Rebirth at the Start: This Fate is Too Explosive!

Chapter 157 Damn it! Little Ji, you're such a jerk!

"It's over! Old Ye is really finished!"

Li Yifeng lowered his voice, sweat beading on his forehead, "They haven't arrived yet. They'll definitely be made an example of after roll call; running laps as punishment will be the least of their worries!"

Shi Kai looked regretful: "Sigh, I should have dragged Fan Ge out of bed right before we left! What a blunder!"

Xiao Ji, on the other hand, wore a smug expression, muttering with glee, "Hehe, I'm really curious to see what kind of expression Fan Zi will have when the instructor grabs him later."

However, things took an unexpected turn.

The instructor's voice was clear and loud as he read out the student ID numbers from 1 to the last one... The list was finished!

There really isn't a name called Ye Fan!

"Huh? What's going on?"

Li Yifeng's eyes widened. "Did the instructor miss someone? Or...?"

Xiao Ji was also confused: "This shouldn't be the case. I remember Fan Zi's student number was right after mine... How did he skip over it? Did the instructor miss it? I'll go ask him."

Li Yifeng grabbed him impatiently: "Shut up! If you really did leak something, wouldn't you be walking into a trap if you went to ask? Are you trying to get Old Ye killed?"

Xiao Ji said cheekily, "Hehe, I mainly want to see what happens if Lao Ye gets caught being late!"

Li Yifeng thought to himself: Damn it! Xiao Ji, you're such a jerk.

Shi Kai also inwardly grumbled.

......

The first lesson was standing at attention.

Under the blazing sun, waves of heat rose from the synthetic running track.

The instructor's commands were stern and precise: "Heels together! Toes pointing outwards at approximately 60 degrees! Legs straight! Slightly tuck in your stomach! Chest out naturally! Head upright! Neck straight! Mouth closed! Chin slightly tucked in! Eyes looking straight ahead!"

Sweat quickly soaked through the back of their camouflage uniforms, trickling down their foreheads and temples, dripping into their eyes and stinging them, but no one dared to raise their hand to wipe it away.

Time seemed to freeze under the blazing sun, and every minute felt incredibly long.

An hour later, it was nine o'clock.

When the instructor finally shouted for a rest, the entire formation collapsed instantly. The students slumped to the ground as if their bones had been removed, wailing and howling, some rubbing their legs, others pounding their backs.

Xian Zuling's face was as pale as paper, and her lips were even a little blue. She was already malnourished and had a weak constitution, and this high-intensity standing had almost exhausted all her strength.

She leaned against her equally exhausted classmate, panting heavily, her chest heaving. If it weren't for the hearty, protein-rich boiled pork slices Ye Fan had given her the night before, she probably would have fainted by now.

Ye Fan didn't wake up until almost ten o'clock.

He stretched lazily, slowly finished washing up, and changed into a refreshing set of casual clothes.

He strolled down to the convenience store in front of the dormitory building.

"Auntie, three cases of bottled water, iced, please. Also, pick out three of the biggest and sweetest chilled watermelons, and a fruit knife." He paid promptly.

The shopkeeper auntie happily helped him carry the water and even lent him a small cart.

Ye Fan carefully placed the heavy water tank and the foam box filled with watermelons onto the trolley.

Just as I was about to push the cart toward the playground, my cell phone suddenly rang in my pocket.

Ye Fan took out his phone and saw that it was Principal Wu Yunze calling.

"Hey? Principal Wu?" Ye Fan pressed the answer button, his tone relaxed.

Wu Yunze's gentle voice came from the other end of the phone, and the core meaning was very clear: he hoped that Ye Fan, as an outstanding freshman, would give a speech as a representative of the freshmen at the school's opening ceremony a few days later.

A speech by a representative of the new students?

Thoughts flashed through Ye Fan's mind: trouble, thankless task, being exposed to the eyes of the whole school.

His instinct was to politely decline, "Principal Wu, this..."

Ye Fan initially wanted to refuse on the spot, but after thinking about it, he decided to give Lao Wu face and agreed.

After all, there will be many things in the future that Lao Wu might need to help with!

So, the refusal that was on the tip of her tongue turned into: "Okay, Principal Wu, it would be my honor. No problem, I will prepare carefully."

The tone shifted incredibly naturally, conveying just the right amount of humility and positivity.

After hanging up the phone, Ye Fan smiled knowingly.

He gripped the handle of the cart again, pushed the cart full of "cooling supplies," and walked briskly toward the bustling, steaming playground.

...

Under the sunlight, his figure appeared exceptionally relaxed, forming a stark contrast with the large group of students "suffering" on the playground.

On the parade ground, the second round of standing at attention was in full swing.

Instructor Sun Fei was pacing in front of the group with his hands behind his back, his sharp eyes scanning the movements of each student.

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a female instructor from another company waving at him from under the shade of a tree not far away.

Sun Fei coughed lightly, adjusted his hat brim, and walked over with standard but slightly stiff steps. The two began to talk in hushed tones.

The instructor's brief lapse in concentration was like a slight easing of tension on a taut string. Although no one dared to make a large movement, subtle complaints and sighs buzzed like mosquitoes.

"Good heavens... I feel like a piece of pork belly on a sizzling hot plate, sizzling and dripping oil... my skin is about to crack from the sun!"

"Who said September isn't hot? This sun is even more intense than during summer vacation!"

"My legs... I can't feel them... When can I rest? I feel like I'm going to collapse any second..."

"Sunscreen? It melted into soup and got into my eyes, it's so spicy I can't open them!"

Taking advantage of the instructor's back being turned to the group, Su Luming quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand and asked Li Yifeng next to him in a low voice, "Hey, where's Ye Fan? Is he really sick and on leave?"

Taking advantage of the instructor's momentary lapse in attention, Li Yifeng grimaced and stretched his stiff ankle, muttering irritably, "What sickness?! When I left this morning, that guy was still sleeping like a log in bed!"

"Then he's...skipping training?" Su Luming exclaimed in surprise.

Shi Kai joined in the rant: "Who knows! Brother Fan said he'd be here in a bit, but two hours have passed and we still haven't seen him!"

Just as everyone was enduring the torment and wondering, a figure pushed a small cart piled with things and slowly swayed to the shade of a tree behind their formation.

The person who arrived was none other than Ye Fan!

He parked his cart as if no one else was around, and took out a round, chilled watermelon from the box.

With a swift stroke of the knife, a crisp "snap" was heard, and the bright red flesh of the melon gleamed enticingly in the sunlight.

Ye Fan casually picked up the top slice and slowly began to nibble on it, his leisurely and carefree demeanor a stark contrast to the miserable military posture of the crowd standing at attention on the parade ground!

The students in Class 2 of Industrial Management were so shocked their eyes almost popped out of their sockets! For a moment, it seemed as if even the scorching air had frozen.

"Holy crap..." "He...he..."