In the silent campus, a man and a woman nestled together at the top of a tree.
"Brother, we're leaving Nuoding Academy tomorrow." Xiao Wu leaned against Cao De's shoulder, gazing at the bright moon above.
"We are. Time really flies. In the blink of an eye, our Xiao Wu has grown up." Cao De smiled and stroked her hair.
"You're awful," Xiao Wu said coyly.
Yet the smile on her face reached all the way to her eyes.
Cao De treated her very well. His mouth was always full of flirtatious talk, but he kept his hands to himself and usually did no more than tease her.
She loved moments like these.
"Brother, comb my hair for me." Xiao Wu took a comb from her clothes and handed it to Cao De.
Naturally, Cao De recognized it. It was the comb Xiao Wu's mother had left her.
Xiao Wu wanted to poke through the paper window between them.
Cao De accepted the comb and brushed her hair, stroke by stroke.
Time slipped by in silence.
Suddenly, Xiao Wu turned and threw her arms around Cao De. "Brother, I like you."
"Then you'll be my little wife from now on." Cao De stroked Xiao Wu's head as they held each other tightly.
Xiao Wu gently pushed Cao De away, breathing hard, her little face flushed bright red.
"Brother, I need to use the bathroom," Xiao Wu said, fleeing the scene.
Watching her retreating figure, Cao De's lips curved upward.
He had already discovered that Xiao Wu possessed an innate sacred body.
We graduate tomorrow.
Rongrong, little kitty, here I come~
"Xiao Wu probably won't come back. She's probably gone to take a bath," Cao De murmured.
Then he headed toward the dormitory himself.
The next day.
It was the day they would leave Nuoding Academy, and Cao De and Xiao Wu sat in a private dining room.
"Brother, this is our last meal at school. I'm going to eat my fill," Xiao Wu said through a mouthful of food.
"Eat slowly." Cao De handed her a glass of water.
Xiao Wu picked up a carrot and was about to bite into it when Cao De shot her a look.
"Show me."
Xiao Wu nodded.
"I told you, I've already practiced until my skill is as pure as a blazing furnace. I didn't break even a bit of its skin," Xiao Wu declared proudly.
"My Xiao Wu is amazing." Cao De was generous with his praise.
Xiao Wu wore a smug expression that said, Sure enough, I'm still the best.
They finished their meal.
"I'll take you to buy some new clothes." Holding Xiao Wu's hand, Cao De headed toward a shop.
"Brother, I already have clothes."
"We're buying your exclusive battle outfit." Cao De revealed an ancestral smile.
They arrived at the shop.
The shop assistant greeted them enthusiastically. "Brother Cao, you're here."
"The clothes you ordered are all ready."
The assistant eagerly led Cao De and Xiao Wu to the fitting room.
"Go in and try them on." Cao De looked a little expectant.
"All right." Xiao Wu was also curious about what clothes Cao De had ordered for her.
A little later, the fitting room door slowly opened, and the click of heels sounded from within.
Xiao Wu emerged wearing the Crystal High Heels.
White-gray stockings hugged her long legs, while a pink dress traced her graceful figure.
Her exposed shoulders were smooth and delicate.
Xiao Wu's legs had already been long, but in the Crystal High Heels, their length was even more astonishing.
For a moment, Cao De stared, entranced.
His unabashed gaze made Xiao Wu blush, and she called softly.
"Brother."
Cao De came back to his senses. A smile appeared on his face as he praised her. "You look beautiful."
Xiao Wu was even prettier than in the animation, radiating an innocent purity that Cao De adored.
"Are the heels comfortable?" Cao De asked with concern.
Xiao Wu nodded.
"Then keep this outfit on. No need to change back."
"Okay." Xiao Wu took Cao De's hand.
"Wait while I pick something up." Cao De walked toward the shop assistant.
"It's all here." The assistant handed Cao De a parcel, then added another remark.
"It's all top-quality fabric."
Cao De handed him a Gold Soul Coin and smoothly tucked the parcel into his system space.
Xiao Wu walked over slowly. In the Crystal High Heels, she had curbed her usual habit of skipping and bouncing about.
"Brother, what did you buy?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.
"You'll find out later." Cao De smiled mysteriously.
In her new outfit, Xiao Wu turned far more heads, and passersby kept looking back at her.
"Brother," Xiao Wu murmured, clearly embarrassed.
"Into the carriage. Having so many people looking at you makes me feel awful." Cao De took her hand and helped her into the carriage.
Inside, Xiao Wu naturally leaned into Cao De's arms.
"Brother, why are we going to Shrek Academy? I've never even heard of it. It doesn't sound very good," Xiao Wu asked in confusion.
"For your sisters, and to give me a little more time to develop my strength." Cao De lightly pecked her lips.
