The Forgotten Girlfriend

Ning Ze stopped hesitating. He quickly picked up his phone and accepted the call.

A beautiful girl with a gentle temperament and delicate features appeared on the screen, with a desk behind her.

A faint smile rested on her lips, a shallow dimple appeared on her fair cheek, and her large eyes were filled with confusion.

This was the girlfriend he had forgotten—Shu Yi.

Ning Ze awkwardly rubbed his nose. "Xiao Guai, if I said I spent the whole day training and fell asleep as soon as I lay down, would you believe me?"

Shu Yi obediently nodded. "I believe you." After a slight hesitation, she said with a half-smile, "But if I said I couldn't fall asleep after lying down~ would you believe me?"

Ning Ze broke out in a cold sweat. It seemed he had said he would at least send a brief message after going to the Wilderness Area?

But he really had forgotten.

On the first night after setting out, he had taken a kick from a Crimson Horned Horse. He spent the entire night thinking over combat and the system, and after returning, he had thrown himself into training again.

There was no limit to absorbing Cosmic Energy. Anyone would find it impossible to stop after gaining something this good!

Shu Yi did not look at his embarrassed expression. Her gaze drifted as she said, "I heard... you've been back for a week?" After saying that, she put on an adorably curious expression.

Her reproach was obvious.

Ning Ze cursed inwardly. How could he not know by now that there was a spy in his family?

That little traitor Ning Qianqian had asked him on the first day whether he had forgotten something!

"Xiao Guai, once the captain comes back, I'll be heading to the Wilderness Area again. When I return this time, I'll come see you."

Shu Yi gave him an adorable eye roll, then smiled sweetly. "Okay. Be careful in the Wilderness Area."

Ning Ze let out a breath of relief. It looked like she had forgiven him. His girlfriend had always been a sensible person.

For a warrior, training was more important. Shu Yi could not help him much, nor would she become a burden. In the past, they had only spent time together between training sessions, or practiced through sparring.

Just as Ning Ze was about to speak, a bizarrely drawn-out voice rang out from the other end of the call.

"Oh my~ Xiao Guai~ Young Master Zhai is coming to see you tomorrow?"

"Huh?"

Ning Ze's eyes widened. "That bastard Zhai Yanko has been harassing you?"

Zhai Yanko had been their classmate at their former Noble school, from elementary school through high school. He was also the eldest young master of Flagship Group. After graduating from high school, they had all entered Jiangnan University in the main urban district.

The Zhai Family's Flagship Group was considered one of the top corporations in Yangzhou District. It mainly operated a series of businesses involving monster materials. With enough money, they could even hire Advanced Warlords. That was an extremely powerful background.

There were very few children of War Gods at school. At the very least, there had been none in their year.

That background had cultivated Zhai Yanko's arrogant and wild personality. But which child at a Noble school did not have a warrior in the family? At the very least, their families had Advanced Warriors; otherwise, they came from Warlord-level families, major companies, or large corporations.

When they entered elementary school, no one paid attention when Zhai Yanko tried to become the boss.

Warriors were not like these young masters and heirs. Children were not that snobbish either. When they saw him throwing his weight around, no one wanted to play with him.

Having grown up in a family that ran a company, Zhai Yanko had learned a thing or two. He decided to find a soft target, kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, and establish his authority.

Children competed based on who developed faster.

At the time, he cleverly picked Ning Ze, who was rather thin and looked obedient and cute.

But Ning Hua had been tough on Ning Ze since childhood, so Ning Ze had already accumulated considerable combat experience.

Without question, Zhai Yanko was beaten to tears.

The seemingly obedient and cute Ning Ze was actually the best fighter in the class!

Naturally, Zhai Yanko refused to admit defeat. He even shouted that he would find someone to beat Ning Ze up.

That was how the two had become enemies from childhood.

By middle school, Zhai Yanko began using his family's company to suppress Ning Ze's family business. The warrior circle was broad, and the Zhai Family was not powerful enough to cover the sky with one hand, but Ning Ze's family business was certainly affected.

By high school, when Ning Ze and Shu Yi started dating, Zhai Yanko began stirring up trouble and pursuing Shu Yi as well.

