President Ning Was a Big Help

Three in the afternoon.

People came and went at the entrance to Ling'an Academy.

Ning Qing stood quietly to the left of the gate, somewhere visible enough to be noticed without blocking anyone's way.

Winter had arrived. She didn't want to wear too much, but she had tried not to stand out either. She wore a medium-weight sweater with a beige base and a few pale-green patterns like ink spreading through water, faded blue jeans, and retro white sneakers with touches of pale green. Her freshly washed hair fell casually down her back. The whole look was fresh and approachable, like the girl next door.

Yet she stood so still, wearing a mask and staring intently at the ground, that she seemed unaware of everything around her. No one wanted to disturb her.

Someone was approaching her anyway.

Someone familiar.

Familiar footsteps.

"Hey!"

He leaped onto her back, arms around her neck and legs gripping her waist. More than 160 pounds came crashing down with the force of his jump.

Good thing she was a cultivator.

Ning Qing remained perfectly upright, without budging an inch. With one hand, she caught the arms around her neck and pried them apart, making him get down. Then she turned around impassively.

Not a word out of his mouth could be trusted after all—

The first time, he had said he wanted to give her a scare. She had waited here for him plenty of times since, and he had behaved himself every time, all so he could catch her off guard now, hadn't he? Ning Qing had considered stepping aside at the last moment and letting him fall flat on his face, but she had gone soft.

"Let's go!"

Chen Shu grinned and tugged her along.

They boarded a bus with plenty of