Li Yundong watched as Liu Chuan, after sniffing the flower in Su Chan’s hand, began to shriek and thrash about as if possessed. The moment Su Chan tossed the flower back into his arms, the great oaf Liu Da Kaizi erupted into a frenzy of screaming.
The surrounding classmates were a mixture of shock and amusement.
Li Yundong couldn’t help but chuckle: “What’s gotten into him?”
Su Chan shot him a mischievous glance. “Who knows? Perhaps the flower had a bee in it that stung him?”
Zhou Qin watched Liu Chuan bolt away in utter panic and burst out laughing. “Surely he can’t be that unlucky, right?”
Su Chan secretly stuck out her tongue. She had just cast a subtle illusion on the poor Liu Da Kaizi, making him believe he was being swarmed and savagely stung by a nest of hornets, which accounted for his bizarre antics.
Though cultivators are bound by heavenly precepts that prohibit directly attacking ordinary mortals, there are always loopholes to exploit. Spells like illusions, confusion charms, and glamour techniques, which inflict no direct physical harm, do not trigger those precepts.
Fox spirits are innately masters of glamour, but they are equally adept at illusionary arts. The little fox’s cultivation wasn't fully developed; her innate glamour hadn't required formal study, but for survival, she had certainly mastered numerous illusion spells. This brief test run had completely devastated Liu Da Kaizi.
Li Yundong gazed at Liu Chuan’s frantic retreat, a faint sense of unease stirring within him. But Zhou Qin, standing beside him, smiled brightly. “Well, the eyesore is gone. Shall we go eat?”
That brought him back to the present. He smiled too. “Let’s grab something at the cafeteria. Say, Miss Zhou, I doubt you’ve ever eaten in the school cafeteria, have you? That simply won't do! You’re becoming detached from the common folk—that requires strong, serious criticism!”
Zhou Qin pursed her lips, smiling. “Someone who hasn’t spent a single night boarding at the school has the right to criticize me?”
With that, the two erupted into hearty laughter.
Standing nearby, watching the spectacle, Zhuang Hui stared at Li Yundong with undisguised adoration and sighed softly, “Even his laughter sounds so captivating!”
The girl who had previously mocked Su Chan in the cafeteria shot Zhuang Hui a disdainful look. “Are you feeling alright, Zhuang Hui? You actually like a man who needs a woman to sort out his problems?”
Zhuang Hui returned the glare. “Ke Lu, you haven’t been on campus lately; you don’t know he’s practically a legend at Tiannan University now! Why didn’t I run into a guy like this back then? If I were the girl by his side, I’d be the talk of the town! I’m sickeningly envious!”
Ke Lu scoffed. “You mean those rumors about dodging bullets on the school forum? Please. You watch too many movies. You believe that kind of nonsense?”
Zhuang Hui bristled with annoyance. “Plenty of people saw it, okay?”
Ke Lu sneered. “Plenty of people also claim to have seen UFOs and the Loch Ness Monster! I won't believe any nonsense these people spout! Look at Zhou Qin practically throwing herself at him—tchk, just a pretty face clinging to a sugar daddy!”
Zhuang Hui felt a sharp surge of anger inside. “Hey, talk like that again, and I won’t speak to you anymore!”
Ke Lu looked genuinely surprised. “No way, you’re getting mad at me over some pretty boy?”
Li Yundong heard every word of their exchange clearly. He turned briefly to give Ke Lu, who was badmouthing him behind his back, a sharp, piercing glare. The intensity of his gaze sent a chill down her spine, making the hairs stand up on her neck. She instinctively turned to see who was staring at her, but by then, Li Yundong had already turned back around.
...
Liu Chuan ran frantically until he reached the school gate, where he was suddenly grabbed by someone and kicked hard, sending him sprawling.
Liu Chuan rolled a few times on the ground, clawing desperately at his own body, letting out heart-wrenching screams: “Help! Somebody help me!”
He Shao looked on, a mixture of shock and horror on his face, and poked Liu Chuan with the toe of his shoe. “Hey, what kind of stunt is this?”
Liu Chuan lunged, grabbing He Shao’s calf and shouting like a madman, “Hornets! So many hornets!”
He Shao hauled Liu Chuan up by the collar and delivered four resounding slaps across his face, spitting saliva everywhere. “Damn it, you’re just as useless as Xie Fei—a true piece of mud that won’t stick to a wall! Where are the hornets, you idiot!”
