Ning Tian Comes Calling

Hearing that familiar voice,

Wang Dong's steps came to an abrupt halt on the track. Her sneakers ground over the bluestone slabs, kicking up a small puff of dust. When she turned around, the loose strands over her forehead were already damp with sweat, clinging to her smooth skin. A flash of annoyance ignited in her bright, glass-like eyes, though a trace of unspent amusement still lingered there.

At the entrance to the square, Huo Yuhao leaned against the railing with a food box in hand, a teasing smile on his lips. Seeing Wang Dong look over, he deliberately whistled. "Tsk, tsk. One hundred and eighty laps? That's twenty more than yesterday. Who are you competing with?"

Sunlight filtered through the plane tree leaves in Shrek Square, scattering mottled spots of light across Huo Yuhao. He looked a little travel-worn as he leaned against the railing, yet somehow straighter and more mature than she remembered. The teasing curve of his lips and the light in his eyes were exactly what she had longed to see day and night.

"You..." Wang Dong's voice caught in her throat. Her face, still filled with irritation moments ago, flushed scarlet in an instant, even her ears burning hot. She instinctively took half a step back, only to step into empty space and nearly trip. Huo Yuhao saw every bit of her embarrassment.

After staring blankly for a long while, Wang Dong finally realized that Huo Yuhao had truly returned. This was not some illusion of her own making.

She unconsciously took two steps toward Huo Yuhao before realizing something was wrong. With a cold snort, she turned around, intending to continue running.

Huo Yuhao reacted quickly. He stepped forward and grabbed Wang Dong's wrist. Her skin was warm beneath his hand, carrying a thin layer of sweat from exercising. It collided with the chill lingering around him, creating a strange sense of comfort.

"Why are you running?" He deliberately held the food box before Wang Dong's eyes. The refreshing sweetness of Far North Ice Jujube Cake mingled with the aroma of crab roe buns. "You're still twenty laps short of two hundred. Are you in such a hurry to finish so you can show me the results?"

Wang Dong's wrist burned where he held it. She struggled twice but could not pull free, her ear tips reddening as though they might drip blood. She turned and glared at him, her glass-like eyes full of defiance, but her voice no longer carried the same force as before. "Let go! Who wants to show you anything? I'm training!"

"Training shouldn't stop you from eating." Huo Yuhao chuckled softly and lightly scratched her palm with his fingertips. Only after Wang Dong shuddered did he leisurely release her, stuffing the food box into her arms. "I brought you some cold dessert on purpose. I froze it with ice elements. Try it."

The food box felt faintly cool in her hands. Wang Dong instinctively hugged it tighter and stared down at it without saying a word for a long time. Yet her feet seemed rooted in place, and she did not take another step toward the track.

Seeing this, Xiao Xiao froze completely. She had just finished half a lap and happened to witness Huo Yuhao grabbing Wang Dong's wrist. It was as though someone had pressed pause on her; she even forgot how to move her feet.

Was this really the class monitor who usually had the final say, who was so proud and sharp-eyed that she resembled an unsheathed sword?

Under the sunlight, Wang Dong's arms tightened around the food box, and the lines of her profile softened considerably. Even the corners of her mouth, usually pressed tight, carried a curve she could not hide. From Xiao Xiao's angle, the red at her ears looked like ripe cherries. Where was her usual commanding air now?

Still, this girl was so beautiful. She must be the Huo Yuhao whom the class monitor talked about all day, right?

Xiao Xiao stared at Huo Yuhao before her until her eyes went blank.

It was so hard to believe. Was this sulky, girlish look really the class monitor who always complained that everything was boring?

Huo Yuhao somehow produced a handkerchief and was about to wipe Wang Dong's sweat when she slapped his hand away. Yet Wang Dong immediately snatched the handkerchief herself and roughly wiped her face twice, making the redness of her ears even more obvious.

"Xiao Xiao, what are you spacing out for?" At a loss, Wang Dong could only call Xiao Xiao over to ease the awkwardness.

Startled by the shout, Xiao Xiao stumbled two steps in their direction, her little face flushed red and looking rather adorable.

