The Bet

"Ah, so that's what happened..."

After listening to Little Wu's explanation, Long Jie finally understood. The girls had wanted to come find him, but Little Wu had refused them.

Naturally, Ning Rongrong had been unhappy and said, "Why should we listen to you? I clearly knew Long Jie first!"

That one sentence had started a war among the three women.

Long Jie was a little speechless. That was all? But Zhu Zhuqing had said she had known him long ago too?

Could she really be that little girl?

"Forget it, let's not worry about that for now. Let's go to Lan Ba Academy first! Rong Rong and Zhu Qing should go there on their own!"

"They won't!" Little Wu pouted unhappily. "Brother, why do you care so much about them? Don't tell me you like them?"

Like them?

Long Jie thought about Zhu Zhuqing's figure. Who wouldn't like that? But Ning Rongrong... forget it. He didn't dare like her.

"Why are you overthinking it? I'm only doing this to become stronger!" Long Jie said with a smile, patting her head. The two held hands as they arrived at the entrance of Lan Ba Academy.

The place was packed with people. Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing stood amid the crowd, extremely conspicuous!

"See? I told you they came too!" Long Jie greeted Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, while Little Wu was clearly a little unhappy.

Why did they have to follow us... So annoying!

"Rong Rong, Zhu Qing, you're here? Have you registered yet?" Long Jie asked with a smile. His smile seemed infectious, easing Ning Rongrong's foul mood somewhat.

"Not yet! We were waiting for you!"

Hearing that, Little Wu felt uncomfortable again. Don't you have a brother? Why are you waiting for mine!

Long Jie smiled. "Then let's go together!"

"Okay!"

One man and three women arrived together at the registration area outside Lan Ba Academy. Without even looking at them, the gatekeeper asked, "Do you have letters of recommendation?"

Long Jie looked at the three girls. They all shook their heads in unison.

"No!"

"No? Then go over there!" The gatekeeper pointed to the other side. "That's the Green Channel. Everyone without a letter of recommendation goes through there."

"Alright!" Long Jie did not mind and led the three girls toward the Green Channel.

A man accompanied by three stunning beauties naturally drew plenty of attention. Among the crowd, Tai Long, his body covered in robust muscles, glanced at Zhu Zhuqing and his eyes immediately lit up. Before they could reach the Green Channel, he stepped in front of them and blocked their way.

"Hey? You're the ones taking the Green Channel?"

Tai Long's broad, muscular body stood in front of Long Jie as he said arrogantly, "You want to take the Green Channel?"

"Yes," Long Jie replied neither humbly nor arrogantly. Tai Long was delighted. Looking down his nose at Long Jie, he said, "Tch, you don't even have a letter of recommendation? And you still dare bring so many women around? Aren't you ashamed?"

He looked at the three girls behind Long Jie and said, "Beautiful ladies, let me tell you something. Taking the Green Channel means you can only enter the lowest-ranked academy. That will affect your cultivation resources. Why not come with me? I can get us letters of recommendation!"

Was that really how it worked? Long Jie frowned. If so, what was the point of coming to Lan Ba Academy?

He had heard that Lan Ba Academy was the fairest of all academies and treated commoners the best. That was why he had come. Yet this was what it was like?

Behind him, Ning Rongrong looked at Zhu Zhuqing and muttered softly, "Zhu Qing, do you think there's something wrong with this guy's head?"

"If you put it that way... then yes, there definitely is."

"Does he really think we'll go with him just because he said that?"

"You really aren't going with him?" Little Wu curiously joined their conversation.

"Tch, this Young Lady isn't short on that little bit of resources!" Ning Rongrong said disdainfully, completely unconcerned.

Zhu Zhuqing did not hesitate either. "I'm not going."

Hearing this, Little Wu was delighted. It turned out the two of them were not that annoying after all.

Tai Long, standing in front, could not hear what they were saying clearly. Instead, he thought they had been tempted, and eagerly added, "Hehe, come with me quickly. Don't worry, your big brother here will help you settle—"

"Tai Long, what are you doing again?" A young woman approached from afar. She appeared to be somewhat older than Long Jie.

"J-Jiang Zhu? Why are you here?" Tai Long jumped in fright. Why was his goddess here? How was he supposed to pursue Zhu Zhuqing now...

"Hmph! Tai Long, you're causing trouble again..." Jiang Zhu scolded Tai Long before turning toward Long Jie's group with a smile. "Come with me. I'll handle it for you. Don't worry, taking the Green Channel is no different from entering the academy normally!"

Long Jie nodded. Now that made sense.

With Jiang Zhu's help, they successfully completed their enrollment.

Lan Ba Academy truly deserved to be called a major academy. Its facilities were something Shrek could not compare to, and the dormitories were the clearest example.

The academy had actually arranged a private dormitory for every student. That level of wealth was simply terrifying!

"If I remember correctly, Lan Ba Academy's dean is Liu Erlong, right? The one who had that love-hate relationship with Yu Xiaogang?"

Long Jie imagined what Liu Erlong looked like in his mind: a tall woman with a violent temper?

Pfft... he could picture it.

(Long Jie had not read the manga or watched the anime.)

The next day, early morning!

Long Jie got up early. Lan Ba Academy was holding its first assembly, and everyone had to attend.

"What are they going to say? I'm kind of curious!"

"I'm so nervous, I want it so badly!"

"I just graduated from kindergarten. Can someone tell me what high school is for?"

Amid everyone's heated discussion, Long Jie quickly found Little Wu and the other two girls. Strangely enough, the three women were chatting and laughing together today.

"Brother, you're here!" Little Wu smiled sweetly, clearly in a wonderful mood. Her left hand held Ning Rongrong's little hand, while Ning Rongrong held Zhu Zhuqing's hand.

??? Long Jie stared dumbly at the scene. Hadn't you fought just yesterday?

Could women's friendships form that quickly?

"Brother, come over here. We're making a bet. Do you want to join?"

"What bet?"

"We're betting on how pretty Lan Ba Academy's dean is!" Ning Rongrong snickered. "We think Dean Liu Erlong is very beautiful. What do you think, Long Jie?"

Beautiful? A tall figure appeared in Long Jie's mind. It had absolutely nothing to do with being beautiful.

He smiled and shook his head. "Since you're all so interested, I'll bet that she isn't beautiful."

"Okay, okay!" Little Wu smiled and said excitedly, "Then what will the stakes be?"

Little Wu looked toward the other two girls, who both pondered seriously.

Long Jie could not help but smile. It was just a bet. Why were they taking it so seriously?

"How about... whoever loses has to challenge Dean Liu Erlong to a one-on-one duel?" Zhu Zhuqing suggested, and there was actually a trace of excitement in her eyes.

"Okay, okay, but let's make this clear first. The three of us are betting together, so even if we lose, all three of us lose together!" Little Wu snickered as she looked at Long Jie. Long Jie could only smile helplessly.

"I have the feeling you're setting me up, but fine! Have it your way!"

Soon, in Lan Ba Academy's plaza, the music suddenly stopped, and the academy leaders slowly stepped onto the stage from below!