*[Promising Future Chat Group]*
Wangshu: "No need to pick up the student anymore."
Jingliu: "?"
Asta: "?"
Wangshu: "The student skipped class."
Jingliu: "Me???"
It was late afternoon, and the sunset glow had not yet fully set in. Wangshu looked at the two veterans in the group chat, but before he had time to roast their black-hearted strategy, someone gently tapped him on the shoulder.
"See? You were deceived by a bad woman, weren't you?"
He turned his head. Little Jingliu was sitting beside him, cupping her small face in her hands. Her crimson eyes stared at him unblinkingly, her little expression feigning profound mystery.
Sigh, such an indecent Little Wangshu.
"Don't be in such a rush to judge me. If I remember correctly, your school doesn't let out for another half hour, right?"
Wangshu withdrew his gaze from the group chat and leaned naturally against the back of the bench next to Little Jingliu, though he wondered why she had skipped class.
However, if Jingliu skipped class, then so be it. Everyone had their own talents, and Jingliu's talent had undoubtedly already been proven by history—a swordmaster hard to come by in a thousand years.
Perhaps the regimented curriculum of the Academy was indeed somewhat restrictive for her.
"If I didn't skip class, the indecent Little Wangshu would probably be wrapped around that bad woman's finger by now."
Jingliu let out a soft snort and turned her face away, though her tone remained flat.
As she spoke, she took out her mobile phone. The screen displayed a picture of a restaurant. Judging by the angle, it seemed to be a candid shot. In the image, Wangshu looked slightly awkward, while the young girl across from him was smiling like a flower.
Little Jingliu waved the screen in front of Wangshu. She felt an indescribable annoyance in her heart, yet her expression carried a vibrancy unique to her age.
"Her name is Huoshi. She's not some bad woman... accurately speaking, she might not even be a woman. She is a Swarm King, a Propagation Swarm King."
He stood up, looking at Little Jingliu, who was feigning calmness while her eyes and brows revealed a sentiment of 'I am angry but I won't say it.' He suddenly found it somewhat amusing.
"Little Wangshu, do you really think I'm stupid?"
Jingliu's little expression was very subtle. Wangshu didn't seem as well-behaved as she had imagined.
Wangshu quietly looked at Little Jingliu, and Little Jingliu tilted her face up, staring back with a refusal to admit defeat.
Then, she watched as Wangshu, like performing a magic trick, produced a recording pen from his pocket. Little Jingliu tilted her head.
"Empty words are no proof, so why don't we listen to the recording?"
Speaking of which, he really needed to buy a mobile phone. Having been here for two days, moving around without a phone was already becoming difficult... Oh right, he also had to pick out a distinctive phone case.
"No need. I believe you."
Jingliu turned her head, leaving Wangshu with a view of her lustrous white profile.
But before Wangshu could say anything, Little Jingliu turned back swiftly, stood on her tiptoes, and snatched the recording pen.
"However, labor requires respect! To respect your actions, I have decided to listen to it after all. I have to make your efforts worthwhile."
She spoke plausibly and with conviction, only her fair, tender earlobes were slightly red. After all, who Little Wangshu communicated with during this time didn't seem to have much to do with her.
Wangshu wanted to laugh, and indeed he did. He looked at the coins that had luckily survived in his pocket and pondered for two seconds.
"Since you've already skipped class anyway, how about I treat Little Jingliu to something to eat? Consider it a celebration of... Little Jingliu's successful truancy?"
Sometimes he was truly grateful for Asta's friendly sponsorship. Although it seemed there would soon be an opportunity to pay it back, the initial funds she provided had truly solved a lot of troubles for Wangshu.
"I am not Little Jingliu..."
She muttered, but she agreed very quickly.
They returned to the restaurant from before. The staff member stared at Wangshu for two seconds, then looked at the little tyke with the blue-white gradient hair who had trotted in. The staff member simply watched the two quietly, saying nothing.
The nation of long-life species was just this warm-hearted. For many things, there was indeed no need to wrong oneself; with such a long lifespan, one had to maintain some true self to keep this enduring life full of vitality.
"The previous one was a business partner. We were purely discussing some matters."
Under the staff member's knowing gaze, Wangshu bit the bullet and explained in a low voice, attempting to salvage his reputation, which was likely already in jeopardy.
"How old are you this year, guest?"
The staff member smiled, asking politely.
"Little Wangshu? He's 17."
Jingliu magnanimously extended her hand. She was broad-minded and did not mind the previous matters.
"Is that so? My apologies, I was negligent earlier. Please take your time with this dessert; consider it a small token of apology," the staff member said gently.
17, huh? Then it's fine. Even though the two girls who came to eat with Wangshu were petite, judging by age, perhaps the one at a disadvantage was actually Wangshu.
Then, Jingliu glanced around and sat directly in the seat shown in the photo earlier.
No other meaning intended; it was empty, so why not sit there?
Thinking this, she sat down firmly.
It wasn't until the recording pen, clipped to Jingliu's ear, played to a very subtle point—specifically the part about reserving a child—that the recording pen almost slipped off her smooth shoulder.
"Little Wangshu~"
Jingliu suddenly stopped eating. She hopped off the high-backed chair and leaned close to Wangshu, whispering, "If I remember correctly, you seem to be an ordinary human, right?"
Wangshu nodded. Her warm breath hit his earlobe, tickling slightly, but Little Jingliu was clearly not joking at the moment; her tone was serious.
"Then..."
Jingliu hesitated to speak.
"Yes, it is your power."
Wangshu nodded directly. The power of Propagation indeed came from Jingliu, although the future Jingliu had not encountered these messy matters.
Hearing this, Little Jingliu's shoulders slumped visibly. No wonder her future self could live to Star Calendar Year 8000+; had she already thrown herself into the darkness and walked together with Propagation?
Not just a bad woman, but even a bad person?
But soon, she cheered up again. What did the fact that her future self was a bad woman have to do with her current self?
Moreover, because of Little Wangshu, her fate had already been changed.
Thinking of this, she set aside the unfinished recording pen. She wouldn't listen anymore!
"Little Wangshu, my hands are a bit cold."
She extended her small, fair hands, her upturned little face carrying a trace of pity-inducing grievance.
Wangshu froze for a moment. "Are you sure a Celestial Physique can feel cold?"
A race that could perform orbital drops from outer space, whose members could survive even if their heads were cut off and sewn back on, and who even completely manipulated the weather and climate of the Xianzhou... are you sure you can feel cold a second time in a whole year?
"I don't even know how to ride a bicycle!"
Jingliu retorted righteously. She was only 18 years old this year; on any Xianzhou ship, she was a veritable child.
"What is the relationship between riding a bicycle and cold hands..."
Oh, the perpetually single Wangshu seemed to understand.
"Anyway, my hands are a bit cold..." Little Jingliu lowered her head.
And she had skipped class. The teachers at the Academy would most likely make a home visit. Before, it didn't matter since there was no one at home, but now the teacher could tell Wangshu how mischievous she was at the Academy.
Sigh, just thinking about it gives me a headache.
"Then I'll warm them for you. My palms are still quite warm right now."
He extended his hand, gently holding Jingliu's slightly cool fingers.
The touch was delicate and soft. Sometimes he really wanted to take a screenshot and send it to the group, but he was afraid that during late-night training, Senior Jingliu would abuse her authority for personal revenge.
"I'll warm them myself!"
The smile on Jingliu's face blossomed once more. She swiftly retracted her hand, and then... before Wangshu could react, her two small hands nimbly slipped inside his clothes, wrapped around his waist, and her palms pressed directly against the warm skin of his waist.
"It's warmer here."
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