"C-Class Monitor." Her voice trembled, and her gaze could not help darting between Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong. The image of Wang Dong grabbing the handkerchief herself and brushing her fingertips over Huo Yuhao's still lingered in her mind.

As though she had found a lifeline, Wang Dong abruptly withdrew her hand from Huo Yuhao's and secretly wiped the sweat from her palm against the back of her clothes. When she put on a stern face, the red at her ears still had not faded. "Stop staring. Let's hurry and finish the remaining laps. Today, we'll make Huo Yuhao treat us to a feast!"

Huo Yuhao chuckled beside her and casually placed the food box on a stone table. A thin mist of ice drifted upward, conveniently hiding Wang Dong's reddened profile. "You're Xiao Xiao, right?" He raised his eyes to her, warmth in his Spirit Eye. "Wang Dong mentioned you. She said you have twin martial souls and great talent."

Being called out directly by Huo Yuhao made Xiao Xiao even more nervous. She hurriedly nodded. "N-No, Wang Dong is much more impressive..."

"Who told you to praise her?!" Wang Dong suddenly cut in, her tone fierce like an angry cat. But when she met Huo Yuhao's gaze, she quietly wilted again, merely lifting her chin. "Hurry and run, or we really won't make it in time for lunch."

Xiao Xiao did not dare linger any longer. She answered with an "Oh" and was about to leave when Huo Yuhao stopped her. "Wait."

He took a small porcelain bowl from the food box, filled it halfway with ice jujube soup, and handed it to her. "Have some cold dessert before you run. It'll cool you down."

The porcelain bowl was icy in her hands. Xiao Xiao held it, looked at Huo Yuhao's gentle smile, then at Wang Dong's awkward but non-objecting expression. Her face turned entirely red. Suddenly understanding something, she said softly, "Th-Thank you, Huo. And thank you too, Class Monitor."

Wang Dong gave a snort in response, though her ears turned even redder.

Xiao Xiao ran away with the bowl in her hands. After only a few steps, she could not help looking back. Huo Yuhao was lowering his head to fill Wang Dong a small bowl of cold dessert. Wang Dong said, "Who wants to eat that?" but her body honestly leaned forward. Sunlight filtered through the leaves onto the tops of their heads, making the scene as warm as a painting.

She touched her burning cheeks and suddenly felt that Wang Dong's earlier "sulky little girl" act was actually... rather cute.

She took a sip of the ice jujube soup. The cool sweetness slid down her throat, and the shock in her heart had long since turned into a knowing smile.

So there was so much unspoken tenderness hidden behind all that talk of "boring."

After finishing the last sip, Xiao Xiao temporarily stored the bowl in her soul tool and broke into a run. Her heart felt warm. So the class monitor's roommate was such a handsome goddess too.

Then she remembered that she and Wang Dong had been assigned to the same group for the freshman assessment. That meant she would probably get to see both beautiful girls every day. Xiao Xiao even felt a little secretly delighted.

As she ran, she watched Wang Dong speed past her, then turned to glance at Huo Yuhao standing beneath the shade of a tree behind them.

After fusing with the Snow Empress, Huo Yuhao's skin was fair as snow, his features delicate, and his white hair crystal-clear. Standing there, he looked like an ice elf. His blue eyes shimmered with light, as though they could draw one's soul into them.

Xiao Xiao hurriedly turned away, not daring to look again. She focused on the remaining laps, though a mournful cry echoed in her heart. Sorry, Class Monitor. I think I have a new goddess.

Xiao Xiao's steps felt a little unsteady, and even the rhythm of her running shoes against the bluestone slabs fell half a beat out of sync.

Her heart thudded against her chest like she had a lively rabbit tucked inside. She did not dare turn back again, but that glimpse had been far too clear. Huo Yuhao stood under the shade, a few strands of white hair lifted by the wind. Sunlight passed through them, casting fine glimmers of silver, like frost flowers formed on the Far North Icefield. Those blue eyes in particular were bright as though they held an entire starry sky. The instant their gazes met, she had nearly forgotten to breathe.