Ning Ze directly challenged him at the martial arts school. The outcome was obvious. It had been a guaranteed victory.

Ning Ze gave Zhai Yanko a brutal lesson, and their conflict escalated to its peak from then on.

Unable to beat Ning Ze, Zhai Yanko relentlessly harassed his girlfriend. He even openly admitted that he could not beat Ning Ze in order to avoid another beating.

Ning Ze had nowhere to vent his anger. Directly attacking him was definitely not an option. Zhai Yanko had Warlord-level bodyguards. If Ning Ze dared to make a move recklessly, he would be walking into a trap.

Now that Ning Ze had left school, Zhai Yanko was harassing his girlfriend again. It made Ning Ze's anger flare.

Shu Yi smiled faintly. "It's fine. I can handle it. I just need to ignore him."

Ning Ze's expression darkened. It was not the thief that worried one most, but the thief who kept thinking about you.

How could he tolerate this?

Training was not just about staying alive. What warriors sought was peace of mind.

A girlfriend was a man's dignity. How could he allow someone else to provoke him over that?

To hell with training at a time like this!

Ning Ze said in a low voice, "I'll come see you tomorrow. That bastard gets itchy if he goes too long without a beating!"

A brilliant smile bloomed across Shu Yi's face like an epiphyllum in full flower.

She liked seeing Ning Ze worry over her.

"There's no need. You'll be going to the Wilderness Area again in a few days, so you should train properly for a few days. He's just like a piece of dog-skin plaster. There's no need to pay attention to him."

Ning Ze took a deep breath and suppressed his anger. He smiled as well.

"I haven't seen you in days. I missed you. Training needs a balance between work and rest too. If I can replenish some energy, I'll have even more motivation to train."

At that point, Ning Ze gave a mischievous smile.

Shu Yi's cheeks reddened slightly. Her gaze darted away as she said softly, "You're so improper. I'm ignoring you." After a brief pause, she added, "What time are you coming tomorrow?"

Her words said one thing while her heart said another. That shy look was an enormous test for Ning Ze.

He was a young man who had only just come of age. It had been fine when he was focused on training, but now that they had not seen each other for half a month, how could he endure it?

Ning Ze felt his mouth go dry, his tongue itch, and his heart grow impatient.

He swallowed hard and said without hesitation, "I'll take the earliest train. I'll leave at seven and reach the main urban district in a little over an hour."

"Okay, I'll wait for you," Shu Yi said with a delighted smile.

As if remembering something, she added worriedly, "That guy also said he was coming to see me in the morning. Xin Lan said he became a Quasi-Warrior too. Apparently, he gained over a thousand kilograms of strength the first time he absorbed Cosmic Origin Energy."

Seeing the hesitation in her expression, Ning Ze immediately understood. Zhai Yanko's initial increase in strength was probably greater than his.

Ning Ze smiled disdainfully, then said arrogantly, "Become a Quasi-Warrior? Is he waiting to take the Warrior Practical Combat Assessment on August 1?"

"With that little strength of his, even if he becomes a warrior, I could beat him to death without using either hand!"

Shu Yi covered her mouth and laughed. "Yes, my Lord Ning is so impressive."

Ning Ze crossed his arms, nodded in agreement, and said with great satisfaction, "Xiao Guai is so obedient. I love hearing that! Say more."

Shu Yi rolled her eyes and smiled. "Alright, I won't disturb your training anymore. See you tomorrow." She pursed her lips, her red lips full of temptation.

The video call ended.

Ning Ze wrinkled his nose and muttered, "Little brat, seducing me and affecting my training state."

"I can't calm my mind anymore. I might as well practice swordsmanship for a while."

The next day.

An odd sight appeared in a train carriage heading toward the main urban district.

A young man in a white short-sleeved T-shirt had a seat but refused to use it, choosing instead to sit cross-legged on the floor.

His feet were crossed with both soles facing upward, while his hands rested on his legs with his palms facing upward. His waist and back were straight.

His head was raised, his handsome face aimed at the ceiling.

Ordinary people might find it strange, but any warrior would recognize it at a glance. It was a Gene Energy cultivation method—the Five Hearts Facing Heaven Style.

