Afternoon Dismissal

The sun shone brightly in the sky.

In the blink of an eye, it was time for lunch.

Both Ye Zi Yun and Xiao Ning'er were privileged children, and they went home after school.

"Zi Yun, don't forget the two thousand yuan you owe me." Chang Ping quickly walked up to Ye Zi Yun and whispered in her ear.

He did this because he was afraid others would know Ye Zi Yun owed money and lose face.

Ye Zi Yun's small face flushed slightly, and she softly hummed in acknowledgment.

Never had a boy been so close to her. Although she knew Chang Ping meant no harm, she was still very shy.

Such intimate behavior naturally caused dissatisfaction in some people.

"Damn it! Don't stop me, I'm going to cripple him!" Shen Yue was furious.

Lu Piao and Du Ze both put their hands behind their backs, clearing a path for him.

Shen Yue immediately felt awkward.

"Hmph, I ate something bad this morning and my stomach is upset. I'll spare his dog life for now and settle with him another day."

Lu Piao looked at Shen Yue with disdain, thinking: What a coward! If it were him, he would definitely go up and fight.

"Hi~ You must be Chang Ping, right? Hello, my name is Xiao Xue." A girl in red actively ran over and greeted Chang Ping enthusiastically.

"Xue'er?" Lu Piao felt like he had been hit on the head with a blunt object.

This lively and cheerful girl was his childhood sweetheart and the object of his unrequited love.

What did she want with Chang Ping?

"Hello, Xiao Xue, you're very beautiful." Chang Ping smiled and extended his large, fan-like hand, asking, "May I ask what you need me for?"

Xiao Xue also extended her hand and clasped Chang Ping's.

His palm was broad and warm, making her heart flutter.

Xiao Xue's small face flushed, and she quickly withdrew her hand, hiding it behind her back. She shook her head and said, "Nothing special. I heard you're quite famous in the academy, so I came specifically to meet you. Are you free for lunch? I'll treat you."

Her cousin was the former instructor of the Beginner Warrior Class who had been crippled by Tie Lang. Chang Ping had beaten Tie Lang until he begged for mercy, avenging her cousin. Her cousin wanted her to express her gratitude by treating him to a meal or something.

"Sorry, I have plans with someone else at noon. Another day, perhaps." Chang Ping scratched his head with a smile.

The main reason he refused was his fear of making the young girl cry.

"Okay, another day." Xiao Xue shyly nodded.

Watching the young girl happily run away, Chang Ping blinked and thought: Did she misunderstand something? When he said another day, he meant he would treat her to a meal, not anything strange.

"Another day, my ass! Don't stop me, I'm going to kill him!" Lu Piao was enraged and raised his fist at Chang Ping.

If Nie Li and Du Ze hadn't held him back tightly, he would have rushed over.

And then been taken down by Chang Ping.

Shen Yue watched the frantic Lu Piao with schadenfreude: This kid should now understand how uncomfortable he felt just now, right?

"Is it worth it?" Nie Li grabbed Lu Piao's shoulder and roared, "If you rush over now, you'll only humiliate yourself! As the saying goes, where there's life, there's hope. Brother, just hold on for a few more days. Trust me, I will definitely help you win back your beloved."

Lu Piao suddenly looked bashful and chided, "What nonsense are you talking about? Xiao Xue isn't my beloved. She's my neighbor. I just don't want her to be deceived by bad people. Don't misunderstand!"

Nie Li smiled knowingly: Lu Piao was still the same, a coward who liked someone but didn't dare to say it boldly.

"Tomorrow! As soon as tomorrow comes, the price of Purple Mist Grass will skyrocket." Nie Li was very confident. He still had the thirty thousand Demon Spirit Coins from Shen Fei. Before the price went up, he planned to go buy more after lunch.

On the quiet bamboo forest path, Chang Ping and Xiao Ning'er walked side by side, the atmosphere somewhat awkward.

Ye Zi Yun, eager to show off her treasure, had already left.

"How's the acquisition of Purple Mist Grass going?" Chang Ping spoke first. She should have already dispatched servants to buy it from major pharmacies in the city, right?

If his deduction was correct, Nie Li's letter should have already reached the Alchemist Association by now. The price of Purple Mist Grass would likely surge this afternoon or tomorrow.

"Here!" Xiao Ning'er smiled and handed Chang Ping a Space Ring.

Chang Ping opened his broad palms.

Xiao Ning'er lightly placed the ring in his palm like a dragonfly touching water, pouting her tender lips, and said, "The servant delivered it after the third class ended. All the Purple Mist Grass in the city is here, estimated to be over five hundred thousand catties."

Every time she saw Chang Ping and Ye Zi Yun whispering together, she felt a pang of heartache.

Perhaps, she had fallen for him.

"Well done!" Chang Ping probed the ring's space with his Soul Force and confirmed what Xiao Ning'er had said. "Here, stand still. I'll take a picture of you. The scenery around here is quite nice." The bamboo forest was serene and elegant.

Xiao Ning'er was the only female student who hadn't taken a picture.

Chang Ping took out his Simple Camera and reassured her, "Don't be afraid. This first photo is free. Stand still and strike your best pose."

It was Xiao Ning'er's first time taking a photo, and she was a little nervous.

She walked to a Luohan bamboo as thick as a bowl, put her hands behind her back, and leaned against it shyly.

The forest breeze was gentle, her hair and skirt fluttering in the wind.

"Click!"

Chang Ping seized the moment and pressed the shutter, capturing the most beautiful shot.

"Here!" Chang Ping beckoned to Xiao Ning'er. He tore off the printed photo, took out a heart-shaped frame from his right ring, placed the photo inside, and handed it to Xiao Ning'er.

She flipped the frame over and gazed at her lifelike image within, her cherry-like mouth opening in surprise.

It was too realistic!

"Thank you, Chang Ping!" Holding the heart-shaped frame, Xiao Ning'er felt a warmth spread through her.

Did Chang Ping deliberately give me a heart-shaped frame to hint that he likes me?

In reality, Chang Ping had just grabbed it casually. Xiao Ning'er was overthinking it.

"You're welcome. You did good work, this is what you deserve," Chang Ping waved his hand. "Go home now. Take your time on the way, and have a safe journey." After offering a few auspicious words, Chang Ping turned and left, departing the bamboo forest.

Chang Ping had a nagging feeling that the chefs on the second floor were looking at him strangely, with a hint of killing intent hidden in their eyes.

Logically, he had been taking such good care of their business, they should have been grateful, so why would they want to kill him?

Chang Ping disliked their gazes and decided he wouldn't eat at the cafeteria anymore.

Leaving the academy gates, Chang Ping arrived at a steamed bun shop.

The pork and scallion buns had just come out of the steamer, steaming hot and exuding a rich aroma.

"Customer, how many would you like?" the vendor asked with a beaming smile.

Chang Ping swallowed and coughed lightly, saying, "One steamer to start, let's see if it's good before I decide."

"One... steamer?" The vendor looked a bit stunned. "Sir, these are large meat buns, not xiaolongbao. Can you eat a whole steamer?"

"Stop with the nonsense, just bring them up. I'm not short on cash!" Chang Ping found a stool and sat down, taking out a Demon Crystal Card and slapping it onto the table with a "snap."

Ten thousand Demon Spirit Coins?

The vendor was startled, thinking, This gentleman truly isn't short on cash.