"Sugar"

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, the Celebration Banquet full of Laughter and Joy finally drew to a close with Tang Ya's slightly tipsy, utterly satisfied burp.

When their group of five walked out of the steaming Great Soul Master Barbecue Restaurant, which was filled with a rich Meat Aroma, the moon was already high in the sky.

Shrek City beneath the Night Scenery was completely different from its solemn grandeur by day, revealing another kind of lively, enchanting charm. On both sides of the broad Bluestone Slab street hung lanterns powered by Soul Tools, giving off a soft Warm Yellow glow. The light passed through thin lampshades painted with exquisite birds, flowers, fish, and insects, casting patches of mottled yet warm radiance across the damp ground, wrapping the entire ancient city in a dreamlike veil.

The evening breeze carried a trace of late-summer warmth and the fresh scent of After Rain Clearing Up. It brushed past gently, dispersing the strong Mortal Worldly Charm clinging to everyone, and also blowing away the lazy drowsiness that came after a full meal. The streets were packed with pedestrians. Soul masters moved in twos and threes between taverns, while the Vendors along the roadside shouted loudly, selling all kinds of novel trinkets and late-night snacks that gave off tempting aromas. The sweet-and-sour scent of Candied Hawthorn, the roasted fragrance of fried nuts, and the distant, melodious music played on instruments made from the tendons and bones of some unknown Spirit Beast wove together into a vivid urban nocturne brimming with the breath of life.

"Burp~" Tang Ya let out an adorable drunken hiccup. Her pretty Small Face had turned rosy from drinking too much Fruit Wine, like a ripe apple. Her whole body seemed to have no bones, more than half of her hanging off Bei Bei, while one restless hand pointed at a distant mask stall as she slurred, "Bei Bei~ I want that~ that Fox Mask! Buy it for me!"

"Fine, fine, fine. I'll buy it, I'll buy it." Bei Bei's face was filled with helplessness and indulgence. He carefully supported the "little Drunkard" in his arms, who was already a little unsteady on her feet, handling her demands while making sure she did not bump into passing pedestrians. Under the glow of the lanterns, the face that always carried a mild smile looked especially gentle now.

Huo Yuhao silently walked at the very back, like a dutiful, quiet Shadow. His always-lowered Eyes had quietly lifted now, curiously taking in the bustling scene around him, a scene full of Mortal Worldly Charm that he had never seen before. He looked at Bei Bei and Tang Ya flirting up ahead, then at Long Yao and Wang Dong walking Side by Side, speaking about who knew what. The warmth in his heart born from their victory continued to ferment in this lively yet cozy atmosphere.

[Livestream Bullet Comments]

[Old Man's Young Girl Heart]: Aaaaaah! This atmosphere! This night view! Streamer, I'm begging you, do something already! With such a good chance, not creating a little romantic plot is simply intolerable to Heavenly Reason!

[Pure Love War God]: Exactly! Look at your little Wang Dong, following beside you, obedient as a Kitten! Hurry up and look at her! There are Stars in her Eyes!

[Keyboard Warrior Is Here]: Streamer, don't blame me for not warning you—walking through a night market is the perfect chance to close the distance! Buy a little gift, hold a Small Hand, and your relationship will heat up immediately! I'll tip ten planes as your dating fund!

[Keyboard Warrior Is Here] tipped [Playful Rabbit Ear Headband] x2 (Value: 99 yuan): Streamer! Give one to her and wear one yourself! Trust me, the effect will be outstanding!

Long Yao glanced at the ridiculous tip in the livestream room, and the corner of his mouth could not help twitching. He ignored the absurd suggestion that he put on a rabbit-ear headband, but the words in the bullet comments reminded him of something.

His gaze landed once more on Wang Dong beside him.

Under the Night Scenery, she seemed a little softer and quieter than she did by day. Her Pink Blue Short Hair seemed to be plated with a faint silver glow under the gentle light. She had her head lowered slightly, both hands behind her back, taking small steps as she quietly followed at his side. Those Eyes of hers, always as clear as sapphire, seemed even deeper and more brilliant beneath the cover of night. She seemed to still be savoring the sweetness of the dinner just now, the corner of her mouth unconsciously carrying a faint, Cute Appearance like the curve of a crescent moon.

She could clearly feel the incredibly reassuring aura coming from the Youth beside her. There were many people on the street, and occasionally pedestrians would hurry past. Whenever that happened, he would quietly turn his body slightly, shielding her between himself and the crowd, blocking away all the jostling and collisions for her.

It was an extremely subtle, instinctive movement, but it was like the softest feather, again and again, gently brushing against Her Heart, which had long since ceased to be calm.

"What are you thinking about?" Long Yao's Voice rang out lightly, like the Night Wind, interrupting her thoughts.

"Huh? N-nothing..." Wang Dong suddenly came back to herself like a Startled Rabbit, shaking her head in slight Flustered. Her heartbeat skipped half a beat in that instant.

Long Yao gave a Light Laugh. He did not keep asking, merely slowed his pace and walked Side by Side with her. His gaze swept casually across the Dazzling Array of stalls lining the street.

Just then, his Line of Sight was drawn to a small stall that specialized in selling women's accessories.

It was a very elegant little stall. The Stall Owner was an old grandmother with a head full of Silver Hair and kindly eyes. On her stall were all kinds of exquisite ornaments: bracelets strung with pearls from the Southern Sea, earrings carved from warm jade of the northern lands, and brooches made from the feathers of rare Spirit Beasts. Every piece looked small and distinctive.

But Long Yao's gaze was firmly captured by a simple hairpin lying quietly on a piece of red velvet.

It was a hairpin polished from a whole branch of deep-sea Blue Silver Grass. The shaft was slender yet tough, showing a natural blue as deep as the night sky. At the head of the pin was cleverly set a small, lifelike butterfly, pressed through a special process from Light Goddess Butterfly wing powder mixed with chips of starlight sapphire.

The butterfly's wings showed a dreamlike gradient between Pink Blue and pale purple. Under the light, they refracted tiny, scattered glimmers as dazzling as Stars.

That color was extremely like Wang Dong's Eyes.

And that butterfly was her Martial Soul.

"Boss, how much is this?" Long Yao walked up to the stall, pointed at the hairpin, and asked.

The moment Wang Dong, who had followed him over, saw that hairpin, her Beautiful Eyes could no longer move away. Her Small Mouth opened ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly, and her gaze filled with amazement and love.

"Hehe, young man, you truly have good taste." The old grandmother looked up and gave a kindly smile. "This Butterfly Loves Star Sea is the piece I'm proudest of on my stall. Its body was made from a branch of deep-sea Blue Silver Grass over three thousand years old. Not only is it tough, it can also soothe the mind and Calm Down. As for the butterfly on the head, it uses wing powder from the Light Goddess Butterfly. It can absorb the power of moonlight and starlight on its own, and at night it gives off a faint glow. It's very beautiful."

