Gu Xun froze for a moment when Dong Qianqiu suddenly began crying before him, and Dong Qianqiu also froze upon hearing his words.
Feeling the warmth on her cheek, Dong Qianqiu wiped it with her hand and felt the dampness.
"Why... am I crying?"
Dong Qianqiu felt dazed, unsure why the name Gu Xun had just murmured had stirred such sadness within her.
"Wipe them off."
"Thanks."
Gu Xun casually pulled out a tissue and handed it to Dong Qianqiu. She took it and began dabbing her eyes, while Gu Xun packed up the fish tank and turned to leave.
"Hurry home. It's getting late."
Gu Xun reminded her. After wiping her tears, Dong Qianqiu watched his retreating figure and immediately gave chase.
"Wait!"
This time, she grabbed Gu Xun's arm. He turned to face her.
"What is it?"
"I... I just wanted to ask—where did you hear the name Bai Paopao?"
Dong Qianqiu pressed Gu Xun about the name. Gu Xun replied matter-of-factly:
"Oh, that? It's the named I chose for her. I'd occasionally see her blowing bubbles, so I called her Paopao. But I prefer calling her little white, so it became Bai Paopao."
Hearing Gu Xun's explanation, Dong Qianqiu froze. Likes blowing bubbles? That sounds so familiar.
"If you love blowing bubbles so much, I'll just call you Bai Paopao from now on."
"No way! That name's awful. I refuse to be called that!"
Suddenly, a gentle female voice and a childish one echoed in Dong Qianqiu's mind.
Fragments of memory swirled in her head. She tried to grasp them, but they slipped passed her efforts.
Dong Qianqiu stood there blankly, still clutching Gu Xun's arm. Gu Xun glanced at Dong Qianqiu, who was clutching her head as if lost in recollection.
He didn't disturb her, though he wondered if she'd really be able to recover her memory with just one sentence. That seemed too coincidental—one sentence and it was over? That felt a bit too abrupt.
For a while afterward, Gu Xun and Dong Qianqiu still stood frozen like statues at the classroom door.
As classmates passed by and saw Dong Qianqiu holding Gu Xun's hand, whispers erupted.
"Isn't that Dong Qianqiu and the new transfer student?"
"What are they doing? Why are they holding hands and staring off into space? Playing statue?"
Dong Qianqiu snapped out of her daze upon hearing the murmurs, lifting her head in confusion to see the crowd gathered around her, watching the spectacle.
Her gaze shifted back to Gu Xun, who was calmly looking at her. Dong Qianqiu immediately lowered her head and realized she was still holding his hand.
She flinched, her cheeks flushing as she quickly withdrew her hand and apologized.
"Sorry, I was distracted by something important."
"Mhm. Head back soon. Stay safe."
"Yes... yes."
Dong Qianqiu stared blankly at Gu Xun's retreating figure until it vanished from sight. Only then did she snap back to reality and return to the dormitory.
"Master, what should we do with that shape-shifted spirit beast?"
Gu Xun settled into the special vehicle driven by Di Tian. After closing the door and starting the engine, Di Tian addressed his master.
"What do you mean?"
Gu Xun turned to look at Di Tian, who proceeded to explain.
"Master, that's a spirit beast from the Great White Shark clan—a branch of the Sea God Clan. They worship our enemy, the Sea—Asura God Tang San. Should we..."
Di Tian paused mid-sentence, but Gu Xun understood his implication. Waving his hand dismissively, he said.
"Why be so bloodthirsty? That little shark seems to have amnesia. Besides, worshiping the Sea God is a minor issue—I seized the Sea God's position with my Power of Creation."
As he spoke, Gu Xun produced a trident-shaped blue-gold crystal, leaving Ditian utterly stunned.
"Truly worthy of our Lord—seizing a god position from an enemy so effortlessly."
Ditian's admiration for Gu Xun grew ever deeper. His reverence for the Dragon God bordered on blind worship, as if the deity possessed limitless power.
Gu Xun yawned at the praise, then gazed listlessly out the window.
After returning, he would spend time playing or training with Yuan Enhuihui and Di Qiu'er.
The next day arrived.
Gu Xun still sat in the back row by the window, but this time Dong Qianqiu took the seat beside him.
"Um, thanks for yesterday. It reminded me of a lot of things."
Seeing the awkward silence between them, Dong Qianqiu broke the ice.
"Yeah, glad it helped."
Gu Xun replied casually before scooping some minced meat into the fish tank. The Demon Spirit Great White Shark King, Xiao Bai, immediately dove in to eat.
Dong Qianqiu watched Gu Xun feeding the little shark, momentarily mesmerized. Her gaze drifted as if deep in thought.
Only when she saw the little shark happily blowing bubbles after eating its fill did she snap back to reality.
"She really is blowing bubbles! Wait, is she male or female?"
"Female."
"Female, huh?"
Dong Qianqiu watched the little shark swimming freely inside the tank, bubbles trailing behind it, and felt an odd sense of familiarity.
"Dong Qianqiu, pay attention in class!"
"Ah! Yes, sir! Sorry, teacher!"
Just as Dong Qianqiu was still watching the little shark, the teacher at the front noticed her distraction and immediately called out.
Dong Qianqiu flinched instantly and quickly apologized.