Silver Dress Attracts Butterflies by Mistake · Golden Ring Crosses the Poor Family

Early the next morning, just as the sky began to brighten, Long Jinyu was dug out of his blankets by Ma Xiaotao.

"Let's go, kid! I'm taking you to buy some clothes!"

Ma Xiaotao was full of energy, clearly having left yesterday's awkwardness far behind.

"Mmm... Senior, I'm sleepy..."

Long Jinyu, his silver hair sticking up in every direction from sleep, was dragged out the door in a daze.

The bustling commercial district of Shrek City was far more crowded than he had imagined; it was a sea of people.

Ma Xiaotao was clearly a woman of action with a clear goal, dragging him straight toward the largest clothing store in the area.

But as the saying goes, plans rarely keep up with changes.

When Long Jinyu walked into the shop with his dazzling silver hair and wearing a JK uniform, he instantly drew the gaze of every clerk in the store...

"Wow! What a beautiful little girl!"

"This hair color is so unique! Just like an elf!"

"Little miss, come take a look at our new arrivals! This lavender set would perfectly match your hair color!"

"This dress with Hanfu elements really suits your temperament too!"

Long Jinyu: "..."

He was surrounded by enthusiastic clerks who, without waiting for an answer, began shoving various styles of dresses in front of him to compare. He was completely bewildered, looking toward Ma Xiaotao for help.

Ma Xiaotao stood to the side with her arms crossed. She had intended to clarify that they were there to buy men's clothing, but seeing Long Jinyu looking so helpless and buried under a pile of dresses, the words "he's a boy" died on her lips.

Especially when Long Jinyu was half-pushed into the fitting room and emerged wearing a moon-white Wide-Sleeve Fairy Dress, her gaze honestly lingered on his figure for a few extra seconds.

The long silver-white hair complemented the light-colored hem of the dress, and his heterochromatic eyes shimmered with a subtle brilliance under the lights, making him look cold yet exquisite—truly... a sight to behold.

"Ahem..."

Ma Xiaotao looked away unnaturally, her earlobes burning.

"It's, it's alright. Since we're already here... then... might as well buy a few sets."

Besides, the kid seems to like wearing dresses, right?

What do they call this kind of behavior...

A trap???

She heard her own voice say as much.

"Achoo!"

Long Jinyu rubbed his nose, feeling a bit puzzled: "Can the Dragon God bloodline even catch a cold?"

He didn't pay it much mind, assuming it was just the overwhelming scent of perfume in the shop.

The shopping list went completely off the rails from there.

In the end, Long Jinyu walked away with a mountain of clothes: the ordinary men's wear Ma Xiaotao had originally planned to buy, several sets of handsome, ancient-style martial outfits, a few flowing Hanfu, comfortable pajamas... and a full ten sets of dresses in various styles.

Afterward, he slipped into a general store alone, avoiding Ma Xiaotao's line of sight, and efficiently purchased a large amount of new bedding, toiletries, and basic living supplies.

He stuffed everything into the storage Soul Tool he had "loaned" from the system—an inconspicuous black bracelet.

When Ma Xiaotao returned from paying the bill and saw him coming out of the general store, she asked with some confusion: "Phoenix Perch Pavilion isn't lacking these things, is it? Or are you not used to using what's there?"

Long Jinyu smiled, his tone natural: "It's not that. Everything at Phoenix Perch Pavilion is great, and I like it very much. These are for a... well, a 'friend' of mine."

Ma Xiaotao was surprised, raising an eyebrow at him: "A friend? You have friends here?" Didn't he just arrive yesterday, and wasn't he a "lonely soul"?

Long Jinyu was vague: "You could say... a future friend."

Ma Xiaotao was dumbfounded: "A future friend??? You kids really say the most confusing things."

With the shopping mostly done, Long Jinyu remembered the main task and asked proactively: "Senior, are you sure you don't need me to help you move? I'm very strong!" He patted his well-defined arm.

Ma Xiaotao's expression instantly became unnatural, her eyes darting away: "No, no need! I've already asked Wu Ming to help! Yes, Wu Ming! You... you should go back and rest, or walk around the academy to familiarize yourself with the environment!"

Are you kidding me!

Her old room... because of the torment from the Evil Fire, she hadn't had the heart to tidy it up at all...

All sorts of clothes, personal... undergarments were thrown everywhere... Let Long Jinyu help her move?

Wouldn't that just be... giving him a free show?!

That would be a total social death!

She absolutely refused to let her image as a domineering senior (in her own mind) collapse in front of this kid!

Seeing her reaction, Long Jinyu guessed that there might be private items in a girl's room that weren't suitable for a boy to see, so he went along with it: "Oh, alright. Then you go ahead, Senior."

He took a matching red bracelet from his Soul Tool and handed it to Ma Xiaotao: "Here, take this storage Soul Tool. It has a lot of space, it should be useful for moving. If you need help, just use the contract to call me anytime."

Ma Xiaotao took the bracelet, feeling a warmth in her heart: "Got it, thanks, kid."