"I want it," Long Yao said without hesitation.

The old grandmother smiled and nodded. She glanced at the unbelievably beautiful "Youth" beside Long Yao, who was staring dazedly at the hairpin, and a knowing smile flashed through her eyes. "This hairpin suits the fated one best. This old woman won't ask for much. Thirty Gold Soul Coins."

For a hairpin crafted so exquisitely and made from such carefully chosen materials, that price could be called quite fair.

Long Yao did not hesitate in the slightest. He directly took thirty Gold Soul Coins from his clothes and handed them to the old grandmother.

"Here." He picked up the delicate hairpin, turned around, and under the gaze of Wang Dong's bright, sparkling Eyes filled with anticipation, shyness, and a trace of disbelief, held it out in front of her.

"For you."

His Voice was not loud, but it clearly entered Wang Dong's ears, as well as the ears of Bei Bei and Tang Ya, who were off to the side pretending to look at the scenery while actually listening in with their ears perked up.

Tang Ya immediately let out an exaggerated "Ooooh~~" of Heckling. Bei Bei smiled and gave Long Yao a "well done" look.

As for Wang Dong, her brain completely crashed at that moment.

She only stared blankly at the hairpin glittering with starlight under the lamps, as if it had been custom-made for her, then looked at Long Yao's face with its Gentle Smile. An indescribable, enormous joy and sweetness surged like the fiercest tide, instantly drowning her completely.

Her heartbeat was so fast it almost leaped out of her chest. Her cheeks were so hot that she felt as if she were about to melt. Even her Fingertips trembled slightly.

"I... I can't..." She instinctively wanted to refuse. This was too precious, and too... ambiguous.

"Take it." Long Yao's tone allowed no argument, yet was filled with an irresistible gentleness. "It suits you."

He paused, looking at Wang Dong's helpless Cute Appearance, and the smile at the corners of his mouth deepened. As if he had thought of something, he said softly in a tone that carried a hint of discussion, yet also a trace of domineering refusal to be denied, "Or... do you want me to put it on for you?"

"Boom—!!!!!"

Those words were like the final bolt of heavenly lightning, completely shattering all of Wang Dong's Psychological Defense Line.

Her face flushed with a whoosh until it almost seemed about to Bleed Out. She could no longer say a single word. Amid the kindly, Heckling laughter around them, she could only stiffly, mechanically, like a little wooden puppet, nod her head.

Seeing her nod, a satisfied smile flashed through Long Yao's Eyes.

He took a small step forward, closing the distance between them. The refreshing, pleasant scent unique to him instantly surrounded Wang Dong completely. She was so nervous that she held her breath, not even daring to blink, and could only let him do as he pleased like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

Long Yao reached out and carefully pinched up a small lock from her soft, faintly fragrant Pink Blue Short Hair. His movements were gentle to the extreme, as if he were handling the most precious, fragile work of art.

Then he slowly, steadily slipped the glittering, starlit Butterfly Loves Star Sea into her hair.

In that moment, even the passage of time seemed to slow to an extreme.

Wang Dong could clearly feel the tingling numbness, like an electric current, that came whenever his cool fingertips brushed her ear by chance. She could smell that unique scent on him, one that made her feel utterly at ease and yet threw her heart into chaos. She could hear her own heartbeat, deafening as a drum.

At last, the hairpin was firmly fixed in her hair.

The powder blue butterfly at the head of the pin seemed to have found its final home. It perched lightly by her ear, its specks of starlight reflecting with her eyes, which shone brilliantly beneath the lamplight, so beautiful it was beyond words.

"All done." Long Yao took half a step back. Looking at his handiwork, he nodded in satisfaction. "As expected, it suits you very well."

Wang Dong subconsciously raised her hand, wanting to touch the hairpin, but what came from her fingertips was not a cold touch, but a wave of heat. Only then did she realize that her face was already burning terribly.

"Wow! It's so pretty!" Tang Ya praised from the heart. "Wang Dong, with that on, you look just like... just like a little fairy descended to the mortal world!"

Wang Dong was so shy she wished she could immediately find a crack in the ground and crawl into it. She secretly lifted her eyes and quickly stole a glance at Long Yao. What she saw were his deep eyes, always carrying a gentle smile, as if filled with the entire starry sky.

In that moment, only one thought remained in her heart, which had completely fallen.

If... if time could stay forever in this moment, how wonderful would that be?

They walked together on the way back to the dormitory.

When the last bright "Good night" faded away in the empty dormitory corridor of Shrek Academy, Bei Bei and Tang Ya's drunken figures vanished around the corner with their arms around each other's shoulders, and Huo Yuhao also nodded to the two of them before silently entering his own dorm room. After that, only Long Yao and Wang Dong remained in the corridor.

The familiar doorplate marked "101" looked quiet and peaceful beneath the dim yellow Soul Tool Lamp at the end of the hallway.

Wang Dong followed behind Long Yao, keeping close to his steps. Her footsteps were very light, like a cat afraid of disturbing the night. Her heart, however, was not calm in the slightest. That heart, which had begun pounding violently from the time of the dinner, still showed no sign of settling even now. Instead, in this extreme quiet where only the two of them remained, it beat louder and louder, more and more out of rhythm. Thump, thump, thump... as if it wanted to break free from her slender chest.

She could clearly hear her own slightly hurried breathing, interwoven with the steady, rhythmic footsteps of the youth half a step ahead of her, forming a unique melody that made her blush and her heart race, yet also gave her incomparable peace of mind.

Long Yao opened the door with his key.

"Click."

The light sound was like a signal, completely cutting off the noisy, lively world outside the door, the world that belonged to everyone. Inside the door was a quiet, private space that belonged only to the two of them.

Wang Dong followed him inside, then turned back and gently shut the door.

The lights were not on in the room. Only the bright, mercury-like moonlight poured down from outside the window, passing through the clean window lattice and casting a bright rectangular patch of light on the floor. The moonlight plated everything in the room with a hazy, soft silver radiance, making her warm, smooth White Jade Bed give off a faint halo like breathing, and also making his ordinary wooden bed, covered with neat bed sheets, seem even quieter in the shadows.

Just then, Long Yao in front of her let out a tired yet satisfied sigh.

"Phew, I'm dead tired."

Along with that indistinct murmur, his whole body seemed to lose all its strength. With a bang, he fell straight backward onto his bed, lying on his back in an utterly unpresentable, extremely relaxed posture. The soft mattress sank deeply beneath the sudden weight and gave another faint, muffled groan.

