Why Is Your Face So Red?

On the way back to Eastsea Academy, Xie Xie looked at Wu Changkong carrying Tang Wulin on his back, then edged closer to Lin Chen. "Lin Chen, what did you say to Teacher Wu? Why does he look so glum?"

Lin Chen gave Xie Xie a disdainful look. "Don't ask questions you shouldn't. Teacher Wu might make us do extra training."

Thinking back to the "joyful" training they'd had earlier, Xie Xie shuddered and hunched his shoulders. He didn't ask anything else.

Lin Chen turned to Gu Yuena beside him and asked softly, "Na'er, how did you like the Spirit Ascension Platform?"

At his words, Gu Yuena glanced back at the boy beside her, her eyes curving into a gentle smile. "It was pretty great. I have you all to thank for that."

Up ahead, Wu Changkong's ears twitched as he carried Tang Wulin. Xie Xie, who had just settled down, immediately perked up his ears and listened in curiously.

Back at the academy, Gu Yuena invited Lin Chen to sit with her in her room.

Lin Chen was slightly taken aback. He felt a little embarrassed; when they'd lived in Shrek City as children, he'd hardly ever gone into Na'er's room.

The room was spotlessly tidy, its furnishings simple and clean. The desk by the window was neatly arranged. On closer inspection, a book titled 100 Ways to Catch the Boy You Like sat on the bookshelf.

Most eye-catching of all was the photo frame on the corner of the desk. It held a picture of Lin Chen and Na'er at the seaside three years ago.

Gu Yuena followed his gaze to the frame and said softly, "It's been here the whole time."

Out of the corner of his eye, Lin Chen noticed a book lying crookedly on the shelf and reached out to straighten it.

His arm had barely lifted when Gu Yuena suddenly reacted. A flush spread across her fair face. She snatched the book away before Lin Chen could reach it, quickly straightened it, and shoved it between the other books.

Only after doing all that did Gu Yuena manage to calm herself a little. She lowered her eyes, the tips of her ears still red, and secretly sighed with relief. Phew, at least the title is only printed on the cover.

Watching Gu Yuena's flurry of movements, Lin Chen grew puzzled. "What's that book?" Only then did he notice the blush on her cheeks. He asked again, "Na'er, why is your face red?"

Gu Yuena looked up and glared at him, trying to sound composed. "I just bought it to read. It's nothing special..." Her voice grew softer and softer as she spoke.

When Lin Chen had reached to straighten the book, he'd unconsciously stepped half a pace forward. Gu Yuena had happened to slip in past him and straighten it first.

In the moment between their movements, his arms had ended up braced on either side of the desk, hemming Na'er in completely—a textbook kabedon.

He could catch the pleasant scent of her as they breathed. They were far too close, their eyes meeting.

Only then did Lin Chen realize how suggestive their pose was. His face turned red, and his ears flamed in an instant.

He hurriedly pulled his arms off the desk and took a big step back, not even knowing where to look in his haste.

Gu Yuena's already bashful heart gave a sudden thump. With her back against the desk, she froze in place, her violet eyes fixed on the boy before her.

The flush on her cheeks didn't fade; it deepened instead. Her heart raced like a startled fawn's, and the only sound in the quiet room was their slightly hurried breathing, mingling softly.

Lin Chen's mind went blank, and he blurted out a few words. "Um, Na'er, the night sky tonight... it's beautiful, isn't it?"

He turned to look out the window. Sunlight poured through the glass, filling the room with warmth.

Gu Yuena's bashful mood was punctured by his foolish remark, and she burst out laughing. Pressing her lips together slightly, she gazed at the flustered boy before her.

"With the sun shining this brightly, where's the night sky?" Her voice was gentle, with a hint of teasing. The blush hadn't faded from her cheeks, lending her a playful charm.

Lin Chen wished he could crawl into a crack in the floor. He scratched the back of his head, his ears growing even redder, and stammered, "Uh, ha... The sunlight really is nice and warm."

Just as the two of them sat in an awkward yet suggestive atmosphere, a rustling sound came from the doorway.

"Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, quit shoving me! You'll get us caught!"

Lin Chen and Gu Yuena froze. The smile on Gu Yuena's face had only just appeared, but her cheeks flushed again. There was no need to guess: that idiot Xie Xie was outside eavesdropping with Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi.

Lin Chen seized the opportunity to say, "Na'er, I'll go take a look outside."

Gu Yuena pressed her lips together and nodded.

Lin Chen opened the door and looked down at the three eavesdroppers. The blush on his face had spread to his neck.

"What are you three doing here? Shouldn't you be back resting?"

Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi stood up, rubbing their hands together with sheepish grins. Their eyes darted about, unable to meet his. They pinned all the blame on Xie Xie.

"We were just passing by," Wang Jinxi said, nodding. "We weren't deliberately eavesdropping. Xie Xie was blocking the doorway and wouldn't leave. He called us over to join the fun."

Thrown under the bus on the spot, Xie Xie stiffened and hurriedly protested, "Hey! We came together, all right?"

Lin Chen's mouth twitched. "You didn't hear anything, right?"

Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi knew better than to argue and hurriedly nodded. "That's right. We didn't hear anything."

Xie Xie seemed not to understand the situation. He grinned and said, "Lin Chen, why's your face so red? Let me have a look!"

A cold glint flashed in Lin Chen's eyes. Ignoring Xie Xie as he came grinning closer, Lin Chen turned sideways and spoke to Gu Yuena inside. "Na'er, could you let Teacher Wu know for me? I'm taking these guys to the battle arena for a bit."

Gu Yuena, still beside the desk, nodded. The blush had already faded from her cheeks. "All right."

As soon as she spoke, the grin froze on Xie Xie's face. He hurriedly waved his hands in surrender. "Lin Chen, no, don't! I was wrong, okay? There's no need, really!"

Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi, who had been pretending nothing had happened, panicked too. They wished they could disown Xie Xie. Zhang Yangzi wailed, "I should've known better than to come!"

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow at the three of them. "You seemed to enjoy listening at the door just now. As it happens, I've just figured out a few new things. Teacher Wu is looking after Wulin, so you three can practice with me."

Watching the four of them disappear into the distance, Gu Yuena felt her heart finally settle. She murmured, "Did I just get kabedon'd?" She shook her head. "Never mind. I'll get back to studying."

The group dawdled all the way to the battle arena. No one else was around. Lin Chen stood in the middle of the arena, blue lightning leaping continuously around him.

Xie Xie, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi watched the raging arcs of lightning and swallowed.

The three huddled close together, squeezing out ingratiating grins as they hunched their shoulders and pleaded cautiously, "Boss Lin Chen, go easy on us, okay? Please don't hit us in the face!"

Lin Chen glanced at them, the lightning at his fingertips flickering. His voice was calm. "Don't worry. It won't hurt. I've just figured out a few things, and I can use them to heal you."

The three exchanged glances. With no choice, they steeled themselves and activated their Martial Souls, slowly adopting defensive stances. The empty arena echoed with the crackle of lightning—and their wails.