Knock, knock, knock.
"Coming, coming!"
As Huo Yuhao opened the dormitory door from inside, a slender, graceful figure immediately caught his eye.
Although she was still dressed in the purple uniform of a fourth-year student, Huo Yuhao noticed a few subtle differences that told him this wasn't the same uniform Jiang Nannan had worn earlier that day.
Her slightly damp hair, skin glowing with a fresh, dewy radiance, and the faint mist rising from the partially open collar all suggested something else.
Did she just shower before coming over?
Although a bit surprised, Huo Yuhao instinctively moved aside and lowered his voice.
"Nannan-jie, come on in."
He thought he saw a deepening blush on Jiang Nannan's cheeks as she stepped in.
"Sorry to intrude."
Her voice trembled, almost like a murmur, as she brushed past him with a subtle fragrance trailing behind. She looked nervous, like a small lamb walking into a trap of her own choosing.
Jiang Nannan hadn't expected that one day she would find herself staying overnight in Huo Yuhao's room—something that Tang Ya had occasionally done ever since discovering he had a dorm room to himself.
What's more, she had agreed to it without even realizing!
Thinking of how she'd even taken a shower before coming, a strange sense of embarrassment bubbled up in her heart.
Jiang Nannan, why are you even looking forward to this? she chided herself. He's your roommate's brother!
The sound of the door clicking shut broke her thoughts. Just as she was bracing herself for what she thought might be a life-changing moment, Huo Yuhao's calm voice echoed from within the room.
"Nannan-jie, I asked you over because I need a test subject for my soul tool project. Today, we'll be collecting data on your leg movements, and there may be a few more sessions afterward."
Though it was called a soul tool suit, the mechanism would function like an exoskeleton when worn. Ensuring it fit perfectly across a range of movements was critical—any gaps, no matter how small, would affect flexibility.
"A… soul tool?"
"Yes, a soul tool."
Huo Yuhao nodded, recalling that in his previous life, Jiang Nannan hadn't used soul tools because of their expense. Concerned that her attitude toward them might be different in this life, he hesitated before asking.
"Is that okay?"
Jiang Nannan opened her mouth, momentarily lost for words. Relief flooded her mind, although she couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed. After a pause, she simply nodded.
"No problem, go ahead."
Not noticing anything unusual, Huo Yuhao smiled and sat at his desk, jotting down more notes.
"Get comfortable on the bed. We'll start soon."
Jiang Nannan didn't respond, but the sound of rustling fabric filled the room as she moved around behind him. Huo Yuhao kept working without looking back.
After a few moments, her hesitant voice broke the silence.
"You only need my leg data?"
"Correct. I'll need to record data for several different movements, so it might take a while. Once we finish half, you can head back if it's too late…"
Before he could finish, Jiang Nannan interrupted him.
"It's fine. Let's get it done tonight. If it gets too late, I can just sleep here. No big deal."
Then, as if to justify herself, she added quietly, "Tang Ya stayed here too…"
"…Alright."
A little later, when Huo Yuhao finally set down his tools and looked back, he saw Jiang Nannan reclining against the headboard, her legs covered by his blanket.
Without giving it much thought, Huo Yuhao moved his chair closer to the bed.
"Nannan-jie, we're ready to start."
"Mm."
She replied softly, her cheeks tinged with a rosy hue. As the blanket fell away, her long, slender legs, fair and almost luminous under the light, came into view.
Her loose uniform pants had somehow slipped down her legs, completely revealing her shapely legs to Huo Yuhao.
With each toe delicate as jade, her skin was smooth and fair, carrying a soft, inviting look. Her legs weren't overly thin but rather balanced, with a gentle, pleasing curve.
Seeing his gaze linger, her face flushed even deeper. Then, as if wanting to show him more clearly, she gently rested her legs across his lap.
Her bare foot, warm and soft, rested only an inch away from him.
Whether it was due to her martial spirit or her fitness habits, her legs bore the faintest traces of muscle tone, adding a hint of allure.
