The Work-Study Student's "Benefits" and Exclusive Lessons

Although the conflict had temporarily subsided, the provocative looks and words from Xiao Chenyu's group had lodged in every Work-Study Student's heart like thorns. In this world, strength was always what truly mattered.

That afternoon, the teacher in charge of the Work-Study Students came and assigned them their tasks. The work was indeed far from easy: sweeping the Training Ground, clearing weeds from the gardens, wiping the handrails in the teaching building's corridors... The areas were large, the standards high, and the tasks demanded plenty of time and physical effort.

The children of Seventh Dormitory wailed in misery, but they could only resign themselves to it.

Xiao Xiaoxiao was assigned to Tang San's group. They were responsible for cleaning a small garden on the eastern side of the teaching building and the path beside it. Xiao Wu was assigned to another group to sweep the Training Ground.

Hearing the grouping, Xiao Xiaoxiao felt a small thrill of excitement. What a heaven-sent opportunity! Time alone together!

However, ideals were plump, while reality was skinny.

Cleaning was far more exhausting than she had imagined. Pulling weeds required bending over, and before long her back was aching; sweeping sent dust flying everywhere, making her cough nonstop; and when she tried to move the piles of fallen leaves, the worn-out broom simply refused to cooperate.

Tang San, on the other hand, moved with deft efficiency, as though he never tired. After finishing his own area, he saw Xiao Xiaoxiao still struggling with a stubborn clump of weeds, her little face flushed red, beads of sweat covering her forehead, and the broom looking utterly awkward in her hands.

He silently walked over and took the broom from her. "Hold it like this. Use your wrist, and sweep in a slight arc. It saves effort." He demonstrated, his movements clean and crisp.

Then he took her small hoe. "When pulling weeds, dig out the roots. Otherwise, they'll grow back soon." With a few strokes, he uprooted the entire clump.

Xiao Xiaoxiao looked at those hands, which were clearly not much bigger than hers yet were remarkably steady and strong. Her face grew a little hot from embarrassment. She was really too useless!

"R-right, sorry... I'm too clumsy. I'm just holding you back." She lowered her head, her voice muffled.

"It's fine. Everyone's like this at the beginning." Tang San's tone remained flat, betraying no emotion, but at least he was not impatient. He quickly helped her deal with the most troublesome parts, then said, "You can handle the rest of the simple sweeping yourself. Get some practice."

"Mm!" Xiao Xiaoxiao nodded vigorously, picked up her tools again, and worked hard by imitating Tang San. She was still clumsy, but at least she was starting to get the hang of it.

Sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, scattering mottled Light Spots across the two of them. The garden was quiet, filled only with the rustling scrape of brooms across the ground and the occasional chirp of birds.

As Xiao Xiaoxiao swept, she secretly watched Tang San working seriously beside her. His profile looked especially distinct in the light, his gaze focused, his nose straight, and his lips faintly pursed.

"Um... Tang San," she gathered her courage and broke the silence. "Thank you for what happened this morning."

Tang San did not stop moving. "It was nothing."

"You seem... really amazing." Xiao Xiaoxiao continued searching for something to say, trying to make her admiration sound natural rather than overly mushy. "You're good at fighting, and you're good at working too. Did you often do these things before?"

"Mm." Tang San answered briefly, seemingly unwilling to talk much about his family.

Xiao Xiaoxiao wisely did not press further and changed the subject. "That Xiao Chenyu is so awful! He bullies people just because his Soul Power is higher! We have to train hard and become stronger soon. Then let's see if he still dares to act so arrogant!"

Hearing that, Tang San turned to glance at her and nodded. "Mm."

Though it was only a small response, Xiao Xiaoxiao felt as though she had received tremendous encouragement. Instantly energized, she swept with even greater force.

By the time they were nearly done, the two sat down to rest on the stone steps by the garden. Xiao Xiaoxiao took out two washed wild fruits from her clothes—she had deliberately saved them that morning—and handed one to Tang San. "Here, have one. It'll quench your thirst."

Tang San glanced at her and accepted it. "Thank you."

Xiao Xiaoxiao bit into the other fruit. Its sweet-and-sour juice spread through her mouth. Looking toward the distant Training Ground, she saw Xiao Wu waving a broom taller than herself as she chased Wang Sheng around playfully. Her silver-bell laughter drifted faintly over, brimming with energy.

