The midday sun was still scorching, so Yang Teng found a shady spot beneath a tree.
At Skywater Academy's iconic blue-and-white gate, students were coming and going in the midday rush.
The moment Yang Teng appeared, he drew the eyes of many female students. Their gazes held curiosity and amazement, and even a hint of admiration.
"Look, it's Yang Teng!"
"He's the one? The new student who beat Captain Shui Bing'er and Vice Captain Xue Wu all by himself, despite only being a Soul Elder?"
"Shh, keep your voice down... But he doesn't look as fierce as the rumors made him out to be."
"Yeah, he's got a bit of a roguish, bad-boy vibe?"
The girls didn't make any effort to lower their whispers, and with Yang Teng's sharp hearing, he caught every word.
With his hands in his pockets and his head tilted slightly, he let his gaze drift over the female students who looked at him, some boldly, others furtively.
Every now and then, he even returned a bright smile and a nod to a few pretty senior students who had the courage to greet him first.
"Hello, Yang Teng!"
"Hey, junior, are you free to give us some pointers in this afternoon's practical class?"
"Yang Teng..."
Greetings rose and fell around him. Yang Teng cheerfully returned them all, but didn't budge.
A cool figure emerged from deep within the academy, and it was as if the lively atmosphere around him froze in an instant.
Gu Yuena still wore her simple yet exquisite silver robe. Her silver hair fell like a waterfall, her features were breathtaking, and an aloof aura that warned others to keep their distance surrounded her.
She walked up beside Yang Teng and glanced at him with her silver eyes, paying no attention to the commotion around them.
"Let's go."
Yang Teng turned naturally, and the two walked side by side toward the street outside the academy.
The female students who had been about to approach and chat stopped in their tracks, content to watch the two of them walk away from a distance.
"Where are we going?"
As they walked along the bustling street, Gu Yuena asked.
"Spirit Hall Branch."
Yang Teng answered without hesitation.
"Spirit Hall Branch?"
Gu Yuena frowned slightly.
As the ruler of the Soul Beasts, she had no fondness for Spirit Hall, one of the highest authorities among human Soul Masters.
"What are we going there for?"
Yang Teng shrugged, a mysterious grin spreading across his face.
"You'll find out when we get there. We're not going to smash the place up, so relax."
He deliberately kept her guessing, offering no further explanation.
Gu Yuena glanced at him. Knowing she wouldn't get any more out of him, she fell silent and simply followed along.
The streets of Balak Royal City were bustling, lined with shops and brimming with all kinds of goods.
They moved through the crowds, one roguishly handsome and carefree, the other cool and peerlessly elegant. They made a rather unusual pair, and plenty of people turned to look.
As they passed an enticing dessert shop, Yang Teng slowed down.
His gaze was drawn to a small sign outside the shop.
In cute lettering, it read: "New 'Heart-to-Heart' cake now available! Couples get half off!"
Yang Teng's eyes spun, and an idea instantly took shape.
Without a moment's hesitation, he shot out his right hand and grabbed Gu Yuena's cool, silky hand.
"Huh?"
Caught off guard, Gu Yuena's silver eyes flashed with surprise and irritation.
"What are you doing?"
"Don't say anything. Just follow my lead."
Yang Teng lowered his voice, but wore a grin that practically said, "My scheme worked!"
The shop assistant behind the counter was a sweet-smiling young woman. When she saw Yang Teng enter, holding Gu Yuena's hand—
Especially after her gaze swept over Gu Yuena's breathtaking beauty and obvious reluctance, she immediately gave them a knowing, congratulatory smile.
"Welcome! What can I get for you?"
The shop assistant asked warmly.
Yang Teng held tight to Gu Yuena's hand as she tried to pull away, then pointed at the sign with his free hand and called out,
"We'll have one of those 'Heart-to-Heart' cakes. Couples get half off, right?"
"That's right, sir."
The shop assistant's smile grew even sweeter as her gaze shifted between Yang Teng and Gu Yuena.
"You two are a perfect match! The cake has such a lovely meaning. It's just right for sharing with your girlfriend."
"G-girlfriend?"
Only then did Gu Yuena fully grasp what was going on. Her cheeks suddenly flushed, and she hurriedly waved her free hand, her voice urgent.
