At that moment, Xiao Wu lay on the ground, feeling the pain where she had been struck in the chest by an elbow.
Her pretty, adorable little face was full of indignation and defiance, with a hint of grievance as she glared at Tang Yin.
"You won, so you won! Why'd you have to hit me so hard?"
"Couldn't you have gone easy on me? You're not acting like a gentleman at all!"
Hearing this, Tang Yin couldn't help curling his lip.
Here it came—the classic line!
On the one hand, she was competitive and wanted to be the boss; on the other, she expected people to go easy on her because she was a girl.
Tang Yin's response was simple: Not happening!
"This was a sparring match. It was a fight!"
Tang Yin spoke with righteous conviction.
"If it's a fight, then you give it everything you've got. That's how you respect your opponent and yourself."
"Holding back or yielding is disrespectful to the fight, and it's disrespectful to you, too."
"That's just my style. If we fight, I bring everything I have."
"That's what it means to be a man—a real man!"
Nearby, Wang Sheng, Tang San, and the other work-study students watched, clicking their tongues in amazement.
They looked at Tang Yin with even greater admiration, almost with a hint of awe.
Their new boss wasn't just strong and handsome. He had guts, too!
He wouldn't go easy even on such an adorable little girl. If she needed a beating, he'd give her one.
What a ruthless guy!
Tang San, for his part, was full of admiration and respect.
As expected of Big Brother. Everything he said made sense!
This calm, decisive fighting style, without the slightest hesitation—that was the bearing a Tang Sect leader ought to have!
She had been a little angry and indignant at first.
But when she saw Tang Yin's utterly matter-of-fact, righteous expression—
And, of course, his handsome face was another important reason—
the anger in Xiao Wu's heart gradually faded. Suddenly, what he said seemed to make quite a bit of sense.
Besides, Tang Yin seemed rather different from everyone else, whether Da Ming and Er Ming or the other boys here.
"Hmph! You win this time!"
"But I was careless. We'll fight again next time! I'll definitely beat you!"
Though she had somewhat come around, Xiao Wu still pouted, waving her little fists as she stubbornly insisted.
Just then, footsteps sounded at the doorway.
A young teacher with dark green hair walked in.
Just as in the original story, this young teacher was named Mo Hen. He had come to assign work-study duties to Tang Yin, Tang San, and Xiao Wu.
However, thanks to Tang Yin's influence,
Tang San had not become Yu Xiaogang's disciple.
So Mo Hen no longer happened to bring along the bedding Yu Xiaogang had sent.
After Mo Hen explained everything and left,
Xiao Wu suddenly realized that everyone else had bedding on their beds, but she, Tang Yin, and Tang San didn't.
"Huh! How come everyone has bedding except the three of us?"
Xiao Wu asked, genuinely curious.
At her words, Tang Yin's mouth twitched.
He knew that this hundred-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit in human form wasn't the brightest.
But hearing her say that still left him completely speechless!
"Bedding is a personal item. The academy doesn't provide it."
"If there isn't any here, of course you have to buy it yourself!"
Tang Yin shook his head helplessly.
Since he had extorted a full five Silver Soul Coins in emotional-distress compensation from the gatekeeper, he had more than enough to buy three decent sets of bedding.
So Tang Yin didn't skimp. He offered generously,
"Tang San and I are going into town this afternoon to buy bedding and some daily necessities. If you want, you can come with us."
"I'll get you a set of bedding, too!"
"Really?!"
Xiao Wu immediately lifted her head, delighted.
"Tang Yin, you're such a good person! Thank you!"
For a moment, Xiao Wu felt that Tang Yin wasn't quite so detestable after all.
Tang Yin curled his lip and said,
"Don't call me a good person. I don't like getting a 'good person' label!"
Nearby, Tang San watched and silently nodded.
Big Brother really has the bearing of a sect leader. He's generous in his actions and knows how to win people over!
And when Xiao Wu thanked him, he didn't accept it.
This kind of favor really does have a greater effect!
I still have a long way to go before I can match Big Brother in that regard!
Since it was nearly noon,
Wang Sheng called everyone to the cafeteria for lunch.
After that, things went much as they had in the original story, with little changing.
When they all arrived at the cafeteria, Tang Yin, Tang San, Wang Sheng, and the others still ran into a few noble students who mocked them, but no fight broke out.
That afternoon, Tang Yin took Tang San and Xiao Wu into Nuoding City. They spent two Silver Soul Coins on three fairly decent sets of bedding.
Then Tang Yin dragged Tang San to the academy library, where they spent the whole afternoon reading.
At dusk, Tang Yin returned to Dorm Seven with Tang San.
As soon as they walked in, Wang Sheng came over, looking envious.
"Boss Tang Yin, Boss Tang San, you're finally back!"
"Director Su sent someone this afternoon to tell us your application to obtain Soul Rings was approved!"
"Tomorrow morning, Director Su will personally take you to the Soul Hunting Forest! He said to meet him at the Academic Affairs Office tomorrow morning!"
Tang Yin and Tang San exchanged a glance, their eyes both brightening with delight.
Tang Yin was pleasantly surprised, too.
Director Su was certainly efficient!
Before long, the next day arrived.
Tang Yin and Tang San got up early. After washing up, they left the dormitory and headed for the Academic Affairs Office.
By the time Tang Yin and Tang San arrived, Director Su was indeed waiting outside the Academic Affairs Office.
Seeing that they had arrived on time, Director Su smiled and nodded approvingly.
"Good. You're right on time. I've already prepared the supplies we need: food, water, insect repellent, medicine, and so on."
"We'll wait for one more person. Once he arrives, we can set out."
"One more person?"
Tang Yin was puzzled.
"Director Su, who else is coming with us?"
A trace of helplessness crossed Director Su's face, and he sighed.
"It's the Grandmaster. He heard that you two have Innate Full Soul Power and are going to obtain your First Soul Rings, so he insisted on coming along."
"He said that, as a researcher of theory, he could recommend the most suitable Soul Rings."
"Besides, he has a Storage Soul Tool, which makes it convenient to carry supplies."
"Most importantly... he's friends with the dean, and the dean put in a word for him. I really couldn't refuse."
Hearing that, Tang Yin was speechless. He almost rolled his eyes.
This Gangzi really wouldn't give up. He was like a ghost that just wouldn't go away!
Beside him, once Tang San learned it was Yu Xiaogang, his expression turned cold.
Back when they had first come to enroll, Yu Xiaogang had said that Tang Yin's Mysterious Jade Hand Martial Soul was a Trash Martial Soul.
In Tang San's eyes, Yu Xiaogang had already earned a death sentence!
He had refrained from acting only because of the academy's rules.
And now this guy actually insisted on coming with him and Big Brother to the Soul Hunting Forest?
He was shamelessly clinging to them!
Before long, Yu Xiaogang arrived.
He was still wearing that black scholar's robe, his hair cut close to his head.
When he saw Tang Yin and Tang San, Yu Xiaogang's stiff face strained to form a smile.
"Xiao Yin, Xiao San, we meet again!"
Before you continue