Chapter 29

Early morning, the main gate of Shrek Academy.

The team for the exhibition match had already assembled.

Six children stood at the gate, with several large trunks behind them containing their competition gear and daily necessities.

The team leader, Shen Yi, stood at the very front, speaking with Lan Muzi.

Lan Muzi was not the team leader today; he had only come to see them off.

Ye Xinglan stood in the middle of the group, her golden ponytail tied up neatly. She looked energetic, but her gaze was drifting, as if she were lost in thought.

A little boy with a round face leaned in from the side, holding half an unfinished steamed bun in his hand.

"Sister Xinglan, have you eaten?" Xu Lizhi's voice was soft and sweet, carrying a hint of ingratiation.

Ye Xinglan did not turn her head. "I have."

Xu Lizhi took a bite of his bun and leaned in a little closer. "I bought a few extra this morning, do you want—"

"No."

Xu Lizhi shrank his neck, but he didn't walk away, continuing to chatter aimlessly while standing by her side.

"When do you think Elder Ya Li will arrive? I haven't met Elder Ya Li yet; I heard she is incredibly gentle..."

Ye Xinglan ignored him.

She stared toward the gate, her fingers tapping unconsciously against her shoulder.

Xu Lizhi kept talking, his voice soft and sweet, like a little gas canister rolling back and forth beside her.

"...My mom said Skysea City has a lot of delicious food, especially the seafood. Have you ever had seafood, Sister Xinglan? I haven't, I definitely have to try some this time..."

Ye Xinglan's ears automatically filtered out these sounds.

Her gaze remained fixed on the gate, unmoving.

Then, she saw it.

Ya Li walked out from the gate, wearing a long white dress with her hair pinned back, looking both gentle and sharp.

She was holding someone by the hand—someone who had grown much thinner and paler, with hair slightly longer than before, draped over his shoulders.

He wore a silver-white coat, and as the wind blew, the hem of his robe fluttered, making him look like a sliver of moonlight that might be scattered by the breeze at any moment.

He did not walk fast, planting each step firmly, but it was clear his body had not fully recovered; he had to pause every few steps to adjust his breathing.

Yun Jingheng.

Ye Xinglan's eyes lit up instantly.

She lifted her feet and started walking.

Xu Lizhi was in the middle of saying, "They say the fish balls in Skysea City are exceptionally bouncy," when the person beside him vanished before he could finish.

He froze for a moment, looking at Ye Xinglan's retreating back, his mouth agape as a small crumb fell from the bun in his hand.

"Sister Xinglan?"

Ye Xinglan did not turn back.

She walked very quickly, almost at a run.

Shen Yi was speaking with Lan Muzi when she caught a glimpse of a figure rushing out of the formation. She frowned slightly, but seeing that the direction was toward Ya Li, she said nothing.

Ye Xinglan came to a halt in front of Yun Jingheng, looking at his face for several seconds.

He was even paler than last time, so thin that his chin had become sharp, and there was a faint layer of blue beneath his eyes—a clear sign of poor sleep.

Yet those eyes were still black and very bright.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

Yun Jingheng looked at her. "To watch your match."

Ye Xinglan was stunned. "Are you recovered?"

Yun Jingheng shook his head. "Not yet. But I can walk."

Ye Xinglan stared at him for two seconds, then the corners of her mouth curved upward.

She said nothing more and turned to walk back to the formation.

But this time, she walked much slower, step by step, not as rushed as before.

Xu Lizhi stood where he was, watching Ye Xinglan walk back, then looking at the boy in the silver-white clothes in the distance, then back at Ye Xinglan, his mouth opening and closing, not knowing what to say.

Ye Xinglan stood still beside him.

"Who is that?" Xu Lizhi asked in a low voice.

Ye Xinglan did not answer, but the corners of her mouth remained curved.

Shen Yi stepped forward to greet them. "Elder Ya Li."

Ya Li nodded with a smile. "Teacher Shen, thank you for your hard work."

Shen Yi shook her head. "It is my duty. It is our honor to have Elder Ya Li accompany us."

She glanced at Yun Jingheng beside Ya Li, "This is..."

