"It's okay. I'm here."
"From now on, I'll protect you and never leave your side."
Lin Yan tightened his embrace around Wen Ruan, hoping it would make the girl feel a little safer.
"Don't worry. I'll take care of this, I promise."
"I'm the Crown Prince's man, after all."
Wen Ruan lifted her chin at that.
"Am I completely useless? I've already reached the Soul King rank, but I still can only hide behind you."
By the end, Wen Ruan burst into loud sobs.
She wasn't just shedding tears; she was actually bawling.
With her slightly chubby, pretty cheeks, that tearful voice, and her pitiful expression, Lin Yan almost found himself laughing.
She was simply too adorable.
Lin Yan stroked Wen Ruan's hair again and again, patiently comforting her.
"How could you be?"
"You're the hardest-working junior sister in the whole world. A Soul King at seventeen—there isn't a second person like you on this continent."
"Don't sell yourself short. You're amazing."
Wen Ruan looked up.
"But the fight just now..."
"That was a Soul Saint. Of course you couldn't beat him." Lin Yan cut her off and continued explaining.
"If it had been another Soul King, you'd have frozen him in no time, then taken him out in three quick moves."
It had to be said: Lin Yan was genuinely patient with Wen Ruan.
He was the younger one between them, and just six years ago, he had been the junior student. But now...
Lin Yan was like a parent soothing a child as he comforted Wen Ruan.
Wen Ruan cried even louder.
Snot and tears smeared all over Lin Yan. The girl curled against him, burying her whole head in his clothes.
"Waaah~"
"You're so good to me."
"Actually, I know I'm useless, and it makes me really sad. But when you comfort me like this, I feel so happy."
Lin Yan chuckled at that.
"Stop crying, or your eyes will swell up."
"Mm~"
Before he could finish speaking, Wen Ruan suddenly lifted her head and kissed him.
Whether the girl's heart had been touched by Lin Yan's sincerity, or their closeness simply made her feel safe, he couldn't say.
In any case, the kiss lasted a long time.
The cool night breeze drifted in through the window, gently stirring their hair.
After a long while, their lips parted.
Wen Ruan was on top, Lin Yan beneath her.
"Could you stay with me for the rest of our lives? I really love you. Please don't leave me."
"We'll be together for the rest of our lives."
"..."
Beneath the moonlight, the girl slipped out of her long dress, cupped his pale cheek, and kissed him again.
Muffled sounds of passion drifted through the room, while the crickets outside chirped more merrily than ever...
The next morning.
Birdsong, wrapped in the fresh morning air, drifted into the room.
Wen Ruan woke early.
She looked at Lin Yan, sleeping beside her, and quietly smiled.
"If only we could stay together forever."
As she thought this, a wave of sadness welled up inside her.
In truth, she had long since guessed that Lin Yan had another girlfriend in Heaven Dou City.
She could tell from how skillfully he undid her undergarment clasp.
Lin Yan was good at hiding it. Whenever he came to see her, there was never a trace of another woman on him.
And the longing he showed her seemed utterly genuine.
But... even Wen Ruan had to fumble for ages to undo that clasp, while Lin Yan did it as if he'd done it countless times.
So, in fact, Wen Ruan knew everything.
She was just afraid of losing Lin Yan, and didn't want to bring it up.
Even when she missed him so much it bordered on obsession, she still didn't dare go to Heaven Dou City to see him...
After all, in Wen Ruan's heart, she was just a girl from an ordinary family. How could she compare to those noble young ladies in Heaven Dou City?
"Hmm? Why are you up so early?"
Perhaps Wen Ruan had been watching Lin Yan for so long that he instinctively sensed something was off.
Lin Yan woke, and the first thing he saw was Wen Ruan staring at him.
"It's nothing. I just couldn't sleep."
"Get some more rest. You finally have a long break, so take it easy."
Lin Yan rolled over and pulled the girl into his arms.
They were both naked, pressed close beneath the covers, their body heat mingling.
"Are you still worried about what happened last night?"
"Don't worry. With me here, nothing will happen to you."
"Besides, isn't Dean Flender at the academy?"
"Or you could just come back to Heaven Dou City with me someday."
At the mention of Heaven Dou City, Wen Ruan's body stiffened for an instant.
Heaven Dou City?
Had he already decided to break up with her?
Or was it just an empty promise?
Wen Ruan's thoughts began to tie themselves in knots again...
She knew Lin Yan wouldn't break up with her lightly, but she was so insecure that she couldn't help imagining all sorts of things.
"Will we be together forever?"
Wen Ruan asked the question again.
Lin Yan looked a little puzzled, but still answered patiently.
"We will!"
The room fell silent for a moment.
Before long, the sound of metal being struck came from outside the window.
Clang, clang, clang~
Iron striking iron rang out in a metallic tremor, making people's eardrums itch.
It was none other than Shrek Academy's class bell...
"I donated so much money to the academy. Couldn't Flender at least get a decent bell?"
"..."
Lin Yan was speechless. He simply used his soul power to create a soundproof barrier around himself and Wen Ruan.
He had no interest in getting involved in Shrek's lessons.
All they did was run or fight in the dueling arena. Anyone could be a teacher with that kind of curriculum.
If Flender and the others hadn't been Soul Saints, able to protect the students and help them obtain spirit rings, the academy wouldn't even have had a reason to exist.
Before long, evening came again.
Lin Yan and Wen Ruan hadn't left the room all day, and now their voices were both a little hoarse.
Honestly, if they hadn't gotten hungry, they probably still wouldn't have stopped.
They slipped on their pajamas and sat in the room, eating snacks Lin Yan had brought back from Heaven Dou City.
Just then, a sudden shout came from outside, followed by a long bout of arguing.
"What was that?"
Wen Ruan stopped chewing and perked up her little ears to listen.
Lin Yan did the same. After a moment, he spoke.
"Sounds like someone got into a fight. Want to take a look?"
"Sure. We haven't left the room all day. We could use some fresh air."
They opened the door and followed the noise to the entrance of Shrek Academy.
Just then, Ning Rongrong, who had been crying, spotted him.
When Ning Rongrong saw Lin Yan, it was as if she'd finally found the one friend she had among a crowd of strangers.
She immediately ran over to him in tears.
"Lin Yan!"
"It's a good thing you came out. Help me kill Dai Mubai!"