Chapter 3

On Friday afternoon, the anatomy classroom was packed.

Bailu had already snagged a seat in the front row.

“Xianxian, where are you going?” she called out to me through the crowd.

I was still preoccupied with thoughts of my dream and realized I had walked right past her.

There were quite a few people moving around. As I stepped back while carrying my things, someone tripped me from behind.

I was about to go down, books and all.

Suddenly, a strong, powerful hand pressed against the small of my back-hot and broad.

With a gentle push, he halted my backward momentum.

“Careful now. It wouldn’t be good if you got yourself wet.”

A low, slow, raspy chuckle made my legs go weak.

In my dreams, I had heard this voice teasing me countless times.

Was I seeing a ghost?

Bailu was mouthing a word at someone behind me: “Senior.”

I slowly turned my head.

It was Duan Yan, a senior several years ahead of us. He was currently a PhD student and served as the teaching assistant for our anatomy class.

He stood behind me, head slightly tilted, his lowered features elegant and handsome. Beneath his long lashes, his dark eyes were filled with amusement.

“Do you need me to help you?”

I broke into a cold sweat as a reflex and hurriedly took two steps back. “No… no thank you, Senior-”

His gaze landed on my face, and he gave a small smile. “Take your seat. Class is about to start, student.”

I had never spoken to him before.

The number of people chasing after him at school was endless, like moths to a flame. However, I had never heard of him having a girlfriend.

Rumor had it that his tastes were… unusual.

Sunlight filtered through the window panes.

Duan Yan stood at the front of the lecture hall in his white lab coat, his silhouette like that of a deity, cutting the light into segments. He had already donned his white latex gloves and picked up a scalpel.

The material of the gloves fit his skin seamlessly as his fingers moved with practiced ease through flesh and blood.

Bailu shyly grabbed my hand. “Xianxian, did you know? Senior’s dissection technique is famous far and wide.”

Her voice was a bit loud.

Duan Yan seemed to hear her and looked over with a faint smile.

His light-colored pupils landed on my face, but they didn’t feel warm. Instead, they held a thought-provoking scrutiny, a deep gaze that inexplicably made my skin crawl.

I carefully shrank back toward Bailu.

On the podium, Duan Yan’s fingers moved with agility, his dissection movements brisk and efficient. His cool voice echoed through the classroom as he began explaining the textbook material.

I couldn’t help but recall my dream-he had used that same technique, playing with a person in the palm of his hand with effortless ease until they broke down and begged for mercy…

This was insane.

I needed to see a doctor.

When class ended, I ignored Bailu’s shouts, packed my books, and fled the room.