Crimson Zhu Startles Jade Finger · Phoenix Nuo Comforts Heart's Chill

"Ruoruo! When did you get here?"

The moment Wu Ming saw the woman, her eyes lit up. The overbearing golden flames surrounding her vanished like a pricked balloon with a soft pop, the Golden Crow phantom dissipating as her six soul rings instantly retracted.

The "I am the best in the world" expression on her face shifted in a heartbeat, replaced by a sheepish, intimate look of someone caught red-handed.

Finding a backer, she pointed at Ma Xiaotao and complained with a spoiled pout: "She started it! I was just joking around!"

At the same time.

The violent, fire-red phoenix flames on Ma Xiaotao's body also fluctuated intensely.

Seeing the newcomer, the raging fire in her phoenix eyes faded significantly, replaced by an overflowing sense of grievance. But more than that, there was the embarrassment of having their "childish squabble" witnessed.

She pursed her lips, glared at Wu Ming, and then glanced at Long Jinyu.

Though still unwilling to let it go, she quickly retracted her martial soul and soul rings, the massive Evil Fire Phoenix phantom letting out a low cry before fading away.

"Sister Ruoruo..." Ma Xiaotao's voice dropped a few octaves, carrying a mix of awkward obedience and stubbornness: "...It... it was her who started spouting nonsense!"

This simultaneous address, yet carrying such different shades of intimacy, instantly revealed the newcomer's identity—

There were only a handful of people who could make the two "active volcanoes" of the Inner Court cease their fire and show such respect.

The person before them was renowned for her gentleness, resilience, wisdom, and tolerance.

She held immense prestige among the Inner Court disciples!

Second only to the Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan—

The "Inner Court's Number One Controller"!

The "Golden Fairy"—Han Ruoruo!

Han Ruoruo walked slowly between the two, her gaze sweeping over Wu Ming's "just here for the show" expression before landing on Ma Xiaotao, who was clearly weak yet forcing herself to maintain her explosive state. A flash of understanding and concern crossed her light brown eyes.

She first spoke softly to the still-pouting Ma Xiaotao:

"Xiaotao, looking at you, your soul power is floating and your aura is unstable. You just finished suppressing the Evil Fire, didn't you? With such a heavy toll, why aren't you resting properly instead of causing trouble with Ming'er here?"

She then gave Wu Ming a reproachful look:

"Ming'er, Xiaotao just went through an Evil Fire backlash and needs quiet rest. Can't you give her a break? And making such a scene at the entrance of the cafeteria—what does this look like?"

Called out, Wu Ming immediately giggled and sidled up to Han Ruoruo, hooking her arm:

"Oh, I know, I know! Ruoruo is the best! I was just playing with Xiaotao! Look, I didn't even use any soul skills~." She tried to charm her way out of it.

This scene was also taken in by a tall male student with bright orange-red short hair among the onlookers.

His deep blue eyes followed Wu Ming's figure closely.

Seeing her lively and spirited demeanor as she acted spoiled toward Han Ruoruo, his eyes held undisguised admiration and... a faint sense of loss.

Especially when he heard Wu Ming tell that new, pretty junior sister... junior brother? "Big sister will cover you," his heart felt sour and uncomfortable.

However, he quickly suppressed the emotion, shaking his head helplessly with a wry smile.

"Senior Sister Wu is still the same, so enthusiastic toward everyone. But her straightforward nature is... really quite cute."

Seeing that the fact she had just suppressed the Evil Fire was exposed, Ma Xiaotao's remaining anger vanished completely. She whispered to Han Ruoruo: "...Mm, I know, Sister Ruoruo."

Han Ruoruo's gaze swept over Long Jinyu's profile with a hint of curiosity and amazement: If not for Ming'er's "junior brother" shout ringing out so loudly, who would have guessed such a stunning beauty was actually a man?

"Ahem, Master Wang brought out his best skills today and simmered some 'Ice Crystal Jade Marrow Soup'."

"He said it's the most nourishing for fire-attribute soul masters and specifically saved two premium portions for you two. If you don't go now... I'm afraid it'll get cold."

Long Jinyu, watching from the side, had his eyes wide open! The little person inside his heart was waving a handkerchief and weeping tears of joy:

"Wuwuwu! Sister Ruoruo! You are the GOAT! Gentle big sisters are the best! Beautiful, kind, and commanding! You're a living Bodhisattva saving me from misery! Please accept my kowtow!"

Han Ruoruo's champagne-gold hair and her light brown eyes—gentle yet dignified—seemed to be coated in a holy light in his eyes!

"Crisis averted."

Only then did Han Ruoruo formally turn her gaze toward Long Jinyu, offering a reassuring smile.

