Brain-Dead

"Of course it's true. I've been very well-behaved at Teacher Qin's place. I haven't caused her any trouble at all. If you don't believe me, you can ask her yourself." Xu Qing folded his arms.

"Oh? That's quite a surprise," Xu Xin said, looking at him with interest. Could he really behave that well in someone else's home?

"Hmph. I'm a model tenant. Not causing trouble for the landlord is a basic responsibility," Xu Qing said, lifting his chin.

Xu Xin laughed. "Looks like our Xiao Qing has grown up and become dependable."

"Of course. I'm eighteen already. How could I not be mature and dependable?" Xu Qing said confidently.

"That's wonderful," Xu Xin said, smiling and nodding.

Xu Qing turned to her. "Sister Xin, how are things with Luo Feng? Has he confessed to you yet?"

"Confessed? It's too soon for that. He's so busy all the time, and we don't see each other often," Xu Xin said with a faint smile.

"I see. Sounds like he's been working hard at his cultivation. With his talent, he'll definitely improve quickly. He might even become a War God before long," Xu Qing said.

Xu Xin laughed. "It's not that easy to become a War God. You're really confident in him, aren't you?"

"Of course. I saw his progress with my own eyes the last time I went along with them. He's truly talented. He'll definitely become someone important someday," Xu Qing said with certainty.

After a pause, he added, "Oh, right, Sister Xin. There's something I forgot to tell you. Luo Feng is a Spirit Controller too, just like me. Surprised?"

"A Spirit Controller?! You mean he is too?" Xu Xin was genuinely surprised this time.

"Yeah. But you have to keep it a secret, Sister Xin. He doesn't seem to want other people to know," Xu Qing reminded her.

Xu Xin nodded. "I understand. I'll keep it secret."

Being a Spirit Controller was certainly a very special status, and at the moment it was a sensitive one, too.

That was because something had happened recently. The only son of a War God couple, a Core Member of the VHR Family—one of the Underground Alliance's nine great families—had been killed in a Wilderness Zone within Huaxia, along with his bodyguards.

The culprit was said to possibly be a Spirit Controller. The War God couple were now searching frantically for the killer and had even offered a bounty of 100 billion Huaxia Currency.

Even War Gods would be tempted by that 100 billion.

But Xu Qing definitely had nothing to do with it. He had been at school at the time.

"Xiao Qing, I'm heading upstairs. Go to Teacher Qin's place soon, and don't keep her waiting." Outside the girls' dormitory, Xu Xin waved and turned to go inside.

After seeing Xu Xin back to her dorm, Xu Qing headed to the teaching building alone.

When he reached the building, Xu Qing didn't go inside. Instead, he sat down beside the huge flowerbed.

He sat there with his chin propped on his hands, gazing at the moon overhead. He clearly had something on his mind.

Xu Xin had guessed right just now.

Why...? Xu Qing's gaze grew unfocused. His mind was filled with memories of his time with Qin Lin over the past month or so.

Qin Lin was gentle with him and treated him very, very well—so well that even someone as slow on the uptake as Xu Qing could tell.

Even if Qin Lin was his teacher and homeroom teacher, that still didn't explain it.

At first, he'd thought Qin Lin treated him like a younger brother, just as Xu Xin did. But the more he thought about it, the less that seemed right.

She bought him tasty food and drinks, made him laugh and cheered him up, and drove him out to have fun.

Worst of all, after she learned how much he envied her abs, she would often show them off to him after taking a shower. She was just too mean...

And yet Xu Qing didn't dislike her at all.

As he thought about it, he felt something welling up in his chest. It was hot and warm, and even a little sweet.

Xu Qing didn't know how to describe this strange feeling. He'd never felt anything like it before.

Could this be... what it means to like someone? Xu Qing murmured.

"Hello, Young Master Xu Qing." Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice sounded, interrupting his thoughts.

Xu Qing snapped back to his senses. It was as if someone had doused him with a bucket of cold water, and an irritable feeling rose up involuntarily.

Xu Qing frowned and looked over. An elderly man in a crisp suit stood before him.

"You're that young master from the Wang Family's butler. What do you want with me?" Xu Qing recognized him. This butler had been at the young master's side from the very first day he showed up.

"Our young master would like to meet with Young Master Xu Qing," the butler said, bowing slightly.

"I'm not a young master. And I don't want to meet your young master." Xu Qing was in a foul mood after being interrupted.

He'd only just realized what he might be feeling, and he'd been in a good mood.

"Young Master Xu Qing, don't be so quick to refuse. Our young master merely wishes to invite you for tea and discuss a few things," the butler continued.

"Discuss what? I didn't know I had anything to discuss," Xu Qing said, rolling his eyes.

"Young Master Xu Qing, you know how our young master feels about Miss Xu Xin. If you're willing to help him, our young master can promise to make you the Xu Family's next heir."

"Young Master Xu Qing knows better than anyone that no matter how much Miss Xu Xin dotes on you, you could never become the Xu Family's heir. But if you're willing to stand with our young master, anything is possible," the butler coaxed.

At that, Xu Qing looked at him as if he were an idiot.

"Did your young master come up with that?" Xu Qing asked.

"That's right. It was our young master's idea." The butler thought Xu Qing was tempted and smiled faintly.

But in the next moment, Xu Qing scoffed. "Then your young master must be brain-dead. How could he say something like that? If he's so brain-dead, how does he dare dream of becoming the Wang Family's heir? Is it because he's brain-dead?"

The butler's expression stiffened. "What do you mean by that, Young Master Xu Qing?"

"What do I mean? Your young master is brain-dead, and his underlings are too? Like master, like servants. You're all beyond saving." Xu Qing shook his head.

"Young Master Xu Qing, I came on behalf of my young master with the utmost sincerity, and you repay me with such mockery. Isn't that going too far?" the butler demanded, taking a deep breath.

"Sincerity? That's hilarious. You people are the biggest joke in the world. I can't be bothered talking to idiots. Just leave. I don't want to talk to idiots so long that I end up turning into one myself." Xu Qing waved him away like he was shooing off chickens and ducks.

The butler was furious. "You... Young Master Xu Qing, angering my young master is not a wise choice. You've been spending so much time with your homeroom teacher lately, and you've even moved into her home. Aren't you afraid that word will get out?"

Seeing how stubborn Xu Qing was, the butler began to threaten him.