In the days that followed, the teachers and students of Nuoding Academy were treated to a peculiar sight: a remarkably distinguished young man, accompanied by three stunningly beautiful girls. They showed up for class on time every morning, then spent their afternoons wandering the streets and alleyways of Nuoding City, sampling delicious food or browsing for accessories.
For Xiao Wu, these days were the happiest she had known since her rebirth.
She no longer had to sweat over sweeping floors just to earn a few copper coins, nor squeeze into that dormitory full of the stench of sweat. Gu Tian had given her more than dignity; he had given her a sense of belonging, something called "home." Sometimes, watching the profile of Gu Tian as he read by lamplight, Xiao Wu even had a selfish thought: If only time could stay frozen in this moment forever.
She could have endured the darkness, if she had never seen the light.
Deep down, Xiao Wu secretly hoped that Tang San would never come back. Or rather, she almost hoped that all of Gu Tian's conspiracy theories were true. If Tang San really was Tang Hao's son, she could sever the past without a shred of guilt and stay by Gu Tian's side forever.
But in the end, the wheel of fate turned to this day.
Noon. The luxurious restaurant on the second floor of Nuoding Academy.
Gu Tian was carefully cutting the greens on his plate into small pieces and placing them in Xiao Wu's bowl, while Na'er chattered beside them about amusing things that had happened in class that morning. Just then, a dust-covered figure appeared in the restaurant doorway.
He wore a shabby gray cloth shirt, and dried mud clung to the cuffs of his trousers. He looked completely out of place in the elegant restaurant. His face was somewhat pale, and an unmistakable restlessness showed in his eyes.
It was Tang San, just returned from the Soul Hunting Forest.
As soon as Tang San got back to school that morning, he had rushed straight to Dorm Seven. But when he saw the empty wooden bed and the evasive looks on Wang Sheng and the others' faces, he was completely stunned. Only after pressing them for answers did he learn that Xiao Wu had moved out—and that she had moved in with a man.
Now Tang San's gaze swept across the restaurant, finally settling on Gu Tian's table.
Seeing Xiao Wu cheerfully eating food the man had served her, Tang San felt a rush of blood surge to his head. It was as if a treasure he had carefully guarded for ages had been snatched away, pot and all, in the blink of an eye.
"Xiao Wu!"
Tang San strode forward, his voice thick with pent-up anger and hurt.
Xiao Wu's delicate body trembled slightly as she set down her chopsticks. She looked up at Tang San, her expression complicated, but mostly awkward at having been interrupted.
"Th-Third Brother... You're back."
"Xiao Wu, what's going on?" Tang San stood beside the table, his hands clenched tight. His gaze cut like a knife toward Gu Tian, seated at the head of the table. "Where's your luggage? Why did Wang Sheng say you moved out? And... who is he?"
Gu Tian picked up the tea beside him and took a sip, perfectly composed. He didn't even spare Tang San a proper glance.
Xiao Wu stood and awkwardly tugged at her skirt as she introduced them. "Third Brother, calm down. This is Gu Tian, and these are Gu Yue and Na'er. They... they're my friends, and they've been looking after me this whole time."
"Friends?" Tang San sneered, pointing at Gu Tian's nearly flawless face. "If you're only friends, why did you move out of Dorm Seven? You're a young girl. Living outside on your own is dangerous—do you even realize that?"
Xiao Wu frowned. Tang San's overbearing, parental tone filled her with instinctive irritation.
"I'm not living on my own. I live with Brother Gu Tian and the others now, in the academy's apartment building." Xiao Wu tried to sound casual, but the words "Brother Gu Tian" struck Tang San's ears like a cruel taunt.
"Brother Gu Tian?" Tang San's eyes instantly reddened. He stared at Xiao Wu, his voice trembling slightly. "You call him brother? Then what am I? And... you're living with a man you've known for less than a few days? Xiao Wu, don't you know that men and women should keep their distance?"
"Hmph! Little Scumbag, I'd advise you to watch yourself. When Xiao Wu was snatched away by the Titan Giant Ape, you didn't care one bit whether she was hurt." Gu Tian snorted and rolled his eyes at Tang San.
"Fuck your old Feng! Who are you calling Little Scumbag? Even my dad never called me that!" Tang San was so furious he'd lost his wits, his face turning beet red.
"Student Tang San, watch your language." Gu Yue, seated beside them, suddenly looked up. A chill flashed in her dark green eyes. "Xiao Wu is now a full-fledged student. She has the right to choose where she lives and who she spends time with. If you're just here to catch up, you're welcome. If you're here to throw a tantrum, then please leave."
"Little Scumbag, what sort of big shot is your father? What's his honorable name?" Seeing how furious Tang San was, Gu Tian decided to see if he could get the boy to let something slip.
"I'll say it again: I haven't changed my name, and I haven't changed my surname. I'm Tang San, and my father is Tang Hao!" After hearing Gu Yue, Tang San took a deep breath. He couldn't let a hotheaded young punk make him lose his manners. After all, he had transmigrated here, and a thirty-year-old soul still lived inside him.
Tang San ignored Gu Yue and fixed his eyes on Gu Tian, gritting his teeth as he spoke. "I challenge you to a match. If you lose, you'll let Xiao Wu move back to Dorm Seven at once, and you'll never show your face around her again!"
Tang San didn't notice that when Xiao Wu heard him admit that his father was Tang Hao, her expression darkened.
Tang San's challenge had been loud enough to draw the attention of quite a few people in the restaurant.
At a nearby table, several young men in luxurious uniforms watched the scene with amused expressions. The one seated at the head was a tall youth named Xiao Chenyu. He was a prominent figure among the full-fledged students of Nuoding Academy, as well as the son of Nuoding City's lord.
"Well, well. Isn't that the work-study student who just got back?" Xiao Chenyu picked at his teeth, his tone arrogant. "He hasn't even had time to warm up his First Soul Ring, and already he wants to steal a woman from a full-fledged student? That's rich."
Xiao Chenyu got to his feet and sauntered over to Gu Tian's table with a few lackeys. First, he gave Gu Yue and Na'er an admiring glance, then turned to Tang San with a grin.
"Hey, work-study student. If you want to fight, what's the fun in just the two of you going at it? We full-fledged students have been sick of you work-study students for ages. How about this: meet us at the back hill this afternoon. We'll have a big tournament. Whoever loses has to give the winner a wide berth around the academy. What do you say?"
By now, jealousy had clouded Tang San's mind. He needed an outlet to prove how strong he was.
"Fine! I'll see you at the back hill!" Tang San glared at Gu Tian. "Do you have the guts to show up?"
Gu Tian set down his teacup, a playful smile curling his lips. He turned to Xiao Wu and saw the worry on her face, then glanced at Tang San with disdain.
"If you're determined to humiliate yourself, I'll gladly oblige." Gu Tian stood, his tall, slender figure casting a faint shadow in the sunlight. "Three this afternoon, at the back hill. Don't be late. After all... I'd quite like a close-up look at that white Soul Ring of yours."
At the words "white Soul Ring," Tang San's face darkened until it was blacker than the bottom of a pot. Honestly, he really didn't want anyone else to know about that.