Chapter 138 Netizens: The Photographer Loses Major Points for This (Combined Chapter)

On the way to North Lai University, Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei decided to walk rather than take a taxi, as it was not far.

"Hungry?" Lu Zhou asked halfway there.

"I am."

"Should we find something to eat first?"

Ye Fangfei nodded. As she scanned the street, her eyes lit up upon spotting a particular storefront. A mischievous smile played on her lips as she said, "I suddenly feel like letting myself go."

Lu Zhou: "Oh?"

"I want a Mega Bucket from Mailyde." Ye Fangfei pointed to the nearby fast-food chain, her expression one of pure, hungry delight.

Lu Zhou finally understood what she meant by "letting herself go."

"Not worried about your calorie count skyrocketing?" he asked with a smile.

Ye Fangfei paced back and forth, clearly torn; she hadn't quite made up her mind, yet she was inexplicably craving this "junk food."

"Tell me... if I do a little extra exercise after eating to burn it off, it shouldn't be a big deal, right?" She fluttered her beautiful peach-blossom eyes, seeking his approval, clearly trying to make Lu Zhou her "accomplice."

Seeing she was genuinely craving it, Lu Zhou replied, "Just this once, it won't be a big problem."

Ye Fangfei nodded vigorously. "I think so too! Just once! Are you having some? Are you afraid of gaining weight?"

She felt a bit wicked, knowing she was the one who wanted it, yet she was deliberately enticing Lu Zhou to join her in this indulgence.

"As long as I don't step on the scale, I haven't gained any weight." Lu Zhou gave her an indulgent smile and waved his hand, striding toward the restaurant. "It’s just a bucket, right? Let's go!"

Ye Fangfei couldn't help but giggle behind him. Well, she had successfully tricked him into joining her for junk food! She quickened her pace to catch up, deciding to solidify his resolve.

"I might look bloated on camera after eating this. Are you sure you want to do this with me?" she teased, trying to scare him.

"If you're worried about bloating, then why are you eating it?" Lu Zhou turned to look at her, not buying her ruse.

"My fans are lovely; they'll help me edit the photos anyway. I can't see the bloating myself, so I don't really care," she laughed.

"Friendly reminder, this is a live stream. Aren't you afraid of anti-fans taking screenshots and spreading them around?"

"Anti-fans? Even when I look beautiful, they intentionally edit me to look ugly. It's an everyday occurrence; I just ignore those. Besides, I don't rely on my looks to make a living."

Ye Fangfei shrugged, looking completely nonchalant. In this moment, she appeared delightfully playful. Lu Zhou felt a wave of ease and laughed. Before pushing open the door to Mailyde, he said, "I don't rely on my looks to make a living, either."

Live Stream Chat:
[Please leave a way for those of us who actually rely on our looks to survive!]
[You two have truly found every excuse in the book to indulge yourselves.]
[Eat away! We'll all help you edit the photos!]
...

The shackles of celebrity image management could sometimes feel quite stifling. No one could be disciplined forever; there was always a moment when the gluttonous demon would break free.

Before long, Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei found a spacious seat with their bucket and began to dig in with gusto.

"Mmm! So good!"

Ye Fangfei took a large bite of a fried chicken leg. Crispy! Juicy! Tender! It had been so long since she’d had anything like this. The moment her taste buds exploded with flavor, she felt the world brighten. She clenched her fists in excitement, her feet tapping lightly on the floor.

Lu Zhou grabbed a fry and popped it into his mouth, watching her with smiling eyes, his heart filled with a sense of happiness. If only time could stand still.

Ye Fangfei finished the chicken leg quickly. Perhaps she ate too fast, as she felt a bit choked, so she took a long sip of iced cola, let out a comfortable "Ah," and followed it with a tiny, airy burp.

Lu Zhou couldn't help but laugh.

Realizing she had lost her composure, Ye Fangfei covered her mouth with her hand and rolled her bright, dark eyes at him, laughing awkwardly. "Sorry, I got a little carried away. That didn't gross you out, did it?"