After the two parted ways, Long Jinyu did not return to Sea God Island. He took out his phone, browsing through the comics he had cached while using his increasingly powerful spiritual energy to stroll toward the vicinity of the freshman dormitory building of the outer courtyard.

Just as he walked in front of the building, he felt that the atmosphere was off.

Two freshmen were confronting each other in the open space, the tension palpable. A crowd of onlookers had already gathered around.

One had short blue hair, a slight build, and a somewhat pale complexion, yet his eyes were exceptionally stubborn and unyielding, like a small beast cornered but refusing to admit defeat.

The other was tall with extremely handsome features, bordering on androgynous, with striking blue-pink short hair and an air of arrogance etched into his brows.

Long Jinyu looked down at his phone screen—it was exactly Chapter 8 of the Peerless Tang Sect manga, "Roommate."

He snapped his head up.

The scene before him was almost a perfect recreation of the manga's panels!

"Click, click, click!"

His hands trembled with excitement as he quickly raised his phone to snap several photos.

The manga coming to life! The classic first meeting between Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er!

[Host, I thought with your personality, you would have gone up to stop them?] the system asked curiously.

"Hey~ that's where you don't understand."

Long Jinyu lowered his voice, hiding behind a tree with an irrepressible, doting smile on his face:

"You think cross-dressing is the only ancestral trait of the protagonists? The first fight between a couple is also ancestral—"

"Tang San and Xiao Wu, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er, Tang Wulin and Xie Xie (Gu Yue✓)... cough, cough, cough."

He braked just in time.

"They're just having a little spat, it's fine. If they actually get heated, I'll step in. Besides..."

He glanced at the old fox sitting on a recliner by the dormitory entrance, watching the show with a smile.

"Can that old man really just sit there and watch?"

The subsequent events unfolded exactly as the "plot" dictated.

The two grappled together, and in the end, the slight blue-haired boy seized an opportunity. A flash of purple light flickered in his eyes, and taking advantage of the handsome boy's momentary daze, he tackled him to the ground, locking him down tightly with both hands and feet!

Long Jinyu hid in the shadows, his mouth stretched almost to his ears, the "click" of his phone camera never ceasing.

"Pfft, hahaha... When the Sea God Fate Blind Date Festival comes around, I must print these photos out and give them as a wedding gift! Imagine the expressions on their faces then... hahahaha!"

He was so hyped he started "celebrating" in advance.

[You...] The system seemed unable to comprehend this peculiar hobby.

The blue-haired boy delivered a harsh parting line and turned to leave.

Only the blue-pink-haired boy remained on the ground, looking like his worldview had just been shattered. He scrambled up and brushed the dust off his clothes.

Mu En called out to him with a chuckle, offering some "profound" commentary.

Only then did Long Jinyu soften his footsteps and approach silently. Mimicking Mu En's usual tone, he drawled teasingly: "Teacher—good morning~. Are you 'deceiving' again... er, I mean, guiding the freshmen here?"

Mu En opened his eyes at the sound, and seeing his attire, the smile in his eyes deepened: "Haha, Jinyu, what are you saying? How can a scholar's business be called deceiving? But you, why are you dressed like this and running to the freshman dorms so early in the morning?"

Long Jinyu kept a straight face: "Just here to appreciate the spirit of the freshmen, and to deliver a small gift to a little friend."

Wang Dong turned his head at the sound, looking at this "senior sister" with a clear, pleasant voice, and was instantly stunned, a flash of admiration crossing his eyes.

He huffed inwardly with pride: This senior sister... is so pretty. Is she... not much worse than when I'm in my female form?!! And she's actually this old man's disciple?

Long Jinyu saw Wang Dong's expression and felt a bit charmed: Wang Dong is so cute even when cross-dressing~. This time, no matter what, I won't let her go to the Valley of Universe Asking Love; I must save her! Let Tang San's schemes go to hell! Everyone is going to be just fine!

He smiled at Wang Dong and said: "Hello, classmate. Could you do me a favor and lead the way? I'm looking for the student with short blue hair from earlier. His name is Huo Yuhao, he should be your roommate, right?"

Wang Dong came back to his senses, clearly unable to refuse the request of a beautiful "senior sister": "Oh, sure, no problem. But... senior sister, does the academy allow girls to enter the boys' dormitory?" he asked, somewhat confused.

Mu En sat to the side, smiling without a word.

Long Jinyu blinked: "In general, no, but well, 'special circumstances call for special measures~'"

Wang Dong: "???"

The two arrived at the door of Dormitory 108. Wang Dong pushed the door open and shouted inside with a huff: "Hey, Huo Yuhao! A pretty senior sister is here to see you!"

Inside the dorm, Huo Yuhao was sitting cross-legged on the bare bed, diligently practicing his Mysterious Heaven Skill. He was startled at the words: Could it be Teacher Xiao Ya coming to see me? He quickly opened his eyes.

The next second, he saw a silver-haired "young girl" standing in the doorway against the light, smiling at him.

"Bang!"

