Na'er's Farewell

Su Chen finished his day of cultivation and began walking toward home.

Currently, Su Chen spent most of his time cultivating at the Blacksmith Association, while also earning a bit of pocket money to purchase mecha materials.

Leng Yaozhu had left the Spirit Pagoda two and a half years ago; after all, she still needed to oversee the headquarters and handle a massive amount of affairs.

Leng Yaozhu did not just represent herself; she had the entire Leng Family behind her, and there were many matters that required her attention.

However, Leng Yaozhu still came to visit Su Chen every month, staying for a few days to check on his physical condition and urge him to keep up with his cultivation.

"Hum--"

As Su Chen walked home, he received a message from Na'er.

[Big Brother~ Are you back yet? I'm waiting for you at the Star-Moon Restaurant~]

[Be there soon.]

Su Chen put away his communicator, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

Perhaps as Na'er's memories returned, she had become more cheerful; she even started attending the academy in her second year to take some general courses.

Na'er was beautiful, so naturally, she attracted some unwanted attention.

But after Su Chen protected her from the shadows for a while, such things never happened again.

The only thing that made Su Chen feel a bit frustrated was this:

The favorability ratings of both Mu Xi and Ouyang Zixin had reached 99, just one step away from the end.

Yet, Na'er's favorability remained stuck at 90, unable to go any higher.

Su Chen guessed it was because of Na'er's awakening memories, which had caused the progress to stall...

He sighed softly, pushed the thoughts from his mind, and quickened his pace.

The soft lights of the Star-Moon Restaurant appeared exceptionally warm in the night.

After giving his name, the waiter respectfully led him to the reserved private room.

As the door pushed open, a breeze carrying a sweet, fresh fragrance rushed toward him.

"Big Brother, you're here~"

A silver-purple figure let out a joyful cheer and lunged into his arms, her hands skillfully wrapping around his neck as she hung off him.

Her warm, soft body pressed against his, carrying the unique, delicate scent of a young girl.

Immediately, Su Chen felt a warm, soft sensation on his cheek.

"Muah~"

"Big Brother, did you miss me today~"

Na'er tilted her little face up, her beautiful purple eyes sparkling as she stared at him unblinkingly, filled with undisguised attachment and joy.

"Of course I did~"

Su Chen naturally reached out and gently rubbed Na'er's soft, chubby cheeks; the skin was delicate and warm, feeling wonderful to the touch.

He spoke with a tone of helpless indulgence: "Alright, alright, come down now. You're the goddess of every boy at the academy; if they saw you hanging off me like this, they'd probably lose sleep all night~"

"Hmph, who cares about them~"

Na'er huffed, but instead of coming down, she used her position hanging on Su Chen to kick her legs, pushing him back until he stumbled two steps and fell onto the soft sofa behind him.

She took the opportunity to sprawl across his chest, her small nose twitching like a little animal searching for a scent, beginning her daily "routine inspection."

"Sniff, sniff..."

Fortunately, Su Chen had showered right after leaving the Blacksmith Association.

Hmph, stinky Big Brother always washes himself so clean; it's obviously out of guilt. Does he really think I'm that dense and can't smell anything...

Na'er thought to herself while rubbing against Su Chen's chest.

Although Su Chen had never explicitly said anything, she wasn't stupid; she had long known that Su Chen had an unusual relationship with that girl named Ouyang Zixin, as well as Mu Xi from the Blacksmith Association president's family.

She knew, but she didn't say anything, pretending to be oblivious.

She didn't want to make things difficult for Su Chen, and she didn't want to see him look so awkward and unable to explain himself in front of her.

She only held firmly to that one promise.

Once she grew stronger and her power surpassed Su Chen's, then Su Chen would have to listen to her!

When that time came, she would definitely take Su Chen and elope, leaving behind all these troubles to find a place that belonged only to the two of them, living in a world for two!

"Stop sniffing, there really isn't any other scent..."

Su Chen felt ticklish from her rubbing, so he pressed his large hand onto Na'er's fluffy head, helplessly stopping her from continuing her investigation.

The girl in his arms was no longer the naive, emotionless girl he had first met.

Na'er had grown up; her legs were long and straight, her waist was slender and soft, and her chest had quietly developed like a budding flower, revealing limitless potential for the future.

In the past, when she rubbed against him like this, Su Chen only felt it was a younger sister acting spoiled, but now...

The girl's soft body possessed astonishing elasticity and heat, and every accidental friction made his head ache.

"Fine, fine, I'll let you off the hook~"

Na'er seemed to sense something, her cheeks flushing slightly as she slid off Su Chen. She sat on the sofa right next to him, though her body remained pressed firmly against his arm.

"Here~ these are all your favorites, eat up~"

Na'er picked up her chopsticks and began piling food into Su Chen's bowl.

Various spirit beast meats, along with fruits and vegetables, quickly formed a small mountain.

"Mmph... thanks, Na'er, you eat too~"

Su Chen had been starving, so he didn't stand on ceremony, picking up his bowl and digging in with gusto.

Na'er, however, was in no rush to eat. She picked up her own small bowl, took a tiny bit of food, and began nibbling at it.

Her gaze barely left Su Chen's face, her beautiful purple eyes brimming with endless tenderness, like melted honey.

Yet, beneath that gentleness, there was a hint of complexity and struggle...

"Na'er, what's wrong today?"

Even while devouring his meal, Su Chen's powerful spiritual energy made him exceptionally sensitive to the emotional shifts of those around him.

Half-full, he set down his bowl and chopsticks, turning to look at Na'er with a concerned tone. "Did something unpleasant happen at the academy? You seem to have a lot on your mind."

"Brother..."

Na'er gripped Su Chen's arm tightly with her small hand, her eyes lowered. After a long moment of struggle, she finally spoke in a whisper: "...If one day... I have to leave... will you miss me..."

As she said this, the hand clutching Su Chen's arm tightened instinctively, her eyes filled with a profound sense of reluctance.

"Sigh... so this day has finally come, has it..."

Su Chen's tone was low, carrying a distinct sense of melancholy.

"Huh?"

Now it was Na'er's turn to be completely bewildered.

She had anticipated Su Chen's shock, his questioning, his reluctance, or even his anger.

But she had never expected this reaction.

"Actually, Na'er..."

Su Chen turned to look at her, his expression earnest. "I've actually known your secret for a long time."

"What?"

Hearing this, Na'er's entire body stiffened, her pupils shrinking to the size of pinpricks.

The terrifying power sealed within her nearly erupted on the spot.

She tensed up almost reflexively, a look of incredulous horror flashing in her eyes.

How is that possible?

She had never mentioned anything about herself to Su Chen, nor had she ever leaked even a hint of anything unusual!

How could Su Chen possibly know?

After the initial shock, thoughts raced through Na'er's mind, and she began to feel that something wasn't quite right.

She looked up at Su Chen, cautiously testing the waters. "Brother... what... exactly do you know?"