Moving into the New Home
The four sat around a stone table, the morning light shining warmly on it.
Xiao Wu ate the fastest, her mouth bulging, and still managed to say, "A-Zu, Ning Rongrong said she can move in today, let's pack our things this afternoon! Zhu Zhuqing, you should move in too, there are plenty of rooms here, it's much safer than you living alone!"
Zhu Zhuqing paused at the top of the stairs, a look of hesitation on her face. "I... I think I'll stay in the college dormitory. This place... is too troublesome."
Although she traveled with others, she remained inherently wary of being alone.
Moreover, she could tell that Yan Zu had a close relationship with Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong, and as an outsider, she felt awkward getting involved.
"What's the trouble?" Ning Rongrong blinked, then suddenly realized, "Zhu Zhuqing, you're not worried about owing me a favor, are you? It's alright, it's nothing to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"
"It's not about the money." Zhu Zhuqing shook her head, her gaze sweeping over the cozy decor. "I'm used to being alone."
"Are you used to being alone?" Xiao Wu suddenly leaned closer, lowering her voice, "Zhu Zhuqing, you need to think this through. There's a 'lecherous tiger' and a 'lecherous chicken' living in the academy right now. If you stay in the dormitory alone, what if they..."
She didn't finish speaking, but Zhu Zhuqing instantly understood what she meant.
The look Dai Mubai gave her that day, and Ma Hongjun's undisguised lecherous gaze, flashed through her mind. With her current strength, what if...?
Zhu Zhuqing's expression changed slightly.
"Exactly!" Ning Rongrong chimed in, "That Dai Mubai is clearly up to no good, and Ma Hongjun is no better! Zhu Zhuqing, you're so beautiful, it's too dangerous for you to live alone! Come live with us, with A-Zu here, they won't dare to do anything!"
Yan Zu stood at the door, shaking his head helplessly, but didn't deny it. Knowing Zhu Zhuqing's strong sense of pride, he said, "Zhu Zhuqing, you should stay here. Rongrong built this house for the team's convenience. Since we're teammates, there's no need to be formal. Besides, with us here, we can look after each other during nighttime cultivation."
Looking into the sincere eyes of the three people, and recalling Yan Zu's guidance, Xiao Wu Wu's closeness, and Ning Rongrong's generosity over the past few days, Zhu Zhuqing's cold defenses finally cracked a little.
"Okay." She nodded gently. "I'll pay you back the rent later."
"Oh, no need!" Ning Rongrong said with a grin, pushing her upstairs. "Just consider it an investment! Once you become Titled Douluo, just remember to protect me!"
In the afternoon, a refreshing aroma of tea wafted through Yan Zu's dormitory.
That was the aroma of [Tranquil Heart Tea]. The recipe given by the system was extremely exquisite, using the "Soul Condensing Grass" unique to the Star Dou Great Forest as the main ingredient, combined with the "Clear Heart Dew" brought by Ning Rongrong from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and then roasted with Soul Power, finally presenting a light golden tea soup, with starlight twinkling in the rising steam.
"It smells so good!" Xiao Wu was the first to come over, her pink scorpion braid swinging back and forth. "A-Zu, is this the Tranquil Heart Tea you were talking about?"
"Hmm." Yan Zu poured the tea into four jade cups. "Drink one cup before bed each day to calm your restless Soul Power. You've been fighting continuously lately, and although your Soul Power has increased rapidly, your foundation is slightly unstable. This tea is needed to balance it."
Ning Rongrong picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and immediately felt a refreshing coolness penetrate her mind. The slight restlessness left over from yesterday's Soul Fighting vanished instantly, and she felt as if she had been cleansed. "How amazing! I feel my mind is much clearer!"
Zhu Zhuqing took the teacup, initially hesitant, but out of politeness, she took a sip.
The tea was slightly bitter at first, but then sweet. To her surprise, she found that her Sea of Consciousness, which had been somewhat exhausted from continuous battles, was slowly contracting and solidifying under the nourishment of the tea. It felt like slowly compressing a plate of loose sand, making it more resilient.
"This tea..." Zhu Zhuqing suddenly looked up, a hint of shock flashing across her cold and beautiful face, "... can it condense spiritual power?"
"It has some effect." Yan Zu nodded. "Zhu Zhuqing, your Hell Spirit Cat excels in speed and surprise attacks, which requires extremely high mental strength. The more solid your mental strength, the sharper your perception will be, and the accuracy of ' Netherworld Hundred Claws ' will also improve. One cup a day, if you persist, will benefit your breakthrough in overcoming your bottleneck."
Zhu Zhuqing's fingers tightened slightly as she held the teacup. Born into the Zhu Family of the Star Luo Empire, she was a direct descendant, but because her talent was inferior to that of her older sister, Zhu Zhuyun, she suffered from exclusion since childhood.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice soft yet filled with sincere gratitude. As she tilted her head back to finish her drink, her lowered eyelids concealed the ripples in her eyes.