Some people even recorded him and uploaded the footage to social media. Quite a few young women openly stole glances at him while pretending to be embarrassed.

Ning Ze seemed completely unaware. Without the system, cultivating in such a noisy environment might have been difficult for him. But with the system's assistance, as long as he wanted to and no one interrupted him, he could enter a cultivation state with ease.

He had not originally intended to simply cultivate. He wanted to see whether he could simplify the Five Hearts Facing Heaven Style and increase the speed at which he absorbed Cosmic Energy.

Unexpectedly, once he began cultivating, he entered the state.

Unable to resist, he had instinctively started cultivating and forgotten the setting.

Time slowly passed.

Until an announcement sounded.

"Dear passengers, the next stop is the main urban district of Jiangnan Base City, East Railway Station. Passengers disembarking, please prepare and check your belongings..."

Hearing that familiar announcement, Ning Ze slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a face as large as a plate, with a black mole at the corner of its mouth.

He came back to his senses and suddenly shuddered. He hurriedly leaped backward, then looked warily at the middle-aged man squatting on the ground before him. Three black lines appeared across his forehead.

"Sir, isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

Ning Ze's face twisted as though he had bitten into a bitter melon. A grown man had gotten so close to him!

"You really were cultivating? And you cultivated for a whole hour?" the middle-aged man asked instead of answering.

Ning Ze remained on guard inside. He shrugged and casually replied, "Just trying it. I kept trying to focus, but unfortunately, I didn't succeed."

The middle-aged man smiled ambiguously. "Is that so?"

Ning Ze nodded slightly, then turned to look outside. Once he saw the tube-shaped apartment buildings, he knew they were almost there.

Seeing that Ning Ze did not want to talk, the middle-aged man eyed him up and down suspiciously.

"What are you doing in the main urban district?"

"I came to see my girlfriend."

The two exchanged a few idle words, but Ning Ze's replies remained lukewarm.

Of course, he also noticed that this chatty middle-aged man was anything but ordinary. Judging from his aura, he was an extremely powerful warrior, at the very least stronger than Ning Ze's father.

But Ning Ze was not some ordinary child from an ordinary family. He had seen far too many Warlords growing up.

"My name is Pu Nan, Head Hall Master of Changzhou District Thunderclap Hall. What's your name, young man?"

Ning Ze's pupils contracted. He had not expected to actually encounter such an important figure. This man's status was equivalent to Wu Tong, the Head Hall Master of the Limitless Martial Arts School in Bright Moon Residential Area.

The Thunderclap Martial Arts School and Limitless Martial Arts School held equal status. There was no need to mention the standing of the two major martial arts schools. The head master of one of their halls was essentially the supreme ruler of an entire district!

"Greetings, Head Hall Master. My name is Ning Ze. You should know my father. He is Ning Hua, the Branch Master of Yangzhou District."

He was neither servile nor overbearing, showing respect while remaining calm.

Pu Nan thought for a moment, then suddenly realized. "The Branch Master of Yangzhou District? Golden Fire Bear?"

Ning Ze felt his teeth ache. When a wall fell, everyone pushed it. Once his father's strength had declined, his reputation had plummeted as well.

He said solemnly, "Sir, my father's nickname is Gilded Blade."

"Oh?"

Pu Nan raised an eyebrow. "My apologies. Perhaps I remembered incorrectly." Though he said so, there was not the slightest trace of apology on his face.

The two martial arts schools were competitors, and he had never even heard the title Gilded Blade. Since Ning Hua held a post in the Limitless Martial Arts School, the name that had spread was Golden Fire Bear.

Ning Ze nodded slightly and did not wish to say anything more.

In truth, the nickname was not entirely wrong. After all, it had already been seven or eight years.

Good news never left the house, while bad news traveled a thousand miles. His father's good reputation had not spread, but that nickname had become widely known. Everyone recognized it as soon as they heard it.

Pu Nan did not say anything else.

He had initially seen how seriously Ning Ze cultivated, how he could remain focused even in such an environment, and thought he might be a genius worth recruiting.

Now that both sides had revealed their identities, there was no possibility of recruitment. Naturally, he had no reason to say more. Strictly speaking, they belonged to competing and hostile factions, so he had even less interest in chatting.

