Preparing to Buy Whale Glue, the Gatekeeper Who Didn't Give Gangzi Face!

Hearing this, Xiao Wu involuntarily stopped in her tracks, her eyes fixed blankly on Lan Yu as he walked further and further away.

Dorm Seven

The two arrived at the entrance of Dorm Seven one after the other. Just as Lan Yu reached for the doorknob, Xiao Wu suddenly spoke up: "Lan Yu, in the future... can I go see Auntie with you guys?"

Lan Yu withdrew his hand and raised an eyebrow, looking at Xiao Wu's flustered expression with some confusion. "Hm? Didn't Mom say that you could go find her whenever you needed to?"

At these words, Xiao Wu buried her head low, twisting the hem of her shirt. It took a long while before she managed to squeeze out a sentence.

"I... I just wanted to go visit often..."

Seeing Lan Yu remain silent, Xiao Wu panicked. She quickly raised her head and waved her hands to explain.

"I don't mean anything else by it. If you and Tang Shan don't like me going, then I can..."

"You can."

"What did you say?" Xiao Wu was stunned, her eyes widening as she looked at Lan Yu.

"I said, you can," Lan Yu repeated with a faint smile on his lips.

With that, he stopped paying attention to Xiao Wu's reaction, pushed the door open, and walked inside. His voice drifted back from within the room.

"When you come in, remember to close the door."

Outside the door, Xiao Wu stood dazed for a moment. Upon hearing his voice from inside, tears began to stream down her cheeks without warning.

Inside the room, Lan Yu walked slowly to the bedside. Looking at Tang Shan, who was curled up between the two beds in a deep sleep, his gaze softened involuntarily. He reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind the girl's ear.

"I might as well meditate." Lan Yu sighed softly, slowly closed his eyes, and sat cross-legged on the floor.

Xiao Wu, her eyes red-rimmed, walked into Dorm Seven and saw Lan Yu sitting on the ground. Her footsteps faltered. "What are you doing?"

"Hm?" Lan Yu slowly opened his eyes. Seeing Xiao Wu with her back turned to him, he couldn't help but tease, "Can't you talk to me while facing me?"

"No! Are you going to tell me or not?"

"Time spent cultivating passes in the blink of an eye; I don't wish to waste a single night."

As he finished speaking, Dorm Seven fell into a sudden, deathly silence.

Xiao Wu slowly turned her head, glanced at Lan Yu, who had already closed his eyes again, and then cast a look at the sleeping Tang Shan on the bed. She snorted softly.

"Hmph, stop putting on an act!"

Her tone was involuntarily laced with a hint of envy and jealousy.

She lay back down on the bed, covered herself with the blanket Tang Shan had lent her, and stared wide-eyed at the ceiling.

Everything that happened tonight had been too much of a shock; she needed a good night's sleep to slowly digest it all.

The night slowly faded, and the horizon began to glow with a faint, pale light.

Lan Yu slowly opened his eyes and raised a hand to rub his swollen eyelids.

How did I fall asleep?

Wait?! Where is my right arm?

His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly looked down—Tang Shan was hugging his arm, her little head resting on his shoulder, breathing steadily and sleeping soundly.

Lan Yu looked up at the empty bed, then back down at the blanket covering them both, feeling a mix of amusement and helplessness.

"...Brother, Big Brother?"

Lan Yu's movement had ultimately disturbed the girl beside him. Tang Shan slowly opened her eyes, rubbed the corners of them in a daze, and let out a lazy, adorable yawn, her voice tinged with a touch of childish sweetness.

"Xiao Shan, why did you sleep on the floor? You'll catch a cold!"

Looking at the awakened Tang Shan, Lan Yu's brow furrowed instantly, his tone filled with helplessness and reproach.

Instead of pulling away, the girl leaned closer, her fair face almost pressing against Lan Yu's. She reached out with her soft little hand, gently rubbed his cheek, and said in a sticky, sweet voice, "Big Brother~ don't sleep on the floor by yourself next time, okay?"

"Oh, alright..."

Before Lan Yu could finish his sentence, the girl leaned forward and rested her forehead gently against his.

A moment later, Tang Shan's eyes lit up like a little cat that had successfully stolen a treat.

"Energy replenished! Let's go~"

Tang Shan stood up, stuck out her tongue with a blush under Lan Yu's stunned gaze, and turned to run out the door.