Those four slaps managed to snap Liu Chuan partially back to reality. He touched his face with a trembling hand and was stunned to find his skin perfectly smooth and unblemished—not a single welt!
Liu Chuan was overcome with relief and joy. He cried out, “I’m fine? Ha, ha ha ha, I’m fine!”
He Shao massaged his own temple with one hand while still gripping Liu Chuan’s collar with the other, cursing. “Damn it, why am I running into such imbeciles lately! Hey, I told you to mess with that Li Yundong. Did you do it? I bet you screwed that up too, didn't you?”
The mention of Li Yundong made Liu Chuan jump. He recalled the ghostly hallucination and his heart hammered fearfully. He whispered, “Young Master He, it wasn't that I failed; it’s just that... the situation was truly bizarre!”
He Shao exploded in profanity. “Bizarre my foot! All I asked was for you to annoy Li Yundong enough to make him retaliate so I would have grounds to deal with him! You can’t even handle this small task—why don’t you just die!”
Liu Chuan was drenched in the verbal abuse but maintained a weak, fawning smile. “Young Master He, why don’t you find someone else? I find that whenever I encounter that fellow, bad things happen!”
“Damn it, where is your backbone?” He Shao roared in anger, delivering another slap before wrapping his arm around Liu Chuan’s neck. “You idiot, listen to me: go mess with him again after school this afternoon. I’ll be watching right beside you, and I guarantee he won’t dare do anything to you! The moment he makes a move, I’ll have him!”
Liu Chuan’s interest was piqued. He ventured tentatively, “Really? What excellent plan does Young Master He have? Li Yundong isn’t easy to provoke!”
He Shao waved his hand impatiently. “Come here. I’ll teach you a method.”
Liu Chuan leaned in to listen, then froze abruptly, crying out, “Young Master He, my father chewed me out just yesterday—won’t this be problematic?”
He Shao shot him a glare. “What did you say?”
Liu Chuan immediately shrank back, muttering, “N-nothing, I’ll figure something out...”
...
Time flew quickly. The afternoon passed with Li Yundong playfully bickering with Su Chan in the back row. When the bell rang, Zhou Qin, seated in front, hesitated momentarily before remaining in place, waiting for Li Yundong and Su Chan to emerge from the rear. As they approached, she stepped forward with a gentle smile. “Shall I give you both a ride?”
Li Yundong waved his hand, chuckling. “No need, it’s too much trouble to always rely on you.”
Zhou Qin smiled warmly. “If you’re going to be so formal, you clearly don’t consider me a friend.”
Li Yundong sighed with mock helplessness. “Fine, then we’ll take you up on the offer. Did you drive yourself here?”
Zhou Qin laughed. “It’s the family car, but I didn't want to draw attention by parking it on campus, so I left it in the parking lot next door. We might have a short walk.”
Li Yundong clicked his tongue in admiration. “I used to think you were aloof, arrogant, and quite overbearing. I guess I was wrong; you’re actually incredibly low-key, especially compared to someone like Liu Chuan.”
Zhou Qin smiled. “Is that a compliment? If so, I gratefully accept it.”
The trio walked toward the school gate, chatting and laughing. Before they reached it, they overheard whispers from nearby students, spoken with dramatic flair: “Hey, did you see that stretch limousine parked at the entrance?”
“I don’t know, but it’s so cool! And it’s a scissor-door model too!”
“Gosh, I’d settle for just one ride in my lifetime!”
“Stop daydreaming, it’s probably some rich heir here picking up a girl!”
Hearing these comments, Li Yundong smiled at Zhou Qin. “Surely that’s not your car, is it?”
Zhou Qin shook her head, smiling. “How could it be? I dislike things that are so ostentatious.”
When the group reached the gate, they indeed saw an exceptionally stunning stretch Mercedes-Benz parked there.
The vehicle was a deep, glossy black, emanating an air of solemn grandeur and imposing wealth. Few students on campus had ever seen such an extended luxury sedan, and the crowd surrounding the entrance was dense.
Li Yundong took in the scene and noticed many familiar faces in the throng, including Zhuang Hui and Ke Lu, who were both gazing at the incredibly luxurious car with undisguised envy.
Since ancient times, Chinese culture has held a strong affinity for fine horses and elegant carriages—a hero was incomplete without a worthy mount. In modern times, this sentiment has simply transferred to automotive prestige.