Before getting off the train, Ning Ze greeted him once more. Regardless of the relationship between the two martial arts schools, Pu Nan was still a senior. Warriors had to maintain respect for the strong. That was the rule among warriors!

He hailed a taxi and got out at the entrance of Jiangnan University.

Ning Ze immediately spotted Shu Yi standing by the gate.

She wore a simple white dress, her hands clasped in front of her in an obedient pose.

She lifted her little head and waited eagerly. As cars passed, her long dress fluttered in the breeze, accentuating her graceful figure, while her two braided pigtails danced in the wind.

When she saw Ning Ze waving repeatedly from inside the taxi, Shu Yi smiled brightly and skipped toward him like a butterfly dancing through the air.

"My darling is so beautiful."

Ning Ze was overjoyed. He quickly got out and hugged her, waving one hand behind him to signal for the driver to hurry up and leave!

Her soft body was in his arms, carrying a faint orchid fragrance. It felt so wonderful! For the beauty before him, he had more than enough reason to train hard!

Shu Yi leaned against his chest and asked sweetly, "How was the Wilderness Area? Didn't you say you were going out for half a month? Did something happen?"

Ning Ze tilted his head and whispered into her delicate ear, "Something did happen."

Shu Yi immediately looked up and asked worriedly, "What happened?"

A smile tugged at Ning Ze's lips as he said seriously, "If I hadn't gone to the Wilderness Area, I never would have realized how much I missed you."

Shu Yi pouted and gave a soft snort, wanting to push him away. And he still had the nerve to say that!

He had forgotten all about her!

He had not even sent a message while he was in the Wilderness Area.

After coming back, he had not thought to tell her either. He had made her worry so much that she could not sleep!

Ning Ze quickly tightened his arms and begged for mercy. "I was wrong, I was wrong. Let me hold you a little longer."

Shu Yi pursed her lips in a smile and demanded, "What were you wrong about?"

Ning Ze fell silent for a moment, then said seriously, "If I hadn't gone to the Wilderness Area, I never would have discovered that I'm such a genius. Perhaps we should get to know each other again. Unparalleled genius Ning Ze, please take care of me."

Shu Yi slapped his chest irritably. "Your skin is so thick! Who calls himself a genius?" Then she said reproachfully, "Get to know each other again, huh? Fine! Then you don't have a girlfriend anymore!"

Ning Ze thought for a moment, then raised his eyes and warned, "Student Shu Yi, a genius like me means you should be the one chasing me now!"

"I won't!"

Shu Yi was instantly angered into laughter. He had made a mistake, refused to accept punishment, and was still trying to act cute! She turned and walked toward the school.

Ning Ze hurriedly ran over and shamelessly wrapped an arm around her. Shu Yi shook her shoulder but did not break free, so she simply let him hold her.

Only then did Ning Ze take out an exquisite dark red shoulder bag with a blooming rose printed on it.

"This was made from the hide of the first intermediate Beast Soldier-level monster I killed in the Wilderness Area, a Crimson Horned Horse. I made two shoulder bags from its hide—one for you and one for my mother."

"What do you think? Do you like it?"

Shu Yi's face was full of smiles as she happily accepted it. "I like it. It's beautiful." Then she asked somewhat curiously, "Qianqian doesn't have one?"

"Her? I used the hide of a damaged Shadow Cat Monster to make winter gloves for her. They even have all five front claws on them. She won't be able to wear them until winter."

Shu Yi nodded slightly. She knew that although the siblings often seemed to bicker, that was only on the surface. Their relationship was actually very good.

Her shoulder bag had been made from the hide of the first monster Ning Ze had hunted, giving it great significance.

Ning Qianqian's gloves, meanwhile, had been made from a hide Ning Ze had acquired with great difficulty. Even the hide itself had been damaged, so the battle must have been incredibly intense. The fact that he had made gloves from it and given them to her showed just how much he cherished his younger sister.

Some readers might not like me writing romance between men and women.

Actually, I do not particularly want to write it either, but... it would feel strange for a normal man, not a transmigrator, to have never dated in high school, never gone through adolescence, and never had a wife his entire life.

The author will do their best to avoid making it awkward. This character does not have much plot involvement.