A Night of Hidden Agendas

Qin Chuan clearly hadn't expected Hu Liena to ask that, and he paused for a moment before answering, "Tomorrow... tomorrow is the weekend, the shop is closed, so I should... be free."

Qian Renxue, in the next room, felt her heart skip a beat: There's a follow-up!

"That's great!" Hu Liena's voice immediately regained its vitality. "Then let's go on a date tomorrow!"

Qin Chuan: "..."

Qian Renxue: "..."

"Nana, listen to me, we..."

"I don't care!" Hu Liena cut him off, her tone carrying a hint of overbearing refusal. "I treated you to dinner today, so you have to keep me company tomorrow! That's the rule!"

Qin Chuan seemed stunned by her twisted logic and didn't say a word for a long time.

"Then... where do you want to go?" He finally compromised, his voice filled with helplessness.

"Hmm..." Hu Liena pondered for a moment. "I haven't thought about it yet. Is there anywhere you want to go?"

Qin Chuan thought for a while and said, "I... I don't really have anywhere I want to go. It's just... that Seven-Colored Spirit Fish you ordered today was incredibly delicious. I was thinking, if I could catch one myself and grill it, it would definitely taste even better."

As he said this, his tone was full of longing, like a child who had never tasted candy, imagining its sweetness.

Qian Renxue frowned as she listened from the next room. Fishing?

This man's train of thought was truly different from a normal person's.

Hu Liena, however, seemed to have discovered a new world and said excitedly, "Fishing? That's perfect! I know a place where the fish are plentiful and fat, and the scenery is spectacular!"

"Really? Where?" Qin Chuan's interest was immediately piqued.

"Star Dou Forest!" Hu Liena blurted out.

"Star Dou Forest?" Qin Chuan seemed to have heard of the place, his voice tinged with hesitation. "I've heard that it's... very dangerous."

"Oh, don't worry!" Hu Liena patted her chest in assurance. "You have me! I'm a level 79 Spirit Saint; protecting a mortal like you is more than enough! We won't go deep inside, just fish by the lake on the very outskirts. It's absolutely safe!"

She paused and added, "Besides, the 'Seven-Colored Spirit Fish' on the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest are the most delicious fish on the entire continent. The meat is succulent and contains pure spirit power, which is good for your health."

Qin Chuan seemed moved by the words "most delicious fish" and "good for your health."

"Well... alright then." He ultimately couldn't resist the temptation of good food. "It's a deal. We'll go fishing in the Star Dou Forest tomorrow."

"Yay!" Hu Liena cheered. "Then let's meet at the academy gate at nine tomorrow morning! I'll lead the way!"

"Sure, no problem." Qin Chuan agreed readily.

"By the way, what about the fishing gear?" Hu Liena asked.

"Don't you worry about that, I'll go buy it first thing tomorrow morning. Fishing rod, line, tent, grill, seasonings... I'll have it all prepared." Qin Chuan was very thoughtful.

"Wow, Brother Chuan, you're so considerate!" Hu Liena showered him with more praise.

Qian Renxue, in the next room, was already numb.

She had only one thought now: she had to follow them tomorrow and see for herself.

She wanted to see exactly how Hu Liena intended to protect this mortal.

And she wanted to see what kind of magic this man named Qin Chuan possessed that could make Hu Liena go to such lengths for him.

The dinner next door finally drew to a close with the pleasant decision to go "fishing."

Qian Renxue heard them settle the bill and head out.

She didn't leave immediately, instead sitting in the private room for a while longer until the room next door was completely silent.

She pushed the door open and stepped into the hallway.

The air still held the rich, lingering scent of the "Flame Rose" wine and a trace of the unique, charming fragrance that clung to Hu Liena.

Qian Renxue took a deep breath, feeling a slight headache.

What happened tonight had been too much of a shock.

She felt as if she had caught a glimpse of a heaven-shaking secret, but the truth of it was shrouded in layers of mist, leaving her unable to see it clearly.

