Fu Hua's Turnaround

Leaving aside the mental shock that Lin Xinchán, who was about to enlist in the army, was experiencing.

As Su Qing'an got off the bus, he silently paid the bill with the banknotes from the girl's handbag, and a desire to acquire money began to genuinely arise within him.

Even if these currencies become almost worthless in six months, Su Qing'an will still have a use for them at this stage when civilization is still maintaining a superficial stability.

At the very least, you can't ask Fu Hua or Fu Xiuran for money just to avoid ending up on the streets.

Having already enjoyed free meals and drinks for so long, and having refused any financial assistance offered, Su Qing'an had no longer considered that option.

However, unlike that ancient eastern town, Canghai City is a land of opportunity in every sense of the word. As long as he investigates the possible corruption within the city, Su Qing'an can use his abilities to acquire this money, which can be considered legitimate.

Before he arrived, he had learned some unsubstantiated rumors about the city online. Naturally, the things that underpin high technology and prosperity are not all glamorous.

Chaos will always exist within order. Even if civilian technology has far surpassed that of previous eras, it is still essentially a tool in the hands of humankind, no matter how advanced the technology becomes. The only difference is that the methods of exploiting loopholes are more sophisticated than before.

Su Qing'an had no interest in getting involved in those obviously troublesome vortexes of interests, so it would be easier to start from the lower levels.

For example, there are various underground organizations that are rumored and gossiped about, ranging in size from large to small.

It is not limited to human trafficking, information theft, the sale of addictive drugs, organ transplantation, or even a mixed bag of elements such as a death-defying racing club organized by wealthy young people.

Su Qing'an had considered finding weapons if necessary.

Finding weapons of the caliber of [Calming the Tempest] and the substandard God-Slaying Armor at this stage is virtually impossible.

Therefore, apart from obtaining a sufficient amount of money, Su Qing'an had no other thoughts in mind.

Although those are just online rumors with little value to believe, after witnessing this city with my own eyes, I believe many things will become clear on their own.

After getting off the bus, Su Qing'an and the girl next to her fell silent as they looked at the rather large school campus.

In front of the school gate, well-mannered security guards stood on both sides to maintain order, while a row of tables and chairs were set up nearby where several teachers sat, seemingly waiting for new students who needed guidance.

Looking out from here, you can see a beautiful stone sculpture in the center of the academy. Amidst this artistic atmosphere, the base of the sculpture is inscribed with numerous school rules, one by one.

From their perspective, several iconic buildings within the academy stood out. Overall, it was clear that the building was in the standard Western European Gothic style, with most of them featuring tall, slender spires and huge stained-glass windows.

This architectural style greatly reduces the weight of the vaulted ceiling and eliminates the need for thick walls, allowing for windows that are much larger and buildings that are much taller than those in normal buildings.

Time seems to have bestowed upon this place a sense of historical weight. The large library, standing atop the high steps, is clearly quite old. Ivy leisurely extends from the base of the wall, its verdant color concealing the mottled surface and becoming the library's best natural decoration.

One can imagine that as winter deepens, frost and snow will cover the granite mosaic floor, turning the eaves and dome into a silver-white wonderland. Strolling here at that time would surely be a fascinating experience.

Su Qing'an casually struck up a conversation with the somewhat nervous girl next to him:

"Although I already knew before coming that my uncle had chosen a pretty good girls' school in Canghai City, I didn't expect it to be an elite academy."

He had excellent eyesight; the instruments at the academy's entrance were projecting the academy's history, its honors, and some events that needed to be mentioned.

After taking in all of this, Su Qing'an came to a conclusion.

This is a prestigious private girls' school with a long history.

But thinking about it, it's quite normal. Given Fu Xiuran's limited connections in Canghai City, it's much easier for Fu Hua to attend a prestigious academy like this, where the only major hurdle is the high tuition fees, compared to the difficult-to-arrange public schools.

No wonder Fu Xiuran began to worry about his daughter's future. The assets he had sold to the government for the land would probably be almost gone after paying for Fu Hua's three years of tuition.

Fu Hua shifted her toes, gazing at the distant white spire, and whispered:

"What should we do, Master Su? This place is even bigger than the pictures Dad showed me, and it's supposed to be some kind of prestigious academy."

The girl felt completely out of place here, and the sense of security the boy could provide was only available outside the academy.

This is, after all, an all-girls school, Su Qing'an obviously cannot be allowed to come and go here frequently.

Upon hearing this, Su Qing'an simply patted her head. Then, as the girl raised her head to try and shake off his large hand, the young man smiled and pointed to the two suitcases beside him, saying:

"Let's go inside first and talk about it then."

After inquiring and obtaining Fu Hua's assigned dormitory number, the teachers completed some minor information checks before entering the school.

During this time, Su Qing'an presented proof that she and Fu Hua were legally relatives before she was allowed to enter briefly.

While giving the dormitory supervisor a polite but indifferent nod, Su Qing'an handed the dormitory key she had obtained from her to Fu Hua under the supervisor's kind and warm gaze.

The two then walked up the steps side by side.

The way the boy carried his suitcase was like he was carrying a thin piece of paper. His casual yet habitually polite attitude, along with other important factors, caused a series of waves in this hallway frequented only by high school girls.

Su Qing'an ignored the whispers and curious glances; he had become unaffected by the gazes of others, as he had come to disregard them at some point in his life.

But the girl walking shoulder to shoulder with him was completely different; the feeling of being the center of attention made her subconsciously choose to avoid it and lower her head.

Noticing the other person's behavior, Su Qing'an gently whispered:

"Hua, raise your head."