In the afternoon, the four of them packed their things and moved to the new dormitory.
Ning Rongrong had already arranged the rooms. The largest room in the main house was reserved for Yan Zu, Xiao Wu, and herself. It contained a large wooden bed and two small side beds. However, according to Ning Rongrong's "domineering" request, the three of them ended up squeezing onto the same large bed, ostensibly for "convenient exchange of cultivation insights."
Zhu Zhuqing chose the room next door, which was simple and clean, matching her personality.
As night fell, the lights in the new dormitory came on, warm and bright. After washing up, the four of them gathered in the main room. Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu couldn't wait to pull Yan Zu aside and ask him to tell them a story.
"A-Zu, we've finished reading all those books you wrote before, ' Star Dou Night Tales ' and ' The Song of Roland.' Tell us a new story!" Xiao Wu nestled next to Yan Zu, her eyes sparkling, her voice filled with anticipation.
The room fell silent the moment she finished speaking. Xiao Wu quickly covered her mouth, a look of regret on her face—she had accidentally revealed Yan Zu's identity.
Ning Rongrong was also stunned, and subconsciously looked at Zhu Zhuqing. She saw Zhu Zhuqing's hand holding the teacup pause slightly, her eyes filled with shock as she looked at Yan Zu in disbelief. "You... you are Wen Yansheng?"
Yan Zu smiled helplessly. Things had come to this point; there was no need to hide it any longer. He nodded. "It was me."
Zhu Zhuqing felt as if her heart had been struck hard, and she almost dropped the teacup in her hand. She stared blankly at Yan Zu, her mind churning with countless complex emotions.
Those lonely and helpless nights in the family, those days of being ostracized and oppressed, were spent with Wen Yansheng's books.
The steadfastness and responsibility of Knight Roland in "The Song of Roland," and the resilience and insight of the wise fox in "Star Dou Night Tales," both gave her boundless strength, allowing her to see hope in despair and making her believe that she too could change her destiny through hard work.
She had always thought that Wen Yansheng was a wise old man with rich experience and profound wisdom, but she never imagined that the "Wen Yansheng" who wrote countless profound stories was actually the boy in front of her who was a year younger than her.
In contrast to Dai Mubai's escapism and cowardice, Yan Zu's composure, insight, and sense of responsibility shine all the more brightly.
A strange feeling quietly grew in Zhu Zhuqing's heart, filled with admiration, gratitude, and even a hint of affection that she herself was unaware of.
But when she saw Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong nestled close to Yan Zu, their intimate and understanding demeanor forcibly suppressed the flutter in her heart.
She knew she was too late; there was no longer a place for her beside Yan Zu.
Xiao Wu and he were childhood sweethearts, deeply in love; Ning Rongrong was his confidante, with whom he had a perfect understanding. As for himself, he was just a later addition to the group, and could only bury this budding affection deep in his heart.
"So you're Mr. Wen Yansheng..." Zhu Zhuqing's voice was slightly hoarse. "I've always loved your books, thank you."
"If it helps you gain something, that's good."
Yan Zu observed the changes in her eyes and understood, but he didn't point it out. He simply said gently, "Since your identities have been exposed, I'll tell you a new story called ' Battle Through the Heavens '."
His voice was deep and magnetic as he recounted the inspirational story of "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; never underestimate a young man's potential."
When talking about Xiao Yan's humiliation of being jilted, Zhu Zhuqing unconsciously clenched her fists; when talking about Xiao Yan's rise from adversity with the help of Yao Lao, a hint of longing flashed in her cold and beautiful eyes.
When Yan Zu reached the climax of his story, his tone became impassioned.
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong listened with great interest, occasionally letting out exclamations of surprise; Zhu Zhuqing sat to the side, holding a cup of Tranquil Heart Tea that had long since gone cold, her gaze fixed on Yan Zu's profile, her eyes filled with complex and distant emotions.
Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating the boy's handsome features and the quiet, suppressed feelings that were quietly growing in the girl's heart.
As night deepened and the story reached its climax, Yan Zu paused, saying, "That's all for today. We'll continue tomorrow."
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong were still reluctant to leave, but they knew that cultivation was the priority, so they obediently nodded.
The four returned to their respective rooms. On the large bed, Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong nestled on either side of Yan Zu, their breathing even. In the next room, Zhu Zhuqing tossed and turned, the image of Yan Zu telling stories and classic lines from the book flashing through her mind, unable to fall asleep for Jiujiu.
The coolness of the Tranquil Heart Tea still lingered on her tongue, her spiritual power subtly gathering, while the feelings buried deep in her heart, like quietly growing vines, spread in the night, Entanglement the girl's heart with a hint of sweetness, a hint of bitterness, and a hint of unwavering commitment unknown to anyone.