It was two o'clock in the afternoon on February 14.
Zheng Qing had been busy all morning. With the little elves' help, he had just finished cleaning the dormitory and tidying his bed. He had been lying down for less than two hours, mulling over his worries, when he heard Fatty Xin's noisy voice.
It annoyed him greatly.
Especially since the fat man was gossiping about whether the Gypsy witch had broken up with him, making it impossible for him to stay out of it.
"She had things to do during the day. We'll be attending the 214 Ball hosted by the Jiuyou Academy Student Union together later... if that's what you mean." The young publicly funded student answered patiently. "As for a gift, of course there is one. I prepared it long ago."
He had not lied about that.
Although his relationship with Ilena was somewhat subtle, that did not mean there was anything wrong with it.
They both handled the holidays they should celebrate and the gifts they should exchange with perfect unspoken understanding. Sometimes, from a third party's perspective, Zheng Qing felt that their relationship was like an Illusory Reflection—clear yet unreal.
But life was like a play. Without reaching the realm of an Archwizard, who could truly see clearly the ever-changing future?
"What gift did you prepare? Don't tell me you bought another dress from Luxi Fang!" The fat man shot him a sidelong look, his tone full of teasing. "Or did you switch stores this year? Maybe Fudi Chui?"
Just a month after school began last year, Zheng Qing had bought Ilena a Bohemian long dress at Luxi Fang, along with a string of lovely rouge-colored little pearls.
Yet more than a month passed before he ever gave her that gift.
It had become quite