Children of Other Families!

"Xiaobai, come visit the academy again when you have time!"

It was noon.

Flender bid Ji Bai farewell and returned to Shrek Academy with Zhao Wuji and the seven students.

"Xiao Wu, you've been smiling ever since earlier. What are you laughing about?" Tang San asked suspiciously.

"N-No, nothing!" Xiao Wu seemed as if her tail had been stepped on. She immediately grew nervous and even began stammering, completely unlike her usual self.

Tang San keenly sensed something off about Xiao Wu's expression and asked worriedly, "Xiao Wu, are you all right? Why do I feel like you're... acting strange?"

"What could possibly be wrong with me? You're worrying about nothing!" Xiao Wu's delicate brows furrowed slightly. Her gaze drifted as her hands waved awkwardly.

"Fine..." Seeing this, Tang San could only shut up.

Dai Mubai suddenly asked, "Why were the three of you with Ji Bai this morning?"

His tone was flat as his gaze swept over the three girls.

In truth, he cared more about Zhu Zhuqing's reaction.

Ning Rongrong shrugged. "We don't know this place at all, so of course we had to find someone familiar with it to take us out for breakfast, right?"

Xiao Wu smiled faintly and nodded in agreement.

Zhu Zhuqing showed no reaction whatsoever.

Dai Mubai was very dissatisfied with that answer.

What he wanted to hear was Zhu Zhuqing's answer, not Ning Rongrong's. But with so many people around, he couldn't keep pressing the issue.

"I have to go find Xiaobai again tomorrow!"

"I'll make him treat me to another meal!"

Ma Hongjun licked his lips, savoring the memory of last night's dinner, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Eat, eat, eat?"

"You'll be starting classes this afternoon!"

With a single sentence, Flender declared the schedule for the seven of them.

That afternoon.

Soto Grand Hotel, Room 502.

Knock, knock, knock!

Hearing the knocking, Ji Bai raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "No housekeeping needed."

Upon hearing that, Ning Rongrong, who stood outside the door, knocked again and called out, "Brother Ji, it's me, Ning Rongrong!"

Ning Rongrong?

Ji Bai couldn't figure out why Ning Rongrong had come looking for him at this time.

Click!

When the door opened, Ji Bai saw Ning Rongrong and asked, "Little Ning, why are you here?"

Ning Rongrong gave him a sweet smile. "Brother Ji, don't call me that. Just call me Rongrong."

Ji Bai nodded slightly, then glanced down the hallway and asked in surprise, "Did you come alone?"

"Of course!" Ning Rongrong pointed into the room and smiled. "Brother Ji, can I... come in?"

"All right... come in." Ji Bai stepped aside and let Ning Rongrong enter first.

"Have a seat." After saying that, Ji Bai sat down on the sofa and asked, "Rongrong, why did you come to see me alone at this time? Is something wrong?"

After sitting down somewhat stiffly, Ning Rongrong put on an exceptionally warm smile. "Brother Ji, my father told me that I should learn to return kindness in kind. You treated me to a meal yesterday, so today, it should be my turn to treat you."

Ji Bai chuckled. "Rongrong, you're a direct descendant of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. You didn't come to see me alone just to treat me to a meal, did you?"

Ning Rongrong sharply noticed the trace of reluctance in Ji Bai's eyes and smiled radiantly. "Brother Ji, I really only came to treat you to a meal alone this time. Expanding the sect and things like that... those are matters for my father, the elders, and my brothers to worry about. I don't want to deal with any of that."

Ji Bai smiled. "If I'm not mistaken, your father is the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

Ning Rongrong admitted it openly with a smile. "That's right. My father is the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—Ning Fengzhi, the continent's foremost support Soul Master."

"Rongrong, you didn't come here without telling everyone else, did you?"

Before Ji Bai had even finished speaking, he raised his eyes toward the window.

Just then, he had sensed the feeling of being watched.

Based on what he knew, Flender should have assigned Ning Rongrong and Oscar a task around this time. Ning Rongrong would slack off and sneak into the city, only returning to the academy after playing until dark.

But because he had interfered, Ning Rongrong had come to find him instead. The person spying on him just now could only be one of two people: Flender, who had followed Ning Rongrong here, or that old bastard Tang Hao.

"Heh—"

"Let's eat at this hotel. Afterward, I'll take you back."

Ji Bai turned around and looked at Ning Rongrong with a beaming smile.

"O-Okay!"

Ning Rongrong had wanted to decline Ji Bai's kindness, but she couldn't find a suitable reason. Besides, having Ji Bai escort her back was exactly what she had intended from the start.

At the table, Ning Rongrong carefully controlled the boundaries of their conversation, doing her best not to leave Ji Bai with a negative impression of her.

When the meal ended, Ji Bai kept his earlier promise and escorted Ning Rongrong back to Shrek Academy. By the time they reached the academy gates, the sky had already darkened.

Not long after the two entered Shrek Academy, they saw Flender and the other six students gathered in an open area. Their arrival immediately drew everyone's attention.

"Huh?"

Waves of puzzled murmurs rose one after another. Apart from Flender, everyone was utterly astonished.

"Good evening, everyone," Ji Bai greeted them.

At his words,

their replies came scattered and half-hearted.

"Brother Ji, I'll go over first."

After saying that, Ning Rongrong glanced at Flender and Oscar, intending to return to the group.

But in the next instant, Flender's cold shout rang out. "Ning Rongrong!"

Ning Rongrong paused, then looked over calmly.

Watching the scene before him, Ji Bai thought of the big show that was about to unfold. He had no intention of leaving. Instead, he stood where he was, rubbing his chin as he watched quietly.

Just as he had expected.

Ning Rongrong and Flender suddenly began arguing in front of everyone. Flender not only used the other students as examples, but even dragged Ji Bai into it.

Before long, Flender had angered Ning Rongrong so badly that she ran back to the dormitory in tears.

"Xiaobai, go comfort Ning Rongrong for me."

Hearing the voice suddenly ring out in his mind, Ji Bai looked at Flender in surprise.

"Me?" Ji Bai transmitted his voice into a line and asked in return.

Flender sighed. "That little girl comes from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. I have to curb her arrogance, or I truly won't be able to discipline her."

"You don't really think I want her to leave, do you?"

Ji Bai replied calmly through voice transmission, "I just don't understand why you want me to comfort her."

Flender gave a teasing smile. "I could tell at a glance that the little girl likes you. Just do me a favor and comfort her. I'll treat you to tea later."

"There are plenty of people who like me. Forget the tea—give me ten thousand Gold Soul Coins instead." Ji Bai smiled teasingly. "Ning Rongrong is the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Since she came here to study, Sect Master Ning Fengzhi must have given her plenty of funds, right?"

Flender's expression stiffened.

Two purplish-red flames rose beneath Ji Bai's feet. As the flames slowly compressed before exploding in an instant, his figure vanished from the spot.

"Whoa! A Self-Created Soul Skill?" Flender's eyes widened as he cried out.

"Headmaster, what's a Self-Created Soul Skill?" Ma Hongjun scratched his head, looking utterly confused.

"You!"

Flender was instantly enraged and snapped, "Xiaobai can already create his own Soul Skills, yet you don't even know what a Self-Created Soul Skill is!"

Ma Hongjun retorted indignantly, "You never taught me!"

Flender was immediately left speechless.