Couldn't Bring Himself to Ask

When his younger sister mentioned the name Jia Xuanxuan yesterday, Lu Yuan hadn't remembered him at first and had wondered who he was.

Only now did he recall that Jia Xuanxuan was the class beauty of Class 2, Year 3. Lu Yuan had even written her a love letter in his second year.

Unsurprisingly, he had been mercilessly rejected.

But Lu Yuan vaguely remembered that Jia Xuanxuan's family seemed to be very rich, making him a fair-skinned, rich beauty. That, however, needed further confirmation.

So, while eating lunch in the cafeteria, Lu Yuan began asking a classmate about Jia Xuanxuan in a roundabout way.

"Zhou Xiyun, how much True Essence do you think Jia Xuanxuan has?"

The two were close buddies and were eating together.

Zhou Xiyun glanced at Lu Yuan and urged him earnestly, "You still have feelings for her? Forget it. Take it from your brother: she and we aren't from the same world."

"Didn't I just ask how much True Essence she has? I'm purely curious. I don't have feelings for her."

"Really?"

"Really!" I'm only interested in money now, Lu Yuan thought.

Zhou Xinyun shoveled down a few mouthfuls of rice.

"I heard-and this is just what I heard-that Jia Xuanxuan's True Essence is over 120."

"It's that high?" Lu Yuan was a little surprised.

Last year's cutoff for admission consideration was 112. With Jia Xuanxuan's True Essence above 120, didn't that mean he was bound to get into a cultivator university? As long as his written exam scores weren't too poor.

"It's definitely no lower than that," Zhou Xiyun said with certainty. "I don't know why Jia Xuanxuan attends an ordinary high school like ours, but I do know her goal is the Four Greats."

"What are the Four Greats?"

"Lu Yuan, are you still half asleep? You don't even know what the Four Greats are?"

It seemed he'd made another mistake about something everyone was supposed to know. Lu Yuan hurriedly brushed it off and changed the subject.

At the same time, he quickly looked up the "Four Greats" on his phone and found that they were four top cultivator universities: Azure Nascent Soul, Northern Peak, Sangliu, and New Capital.

The four cultivator universities were ranked in no particular order and were collectively known as the Four Greats.

Lu Yuan nodded, having learned another fact.

"Then Jia Xuanxuan's family must be really rich, right?" That was what Lu Yuan really wanted to ask.

"Of course. Her dad owns the Food Flavor Pavilion restaurant chain, and business couldn't be better! Her family lives in a villa with a swimming pool.

"What, are you falling for her again? Want to become a live-in son-in-law?" Zhou Xiyun teased.

There's no chance of me becoming a live-in son-in-law. A home-invasion robber would be more like it, Lu Yuan thought. Food Flavor Pavilion? Isn't that where my sister works?

It didn't seem easy to bring up... Asking a boy to lend him money was one thing; a single answer would settle whether it worked or not. But asking a female classmate for a loan, especially someone he'd once liked...

Well...

Lu Yuan unconsciously looked up at Jia Xuanxuan, who sat at the front of the classroom. His eyes were full of hesitation and indecision, making him look just like a boy caught in the throes of unrequited love.

Perhaps sensing something, Jia Xuanxuan suddenly turned around.

Their eyes met. Jia Xuanxuan looked annoyed and immediately turned back.

He'd been treated with disdain. Heh.

After school, Lu Yuan politely declined Zhou Xiyun's suggestion that they walk home together. He picked up his schoolbag and followed Jia Xuanxuan.

There were too many people in the classroom, making it inconvenient to talk. On the way home, sincerely explaining his family's difficulties and begging her to lend him some money might work. Most girls her age were compassionate.

What Lu Yuan feared most was that a luxury car would be waiting at the school gates, with two bodyguards in black opening the door and saying respectfully, "Young miss, please get in."

Then he'd have no chance.

Fortunately, Jia Xuanxuan didn't put on such a lavish display. Like the other girls at school, he walked home with a few companions.

There was hope!

Two girls from other classes and one boy from their own class were walking with Jia Xuanxuan. The boy was Chen Shihe, who sat in front of Lu Yuan and usually got along well with him.

Unexpectedly, the guy held forth in front of the three girls, making them giggle from time to time.