Though Li Yundong didn't place much value on material wealth, the sheer grandeur of the vehicle momentarily dazzled his eyes. He turned to look at Su Chan, finding the young girl tilting her head, examining the car with curiosity. Li Yundong murmured, “Do you like it?”
Su Chan laughed. “No, I think it’s ugly!”
Li Yundong, assuming she was just saying that to comfort him, smiled. “I’ll work hard and buy you one eventually.”
Although Su Chan genuinely held disdain for such worldly trappings, hearing his words still warmed her heart, and she beamed. “Oh, your future ride will be far better than this!”
Li Yundong let out a soft chuckle and said nothing, but a look of confidence shone in his eyes.
Zhou Qin, upon seeing the car, frowned slightly, thinking: Isn’t that Liu Changhe’s car?
Liu Changhe was Liu Chuan’s father, a recognized figure in the city's business circles who frequently attended high-society functions. Zhou Qin had seen his vehicle more than once.
Sure enough, just as Li Yundong and the others approached the school gate, the Mercedes doors swung open, and a young man emerged, impeccably dressed in a high-end suit with gleaming leather shoes—it was Liu Chuan, the one Su Chan had just played that nasty trick on.
The sight of him caused Li Yundong’s brow to furrow deeply: Why was this person clinging to them like sticky residue?
Su Chan also frowned. “This person is so annoying. I’ll go chase him away!”
Zhou Qin shook her head at them. “I’ll handle it.”
Liu Chuan approached Su Chan, bowed deeply, affecting the air of a polite gentleman. “Lovely Miss Su Chan, might I have the honor of your company?”
Zhou Qin nodded subtly to Li Yundong and Su Chan, signaling them to stay quiet, and walked forward herself. A faint smile played on her lips, edged with clear mockery. “Liu Chuan, you’ve certainly gotten bold, bringing out your father’s car. Be careful not to scratch it, or you’ll be getting a spanking when you get home!”
The sight of Zhou Qin visibly deflated Liu Chuan’s bravado by thirty percent. He steeled himself and retorted, “Zhou Qin, why must you always oppose me?”
“I always oppose you?” Zhou Qin scoffed. “Why don’t you take a good look in a mirror? Do you think you’re worthy? I’m just trying to tell you to stop being so arrogant and keep a lower profile. This territory isn't yours to command!”
“Oh? And whose territory is it when Miss Zhou decides to reign supreme?”
Suddenly, a voice interjected from the side.
Zhou Qin turned to see a man tilting his head, looking at her with a sidelong, challenging gaze—it was He Shao!
Zhou Qin’s expression hardened, and she asked in a low voice, “He Shao, what are you doing here?”
He Shao swaggered up to Zhou Qin with the perfect demeanor of a spoiled heir, his gaze sweeping past her to evaluate Li Yundong with undisguised disdain. “Zhou Qin, what business is it of yours why I’m here? You’re awfully nosy, aren’t you?”
Though Zhou Qin maintained a low profile on campus, her beauty, poise, and background were constant topics of gossip. Seeing this confrontation erupt, the surrounding students immediately grew excited—a good show was about to begin!
Zhou Qin fixed He Shao with a cold stare. “He Shao, given our families' somewhat decent relationship, I’ll offer you some advice: Excessive injustice always brings self-destruction. Have some shred of decency for your own sake!”
He Shao threw his head back and roared with laughter. His expression turned perverse, his eyes cold. “Well spoken! But let me tell you this: no matter how much you curse me or how much you despise me, it cannot change the destiny and outcome that you are my fiancée and will someday be my woman!”
The moment those words were uttered, the crowd erupted in an uproar.
Li Yundong stared at Zhou Qin in astonishment, as if he couldn't believe what he’d heard! Such an ethereal, breathtakingly beautiful woman was destined to marry someone like He Shao?
Hearing this, Zhou Qin’s face flushed deep red, her fair cheeks looking as if blood might spill out. Her expression was a mix of shame, indignation, and fury as she ground out, “He Shao, let me be perfectly clear: you will never see that dream realized in this lifetime! I would rather die than marry you!”
He Shao clutched his stomach and howled with laughter. Pointing at Li Yundong, he mocked Zhou Qin, “Oh? Then who do you want to marry? Him?”
He Shao suddenly turned his ferocity onto Li Yundong, shouting with malicious arrogance, “You little bastard, let me tell you, Zhou Qin is my woman! If you dare touch a single hair on her head, I will wipe you out immediately!”
================================================================= First chapter update~