Stepping out of the restaurant, Qin Fen smiled faintly as he looked at Song Jia beside him. She must have done that on purpose, he thought, because her presence kept his heart, which should have sunk to the bottom, floating just above the surface.

After browsing the streets for most of the night, and only after Qin Fen insisted, he saw Song Jia back to her residence. Only then did he turn and race back toward his own lodging. Today’s spending had been enormous! He needed to figure out a way to earn it back! He would ignore the rule of only fighting twice a day; bring on as many challengers as there are!

Watching Qin Fen sprint away, Song Jia felt a sweet sensation bloom in her chest. This guy was truly fascinating. He insisted on paying when they ate, insisted on paying when they bought clothes, and the same for shoes.

Although other men pursuing Song Jia did the same things, in her eyes, these acts carried two very different meanings.

Every single cent Qin Fen spent was earned through sweat and labor, whereas the wealth used by those pampered sons of rich families was money their elders had painstakingly acquired.

“Oh!” Song Jia’s eyes suddenly lit up. “I was having such a good time that I forgot to ask him about his martial arts.”

By then, Qin Fen had already vanished into the vast night. Song Jia pouted her cute red lips. “Have I fallen for this guy’s charm? I’m quite dissatisfied…”

She tilted her head, pondered for a moment, and then smiled again. “Actually, falling for his charm isn’t so bad. I’m quite satisfied…”

Under the night sky, Song Jia stood alone at her doorstep, alternating between smiling and looking distant, for a full half hour. The butler who had accompanied her watched from an upstairs window, smiling happily. “Miss, it seems you’re in love.”

After a brief laugh, the butler let out a sigh. “That boy seems to have no money, no family backing. If they truly wish to be together, it will likely be a difficult road.”

Watching Song Jia’s exceedingly happy smile, the butler shook his head. “Never mind. It’s rare for Miss to be this happy in love; I’ll let her face things her own way.”

That night. Sky Martial Arts Network. Qin Fen’s record increased by twenty wins. One of those fights ended instantly because he was rushing—a lightning-fast kill against an expert ranked in the top hundred.

Of course, this match was a secret bout; the experts in the top hundred still cared about saving face. They had agreed: if Qin Fen won, the matter would simply pass. If Qin Fen lost, he would be responsible for promoting the other party. Additionally, Qin Fen would receive a promotion fee. As it happened, just seconds before the fight began, Qin Fen landed a massive side-bet: someone offered him six hundred US dollars for a single bout. In his haste to finish, Qin Fen instantly defeated the top-hundred expert the moment the fight initiated.

——————

The tense review period before the major exam flew by. In the blink of an eye, it was time for the test. Song Jia knew Qin Fen’s goals and understood that, as a man, his pride wouldn't allow a woman to secretly help him cheat.

For instance, arranging an extra internal admission slot to the First Academy of Asia. For an ordinary person, this task might be incredibly difficult, but for the granddaughter of Song Wendong, known as the Martial God of Earth, achieving this was no monumental feat.

To enter the First Academy of Asia through a woman’s efforts? Song Jia was perfectly aware that if Qin Fen knew she had secured his admission this way, he would likely be deeply uncomfortable.

Song Jia was absolutely confident that Qin Fen could pass the exam on his own merit!

They didn't have much time to spend shopping together; Song Jia made sure to leave Qin Fen more time to revise, ensuring he could smoothly approach his goal of entering the First Academy of Asia.

After finishing the last exam, Qin Fen walked out of the examination hall and gazed at the pale blue sky, letting out a long breath. Since the test was over, he wouldn't worry about the results; fretting over it wouldn't change what was written on the papers.

What concerned Qin Fen more were his two friends, Lin Liqiang and Inzaghi. Although they were internal admissions, their absence was too extreme. Since they disappeared, only absence notices arrived at the school classrooms daily, and they hadn't shown up at all until the exams.

The only news he received about them before entering the examination hall came from two separate calls.

“Buddy! Time to fight! The beautiful young ladies of the First Academy of Asia are waiting for you!” That was Lin Liqiang’s passionate call.

“Mindset.” Inzaghi’s words remained simple, and Qin Fen understood that to him, as long as he maintained a calm mindset during the test, failing to enter the First Academy of Asia was impossible.

A dazzling, saucer-shaped, two-seater maglev sports car stopped in front of Qin Fen. The transparent canopy slowly retracted, and the lady inside waved a hand. “Get in! We’re late!”

Qin Fen tapped his toes lightly, gracefully leaping into the luxurious vehicle. Many students coming to take the exam were quite surprised by the agility he displayed.

So, this fellow named Qin Fen knew martial arts after all!

If Qin Fen could hear the innermost thoughts of his classmates, he would probably fall right out of the car. It was all due to his excessive low profile at school.

The sports car shot into the sky at high speed, leaving a vacuum tunnel in the air. The air currents rushed into this tunnel behind it, creating a thunderous roar.

Speeding through the air, the first reaction of every student was: it must be great to be rich! They could afford any fine they received.

Having known Song Jia for some time, this was Qin Fen’s first ride in her stunning, futuristic saucer-shaped maglev car.

Looking at Song Jia, who wore a gentle smile beside him, Qin Fen leaned back comfortably against the seat, watching the sky. He had planned to splurge on a taxi to get to his enlistment physical examination, but he hadn't expected this rich young lady to be so thoughtful—she had even remembered the time for his military checkup.

Arriving above the physical examination center, Song Jia slowly lowered the sports car, finally coming to a stop directly inside the main compound of the enlistment center, rather than parking in the designated lot like everyone else.

A number of other prospective recruits immediately focused their attention on the dazzling sports car. Under everyone’s gaze, Qin Fen exited the vehicle and quickly walked into the crowd with his head down.

“Whose child is that? To drive a car like that to enlist?”

“Hmph! What a show-off! What’s so great about driving a car like that?”

“Someone like that won’t last a few days in the army.”

Qin Fen’s hearing had improved significantly after specialized training in his dreams, and the sound of the surrounding chatter made him feel even more speechless. He really should have taken a taxi.

PS: Ahhhhhh, it’s Sunday again, which means tonight at midnight is the crucial moment for climbing the charts. If anyone is still awake, please vote for me~~~ I will be updating with new chapters at midnight again.