Ya Li placed a hand on Yun Jingheng's shoulder. "My son, Yun Jingheng. He's coming along to take a look; it won't be a bother, will it?"

Shen Yi's gaze lingered on Yun Jingheng for a moment.

She had, of course, heard this name before—the son of the Sea God Pavilion Master, the one who had slept for an entire year, the very reason for that moon that had the entire continent watching.

She had expected to see a child who was... well, different.

But standing before her now was just a thin, pale boy who looked somewhat frail.

He was very quiet, standing beside Ya Li without making a sound or showing any particular expression.

"How could it be a bother?"

Shen Yi withdrew her gaze. "The more, the merrier."

She turned and walked back to the front of the group. "Everyone is here. Let's move out."

The six children shouldered their bags and followed Shen Yi outside.

Ye Xinglan walked in the middle of the line, with Xu Lizhi by her side.

The little gas tank was still whispering questions, but Ye Xinglan didn't take in a single word.

She just walked, step by step, the corners of her mouth curved as if she were hiding a secret known only to herself.

Yun Jingheng walked at the very back of the group, staying with Ya Li.

He did not walk fast, but every step was steady. As the wind blew, the hem of his silver-white robe fluttered.

He looked up at the sky; it was very blue, and the clouds were very white. It had been a long time since he had seen a sky like this.

As the group walked out of the Shrek gates, Ye Xinglan looked back once.

Yun Jingheng was walking with his head down and didn't see her, so she withdrew her gaze and continued on.

Her steps felt much lighter.

Xu Lizhi whispered from the side, "Sister Xinglan, you seem very happy today."

Ye Xinglan glanced at him. "I'm not."

Xu Lizhi didn't believe her, but he didn't dare to ask again.

Shrek had chartered an entire carriage; Shen Yi sat at the very front, Ya Li sat at the very back, and the children sat in the middle.

Ye Xinglan chose a window seat, leaving the space beside her empty.

Xu Lizhi sat down next to her, not daring to say much.

Xu Lizhi was stunned. "Why?"

Ye Xinglan looked out the window and said nothing.

Yun Jingheng sat in the very back, leaning against Ya Li's shoulder with his eyes closed.

Ya Li gently stroked his hair, her other hand flipping through a book.

The carriage was very quiet, with only the sound of wheels grinding against the tracks.

Skysea City had arrived.

By the time the train pulled into the station, it was already afternoon.

Sunlight shone in through the train windows, carrying the briny scent of the sea.

Yun Jingheng was shaken awake. He opened his eyes to find he had been leaning against his mother's lap, and Ya Li was looking down at him, her hand gently massaging his hair.

"Are we here?" His voice was still a little hoarse.

Ya Li nodded and helped him pull his coat tighter.

"We're here. We'll check into the hotel first, then head to the competition venue tomorrow."

Yun Jingheng sat up straight and stretched his neck.

His body felt a little better than it had in the morning, but it was still soft, like a noodle that had been soaked in water.

Ya Li's soul skill circulated slowly within him, nourishing his parched meridians like warm water.

Throughout the journey, although he hadn't fully recovered, he could at least walk without gasping for air.

When the group got off the train, Ye Xinglan walked in front and glanced back.

Seeing Yun Jingheng following beside Ya Li with a complexion slightly better than it had been that morning, she finally withdrew her gaze.

The hotel was by the sea, a white building with balconies facing the ocean.

Shen Yi was at the front desk handling the check-in, while the children waited in the lobby.

Xu Lizhi stood next to Ye Xinglan, his stomach letting out a loud growl.

He covered his belly and gave an embarrassed smile.

"Hungry already?" Ye Xinglan glanced at him.

"A little bit," Xu Lizhi whispered.

He was actually very hungry; the steamed bun from the morning had long since been digested, and he hadn't eaten anything on the train.

But he didn't dare say anything, afraid of causing trouble for his teachers.

After finishing the check-in, Shen Yi began assigning rooms.

"Two to a room, and don't wander off. Meet in the lobby at seven tonight for dinner."

Xu Lizhi tugged on Ye Xinglan's sleeve, "Sister Xinglan, shall we go over there and see if there's any food for sale?"

Ye Xinglan frowned, "Wait until tonight to eat together."

