The Bet! Polish My Shoes!

The corner of Su Chen's mouth curled up almost imperceptibly.

At that moment, Wang Dong was also sizing Su Chen up.

The instant Su Chen walked through the door, Wang Dong had noticed him. There was no helping it. Even though Su Chen had toned down his appearance and bearing, he was simply blessed with too much natural charm. Add to that the unique presence he'd gained from living through two lifetimes and cultivating a god-level Martial Soul, and he still stood out from the crowd.

Clear surprise flashed through Wang Dong's beautiful pink-blue eyes, followed by a hint of admiration. For a moment, she even lost herself.

This... this guy... Wang Dong's heart gave an inexplicable little leap. He's... way too good-looking, isn't he? He's even more handsome than this young master...

Ever since she was little, whether at the Clear Sky Sect or later, after she'd secretly run away, she'd grown used to being the center of everyone's attention. She'd always been confident in her own looks.

But she'd never imagined that, in the freshman dormitory at Shrek Academy, she'd meet someone whose appearance and bearing made her feel... a little inferior at first glance.

He stood tall and straight, his long golden hair neat and clean, his features so handsome they were beyond reproach. His deep-set eyes were especially striking: calm and still, yet seeming to reflect the hearts of those who looked into them.

Still, Wang Dong was Wang Dong. Pride was practically carved into her bones. She quickly reined in that momentary daze.

She lifted her chin slightly and looked at Su Chen with her pink-blue eyes. Then she spoke first, her voice crisp and pleasant, bright with the clarity of youth—and carrying a familiar hint of condescension.

"My name is Wang Dong. You're the new roommate, right?"

Su Chen pulled his thoughts back and met her gaze calmly. He nodded, his voice even. "Su Chen."

After the brief introductions, Wang Dong's beautiful eyes swept over Su Chen once more. Then she pointed around the dormitory and said something remarkably similar to a scene Su Chen remembered from the original story.

"You're pretty handsome, and you're my roommate, so I'll allow you to stay here with me for now." Wang Dong spoke as though she were granting him an obvious favor, as if agreeing to let Su Chen live here were a tremendous act of kindness.

She raised a slender, fair finger and began listing her rules one by one. Her pink-blue eyes shone with unquestionable authority.

"But I have a few rules. Remember them, and you must follow them."

"First, don't bring people back to the dormitory without permission, especially those weirdos who don't know what they're doing. This is where we rest and cultivate. It needs to stay quiet."

"Second, mind your personal hygiene and appearance. Don't walk around the dormitory naked and make people uncomfortable." As she said this, the tips of her ears seemed to redden slightly, but her tone remained firm.

"Third, don't snore at night. If you disturb my rest and affect my cultivation the next day, I won't let it slide."

"Fourth, don't bother me when I'm cultivating or busy."

She paused. A mischievous glint flickered in her pink-blue eyes, and she went on with a playful smile.

"Fifth, and most important—"

She pointed to the clean floor and desk. "From now on, you're responsible for keeping the dormitory clean. Of course," she added pointedly, gesturing to her tidy bed and elegant suitcase, "you don't need to touch my bed or personal belongings. I'll take care of those myself."

When she finished, she raised her chin and looked at Su Chen, her expression practically saying, Well? My rules are perfectly reasonable, aren't they? Hurry up and gratefully agree!

Su Chen watched her quietly. His face showed no sign of offense or anger. Instead, a hint of understanding and the faintest smile flickered deep in his eyes.

As expected, he thought.

This haughty, self-centered, slightly overbearing, and rather childish "set of rules" was almost identical to the one Wang Dong had laid down when she first met Huo Yuhao in the original story. This young lady's ways really hadn't changed at all.

But Su Chen wasn't Huo Yuhao, who had indulged Wang Dong at every turn early on, almost like a lovesick puppy. He had his own pride and strength, and he knew that he might one day come into conflict with this "daughter of the God King" and her father. He had never planned to pamper her from the start.

So, after hearing Wang Dong's five rules, Su Chen didn't agree or argue, as she'd expected. Instead, he gave a slight nod and spoke in a calm, almost appraising tone.

"Those rules sound fine."

A flicker of smugness crossed Wang Dong's pink-blue eyes, as if to say, At least you know what's good for you. Then Su Chen changed tack and continued in that same tranquil voice.

"From now on, we'll follow your rules."

"Hm?" Wang Dong froze. Something about that sounded strange, as if it weren't quite right. Follow my rules? Isn't that only natural?

Before she could think it through, Su Chen's next words made her beautiful eyes fly wide open.

"—If you behave yourself, I might grudgingly allow you to keep living with me."

Su Chen's tone was perfectly calm, almost as casual as if he were discussing the weather. But the meaning of his words struck Wang Dong like a little hammer to the head.

"W-what?!" Wang Dong was stunned. It took her a full two seconds to react. Once she understood what he meant—not that he'd follow her rules, but that he'd "allow" her to follow "his rules" and "grant" her permission to keep living there—a wave of absurd disbelief and offended fury surged through her.

Her delicate, beautiful face flushed red in an instant. Shock and embarrassment filled her pink-blue eyes. "Y-you're talking nonsense! I made these rules! I'm the one who allowed you to live here! You—"

"My rules are the rules." Su Chen cut her off. His voice was still quiet, but carried an unshakable certainty. He looked at her calmly, as if stating the simplest fact in the world.

"!!!" Wang Dong was about to explode. Whether she'd been treated like a treasured star at the Clear Sky Sect or had secretly run away to see the outside world, she'd never met anyone so... so obnoxious, so arrogant, so unreasonable!

And the worst part was that he had a face so handsome it made it hard to get angry at him... No, it only made her even angrier!

"Su! Chen!" Wang Dong practically ground out the two words through her teeth. Her chest rose and fell with fury. "You... you're completely unreasonable! I challenge you!"

She stepped forward sharply, fixing her pink-blue eyes on Su Chen. A flame of defiance burned within them. "Among Soul Masters, strength speaks for itself! If you lose, from now on you'll follow all my rules in this dormitory! No arguing!"

Su Chen raised an eyebrow as he watched the pretty little cat before him, all claws out as if someone had stepped on her tail. His mischievous delight grew. He pretended to ponder for a moment. Only when Wang Dong thought he was afraid did he leisurely reply:

"A challenge? Fine."

"But," he added, his gaze sweeping over Wang Dong's lively face, made all the more animated by her anger, "what if you lose?"

"Me, lose?" Wang Dong gave a scornful snort, as if she'd just heard the biggest joke in the world. She had absolute confidence in her own strength!