He lay there, limbs spread out, eyes slightly closed, his chest rising and falling gently with his steady breathing. It was as if, in that instant, he had shed all the sharpness and edge of the day and turned back into an utterly ordinary youth who was simply tired after fighting all day and eating too much barbecue.

Wang Dong stood by the door, quietly watching the scene without moving.

Her mind went a little blank.

This was completely different from the scene she had imagined after returning to the dorm. She had thought that, as usual, he would wear that composed smile, as though everything was under his control, joke with her a little, and then they would each wash up and rest.

But she had never imagined that he would be like this... so defenseless, showing such a real and tired side of himself in front of her.

During the day, he had been the strong person shining brilliantly on the spirit fighting stage, able to make his opponent's mind collapse with only his words; at the dinner, he had been the team's core, chatting and laughing with effortless ease; at the night market, he had been the youth whose eyes were gentle and whose thoughtfulness made her heart flustered... All those dazzling, powerful images that fascinated her seemed, in this moment, to shed all their halos and overlap with the faintly childish figure before her, who had simply collapsed onto his bed without restraint because he was tired.

This intense contrast, full of impact, did not make her feel even the slightest disappointment. Instead, it was like the warmest, most domineering warm current, breaking through in an instant the last dam in her heart named "reserve" and "pride," soaking her entire heart in some sour, soft emotion that made even the tip of her nose ache.

She felt... as though she had grown a little closer to him again.

Subconsciously, she raised her hand, her fingertips gently touching the Butterfly Loves Star Sea in her hair by her ear, still glittering with specks of starlight beneath the moon.

That cool, smooth touch came from her fingertips, like the faintest electric current, yet in an instant, it once again ignited the heat on her cheeks that had finally faded a little. In her mind, without her control, the scene from the night market appeared again, the moment when he had put this hairpin on her.

She could clearly recall his eyes, deep as the starry sky; she could recall his gentle yet slightly irresistible, domineering tone; she could even recall his cool fingertips brushing lightly, unintentionally, past her burning ear, bringing that extreme tingling numbness that had almost made her entire body tremble.

At the thought of this, her heartbeat once again lost control and skipped a beat. Her already flushed small face turned even more delicate and vividly red beneath the hazy moonlight.

She looked at the figure lying motionless on the bed, and even her breathing became cautious.

The room was very quiet. So quiet that only his steady, long breathing and her own drumlike heartbeat could be heard.

Was he... asleep?

A thought silently emerged from the bottom of her heart.

She hesitated for a moment, but in the end, she still rose onto her tiptoes and, with soft steps that made almost no sound at all, slowly walked toward the small table in the room. She picked up the kettle on the table, poured herself a glass of water, and subconsciously poured one for him as well.

When the clear stream of water flowed into the glass, the splashing sound it made seemed especially distinct in this extreme quiet. She nervously glanced at Long Yao on the bed and found that he still had no reaction. Only then did she quietly let out a breath of relief.

Holding that glass of water, as if possessed, she did not walk toward her own gorgeous jade bed, but instead stepped forward, one step after another, toward the side of his bed.

Every step was incomparably slow, and incomparably difficult.

Her heart screamed wildly in her chest cavity, as if it could break free of its restraints at any moment and leap into her throat. A fine layer of nervous sweat seeped from her palms.

It was only a few short steps, yet she felt as though she had walked for as long as a century.

At last, she arrived beside his bed.

She lowered her head, borrowing the gentle moonlight, and for the first time, at such close range and without restraint, looked at his sleeping face.

With the sharpness and edge of the day gone, he seemed especially quiet and harmless in sleep. The corners of his lips, which were always slightly raised with a trace of playfulness and mockery, had now relaxed, returning to soft lines. His long, thick eyelashes cast a small, fan-shaped, beautiful shadow beneath his eyelids. Moonlight flowed gently over his high nose bridge and well-defined jawline, outlining his entire handsome face with a hazy, soft silver rim of light.

His breathing was even and long, his chest rising and falling steadily.

As she watched, Wang Dong's gaze unconsciously grew dazed.

She realized that he looked so handsome when he slept—so handsome she could hardly look away, and so handsome that Her Heart, that young maiden's heart, softened into a helpless mess.

A tender emotion filled with pity and love, one even she herself had not noticed, surged out from the bottom of her heart like a flood after a Dike Break, Completely Devouring her whole being.

Holding that cup of water, she stood there quietly, foolishly, by his bed without moving, as if she wanted to etch the way he looked in this moment forever, deeply, into the Soul Depth of her own being.

Time, in this moment, seemed to have been paused.

She did not know how long had passed. Perhaps it had only been one minute, or perhaps it had been Ten Minutes.

Wang Dong finally slowly came back to herself from that intoxicated, hazy state. She looked at the cup of water in her hand that was no longer cold, then at the figure still fast asleep, and a complicated look appeared on her face, both a little vexed and a little sweet.

She bent down with movements gentle to the extreme and carefully placed the cup of water on the cabinet by his bed.

Only after doing all this did she straighten up, preparing to leave quietly.

But at the instant she turned around, her gaze accidentally swept over his collar, which had fallen slightly open because he was lying on his back. She saw the smooth lines of his Clavicle, and... beneath the Clavicle, that faintly visible chest, appearing especially fair yet firm beneath the moonlight.

Boom—!!!

Wang Dong's mind was like a depth charge had been dropped into it, instantly going completely blank!

A Hot Stream stronger than at any previous moment suddenly shot up from the soles of her feet straight to the crown of her head! Her already burning Small Face lost all color in an instant, then in the next second exploded crimson, turning into a brilliant, fully ripened sunset glow!

Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she abruptly turned around, putting her back to that bed full of "temptation," and practically fled back to her own White Jade Bed.

In a fluster, she climbed onto the bed, pulled over the cool, smooth quilt woven from Heavenly Silkworm silk, and covered her entire body from head to toe, wrapping herself tightly, without leaving the slightest gap.

It was pitch-black beneath the quilt.

Yet before her eyes, the heart-flustering image from that fleeting Startled Swan glimpse just now still kept flashing, repeating over and over.

That useless heart of hers pounded thump, thump, thump, thump, beating more violently and more wildly than at any time before!

"Pervert! Hooligan!"

"Wang Dong! What nonsense are you thinking about!"

In her heart, she fiercely, shamefully, and angrily spat at herself. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not drive that image out of her mind.

She could only bury herself deep beneath the quilt like an ostrich, using the covers to tightly press against her Small Face, which was so hot it could practically fry an egg, letting that shyness, Flustered feeling, and the trace of secret curiosity she herself was unwilling to admit Completely Devour her.

The whole room returned to silence once again.

Only the moonlight outside the window still gently guarded this roomful of quietly fermenting, youthful yet sweet dreams.