"Oh no, oh no..." Xiao Xiao muttered under her breath, unconsciously digging her fingertips into her palm. Wang Dong had once seemed dazzling enough. Her pink-blue hair gave her a somewhat delicate look, but when she smiled, there was a sharp, handsome edge to her. Huo Yuhao, however, was beautiful in a different way—cool yet gentle, like jade polished by ice and snow. He did not even need to move to make it impossible to look away.

She suddenly recalled all of Wang Dong's displays: those gorgeous butterfly wings, brilliant and eye-catching. Back then, she had thought the class monitor was unbelievably cool... But now, Xiao Xiao secretly glanced at Wang Dong as she ran. Her features were still as striking as ever, yet Huo Yuhao's face kept surfacing uncontrollably in her mind.

"Traitor, Xiao Xiao." She gave herself a mental punch, trying to throw away those chaotic thoughts. The plane trees beside the track swayed back and forth as though mocking her lack of resolve.

"Hey, are you zoning out?"

Wang Dong's voice suddenly sounded beside her. Xiao Xiao jumped in fright and nearly moved her arms and legs in the same direction. She hurriedly turned and met Wang Dong's slightly puzzled gaze. Her glass-like eyes reflected Xiao Xiao's figure. "What were you looking at? Your soul practically flew away."

"N-Nothing!" Xiao Xiao's face instantly flushed. She stammered, "I-I was thinking about my martial soul!"

Wang Dong raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but she did not press the matter. She merely picked up speed. "Give it another push. I'll be done after this lap, so hurry up too."

Watching Wang Dong's retreating figure, Xiao Xiao let out a breath, though she still felt guilty. She secretly glanced toward the shade. At some point, Huo Yuhao had sat down on a stone bench and was looking at something in his hands. The contours of his profile were softened by the light and shadows, like an ink-wash painting.

"Forget it, forget it." Xiao Xiao patted her cheeks. "Training comes first! Goddesses and all that are just passing clouds..."

That was what she said, but her pace involuntarily slowed by half a beat, and her eyes drifted over once more against her will.

The sunlight was perfect, and the wind carried the scent of fresh grass. Xiao Xiao suddenly felt that if she could see these two beautiful girls every day, life at Shrek Academy would probably be quite happy.

By the time Xiao Xiao finished running, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had already been waiting under the shade for some time. Seeing the little girl run over, panting and looking embarrassed, Huo Yuhao smiled and handed her a bowl of salt water. "Replenish some fluids after running. It's good for your body."

The moment Xiao Xiao's fingertips touched the rim of the bowl, she recoiled as though burned, then hurriedly gripped it tightly. The coarse clay bowl was faintly warm, mixed with the chill lingering on Huo Yuhao's fingertips. That contrast crawled up her skin and made the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"Th-Thank you, Yuhao." She lowered her head, not daring to look at him. Only when her lips touched the rim did she realize how badly her hands were trembling. A few drops of salt water spilled onto her wrist, cool against her skin.

From the corner of her eye, Wang Dong leaned against the plane tree with her arms folded, her gaze resting on Xiao Xiao and Huo Yuhao. She said nothing, but the faint furrow between her brows pricked Xiao Xiao's heart like a needle.

Oh no, the class monitor definitely noticed... Her heart skipped a beat. She quickly tipped back her head and gulped down two mouthfuls of salt water. The salty taste tightened her throat, but it conveniently concealed the panic that nearly spilled out.

Huo Yuhao still stood before her. The wind brushed his white hair behind his ears, revealing his smooth forehead. His blue eyes looked at her with a trace of concern. "Drink slowly. No one's taking it from you."

His voice was soft, like a feather brushing the tip of her heart. Xiao Xiao's face flared red again, hotter than it had been while running. She quickly looked away at the toes of her shoes. A few bits of grass clung to the uppers from her laps, but now they seemed glaring, as though reminding her how embarrassed she looked.

"I-I'm done." She handed the bowl back. Her fingertips accidentally brushed Huo Yuhao's, and the sudden chill made her jerk her hand back. Behind her back, she secretly twisted the hem of her clothes.

Only then did Wang Dong step over and nudge the heel of Xiao Xiao's shoe with her foot. "Did running make you stupid? Your face is so red. Did you get heatstroke?" Her words sounded accusatory, but she reached out to check Xiao Xiao's forehead.

