Tang San Returns

Over the next few days, the teachers and students of Nuoding Academy were treated to a peculiar sight: an extraordinary young man accompanied by three stunningly beautiful girls. They appeared in class promptly every morning, and in the afternoons, they would wander through the streets of Nuoding City, either sampling delicacies or browsing for accessories.

For Xiao Wu, these days were the happiest she had known since her reincarnation.

She no longer needed to sweat over sweeping floors for a few copper coins, nor did she have to squeeze into that collective dormitory reeking of sweat. Gu Tian had not only given her dignity but also a sense of belonging that she could only call "home." Sometimes, watching Gu Tian's profile as he read under the lamp, Xiao Wu even harbored a selfish thought: if only time could freeze at this very moment forever.

She could have endured the darkness, had she never seen the light.

Deep down, Xiao Wu secretly hoped that Tang San would never return. Or rather, she even hoped that all of Gu Tian's previous conspiracy theories were true. If Tang San really was the son of Tang Hao, then she could sever her past without a shred of guilt and stay by Gu Tian's side forever.

However, the wheel of fate turned to this day nonetheless.

At noon, in the luxurious restaurant on the second floor of Nuoding Academy.

Gu Tian was meticulously cutting the greens on his plate into small pieces and placing them into Xiao Wu's bowl, while Na'er chattered away beside them, sharing interesting anecdotes from her morning class. Just then, a travel-worn figure appeared at the entrance of the restaurant.

The man wore tattered grey cloth robes, with dried mud stains on his pant cuffs, making him look completely out of place in this opulent dining hall. His face was somewhat pale, and his eyes betrayed an irrepressible agitation.

It was Tang San, who had just returned from the Soul Hunting Forest.

The moment Tang San returned to the school that morning, he had rushed straight to Dormitory Seven. But when he saw that empty wooden bed and the evasive looks from Wang Sheng and the others, he was completely stunned. Upon questioning, he learned that Xiao Wu had moved out—and that she had moved out with a man.

At this moment, Tang San's gaze swept across the restaurant, finally locking onto Gu Tian's table.

Watching Xiao Wu smiling as she ate the food the man had placed in her bowl, Tang San felt a surge of hot blood rush to his head. It was the feeling of a treasure he had carefully guarded for so long being snatched away by someone else in the blink of an eye.

"Xiao Wu!"

Tang San strode forward, his voice heavy with suppressed anger and grievance.

Xiao Wu's delicate body trembled slightly, and she set down her chopsticks. She looked up at Tang San, her expression complex, though mostly filled with the annoyance of being interrupted.

"San... Brother San... you're back."

"Xiao Wu, what is going on here?" Tang San stood by the table, his hands clenched into tight fists, his gaze slicing like a knife toward Gu Tian, who sat in the main seat. "Where is your luggage? Why did Wang Sheng say you moved out? And... who is he?"

Gu Tian picked up his tea and took a sip, his expression indifferent, not even sparing Tang San a glance.

Xiao Wu stood up, tugging at the hem of her skirt, and introduced them with some unease: "Brother San, calm down. This is Gu Tian, and these are Gu Yue and Na'er. They... they are my friends, and they are the ones who have been taking care of me during this time."

"Friends?" Tang San sneered, pointing at Gu Tian's near-perfect face. "If you're just friends, why did you move out of Dormitory Seven? You're a young girl—do you have any idea how dangerous it is to live outside alone?"

Xiao Wu frowned; Tang San's paternalistic tone made her feel an instinctive repulsion.

"I'm not living alone. I'm living with Brother Gu Tian and the others now, in the academy's apartment building." Xiao Wu tried to keep her tone natural, but the words "Brother Gu Tian" sounded particularly ironic to Tang San's ears.

"Brother Gu Tian?" Tang San's eyes turned red instantly. He stared at Xiao Wu, his voice trembling slightly. "You call him brother? Then what am I? And... you actually moved in 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! You little brat, I suggest you watch yourself. After Xiao Wu was snatched away by the Titan Giant Ape, you didn't show the slightest concern for whether she was injured." Gu Tian let out a cold snort and rolled his eyes at Tang San.

"I'll be damned! Who are you calling a little brat? Even my father has never called me that!" Tang San was so furious he was losing his composure, his face flushed a deep red.

"Student Tang San, please mind your language." Gu Yue, who was sitting to the side, suddenly looked up, a hint of chill flashing in her dark green eyes. "Xiao Wu is an official student now; she has the right to choose her own residence and social circle. If you are here to reminisce, you are welcome; if you are here to throw a tantrum, then please leave."

"Little brat, who exactly is your father? What is his honorable name?" Watching the frantic Tang San, Gu Tian decided to probe the boy to see if he would spill the beans.

"I'll say it again: I do not change my name or surname. My name is Tang San, and my father is Tang Hao!" After hearing Gu Yue's words, Tang San took a deep breath. He could not lose his composure because of this young punk; after all, he was a transmigrator with a thirty-year-old soul living inside him.

Ignoring Gu Yue, Tang San stared fixedly at Gu Tian, gritting his teeth as he said, "I want to challenge you. If you lose, you will have Xiao Wu move back to Dormitory Seven immediately, and you are never to appear near her again!"

Tang San did not notice that when Xiao Wu heard him personally admit that his father was Tang Hao, her expression turned grim.

Tang San's challenge was not quiet, instantly attracting the attention of many in the restaurant.

At a table not far away, several youths in expensive school uniforms were watching the scene with amusement. Sitting at the head of the table was a tall youth named Xiao Chenyu, a prominent figure among the official students of Nuoding Academy and the son of the Nuoding City lord.

"Yo, isn't that the work-study student who just got back?" Xiao Chenyu picked his teeth, his tone arrogant. "His first spirit ring isn't even warm yet, and he's already trying to fight an official student for a girl? How interesting."

Xiao Chenyu stood up and sauntered over to Gu Tian's table with a few lackeys. He first cast an appreciative look at Gu Yue and Na'er, then turned to Tang San with a smirk.

"Hey, work-study student. Since you want to fight, what's the point of just the two of you going at it? It just so happens that we official students have been finding you work-study types quite annoying lately. How about this: let's meet at the back mountain this afternoon. We'll have a big competition. Whoever loses has to walk around the other person whenever they see them in the academy. How about it?"

Tang San was already blinded by jealousy; he needed an outlet to prove his strength.

"Fine! See you at the back mountain!" Tang San glared at Gu Tian. "Do you dare to show up?"

Gu Tian set down his teacup, a playful curve touching his lips. He turned to look at Xiao Wu, finding her looking at him with worry, then glanced at Tang San with disdain.

"Since you want to humiliate yourself, I'll grant your wish." Gu Tian stood up, his slender figure casting a faint shadow in the sunlight. "Three o'clock this afternoon, back mountain. Don't be late; after all... I'm quite interested in getting a closer look at that white spirit ring of yours."

Upon hearing the words "white spirit ring," Tang San's face turned darker than the bottom of a pot. Honestly, this was one thing he really didn't want anyone else to know.