"Simp, ptooey!" Lu Yuan cursed angrily from behind them. He was wasting Lu Yuan's time.

After about ten minutes of walking, the group said their goodbyes and gradually went their separate ways.

Lu Yuan followed Jia Xuanxuan from about fifty meters behind, hiding behind utility poles from time to time to avoid being spotted, like a creep.

Following a beauty was usually a very romantic thing to do, provided you were handsome.

Lu Yuan watched Jia Xuanxuan walk alone as a breeze swept through the alley, sending the hem of the girl's skirt fluttering.

Distant memories surfaced, and he seemed to hear his innocent heartbeat from back then. He finally remembered why his heart had stirred.

In that moment of distraction, Jia Xuanxuan turned ahead and disappeared around a corner in the alley.

Lu Yuan hurried after him, but as he rounded the corner, he suddenly saw Jia Xuanxuan standing there waiting for him, his gaze icy.

"You've been following me since school let out."

Jia Xuanxuan's tone was full of impatience.

Lu Yuan scratched at the wall awkwardly.

Clearly, following someone was a skill too. In his previous life, Lu Yuan hadn't been a special forces soldier or an assassin.

He'd just been a cook who stir-fried dishes. It was perfectly normal for him to get caught, okay?!

This wasn't a good time to ask for a loan. He needed to find something to talk about first.

Seeing Lu Yuan hesitate and stammer, Jia Xuanxuan naturally misunderstood. She sighed. "Lu Yuan, you're a good person, but I told you long ago that there's no way anything could happen between us."

"Jia Xuanxuan, you've got the wrong idea." Lu Yuan composed his expression, a lie rolling straight off his tongue. "I want to apply to a cultivator university. I heard your True Essence is over 120, so I wanted to ask if you had any tips."

First, he had to get a conversation going. Then he'd see if a suitable opportunity arose to ask.

Hearing this, Jia Xuanxuan curled his lip.

"Who was running their mouth this time?" she grumbled under her breath.

Seeing Lu Yuan's sincere attitude, Jia Xuanxuan's tone softened considerably.

"True Essence is an innate talent. Training afterward can only help a little, and it's very expensive."

Jia Xuanxuan stressed the words "very expensive," and Lu Yuan lowered his head in disappointment.

She seemed to feel a little sorry for him. After hesitating, she continued:

"How much True Essence do you have?"

"I tested it two months ago. It was only 108."

That was Zhou Xiyun's figure, which Lu Yuan had borrowed outright.

"108... You still have a little chance. Come with me."

"I'm your class monitor, after all."

Jia Xuanxuan led the way, with Lu Yuan following. After a short walk, the two arrived at a garden villa. The villa's exterior walls were decorated with magnificent marble, and the garden was filled with flowers. There really was a swimming pool.

There was a guardroom outside the courtyard, with two security guards sitting inside. They were ordinary guards, not cultivators. In this world, cultivators generally worked in public service and were rarely found out among the general populace.

"My classmate."

Jia Xuanxuan called out to the guards. One of them glanced at Lu Yuan, then opened the gate to let them through.

This really was a genuinely wealthy family. When Zhou Xiyun said Jia Xuanxuan and they weren't from the same world, he'd truly spoken from the bottom of his heart.

Come to think of it, Lu Yuan had been pretty bold himself, writing a love letter in his second year to the young miss of such a wealthy family. Truly, the ignorant knew no fear.

They changed shoes and entered the main hall, where Jia Xuanxuan's father, Jia Shengnan, was chatting with several business partners on the sofa.

"Dad, this is my classmate Lu Yuan. He's here to borrow some materials on True Essence testing."

"Hello, Uncle."

Jia Shengnan looked up and sized Lu Yuan up and down. The young fellow looked quite spirited!

"Hello."

After that brief greeting, he resumed discussing matters with the others.

Lu Yuan caught fragments of their discussion.

Someone said, "It really is time to expand into other cities. There's no room left in Ning City."

Another person was somewhat concerned. "But what dishes can we use to break into new markets?"

At that moment, Jia Xuanxuan beckoned, and Lu Yuan followed him up the carved solid-wood staircase to the second floor.

"Wait here for a moment."