Chapter 333: Time to Play, Time to Make a Ruckus

"This plaza is really well-designed. It makes good use of the space and provides a place to rest," Zhao Ya said softly. She was clearly pleased with the quiet and comfortable environment.

After sitting down to rest, the group had a moment to observe their surroundings more carefully.

On the electronic screens at the edge of the plaza, information scrolled by: academic lectures previously given by medical school professors, interviews with outstanding students, and information about case study competitions.

"Wow, look at that Practical Surgery Competition! The prize money is so high," Lin Xiaoxiao said, pointing at the screen.

"Practical surgery... that doesn’t mean on real people, does it?" Zhao Ya asked, surprised.

"No, it’s usually surgery on animals. Although it’s different from operating on people, some of the procedures are still very difficult," Shen Xinghe explained. He clearly knew more about it.

"Oh, I see. If it’s on animals, that’s much easier to accept," Zhao Ya said with a nod of understanding.

"If you’re going into this line of work, you’ll have to operate on people sooner or later. If you’re afraid of that, you’re going to end up with a pretty big hole in your skill set," Zhou Yue said, smiling at Zhao Ya.

Their arrival drew the attention of some other students resting in the plaza.

A few upperclassmen cast curious glances their way, their attention focused mainly on the exceptionally good-looking Su Yuqing and Chen Mo, as well as Shen Xinghe and Zhou Yue, who both had distinctive auras. The upperclassmen exchanged a few quiet words but didn’t approach, simply offering friendly smiles.

After all, many of them were there as couples.

Sitting here, one could feel an atmosphere different from the tranquility of the library or the commotion of the sports stadium. It was more of an open, communicative energy, tinged with a youthful vitality.

After resting for about fifteen minutes, the air had cooled considerably, and the group got back on their feet.

"I feel alive again," Zhou Yue said, standing up and stretching her limbs. "It’s about time for lunch. There’s a Cafeteria No. 3 nearby. I heard their stir-fry and specialty stalls are amazing. Want to go check it out?"

By now, everyone was indeed starting to feel hungry.

They had, after all, covered a lot of ground that morning.

Exploring the campus was fun, but satisfying their growling stomachs was clearly the more important task at hand.

The group left the sunken plaza, chatting and laughing as they headed toward the Cafeteria No. 3 that Zhou Yue had recommended.

It was peak lunchtime, and the closer they got to the cafeteria area, the denser the crowds became.

Upbeat music played from the campus broadcast system, mingling with the aromas of various foods to create the warm, bustling feel of everyday life.

Just as they were about to reach the cafeteria entrance, the sound of a somewhat heated argument from nearby caught their attention.

They saw a fashionably dressed guy with a few bright blue streaks in his hair, holding a camera. He was speaking impatiently to a plainly dressed girl with thick glasses, "Jeez, how many times do I have to tell you? Be more natural, not so stiff! We’re the Street Photography Club. We’re going for a casual, natural feel, not a passport photo!"

The girl being photographed looked extremely nervous and helpless. Her face was flushed red, and she clutched the hem of her clothes tightly, whispering, "I-I’m sorry, senior... I, I don’t really know how..."

"If you don’t know how, then learn! You can’t even manage a simple expression. How are you supposed to be in our club’s recruitment promo?" the guy with the dyed hair said, his tone growing more agitated. A small crowd had started to gather, making the girl even more embarrassed.

Chen Mo’s brow furrowed slightly, and looks of sympathy flickered in Su Yuqing’s and Zhao Ya’s eyes.

Just then, without breaking his stride, Shen Xinghe tossed out a comment. His voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the arguing pair: "When a photographer can’t capture the subject’s character and instead blames them for not fitting into a rigid mold, it speaks volumes about their skill."

His tone was matter-of-fact, without any deliberate mockery, yet it was like a needle that precisely popped the dyed-hair guy’s balloon of self-proclaimed professionalism.

The guy with the dyed hair froze, clearly not expecting someone to publicly call him out, especially with a comment that cut right to the heart of the matter.

He whipped his head around toward the source of the voice, ready to erupt. But the moment he saw Shen Xinghe’s face, his anger caught in his throat. A flash of stunned admiration and shock crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by indignation. "Who are you? Do you know anything about photography, sticking your nose in like this?"

Shen Xinghe didn’t even fully stop, merely glancing back at him. His gaze lingered on the camera for a fraction of a second. "Nice equipment. What a waste."

After saying that, he continued walking toward the cafeteria, treating the guy as if he were thin air.

This complete dismissal was more humiliating than a direct argument would have been.

It made Chen Mo and the others exchange amused smiles. ’Shen Xinghe, with that mild-mannered way of his, really was asking for a beating.’

’It was a good thing he had the looks to back it up, or he wouldn’t have survived this long.’

"Hey, stop! Make yourself clear! What do you mean, ’what a waste’?!" The dyed-hair guy, unable to take the humiliation, took two steps forward to block Shen Xinghe.

Chen Mo casually took a step to the side, a seemingly random move that perfectly placed him between the guy and Shen Xinghe. He stood tall, his gaze calm but carrying an undeniable, steady presence. "Excuse me. This is the cafeteria entrance. You’re blocking the way."

His voice wasn’t loud, but it held a certain power that made the dyed-hair guy instinctively halt his steps.

Chen Mo’s gaze wasn’t particularly sharp, but it made the guy feel an invisible pressure, as if he’d just been nonchalantly glanced at by a predator.

Zhou Yue immediately stepped in to smooth things over. She smiled at the girl, who was still dazed, and said, "Hey, don’t be nervous. Just relax for the photo. The most natural state is when you’re comfortable."

Then she turned to the dyed-hair guy. "Take it easy, senior. Newcomers need encouragement, you know."

Lin Xiaoxiao also muttered under her breath, "Exactly, why be so mean..."

The dyed-hair guy looked at the growing crowd, then at the unusually imposing Chen Mo and the already distant Shen Xinghe. He ultimately decided not to press the issue. His face was a mixture of anger and humiliation as he snapped at the girl, "Forget it, forget it! That’s enough for today!"

With that, he sullenly packed up his camera.

The girl finally looked relieved. She shot Zhou Yue a grateful glance, looked curiously at Shen Xinghe’s departing figure, then quickly lowered her head and hurried away.

What this guy didn’t know was that the president of his own Street Photography Club had already approached Shen Xinghe, even begging him to join.

He should be thanking Chen Mo for stopping him. It was a good thing he didn’t get into a conflict with Shen Xinghe. Otherwise, he probably would have been kicked right out of the club.

After all, it’s easy to find a third-rate photographer, but a top-tier model is a rare find.

"I used to think coming to a medical school might be boring, full of serious people. But it looks like this place is actually pretty interesting. It doesn’t have that solemn feeling you’d expect from future doctors.

I can’t believe they even have a Street Photography Club," Lin Xiaoxiao said with a surprised laugh.

"Actually, all universities are the same. Even at the top-tier ones or a strict police academy, there’s a time for fun and games. They have all sorts of clubs. You just have to make sure you don’t get distracted when it’s time to study." As someone who’d been through it, Chen Mo knew this better than anyone.

He remembered thinking his police academy would have a very closed-off and serious atmosphere. He never would have imagined that a place like that would have an anime club. The school even allowed them to show up at some events in full cosplay, which was a real surprise.