Lin Yun offered a polite smile. "Yes, I'm Lin Yun. How can I help you?"
The tall woman's smile widened, and she exchanged a quick glance with her friends before speaking. "We just wanted to say hi. Everyone's been talking about you, you know. The top scorer with a perfect mark—it's kind of a big deal."
Lin Yun chuckled. "I guess it's hard to stay under the radar when you're the top scorer."
The group of girls giggled, and the tall woman took a step closer, her tone playful but direct. "So, Lin Yun, do you have a girlfriend?"
The question caught Lin Yun slightly off guard, though he kept his expression neutral. Fan Xian, standing beside him, barely suppressed a grin, clearly enjoying the situation. Li Shun, on the other hand, looked a bit flustered, as if he wasn't sure whether to stay or give them some space.
Lin Yun took a moment to respond, his tone calm and measured. "No, I don't have a girlfriend. I've been pretty focused on my studies and projects."
The tall woman's eyes sparkled with amusement, and she glanced back at her friends, one of whom was blushing furiously. "Well, that's good to know. Because one of my friends here"—she gestured to the blushing girl—"thinks you're really impressive and was wondering if you'd like to hang out sometime."
The blushing girl, who had been trying to hide behind her friends, let out a soft squeak of embarrassment. "Xiao Mei! You weren't supposed to say it like that!"
Xiao Mei, the tall woman, laughed, clearly enjoying her friend's reaction. "What? I'm just helping you out. You've been talking about him nonstop since orientation."
Lin Yun glanced at the blushing girl, who was now staring at the ground, her face as red as a tomato. He felt a pang of sympathy for her—it couldn't be easy being put on the spot like that. At the same time, he knew he had to handle the situation carefully. He didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but he also wasn't interested in pursuing a relationship right now.
"I appreciate the interest," Lin Yun said, his voice gentle but firm. "But I'm really focused on my work and studies at the moment. I don't think I'd be able to give a relationship the attention it deserves."
Xiao Mei raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting such a smooth rejection. "Wow, that's… surprisingly mature of you. Most guys would jump at the chance."
Lin Yun shrugged, his smile easygoing. "I just believe in being honest. It wouldn't be fair to anyone if I couldn't give them my full attention."
The blushing girl finally looked up, her expression a mix of disappointment and admiration. "That's… actually really nice of you to say. Most people wouldn't be that considerate."
Lin Yun nodded. "Thanks for understanding. And who knows? Maybe we'll cross paths again in the future."
Xiao Mei grinned, clearly impressed by Lin Yun's handling of the situation. "Well, you're definitely not like most guys. I can see why everyone's talking about you."
With that, the group of girls said their goodbyes and walked off, their laughter echoing across the track field. Fan Xian, who had been watching the entire exchange with barely contained amusement, finally let out a low whistle.
"Brother Lin, you're a veteran," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I've never seen anyone turn down a girl so smoothly. You didn't even break a sweat."
Li Shun, who had been quietly observing, nodded in agreement. "You handled that really well, Brother Lin. I don't think I could've done that."
Lin Yun chuckled, feeling a bit embarrassed by the praise. "It's not that big of a deal. I just didn't want to lead anyone on."
Fan Xian clapped him on the back, his grin widening. "Well, you've definitely set the bar high. I'm starting to think I should take notes from you."
The three of them continued their walk toward the cafeteria, the morning sun now fully risen and casting a warm glow over the campus.
As they entered the cafeteria, the smell of freshly cooked food filled the air, making their stomachs growl in anticipation. The place was already bustling with students, some grabbing quick breakfasts before class, others sitting in groups and chatting animatedly.
Fan Xian led the way to the food counter, piling his tray with an impressive amount of food. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving. All that running worked up an appetite."
Li Shun, who had been eyeing the prices nervously, hesitated before selecting a modest portion of rice and vegetables. Lin Yun noticed his hesitation and added a few extra items to his own tray, including a couple of meat dishes and a bowl of soup.
"Here," Lin Yun said, placing the extra food on Li Shun's tray. "You need the energy."
Li Shun looked surprised but grateful. "Thank you, Brother Lin. I'll pay you back—"
Lin Yun waved him off. "Don't worry about it. We're roommates, right? We look out for each other."
Fan Xian, who had already started eating, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, what he said. Besides, you're going to need all the energy you can get if you're going to keep up with us on the track."
Li Shun smiled, his earlier nervousness melting away. "Thanks, both of you. I'll do my best."
As they sat down to eat, Lin Yun couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment. This was what he had missed in his past life—the simple joys of friendship, the shared moments of laughter and camaraderie.
"Do you want to visit my lab?" Lin Yun asked after finishing the meal.
"Can we?" Fan Xian's eyes lit up. He wanted to see what kind of project Lin Yun was working on.
Li Shun also looked at Lin Yun with anticipation.
"Of course," Lin Yun chuckled. "Although there is some confidential information, it's not a big deal."
"Don't worry, Brother Lin. We won't let a word slip out," Fan Xian said, making a zipping gesture across his lips.
On the side, Li Shun hesitated but didn't say anything. He was afraid of causing Lin Yun trouble.
"Let's go back and take showers first," Lin Yun said, waving his hand and picking up his tray.