Design Blueprints

Design Blueprints

"Could you not treat me like an idiot?" Chen Yan held his forehead, finally unable to hold back any longer. "I do have a little bit of wisdom, you know."

Gu Yuena fell silent.

Chen Yan felt profoundly insulted by that silence. No way! Does she really think I don't have even a shred of wisdom?

I'm just a little goofy sometimes, eat a little more, and sleep a little more, that's all! Why does she think I have no wisdom whatsoever!

I'm really going to... cry myself to death! (Snowflakes drift, the north wind howls~)

Seeing Chen Yan's utterly shattered expression, Gu Yuena found it rather amusing.

"Alright! I was only joking." She smiled, breaking the silence. "Of course you have wisdom."

Chen Yan's face darkened even further. "Are you praising me or mocking me?"

Gu Yuena smiled faintly and looked at Chen Yan seriously. "Of course I'm praising you."

"Forget it, didn't you say you needed something from me?" There was no arguing with her. There really was no arguing with her.

He was completely no match for Gu Yuena!

Chen Yan felt uncomfortable all over whenever she so much as blinked. He really couldn't handle girls acting cute, coquettish, and innocent! Damn it!

"Here, this is the battle armor I designed." Smiling, she took out a stack of papers. Each component had been drawn out, with densely packed notes beside it detailing the exact specifications for making it from different metals.

"This is..."

Chen Yan took them and looked at the first page. It depicted a set of golden armor with a dragon's body, eagle arms, tiger shoulders, a mastiff's back, and rhinoceros legs.

"Emperor Armor..."

"How is it? My drawings aren't bad, right?" Seeing Gu Yuena's radiant smile, Chen Yan could barely keep his composure.

He truly had not expected Gu Yuena to prepare this for him.

"Yeah, it's very good." He gently clenched the papers. "Thank you."

"In all these years, you're the first person who's truly cared about what I like."

The moment he finished speaking, he realized how foolish that had sounded, and his whole face abruptly turned red.

"Um, I still have something to do." Chen Yan hurriedly lowered his head, trying to hide the embarrassment on his face. His heartbeat was speeding up. First person? Why did I say that out loud?

His face grew hotter and hotter, and he turned to leave.

"Chen Yan!" Hearing Gu Yuena call his name, Chen Yan paused slightly.

"Good night."

"Good night."

He hurried back to his bedroom, missing Gu Yuena's flower-like smile.

With her hands behind her back, she casually wandered around the living room. After tidying up Chen Yan's things, she quietly left.

Chen Yan sat cross-legged on the bed in a troubled state, still holding that stack of papers. The words he had just said echoed through his mind over and over again.

He covered his blazing red face, utterly speechless.

Sigh, looking at the pages filled with neat handwriting, he was overwhelmed with emotion. Still, the corners of his mouth simply would not stay down.

Having someone like this was really wonderful!

"The Taiji Two-Yin Stone is for making the belt?"

"Can this kind of array really consume so little energy?"

"There's even a soundproofing array? Wouldn't armor feel a little off without the sound of metal clashing?"

"Forget it. This is for fighting. If it makes noise, there won't be any stealth."

And so, Chen Yan stayed up all night, brimming with excitement.

"Yawn~"

Early the next morning, Chen Yan opened his door with a yawn. He had not developed dark circles that quickly, but he was genuinely a little listless.

Gu Yuena, on the other hand, was the opposite. She was full of energy today, with a High Ponytail and a white school uniform, brimming with youthful vitality!

"Look, Brother, isn't that Chen Yan and Gu Yuena?" The moment she came downstairs, Li Xuanya's eyes lit up. She excitedly pointed at the two of them.

"Should we go say hello?" Her eyes sparkled with anticipation, and she looked eager to try.

"Go ahead." Li Mingxuan nodded with a smile. As classmates, there was naturally nothing wrong with greeting them.

"Alright!" Li Xuanya answered, pulling her brother along as she headed toward them.

"Hey, slow down!"

"You're the one who needs to hurry up, Brother!"

Watching the two bickering figures walk straight toward him from afar, Chen Yan's previously lazy steps came to an immediate halt.

"Hello!" Li Xuanya stopped in front of them and spoke first, her voice carrying undisguised goodwill.

"I'm Li Xuanya." She introduced herself, pointing at the brother beside her. "This is my brother, Li Mingxuan!"

"Hello!" Li Mingxuan waved in greeting, though Gu Yuena's beauty had clearly stunned him so much that his facial muscles seemed slightly uncoordinated.

Chen Yan and Gu Yuena politely responded as well. "Hello."

"How about we have breakfast together? A table for four is just right." Li Xuanya suggested.

Chen Yan did not see any problem with that, so he turned to Gu Yuena and asked, "Gu Yuena, what do you think?"

"I'm fine with anything." She was cold and aloof again, but Chen Yan was not surprised. He nodded slightly. "Then let's go. If we're late, the food might already be cold."

"Alright, let's go!" Li Xuanya shouted, pumping her little fist.

The four of them headed to the cafeteria together, leaving Wang Zihan as the lone bachelor on that floor.

Because he was unaccustomed to sleeping in a new place, by the time he stepped out of his room, the building was already completely empty.

Oh no, I'm going to be late! After getting dressed, he did not even have time to eat before rushing toward the Teaching Building.

"Chen Yan, did you not sleep well last night? You don't seem very energetic." On the way, Li Xuanya curiously asked as she watched Chen Yan yawn from time to time.

"Oh, there was something I hadn't finished last night, so I stayed up for a while."

"Really? Then make sure you get some rest in the future!" Li Xuanya's blue eyes were pure and bright, like a clear spring.

"Don't worry, I will." This girl is really enthusiastic. Chen Yan answered while inwardly sighing.

"Ahem..." Beside him, Gu Yuena gave a soft cough and glanced at Chen Yan without a trace, sending a chill through his body.

What's going on? He was completely baffled.

The four entered the cafeteria. Morning sunlight streamed through the windows and spilled over the dining tables, creating a warm scene. Some students had already arrived early; some were chatting, while others ate with their heads lowered.

"Look, aren't those students from Class One?"

"Really? I heard everyone in their class has Soul Power above level 22!"

The upperclassmen also looked them over with interest. Hearing the surrounding discussion, they became curious as well. "Those are the first-year Class One students?"

"No idea, but that silver-haired girl is so pretty!"

"You beast, she's only nine!" Hearing his companion's remark, he revealed a hint of disdain.

"Isn't she pretty, though?"

"P-Pretty."

"Exactly! You're just like me!" He rolled his eyes after hearing the answer. This guy was clearly saying one thing while feeling another.

"How can a scholar like me be the same as you?" His companion immediately exploded at those words, seemingly even looking disgusted.

"Am I not a scholar too?!"

Talk was just talk.

Led by Li Xuanya, the four bought breakfast and found a window-side table to sit at.

Perhaps my childhood had once been beautiful, too! There had been flowing rivers, little fish and shrimp swimming about, and Grandpa, still healthy and alive.

When had summer and winter breaks started being filled with extra lessons? When had weekends started being filled with extra lessons too? When had my parents even forgotten my birthday? When had I begun facing my gradually aging grandfather with nothing to say?

He passed away, yet I never got to see him one last time. With only three or four months left before the college entrance exams, he simply left like that.