Lu Zhou laughed, picked up his own cola, took a big gulp, and let out a small burp himself. Ye Fangfei burst into giggles.

The foreigner sitting diagonally across from them looked over from time to time, seemingly infected by the pair's infectious enjoyment, and began to eat his own fried chicken with even more relish.

After a hearty meal, the two resumed their journey to the university.

Outside the shop, Ye Fangfei couldn't help but glance down at her stomach. Oh no, she was too full; her form-fitting dress felt a bit tight around the waist. She would have to keep her stomach tucked in... A classic case of post-meal regret.

Ye Fangfei pursed her lips and glanced at Lu Zhou beside her, her gaze drifting down to his shirt.

Noticing her look, Lu Zhou turned to her, confused. "Why are you looking at me like that? Have I already started to bloat?"

Ye Fangfei burst into laughter at his sudden comment.

"No, you're not bloated, but I am..." she laughed.

"Huh?" Lu Zhou leaned in closer to examine her face. "It's fine, I don't see any changes."

"It's not my face that's bloated..." Ye Fangfei laughed awkwardly, then locked eyes with his shirt again, hesitating before saying, "Um... you're wearing so many layers, aren't you hot?"

"A little." Lu Zhou finally realized what she was after. He smiled and took off his short-sleeved shirt jacket, handing it to her.

Ye Fangfei often felt that she and Lu Zhou were on the exact same wavelength; some things didn't even need to be said for him to understand.

"Thanks, I won't be polite. I'll give it back once I'm not so full."

She put on his jacket and buttoned two buttons over her stomach, finally able to relax her midsection without having to hold it in.

"Just keep it on, no rush to return it." Lu Zhou walked forward with his hands in his pockets.

Ye Fangfei checked her reflection in a shop window, smoothed out her clothes, and followed him with a smile. "Hey, you know, this jacket actually goes quite well with my dress."

Live Stream Chat:
[You two swapping clothes makes you look even more like a couple!]
[Ahhh, I'm going to die of sweetness.]
[My smile hasn't faded once, does anyone understand?]
...

After some wandering, they finally reached North Lai University. The campus atmosphere was relaxed and casual, and they occasionally spotted sweet couples holding hands. Whenever they saw such scenes, Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei would instinctively look up at the sky.

Viewers in the live stream flooded the chat with comments like [Stop looking at the sky, learn from them].

Because Ye Fangfei was wearing heels, her feet were tired from all the walking, and she wanted to find a place to rest. They decided on the campus library—a quiet, cozy place where they could rest and read.

The library was silent. To avoid the clacking sound of her heels bothering others, Ye Fangfei took them off and carried them. They walked between the bookshelves, searching for books. Everything was in a foreign language, making the search a bit challenging.

They wandered through the art section, browsing books of interest, gradually drifting apart. Walking among the shelves, Ye Fangfei spotted a book titled *Composition Analysis*. She stood on her tiptoes to reach for it, but awkwardly only managed to touch the bottom corner. The book was thick and wedged tightly between others, making it impossible to pull out.

She looked around for a step stool. Finding one at the end of the aisle, she left her heels on the floor and walked over barefoot to move it.

Lu Zhou, having already found his book, turned back to look for her. They met in the aisle. Seeing her moving the stool, he lowered his voice and asked, "Can't reach the book?"

Ye Fangfei felt as if he were mocking her height! She pursed her lips and gave a low huff. "I can't reach it, so what?"

As she bent down to move the stool, Lu Zhou stopped her with a smile. "I didn't mean anything by it. Which one do you want? I'll get it for you."

After a moment, she let go of the stool and led him to the shelf. She stood on her tiptoes and pointed to the *Composition Analysis* book on the top shelf. "That one."

No sooner had she spoken than Lu Zhou easily reached up, his hand brushing against hers as he grasped the spine. With her on her toes and him standing behind her, the proximity was undeniable. In that moment of skin-to-skin contact, both froze.

