The Blonde Woman

The night wind in Donghai City was chilly.

Lin Xun sat atop the largest bridge in Donghai City, looking down at the pitch-black river flowing into the sea below, feeling the chill most keenly.

He certainly had not come to jump into the river.

How could a man who had fought his way out of countless romantic battlegrounds, a dignified player, possibly do something like that? He had merely come out to enjoy the night breeze.

It was common knowledge that no one knew just how lonely a player could be. During those precious moments when he had no girlfriends to deal with, no romantic messes to untangle, and no ex-girlfriends blocking the school gates to collect debts, he had to seek some inspiration from nature.

This bridge was one of Donghai City's highest points, with an unobstructed view and smooth river winds, making it perfect for clearing one's mind.

He had only just broken through to the third ring, then fought consecutive battles in the Promotion Tournament finals. The lingering aftereffects in his soul power meridians had yet to completely settle, so the night breeze was just what he needed.

Just as he closed his eyes to rest, a shriek suddenly came from behind him.

"Don't jump!"

Lin Xun opened his eyes, but before he could turn around, a set of hurried footsteps had already rushed up behind him. Then, a slender hand grabbed the back collar of his school uniform with all its strength, nearly yanking him straight off the railing.

"If there's something bothering you, you can tell me! Did you get dumped? Let me tell you, getting dumped isn't a big deal at all! My online boyfriend blocked me, and I didn't jump! You're not allowed to jump either!"

His collar tightened around his neck as he was tugged back. Lin Xun raised his head to the sky and saw a messy pair of blue twin-tails and a pair of red, swollen eyes from crying.

Xu Xiaoyan.

He recognized her at once. Though they had only been in an online relationship, the girl had sent him selfies before, so she was easy to identify.

Tear tracks still streaked her face, and the tip of her nose was red, yet the hand clutching his collar was astonishingly strong.

"I wasn't going to jump," Lin Xun said calmly.

"You're lying! You're already on the outside of the railing! Get down—get down first, then we can talk! I'll let go once you get down. If you don't, I'll keep holding on!"

Lin Xun looked down at himself. He was sitting on the inside of the railing, with one leg resting on a crossbeam. He had not even climbed over it.

"Do you really think I was going to jump?"

Xu Xiaoyan blinked, then suddenly yanked him backward. She threw herself at him and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, burying her face in his chest as she burst into loud sobs.

"Waaah... don't jump. My online boyfriend hasn't even jumped yet. I checked—no one has ever jumped off this bridge. That first jump was supposed to be his..."

Lin Xun: "..."

Xu Xiaoyan had already been miserable for some time because of her online boyfriend. Today, she had finally gone out for a nighttime walk to clear her head.

Only to run into something this distressing.

She had always been timid, and seeing someone who seemed to be about to jump into the river made her completely lose it. She broke down crying on the spot.

Lin Xun looked rather helplessly at the girl, who had already slid down to the ground and was sobbing. His teeth ached a little.

She was also the current holder of the ex-girlfriend title.

He was not particularly willing to have much contact with an ex-girlfriend, but seeing her like this, he could not bear to leave her alone.

"Since you were so 'kind-hearted,' I'll treat you to a late-night snack."

Halfway through crying, Xu Xiaoyan hiccupped and looked up at him in confusion.

"A... late-night snack?"

"Yeah. There's a wonton stall by the bridge that stays open until three in the morning. That pull you gave me just now was strong enough for weightlifting. You burned plenty of energy, so you should replenish it."

Xu Xiaoyan sniffled and wiped the tears from her face with her sleeve. Her eyes were still red, but she had stopped crying. She looked up at the boy before her and suddenly felt that his tone sounded a little familiar.

That lazy drawl, that infuriating way he clearly sounded concerned but insisted on making it sound like he was insulting you.

But she could not remember where she had heard it.

"...Who are you?"

"My name is Lin Xun."

"You're Lin Xun!?" Xu Xiaoyan sprang to her feet so suddenly that she nearly slammed into his chin.

Lin Xun froze slightly. From that reaction, had she recognized him? But he had never told her his real name.

"You're that Lin Xun who messed with Sister Ouyang and cheated someone else out of their pills? My brother Xu Xiaoyu told me about you.

Are you trying to pursue me, so you deliberately approached me!?"

"First," Lin Xun said, holding up two fingers, "you were the one who ran over and hugged me."

Xu Xiaoyan froze for a moment, blinked, and suddenly realized that she really had taken the initiative to hug him just now.

Her face instantly turned red.

"...Oh."

"Second, don't be so narcissistic. I'm not interested in a flat-chested girl."

"Asshole!"

Xu Xiaoyan instinctively looked down at her chest, only to see her toes. She immediately pulled her jacket zipper all the way up, wrapping even her chin inside.

The girl's face flushed crimson. Her lips moved as if she wanted to retort, but she lowered her head and looked again.

