"Ah?"
Ling Ling jumped in fright, but she happened to see a silver-haired woman approaching and quickly called for help. "Sister Yuer, Sister Yuer, Ling Ling is here!"
Her voice fell.
Leng Qing instinctively turned around, only for Ling Ling to seize the chance, struggle free, jump down, and swiftly run toward Qin Yuer.
"Ling Ling, you skipped school again?" Qin Yuer asked with a gentle smile.
"Sister Yuer, the classes at school are way too boring. I can't even get along with those little brats."
After complaining, Ling Ling asked expectantly, "Sister Yuer, when is Qin Yuan coming to Modu?"
"You should call him Brother Qin Yuan." Qin Yuer corrected her gently. "Little Yuan just finished his Second Year of High School. In another year, he'll come to Modu."
"Another year..."
Ling Ling looked utterly dejected.
"Mm." Qin Yuer smiled faintly and affectionately patted Ling Ling's head before walking over to Leng Qing. "Qing'er."
"Mm, let's go, Yuer."
Leng Qing smiled as well. Before leaving, he looked at Ling Ling sternly. "Hurry up and go to school. Otherwise, even if Qin Yuan comes to Modu, don't even think about it."
"Ah?"
"Ah what? You're both younger siblings, so why are you the one who always makes me worry?"
Ling Ling: "..."
666, this could be compared too?
"Hmph, it's all Qin Yuan's fault."
Ling Ling grumbled inwardly, then picked up her backpack and left with extreme reluctance.
As for whether she really went to school or planned to run back after Leng Qing left, no one knew.
Meanwhile, in Bocheng.
Qin Yuan had just finished getting his Hunter Certificate and had not been out of the Hunter Alliance for long when he sneezed heavily.
"Hmm?"
"Who's cursing me behind my back? Could it be Bai Yang, who's already in hell?"
Qin Yuan thought about it and felt that was quite possible.
After all, when Bai Yang's head fell off, he had happened to see Qin Yuan.
"It's time to pick up Xin Xia."
Qin Yuan checked the time, then got into the magicstone car he had bought not long ago and drove familiarly toward Inscribed Girls Middle School.
An hour later.
Qin Yuan arrived at Inscribed Girls Middle School. After waiting a few minutes, classes happened to let out.
Countless girls brimming with youthful energy streamed out of the school. At a glance, it was a sea of pale, bare legs.
"Youth really is wonderful."
Leaning against his car door, Qin Yuan watched the scene with nothing but appreciation in his eyes.
Though he was also a student, he had lived two lives. His mindset was mature, and in the end, it was difficult for him to recapture that exact same youthful passion.
Qin Yuan was undoubtedly eye-catching at the school gates.
Young, handsome, and carrying a somewhat mature, steady air—he was incredibly attractive to young girls just beginning to understand love.
After waiting for over ten minutes, Qin Yuan finally saw that sweet, adorable figure.
He took the cold drinks from the car and walked over.
"Xin Xia."
Qin Yuan called softly.
"Little Yuan Ge Ge." Ye Xin Xia's face was still full of delight.
She skillfully accepted the cold drink Qin Yuan handed her.
"Let's go."
"Mm."
With Qin Yuan carrying her in a princess carry, Ye Xin Xia sat in the front passenger seat, while Qin Yuan stored her wheelchair in his Space Ring.
In the car.
"Little Yuan Ge Ge, something strange happened at our school today."
Ye Xin Xia said.
"What strange thing?" Qin Yuan's eyes flickered slightly as a faint suspicion arose in his heart.
"Over by the Old Canteen, one of the cafeteria aunties went there to clean up today and found a lot of leftover food waste inside."
"Leftover food waste... What did the school say?"
"The school said a slop bucket had tipped over, and stray cats or rats had dragged it over there... But I don't think that was it."
Ye Xin Xia shook her head and continued, "I'm close with that cafeteria auntie. She told me the leftover food waste was scattered everywhere in the Old Canteen. It didn't look like something stray cats or rats could have done at all."
As soon as she said that.
"Is that so..."
Qin Yuan pondered for a moment, then smiled. "It's fine. Maybe your school didn't dispose of its food waste in time and ended up raising a 'big rat.'"
"Ah?"
Ye Xin Xia's little face turned pale.
All girls were afraid of rats, and she was no exception.
Especially after hearing Qin Yuan mention a 'big rat'—just imagining it was enough to frighten her.
"Hahaha, I was just teasing you."
"Little Yuan Ge Ge is so mean."
"It's fine. In the future, little Xin Xia will get to see an even meaner side of me."
"Little Yuan Ge Ge!" Ye Xin Xia's pretty face instantly turned red.
She only looked innocent and naive. In truth, she was very smart and understood many things. She could understand what Qin Yuan meant.
Although she would inevitably experience such things with Qin Yuan sooner or later, she still could not help feeling embarrassed.
"Alright, I won't tease you anymore."
Without taking his eyes off the road, Qin Yuan accurately pinched Ye Xin Xia's tender cheek with his right hand. Then he changed the subject and asked, "Why haven't I seen Lin Yun Er today? Don't you usually leave together?"
At that.
The blush on Ye Xin Xia's face gradually faded. "Yun'er still wanted to stay in the Library for a while, so I left first."
"Mm..."
Qin Yuan gave a soft hum, his expression unchanged.
As the two chatted, they soon arrived at Ruiguang Residential Area. After safely sending Ye Xin Xia home, Qin Yuan grabbed a quick bite beside the residential area.
Then, Qin Yuan drove back to Inscribed Girls Middle School.
"Judging from Xin Xia's description, that Giant-eyed Starry Rat that crawled out of the underground hole should already be hiding in the school."
"I need to deal with it quickly. Otherwise, it will cause countless casualties sooner or later."
Qin Yuan muttered.
He parked the car in a roadside parking space, then openly walked into Inscribed Girls Middle School.
When the security guard tried to stop him, he simply showed his Hunter Certificate. After explaining the situation, he was easily allowed inside.
It was already past evening and nearly dark.
There were still quite a few students at the school. They were all boarders.
"Excuse me, where are your school's Library and Old Canteen?"
Qin Yuan casually stopped a girl and asked.
What surprised Qin Yuan was that the Library and Old Canteen were in the same area, less than a hundred meters apart.
Following the direction the girl pointed out, Qin Yuan quickly spotted the Library and Old Canteen.
He did not investigate the Old Canteen first. Instead, he entered the Library, intending to ensure Lin Yun Er's safety.
By then, the sky had darkened. The Library's lighting was dim, and some places did not even have lights. In such an environment, it felt rather eerie.
"That little girl actually dared to stay alone in the Library this late. She really is bold."
Qin Yuan shook his head with a smile.
The Library was quite large, making it difficult to find someone quickly. Qin Yuan relied on his intuition as he searched inside.
However, just as Qin Yuan entered a corner, a girl with straight-cut bangs emerged from the corner behind him, books in her arms.
She headed toward the Library entrance, intending to leave the school. To save time, she deliberately took the small path by the Old Canteen.
"Clang, clang..."
Suddenly, a series of clattering sounds came from the Old Canteen.
"Hmm, what was that sound?"
Lin Yun Er paused and looked at the Old Canteen in confusion.
Standing outside the glass windows, she could not see clearly inside because they were old and covered in grime.
Moreover, the Old Canteen was pitch-dark without any lights on, so Lin Yun Er could not make out what was happening inside.
Lin Yun Er watched for a while. Seeing no further movement, she prepared to leave.
Before you continue