The soft touch of the mattress was clearly transmitted through the thin fabric of his school uniform to Long Yao's back. He could feel how the weight of his body made the springs beneath him let out faint, almost inaudible groans. The room was filled with a reassuring scent, a blend of moonlight, the Green Grass outside the window, and the faint fragrance on Wang Dong's body.

He had not fallen asleep.

From the moment he walked into the dorm, his mind had been like a fully drawn bowstring, sharply sensing every tiny change in this cramped space. He was merely resting with his eyes closed, Patiently Waiting in a way that was almost mischievous and full of anticipation. He was waiting to see how that startled Little Butterfly would react.

He had deliberately slowed and lengthened his breathing, simulating the steady, rhythmic cadence that only appeared during Deep Sleep. This required extremely exquisite control, but to him, it was nothing more than a piece of cake.

He could hear.

He could hear her Footsteps, as soft as a Kitten's, so light they almost had no weight.

He could hear the tiny, cautious movements when she picked up the kettle, as if afraid of disturbing someone.

He could hear her carrying the glass of water, walking step by step toward his bedside, and that suppressed Breath Sound that had become somewhat disordered from nervousness, brushing over the tip of his heart like a feather.

He could even clearly "feel" how that scorching Line of Sight, condensed with far too many Complex Emotions, lingered wantonly on his face, unwilling to leave. Within that gaze were curiosity, infatuation, and the pure, sparkling fondness only a maiden in love could have, without the slightest impurity.

This made him feel... very amused.

He enjoyed this cat-and-mouse game, enjoyed her cautious probing, and also enjoyed the way she was thrown into panic because of him.

When she bent down and placed that cup of water on the bedside cabinet, he could even smell the fresh Sweet Aroma of shampoo in her hair, as well as the scent drifting from her body, unique to her, like the youthful Maiden's Fragrance of After Rain Clearing Up. That scent was like a stone tossed into a calm lake, stirring up an insignificant ripple in his Heart Lake, which had always been without Ripples.

Then, he heard her Breath Sound suddenly freeze because of that Startled Swan glimpse, followed closely by a violent heartbeat Like a startled deer, almost about to leap out of her Chest Cavity.

He knew she had seen it.

Immediately after came a burst of panicked, almost fleeing, fragmented Footsteps, and... the faint "rustling" sound made as she climbed onto the other bed.

Long Yao's lips silently curved up in the darkness, forming a delighted arc that could only be called wicked.

He continued Patiently Waiting. He knew the game was not over yet.

Beneath the quilt, it was both pitch-black and stiflingly hot.

Wang Dong had wrapped her entire body tightly, without leaving the slightest gap, in that cool and smooth Heavenly Silkworm Quilt, like an ostrich that had been frightened and buried its head deep in the sand.

But this could not cut her off from that heart of hers, which was currently rebelling like mad, nor could it extinguish the scalding heat on her cheeks that could practically fry an egg.

Before her eyes was still that chest, appearing especially fair yet firm beneath the moonlight, filled with a sense of masculine strength. That image seemed to have been enchanted, playing on an infinite loop in her mind, every detail so clear it drove her mad.

"Wang Dong! You Big Pervert!"

"Stop thinking about it! Stop thinking about it!"

In her heart, she used all the strength in her body to cry out in utter Shame and Anger, trying to drive that image filled with "guilt" out of her mind. But the harder she tried, the clearer that image became instead, and the more... tempting it grew.

Her body trembled slightly from excessive shame. She could feel her heartbeat racing so fast it seemed like it would leap out of her throat in the next second. She could even hear the buzzing tinnitus by her ears caused by her blood flowing faster.

She didn't know how long she had struggled in that dark, sweltering "shelter."

Finally, the faint suffocating feeling brought on by lack of oxygen overcame the shame that made her wish she could vanish into the ground.

At last, she couldn't hold back anymore. Carefully, she lifted the blanket by the tiniest sliver, a gap just wide enough for one eye to peek through.

Fresh, cool air rushed in at once, clearing her heat-muddled head a little.

Through that gap, her beautiful sapphire-like eye once again looked uncontrollably toward the other end of the room.

[Livestream Bullet Comments]

[Sherlock Wang]: Here it comes, here it comes! Classic segment! I knew she wouldn't be able to resist! This, my friends, is called guilty as hell, scared to look but dying to look!

[Only Loves Married Women]: Hehehe... little Wang Dong, stop hiding. I know you're watching. Come on out. Streamer's body is even better than you imagined~ (smirk)

[Top Rank Big Brother]: I bet fifty cents Streamer is definitely pretending to sleep. He's probably laughing his head off inside right now.

[I Am Proud To Be A Pervert]: Look, look! She's poking her head out! That little look in her eyes is just too much! Scared but wants to watch! Streamer, stop pretending, hurry up and roll over, give her some fan service! Tipping one Rocket, begging Streamer to show his abs!

Wang Dong's line of sight was like the most timid explorer, passing through that moonlit "safe zone" filled with peace and serenity before finally, trembling, landing on the bed that made her heart flutter in panic, the bed full of "danger."

He... was still asleep.

His posture was exactly the same as before, without the slightest change. He still lay on his back, his breathing steady and long. That handsome face, beneath the hazy moonlight, looked quiet and gentle, like a harmless, innocent boy next door without the least bit of aggression.

Looking at his utterly defenseless sleeping face, Wang Dong's wildly pounding heart miraculously calmed a little.

She quietly let out a breath.

Thank goodness... he hadn't noticed.

That realization made the shame that had nearly drowned her recede somewhat. Replacing it was an even more secret, even bolder curiosity that spread wildly like vines.

She quietly widened that gap a little more, revealing both of her eyes.

She began to trace his outline with her gaze, inch by inch, without restraint.

His eyebrows were thick and heroic, not messy like some boys', but groomed just right, adding a few touches of vigor to his handsome face. The bridge of his nose was high and straight, and his profile was as perfect as an ancient Greek sculpture, without the slightest flaw. His lips... were neither thin nor thick, and their shape was very attractive. The corners of his mouth always seemed to curve upward slightly by habit; even in sleep, one could faintly see that arc that was always on his face, carrying a hint of playfulness and confidence.

Her gaze once again slid uncontrollably along the smooth line of his jaw, slowly drifting toward that "forbidden zone" that made her heart flutter in panic.

The slightly open collar was like Pandora's box, full of magic power, giving off a fatal attraction she couldn't resist. She could see his beautiful, distinct clavicle, and... below his clavicle, that solid chest that rose and fell faintly with his steady breathing.

Though it had only been a startled-swan glimpse, she could clearly recall the texture of that skin. It wasn't some exaggerated mass of muscles filled with explosive power, but a kind of perfectly proportioned fitness, full of resilience and strength, with smooth lines.