She keenly caught a strange movement from Long Jinyu—

He was blocking his mouth with the back of his hand in a slightly hurried manner, his head tilted slightly as if to hide something, his complexion even paler than before.

"Junior brother, please excuse them; these two just love to make a scene."

"Welcome to the Inner Court. I am Han Ruoruo. Come on in; the food in the Inner Court is quite good."

Han Ruoruo's voice carried a hint of care as she naturally stepped two paces closer, watching him gently.

"Are you... alright? Is something uncomfortable?"

Her gaze fell on the corner of his mouth that he was trying to cover.

Long Jinyu's body stiffened slightly. Knowing he couldn't hide it anymore, he had to lower his hand and awkwardly wipe the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.

This wipe only made the smear of dark red blood stand out even more starkly against his fair skin.

"Ah!"

Han Ruoruo let out a soft cry, her eyes, usually calm and gentle, brimming with genuine worry and heartache.

She immediately retrieved a simple, elegant silk handkerchief, faint with the delicate scent of orchids, from the sleeve pocket of her school uniform.

With a maternal glow, she carefully pressed it to the corner of Long Jinyu's mouth, wiping away that unsightly smear of blood.

Through the thin silk, her fingertips could feel the tender texture of the young man's skin.

"How did you get hurt?"

Han Ruoruo's voice was incredibly soft, like a spring breeze brushing over a lake.

Looking at Long Jinyu's handsome face, pale yet tinged with embarrassment, the natural affection she felt for his stunning appearance deepened into pity.

After cleaning him up, she gently tucked the handkerchief into Long Jinyu's slightly cool hand.

"Take it, use it to wipe your sweat; no need to return it."

Her tone was natural, a care that could not be refused.

This gentle attentiveness left even Wu Ming, standing to the side, momentarily stunned.

"Kid--!!!"

Han Ruoruo's words were like a thunderclap, striking Ma Xiaotao with pinpoint accuracy!

She turned to look at Long Jinyu, and when that uncleaned blood caught her eye, her mind went blank with a buzz.

All the anger, grievance, and embarrassment from a moment ago were instantly replaced by a cold panic and intense self-reproach!

"What... what have I done?!"

"He exhausted almost all his soul power to help me suppress the evil fire, and he even coughed up blood! His body is so weak..."

"And I actually... actually forced my soul power to erupt in front of him over some trivial matter?!"

"I am... truly an idiot!"

"Did he... want to stop me just now? Was he trying to...?"

Ma Xiaotao's heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand.

Instinctively, she wanted to rush over to check on his condition and channel soul power into him, just as he had done in the forest.

"Kid, you... how are you?! Were you trying to... just now?"

But just as she moved to step forward--

Long Jinyu, like a startled, delicate wife, shifted half a step behind Han Ruoruo the moment she finished wiping his blood and handed him the handkerchief.

He used Han Ruoruo's figure to perfectly block Ma Xiaotao's reaching hand and her scorching gaze!

He kept his eyes lowered, his long lashes casting small shadows on his pale face, his lips pressed tight as he avoided looking at Ma Xiaotao.

He simply whispered his thanks to Han Ruoruo: "Thank you, Senior Sister Han... I'm fine, just a minor backlash. I'll be better after a rest."

His tone was polite and full of gratitude, completely ignoring Ma Xiaotao, who stood inches away with a look of anxiety and regret.

This silent "avoidance"...

Expressed his feelings to Ma Xiaotao more clearly than any words could--

He was disappointed!

Disappointed that she didn't cherish her own body!

Disappointed that... despite having just been saved by him, she had turned around and squandered his efforts again!

And even more disappointed that she... had completely disregarded his request to "stop pushing yourself"!

Although they had only known each other for a few hours, the price he paid was real.

This feeling of being "let down" left him feeling stifled and unwilling to engage with her in his current weak and exhausted state.

Ma Xiaotao's hand froze in mid-air, the urge to touch him still lingering at her fingertips, but she could only leave it awkwardly suspended in the air.

Looking at Long Jinyu's profile, which clearly radiated resistance and distance, and his fingers tightly clutching Han Ruoruo's handkerchief.

An indescribable sourness mixed with intense self-reproach surged in her heart, tightening her throat and making her eyes burn.

She opened her mouth, but the words "I'm sorry" and "let me see" were stuck in her throat, unable to be uttered.

"Uh..."

Wu Ming, standing nearby, looked at Ma Xiaotao, who was full of heartache and regret but at a loss for what to do.

Then she looked at the beautiful junior, who was hiding behind Han Ruoruo and radiating an "all-keep-away" low-pressure aura.

Finally, she looked at Han Ruoruo, who was gently smoothing things over.

In the end, she wisely chose to...

