"He would, but it depends on who hands him the knife."
Su Hang stood outside the wooden fence around the Training Ground.
Ning Rongrong stood beside him, the Seven Treasures Token at her waist softly brushing against her skirt.
"You mean that if Seven Treasures' support fell into Tang San's hands, it would only help him overpower others?"
Xiao Wu immediately chimed in.
"What's there to ask? He even dares to use Poison Arrows in a spar. Give him a boost, and he'll only hit harder."
For once, Ning Rongrong didn't argue with Xiao Wu.
Inside the Training Ground, Tang San was still gathering the short arrows beside the wooden dummies.
Yu Xiaogang quietly offered pointers, occasionally gesturing out the paths Blue Silver Grass could take.
Su Hang turned and headed toward the small courtyard.
"There's nothing wrong with the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda itself. The mistake lies in whom you hand it to."
Ning Rongrong followed him, walking a little slower than before.
"Can I change the future where Seven Treasures spills blood, too?"
"You can."
At those words, Xiao Wu looked up at Su Hang first.
Su Hang kept walking.
"The future has never been set in stone. Whether you can change it depends on whether you dare to recognize people for who they are."
Ning Rongrong shifted the little bag on her shoulder.
"Recognize people? You said that last night, and now you're saying it again."
Su Hang stopped by the roadside and turned sideways.
"Because that's where you're most likely to stumble."
Ning Rongrong raised her chin, unconvinced.
"I'm very clever. I can tell at a glance who's sincere and who's pretending."
Xiao Wu gave a soft snort.
"Then why did you sneak off to Nuoding in the middle of the night?"
Ning Rongrong was about to fire back, but swallowed her retort.
She really had acted on impulse this time.
If Su Hang had been a bad person, even getting back to Seven Treasures might not have been easy.
Su Hang didn't call her out. He simply continued walking.
"Some people wrap self-interest in the language of loyalty, call their schemes brotherhood, and make taking what's yours sound like it's for everyone's good."
Ning Rongrong stopped in her tracks.
"Are you talking about Tang San?"
"Whoever fits the description is the one you should guard against."
Xiao Wu walked on Su Hang's other side, her fingers hooked around his sleeve.
"Brother Su Hang, you're being too polite."
Ning Rongrong glanced at Xiao Wu.
"You hate Tang San that much?"
Xiao Wu answered at once.
"I do."
Ning Rongrong wanted to press her, but Xiao Wu shut her down.
"Don't ask why. I don't feel like explaining."
They walked along the Academy path, and soon reached the small courtyard where Xiao Chenyu lived.
Wang Sheng and Xiao Chenyu had already hurried back to tidy up the stone table. Tea and dried fruit were laid out on it.
As soon as Xiao Chenyu saw them return, he immediately straightened the teacups.
"Boss Su, I just made fresh tea, and the snacks are fresh, too."
Wang Sheng held a bag of dried fruit and grinned as he cut in.
"Seven Treasures Little Princess, want to pay extra? We've upgraded the service at our little courtyard."
Ning Rongrong gave him a once-over.
"You've got some nerve charging me."
Wang Sheng immediately set the dried fruit down.
"Just kidding, just kidding. Mostly, I'm worried Xiao Chenyu will go broke replacing the bed."
Xiao Chenyu kicked the leg of his stool.
"Don't bring that up when I'm trying to forget it."
Su Hang sat down beside the stone table.
As usual, Xiao Wu sat next to him and pushed another stool across the table.
This time, Ning Rongrong didn't fight for a seat. She simply sat opposite them.
She placed the Seven Treasures Token on the table, pressing a finger against its edge.
"Su Hang, I want to ask about Oscar, too."
Xiao Wu immediately perked up her ears.
"The sausage seller?"
Ning Rongrong glared at her.
"Could you stop saying it so casually?"
Xiao Wu dragged the plate of dried fruit closer to herself.
"That's how it was written in the diary."
Ning Rongrong gritted her teeth, then looked back at Su Hang.
"Why would I have anything to do with a food-type Soul Master?"
Su Hang poured her a cup of tea.
"You'll leave that greenhouse called Seven Treasures one day."
Ning Rongrong was displeased.
"A greenhouse? Are you saying I've been spoiled?"
"You know the answer yourself."
Xiao Wu nearly laughed out loud and quickly hid behind a piece of dried fruit.
Ning Rongrong tapped the tabletop with her finger.
"Will I meet Oscar after I leave Seven Treasures?"
Su Hang didn't elaborate.
"Out there, fewer people will give way to you, and fewer people will coddle you."
Ning Rongrong huffed.
"I'm not afraid of hardship."
Xiao Wu shot her a sideways glance.
"You even complain that the Academy cafeteria food is too greasy."
Ning Rongrong immediately shot back.
"That's called having reasonable standards. The food I eat at Seven Treasures is good, to begin with."
Xiao Chenyu muttered under his breath.
"I believe that. Seven Treasures really is rich."