Her cheeks began to heat uncontrollably once again.

She even started letting her imagination run wild.

What kind of sight was hidden beneath that school uniform?

Within that figure of his, which always seemed a little slim, just how powerful a force was contained? Enough for him to toy with Dai Huabin, who looked far stronger than him, on the Soul Dueling Platform in a way that was practically overwhelming?

Once that thought arose, it was like a wildfire spreading across the plains, impossible to extinguish.

Her gaze became a little hazy, a little... entranced. She just quietly, greedily watched, as if she wanted to use her eyes to photograph every detail of him, then forever treasure it deep in her heart.

She was completely unaware of just how much her current posture... resembled that of a full-fledged little pervert "peeping" at someone. She also completely failed to notice that her own breathing had grown a little hurried because she was too focused on watching.

Even less did she notice that the breath sound belonging to him, which had always been steady and long, at some unknown instant, had an almost imperceptible, extremely subtle... pause.

The room was so quiet that a falling pin could be heard.

Only outside the window, from time to time, came one or two chirps from unknown summer insects.

Time slowly flowed by in this silence filled with ambiguity and tender charm.

No one knew how long passed. Perhaps it was only an instant, or perhaps it was eternity.

Just as Wang Dong was completely immersed in this secret, guilt-filled pleasure and unable to pull herself free—

A low voice, carrying a trace of the hoarseness that only came from just waking, magnetic and rich, exploded without warning like thunder in this extreme silence.

That voice was not loud, yet it was so clear it seemed to whisper directly beside her ear.

"Does it look good?"

Boom—!!!!!!

Wang Dong's mind went completely blank in an instant.

Those three words were like two invisible iron hammers, heated red-hot, smashing fiercely and mercilessly down onto her soul! They shattered all her flukes, all her secret delight, all her ambiguous fantasies into pieces!

He... he was awake?!

No... no, that wasn't right! He... he hadn't been asleep at all?!

That realization was like an icy current from Nine Netherworlds Hell, instantly spreading through her limbs and bones! It made her entire body freeze completely in place, as if she had been petrified by magic!

She could feel all the blood in her body frantically flowing backward in that instant, then in the next second rushing violently up to the top of her head! That immense shame and embarrassment, impossible to describe with words and almost enough to completely devour her whole, made her mind lose all ability to think!

Her eyes, still through that gap, stared fixedly at the bed.

She saw that the youth who had originally been "fast asleep" still had his eyes closed, and even his posture hadn't changed at all. Only the corners of his mouth had once again hooked into an arc she knew all too well, one filled with playfulness and mocking, practically belonging to a "demon."

He... he had been pretending to sleep the whole time!

He... he knew everything!

He... he had just watched her, as if she were an idiot, peeking out for all that time?!

"Eeeek—!!!"

A sharp wail that did not sound human at all, filled with shame, anger, and collapse, like the piercing cry of a small animal whose tail had been stepped on, squeezed out uncontrollably from the depths of Wang Dong's throat!

She was like a hornet whose nest had been stabbed. She yanked her head back, used every bit of strength in her body to pull the quilt over, and once again covered herself tightly from head to toe! This time, she even forgot to breathe. All she knew was to wrap herself in the quilt into an airtight, constantly trembling, pitiful silkworm cocoon.

With a "bang," because her movements were too violent, the back of her head slammed hard into the wall behind her, but she could not feel the pain at all. Because that insignificant bit of pain had long since been completely drowned out by the enormous shame that swept through her entire world like a tsunami.

She felt as if she was going to die here tonight.

Not beaten to death by an enemy, but... humiliated to death alive.

Just as she thought she was about to completely faint from shame, anger, and suffocation, the "Demon's" unhurried voice, full of mockery, sounded again.

This time, she clearly heard the faint "creak" of the mattress being compressed.

He... had sat up.

She felt as if her heart had stopped beating.

She heard that unhurried voice, carrying an obvious hint of laughter he was trying hard to hold back, slowly and clearly say:

"Covering yourself that tightly with the quilt—aren't you suffocating?"

"Or are you... doing something shameful in there?"

That light, airy question, carrying undisguised mockery yet somehow as gentle as a lover's whisper, was like the final fuse. It completely ignited the nerves Wang Dong had already fried over and over in the oil pan of shame and embarrassment, nerves on the verge of exploding.

"Boom—!!!!!"

The trembling, pitiful "silkworm cocoon" inside the quilt stopped all movement in an instant.

Deathly stillness.

Utter, suffocating deathly stillness.

Just as Long Yao thought she really was about to faint from lack of oxygen and shame and anger, that lump of quilt was suddenly flipped open from within like a volcanic eruption by a tremendous force filled with violence and destruction!

"Whoosh—!"

The cold, smooth Heavenly Silkworm Quilt drew a beautiful arc through the air, filled with grief and indignation, before finally falling limply to the floor.

And the young girl beneath the quilt finally revealed her true face.

If the previous Wang Dong had still been like an adorable little rabbit hiding herself away out of shyness, then at this moment, she was a beautiful yet dangerous young female dragon, thoroughly enraged!

She knelt on that gorgeous yet messy White Jade Bed. Her beautiful pink-blue short hair had become somewhat tousled from her violent struggling just now, and a few disobedient strands mischievously stuck to her smooth forehead, which had seeped a fine layer of fragrant sweat from the heat. The slightly oversized Shrek Academy Uniform she wore had also become wrinkled from her movements, the collar slightly open and revealing that graceful stretch of fair and slender neck, white as a swan's.

But none of that was the point.

The point was her face, and her eyes.

That pretty face of hers, always carrying a faint, innate trace of pride and reserve, exquisite as if it were God's most perfect masterpiece, was now red as the most dazzling, scorching fire burning cloud on the horizon. The redness spread from her cheeks all the way to her delicate earlobes, and even that snow-white neck was tinged with an enticing, soul-stirring pink.

And her beautiful eyes, always as clear as pink-blue gemstones, were now like two blazing, burning, brilliant nebulae set aflame! Within them, there was no longer the slightest shyness or evasion, only the purest, fiercest shame and fury that erupted after being forced into a corner, enough to burn someone to ash! A few crystal-clear tears, impossible to restrain because of her excessive shame and annoyance, stubbornly hung from her long, curled eyelashes. Under the hazy moonlight, they refracted a radiance as brilliant yet broken as diamonds, adding a few heartbreaking, shattered traces of beauty to her sky-high fury.

The "Butterfly Loves Star Sea" hairpin perched among the hair by her ear also trembled gently under the moonlight with her rapid, violently heaving breaths. Those specks of starlight seemed to burn for her anger at this moment.

"You bastard!!"

