's friends saw Tang Mingchuan, who exuded a strong aura, and although they wanted to act, they were a bit hesitant.
"Why are you still standing? Go ahead and do it," the greasy man shouted, his hand seemingly lacking strength as he lay on the ground.
"Don't touch her," Tang Mingchuan's voice was low but carried a tone that brooked no refusal.
Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, the men reluctantly left with the greasy man.
The greasy man glared at Tang Mingchuan angrily. This grudge had to be settled. Tang Mingchuan escorted Lin Xi and White Wei out of the bar.
"Thank you, Professor," Lin Xi said softly, her head lowered, her voice small, like a child caught playing outside by her parents.
Tang Mingchuan's gaze was cold, showing no emotion. "Little girl, this is not a place for you to come," he said.
"I know, there won't be a next time," Lin Xi replied like a guilty child.
"I'll take you back to school. Don't come here again in the future. I'm afraid that guy from just now might come after you," Tang Mingchuan softened his tone.
On the way, the three of them didn't speak much. White Wei looked a bit frightened, while Lin Xi just walked silently.
Tang Mingchuan sent them to the school gate and turned to leave.
"Professor, please wait," Lin Xi, who had been silent all the way, called out to Tang Mingchuan.
Tang Mingchuan turned to look at her. Lin Xi today was somewhat different from the one he had seen a few days ago. With her light makeup, she looked refreshing.
Lin Xi took out two candies from her pocket and handed them to Tang Mingchuan.
"After drinking, eating something sweet will make you feel better," Lin Xi explained softly, afraid that Tang Mingchuan wouldn't accept them.
Tang Mingchuan took the candies, and a trace of unknown emotion flashed in his eyes.
Lin Xi walked back to the dormitory with White Wei, who sat on the bed as soon as they entered.
Today's events had indeed been frightening. If they hadn't met Tang Mingchuan, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
"I'm sorry, Xi Xi, I didn't know we would encounter such a thing," White Wei blamed herself.
"It's okay," Lin Xi squeezed White Wei's hand, telling her not to blame herself.
"Fortunately, we met the professor, I never expected him to help us. He was really protective just now," White Wei continued, instantly developing a favorable impression of Tang Mingchuan.
Lin Xi remembered Tang Mingchuan; he always liked to call her 'little girl', making her feel like a protected child.
That night, Lin Xi experienced insomnia for the first time, not knowing whether it was due to the fright or because of Tang Mingchuan.