Like a startled deer, Xiao Xiao leaped half a step backward and bumped right into Huo Yuhao's arm. A faint icy fragrance came from behind her, mixed with the scent of grass and trees warmed by sunlight. Strangely, it made her feel safe. She stiffened in place, looking at Wang Dong's hand suspended in midair, then at Huo Yuhao's hand hanging by his side. Her mind was a tangled mess.

"N-No heatstroke!" She hurriedly waved her hands, her voice trembling. "I-I just ran too fast..."

Huo Yuhao chuckled and reached out to steady her. "Wang Dong was worried about you too."

His fingertips rested on her arm without much force, yet it felt as though a current ran through her. Xiao Xiao hurriedly straightened and moved a little farther away, but the panic in her heart did not fade. She secretly glanced at Wang Dong. Wang Dong had already withdrawn her hand, the corner of her mouth turned down as though she were a little unhappy. Yet there was no real anger in her eyes, only an awkward emotion Xiao Xiao could not understand.

"Let's go. We're eating." Wang Dong turned around first, walking a little quickly as the tips of her pink-blue hair swayed in the wind.

Xiao Xiao looked at Wang Dong's back, then at Huo Yuhao beside her, and suddenly felt as though the empty bowl in her hands weighed a thousand pounds. She had only wanted to train peacefully. How had she fallen into such flustered confusion?

Sunlight passed through the leaves, casting shifting patches of light across the ground, just like her unsettled heart. Xiao Xiao sighed and hurried to catch up, but walking between the two of them, she felt as though even the air had become sticky. Even the grassy fragrance in the wind carried an indescribable sweetness.

Forget it. Don't think about it, she told herself, but her eyes once again drifted uncontrollably toward Huo Yuhao on her left.

The three of them sat down in a small restaurant outside. They had only ordered a few dishes when two people entered through the door.

"Huo Yuhao, you're back?" Wu Feng rushed over noisily and grabbed Huo Yuhao by the shoulders. "You have no idea how worried the young mistress has been these past few days!"

Before she could finish, Wu Feng noticed Huo Yuhao's white hair. "Why did your hair turn white?! And your skin has gotten so smooth! I never heard that getting a soul ring could make you prettier!"

"It's just because of my martial soul." Huo Yuhao answered before changing the subject. "Why did you suddenly come out to eat at this hour?"

"Wasn't it because the young mistress found out you were back and dragged me here in a rush... Mmph!"

Ning Tian covered Wu Feng's mouth, then leaned forward. Her eyes were full of delight as she looked at Huo Yuhao, but the words on her lips became, "We happened to come out for a meal. I didn't expect to run into you by such a coincidence. Would you mind if we shared a table?"

Although she was asking Huo Yuhao, her gaze remained fixed on Wang Dong.

Wang Dong's hand tightened around her chopsticks, her knuckles turning white as her brows twisted into a knot. She glanced at Wu Feng gripping Huo Yuhao's shoulders, then at Ning Tian's hand over Wu Feng's mouth. A mocking curve appeared on her lips. "Coincidence? Looks more like someone followed the scent here."

Wu Feng struggled and made muffled noises beneath Ning Tian's hand, her eyes wide as she tried to hide behind Ning Tian. She seemed to want to explain but feared getting beaten up. Ning Tian released her, glared back at Wu Feng, then turned around. Her usual cool expression remained in place, but her gaze lingered on Huo Yuhao's white hair for half a second. Her tone softened slightly. "It was only a coincidence. If it's inconvenient, we can go somewhere else."

Her words sounded polite, but they carried the air of someone with nowhere to retreat. The restaurant was so small that the two empty tables were close by anyway. Saying she would switch tables sounded more like waiting for Huo Yuhao to ask her to stay.

Just as Huo Yuhao was about to speak, Wang Dong slapped her chopsticks onto the table. "Convenient? This table only has four seats. Where would the two of you sit? Are you going to make Xiao Xiao stand?" She deliberately emphasized "Xiao Xiao," but her eyes remained locked on Ning Tian, like a little beast guarding its nest.