Just as Tang Shan ran out, Xiao Wu appeared out of nowhere in front of Lan Yu, hands on her hips, shaking her head with a look of utter disdain.

"Lan Yu, you... eww—"

Having said that, she turned and ran off as well.

"Hey! It's not like that... wait, you've misunderstood!"

Lan Yu was taken aback and quickly scrambled to his feet to chase after her.

On the roof of the dormitory building

After playing around with Tang Shan for a while longer, the two climbed up to the roof of the dormitory building, feeling the morning breeze brush against their faces.

"The morning is the most important part of the day! Sit properly, Xiao Shan!"

"Okay, Brother." Tang Shan nodded obediently.

Lan Yu sat cross-legged, his upper body straight, eyes fixed on the eastern horizon. Tang Shan did the same beside him.

Before long, a faint, barely perceptible wisp of purple light emerged.

The two focused their minds, guiding the purple energy into their eyes. Feeling a wave of soreness, they steadied their focus and continued to circulate their spirit power.

It was only when the red sun had completely leaped above the horizon and the purple light had dissipated into the morning glow that the two closed their eyes.

A moment later, Lan Yu slowly opened his eyes, a flash of purple light passing through them. He turned his head to look at Tang Shan, who was still sitting with her eyes closed, and spoke softly.

"Xiao Shan, I'm heading out of the academy. Once you finish your cultivation, go downstairs and find Xiao Wu. Don't wander off."

"Brother!"

Tang Shan opened her eyes and tugged on Lan Yu's sleeve, her face full of anticipation. "Can I go with you?"

"Be good~ Brother will be back in a while." Lan Yu rubbed Tang Shan's little head, his tone softening.

"Fine~"

Tang Shan pouted, blinking her watery eyes pitifully at Lan Yu, making one last attempt.

That's definitely not happening! Buying Whale Glue is one thing, but bringing a little girl along? I don't want the shopkeeper to report me to Spirit Hall and have me arrested.

Without further delay, Lan Yu turned and went downstairs, arriving at the academy gate shortly after.

"No way! Without a leave slip, first-year students are strictly forbidden from leaving alone during school hours!"

The young gatekeeper shook his head, his tone firm and unyielding upon hearing that Lan Yu wanted to go out.

What? I transmigrated, and I need a leave slip just to leave the academy? Then what was the point of transmigrating at all?!

Lan Yu pointed at the sun that had just risen, his face speechless.

"It's not even school hours yet, the sky just brightened, didn't it?"

The gatekeeper remained silent, stiffening his neck and refusing to open the gate.

Damn gatekeeper, you are courting death!

Just as Lan Yu was scratching his head in frustration, a familiar middle-aged male voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Let him out!"

Lan Yu turned around in confusion and saw Yu Xiaogang walking over with his signature frizzy hair.

"Many thanks, M... Mr. Wise Man!"

He immediately cupped his hands in gratitude, then turned to look at the gatekeeper.

"No!" The gatekeeper remained expressionless, refusing once again.

Yu Xiaogang was stunned. Meeting Lan Yu's questioning gaze, he cleared his throat and pointed at himself. "You don't recognize me?"

"I do, you are Mr. Wise Man!" The young gatekeeper held his head high, answering with complete seriousness.

"Then... you?"

"Even if you are the Wise Man, it won't work without a leave slip! Rules are rules!"

"Then what if I say I'm taking him out to hunt for a spirit ring?!" Yu Xiaogang's face turned beet red as he roared at the gatekeeper.

"That works!"

The young gatekeeper nodded, immediately opened the gate, and gestured for them to pass.

"You... you! You are simply rigid and ignorant!"

Yu Xiaogang was so angry he was huffing and puffing.

Lan Yu shook his head. He didn't have time to watch the two bicker, so he quickly stepped out of the gate.

"Where should I go to buy it?" Lan Yu stood at the academy entrance and scratched his head.

He then cast his gaze toward a group of youths in Notting Academy uniforms walking unsteadily in the distance with their arms around each other's shoulders.

"Old Zhang, your face looks a bit pale! Maybe you shouldn't drink tonight."

"You can't outdrink me, you want to bet?" The youth being supported in the center of the group snorted, pointing his finger in rebuttal.

"Why can't you understand when someone is looking out for you!"

"Excuse me, seniors, please wait a moment. I have a question." Just as the group was about to start arguing, they saw a youth with an extraordinary temperament walking toward them.