Xu Sanshi's Continuous Setbacks

"Though he said he was asking for his help, he was actually using that as an excuse to make me eat this nutritious meal..."

Jiang Nannan was not foolish. She had already realized that Ling Feng was helping her in a roundabout way.

His claim that he could not finish it was merely an excuse.

Not only had he considered her feelings, but he also spoke with gentle refinement. His gaze was pure and clear, completely unlike those looks filled with ulterior motives.

He was considerate, and so handsome besides...

At that thought, Jiang Nannan could not help looking up at the youth across from her.

It was the first time she had felt that a boy could be so handsome.

As the most beautiful girl in the outer court, Jiang Nannan's admirers could be said to stretch from Shrek Academy all the way to the Sun Moon Empire.

Among them were plenty of core disciples from her own year and senior students from the inner court. There was certainly no shortage of handsome young men.

Yet compared to the youth before her, Jiang Nannan felt that all those admirers were utterly ordinary.

"Judging by his age, he seems to be a new student too?"

"He spends so freely. He must be from a wealthy family. I wonder if he's Senior Sister Ling's younger brother."

"If he really is..."

With that thought, Jiang Nannan glanced at Ling Feng once more.

This time, however, Ling Feng had already finished his third nutritious meal and was resting his chin on one hand as he watched her.

"What's wrong, Senior Sister? Does it not suit your taste?"

Ling Feng spoke.

"N-No!"

Jiang Nannan hurriedly lowered her head, her eyes darting away. She did not know where to put her hands, and her face felt as though it were on fire.

She had never been this nervous before!

"If this boy really is Senior Sister Ling's younger brother, then could I perhaps..."

No one knew what Jiang Nannan was thinking. All they could see was her already rosy, exquisitely beautiful face gradually turning red as blood.

"Senior Sister, are you feeling unwell? Why is your face so red?"

Ling Feng scratched his head, somewhat confused.

She had been eating just fine. Why had she suddenly gone bright red?

"I'm fine, I'm fine!"

Jiang Nannan felt as if she could barely breathe. With her head lowered, she quickly took small bites of her meal.

Before long, Jiang Nannan had finished all her food as well.

It was her first time eating a nutritious meal.

Once it entered her stomach, she felt warm all over.

"Thank you, Senior Sister, for helping me with my burden."

Seeing that Jiang Nannan had finished eating, Ling Feng smiled at her and rose to take his leave.

"Ah, I'll walk you back."

Jiang Nannan spoke softly. Beneath the table, her small hand secretly clenched into a fist. It seemed to be the first time she had offered to walk a boy home.

"No need, Senior Sister. I still want to look around a bit more."

"Actually, I don't have anything to do either..."

Jiang Nannan had never known she could be so proactive.

As the two spoke, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the restaurant.

Some students who were eating seemed to realize something and hurriedly abandoned their half-finished meals, jogging out of the restaurant.

In an instant, more than half the restaurant had emptied. Most of those who remained had some degree of strength, and they watched Ling Feng and Jiang Nannan with amused expressions.

"Nannan, where's my Nannan~"

"Hey, kid, have you seen my Nannan?"

"Oh, she's eating in here!"

A deep, booming voice came from outside. Immediately afterward, a tall student in a black school uniform burst into the restaurant. After scanning the room, his gaze instantly locked onto Jiang Nannan.

The smile had not even formed on his face before it darkened at the sight of Ling Feng sitting across from Jiang Nannan.

"Kid, are you new here? Don't you know who she is?"

Xu Sanshi pointed at Jiang Nannan, then sneered and pointed outside.

"Since you're a new student, get the hell out on your own. I'll pretend this never happened."

"Xu Sanshi! What are you doing?!"

Before Ling Feng could respond, Jiang Nannan stood up first, shielding Ling Feng behind her.

The shy look she had worn before Ling Feng had now turned to fury.

Seeing Jiang Nannan lose her temper, Xu Sanshi gave an awkward smile. He then shifted his position inside the restaurant and glared at Ling Feng behind Jiang Nannan.

"Get lost! Don't make me say it a third time."

"Bullying a freshman? You really have regressed with age!"

Three soul rings—two yellow and one purple—suddenly appeared around Jiang Nannan and flashed. Her ears lengthened and stood upright, while her figure became even more slender.

"Since you're looking for trouble, let me have a taste of your skills!"

Seeing that Jiang Nannan actually intended to attack him for Ling Feng's sake, Xu Sanshi felt as though his lungs were about to explode with rage. He nearly ground his teeth to pieces.

"Nannan, you know I can't possibly attack you..."

With a disagreement turning into a fight at once, the restaurant owner came out with a frown.

"I say, Xu Sanshi, couldn't you pick somewhere else to make trouble?"

"I'm telling you, if you dare start something in my restaurant, I'll report you to your teachers!"

Anyone who could open a restaurant at the academy gates, and in such a prime location at that, was clearly no nobody.

At that, Xu Sanshi could only keep forcing smiles.

He was clearly furious to the extreme, yet had nowhere to vent it.

Xu Sanshi looked at Ling Feng and sneered.

"Kid, if you've got the guts, stay in there and don't come out. I don't believe Nannan can protect you forever."

With that, Xu Sanshi strode out of the restaurant. He then turned around and crossed his arms, looking determined to see this through to the bitter end.

"Don't be afraid. I'll protect you. Uh... I still don't know your name?"

Only then did Jiang Nannan realize that she had accepted a free meal from him without even knowing what he was called.

"Ling Feng."

Ling Feng answered softly, then reached out, took Jiang Nannan by the wrist, and stepped in front of her.

"Don't worry, Senior Jiang. I'm not afraid of him."

"Y-you know me?"

Jiang Nannan looked at Ling Feng in surprise.

Ling Feng did not answer. Holding Jiang Nannan's wrist, he led her toward the restaurant entrance.

He did not know that such a simple gesture had already set off a storm in Jiang Nannan's heart.

"He knows me..."

"So, does that mean he liked me long ago?"

Letting Ling Feng pull her along, Jiang Nannan followed behind him, obedient beyond belief.

The sight made Xu Sanshi outside the restaurant see red.

When had Jiang Nannan ever allowed anyone to treat her like this?

After pursuing her for so long, he had not even touched a single strand of her hair!

"What now?"

Ling Feng led Jiang Nannan before Xu Sanshi and met his gaze without the slightest trace of fear.

Among the Shrek Seven Monsters, Ling Feng particularly despised Xu Sanshi.

At such a young age, he had already done that kind of thing.

In pursuing Jiang Nannan, he had also often used his power to bully others.

Even speaking a word to Jiang Nannan could earn someone a threat from Xu Sanshi. It had even dragged down Jiang Nannan's reputation at the academy, leaving her with barely any female friends around her.

Yet Xu Sanshi's background was powerful. Even when he bullied others, the academy would only deal with him lightly out of consideration for his talent and the forces behind him.

"Kid, you've got guts!"

"But you actually dared to make a move on my Nannan."

"You're courting death!"

Xu Sanshi rolled his shoulders and snorted coldly, just about to make his move.

"Stop!"

"Xu Sanshi, how about giving me some face?"