Facts spoke louder than words.

She could only turn her head away resentfully and squeeze out a sentence through clenched teeth.

"I... I haven't finished developing yet! What do you know? My family's genes are all late bloomers—we build up strength before making a breakthrough!"

"Your family's genes are pretty good at strategic planning."

"Shut up!" Xu Xiaoyan stomped her foot, turned, and headed toward the bridgehead. After taking a few steps, she stopped and glared back at him. "Where's the wonton stall? Didn't you say you were treating? I'm ordering the most expensive bowl, with two eggs—no, three! I'm going to eat you broke!"

Watching her puffed-up back, Lin Xun's lips curved slightly as he followed after her.

The wonton stall was a small shop with many little tables set outside its entrance, where customers could sit and eat. Despite the late hour, there were quite a few people around.

Xu Xiaoyan really did order an extra-large bowl of wontons with three eggs.

The angry girl had just sat down when, under the light, she finally got a clear look at the boy across from her. The lighting on the bridge had been too dim for her to see him properly.

But here, Lin Xun's handsome youthful features were fully revealed. Especially the sight of him lowering his head to pay—it was particularly pleasing to the eye.

Even Xu Xiaoyan, who spent every day surfing the internet and looking at handsome guys, could not help being briefly stunned.

"What is it?" Lin Xun noticed her gaze and smiled softly. "Am I that good-looking?"

"Not at all." Xu Xiaoyan haughtily lifted her snow-white neck. "You're not even half as handsome as my ugliest ex-boyfriend."

Lin Xun fell silent, unable to tell whether she was insulting him or complimenting him.

The wontons arrived quickly.

Their fragrance filled the air!

They truly deserved their reputation as the king of snacks on this street.

Xu Xiaoyan took one bite, and her eyes lit up. Lifting her bowl, she began wolfing them down like a little piglet that had been starving for ages, making soft snuffling sounds.

Lin Xun ate far more elegantly. Calmly eating a wonton, he asked as if casually, "Was your ex-boyfriend bad to you? You even wanted him to jump into the river."

"Not really." Xu Xiaoyan swallowed a wonton, then said quietly, "He was a nice person. He was just blind!"

"I was such a great girlfriend, and he actually blocked me!"

"An online relationship?"

"Yeah."

Lin Xun pretended to suddenly understand and nodded slightly. "Speaking as someone with experience, you should be cautious about online relationships."

Xu Xiaoyan looked up, her blue eyes full of the look of someone who had found her own kind. She hurriedly asked, "Did your ex-girlfriend block and delete you too?"

"No." Lin Xun shook his head faintly. "I blocked and deleted my ex-girlfriend."

Xu Xiaoyan: "..."

"I heard from my brother ages ago that Donghai Academy had a huge scumbag named Lin Xun. I never expected you wouldn't even spare those adorable little cupcakes online!"

Xu Xiaoyan said indignantly, "Do you know how those of us who got deleted and blocked feel?"

"Stop!" Lin Xun raised a hand to cut her off, trying to patch things up. "My ex-girlfriend wasn't like you."

"Oh, right." Xu Xiaoyan came to her senses, then said, "Fine, maybe your ex-girlfriend wasn't as good as me. Otherwise, you couldn't possibly have done that."

"That makes sense."

Lin Xun nodded in wholehearted agreement.

"So, I have two dreams now." Xu Xiaoyan said very seriously, "The first is to find him and make him taste unwashed Nine-Turn Intestines, so he can understand the suffering I've gone through these days."

"Pfft!" Lin Xun nearly sprayed out the mouthful he had just eaten and hurriedly changed the subject. "Um... what's your second dream?"

"To become a beautiful airhead!" Xu Xiaoyan raised her brows proudly, clearly brimming with confidence.

"You've already succeeded halfway."

"Right now, you're an airhead."

"..."

Xu Xiaoyan's expression froze. It took her several seconds to react. She suddenly slammed her chopsticks onto the table, making the wonton soup in her bowl slosh twice.

"You're insulting me!"

"I'm not insulting you." Lin Xun leisurely picked up another wonton. "I'm stating an objective fact. You said you wanted to become a beautiful airhead, and you've already succeeded halfway. The other half just needs time, so there's no rush."

"What's the other half? Say it clearly!"

"The other half..." Lin Xun looked up at her. "We'll talk after you finish developing."

Xu Xiaoyan looked down at the tips of her shoes, then back up at Lin Xun's calm face. Her lips trembled several times before she finally forced out, "Just you wait. When the day comes that I make my late-blooming breakthrough, you'll be the first one I test my blade on."

"What blade?"

"The blade of beauty that kills!"

"Then you should find that guy you dated online first and practice on him.

Didn't he block you?

Perfect. Use him as a whetstone."

Xu Xiaoyan's eyes lit up. "That makes sense! I'll start with him, then test my blade on you!"

