I Want to Get Ahead So Badly!!!

After the night passed, the morning sun rose once more, and a brand-new day began.

Lin Chen and Na'er had breakfast together before heading to the academy. The morning classes passed in the blink of an eye.

When the dismissal bell rang, the two met up as they had yesterday, then walked hand in hand toward the villa district.

They reached a sparsely populated street when several shady-looking figures darted out of an alley and blocked their way.

The yellow-haired ringleader sported a rooster-comb haircut and lounged about with a blade of grass between his teeth. He sized up Lin Chen and Na'er, the corner of his mouth curling into a malicious grin.

Na'er instinctively shrank behind Lin Chen, her small hand clutching his sleeve tightly.

Lin Chen furrowed his brow and shielded Na'er behind him. His jade-green eyes instantly turned colder as he asked, "What do you want?"

The rooster-haired yellow thug snickered, spat out the grass stem, and swept a greedy gaze over them. In a leering voice, he said, "What do we want? We noticed you two yesterday. We could fetch a pretty penny selling you at the underground black market."

One of the lackeys cracked his knuckles and advanced toward Lin Chen and Na'er, step by step.

Lin Chen cursed inwardly. Damn it, they're trafficking children in broad daylight. The chill in his eyes deepened, and Soul Power surged around him, shielding Na'er completely.

The rooster-haired yellow thug spat out the grass stem and flashed a swaggering, vicious grin. "Listen up. I'm Bi Luo, a sixteenth-level Soul Master. You'd better know what's good for you!"

The short, stocky lackey beside him stepped forward too. "I'm Shao Ji, a fifteenth-level Soul Master! If you don't want to get hurt, come with us quietly! Otherwise, don't blame us for using force."

Bi Luo added, "You know why I've only got hair in the middle? I pull out one strand every time I kill someone. Scared yet?"

Hearing this ridiculous, laughable line, Lin Chen chuckled derisively. "One Bi Luo, one Shao Ji. You two really do make a good pair, huh?"

Before Lin Chen could make a move, a steady rhythm of footsteps came from the alley. Three newly appointed officers in Shrek uniforms hurried over and surrounded them. They were special personnel secretly assigned to protect Lin Chen and Na'er.

The three officers met Bi Luo and Shao Ji's eyes in unison. They had found the right people—and here was their chance to get promoted!

Before the two thugs could react, the officers drew the stun batons from their belts and swung them mercilessly at Bi Luo and Shao Ji's legs.

The first blow went for their legs, to keep them from running.

Bi Luo and Shao Ji had only just begun activating Martial Soul Possession when the stun batons forcibly disrupted it. Both clutched their legs, howling and begging for mercy.

The second blow went for their necks, to keep them from begging.

With the physiques of Soul Masters, a blow to the neck wouldn't threaten their lives unless it was delivered with tremendous force. At least, that was how the officers saw it.

The second strike landed on their necks. Bi Luo and Shao Ji could no longer hold out; they collapsed and hurriedly raised their hands to shield themselves.

The three officers silently chanted to themselves, Sorry, I want to get ahead so badly!

The third blow went for their heads, to keep them from fighting back.

With several dull thuds, Bi Luo and Shao Ji's vision went black. They slumped limply to the ground, utterly unable to resist.

Na'er covered her eyes, peeking at the scene through the gaps between her fingers.

Once the three officers had confirmed that Bi Luo and Shao Ji were completely incapable of resisting, they put away their stun batons and hurried over to Lin Chen and Na'er.

The leader looked solemn as he bowed. His voice was filled with respect and remorse. "We're terribly sorry we were a step too late and frightened you both."

Looking at their expressions, Lin Chen lightly waved his hand. "It's fine. You handled things in time and didn't let us get hurt."

Na'er slowly lowered her hands from her eyes and timidly shook her head, echoing him in a soft voice. "It's okay. Thank you, Officer Uncle."

Only then did the officers' anxious hearts settle a little. They quickly arranged for their men to take all the unconscious thugs back to the branch. Excitement at the prospect of promotion soon showed on their faces.

After saying goodbye to the officers, Lin Chen took Na'er back to the villa. When he opened the front door, two familiar figures came into view.

Yun Ming and Yali sat on the living-room sofa. Hearing the door open, they lifted their eyes toward the two children.

Na'er's eyes lit up. She let go of Lin Chen's hand and ran over excitedly. "Aunt Yali! Uncle Yun Ming! What are you doing here?"

Lin Chen walked over too, a smile appearing on his face. "Mom, Dad, what brings you here?"

Yun Ming reached out and rubbed his head, his voice gentle. "We missed you. We happened to be nearby, so we came to see whether you two were settling in well here. We also brought you some things."

Yali stepped forward and took Na'er's little hand. She looked the two children over carefully, then asked softly, "You both look well. Has everything gone smoothly at school today?"

Lin Chen thought for a moment, but Na'er was the first to start sharing all the fun things that had happened at school over the past few days.

Yun Ming and Yali listened quietly, their eyes and brows filled with warm smiles as they nodded along to Na'er's stories from time to time.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Yali smiled and stood up. "You two little ones can't cook, can you? The dinner I arranged for you has arrived."

Yali smiled as she opened the door. Several chefs wheeled in a dining cart and neatly set out the exquisite dishes on the dining table.

The dishes were soon laid out: Steamed Silver-Scaled Demon Fish, Charcoal-Grilled Huang Family Crab Legs, Stir-Fried Jade Spirit Vegetables, Spirit Rice Steamed Cake, and a pot of rich, nourishing Beast Bone Soup. The meat and vegetables were perfectly balanced, and every dish brimmed with Soul Power and smelled delicious.

Yali had even ordered Crystal Shrimp and Fresh Milk Pudding, afraid that slender Na'er wouldn't get enough to eat.

Yun Ming and Yali took their seats first. Lin Chen took Na'er's hand, and they sat down in turn. The family gathered around the table and quietly enjoyed the warm dinner together.

Yun Ming ate with calm elegance, each movement measured and unhurried. Yali, meanwhile, kept an eye on the two children beside her, her gaze full of tenderness.

Na'er was already captivated by the delicious food. Her little mouth never stopped as she held a spoon in one hand and a piece of Spirit Rice Steamed Cake in the other. She ate with relish, her cheeks puffed up adorably.

Lin Chen gently picked up a Crystal Shrimp, peeled it, removed the vein, and placed the prepared shrimp meat into Na'er's bowl one piece at a time.

"Slow down, or you'll choke," Ya Li gently reminded her, serving a bowl of warm Beast Bone Soup and setting it in front of her.

Na'er looked up at Ya Li and smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Aunt Ya Li." Then she lowered her head and continued enjoying the food.

The four of them didn't talk much. Only the occasional clink of utensils broke the quiet, while the room was filled with a warm, harmonious atmosphere.

Under Na'er's unabashed assault, the once-heaping table of dishes gradually dwindled. Lin Chen patiently prepared all sorts of food for her, saving the most tender pieces for her. This simple, ordinary dinner was filled with the warmth of family in every little detail.