Wang Dong cradled the warm teacup,
and lowered her face even further,
hoping to hide her little thoughts.
Lu Ran hadn't noticed anything unusual about Wang Dong.
His gaze rested on Star Luo City, which never slept beyond the window.
Several thousand meters away lay the brightly lit Star Luo Square. Aside from a few staff members, not a single idle person was there.
"A lot has happened over the past two days. It's had a huge impact on everyone. We haven't had a proper rest since leaving the academy.
"I'm here for the competition, so don't worry.
"We won't fall behind in our cultivation by taking just one night off. We might as well relax.
"Let's get some sleep tonight."
Wang Dong raised her eyes. Clear as a fawn's in the forest, they looked timid and cautious. As though the question had just slipped out in casual conversation, she tested the waters in a light, easy tone:
"Hey, you're pretty good at comforting people. Do you do it a lot?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she immediately looked away.
Her breathing was faint.
Lu Ran answered quickly. "No. Only you."
"Besides, no one's ever come to me for comfort."
That was the truth.
He only knew a few students from Shrek, and none of them needed comforting.
Besides, before he turned six,
he'd often had to comfort himself.
Those six years—
in winter, the backs of his hands cracked from the cold and didn't heal all season. In spring, the temperature warmed up, but there was little to eat until the next harvest. Summer wasn't cold at all, but mosquitoes and bugs were everywhere. Autumn was a little better, except he had to stockpile food for the winter, which wore him to the bone...
He'd lived through one