A delicate shout filled with endless grievance, sky-high shame and anger, and a faint crying tone even she herself did not notice burst from her slightly trembling lips, which looked especially rosy from fury!

Along with that furious roar, she seemed to use all the strength in her body as she suddenly grabbed the soft pillow beside her, used for peaceful sleep. Like a thoroughly enraged cat baring all its claws, she threw it with all her might at the hateful culprit sitting leisurely at the edge of the bed with a "Demon's" smile on his face, smashing it over fiercely and without holding back!

That pillow, representing all her shame, all her embarrassment, and all her anger, drew a grief-and-indignation-filled parabola through the air, crossed that quiet space lit by moonlight, and flew precisely toward Long Yao's face with its mocking smile.

Facing this "full-power strike" containing all of the young girl's anger, Long Yao merely sat leisurely at the edge of the bed, not even changing his posture. On his face, that infuriating smile full of pleasure and playfulness still hung there.

Only at the very instant before the soft pillow was about to hit his face did he unhurriedly raise his right hand.

His movement was casual yet precise, as if it had been calculated thousands of times.

"Smack."

A light sound.

That aggressively incoming pillow was caught easily and steadily in his hand.

The entire room once again fell into a strange, tension-filled deathly stillness.

Wang Dong held the throwing posture, kneeling on the bed without moving. Her chest, developed just right, rose and fell from the intense movement and anger as she panted rapidly, stirring waves of soul-stirring ripples. Her eyes burning with fury still glared fixedly and defiantly at that hateful, detestable, utterly loathsome bastard.

But beneath that seemingly fierce expression hid a heart that had completely fallen into panic and helplessness.

She... what should she do?

Her strongest "weapon" had already been disarmed by the enemy with ease, and all her disguises had been torn to shreds. She felt as if she were a pitiful little bird stripped of all its feathers, naked, without the slightest concealment, exposed before this hateful hunter, left to him to admire her most wretched, most shameful, most helpless appearance.

That sky-high shame and anger, after erupting, quickly ebbed away like the receding tide. In its place came an even more surging embarrassment and panic, so overwhelming it nearly drowned her completely, leaving her with nowhere to hide.

She looked at the pillow in his hand that belonged to her, then at his face wearing the smile of a "victor," and only felt her mind buzz as it once again went completely blank.

What... what should she do next?!

That captured pillow, still carrying her body temperature and faint fragrance, seemed as light as a feather in Long Yao's hand. The infuriating, playful smile on his face quietly faded when he saw Wang Dong's eyes, burning with fury yet made incomparably fragile by the crystal-clear tears soaking them. Replacing it was a softness mixed with heartache and helplessness, something even he himself did not notice.

He held that pillow and stood up from the edge of the bed.

The room was very quiet. There was only Wang Dong's breathing, hurried from anger and grievance, like the panting of a wounded little beast. She still held the pose from when she had thrown the pillow, kneeling on that gorgeous White Jade Bed like a beautiful yet fragile statue filled with sorrow and fury. It took every last bit of strength in her body to maintain the last pitiful scrap of pride she had left. Stubbornly, she refused to look away, glaring at him with those reddened, misty eyes.

That look seemed to say, "Come here, then! I'm not afraid of you!"

And it also seemed to say, "Don't come here... please..."

Long Yao took a step.

One step.

Then another.

He walked very slowly. Every step seemed to land on Wang Dong's heartstrings, already stretched to their limit, plucking a trembling note named "panic" and "helplessness." Those legs, especially long beneath the moonlight, kept growing larger and larger in her eyes, which had already begun to lose focus... until at last, they stopped beside that gorgeous White Jade Bed that belonged to her and her alone.

At that moment, Wang Dong's heart stopped beating completely.

She looked at him, at the young man whose figure seemed even taller with his back to the moonlight. His face was hidden in the shadows, impossible to see clearly, but she could feel with perfect clarity that those two almost tangible gazes were fixed on her without moving, making her feel as though she had been completely and tightly caught in an invisible Great Net, unable to move even the slightest bit.

At that moment, time seemed to stretch on without end.

Then she saw him move.

He did not speak again, nor did he smile again. He merely bent down slowly.

Wang Dong instinctively wanted to shrink back. But behind her was the cold wall. She had nowhere left to retreat. She could only watch helplessly as that face she both loved and hated kept growing larger in her vision.

"All right, all right."

He gently placed the pillow that belonged to her by her side, his movements so soft that it was as though he were soothing a frightened cat with all its fur standing on end.

Immediately after, before she had time to react to this sudden, gentle gesture, a pair of warm, powerful arms slipped beneath her stiff, defenseless armpits. With a force that brooked no refusal yet was gentle to the extreme, he pulled her entire body away from that cold jade bed.

"Come on, I was wrong."

A voice carrying a little helplessness, a little indulgence, and full of apology poured straight into her ears like the warmest, richest Sweet Spring, also bringing her whole self into a warm and Solid Chest filled with the fresh scent of soap and his unique Body Temperature.

Boom—!!!!!!

The instant Wang Dong was drawn into his arms, her mind completely turned into pure, deafening, empty... white.

Her entire body went rigid. She was as stiff as a lifeless stone that had been sealed in ice for a thousand years. She could clearly feel her cheek pressed tightly, burning hot, against his chest, which was not especially broad, yet was filled with a sense of strength that made her feel at ease. Through the thin fabric, she could hear his steady, strong, rhythmic heartbeat. Thump, thump, thump... one beat after another, like the heaviest war drum, pounding fiercely against her already fragile eardrums, and also against Her Heart, which had completely stopped thinking.

She could smell the pleasant scent on him, the one she longed for so much, a blend of sunlight and green grass. Like the most overbearing yet gentlest tide, it came from every direction and drowned her completely, leaving not a single gap.

She forgot to breathe, forgot to think, forgot where she was, and even forgot... who she was.

Only this sudden embrace remained in her world, so warm it made her want to cry.

A warm, large hand gently landed on her back, patting her softly again and again with a soothing, endlessly patient rhythm. The warmth and force from his palm were like a Warm Current imbued with Magic Power, silently seeping through that thin school uniform and into her cold, rigid Limbs and Bones, which had long since gone stiff from excessive tension and Shame and Anger.

Everywhere that warm current passed, ice and snow melted.

That string within her that had always been pulled taut, named "pride" and "stubbornness," finally... could no longer hold on under this gentle, continuous patting. With a snap, it broke completely.

In that instant, an indescribably enormous grievance, like a flash flood bursting forth, mixed with Sky-High Shame and Annoyance and a trace of hidden sweetness she herself was too ashamed to admit, surged out from the depths of her heart like a flood after a Dike Break, instantly washing away every embankment she had named "reason."

"Wuu..."

