Let me heal your wounded heart today

Lin Chen walked over to Yun Ming's side, looking relaxed. "Dad, I'm heading home to cultivate now." It was as if he had just finished some trivial errand.

Yun Ming's gaze fell upon Lin Chen, and he nodded slightly. "Go ahead, be careful on the way. Your mother and I will be back tonight."

Lin Chen nodded, bid farewell to Yun Ming and Ya Li, and walked toward the gates of Shrek Academy.

Under Ya Li's healing, Ye Xinglan managed to stand up, though the arrogance in her eyes had faded, replaced by a newfound, steely determination to grow stronger.

Lin Chen strolled along the path home, planning to visit Na'er at the Spirit Pagoda tomorrow. As he walked, he accidentally wandered into the snack street.

The young man patted his forehead, thinking to himself, I was too careless. How did I end up here? He shook his head. Whatever, I'm already here.

Charcoal sizzled, and grease dripped from the meat. The stall owner asked, "The usual? Mildly spicy?"

Lin Chen smiled and nodded. "Yes, please, boss."

The stall owner deftly sprinkled on the secret seasoning, and the beef skewers were instantly coated in a charred aroma. Lin Chen took the skewers, biting into them as he walked, when a burst of music drifted from behind.

"Come get a cup of good tea, shake it, shake it."

"Good fortune shines upon you, shake it, shake it."

"Tea fragrance lingers, play a hand, luck arrives, wealth comes, wealth comes, draw a fortune, raise a glass together, welcome the good omen."

"Come get a cup of good tea, shake it..."

Lin Chen looked toward the sound and was instantly petrified in shock.

The beef skewer in his mouth nearly fell from his hand. In front of a milk tea shop, several burly, bald-headed men wearing lace-trimmed white maid outfits were twisting their bodies in perfect rhythm to the beat, humming along in gravelly voices.

There were quite a few people inside buying milk tea. Lin Chen swallowed the meat in his mouth; having stayed on the Shrek City snack street for so many years, he had never seen such a thunderous milk tea shop.

However, his thoughts drifted back a few years, and Lin Chen still clearly remembered, "Trouble, give me a cup of QQ-neinei-so-delicious-it-makes-me-cry tea..."

A bald maid-man caught sight of the stunned Lin Chen, took a sudden step forward, and deliberately forced a delicate, high-pitched tone into his rugged voice: "Little handsome, want a cup of our signature shake tea? New product special!"

Lin Chen ignored him, silently pulling out his phone to take a photo and send it to the East Sea Four Heavenly Kings group chat.

Xie Xie: What on earth is this? My eyes! It's absolutely blinding!!!

Tang Wulin: Oh my goodness, Shrek City really is something else!!!

Gu Yuena: ?

His fingertips flew to lock the screen and put the phone away. Lin Chen finished the last skewer and fled toward home as if escaping.

Behind him, the soft, squeaky hawking of the bald men accompanied by the hypnotic song drifted over intermittently, and he couldn't help but sigh, "Truly, the forest is big enough to hold all sorts of birds."

The various snacks along the street couldn't heal Lin Chen's traumatized soul. He would go find Gu Yuena tomorrow. It wasn't until he stepped into his own courtyard and returned to his room that he let out a long, relieved sigh.

After calming down for a while, Lin Chen gradually entered a meditative state. He didn't know how much time had passed, but when he opened his eyes again, it was pitch black outside the window.

He walked out of the room slowly. Yun Ming and Ya Li were sitting at the table. Seeing that Lin Chen looked a bit off, Ya Li asked, "Lin Chen, what happened? You don't look quite right."

Once Lin Chen sat down, he spoke slowly, "Mom, did you know a new milk tea shop opened on the snack street I usually go to?"

Ya Li frowned slightly, thinking for a moment. "I think a new one did open."

Yun Ming said calmly, "What's wrong with that milk tea shop?"

Lin Chen didn't speak, instead silently pulling out his phone. Even Yun Ming and Ya Li couldn't help but twitch their lips at the photo on the screen.

The young man wore a long face, his tone full of helplessness. "It was truly blinding. It caused great damage to my young soul, and that creepy uncle even leaned in to invite me to buy milk tea."

Yun Ming pressed his fingertips to his lips, coughed twice, and gestured for him to pick up his chopsticks. "Alright, alright, let's eat first."

