Attack the Heart by Attacking the Stomach, Cohabitation

Upon hearing the mention of one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, the teacup in Flender's hand clattered onto the stone table, spilling tea all over himself without him even noticing.

His eyes bulged, fixed intently on the storage Soul Tool in Lin Feng's hand, burning with such intense envy and jealousy that they turned bloodshot.

"Old Zhao, tell me, how is this fair! How does this brat manage to find such a beautiful and wealthy teacher? The two of us have been scraping by for a year and haven't even managed to save up one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins."

"Flender, look on the bright side. It's just one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins. I reckon this kid will only be getting more in the future. There's no helping it; that's just fate!"

Beside them, Ma Hongjun's chubby face scrunched up, and he muttered under his breath, filled with envy.

"Exactly, exactly, how is it fair? I want a teacher who is rich and beautiful too."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a hand pressed silently onto the top of his head. Flender spoke in a low, chilling tone.

"What's this? Is it such a grievance to have me as your teacher?"

Ma Hongjun's hair stood on end, his entire body stiffening. Without daring to look back, he bolted toward the training grounds, shouting as he ran.

"Dean, I just remembered I missed a lap! You and Uncle Zhao keep chatting, I'm going to go train!"

"Ten laps!"

Flender gritted his teeth and roared at his retreating back.

"If you miss even one, don't even think about eating tonight."

He turned to look at Oscar, who was standing nearby, and instructed:

"Little Ao, you stay here and keep an eye on him. Make sure you count them correctly."

"Yes, Dean."

Oscar nodded quickly, his eyes filled with sympathy as he watched Ma Hongjun sprinting away with a miserable, tear-streaked face.

As he ran, Ma Hongjun felt like crying in his heart.

No, isn't this what everyone wants? I don't believe Flender doesn't want it too. It's a crime just to speak the truth—what kind of world is this!

Having traveled day and night from Heaven Dou City to Suotuo City, the journey was far from short. Even with her ability to fly, Qian Renxue felt exhausted, a trace of weariness she couldn't quite hide lingering between her brows.

She sheathed her sword and spoke calmly.

"That's enough for today's practice."

Lin Feng stepped forward quickly, offering his concern.

"Teacher, you must not have settled on a place to stay after rushing here all this way. I've already prepared a spot for you; follow me."

Qian Renxue paused, looking a bit hesitant.

She glanced at the sunset, which had already dipped well below the horizon. Too tired to go searching for lodging, she finally gave a slight nod and replied.

"Mm."

Following Lin Feng the whole way, they eventually stopped in front of a two-story wooden house. Qian Renxue halted, her phoenix eyes filled with confusion as she looked at him.

"Isn't this the house you live in?"

"It is, but Teacher, you will stay on the second floor, and I will stay on the first."

Lin Feng nodded.

"I built this second floor specifically for you, Teacher. Don't worry, I guarantee no one has ever lived here before."

"If you stay here, Teacher, whether you want to practice swordplay tomorrow or guide my cultivation, you won't have to run back and forth. It will be much more convenient."

He couldn't possibly let such a good opportunity for close proximity slip by; he had to seize it firmly. If he could build a good relationship with his teacher, who knew how many more "gold coins"—or rather, investment capital—he could reap in the future.

Seeing that Qian Renxue was still hesitating, Lin Feng steeled his heart for the sake of future gold coins, grabbed her soft, delicate hand, and led her toward the wooden house.

"Teacher, I'm just trying to do my best as a student to show my filial piety. Just come in and take a look; if you truly don't like it, I won't force you to stay."

At these words, Qian Renxue's body trembled slightly, but she didn't pull away, allowing him to lead her into the wooden house.

She lifted her eyes and scanned the room. The first floor was kept spotlessly clean, with every item arranged neatly; there wasn't even a speck of dust.

If he kept his own living space this well-maintained, the second floor likely wouldn't be any different.

Following the wooden stairs to the second floor, Lin Feng pushed open the door at the very end and stepped aside to make room.