For some reason, Ye Fangfei’s cheeks turned hot, and she quickly pulled her hand back.

A faint smile played on Lu Zhou's lips. He took the book down, circled behind her, and handed it to her. "Here."

"Thanks." Ye Fangfei took the book without turning around, pretending to flip through the pages.

"Do you believe I'm over 1.8 meters tall now?" Lu Zhou whispered behind her.

Ye Fangfei couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile. She turned and glanced at him. "Did I ever say you weren't?"

"Well... you didn't say it, but you questioned it." Lu Zhou raised a brow, laughing.

"Pfft, you’re petty, Lu Zhou." Ye Fangfei clutched the book, picked up her heels, and went to find a seat.

Lu Zhou followed her, book in hand, a smile on his face.

Live Stream Chat:
[Cameraman! Your angle was terrible at the critical moment!]
[Did they hug or not?]
[It looked like they did.]
[Fangfei seems to be blushing.]
[Oh my god, Lu Zhou is so smooth, he definitely did that on purpose.]
...

They sat down side by side. Only after sitting down did Ye Fangfei notice the book in Lu Zhou's hand—*Positioning*. She had expected him to pick something music-related, but it was a business book.

He was actually interested in this? She smiled and turned back to her own book. They both became immersed in their reading.

Meanwhile, the other three experimental couples were on completely different dates.

Zhang Chen and Chu Yao had arrived at an outdoor live-fire shooting range. After a half-hour safety course, they began their experience under the coach's guidance.

Chu Yao had only fired a real gun once during a school military training session, but the instructor had been so fierce that she had been terrified and had no idea if she’d even hit the target. She hadn't touched a firearm since, so she felt both nervous and excited to study one up close.

Zhang Chen, on the other hand, was an experienced shooter. He took on the role of a mentor, enthusiastically critiquing Chu Yao’s grip and stance. "You need to press your web space firmly against the grip, and stand a bit wider."

After demonstrating, he smirked, "How about a competition?"

Chu Yao stared at the target and laughed. "A veteran challenging a novice? Aren't you ashamed?"

"Ashamed?" Zhang Chen laughed. "Dominating a novice is the best part of the game! Why else would I level up?"

"Watch this." Zhang Chen put on his ear protection and fired three shots—*bang, bang, bang*!

Chu Yao was startled and squinted, unsure of his performance. "How many?"

Zhang Chen spun the gun on his finger, smiling confidently. "You'll see in a minute. Your turn."

Chu Yao licked her dry lips, feeling nervous. She took a deep breath and aimed. When she didn't fire for a long time, Zhang Chen laughed, "Can't do it? Are you scared?"

Just as he finished, Chu Yao squeezed the trigger. *Bang!* Zhang Chen jumped, scrambled to put his ear protection back on, and laughed. Chu Yao exhaled slowly, fired two more shots, and smiled.

When the coach revealed the scores, Zhang Chen was stunned. Chu Yao had hit three bullseyes!

Zhang Chen’s jaw dropped. "Wait... what are you doing pretending to be a novice?"

Chu Yao, eyes wide, couldn't believe it either. She jumped for joy. "I really am a novice..."

Zhang Chen: "..." Who was dominating whom? His competitive spirit ignited, and he insisted on a second round. They played like brothers-in-arms, completely forgetting they were supposed to be "experimental lovers."

As they left, Zhang Chen threw his arm around her shoulders. "Let's play again after the show! I'll bring my buddies, and you can help me crush them."

"Sure!" Chu Yao agreed, laughing.

Live Stream Chat:
[Zhang Chen, you idiot.]
[I almost forgot I was watching a dating show and thought it was *Friends*.]
[I really like how relaxed Chu Yao is right now; she's so much more charming this way.]
...

At the horse ranch, Qi Jiajia and Xu Junze were having a different experience. Qi Jiajia was riding for the first time and was nervous, begging the horse to go slowly.