An extremely suppressed, heavily nasal, mosquito-faint whimper slipped uncontrollably from deep in her throat.

That sound was like a switch.

Once opened, it could never be closed again.

In those beautiful Pink Blue Eyes that had stubbornly refused to admit defeat, those few Crystal Clear tears that had been hanging there for so long, on the verge of falling, finally could no longer bear the weight. Like pearls with a broken string, they rolled down one after another.

First, silent Scalding Tears soaked her long, curled eyelashes, then slid soundlessly down her burning cheeks, finally sinking coldly into the soft fabric at his chest, fabric that carried his Body Temperature.

Immediately after, that soundless sobbing gradually turned into low, suppressed, uncontrollable crying.

"Wuu... wuwu..."

Her body began to tremble violently and uncontrollably in his warm embrace. Her hands, which had originally only been stiff and had not known where to go, instinctively clutched the fabric at his waist tightly, as though it were the only piece of driftwood she could hold on to in this ocean of emotions that was about to drown her.

She buried her face deeply, deeply into his warm and Solid Chest, like a pitiful Little Bird that had finally found a harbor after being drenched through in a storm. At this moment, she let the grievance and Shame and Anger she had suppressed for too long pour out to her heart's content.

She cried like a child who had suffered a grievance as vast as the heavens.

She did not know why she was crying.

Was it because of his vile, infuriating teasing just now?

Or because of those pitiful little thoughts of hers that had been mercilessly exposed?

Or perhaps... because of this sudden embrace, so overwhelmingly gentle that she had no power to resist?

She did not know.

Her mind had completely turned to mush. She only knew that this embrace was very warm. So warm that she could not bear to leave it. She only knew that the heartbeat in his chest was very strong. So strong that it gave her an incomparable Peace of Mind.

Just like that, she stayed quietly in His Embrace, crying and trembling.

And Long Yao only held her quietly, allowing her Scalding Tears to soak the front of his clothes completely. He did not speak again, nor did he make any other unnecessary movements. He merely used that warm, large hand to pat her slender back, which kept trembling from her violent sobs, again and again with endless patience and gentleness.

There was no longer the slightest trace of teasing or amusement in his eyes.

All that remained was a deep, ocean-like... tenderness and pity that even he himself had not noticed.

The moonlight was still gentle as it spilled in through the window lattice.

It pulled the two tightly embracing figures into a long, intimate, intertwined... shadow.

That warm, solid embrace was like the safest harbor, one that could shut out all the world's turmoil and harm. And that large hand patting her back again and again with endless patience was like the most effective sedative, possessing some magical power.

Under such extreme, gentle comfort, Wang Dong's sudden collapse, surging like a mountain flood, finally gradually calmed like a receding tide.

Her slender shoulders, trembling violently, slowly stopped shaking. The wronged sobs suppressed deep in her throat also slowly turned into broken, pitiful sniffles with a heavy nasal sound. Her small hands, which had been clutching his clothes tightly, unconsciously loosened their grip as well.

She simply buried her face deep in his chest in silence, greedily drawing in that warmth and scent that gave her incomparable peace of mind and made her yearn for it unbearably. She could clearly feel that her scalding tears had long since soaked the patch of fabric over his chest until it was cold and damp.

That realization made her heart, which had only just barely calmed a little, be gently seized again by a new emotion named "guilt" and "embarrassment."

What... what had she done?

Not only had she hit and cursed him like some shrew, she had even... even cried his clothes wet...

She felt she was simply awful beyond saving.

Who knew how much more time passed? Perhaps it was only half a minute, or perhaps it was a century. At last, that warm embrace that had been holding her all along and letting her vent finally moved.

The arms around her did not pull away abruptly. Instead, with a gentler force full of reassurance, they slowly released her, though one hand still held her somewhat weak, almost unsteady shoulder firmly.

Wang Dong subconsciously raised her head.

She saw his face.

At such a close distance, where their breaths could be heard, she could clearly see that his profound eyes, which always carried a teasing smile, were now staring at her without blinking. There was no longer the slightest trace of playfulness or mockery in them, only a kind of... softness as deep as the sea that she could not understand, yet made her heart skip another beat, and... heartache.

He did not speak. He merely reached out with his other hand, using his warm, dry thumb, slightly callused, to gently wipe away the miserable tear track on her cheek that had not yet dried.

His movement was so gentle it was as if he were handling the most precious porcelain, something that would shatter at the slightest touch.

Boom—

Wang Dong's brain went on strike again. She only stared at him blankly, foolishly, letting his slightly rough fingertip slowly rub against the scalding, sensitive skin of her cheek, stirring up fine currents of electricity that made her scalp tingle.

She felt as if her face no longer belonged to her in that moment.

"All right, stop crying."

His voice was very low, very deep, carrying a hint of soothing coaxing. "Look at you, crying like a little calico cat. Your eyes are all swollen."

Only after saying that did he slowly withdraw his hand. Then he held her shoulders and, with a force that brooked no resistance yet was incomparably gentle, guided her to turn around and face the gorgeous white jade bed that belonged to her again.

"Lie down and get a good sleep," he said softly. "You still have a match tomorrow. It wouldn't look good to go onstage with rabbit eyes like that."

His words seemed to possess some kind of magic power. Wang Dong's mind, muddled into complete chaos, could not carry out any effective thought at all. She could only be like an obedient puppet whose strings had all been cut, following his strength and meekly sitting down at the edge of her bed.

She still kept her head lowered, not daring to look at him. With her beautiful eyes, red and swollen from crying, she stared fixedly at her hands on her knees, hands that did not know where else to go.

She could feel that he had not left right away, but was still standing by her bed. She could even feel that gentle line of sight, filled with presence, still resting on her.

The room once again sank into a silence filled with ambiguity and charm.

Just when Wang Dong thought she was about to melt completely in this flustering silence, she felt the mattress beside her sink down slightly.

He... he sat down?!

That realization made her heart, which had finally calmed a little with great difficulty, race uncontrollably again!

She was so nervous she even forgot to breathe.

"Drink this... before you sleep."

His voice sounded by her ear again. Immediately after, a cup of warm water giving off a faint fragrance was handed to her.

It was the cup of water she had just... poured for him.

Wang Dong's eye sockets heated uncontrollably once more. A sour, astringent warm current, yet one carrying endless sweetness, surged up to the tip of her nose again without warning, making the eyes that had only just stopped crying blur over once more.

This bastard...

This vile, hateful, infuriating bastard...

Why... was he so good to her?

She could no longer say a single word. She could only stretch out those slightly trembling hands and silently take the cup of water. That faint warmth clearly passed from the glass wall into her palms, and strangely soothed her flustered, helpless heart.

