"Teacher Zhao, I wasn't feeling well, so I slept a little longer. You don't mind, do you?"
Chen Jue's lazy explanation sounded made up the moment he said it.
And made up on the spot, at that...
He wasn't feeling well, yet his mouth was smeared with grease from eating?
"Has Chen Jue's brain rusted over? Anyone who believes an excuse that obviously fake is an idiot!"
"Mubai's right. If anyone actually believes Chen Jue, I'll eat a whole pound of it!!"
Tang San and Dai Mubai muttered to each other on the sidelines, waiting to watch Chen Jue make a fool of himself.
Sure enough...
Someone believed him!
And not just one person, either.
"Teacher Zhao, Brother Chen must be feeling unwell..."
"Exactly! You have to believe him!"
"Look, Brother Chen's even lost his appetite... He only ate one bun... He usually eats five..."
"..."
The girls all chimed in, trying to get Chen Jue off the hook.
Tang San and Dai Mubai were dumbfounded.
What had happened to this world...
People actually believed that...
Were they possessed?
Or trapped in an illusion?
But they knew Zhao Wuji would never believe it.
After all, Chen Jue's lies could only fool little girls with big boobs and no brains!
Teacher Zhao Wuji's chest wasn't as big as theirs. He definitely wouldn't fall for Chen Jue's lie!
Sure enough...
Zhao Wuji barked at the girls.
"What are you making such a fuss for? I can tell right from wrong!"
"Do I need you teaching me how to do my job? Are you the teachers, or am I?"
Then Zhao Wuji turned an expressionless gaze on Chen Jue, who had just finished his bun.
A fawning smile appeared on his face a moment later.
"Finished eating? If you have, we can start class..."
"If you're still hungry, go have something else. We can wait for you. Your health comes first, after all!"
"If you haven't had enough sleep, you can sleep a little longer!"
Tang San: ...
Dai Mubai: ...
The sudden reversal made the girls breathe a sigh of relief, but they were also curious about why Zhao Wuji treated Chen Jue this way.
Like a servant.
Could Chen Jue attract not just women, but men too...
Hu Liena's delicate brows furrowed. She pressed her lips together, worry filling her eyes.
From now on, she would have to guard against not only the two vixens in her dorm, but men as well...
Meanwhile, Tang San's and Dai Mubai's jaws practically hit the ground!
Th-this...
Even if he believed him, surely he didn't have to treat him like that...
There was only one possibility...
"I've figured it out..."
Dai Mubai glanced at Tang San, who had just been swearing he'd eat a pound of it.
"What is it?"
"Chen Jue is Zhao Wuji's illegitimate son!"
Dai Mubai instantly felt everything fall into place.
Truly... one dared to say it, and the other dared to believe it!
"No need! I'll take my place!"
Chen Jue gave Zhao Wuji a puzzled look. Did I knock him stupid yesterday?
The reason he dared to arrive late was that, before transmigrating, he had been a college student who showed up late every day.
He was already used to physical punishment and being yelled at.
So he had nothing to fear...
But the result had been completely unexpected!
Still baffled, he returned to his spot.
Zhao Wuji casually swept his gaze over the surroundings, then breathed a sigh of relief.
He wouldn't dare say a single disrespectful word to Chen Jue now.
After being taught a lesson yesterday, he had been specifically ordered to look after Chen Jue, never force him into anything, never abuse his authority, and give him every possible convenience.
If he failed, he would get beaten up every night...
He had even been told someone would be sent to watch him.
Now, all he could do was put Chen Jue on a pedestal like his own grandfather.
Otherwise, he would be working overtime that night...
Boo-hoo!
Fine, he couldn't beat the old one, but he couldn't beat the young one either...
A little while later, Zhao Wuji began assigning that morning's task.
Their morning task was to run ten laps around Shrek.
Each lap was at least one and a half kilometers.
That made fifteen kilometers over ten laps.
Running that far would practically break their legs.
"Oh, come on~ What are you doing~"
The girls all started complaining.
Tang San and the other three boys, on the other hand, said nothing.
After all, their goddesses were right there. Complaining would make them look like clowns, and pathetic ones at that.
It would only pile frost onto snow, lowering the girls' already poor opinion of them even further.
So they all pretended it would be a piece of cake.
Tang San and Dai Mubai, in particular, seized the chance and immediately started running their mouths and showing off.
"Only ten laps? Who are you looking down on?"
"Exactly! Ten laps isn't even enough for a warm-up. I suggest every boy runs another ten!"
"Well said, Mubai! If a guy can't run twice as far as a girl, what kind of guy is he?"
"Nice one, Little San. I think we can go straight to thirty laps..."
The two went back and forth, each adding his own boast.
Oscar and Ma Hongjun were instantly dumbstruck, staring at Tang San and Dai Mubai in bewilderment.
Don't drag us into your showing off...
You get to act impressive, but we have to suffer along with you.
Boo-hoo-hoo...
Then Tang San directed the question at Chen Jue, because...
This bastard was openly staring at Xiao Wu's little chest right in front of me!!!
Only I, Tang San, get to look at that!
"Chen Jue, what are you looking at? What do you think about running thirty laps? None of us thinks it'll be hard!"
"Exactly. A piece of cake~ A piece of cake~"
Their mocking tones reached Chen Jue. He came back to his senses, his lips curling.
"I have no problem with it. I'm just worried you two can't manage!"
After all, he had formidable soul power and had trained in the Star Dou Great Forest for two and a half years.
Running was utterly effortless for him!
"Who are you looking down on? We can't manage? A man must never say he can't perform!"
"That's right! If I can't run thirty laps, I'll eat a whole pound of it!"
Chen Jue gave a disdainful smile.
The harder they showed off now, the more miserable they would be later.
Having read the original story thoroughly, he knew even ten laps would nearly kill them.
Thirty laps would be an outright death sentence...
Time to sit back and enjoy the show...
Many of the girls still thought ten laps was too much and were preparing to bargain.
But Zhao Wuji gave them no leeway. After explaining the purpose of the training, he started the task.
"Remember, no using soul power! If anyone dares break the rules, don't blame me for having a nice, thorough discussion with him tonight!" Zhao Wuji suddenly reminded them.
Right from the start, the show-offs Tang San and Dai Mubai broke into a run, pulling far ahead of everyone else.
They had thought they could catch the girls' attention, but none of the girls even spared them a glance.
Five laps later.
"Huff... hah..."
Zhu Zhuqing ran ahead on her own, her pace even and her breathing steady!
She was in third place...
Meanwhile, Ma Hongjun and Oscar were panting hard and starting to give up!
Either they would run themselves to death, or Zhao Wuji would scold them to death that night.
Since they were doomed either way, they might as well choose the easier death.
First and second place belonged to the boastful duo who kept swearing they'd eat a pound of it.
They were practically breathing their last, yet they still pretended nothing was wrong and kept speeding up!
They would definitely be finished by fifteen laps at most!
Bringing up the rear were Chen Jue and the three girls.
He wanted to run faster too, so he could go have fun with Zhu Zhuqing. After all, it had been ages since he had pampered her!
But Little Fox, the little bunny, and the Little Demoness kept clinging to him.
He could only leave Zhu Zhuqing alone a little longer.
"Brother Chen, I'm so tired. Can you carry Little Fox on your back?"
"No!"
Chen Jue refused without hesitation.
"Just for a little while... Just let me lie on your back and rest for a bit!"
"Pretty please!"
Before you continue