Huo Yuhao gulped slightly, feeling a bit lost.
Wait a second… I didn't say she needed to take off her clothes for this!
Noticing how Jiang Nannan's ears were now flushed red as well, Huo Yuhao felt words catch in his throat.
At this point, it was too awkward to bring it up.
Guess I'll just have to keep going…
Seeing him focused on her legs, Jiang Nannan's initial embarrassment gave way to a hint of satisfaction.
"If you really want to look at them, you just have to ask," she said, breaking her silence. "But we should focus on your work right now…"
Her hesitant words trailed off, and her foot nudged him shyly, urging him on.
Huo Yuhao cleared his throat, trying to hide his awkwardness as he carefully lifted her foot and spoke softly.
"Let's begin."
"Alright."
The Next Morning in the Cafeteria
Sitting by the window, bathed in warm sunlight, Huo Yuhao seemed dazed and deep in thought as he ate breakfast, a frown on his face. Gu Yue tilted her head, unable to resist asking.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, really…"
Except I spent half the night taking leg measurements and my mind keeps wandering back to all that smooth, fair skin.
Huo Yuhao shook his head, feigning nonchalance.
Only heaven knows what I went through last night. To gather precise data, I even activated my Spiritual Detection. I saw every inch of those legs, inside and out.
As he absentmindedly bit into an unidentifiable egg, he mumbled to himself, "Sometimes, life feels so… difficult."
No matter who it is, if they sleep in my room, they turn into a clingy octopus by morning.
Gu Yue, Tang Ya, and now Jiang Nannan too…
It was like a curse.
Thinking back to the reason Jiang Nannan gave that morning, he tugged at his collar and sniffed, muttering in confusion.
"I don't smell anything special…"
In that moment, Gu Yue leaned in close, her warm breath tickling his neck as her soft voice whispered with an enigmatic tone.
"It's the same scent as before, but today it seems to have a hint of Jiang Nannan in it."
She shot him a sideways glance and smirked.
"Didn't sleep well again last night, did you?"
You have the nerve to ask. Tang Ya and you are the ones who keep me up the most.
Huo Yuhao thought to himself but kept silent.
As he glanced at the trace of lust essence he had gained in his spiritual sea thanks to Jiang Nannan last night, he sighed deeply, staring out the window.
A question crept into his mind that he couldn't comprehend.
How could someone get flustered just from a foot massage? Isn't that a bit too sensitive?
Even Xiao Tao only gets flustered from a pat on the behind, but that's due to her evil fire. But Nannan-jie…
Forget it. The world might as well end.
Later that afternoon, after lunch, Huo Yuhao and his teammates headed to the assessment area. Following the morning's group selection, the large field had been divided into fifty sections.
To Huo Yuhao's surprise, his team was once again assigned to Area 33, just as they had been in his previous life. When they arrived, the other class teams were already there.
At this time, the role of fame was reflected. Several team members seemed to recognize that he and Gu Yuena were the freshmen who defeated the twins of the outer courtyard in the Fighting Spirit Zone three months ago. Suddenly, they all turned pale.
Looking at the other party whispering with members of his own team and pointing at them from time to time, they should be discussing and preparing to surrender when facing them.
Of course, there are also some stubborn ones.
For example, Wang Donger, who had long pink and blue hair and an extremely eye-catching appearance, was stunned for a moment when she saw the arrival of Huo Yuhao and the other two. Then, a strong fighting spirit appeared in her eyes, and her gaze moved back and forth between Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena.
Especially when she met Huo Yuhao's gaze, she raised her little fist demonstratively and made silent lip movements.
"——I will not lose to you"
Huo Yuhao couldn't help laughing, but before he could say anything, the other team's two teammates grabbed her arms, one on the left and one on the right, and pulled her away.
In addition to Xiao Xiao, the one who replaced his position in the previous life was a girl who was also in the same class in the previous life. Huo Yuhao vaguely remembered that the other party's martial soul seemed to be of the agility attack type.
(End of this chapter)