"You're awful."
The carriage rolled onward, arriving that afternoon.
Xiao Wu jumped out of the carriage and landed steadily on the ground.
"Be careful," Cao De called from inside.
"Brother, I was about to suffocate in there." Xiao Wu stretched, putting her lovely curves on full display.
Cao De stepped out of the carriage.
"Brother, Brother, I want candied hawthorn!" Xiao Wu hooked her arm around his and pointed at a vendor in the distance.
"Whatever Xiao Wu wants." Cao De smiled fondly.
They shopped as they strolled, mostly buying snacks for Xiao Wu, though they also bought Cao De a new outfit.
According to Xiao Wu, since she was wearing new clothes, Cao De had to wear them too. He still paid for them, however.
A roadside shop caught Cao De's attention, not because its name was particularly impressive, but because he recognized the man sitting inside-Flaide.
Cao De led Xiao Wu inside.
"Brother, what are we doing here?" Xiao Wu blinked her large eyes.
"Buying something." Cao De stroked her head out of habit.
When Flaide saw two richly dressed people enter, his gaze changed instantly. These were walking Gold Soul Coins!
"What can I get for you two?" Flaide rose from his recliner and asked with a smile.
Cao De wasted no time and got straight to the point. "You're the dean of Shrek Academy, right?"
Flaide's smile gradually faded. "What of it?"
"I want to buy your Shrek Academy. Name your price," Cao De said slowly.
"Impossible. I'm not selling!" Flaide refused without hesitation.
Shrek Academy was his life's work. He would never sell it.
Cao De had anticipated his reaction and spoke again. "We both know what state Shrek Academy is in right now. It's losing money."
Cao De paused before continuing. "I'm a young master from a wealthy family, and I like the name Shrek Academy. How about this? I'll invest in the academy, and you'll give me shares, but you'll remain the dean. What do you think?"
Cao De's words fell into Flaide's ears, disturbing the still lake of his heart.
Shrek Academy had been losing money for years. If he hadn't kept swindling and scamming people, it would have closed long ago. With a substantial investment, he could make Shrek bigger and stronger.
Perhaps it could even stand shoulder to shoulder with Liu Erlong's academy. Then Erlong would surely think more highly of him.
At that thought, Flaide made up his mind.
"All right, but we still need to discuss the shares," Flaide said.
"No problem!"
Cao De and Flaide discussed the investment and share agreement. In the end, Cao De obtained fifty percent of Shrek's shares, while Flaide remained the dean.
Cao De invested two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins.
Naturally, those Gold Soul Coins came from exchanging emotion points. Exchanging emotion points for other goods was no good, but exchanging them for Gold Soul Coins was quite worthwhile: one emotion point bought ten thousand Gold Soul Coins.
It was downright glorious.
Cao De left Flaide's shop with Xiao Wu.
They wandered along, stopping here and there, until they reached a hotel-the Rose Hotel.
Cao De remembered the events of the original story, but he didn't dwell on them and led Xiao Wu inside.
A blond man with differently colored eyes, dressed entirely in white, approached with an arm around each of two girls with long, wavy hair.
At the sight of the graceful Xiao Wu, he stopped dead in his tracks, a lecherous, besotted look appearing on his face.
He promptly pushed the two wavy-haired girls aside, straightened his clothes, and walked toward Xiao Wu.
"Beautiful miss, my name is Dai Mubai." Dai Mubai gave a gentlemanly bow, presenting himself as a gentle soul.
He had picked up countless girls, but this was his first time seeing such an exquisite beauty as Xiao Wu. He had fallen for her.
With his status as a Soul Master, he spent money like dirt in Suotuo City, and everyone showed him some respect.
He believed Xiao Wu must have heard his name and would be won over by his strength.
He was confident he could win the girl before him.
"Moron." Xiao Wu turned and moved to Cao De's other side.
She rarely swore. The last time had been when she cursed that moron Tang San, and now she had met another moron just like him.
"Brother, let's go. Ignore him." Sensing the murderous aura radiating from Cao De, Xiao Wu hurried to dissuade him.
"Give Xiao Wu to me, and this bag of Gold Soul Coins is yours." Dai Mubai tossed a bag of Gold Soul Coins at Cao De's feet.
He had already bedded quite a few girls with this trick.
Cao De turned sideways and drove a kick into Dai Mubai's chest.
Whoosh!
Dai Mubai flew backward and slammed into the opposite wall. Rubble instantly buried him.
Bang! Shattered stones flew everywhere as Dai Mubai rose from the debris, a spectral White Tiger appearing over his body.
Three Soul Rings-yellow, yellow, and purple-rotated slowly.
"Dai Mubai, level thirty-seven Power Attack System Soul Elder," Dai Mubai declared in a low voice.
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