Xu Lizhi let go of her sleeve and didn't say anything more, but his stomach growled again.

He lowered his head, feeling a bit aggrieved.

Ye Xinglan glanced at him and sighed, "I have some food in my bag; I'll give it to you in a bit."

"Okay, thank you, Sister Xinglan."

When Yun Jingheng woke up, it was already evening. After eating at the hotel, Ya Li began using her soul skills to restore Yun Jingheng's body.

He twisted his body, stretched, and sat up straight.

His mother was on the balcony making a phone call, and the way she looked... it seemed she was calling his father.

His communicator rang. He took a glance; it was Ye Xinglan.

"Hello?"

"Yun Jingheng."

Ye Xinglan's voice was very low, carrying a hint of gritted teeth, "Can you come over here?"

"What's wrong?"

"Xu Lizhi snuck out to eat, but he doesn't have the money to pay the bill, and I didn't bring any money either. In short... we've been scammed."

Yun Jingheng was silent for a moment, "Where are you?"

Ye Xinglan gave him a rough location.

Yun Jingheng got off the bed, put on his shoes, told Ya Li, and headed out.

Ya Li glanced at him from the balcony but didn't stop him, only saying, "Come back early."

Yun Jingheng walked along the street, not fast, but steady.

His body was still weak, but better than it had been during the day; at least he wasn't panting while walking.

After turning two corners, he saw Ye Xinglan, Xu Lizhi—who was squatting in the corner not daring to lift his head—and the shop owner standing there with his hands on his hips.

He walked over, "How much?"

"It's 400,000 Federal Coins in total. The one who just left paid his share, so there's 266,700 Federal Coins remaining."

The owner looked him over, "Are you his family?"

Yun Jingheng didn't answer; he froze.

He slowly turned his head to look at Xu Lizhi.

Are you a pig? How did you not eat yourself to death with this meal?!

260,000... did you eat the entire stall empty?

Or did you gnaw on their ancestral cooking pot?

He stared at Xu Lizhi. Xu Lizhi kept his head low, his ears red enough to drip blood, his whole body curled into a ball like a hamster caught in the act.

Yun Jingheng took a deep breath, then another, his brain spinning frantically.

260,000 Federal Coins.

He had lived at Shrek for ten years, with all his food and expenses covered by his family. He didn't even have 2,000 in his own pocket; why else would he have gone to raid the Soul Guidance Department?

Where was he supposed to get 260,000?

His father had money, of course; the salary of the Sea God Pavilion Master certainly wasn't low.

But he couldn't exactly call home and say, "Dad, transfer me 260,000, my teammate ate too much and got detained for not being able to pay."

His father would give it, but where would he hide his face when he got back?

He looked at Ye Xinglan.

Ye Xinglan stood to the side with her arms crossed, her ears red, but her eyes clearly saying, "I don't have money either, don't look at me."

Yun Jingheng withdrew his gaze and looked at Xu Lizhi again.

Xu Lizhi lowered his head even further, almost curling into a ball.

What the hell did you actually eat?

Yun Jingheng really wanted to ask.

But he held it back.

He looked at the owner, "Can you make it cheaper?"

The owner shook his head, "The prices are clearly marked, and we treat every customer fairly. Everything he ordered consists of the finest ingredients: three-headed abalone, black truffles, bluefin tuna... and a bottle of fifty-year-old Sea God Wine."

The owner counted on his fingers, "That bottle of wine alone accounts for 150,000."

Yun Jingheng took another deep breath.

Drinking alcohol, too? How old are you to be drinking?

No, that's not the point.

The point is, you're just a brat who snuck out to eat, and you ordered three-headed abalone, black truffles, bluefin tuna, and that whole pile of grilled fish?

Are you here to compete or to go on a honeymoon?

He glanced at Xu Lizhi's stomach.

It was round and bulging; it certainly didn't look like he'd only eaten one meal.

Fine, being able to eat is a blessing.

He pulled out his communicator, hesitated for a moment, and dialed Yun Ming's number.

"Hello? What is it, Jingheng?"

"Dad, give me some money. I saw something I want to buy..."

"Alright."

After ending the call, he looked at the notification.

1,000,000.

Tsk... do I need to buy a humpback whale to take back with me later?