The girl picked up her chopsticks again and took another big bite of wontons with fighting spirit, but as she chewed, she suddenly wilted. "But I don't even know who he is."

"Didn't you put up a one-million bounty?"

"How did you know I put up a one-million bounty?"

Lin Xun's expression did not change. "First, you said your brother was Xu Xiaoyu. Second, your post was seen all over Donghai City. Pretty much everyone at Donghai Academy knows it was posted by Senior Xu Xiaoyu's younger sister—it spread ages ago. Besides, my roommate even forwarded it to me. He said he wanted to meet this rich lady who was dumb and loaded."

"Your roommate has good taste!" Xu Xiaoyan proudly lifted her chin. "Does he still want to meet me now? I'll let him cut in line and put him after my online dating partner. I'll beat up that heartless bastard first."

"Not anymore. He said rich ladies are too fierce, and he's afraid of getting beaten up."

Xu Xiaoyan snorted and lowered her head to continue eating her wontons. After two bites, she raised her head again and stared at Lin Xun for quite a while.

The dim yellow light of the wonton stall fell across his profile. The young man was lowering his head to drink soup, his lashes casting a small shadow beneath his eyes.

She suddenly frowned.

"Hey."

"Mm?"

"The way you talk really reminds me of someone."

"Who?" Lin Xun raised an eyebrow slightly. Had she noticed something?

"A person, of course. I'm saying you look like a person." Xu Xiaoyan said it as though it were perfectly obvious.

Lin Xun: "..."

"Hehe."

Having successfully turned the tables on him, the ever-unwilling-to-lose Queen Xiaoyan happily set down her chopsticks and waved her hand.

"Goodbye, this young lady is leaving..."

Lin Xun watched her figure gradually disappear until it blended into the darkness, then let out a soft sigh.

"An ex-girlfriend really isn't an easy topic to talk about..."

If one day Xu Xiaoyan learned that the ex-girlfriend and ex-boyfriend they had been discussing were actually each other, who knew what kind of bloodbath it would become.

The next day.

Lin Xun and Gu Yue walked side by side along the road to the East Sea Spirit Pagoda. Gu Yue had changed back into her plain white long dress, her black hair loosely tied behind her head with a silver ribbon. Walking beneath the morning light, she looked like someone who had stepped out of a painting.

"When we get there today, the basic assessment will be divided into three parts: soul power testing, practical combat assessment, and spiritual power testing. The soul power test will be nothing more than a formality for you."

Lin Xun paused. "But for the spiritual power test, the machine is custom-made by the Spirit Pagoda headquarters, and it's highly sensitive."

"As for the practical combat assessment, I heard the teacher will personally set it up, so I don't know the specifics yet. But given her personality, it probably won't be easy."

Gu Yue glanced at him from the side. "Are you reminding me to be careful?"

"Not exactly a reminder. Just giving you some mental preparation. The more she values a student, the harder she trains them." Lin Xun paused. "But you should be fine. Even though you can't beat me..."

Whether in bed before or in practical combat now, she fought and lost again and again, yet kept coming back for more. Every time, she started out stubborn as could be, but in the end, she would always whimper and moan as she begged for mercy.

The classic case of being bad at it but loving to play.

Lin Xun suddenly shut his mouth halfway through speaking. He had noticed that Gu Yue was looking at him from the side. Her silver eyes were calm and still, but a little too calm.

"Go on." Gu Yue's tone was bland.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking that you still have room to improve in actual combat experience."

"That wasn't what your expression meant just now."

"What expression?"

"You were thinking about something you shouldn't have been thinking about."

"No." Lin Xun kept his gaze forward and his pace unchanged. "I was thinking of taking you to that private restaurant from last time after today's assessment."

While saying that on the surface, he silently grumbled to himself: This girl is seriously sensitive. The moment something white and bare flashed through my mind, she noticed something was off.

Like a bloodhound.

Gu Yue gave him one last look, but did not ask any further questions.

In the first-floor lobby of the Spirit Pagoda, the front desk staff were organizing the day's appointment list, while several night-shift Soul Masters yawned as they prepared to hand over their shifts. A few early visitors were scattered throughout the rest areas on both sides of the hall.

The two walked into the lobby side by side. Gu Yue still wore that same cold and distant expression, but the instant she stepped through the doors, her pace suddenly halted.

Following her gaze, Lin Xun saw a blonde woman sitting on a bench in the rest area.

"Auntie," Gu Yue called out flatly.

Someone from Gu Yue's side? Which ferocious beast had transformed into human form this time?

Lin Xun looked carefully, just as the woman turned her head. Those eyes immediately collided with his gaze.

They were a pair of brilliant golden eyes.

They were dazzling, yet seemed to contain the entire world in their shifting depths—profound and unfathomable. Lin Xun froze for an instant.

It couldn't be such a coincidence, could it...?