"There's nothing to fear from the outside world. Even if those gazes are filled with malice, bloodlust, and primal desires, they're nothing more than insignificant clouds that cannot obscure the true sun."

"Besides, those children were just curious. You have nothing that can't stand scrutiny. Just like I said before, Hua is very good."

"You will definitely make friends, because they will gradually understand what kind of person you are just by responding to the slightest bit of feedback."

Su Qing'an made a firm judgment:

"So you can be even more confident."

Upon hearing this, the little girl hesitated for a moment before trying to look up at the girls around her. She earnestly returned their shy yet determined smiles, and the faces reflected in her eyes were almost all filled with innocent curiosity.

Fu Hua then realized that these gazes weren't as terrifying as she had imagined.

She whispered:

"I... I'm not as good as Master Su said, but maybe I'm not as bad as I think either. I'll try my best to make friends at the academy, thank you."

Su Qing'an revealed a complex and meaningful smile.

He once asked himself: if the girl was happier during her time at the academy, wouldn't she feel more desperate in the moment when the Honkai suddenly took everything away?

His words were indeed beneficial to Fu Hua at the moment, but if the time frame is extended, could the warmth indirectly created by these words turn into a deadly poison in the future?

When it comes to the people he cares about most, even the smallest details are something a young person can't help but pay attention to.

During her previous struggle, Su Qing'an realized something: some things cannot be considered solely in terms of the consequences of loss.

If one continues to think and make choices in this way, life will be utterly meaningless and devoid of meaning.

Even if Fu Hua feels sad and grieving when she loses these things during her time at the academy, it is unreasonable to deny a girl's right to happiness during this period just because of that.

More than the scars that this period of time will leave, Su Qing'an values how many vivid and colorful things the other person can still recall when they choose to look back on their life.

If one chooses to keep running away out of fear of loss, such a life is destined to have no value in looking back, because those past experiences seem as if they do not exist, like a thin and empty cicada shell.

Su Qing'an chose to believe in the girl's inherent potential and resilience, believing that she would eventually overcome the initial growing pains.

Even if the price is losing the naivety and innocence of the past.

The boy did not respond to Fu Hua's "thank you," he said:

"Hua, I've told you before, St. Freya Academy."

Fu Hua nodded and said:

"You said it's on a small island near the Far East, so it must be much bigger than this place."

Su Qing'an's expression softened, as if he had returned to that small island in the far east, standing by the window of the teaching building, basking in the familiar sea breeze.

The boy's every word, spoken, carried an involuntary lighthearted atmosphere:

"That was perhaps the happiest time of my life; school life is always something I can't help but miss."

"Even though it wasn't a school in the conventional sense, it was probably precisely because of its extraordinary nature that I gained so much."

Su Qing'an paused for a moment, then continued:

"If I hadn't entered that academy, hadn't stepped into that cruel world, perhaps I would be running a coffee shop in some sunny place right now."

"That was the life I longed for most, and it still is now."

He smiled broadly and said without complaint:

"But I don't regret my choice."

Su Qing'an stood at the dormitory door, pushing the luggage through the key-opened door. The boy reached out and gently stroked the girl's silky hair, whispering:

"Many times we have no choice but to move forward; there's nothing we can do about it."

"But you don't need to think about that now."

"I apologize for the long, rambling conversation I had with you without thinking."

"Anyway, enjoy your school life to the fullest, Hua."

The warmth spread from her palms throughout her body, and the areas of her hair that were brushed by her fingertips seemed to instantly become hot, but Fu Hua still did not resist the other person's caresses on her hair.

Because she knew the time for separation had come, and she wouldn't see him again until at least Sunday, a public holiday.

She suppressed her shyness and placed her slightly cool hand on top of his. While he was momentarily stunned, the girl looked at the boy earnestly and said:

"I will remember everything Master Su says. In my eyes, nothing is nonsense, so saying apology is a no-no."

"Also... I will live well at the academy, Su Qing'an is not allowed to worry excessively like Dad."

Su Qing'an felt the delicate warmth and coolness of his fingertips resting on the back of his hand. His heart surged like the tide, and his blood faintly emitted a temperature different from usual, making his whole body feel warm.

The scent of shampoo mixed with oranges on Fu Hua's body acted like a dangerous catalyst, igniting in the boy's nostrils the urge to embrace her, wrap her in his trench coat, and hold her slender waist.

Su Qing'an suppressed the restlessness and said with a smile:

"Okay, I understand."

"Hua, don't worry about me in Canghai City. I've already given you your new phone number. You can add other apps as friends later."

"So I'm leaving now?"

The girl nodded slightly, and she gently closed her slender fingers around the boy's hand, whispering:

"Um."

"Remember to come see me on Sunday."

Otherwise I'll be lonely.

Even though Fu Hua didn't utter those words aloud, the faint, flickering light in her eyes spoke volumes.

Su Qing'an silently cursed in her heart several times.

The girl's unintentional advances had already dealt him a devastating blow.

After all, unlike Fu Hua, whose favorability has increased from moderate to the present, Su Qing'an, who started with full favorability, is the one whose heartstrings are most easily touched.

The boy's earlobes gradually turned red just from the soft touch of the other person's fingers and their slightly seductive words.

To prevent these colors from spreading further, he silently recited the Sword Heart Technique in his mind, but it still couldn't stop the surging waves of emotion.

With the Soul Essence becoming increasingly powerful, the Sword Heart Technique can no longer fully control one's emotions. It is no longer the cheat tool that could easily suppress even the fear of death.

This forced Su Qing'an to rely solely on willpower to resist her impulses.

The boy ultimately didn't choose to embrace her; he merely pinched the little girl's fair cheek in a retaliatory gesture, and under the gleaming light in her eyes, he whispered:

"I will."