Stepping openly and confidently with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track under his feet, Ye Qiu quickly rushed back, and within half an hour, he had already returned to Dorm Seven.
"Ye Qiu! You're finally back!"
As soon as he stepped into Dorm Seven, a soft and petite body clung to him.
Ye Qiu rolled his eyes and smiled. "Come down quickly, I'm all sweaty."
"No! Sister Xiao Wu doesn't mind." Xiao Wu shook her head like a rattle drum. Without Ye Qiu around, it felt like every day dragged on endlessly.
"But I mind."
Ye Qiu teased with a grin.
Even with his strong physique, rushing back like that made him feel a bit hot.
Xiao Wu paused for a moment, pouted her lips, and looked at Ye Qiu with grievance and puffed cheeks. "Hmph! Well, I don't mind. As long as Sister Xiao Wu doesn't mind, it's fine."
"Alright, suit yourself."
Ye Qiu sighed. The heat radiating from him flushed Xiao Wu's cheeks pink, and she leaned softly against him.
"Ye Qiu~ Why didn't you wait for Sister Xiao Wu at the place we agreed on?" Xiao Wu's voice was soft and sweet. She was now at Soul Sect level and no longer received the soul master subsidy. All her food and drink depended on Ye Qiu.
"Something came up last minute, so I had to leave."
Ye Qiu held Xiao Wu's perky bottom as he walked inside, sneakily taking a small advantage by gently gripping it.
He greeted the others in Dorm Seven.
After being disciplined by Xiao Wu, they didn't dare to linger their gazes.
"What? Have you had lunch yet?"
Ye Qiu brought Xiao Wu over to the bed. After sitting down, she still stayed on his lap, her shapely legs tightly hooked around Ye Qiu's waist.
"I've already eaten. Mhm, Tang San treated me."
Xiao Wu was still very obedient. When she mentioned Tang San, she glanced cautiously at Ye Qiu. Seeing Ye Qiu looking over, she quickly explained:
"I—I only borrowed money from him. I didn't eat with him!"
"Haha..." Ye Qiu chuckled and reassured her, "Alright, I get it. Now scoot over. I need to eat."
"Mhm, okay."
Seeing Ye Qiu wasn't angry, Xiao Wu relaxed, slid off him, kicked off her shoes, and sat cross-legged beside him.
When Ye Qiu glanced at her fair little feet, Xiao Wu blushed, raised her foot to sniff it, didn't smell anything, but still shyly tucked it away so Ye Qiu couldn't see.
Watching her bunny-like behavior, Ye Qiu couldn't help but smile and asked gently, "Little Bunny, want to add a dish?"
"Yes! Yes!"
Xiao Wu nodded happily and accepted the bowl of rice topped with shredded pork in garlic sauce that Ye Qiu had bought for her.
---
Half a month passed in a flash.
This morning, Ye Qiu didn't go to class. That was because last night, he had once again been called out by Tang Hao to meet and spend time with A Yin. Right in front of Tang Hao, who even stood guard for them.
By the time Ye Qiu returned, Xiao Wu and the others were heading to class. Ye Qiu was used to skipping. With his cultivation higher than the teachers, he wasn't afraid of anyone scolding him. He simply lay down in the dorm to catch up on sleep.
It wasn't until close to lunchtime that Ye Qiu opened his eyes. Seeing the Blue Silver Emperor on the small table by his bed, his mood brightened instantly.
It turned out exactly as Ye Qiu had expected.
For the past half month, Tang Hao had been dragging him daily to nourish and warm A Yin. A lot of time was spent just traveling.
Tang Hao must've gotten tired. Last night, he directly handed A Yin over to Ye Qiu to take with him.
Ye Qiu could only say that his courage matched his strength—he had full confidence in his own abilities.
Creak!
The door to Dorm Seven opened.
The person had black hair, wore light blue cloth clothes, and had a belt embedded with twenty-four gemstones.
Who else could it be but Tang San?
Tang San saw Ye Qiu still lying under the blanket, walked up curiously, and asked, "Ye Qiu, where did you go last night? You didn't return at all. The Academy strictly forbids students from staying out overnight."
"Haha... I didn't go anywhere special, just had someone come over from my fiancée's side."
Ye Qiu chuckled as he spoke. One hand rubbed his eye, while the other reached out and touched the Blue Silver Emperor in the flowerpot next to him. His vision and consciousness quietly connected with the plant.
"This is your son, Tang San!"
Ye Qiu reminded A Yin.
"My child... Is this my child?"
Through Ye Qiu, A Yin saw the outside world. Her leaves shook wildly, as if wanting to greet Tang San.
But Tang San didn't notice. He just looked strangely at Ye Qiu—after all, Ye Qiu clearly looked like he hadn't slept all night—and asked in doubt, "Really?"
"Of course it's true!"
Ye Qiu replied with a teasing curse. He couldn't exactly say: Your dad gave your mom to me, could he?
"Ye Qiu! Don't think like that. Hao only asked you to take care of me!"
A Yin's voice rang in Ye Qiu's mind. The Blue Silver Emperor trembled even more violently. Thinking of the films Ye Qiu had shown her in that green space, she was full of shame and anger.
How could you?!
I'm Little San's mother, and you're his friend!
"Then why do you look so drained?"
Tang San chuckled upon hearing Ye Qiu's answer. He looked him over curiously and couldn't help but tease, "Don't tell me you did something... excessive?"
"Little San, what nonsense are you talking about?! I'm still just a kid..."
Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.
The relationship between the two was still decent—at least on the surface. They even joked with each other. Just how long that would last, who knew.
"Haha... I don't believe that for a second."
Tang San shrugged. He wasn't blind. He knew Xiao Wu often climbed into Ye Qiu's bed. He could only turn a blind eye. After all, he was the one who woke up the earliest in Dorm Seven.
"Believe it or not, I'm pure as snow."
Ye Qiu shrugged and poked at the Blue Silver Emperor that had been lovingly nourished by him into a tender, juicy state.
"Huh? Ye Qiu, is that a potted plant you bought?"
Tang San finally noticed the constantly shaking Blue Silver Emperor.
A Yin, seeing her son finally noticing her, shook even more vigorously.
"Little San, come closer."
"Mom is right here."
Ye Qiu had just woken up not long ago and found A Yin's cries to Tang San noisy. A Yin also sensed Ye Qiu's irritation and quickly pleaded:
"N-no, don't disconnect!"
"Let me see him a little longer! I won't make a sound!"
"..."
Ye Qiu ignored her pleas, pulled his hand back, and ended the connection between man and plant.
"Yeah, I bought this mutated Blue Silver Grass from a street vendor on my way back."
As he spoke, Ye Qiu reached out and, right in front of Tang San, plucked at Tang San's mother a few times.
"How is it? Pretty nice, huh?"