Wang Sheng nodded.
"With money like that on the table, even steamed buns would feel inferior."
Ning Rongrong didn't laugh this time.
She lowered her gaze to the Seven Treasures Token.
"It's not hardship I'm afraid of."
The dried fruit in Xiao Wu's hand stopped halfway to her mouth.
Ning Rongrong put the token back at her waist, lowering her voice.
"I'm afraid that after I leave Seven Treasures, Dad will still have to clean up my messes."
The courtyard fell quiet.
Ning Rongrong continued.
"I'm also afraid Sword Grandpa and Bone Grandpa will stand in front of me while I keep throwing tantrums behind them."
Xiao Wu watched her for a long moment.
She picked up a piece of dried fruit from the plate and held it out to Ning Rongrong.
Ning Rongrong blinked.
"For me?"
Xiao Wu set the dried fruit in front of her and immediately changed the subject.
"I feel sorry for you. It has nothing to do with Brother Su Hang."
Ning Rongrong touched the dried fruit with her fingertips. This time, she didn't retort.
After a moment, she picked it up and took a small bite.
"Not bad."
Xiao Wu immediately raised her chin.
"Of course. I picked it."
Xiao Chenyu added in a quiet voice,
"I'm pretty sure I bought it."
Wang Sheng immediately tugged him aside.
"Say a little less if you want to live longer."
Ning Rongrong finished the piece of dried fruit, then looked back at Su Hang.
"You said I'd leave the greenhouse and see how cruel the outside world is."
Su Hang nodded.
"That's a road you'll have to take sooner or later."
Ning Rongrong pressed her lips together.
"Then can I choose not to follow the path I was supposed to take?"
"You can."
Su Hang pushed the teacup toward her.
"Don't rush to prove that you can endure hardship."
Ning Rongrong took the tea.
"What should I do first, then?"
"Learn to say no."
Ning Rongrong didn't quite understand.
Su Hang added,
"Say no to others deciding how you should grow, and say no to anyone using loyalty to bind you."
Xiao Wu listened closely beside them.
Those words struck a chord with her, too.
Her own future had been one where she was pushed along, forced to choose, and finally gave up even her life.
Ning Rongrong held the rim of her teacup between her teeth and thought for a long while.
"So when you said last night not to sell myself to fate, that's what you meant?"
"More or less."
Xiao Wu immediately cut in.
"Also, don't go buying Brother Su Hang for half a day."
Ning Rongrong nearly choked on her tea.
"You still remember that?"
Xiao Wu answered with complete confidence.
"Of course I do."
Ning Rongrong put her teacup down and deliberately leaned a little toward Su Hang.
"What if I offer a high price?"
Xiao Wu immediately scooted her stool closer to Su Hang.
"Not a chance."
Su Hang raised a hand and pressed it down toward the table.
"Enough."
Everyone in the courtyard struggled to hold back their laughter.
This time, Ning Rongrong was only teasing her. She didn't seriously try to compete.
Night gradually fell, and the voices around the Academy faded away.
Xiao Chenyu had tidied up the side room, and all the bedding had been freshly changed.
Su Hang looked around the courtyard.
"You can stay here tonight."
Ning Rongrong blinked.
"Really?"
Xiao Wu immediately looked at him.
Su Hang continued.
"You can only stay in the side room. Don't disturb Xiao Wu's rest."
Xiao Wu was satisfied at once.
"Did you hear that? The side room."
Ning Rongrong deliberately drew out her words.
"Have you two always lived like this?"
Xiao Wu's ears immediately warmed, and she moved her hand away from Su Hang's sleeve.
"What are you imagining? Brother Su Hang is only protecting me."
Ning Rongrong folded her arms.
"I haven't even said anything. Why are you getting so worked up?"
Xiao Wu stood and moved in front of Su Hang.
"When was I getting worked up?"
Su Hang took out a Breath Concealment Talisman and pressed his fingertips against its edge.
Faint Soul Power enveloped the courtyard, even shutting out the wind beyond the walls.
The Soul Beast aura around Xiao Wu still fluctuated faintly.
The traces left by Tang Hao's pressure last night hadn't completely dissipated. Only after the Concealment Talisman pressed down on them did those fluctuations settle somewhat.
Su Hang put the talisman away.
"Don't go wandering around these next couple of days."
Xiao Wu was a little more obedient.
"I'll listen to you."
Watching the two of them together, Ning Rongrong slowly let go of her earlier teasing.
She remembered Xiao Wu's sacrifice, mentioned in the diary, and Su Hang's words just now about being able to change the future.
One piece of dried fruit remained on the table.
Ning Rongrong pushed it toward Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu looked down at it.
"What's this for?"
Ning Rongrong lightly tapped the edge of the table.
"Giving it back to you."
Xiao Wu didn't take it.
"Once I've given something away, I don't take it back."
Ning Rongrong paused, then suddenly asked,
"Xiao Wu, have you ever been frightened by the future too?"
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