"No! You've got it wrong! We're not together! He and I..."
As she spoke, she tried even harder to wrench her hand out of Yang Teng's "clutches," even channeling some Soul Power into the effort.
But Yang Teng's hand was like an iron vice, unmoving, while his face maintained an expression of innocent nonchalance.
Seeing that Gu Yuena was about to get angry for real, Yang Teng hurriedly leaned close to her ear and whispered so quickly that only the two of them could hear.
"Just pretend! You'd have to be a fool to pass up a deal! Half price, Yuena!"
Gu Yuena paused, her gaze involuntarily drifting toward the sample cakes displayed in the glass case.
They really did look... delicious. Yang Teng had already figured out her weakness for sweets.
But she still pressed her lips together and glared at Yang Teng with her silver eyes, making it clear she'd beat him up if he didn't let go.
Yang Teng's eyes spun again, and he pointed at the paper on the table beside the shop assistant.
"See? That flavor is exclusive to the couples' set. They might not have it next time, and the deal could be gone too."
"A limited edition!"
Gu Yuena blinked twice, her long silver lashes fluttering.
Without realizing it, she stopped resisting so hard. Her cheeks were still flushed, but she turned her head away and murmured so quietly it was almost inaudible,
"Then let's try it!"
Yang Teng chuckled to himself, knowing his trick had worked. Only then did he loosen his grip a little, though he still didn't let go of her hand completely. He smiled at the shop assistant.
"We'll take that cake!"
"Certainly. Just a moment!"
The shop assistant quickly got to work.
As they waited, Gu Yuena felt the palm of her hand growing warm where Yang Teng held it. The occasional glances from the people around them, full of envy or well wishes, made her feel even more uncomfortable.
Soon, the cake was ready.
They sat by the window inside the shop, the cake's sweet aroma wafting toward them.
She picked up a small fork and eagerly scooped a bite into her mouth. Her eyes immediately closed in bliss, and she took several more bites in quick succession, eating with uncharacteristic speed.
Yang Teng sat across from her, watching her eat in a way that was completely at odds with her usual cool demeanor. A gentle smile tugged at his lips.
He picked up another small fork and tried a bite. It was quite good—sweet without being cloying.
Gu Yuena was thoroughly enjoying the cake when a cream-covered cherry on her fork brushed against the corner of her mouth and slipped off, about to fall onto her silver robe.
"Careful."
Yang Teng reacted in a flash, catching the cherry neatly with his own fork. Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, he held it out to Gu Yuena.
Gu Yuena was completely focused on the delicious cake. Seeing a cream-covered cherry at her lips, she didn't give it a second thought and opened her mouth.
"Chomp!" She swallowed the cherry along with Yang Teng's fork.
Sweet juice burst across her tongue, and she closed her eyes in satisfaction, letting out a tiny sigh.
But that contentment lasted less than a second.
She suddenly realized what she had just done! She'd eaten a cherry from the fork Yang Teng had held out to her! The fork he had just used!
"Boom!"
A rush of heat surged up Gu Yuena's cheeks and neck. Her whole face turned red, and even her ears and snowy-white neck flushed pink.
Her eyes widened as she stared at Yang Teng in disbelief, then at the fork in his hand, still smeared with a little cream.
Yang Teng, completely unfazed, casually put the fork to his mouth and licked the tip with his tongue.
That guy! He definitely did that on purpose!
Gu Yuena was both embarrassed and furious.
Wasn't that basically an indirect kiss?! That bastard! He'd pulled such a despicable trick!
She was about to explode on the spot. Even in the middle of the shop, she'd teach that lecher a lesson!
But just as the aura around her shifted, an ill-timed male voice rang out beside them, dripping with ingratiating charm.
"Beautiful lady, hello. I thought you were breathtaking the moment I saw you in the shop. Would you do me the honor of letting me introduce myself?"
A young man in a well-tailored, high-end red suit had appeared in front of them at some point.
He was fairly handsome, with a smile he clearly thought was suave. His eyes were fixed intently on Gu Yuena, completely ignoring Yang Teng, who still had the fork between his teeth.
He was holding a vivid red rose that seemed to have appeared from nowhere, and was about to offer it to her.
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