Xu Junze laughed, "Don't be so tense. Relax your body, don't squeeze too hard with your legs. Just pull the reins when you want it to slow down."

Gradually, Qi Jiajia adapted and began to enjoy herself. After a long ride, she felt exhausted and asked, "Junze, are you tired?"

Xu Junze played along. "My backside is a bit tired."

Qi Jiajia giggled. "Me too. Riding is tough on the glutes."

"Had enough?" he asked.

"Yes!"

They rode back to the stables. When Qi Jiajia went to dismount, her leg cramped up from the tension. She leaned over the saddle in embarrassment. Xu Junze quickly dismounted and hurried over. With the coach steadying the horse, Xu Junze lifted her down.

Qi Jiajia, in too much pain to be shy, gripped his shoulder and tried to straighten her leg.

"Better?" Xu Junze asked.

Once the pain subsided, she smiled. "Much better, thanks, Junze."

"Don't be so polite with me."

Only then did Qi Jiajia realize she had been held by him, and her face flushed. She hurriedly let go, smoothed her hair, and asked, "Where to next?"

"Where do you want to go?" Xu Junze asked, noting her shyness.

"I... I don't know."

"Then let's just stroll. Wherever we end up is fine."

...

Live Stream Chat:
[Oh? There’s a spark between them.]
[Xu Junze is actually quite considerate; he’s just not loud about it.]
[They might actually work out.]
...

In the city, at an indoor ice rink, Wen Yiming and Li Jiayan were having a blast.

"Jiayan, watch this." Wen Yiming showed off a one-footed spin.

Li Jiayan clapped, eyes wide. "So cool! Teach me!"

"It's not easy. You need balance. Start by learning to glide on two feet," Wen Yiming said.

"Underestimating me?" She gave a huff and pushed off, gliding slowly. "See? I’m doing it."

Wen Yiming skated circles around her. "That's like a turtle crawl. Keep up with me, and then I'll teach you."

Li Jiayan tried to catch up but couldn't. Wen Yiming skated back and held out his hand. "Hold on to me, and I'll show you what real speed is."

Li Jiayan glanced at his hand, but instead of taking it, she grabbed the back of his jacket. "I'll just follow you like this."

"Why? Shy?" he teased.

"I think this is more appropriate," she replied.

Wen Yiming wanted to argue that they were experimental lovers and holding hands was reasonable, but decided against it. Speed was better than haste. He skated faster, pulling her along.

"Ah! Wen Yiming, slow down, I'm scared!" she screamed.

"Don't be! This is speed and passion!"

He turned to look at her, not slowing down. Gradually, she adapted. It felt like flying. All her worries disappeared, replaced by the rush of dopamine.

"Hahaha! This is fun!" she shouted.

Wen Yiming laughed, then suddenly slowed down to tease her.

"Eh???"

Li Jiayan didn't react in time, her momentum carrying her toward his back. She froze...

Just as they were about to collide, Li Jiayan reacted quickly and shoved him in the back with both hands.

*Whoosh!* He skated away.

Wen Yiming, caught off guard by the shove, stumbled. "???"

The push slowed Li Jiayan down, and she quickly turned her feet inward, successfully coming to a stop.

Surprised by her own progress, she laughed. "I did it! I stopped without falling!"

Wen Yiming: "..." He offered an awkward smile. "Great job. I was just training your braking reaction."

Li Jiayan "Oh'd," indifferent. Having gained confidence, she skated off quickly on her own, leaving Wen Yiming behind.

Live Stream Chat:
[The student has surpassed the master.]
[Wen Yiming's tricks don't work on Li Jiayan.]
[Li Jiayan is so loyal to Lu Zhou! She won't give any other man a chance.]
...

Back at the North Lai University library, Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei left after two hours of reading. The sun was setting. As they walked through the campus, they passed the outdoor performance center and were drawn in by a familiar melody.