First Meeting with Dugu Yan

"Yanyan, do you even know any boys outside the academy?"

Entering the academy, Ye Lingling asked with a hint of curiosity.

Dugu Yan shook her head, pondered for a moment, and then shook her head again.

"I don't know. I don't recall having any close male friends. Maybe they were looking for my grandfather."

Her grandfather was a Title Douluo with a mansion in Heaven Dou City, but his whereabouts were unpredictable. Perhaps the visitor had an urgent matter and, unable to find her grandfather, had sought her out instead.

"Then why didn't you ask the guard for his name just now?" Ye Lingling added.

Dugu Yan paused, glanced back toward the main gate, and waved her hand dismissively.

"Forget it, never mind him. It has nothing to do with me anyway. If he's really in such a rush to find my grandfather, I'll find out soon enough."

Honestly, she detested these kinds of social obligations, but there was no helping it; in the world of human connections, one had to endure what one disliked.

Watching her carefree, indifferent attitude, a wry smile tugged at the corners of Ye Lingling's mouth.

If she hadn't been so cautious back then, she probably would have entered that land of opportunity alongside Yanyan.

The two chatted and laughed as they walked for about five minutes.

Suddenly, a male student approached them.

Had Wu Xing been present, he would have recognized this as the same boy he met when he first entered Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

"Senior Dugu Yan."

Dugu Yan glanced at him, but had no impression of him. The academy was crowded; she didn't know everyone.

"Is something the matter?"

"A man specifically asked me about your whereabouts this morning," the boy said politely.

Dugu Yan frowned slightly. Someone looking for her again.

"Alright, I know. The guard at the gate already told me."

Her tone was a bit impatient.

Hearing this, the boy didn't say anything more and turned to leave, only to be called back by Dugu Yan.

"Wait."

Remembering her best friend's words from earlier, Dugu Yan asked casually, "Do you know what his name is?"

"I think it was Wu Xing," the boy thought for a moment before blurting out the name.

"What?"

Dugu Yan's eyes widened abruptly, her voice rising several octaves. She then pressed him impatiently, "What did you say his name was?"

Her tone was filled with excitement and agitation; she sounded as if she had heard something incredible, unable to hide the tremor in her voice.

This reaction startled Ye Lingling, who stood nearby, and left the male student feeling quite terrified.

Could it be that the man from this morning had offended Senior Dugu?

"It... it's Wu Xing. I remember it very clearly; that is definitely the name," the boy said, his heart racing, though he hurried to repeat it.

"Wu Xing!"

Dugu Yan gasped aloud on the spot. A wave of irrepressible ecstasy rushed to her head, a look of pure surprise blooming on her face, and even her breathing became rapid.

"Tell me, where is he now!"

She never imagined that the Group Leader she had been thinking of day and night would actually come to Heaven Dou Royal Academy!

"He... he seemed to be going to the Academic Affairs Office to handle..."

Before he could finish, Dugu Yan turned and sprinted toward the Academic Affairs Office. Her speed was such that she vanished at the end of the path in the blink of an eye, leaving him and Ye Lingling standing in the wind, utterly bewildered.

"???"

Ye Lingling was filled with confusion. Had her best friend forgotten about her entirely?

At the same time, a massive wave of curiosity surged within her. What kind of relationship did this boy named Wu Xing have with Yanyan to make her so agitated?

Thinking this, she began to follow.

At this moment, Wu Xing had finished all his paperwork and collected the several sets of exquisite yellow school uniforms issued by the academy. He was being led by the middle-aged man who had received him toward the male dormitory.

But just as he left the Academic Affairs Office, a young girl wearing a short skirt of emerald snake-scale armor, with short purple hair and matching emerald snake-scale high heels, came charging toward him like a whirlwind.

She moved so fast she stirred up a breeze, her face filled with uncontrollable excitement and joy. It was Dugu Yan, who had run all the way here.

She locked eyes with Wu Xing beside the teacher and slammed on the brakes. Her chest heaved violently as her beautiful, eerie snake-like eyes stared fixedly at him, filled with incredulous joy.

"Brother Wu Xing?"

Dugu Yan's voice carried a distinct tremor.

She was making one final confirmation.

"What a coincidence, Group Member Dugu Yan," Wu Xing said with a smile.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Dugu Yan lunged forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

A soft, fragrant body suddenly pressed into his arms, and he could even smell the faint, youthful scent lingering on her.

"It really is Brother Wu Xing, it's really you!"

"Am I dreaming, Yanyan? You actually came to Heaven Dou Royal Academy to find me!"

Dugu Yan was overjoyed, her usual arrogant and haughty demeanor completely vanished as she nestled into Wu Xing's embrace, unwilling to let go for a long time.

The middle-aged teacher standing nearby watched Dugu Yan throw herself into Wu Xing's arms, his keys clattering to the ground as his mouth hung slightly agape.

Ye Lingling, who had just rushed over, saw this scene and nearly had her eyes pop out of their sockets.

Her best friend, her sister, was actually throwing herself into a man's arms? Was this still the proud Yanyan she knew?

"I didn't come here specifically for you; I had already planned to come to Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

Wu Xing feigned a serious expression.

"Hee hee."

Dugu Yan giggled, finally loosening her grip, though she instinctively hooked her arm through his and asked curiously, "Brother Wu Xing, why didn't you tell me in advance that you were coming to Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"

Wu Xing didn't answer, instead looking at her as if she were a fool.

Dugu Yan reacted immediately, her small face flushing a light red; if the group members knew the Group Leader had come to her academy, they would all go absolutely ballistic.

But that was fine too; for the next little while, Brother Wu Xing would belong to her, Dugu Yan.

Thinking of this, her heart filled with immense anticipation.

"Student Wu, so you and Student Dugu Yan were already acquainted."

At this moment, the middle-aged teacher recovered from his shock, his face plastered with a smile.

He had just been thinking that for Wu Xing to be a level 39 Soul Elder at such a young age, with soul rings far exceeding those of ordinary people, he was a rare talent indeed.

Now, seeing Dugu Yan act so intimately toward him, the gaze he directed at Wu Xing became increasingly respectful.

One had to know that Dugu Yan was the granddaughter of the senior Poison Douluo, and her status in this royal academy filled with nobles was no small matter. Even so, she was this excited, so his background must be extraordinary; naturally, the teacher dared not be negligent.

"Student Wu?"

Hearing the teacher's words, Dugu Yan jolted, her eyes then becoming incredibly bright: "Brother Wu Xing, have you joined our academy?"

"That's right, are you welcoming?" Wu Xing nodded with a smile.

"Welcome, welcome, Yanyan naturally welcomes you." Dugu Yan was so excited she nearly jumped, the hands clutching his arm pressing even tighter against her Bear Paradise.

She had thought Wu Xing had some business at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, but she never expected he would actually be joining it. If the members in the group found out, they would be green with envy.

No, no, she had to control herself; she absolutely could not let the news slip out just because she was too happy. At the very least, until she had been "secluded" a hundred or eighty times, she could not let any group members know.

"Yanyan, who is this?"

Just as Dugu Yan was busy daydreaming about how she should welcome Wu Xing to her "secluded room"—whether she should take the initiative, wait to cooperate, or perhaps pretend to resist, since she'd heard resistance could be more attractive to men—Ye Lingling had already arrived at her side.