"Sorry to keep everyone waiting—we're really sorry for being so late." When Chu Lian took Anna's small hand and stepped out of the elevator into the lobby lounge, she saw that all the students from her class had already gathered. Feeling a weight lift from her heart, she immediately began apologizing again and again. The truth was, she and Anna had wasted too much time.
"It's fine. The flight doesn't leave until nine. It's only seven now—we still have plenty of time to get there." Ning Zhiyuan's worries eased when she saw Chu Lian finally come down. She had actually been afraid Chu Lian might be too scared—or perhaps have some other reason—not to show up at all.
The other students didn't say much either. Their expressions were a mix of lingering fear and weariness. All they wanted now was to go home, end this damned school trip, rest properly, and forget the terrifying experience altogether. Two monster attacks during a single trip—what kind of cursed luck was that?
Once everyone was accounted for, Ning Zhiyuan exchanged a few words with the other teachers before standing up and saying, "Since everyone's alright, let's get going."
"Wait a moment..." A voice as gentle as flowing water sounded, instantly catching the attention of all the girls present. They turned toward the newcomer.
He wore a long robe of pure white like snow, his hair falling to his waist, and his face carried a serene smile that seemed to brighten the air itself. His eyes shimmered like starlight, and though his height—about one meter seventy-five—wasn't particularly tall, paired with his ethereal aura, he became an unforgettable sight.
Not only the girls from their school, but even several young—and not-so-young—foreign women nearby couldn't take their eyes off him. Such a strikingly beautiful youth—if one could spend just a single enchanted night with him, it would surely be a dream come true.
However, aside from Chu Lian and her group, no one knew that this breathtakingly handsome boy was, in truth, a girl concealing her real identity. Because of that special status, they all kept silent, pretending not to know.
"My name is Xu Zhiqing. May I have a word with you, teacher?" The white-robed youth smiled courteously and bowed slightly before addressing Ning Zhiyuan.
Faced with such a polite invitation, Ning Zhiyuan—usually calm and composed—found herself unexpectedly flustered. A blush bloomed across her delicate cheeks, and her heart fluttered a little. Though she still had duties to attend to, the boy didn't seem like a bad person. Since he wanted to talk, well... she could spare a moment, right?
"I'll never understand how her charm is that high—even the teacher fell for her at first sight." Chu Lian sighed softly, turning toward the girls beside her with a helpless look.
"Attractive people are loved wherever they go—don't you know that? Especially the ones who are not only beautiful but also graceful and refined. They're every woman's natural weakness," Liu Yanran replied with a giggle, covering her lips as she spoke.
"But I don't see any of you falling for her," Chu Lian rolled her eyes. She knew perfectly well that this was an era that worshiped appearances. The real reason for her own popularity in Huaxia wasn't just because of her work or talent—it was simply because she was beautiful. That kind of beauty drew attention no matter what.
If someone else had caused as much buzz as she did but wasn't attractive, they'd be torn apart by the public instead of adored.
"That's because we know she's actually a girl," Li Xiu'er whispered, tugging lightly on Chu Lian's sleeve.
"And if you didn't know her real identity—would you like her then?" Chu Lian asked, seemingly intrigued by the topic.
This time, every girl gave her an exasperated look before turning away without answering. Even Inori and Chu Chu followed suit, leaving Chu Lian puzzled.
"They say a woman's heart is like the bottom of the sea... guess that's true," she muttered with a shrug. If they didn't want to answer, fine.
Anna, nestled quietly in her arms, listened to the conversation with wide eyes, her thoughts a tangled mess. "What's a girl? What does 'fall for' mean? Pretty... does that mean someone as pretty as Mommy? No way—no one's prettier than Mommy."
Chu Lian had no idea what the little girl was thinking. When she saw Xu Zhiqing walking back beside Ning Zhiyuan, she offered the disguised beauty a faint, knowing smile.
"Lian'er, I've come to protect you. Are you happy?" To everyone's surprise, Xu Zhiqing walked straight up to her, eyes filled with tenderness, and spoke in a soft, gentle tone.
"Pff..." Chu Lian nearly choked on her own breath. What was with that expression? That tone?
Stare~
She could already feel all the girls' gazes on her—complicated, mixed with jealousy and curiosity. Could it be that this dazzlingly handsome youth was Chu Lian's admirer? If that were true, then the rest of them didn't stand a chance.
Chu Lian herself was equally anxious. If Xu Zhiqing decided to play around and say something ridiculous, no amount of explaining would ever clear her name.
Fortunately, Xu Zhiqing had a sense of restraint. Without teasing her further, she said, "Auntie was really worried about you, so since I happened to be in America, she asked me to come find you and accompany you back."
Hearing that, Chu Lian silently sighed in relief. So they were pretending to be relatives—that was far easier to accept than being mistaken as lovers.
With a polite, apologetic smile, she said, "Sorry for worrying you, Cousin." Acting had been her profession in her previous life—no one could play a role more convincingly than her.