"Teacher, take a look. Are you satisfied?"

Qian Renxue's phoenix eyes were filled with surprise.

The room was far more spacious and bright than she had anticipated, likely nearly double the size of Lin Feng's room downstairs.

Everything was arranged in perfect order and was immaculate.

A vanity stood against the wall with its mirror polished to a shine, and a wide desk was placed by the window, already stocked with brand-new paper and brushes.

The bed was made with a fresh, embroidered quilt, and the balcony had been specially tended to, featuring a small tea table and a rocking chair. Sitting there in the evening would offer a perfect view of the sunset.

"Teacher, if you don't say anything, I'll take that as you liking it!"

Lin Feng chuckled and turned to head downstairs.

"You rest for a while; I'm going to go make dinner. I must let you taste my cooking today—I guarantee this trip won't be in vain."

For the sake of this meal, he had spent two grueling months learning culinary arts from Shao Xin.

The old saying goes that to capture a woman's heart, one must first capture her stomach; for the sake of his investment capital, this little bit of effort was nothing.

Qian Renxue walked to the small balcony, shedding all the defenses in her heart at this moment as she lazily reclined on a rocking chair.

The orange-red sunset spilled over her like shattered gold, outlining the contours of her stunning profile, making her look as holy as an Angel who had wandered into the mortal realm.

A smile curled at the corners of her lips involuntarily.

I didn't realize this guy was actually quite thoughtful.

As the night grew deeper, The warm yellow light in the wooden cabin spread out a gentle glow.

Lin Feng picked up a piece of braised pork, stewed until it was perfectly flavorful, and placed it into the white porcelain bowl in front of Qian Renxue, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"Teacher, hurry and try it!"

Qian Renxue lowered her gaze to look at the bright, red-glazed, and fragrant braised meat in the bowl, then picked up her silver chopsticks to place a small piece into her mouth.

The savory flavor of the meat instantly melted on the tip of her tongue—fatty but not greasy, lean but not tough. Her eyes lit up, and she looked at Lin Feng with some surprise, nodding slightly.

"Delicious."

"As long as Teacher likes it!"

Lin Feng beamed with joy instantly, his chopsticks moving non-stop as he served her a piece of crispy yet tender braised fish, followed by an oily and fragrant chicken leg, enjoying himself immensely.

"Teacher, try this fish; I specifically removed the bones. And this roast chicken..."

"Alright."

Qian Renxue watched him, feeling a warmth bloom in her heart. She picked up her chopsticks and tasted the dishes on the table one by one, finding that her appetite was exceptionally good today, and even her entire being felt relaxed.

There were no tedious rules here, no need for the disguises she wore in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace for fear of revealing a flaw. She didn't have to be that Xue Qinghe; right now, she was just Qian Renxue, just a teacher being treated with care by her student.

Before, she had never understood why Lin Feng would be attached to such a dilapidated and humble Shrek Academy.

But at this moment, she suddenly seemed to understand a little.

After dinner, Lin Feng slipped away into his own room.

He couldn't wait to pour out all one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins from his storage Soul Tool ring in one go.

The golden, glittering Gold Soul Coins instantly piled up into a small mountain on the floor. Looking at the dazzling coins, Lin Feng couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

The Small Money Bag appeared from his palm, its opening widening, and the Gold Soul Coins on the floor were swallowed up like flowing water.

A line of clear numbers popped up in his mind.

[Mall Gold Coin: 10000]

Lin Feng's consciousness sank into the Godly Gear Mall, and looking at the dazzling array of Godly Gear, he was almost drooling.

"Crimson Lotus Cloak, high physical defense, triggers burning and grievous wounds at close range, and can also suppress the opponent's health regeneration, though it doesn't seem very useful right now..."

"Blood Demon's Fury? Triggers a shield and increases attack power when health is low, a Godly Gear for warriors to risk their lives—this one is actually not bad. And Guardian of Eternal Night, First Light of the Rising Sun, they are all such good things..."