Xiao Xiao hurriedly waved her hands, her face turning red. "I-I don't mind..." Before she could finish, Wang Dong shot her a glare. Xiao Xiao had no choice but to swallow the rest of her words and lower her head to pick at the patterns on the tablecloth.

Huo Yuhao coughed lightly to smooth things over. "Sit. We can just add two stools. The owner should have some." He looked at Ning Tian, his tone gentle but measured. "We're all classmates anyway. It'll be livelier if we eat together."

A barely noticeable smile flashed through Ning Tian's eyes, and she nodded. "Then thank you." She pulled the still-muttering Wu Feng into a seat, deliberately choosing a spot with one empty seat between herself and Huo Yuhao—directly opposite Wang Dong.

The moment Wu Feng sat down, she noisily leaned toward Huo Yuhao. "Yuhao, did your martial soul really make your hair like this? It's brighter than our young mistress's silver hair ribbon! And your skin—does it feel as soft as tofu?" As she spoke, she reached out to touch him.

Smack! Wang Dong knocked her hand away with a chopstick, her gaze cold as ice. "Why are you touching people? Don't you understand that men and women should keep their distance?"

Wu Feng drew back her hand. She was about to get angry, then seemed to remember something and looked pitifully toward Ning Tian. "Young Mistress!"

Ning Tian ignored her and instead looked at the dishes Huo Yuhao had ordered. Her gaze landed on a plate of sweet-and-sour fish, and she said softly, "Didn't you used to dislike sweet food?"

The moment she said that, Wang Dong's expression darkened further. She picked up a huge chunk of fish and stuffed it fiercely into her mouth, her cheeks puffed out. "She likes sweet food now. What's it to you?"

Huo Yuhao smiled helplessly and placed a piece of boneless fish into Wang Dong's bowl. "Don't choke." Then he gave Xiao Xiao some vegetables. "Eat up. The food's getting cold."

Watching his natural movements, Ning Tian quietly clenched the hem of her skirt. Yet she only turned to Wu Feng and said, "Stop messing around. Eat."

The restaurant attendant brought over their dishes. Seeing that more people had joined, he efficiently carried over two stools and said with a smile, "You students are from Shrek Academy, right? You all look so spirited!"

No one replied, yet the atmosphere at the table felt like a lit fuse. No one was arguing, but tension filled every corner. Xiao Xiao took small bites of rice and secretly observed them. Wang Dong's chopsticks kept moving toward Huo Yuhao's bowl, Ning Tian's gaze fell on Huo Yuhao's hands every so often, and Wu Feng peered around over the edge of her bowl. Only Huo Yuhao continued eating unhurriedly, occasionally serving food to Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong as though nothing were happening.

"Oh, right." Ning Tian suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. "Did your trip to the Far North go smoothly? I heard the soul beasts there are difficult to deal with."

"It went fine." Huo Yuhao answered simply, unwilling to say much about the Snow Empress.

But Wang Dong suddenly added, "How could it not go smoothly? Someone had such good luck that she came back from one trip with a brand-new hair color. Anyone who didn't know better would think she went to the Far North for a vacation."

Ning Tian's brows faintly furrowed, but she did not respond. She silently put a piece of meat into Wu Feng's bowl instead.

Wu Feng chewed the meat and said indistinctly, "A vacation would be nice! The young mistress kept talking about you these past few days. She said the Far North was cold and told me to prepare some medicine in case you got frozen and needed to recover..."

"Wu Feng!" Ning Tian abruptly raised her voice, her face flushing red in rare embarrassment.

Wang Dong let out a snort, smiling like a cat that had stolen cream. "Oh? Is that so?"

Watching the chaotic scene before her, Xiao Xiao suddenly felt that the rice in her bowl tasted a little sweet. So eating at a little restaurant outside was even livelier than eating in the cafeteria. She secretly raised her eyes and saw sunlight filtering through the window lattice onto Huo Yuhao's white hair, making it shimmer with fine light. Wang Dong's pink-blue hair tips brushed lightly over the table as she turned her head, like two flames neither of them was willing to let the other surpass.

This meal would probably take a long time. Xiao Xiao thought it secretly, but she could not stop the corners of her lips from curving upward.