Zhang Lexuan's voice suddenly rang out, drawing everyone's gaze away from Su Qing. Apart from Bei Bei and Su Qing, everyone present stared at the beautiful woman before them in bewilderment.
"Sister Lexuan? You came too? Didn't Senior Bei Bei say you were busy?"
Facing that exquisitely beautiful face, cool yet carrying a hint of warmth, Su Qing's already faintly upturned lips rose a little higher. Though he didn't know why Zhang Lexuan had come at this moment, he couldn't hide his joy at seeing her.
"Now that I'm done with work, shouldn't I come and take a look? What if some wild man gets himself into trouble? Since I was the one who recommended you, shouldn't I see things through?"
Zhang Lexuan shot him a glance, then casually patted Xiao Xiao's head and told her to accept the Mystic Water Pill. Still bewildered, Xiao Xiao silently tucked both Mystic Water Pills into her pocket, her gaze shifting between the two of them.
"Oh, so that's how it is. I thought Sister Lexuan came because she was worried about me..."
As he spoke, Su Qing's expression visibly fell. Of course, he was only pretending.
"Speaking of which, I've been meaning to ask: you handed out Mystic Water Pills to everyone else. How come it never occurred to you to give one to me?"
Zhang Lexuan rolled her eyes at him. He'd handed out three Mystic Water Pills just like that, yet somehow hadn't thought of her. She didn't know whether to call him generous or biased.
"Sister Lexuan is already at eight rings. Of course I couldn't give you a Mystic Water Pill. I was thinking I'd give you something more suitable as a gift later."
He'd thought that perfectly reasonable answer would satisfy Zhang Lexuan. Unexpectedly, the Inner Court Senior Sister changed tack:
"I see. Then I'll thank you in advance, Xiao Qing. But I imagine you've said things like that to plenty of other girls, haven't you?"
"What?!"
Bei Bei had never dreamed that his usually quiet and gentle Sister Lexuan could show such a side. He didn't even know how he'd answer a question like that, let alone Su Qing, who was still just a kid. Yet Su Qing's skill in this game was hardly lacking...
"Oh? Sister Lexuan, am I the only person you've ever asked that?"
Su Qing's flawless reply made sparks of amusement flash in the eyes of the onlookers. This kind of back-and-forth was just too entertaining. Tang Ya, however, quietly glanced at Xiao Xiao, who was watching the fun. Had the little girl forgotten something?
"Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?"
Zhang Lexuan kept her composure on the surface, but laughter was gradually welling in her eyes. This sly little fox was pretty quick-witted.
"Then it depends on whether Sister Lexuan wants to tell the truth and make me happy, or deliberately lie and break my heart."
On the surface, Su Qing's answer was about truth and lies. In reality, he'd made himself perfectly clear: the answer he wanted was the truth; the one he didn't want was a lie.
"Wow, so you can actually talk like this!"
Huo Yuhao's eyes were opened to a whole new world. As an honest fellow who wasn't good with words, he'd never have come up with something like that, no matter how hard he racked his brains.
"I'm so invested in those two! Bei Bei, turns out our idea of playing matchmaker was completely unnecessary!"
Hearing that, Xiao Xiao finally realized something was off. Wait, hadn't she been the first one to get here? How had she ended up as a spectator? But she was curious about what the two would say next, so she kept quiet.
"Kid, here's the Gold Soul Coin Card with the hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins I owe you!"
Just then, Xu Sanshi returned from the money house with a Gold Soul Coin Card loaded with a hundred thousand, interrupting their conversation.
"Come to think of it, I should thank you. I bet one Gold Soul Coin on you earlier, and now I've made quite a bit."
There had been a lot of interest in this match, since it featured Xu Sanshi, a long-established name in the outer court. Most people had bet on him. Apart from Tang Ya and the others, only a few fence-sitters had bet on Su Qing.
That had made Zhang Lexuan a fortune. She now had a full seventy thousand more Gold Soul Coins than before.
Xu Sanshi, looking utterly dejected, glanced around. When he spotted Bei Bei in the crowd, he immediately went over, slung an arm around Bei Bei's shoulders, and launched into his complaint.
"Bei, my heart's breaking. This new kid is a monster! One hit sent me flying, and I was in so much pain I nearly died. Now I've not only lost every last Mystic Water Pill, I've also lost a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins! I can't go on!"
"Serves you right! That's what you get for bullying my junior brother!"
Tang Ya kicked him, making him bare his teeth in pain.
"What? He's one of your Tang Sect disciples? You should've said so! Then I wouldn't have had to take that beating. Bei Bei, you've got to take responsibility for me!"
Hearing Tang Ya say Huo Yuhao was from the Tang Sect, Xu Sanshi's eyes widened. The Tang Sect was short on people, sure, but that didn't mean they had to take just anyone. The kid's Soul Power was only at level eleven! But he didn't say it aloud. He knew what he should and shouldn't say—otherwise, his father would've beaten him to death long ago.
"Huh? Senior Brother, you know him?"
Seeing the two acting like brothers, Huo Yuhao stood there dumbfounded. How had they ended up on the same side?
"Oh, I forgot to introduce him. This is Xu Sanshi, a fourth-year outer court student too. His Martial Soul is a water turtle..."
Seeing Huo Yuhao's confusion, Bei Bei introduced Xu Sanshi instead. After all, the other was a good friend of his, and it wouldn't be ideal for him and his junior brother to remain at odds. He might as well use this chance to let bygones be bygones...
"I'm sorry, little brother. I was just trying to show off in front of the girl I like, so I acted that way. I'm usually easy to get along with, really."
Xu Sanshi looked at Huo Yuhao with an apologetic expression. Seeing this, Huo Yuhao didn't hold it against him and repeatedly said it was fine, as long as Xu Sanshi came by to patronize his business more often in the future.
Seeing that Zhang Lexuan and Su Qing were still flirting, Bei Bei didn't want to interrupt. After finishing his chat with Xu Sanshi, he led Huo Yuhao toward the new students' dormitories, explaining the effects of the Mystic Water Pill as they walked.
"Little Xiao Xiao, let's head back too. Once you get your hands on a Mystic Water Pill, you should use it as soon as possible, or its medicinal power will fade."
As she spoke, Tang Ya gave Xiao Xiao a knowing look and led her back.
After everyone had left, Zhang Lexuan, who had been silent for a while, turned her gaze back to Su Qing.
"Take a walk with me?"
"I'd be delighted!"
As he spoke, Su Qing took her hand of his own accord, and the two strolled toward Sea God Lake...
After parting from Bei Bei, Huo Yuhao remembered how Su Qing had defeated Xu Sanshi, who was at the same level, with just one move. He couldn't help praying that he wouldn't run into Su Qing during the round-robin tournament. Otherwise, he'd be expelled.
Then his gaze fell on the Mystic Water Pill, and he thought to himself, I owe them more and more. I can only repay their kindness once I've grown stronger.
With that, he swallowed the Mystic Water Pill in his hand. Much later, Wang Dong returned to the dormitory and, just like in the original story, fled the place with her nose pinched shut...