Quietly eat her melon. ✓

By the way, she glared back at several inner-court students who were poking their heads out, trying to join in on the excitement.

Among them, she caught a certain pair of blue eyes that had been staring at her; the owner's ear tips turned bright red, and he "fled in a panic."

Wu Ming: "..."

Han Ruoruo keenly sensed the subtle and heavy atmosphere between Long Jinyu and Ma Xiaotao.

She gently patted Long Jinyu on the shoulder and suggested in a gentle voice:

"Little Junior Brother, you've exhausted yourself and need rest and replenishment. Whatever is the matter, let's talk after you've eaten and regained some strength, alright?"

Ma Xiaotao felt both anxious and pained. Forcing down her surging emotions, she suddenly stepped forward, bypassed Han Ruoruo, and stood directly in front of Long Jinyu, even though he immediately turned his head away to avoid looking at her.

Regardless, she reached out—not to grab his wrist, but to gently tug at his sleeve. The force was light, yet it carried a stubbornness that made it impossible for him to pull away.

"Hey!"

Her voice carried a hint of feigned composure, though a slight tremor could be detected if one listened closely. Her fiery red eyes were fixed intently on his averted profile.

"Don't... don't throw a tantrum! Go eat first! Your health is what matters!"

"If... if you don't want me to touch you, I won't! But you must eat!"

"After you're done... you can do whatever you want!"

"Like this... I promise you! No matter what happens in the future, I will never be this impulsive again!"

"Anything at all... I will consider the consequences first! And discuss it with you first!"

"I, Ma Xiaotao, keep my word!"

The final sentence was resolute and rang with conviction.

This was the heaviest promise she could make, especially given how recently they had met.

Long Jinyu's body shuddered as she tugged at his sleeve. Hearing her promise, he finally couldn't help but steal a quick glance at her.

Seeing the undisguised anxiety, self-reproach, and... clumsy compromise in her eyes, the stifled anger in his heart inexplicably dissipated by more than half.

Yet, he kept his face taut, muttering a stubborn, low-voiced retort that was barely audible:

"...Who's throwing a tantrum..."

"Senior Sister... I'm hungry..."

He gave his sleeve a half-hearted tug, but the force was so light it was more of a symbolic protest than a real attempt to break free.

Ma Xiaotao caught the softening in his tone and the words "I'm hungry."

The heavy stone in her heart finally dropped!

Her face instantly cleared, and she couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips.

She didn't let go of his sleeve, instead pulling him toward the cafeteria more naturally:

"If you're hungry, then let's go! Why are you dragging your feet? Old Wang must have something good to help you recover!"

She didn't forget to call back to Han Ruoruo and Wu Ming: "Sister Ruoruo, Mingming, hurry up!"

Watching the speed at which Ma Xiaotao "changed her face" and the way she tightly gripped the junior brother's sleeve, Wu Ming couldn't help but lean into Han Ruoruo's ear, whispering excitedly: "Ruoruo! Did you see that? There is, absolutely, something, going on, between them!"

Han Ruoruo just smiled gently, watching the young man and woman ahead—who were clearly bickering but had already formed an initial bond—and gave Wu Ming a light nudge: "Alright, stop gossiping, let's go."

Long Jinyu was half-dragged forward by Ma Xiaotao.

He felt the warm strength coming from his sleeve.

He looked at the fiery red figure beside him, who had brightened up the moment he said he was hungry.

He sighed helplessly and tucked away the handkerchief that still held Han Ruoruo's warmth and faint fragrance.

Without even realizing it, the corners of his mouth curled into a tiny, hidden arc.

They stepped into the cafeteria.

The room was warm and bright, and the aroma of food mixed with the unique energy of soul-power ingredients filled the air.

As if remembering something, Wu Ming suggested to Long Jinyu: "Little Junior Brother! Big Sister will treat you to Old Wang's signature—'Sun True Fire Roasted Dragon Tendon'! How about it? It's incredibly nourishing! Like heals like, after all!"

"Roast... Roasted Dragon Tendon?!"

Hearing the name of the dish, Long Jinyu's footsteps came to a sudden halt, and his expression turned extremely strange.

A sense of resistance and physiological discomfort made his stomach churn.

Damn, what the hell? Is the Dragon God bloodline acting up? Why does hearing 'Roasted Dragon Tendon' feel like hearing about roasting one of my own relatives?

Long Jinyu quickly shook his head, trying to suppress the absurd thought.

Don't let your imagination run wild! It must be because I'm too hungry!

"Kid, what's wrong?" Ma Xiaotao noticed him stop and tightened her grip on his sleeve.

"Why does your face look so pale? Are you feeling unwell again?" Her words came out in a rush, filled with concern.