Huo Yuhao was so startled he fell backward onto the bed, his head hitting the wall. He scrambled to sit up again, his face turning bright red: "Sen, senior sister?! Are, are you looking for me?"

Long Jinyu held back a laugh, walked into the dorm, and handed him the prepared black bracelet: "Hello, classmate Huo Yuhao. I am an Inner Court disciple, Long Jinyu. This is a living subsidy for you from the academy's 'Support Department'."

He controlled his expression and continued to make things up: "Our department specializes in tracking and funding promising students from impoverished backgrounds. Inside, you'll find some daily necessities. Additionally, you will receive a monthly subsidy of ten Gold Soul Coins, which I will personally deliver to you."

Huo Yuhao was completely stunned. He took the bracelet and subconsciously probed it with his spiritual power, only to find it neatly stocked with brand-new bedding, several books, various daily necessities, and ten gleaming Gold Soul Coins!

A wave of warmth and surprise he had never felt before washed over him, and his nose suddenly stung.

The academy... actually had such a wonderful department? Specifically... caring for students like him? But why hadn't the senior brother or Teacher Xiao Ya mentioned it...?

His eyes grew hot, and he bowed deeply to Long Jinyu: "Thank you, senior sister! Thank you so much! Thank you to the academy for the support!"

Long Jinyu rubbed his forehead. Fine, it seemed the title of "Senior Sister" was something he would never be able to shake off.

"You're welcome. Focus on your cultivation. Students of our Shrek Academy shouldn't be troubled by trivial matters of daily life."

He smiled and added, "We will meet again in two days."

Although Huo Yuhao didn't understand why they would meet again in two days, he still thanked him respectfully: "Take care, Senior Sister!"

Wang Dong, watching from the side, finally realized that Huo Yuhao didn't have bedding simply because he was poor.

Recalling how he had just fought and bullied him, Wang Dong felt a bit uneasy, and his haughtiness dissipated quite a bit: "Hey, so you're actually this pathetic... um, sorry about earlier."

Huo Yuhao shook his head: "It's nothing..."

A small conflict, thanks to Long Jinyu's intervention, seemed to have been smoothed over.

Meanwhile, inside Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Sea.

A large, fat worm was foaming at the mouth, lying on the ground and twitching incessantly...

Leaving the freshman dormitory, Long Jinyu scratched his head in confusion: "Strange, why didn't that Silkworm Baby react when it saw me? Was it sleeping?"

He couldn't be bothered to overthink it and continued to stroll leisurely through Shrek Academy.

[Host, I didn't expect you to be such a philanthropist.] The system suddenly spoke up.

Long Jinyu didn't explain, only saying faintly with a touch of melancholy:

"We are both wanderers at the ends of the earth; why must we have known each other before to meet?"

[What a literary turtle... I've been schooled again.]

[But... why not just tell him this was your personal donation? Why insist on using the name of the 'Academy Support Department'? Isn't that just handing the credit over to Shrek Academy?]

Long Jinyu rolled his eyes internally: "He's so strong-willed; if I didn't say it that way, how would he ever accept it?"

"Besides, is a title really that important? As long as he truly receives help and can live a little easier because of it, isn't that enough? Who provided the funding doesn't matter."

[But... didn't you say you hated... um... 'scumbags' the most? According to my data, in the later stages, Huo Yuhao...]

"Are you truly brainless, or does your database need an update? How can you look at things so one-sidedly? With this level of logic, you have the nerve to call yourself a higher intelligent life form?"

Long Jinyu interrupted it.

"The mess he gets into later—isn't that just because of... cough cough, certain irresistible forces that intentionally ruined his character design?"

"Furthermore, those are things that haven't happened yet, and might not even happen at all because of my arrival!"

His tone turned serious: "I only know that the current Huo Yuhao is just a poor child who has just lost his mother, is penniless, and doesn't even have a decent blanket. Isn't that right?"

[...Human thought patterns are indeed complex and interesting. Perhaps I still have much to learn.]

"Then you have a lot to learn."

Long Jinyu snorted.

"However, I'm quite willing to teach you. Hahaha~."

[Hmm, I'm almost touched... I almost didn't want to deduct the points for the storage Soul Tool you redeemed.]

Long Jinyu's footsteps faltered: "Hmm??? Wait! You're still going to deduct my points?! Wasn't that a 'complimentary' discount that came with the notebook?!"

[Host, you can have anything you want in your dreams~]

Long Jinyu: "..."

He felt like all his sentimentality had just been fed to the (dog) system!

Just as he finished complaining, a "ding" sounded in his mind.

[Ding! <Optimal Treatment Plan for Ma Xiaotao's Exclusive Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul (Super Invincible Ultimate Edition)> has been analyzed and completed! Please check, Host!]

"Oh? So fast?!"

Long Jinyu perked up, temporarily putting the system's stinginess behind him, and impatiently took the scroll that was floating in the air, looking golden and quite reliable.

"Wha—!!!"

The scroll slowly unfurled, the light faded...

The anticipation on Long Jinyu's face instantly froze, slowly turning blank, as if three giant question marks had appeared over his head.