That subtle urge to compare herself with others surfaced again. Xiao Wu was so lively and adorable, able to get along with anyone. Was she too dull? All she could do was work foolishly...

She secretly glanced at Tang San beside her. He was quietly eating his fruit, looking ahead, and she had no idea what he was thinking.

"Tang San," she said softly, "do you... think I'm very stupid? I can't do anything, and I keep causing you trouble..."

Tang San turned toward her at that. His clear eyes looked at her, seemingly puzzled by why she would ask such a question. He shook his head. "No. You're eager to learn."

Eager to learn? Was that supposed to be praise? Xiao Xiaoxiao was a little dazed.

Tang San paused, as if considering his words, then added, "Your martial soul is the Phantom Moon Fox. It leans toward control and deception. You're not naturally suited for strength. You don't need to force yourself to do these things."

He was actually comforting her? And he had even analyzed her martial soul? Xiao Xiaoxiao's heart began racing disobediently again.

"But... I want to become stronger too. I don't want to always be protected..." She lowered her head and looked at her fingers.

Tang San fell silent for a moment before suddenly saying, "Your advantage isn't here. Mysterious Heaven... I mean, cultivating and using Soul Power is more important. Physical strength can be trained gradually."

He had nearly let slip the Mysterious Heaven Skill, but corrected himself in time.

But Xiao Xiaoxiao knew perfectly well! She was so excited she nearly jumped up! Her idol was giving her pointers! Did he want to teach her something?

She immediately lifted her head, her eyes shining like stars as she looked at him with longing. "Then... then can you teach me? How to use Soul Power better? How to cultivate faster? I... I can trade fruit with you!" She held out the half-eaten fruit in her hand, then realized something was wrong and quickly pulled it back, her face growing even redder.

Tang San looked at her eager yet embarrassed expression, then at the pitiful half-fruit in her hand. The corner of his mouth seemed to curve upward ever so slightly, so quickly that it might have been an illusion.

He looked away toward the distance, his voice as calm as ever. "Outside of Work-Study Student work hours, I can teach you some basic training methods in the mornings. How much you learn depends on yourself."

"Really? That's wonderful! Thank you, sir! Ah, no, thank you, Tang San!" Xiao Xiaoxiao was overjoyed and nearly used an honorific again. "I'll definitely study seriously! I absolutely won't be lazy!"

Exclusive lessons! Personal instruction from her idol! These benefits were too good!

Sure enough, raising his favorability and showing that she was eager to learn really worked! Her idol liked that sort of thing!

When the afternoon's work ended, Xiao Xiaoxiao's waist and back were sore, but her heart was as sweet as honey. On the way back, her steps were light, and the corners of her mouth kept lifting uncontrollably.

Xiao Wu skipped up from behind and threw an arm around Xiao Xiaoxiao's neck. "Xiaoxiao! I'm exhausted! But it was so fun! That idiot Wang Sheng even held his broom backward, hahaha!" Then she looked at Tang San. "Little Sanzi, how was it over there?"

"Fine." Tang San was brief as always.

Xiao Xiaoxiao smiled and nodded. "Mm! Tang San helped me a lot, and he even promised to teach me how to train in the mornings!" She deliberately shared the news with a hint of pride, wanting to see Xiao Wu's reaction too.

Sure enough, Xiao Wu's eyes lit up, and she hopped to Tang San's other side. "Training? Is it fun? I want to learn too, I want to learn too! Little Sanzi, you can't play favorites! You have to teach me too!"

Tang San seemed a little helpless, but he nodded. "...All right."

Xiao Xiaoxiao: "..." Uh... It seemed like... she had once again made a wedding dress for someone else?

Still, seeing Xiao Wu's innocent excitement, born purely from thinking it sounded fun, the little bit of gloom in her heart faded away. Forget it. Teaching one person was teaching, and teaching two was teaching. At least she had been the first to ask! Besides, where three people walked together, there would surely be... Ahem, ahem, more opportunities!

That night, lying on the hard wooden bed, Xiao Xiaoxiao recalled everything that had happened that day—Tang San helping her work, comforting her, agreeing to teach her... Every detail made her secretly happy for a long time.

Although she had gained an incredibly formidable and adorable "rival," her relationship with Tang San seemed to be drawing closer little by little.

This feeling was really nice.

With a sweet smile, she drifted into sleep.

In her dream, she became a snowy-white little fox, hopping along behind a Blue Silver Grass glowing with blue light...