"I know you're all here for my Meridian-Opening Pill!"
"I have to admit, you've all got good taste. My Meridian-Opening Pill is the finest of the finest!"
"I'm sure you've all heard about my spiritual meridian test."
Standing in the classroom doorway, Yu Bu'e addressed the students crowding the corridor in a loud, carrying voice.
While he spoke, they stayed quiet, afraid to miss a single word, until they heard the crucial information.
"After school this afternoon, I'll put one Meridian-Opening Pill up for auction right here in the classroom. Be there on time, or miss out!"
That set the students off.
"What does that mean? We have to bid for it? And there's only one?"
"Who do you think we are? Are you messing with us?"
"Heh, Yu Bu'e, have you gone money-crazy?"
"Let's go, let's go. I'm not letting someone jerk me around like a dog!" a student with thick eyebrows and large eyes shouted. "Zhao Hong, I'm leaving. You can stay and play his game!"
"Li Ran, wait for me! I'm leaving too! I'm not sticking around to be made a monkey of! Pah!"
More than half the students blocking the classroom doorway immediately left.
Wu Yang glanced worriedly at Yu Bu'e and was about to speak when a derisive laugh came from behind him.
"Yu Bu'e, that's what you get for putting on airs. You've overplayed your hand!"
Wu Yang turned toward Xu Hu, who had spoken, looking rather impatient.
"Xu Hu, if you've got nothing better to do, why don't you hide in the roadside bushes, then jump out and give a big truck a scare?"
Xu Hu shrugged. "We're all classmates. I'm just offering a friendly reminder. You shouldn't think too little of yourself, but you shouldn't think too much of yourself either!"
Yu Bu'e looked completely unconcerned, while inwardly calculating how many people might show up for his after-school "auction."
Word would surely spread soon. If the Meridian-Opening Pill really sold for a high price, how many jealousy points would that earn him?
Just thinking about it was exciting!
Of course, the real main event would still be the afternoon's commendation ceremony!
At noon, he grabbed a quick bite with Wu Yang in the cafeteria.
As they ate, Wu Yang chuckled.
"Yu, you're a real campus celebrity now!"
Yu Bu'e looked around, felt the gazes directed his way, and sighed.
"I want to keep a low profile too, but circumstances won't allow it..."
"There you go showing off again..." Wu Yang said, though he also found it a little strange.
He and Yu Bu'e were close, so he knew perfectly well that Yu Bu'e had never been one to draw attention to himself. His behavior over the past few days really had been odd.
"Yu, do you remember who wrote me a love letter in our first year?" Wu Yang suddenly asked, lowering his voice.
Yu Bu'e froze for a moment. "Are you insane? Who in their right mind would write you a love letter?"
Wu Yang sighed in relief. "Looks like you haven't been possessed."
"..."
While he was eating, a small, delicate hand set a carton of strawberry yogurt in front of him.
Yu Bu'e looked up at the petite, baby-faced girl standing before him.
She smiled sweetly, her hands clasped behind her back as she leaned forward slightly. The dimples in her cheeks added to her girlish charm.
"Hi, upperclassman! I'm Song Ziyu, a second-year! Can we be friends?"
Wu Yang said nothing and simply kept his head down, eating.
Yu Bu'e was confused at first, then suddenly understood.
This girl named Song Ziyu did have a sweet smile, but as she spoke, her eyes kept flicking toward the Meridian-Opening Pill around his neck.
He was about to speak when someone suddenly took the yogurt off the table. He turned to see Luo Feixuan, who had appeared without him noticing.
She casually pushed the straw into the yogurt and closed her glossy, rosy lips around it. Only when a sucking hiss signaled that it was empty did she wipe the milky froth from the corner of her mouth and turn her amber eyes toward Song Ziyu.
She lifted the yogurt carton beside her ear and gave it a gentle shake, then tossed it into the nearby trash can and spoke softly.
"If you're still hungry, go get another helping. Don't stare at what's on someone else's plate."
There was a distinctly overbearing edge to her manner.
Song Ziyu's expression froze for an instant. She understood the implication, gave an awkward smile, and hurried away.
Wu Yang promptly stood up and carried his tray to the next table.
Luo Feixuan's arrival drew plenty of attention.
"Holy crap... is our school belle staking her claim?"
"What did I just hear? Two women fighting over one man? That Song Ziyu is pretty cute too!"
"Yu Bu'e... damn him!"
Watching jealousy points float up above the surrounding students' heads, Yu Bu'e felt that happiness had come far too suddenly!
He looked at Luo Feixuan, grateful but also a little curious.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Luo Feixuan asked softly. "Are you blaming me for ruining your little romantic opportunity?"
"No..." Yu Bu'e shook his head. "Luo Feixuan, um... hasn't that one day been over for a while now?"
Luo Feixuan's expression shifted. Her brows drew together slightly, and she suddenly reached out a finger and pressed it against Yu Bu'e's Adam's apple.
She leaned forward, and Yu Bu'e leaned back, his body rigid. Nervousness spread through him, and he swallowed involuntarily, his Adam's apple brushing lightly against the pad of Luo Feixuan's finger.
"You're the one who started this, mister!"
Yu Bu'e: "..."
Where did this girl learn all this nonsense?
"All right! I'll stop teasing you!" Luo Feixuan withdrew her hand and sat up straight. "I hear you're holding an auction?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"I told you before that if you wanted to sell your Meridian-Opening Pill, you could come to me."
Luo Feixuan narrowed her eyes. "Do you think I can't afford your price now?"
Yu Bu'e shook his head. "No. I have my reasons."
Just as he had expected, Luo Feixuan didn't press him. She merely folded her arms and smiled charmingly.
"Yu Bu'e, acting like this... will only make me more and more curious about you."
Yu Bu'e averted his gaze, then steadied himself and picked up his tray.
"I'm done eating. I'm heading back to the classroom."
"I'll come with you." Luo Feixuan followed him, and Yu Bu'e naturally had no reason to refuse.
Even if their classmates were gradually getting used to it, for now, simply standing beside Luo Feixuan still brought him a steady stream of jealousy points.
As they passed the sports field and saw the fully prepared temporary stage, Yu Bu'e couldn't hide his smile.
Luo Feixuan caught his expression and was about to ask about it when another headache-inducing voice came from behind them.
"Xuanxuan!"
Luo Feixuan clenched her fists as she saw Cheng Ruxin striding toward them.
Every time she saw him, she struggled to suppress the urge to kill him!
Yu Bu'e had only just seen Cheng Ruxin that morning and was surprised to discover that he had changed his outfit.
Cheng Ruxin had combed his hair into a grown-up style, put on a handsome suit, and even tied a flashy bow tie around his neck.
"Cheng Ruxin, is your dad getting married today and making you the flower boy?" Luo Feixuan looked at him with an indescribable expression.
"..." Cheng Ruxin was embarrassed for a moment, but he was excellent at managing his emotions. A second later, he broke into a brilliant smile.
"Xuanxuan, I hope you'll join me onstage to accept the honor at this afternoon's commendation ceremony!"
Yu Bu'e: "..."
The determination in Cheng Ruxin's eyes and the certainty in his manner made Yu Bu'e want to call Wang Chi and double-check whether this commendation ceremony really was being held for him.
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