Seeing the concern on the chubby boy's face, Jiang Chen asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Brother Chen, you slept for three hours."
"I thought that if the teacher hadn't checked you over and said you were fine, I would've taken you to the hospital."
Teacher???
He remembered that this class was Beast Studies. Teacher Kevin didn't seem to have any healing abilities.
"Isn't this Beast Studies? He checked me over?"
"Brother Chen, you really are still groggy. Beast Studies is over already. This is Herbal Studies, and Teacher Aili checked you over."
The chubby boy pointed at Aili, who was teaching at the front of the classroom. "She's the best healer in our city. She checked you before class and said you were just exhausted. It's nothing serious."
"Oh, right. Here!" The chubby boy handed Jiang Chen a bottle of blue potion.
What was this?
Jiang Chen looked at the unfamiliar potion, puzzled.
"Teacher Aili gave it to you. It's a high-grade fatigue-resistance potion."
"She said you should drink it when you woke up. You'd feel much better."
Jiang Chen took it but didn't drink it. "I'm fine now. I don't need this."
He put the blue potion in his desk.
Lowering his head, he thought things over.
"Brother Chen, when are you going to the principal's office? General Pagoda said you should go once you'd mostly recovered."
"I'm not feeling well, and I don't want to move."
Jiang Chen answered distractedly, his thoughts elsewhere.
Omniscient had already told him who had the Demon's Heart.
As long as he destroyed the Demon's Heart, the super S-rank demon wouldn't revive, and the city would be spared disaster.
But he didn't have enough soul power right now. Going there would just get him killed.
But would the other side give him time to recover his soul power?
Obviously not.
If he were in their shoes, he'd take advantage of Jiang Chen's weakness and kill him, too.
When Jiang Chen said he wasn't going to the principal's office, the chubby boy didn't bring it up again.
For some reason, Jiang Chen felt a tightness in his chest. Even the snacks didn't taste good.
Zhang Banxian wasn't around, and Jiang Chen was lost in thought again.
He didn't even have anyone to talk to.
"Hey, chubby boy!"
Jiang Chen spoke up. "After school, I'm going to the principal's office. You go on ahead."
"I'll go with you, Brother Chen. After we visit the principal's office, let's get a meal. What do you say?"
"What do you want to eat? I'll make a reservation."
"Why don't you go make the reservation first? I'll meet you after I'm done at the principal's office."
"I feel like eating vegetarian food."
Nanfang Pavilion had the best vegetarian dishes in the city, but it was so popular that reservations had to be made three hours in advance.
If they went to Nanfang Pavilion after visiting the principal's office, they'd still have to wait three hours.
The chubby boy understood what Jiang Chen meant. He'd go make the reservation first, and maybe they'd only have to wait another hour or so before they could eat.
"Sure, Brother Chen."
The chubby boy tugged at his clothes. As if something had just occurred to him, he asked, "Brother Chen, do you think I could become as strong as you?"
"What, you want to get stronger?"
"Yeah, I want to get stronger. That way, I won't hold you all back."
The chubby boy said awkwardly, "I used to think that fighting wasn't for me, but after everything that's happened, I've realized that if I keep hiding behind you guys, I'm not much of a friend."
"If we're friends, we should face hardships together and share the good times."
"I want to be as strong as you guys and fight alongside you."
Hearing him out, Jiang Chen smiled. "Wouldn't it be better to live quietly as a young master and inherit your family's wealth? A life of fighting is dangerous!"
"If I had a choice, I'd rather live out my life in peace and not have to worry about so much."
Jiang Chen didn't want his friend getting caught up in danger.
The chubby boy's talent was average. He'd never become an unrivaled powerhouse.
He was better off living quietly as a young master.
A life spent dancing on the edge of a blade would get him killed.
The chubby boy looked dejected. "I know. I'm just too weak. I'm no peerless genius like you, Brother Chen. Even if I had eight hundred lifetimes, I could never catch up to you."
"But, but I really, really want to fight alongside you and Zhang Banxian."
"Fine. When we have time, Zhang Banxian and I will train you!"
"We'll turn you into a half-decent expert."
"Then, wherever you go, you won't have to suffer just because you're weak."
The chubby boy jerked his head up, looking disbelieving. "Brother Chen, you agreed!"
"You're my brother. How could I lie to you?"
"Waaah, Brother Chen, I'm so moved!"
The chubby boy was moved to tears. He'd known Brother Chen cared about him most. Whatever he wanted, as long as it was within Brother Chen's power, Brother Chen would help him.
But the chubby boy didn't know that Jiang Chen had still lied to him.
A few dozen minutes later, the dismissal bell rang. The chubby boy quickly packed his bag and said to Jiang Chen, "Brother Chen, I'll head out first and try to get us a good table. We can eat and listen to music at the same time."
"Come find me as soon as you're done at the principal's office!"
As he spoke, the chubby boy waved his pudgy paw at Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen smiled faintly and replied, "Sure!"
"Oh, right, Brother Chen. If the principal or General Pagoda gives you any rewards, I want to know right away."
"Sure!"
Jiang Chen replied, then packed his own bag.
He waited until most of the class had left before slowly walking out.
He took a deep breath of the air and gazed at the dusky sky.
Straightening up, he headed toward the principal's office.
On the way, he happened to run into Song Yiyi, who seemed to be going to the principal's office too.
The Campus Belle Song Yiyi spotted Jiang Chen as well. She remembered her classmates saying that only she was good enough for Jiang Chen, and that Jiang Chen had confessed to her a few days ago.
Without realizing it, her heart began to race, and her face grew warmer.
Jiang Chen didn't notice anything unusual about Song Yiyi. He simply waved politely and said, "What a coincidence, Song."
He called her Song. Why did that sound so distant?
Song Yiyi felt a little disappointed.
But she didn't show it. She glanced at Jiang Chen, quickly looked away, and tilted her head as she asked, "Jiang Chen, are you here to see my grandfather?"
"No," Jiang Chen replied.
Song Yiyi had thought Jiang Chen would walk with her. Hearing him say no, she felt a little disappointed. But she was the Campus Belle, Song Yiyi, and the principal's granddaughter. She had her pride, too.
She did her best not to show her disappointment and said calmly, "I'm bringing some medicine to my grandfather. Since we're not going the same way, I'll go on ahead."
"Okay!"
As he spoke, Jiang Chen stepped aside and deliberately made way for her.
But as the Campus Belle Song Yiyi passed him, she felt a heavy blow to the back of her neck. Then she lost consciousness.
Jiang Chen caught the Campus Belle Song Yiyi's soft body and dragged her into a classroom behind him.
He sighed and said, "I'm sorry!"
Before you continue