It was already late at night when she returned to her private villa.

The villa was empty, with only the echo of her own footsteps.

She didn't turn on the lights, walking straight to the floor-to-ceiling window to gaze at the cold moon outside.

Her mind was filled with the images of Hu Liena and Qin Chuan.

Hu Liena's revealing attire, her humble confession, her desperate attempts to please...

Qin Chuan's plain, unremarkable face, his riddled lies, his righteous refusals...

It all played out before her like an absurd drama.

"Hu Liena, oh Hu Liena..." Qian Renxue muttered to herself, "What on earth are you playing at?"

She couldn't figure it out.

But vaguely, she sensed that this "depravity" of Hu Liena's might actually be a good thing for her.

A woman obsessed with a man, a woman who would disregard everything for a mortal—how far could she possibly go in the future?

It seemed the position of student council president was already in the bag.

Thinking of this, Qian Renxue's mood improved inexplicably.

Hmph, I'd like to see how you wrap this up tomorrow. She decided that first thing tomorrow morning, she would head to the Star Dou Forest to find a good spot to "enjoy" Hu Liena's performance.

When Hu Liena returned to her dormitory, her steps were a little unsteady.

This was certainly not because of the few glasses of "Flame Rose" she had consumed; with her cultivation as a Soul Saint, she could drink a whole jar of that fruit wine without issue.

She was purely excited because, thanks to today's meal, she had gained 9 experience points.

Her current experience was [9/10]; she was only one point away from leveling up her membership!

The mere thought of going on a "date" with Qin Chuan to the Star Dou Forest tomorrow made her heart flutter like a trapped rabbit.

Of course, she wasn't excited about the "date" itself, but rather how many membership experience points this "date" could bring her.

[Helping the shopkeeper with chores or gaining the shopkeeper's favor can both increase experience points.]

Treating him to a meal counted as "gaining the shopkeeper's favor," right?

Then, taking him fishing tomorrow and helping him fulfill his wish—that should count as a deeper level of "favor," right? Maybe she could gain seven or eight points!

Furthermore, during the fishing trip, if she waited on him hand and foot, helping him bait the hook and stow the fishing rod, wouldn't that count as "helping the shopkeeper"?

The more Hu Liena thought about it, the more she felt that this "fishing" activity was a dungeon tailor-made for her to grind experience!

Thinking of this, a cunning arc curled at the corners of Hu Liena's mouth.

A walking "gift package," and a "gift package" without any self-awareness at that.

As long as she coaxed him into being happy and made him "favor" her, wouldn't Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings and Thousand-Year Soul Bones be within easy reach?

Hu Liena placed the Little Fox by her pillow and lay down.

She closed her eyes, her mind beginning to plan the itinerary for tomorrow.

Should she dress a little more sexily?

Should she "accidentally" fall into his arms while fishing?

Should she... feed him by hand while he ate the grilled fish?

One bold and shameful thought after another kept popping up in her mind, making her so excited she couldn't sleep.

That night, some were excited, some were sleepless, and some were plotting.

The entire Spirit Academy was shrouded in a strange and tense atmosphere.

Yet the culprit behind it all, Qin Chuan, was sleeping more soundly than anyone.

He had a dream where he caught a Seven-Colored Spirit Fish larger than a person, its scales shimmering in the sunlight.

He grilled the fish, and the aroma drifted for ten miles.

He ate until his mouth was slick with oil, feeling as if his body had become much lighter.

Early the next morning, he was awakened by the chirping of birds outside his window.

Sunlight streamed through the window, spilling onto his face, warm and cozy.

Qin Chuan stretched and climbed out of bed.

He glanced at the wall clock; it was seven in the morning.

There were still two hours left until the time he had agreed upon with Hu Liena.

Humming a little tune, he finished washing up, grabbed his coins, and headed out to purchase equipment for the "date."

He needed to buy the best fishing rod, the strongest fishing line, the most comfortable tent, and seasonings.

Today, he was determined to turn the big fish from his dream into reality!