She lowered her head and drank the water in small sips. The warm liquid slowly slid down her throat, which had become somewhat dry from crying, into her stomach, taking away a trace of tension and leaving behind a patch of warmth.

She drank very, very slowly, as if she wanted to stretch this moment out infinitely.

Long Yao just sat quietly by her bed, patiently keeping her company and watching as she drank every last drop of that cup of water.

Only after she finished drinking and handed the empty cup back did he speak again, his voice carrying a hint of unquestionable command.

"Lie down."

Wang Dong's heart trembled fiercely. She subconsciously raised her head and looked at him. At such a close distance, their eyes met.

In his profound eyes, she saw a serious, gentle star sea she had never seen before. And in that star sea, she also saw herself, small and at a loss, with red, swollen eyes, disheveled hair, and miserable tear tracks still on her cheeks.

For some reason, looking at him like that, she could not muster the slightest thought of resistance.

She silently shifted her body, then, as if under a spell, obediently and slowly lay down. Her petite body looked especially slender and pitiful on that broad, gorgeous white jade bed.

The instant she lay down, she could clearly feel the "Butterfly Loves Star Sea" hairpin he had given her in her hair lightly knock against the cold jade pillow, producing a clear, tiny sound.

She subconsciously wanted to reach out and take it off.

But a warm, large hand was faster than she was, gently pressing down on her hand.

"Don't move," His Voice was very soft, very gentle, as if he were speaking to a disobedient child. "Sleep with it on."

Wang Dong's hand froze in midair. She could feel it clearly—his warm palm covering the back of her hand, that scorching heat seeming to pass through her skin and set her entire body completely ablaze.

Her face turned red again, as if it might drip blood.

Just when she thought she was about to faint outright from her racing heartbeat, his warm palm finally, slowly left the back of her hand.

Immediately after, a cool, smooth Heavenly Silkworm Quilt carrying a faint fragrance was gently pulled up, tenderly covering her body all the way to her beautifully shaped chin, wrapping her completely in this little world of her own, filled with a Sense of Security.

"Sleep."

He said one last thing, his voice carrying a trace of extreme gentleness she had never heard before.

Then she heard the faint sound of the mattress being pressed down again. He stood up. After that came a steady set of Footsteps, gradually moving farther away.

Finally, the other bed also let out a faint, muffled groan.

He had returned to his own bed.

The entire room sank completely into boundless, silent darkness.

Wang Dong lay flat and motionless on the cool, comfortable jade bed, her red, swollen eyes open as she stared blankly at the hazy Light and Shadow reflected by the moonlight on the ceiling.

At the tip of her nose, his fresh, pleasant scent seemed to still linger. On her cheek, the rough yet gentle touch of his fingertip seemed to remain. On the back of her hand, the scorching heat of his palm seemed to still be there, almost hot enough to melt her.

Her heart, too, seemed to still be lingering in his warm, solid embrace—one she longed for beyond measure.

Her mind was like a movie reel, playing everything that had happened tonight over and over again. From fighting Side by Side on the soul fighting stage, to the sentiment behind the hairpin he had given her at the night market, and then to... that "farce" just now, which had left her nearly dying of Shame and Anger, yet also... made her heartbeat lose control.

Scene after scene, detail after detail, all of it was like the deepest brand, carved fiercely into her Soul Depth.

She raised her hand, her Fingertips lightly, tremblingly touching the "Butterfly Love—Starry Sea" in the hair by her ear—the one he had given her, the one he had personally placed on her.

That slightly cool, solid sensation was incomparably real.

After an unknown length of time, she slowly turned onto her side and curled her entire body into a ball. She hugged the soft Pillow he had just returned to her tightly in her arms, as if she were holding the most precious treasure.

She buried herself deep into that softness.

There seemed to still be a faint trace there that belonged only to him, a light scent that filled her with Peace of Mind.

She closed her eyes, those two long, curled Eyelashes trembling faintly beneath the moonlight. A line of bright, Crystal Clear tears, no longer carrying any grievance or Shame and Anger, slipped silently from the corners of her tightly shut eyes, slowly falling, and finally sank soundlessly into the soft pillow core filled with his scent.

This time, she did not know whether the tears she shed were tears of grievance, or... tears of sweetness.

Perhaps they were both.

Time: Douluo Calendar Year 2030 Season: Autumn Second Day of Enrollment Late Night 11:50

Location: Shrek Academy, Central Plaza

Audience: 570,000

Equipment: Shrek Academy Uniform x1, True Vast Sea Ring (Divine Artifact) Student Emblem x1

Items: Shrek Academy Uniform x1, Dormitory Key x1

First Martial Soul: Soul Breaking Spear [Traits: Armor Breaking, Soul Devouring, Penetration]

Second Martial Soul: Chaos Holy Dragon (Hidden) [Traits: Strength, Time, Space]

Soul Power: Level 45 (Soul Ancestor) [Status: True Vast Sea Ring Shielding, External Perception is Level 24]

Soul Rings: [Soul Breaking Spear] First Soul Ring (Yellow Hundred-Year), Second Soul Ring (Purple Thousand-Year), Third Soul Ring (Black Ten-Thousand-Year), Fourth Soul Ring (Black Ten-Thousand-Year)

[Chaos Holy Dragon] First Soul Ring (Black Thirteen-Thousand-Year), Second Soul Ring (Black Twenty-Eight-Thousand-Year), Third Soul Ring (Black Forty-Six-Thousand-Year), Fourth Soul Ring (Rose Gold Hundred-Thousand-Year)

Soul Skills: [Soul Breaking Spear] First Spirit Skill: Swift Shadow Stab, Second Spirit Skill: Whirlwind Spear, Third Spirit Skill: Armor Breaking Spiral, Fourth Spirit Skill: Thousand Spirit Spear Rain

[Chaos Holy Dragon] First Spirit Skill: Star Ring, Second Spirit Skill: Holy Dragon Claw, Third Spirit Skill: Void Claw, Fourth Spirit Skill: Time and Space Roar

Soul Bones: None

Soul Spirit: None

Tip Temporary Storage: [Million-Year Spirit Beast Inverse Scale] x1, [Starlight Sapphire Brooch] x1, [Tsundere Princess Strategy Manual Platinum Edition] x1, [God-Bestowed Soul Ring (Hundred-Thousand-Year)] x1, [Spring of Life (Concentrated)] x1, [Calming Incense (First Thaw of the Snowy Mountain)] x1, [Dragon Blood Body Tempering Pill] ×10, [Space Storage Bracelet (Couple's Edition)] ×1, [God King Level Space Law Comprehension Crystal] ×1, [Super Divine Artifact: Time and Space Wheel Fragment] ×1, [God King Godhead (Incomplete)] ×1, [Playful Rabbit Ear Headband] ×2