Ya Li held her chopsticks to cover her twitching lips and placed some spiritual vegetables into Lin Chen's bowl. "Try this, it's good for your spiritual power."

At the dinner table, Lin Chen said to Yun Ming and Ya Li, "Mom, Dad, I'm going to the Spirit Pagoda tomorrow morning to find Na'er."

Hearing this, Yun Ming seemed to recall something and asked, "Lin Chen, do you know who Na'er's teacher is?"

Lin Chen looked at Yun Ming, then at Ya Li. "Uh... it's the Spirit Pagoda Vice Tower Master, Heavenly Phoenix Crown."

Ya Li nodded slowly, her eyes showing understanding. "So it's her."

Yun Ming coughed twice, said nothing, and continued eating.

After dinner, Yun Ming and Ya Li set off for Shrek Academy. In the single-story villa, only Lin Chen remained.

Lying on the sofa, he swiped his phone a few times. In the group chat, Xie Xie and Tang Wulin were still chattering about the photo of the bald maid milk tea shop from earlier. After a brief reply, Lin Chen opened his chat with Gu Yuena.

Lin Chen: Na'er, are you free tomorrow?

Gu Yuena: I am, what's up, Lin Chen?

Lin Chen: It's too boring at home. I'll come to the Spirit Pagoda to see you tomorrow.

Gu Yuena: Okay, I'll let my teacher know.

The next morning, Lin Chen set off for the Spirit Pagoda headquarters. The journey was smooth, and following the staff's directions, he arrived at Leng Yaozhu's office.

The elevator doors opened to reveal Gu Yuena and her teacher, Leng Yaozhu, sitting in the spacious office.

Seeing that it was Lin Chen, Leng Yaozhu's eyes curved as she teased, "Na'er, your little boyfriend is here."

Lin Chen's footsteps faltered, and a flush of crimson quickly spread across his ears. This remark had caught him completely off guard.

His cyan-glazed eyes looked somewhat flustered toward the girl in white beside him. A blush bloomed on Gu Yuena's fair face, and she looked reproachfully at Leng Yaozhu, who was sitting behind the desk. "Teacher!"

Leng Yaozhu leaned back in her office chair, her eyes brimming with a playful smile. "Alright, alright, I won't tease you two anymore. Nana already checked in with me yesterday. Go on, have fun."

Gu Yuena walked slowly to Lin Chen's side, blinking her large purple eyes before turning to look at Leng Yaozhu. "Teacher, we're heading out then."

Leng Yaozhu waved her hand with a smile, watching as the two walked out of the office side by side.

As they walked out of the Spirit Pagoda, the strands of hair falling by Gu Yuena's temples swayed gently. With a faint blush still lingering on her cheeks, she muttered, "Teacher is so mean, just spouting nonsense."

Lin Chen reached up to scratch the back of his head, his glazed eyes shifting with a hint of a smile. "Alright, alright, don't be angry. I'll take you to the snack street."

As his voice trailed off, Gu Yuena cast a suspicious glance his way and asked, "Lin Chen, was that photo really from the snack street?"

Lin Chen looked at Na'er beside him, a flicker of doubt crossing his eyes. "Do you want to go see for yourself?"

Gu Yuena's purple eyes were full of curiosity as she gave a slight nod. "Mm, I want to see it with my own eyes."

Lin Chen's mouth twitched slightly, mentally preparing himself to have his eyes assaulted once again.

Before long, a catchy, hypnotic tune drifted through the crowd. Turning the corner of the alley, the milk tea shop came into view, its stout figure swaying and dancing along to the song.

Gu Yuena froze in place, her purple pupils constricting slightly. Her usually cold face showed genuine shock as her eyes widened, and it took a long moment before she spoke. "Lin Chen, let's go..."

Lin Chen tilted his head and spread his hands helplessly. "See? It gave me a psychological shadow yesterday."

The Silver Dragon King activated her world-shaking wisdom, sensing a perfect opportunity to deepen their bond. The young girl's purple eyes curved into a beautiful arc as her slender, pale fingertips poked Lin Chen's arm. She blinked her eyes and spoke with blunt, straightforward charm, "Then let me heal your wounded heart today."

The words were simple and direct, causing Lin Chen, a pure-hearted boy in his past life, to instantly blush to the roots of his hair. "O...okay."