Their little two-person performance left Chu Chu and Li Xiu'er both dumbfounded. The two girls exchanged glances, half amused, half speechless. Just like that, they suddenly had another "relative."
Chu Lian and Xu Zhiqing's exchange also eased the tension among the other girls. So there was still hope! If they got close enough to Chu Lian, maybe—just maybe—they could become the lover of this unbelievably handsome boy.
Some of them had originally been fans of other young male stars—Wang Tingsi, Zhao Yingshu, Bai Qi—but at this moment, all those idols were forgotten. Compared to Xu Zhiqing, those boys were nothing! This youth was exactly their type!
In truth, the reason was simple: Xu Zhiqing—formerly Xu Zhijun—was simply far more beautiful than any of them. No wonder their hearts changed so easily. Who could resist that face?
As for what would happen once Xu Zhijun's true identity as a girl was revealed—that was a problem for the future. None of them could imagine it now.
"Lian'er, I'll go home with you this time. It's been so long since I last saw Auntie—I've really missed her," Xu Zhiqing said. That part, at least, wasn't a lie. Li Mingxue was the second most important person in her life, one of the very few who knew her true identity. It had been months since they last met, so seeing her again was only natural.
"Mom's missed you too," Chu Lian replied quickly, following along to maintain the act. For her reputation's sake, she had to go along with it.
"Alright then, we can head out now. I've arranged a car—it's safe. To avoid any more incidents, let's return quickly," Xu Zhiqing said, not taking a seat. Her gentle tone and elegant demeanor drew every gaze in the hall, and more than a few faces turned red as they looked away, hearts fluttering uncontrollably.
"Yes, I've also spoken with our contacts. We won't need their transport anymore. Let's just take Xu Zhiqing's car back," Ning Zhiyuan agreed readily, her cheeks still tinged pink. Whatever Xu Zhiqing had said to her earlier, it had clearly worked—she was utterly captivated, nodding to everything the "boy" said.
Another older female teacher rolled her eyes at the sight. Had that girl really fallen for the student already? Still, it was understandable—he was young, exceptional, and far too good-looking. If she herself were ten years younger, she might have fallen for him too. What a shame.
After counting everyone again, only Cai Ya—who had "left early" under the excuse Chu Lian had arranged—was missing. Once confirmed, Ning Zhiyuan and Xu Zhiqing led the group out, followed by the students, with the older teacher bringing up the rear.
"This place... will see us again someday," Chu Lian thought quietly, gazing at the fifty-story building as they boarded the car.
"Lian'er, did you notice something?" Ayase's calm voice sounded in her mind. During Chu Lian's transformation into the Divine Spirit, Ayase had been forced to suppress a system counterattack after transferring some of her spiritual power to Chu Lian, causing her to miss the battle against the dragon entirely.
Some details had slipped past her even after reviewing the recording—hence her question now.
"No... maybe I'm just overthinking it. Before I can confirm anything, it's better not to say a word about this." Chu Lian shook her head. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk—it was that she had a strong premonition that if she did, something terrible would happen. She had just finished one fight and had no intention of starting another so soon.
"True. Some things can only be felt, not spoken. If you voice them, you may end up triggering karma—and that would be troublesome," Ayase agreed. Just like how certain system matters couldn't be revealed to Chu Lian, these were things bound tightly to causality. Speaking them aloud could cause major disruptions, with the worst possible outcome being the destruction of an entire planet.
After Chu Lian and her group left, far beneath the coastal waters of Miami, a pair of crimson eyes slowly opened. They gazed in the direction the group had gone, then gradually closed again.
Its massive form was like an underwater mountain, and when its eyes shut, not a single trace of life could be sensed from it. No one in the world knew that beneath these depths slumbered a creature so vast and terrifying.
It had been asleep for ages untold. If not for that small creature's reckless battle today—its energy waves nearly reaching this deep—it would not have awakened at all.
If it hadn't used a fraction of its own power to shield this area, the aftershocks would have exposed its presence to the world.
"Why... why did I just feel like something locked onto me? That suffocating pressure—it was unbearable..." In the car, Chu Lian's breathing grew shallow. Her consciousness had entered the system space, her face pale with fear as she spoke to Ayase.
"Why is there such a creature here, and why don't we have any data on it?" Even Ayase had felt her heart jolt when that gaze fell upon them. Had her will not been so strong, she might have succumbed to fear as well.
Chu Lian shook her head hard, forcing the feeling from her mind. After taking a few deep breaths, she finally managed to calm down.
Whatever that thing was, it was far beyond what she could handle right now. There was no point in dwelling on it. Instead of worrying, she might as well focus on what she'd gained from this ordeal.
"Here—these are your rewards from this time," Ayase said once she saw Chu Lian had recovered. She moved to the system interface and waved her hand. Instantly, a flood of information filled the screen, dazzling Chu Lian's eyes.
She scrolled to the first entry and began reading carefully.