Chapter 50: Gwen Wants Compensation
Honk honk!
The school bus gave two loud blasts of the horn before slowly pulling out from the school gates, merging into the main road toward New York City.
Inside the bus—
The students watched the city scenery fly by on both sides, their excitement bubbling over as they chattered and gossiped in groups.
"Quiet down! Everyone, please settle down for a moment!" The instructor stood at the front platform near the driver, holding a megaphone in one hand and setting aside his thermos—complete with a sticker of the silver-haired goddess on it. Beside him stood a young male teacher that no one had seen before.
The bus fell quiet, dozens of curious eyes turning toward the unfamiliar teacher.
As class monitor, Gwen clearly knew more than the others. She leaned close to Xi Nian and whispered, "That's the instructor's new assistant."
The burly instructor grinned, flashing white teeth. "Alright everyone, I'm sure most of you already know who I am, but I'll introduce myself again. I'm your class instructor, Rot Harrington. You can call me Mr. Harrington, or just Instructor."
Instructor Harrington clapped his big hands together with enthusiasm. "I'll be taking care of everything on this trip. I'm both your teacher and your tour guide. If you run into any problems, just come to me—no need to be shy!"
He leaned in and added with a chuckle, "And here's a little secret—I'm a diehard fan of the silver-haired goddess!"
With her picture slapped right onto his thermos, who didn't already know?
Still, the joke loosened the atmosphere and drew laughter from the students, breaking the ice between them and the instructor.
At the back of the bus, Xi Nian rubbed his forehead, a look of utter defeat on his face. Totally unnecessary…
"Now, let me introduce someone else." Instructor Harrington patted the shoulder of the man next to him. "This is my temporary assistant, your vice-instructor for this trip."
"Go ahead, introduce yourself." Harrington raised his brows at him.
The young man, sporting a bit of stylish stubble, nodded and stepped forward. Facing the rows of students, he suddenly spread his arms, his tone solemn. "Hello everyone, my name is Quentin Beck. You can also call me… Mysterio! In truth, I am a traveler from a parallel universe!"
"..."
The bus went silent. Every student stared in shock.
Xi Nian's eyes widened, fixed on the man. No way… a fellow transmigrator?
Smack!
Instructor Harrington lightly slapped the back of Quentin Beck's head, sighing. "Forgive your vice-instructor. He has a bit of a… chuunibyou problem."
Quentin chuckled. "But how was my acting just now? Pretty convincing, right? I always wanted to be an actor when I was little—a Hollywood stuntman, actually."
The students exchanged awkward glances, unsure how to respond.
"Don't be fooled," Instructor Harrington jumped in again. "He's actually interviewing for a position at Stark Industries right now. So before long, he might not be your vice-instructor anymore, but a technician at Stark Industries!"
Stark Industries? A technician?
The students gasped, then broke into admiring applause.
After all, any job at Stark Industries was top-tier in the world. Not to mention, the salary was guaranteed to be high. And a technician's position carried far more prestige than even a university professor.
Xi Nian subconsciously rubbed his nose. He vaguely recalled… had he banished that particular Stark Industries boss to another dimension?
Though, to be fair, he had been in a merged three-in-one state at the time.
…
After both instructors finished their introductions and won over the students, the bus soon left the city limits and merged onto the highway. The chatter slowly died down.
Unlike planes or trains, the bus would take three to four hours to reach New York. Curtains were drawn over the windows, dimming the light inside. Some students dozed off, others fiddled with their phones. The only sound left was the steady hum of the engine.
Xi Nian leaned back, ready to nap as well.
That was when Gwen leaned close and whispered in his ear, "Remember what we talked about two days ago?"
"Two days ago?" Xi Nian blinked, then remembered. Gwen had said she wanted compensation…
"Tell me what you want," Xi Nian replied readily. "We're childhood friends—brother and sister in all but blood. I'll make it up to you."
"When I got on the bus just now, I think I twisted my ankle. It hurts a little," Gwen murmured, her cheeks faintly red, as if embarrassed.
"That's it? That's hardly compensation. Put your foot up here, I'll massage it for you," Xi Nian said without hesitation.
"..."
Gwen hesitated, biting her lip before making up her mind.
Sitting by the window, she turned slightly away, slipped off her short black boots, and tugged at the hem of her denim shorts. Then she gently lifted her legs, bending them across the aisle to rest lightly on Xi Nian's lap.
Xi Nian froze.
He realized the moment she took off her boots that something was off.
Maybe it was the warm weather.
Today Gwen wore a loose top and denim shorts, with her legs covered only in thin black tights.
So now, with her feet in his lap, Xi Nian couldn't help but see them—her slender, silk-sheathed legs.
He wasn't into feet.
But his heartbeat quickened, his eyes widening at the sight.
Gwen's legs were long to begin with, but up close her calves looked slim and perfectly shaped, flowing into graceful ankles.
And then there were her feet—small, delicate, wrapped in sheer black tights. Her toes peeked through faintly like little jewels, their curves flawless, like something carved by an artist.
"Right here, I twisted it," Gwen whispered, pointing to her right ankle, her voice carrying hidden intent.
"I got it." Xi Nian drew in a deep breath, steadying himself.
Gwen is my brother. Gwen is my brother…
He repeated it in his mind, then firmly took hold of her foot.
Her foot was tiny, fitting neatly into his palm, warm and smooth like a piece of jade.
He began to gently massage her ankle.
Gwen's face flushed crimson. She hadn't expected her own bold request to make her feel this self-conscious.
But the moment Xi Nian's hand closed around her foot, kneading softly—
Her body tensed, a shiver jolting through her like an electric current.
"W-wait…!" Gwen bit her lip hard, almost jumping from her seat.
Here's a little fact about spiders:
Their legs are extremely sensitive.
On their thighs are vibration sensors, letting them detect even the faintest tremor through their webs.
Bang!
The bus jolted violently, waking several students.
"Sorry, everyone," the driver called back sheepishly. "Went a little too fast there."
TL/N: Gwen's a tomboy since childhood so that's why author uses Brother instead of Sister
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