Li Yundong, her savior, the reason she was even alive and breathing today, was drifting further and further away from her, in both a literal and figurative sense. Zhou Qin wanted to follow him, to run after him, to fill up this seemingly bottomless chasm between them, but her legs felt like lead. She couldn't move. She could barely even breathe, not with the weight of his parting words crashing down on her chest, smothering her.
Would she? Would she spare Li Yundong a second glance if he was still his old self? Would she really?
Guilt and shame ripped through her as though they were tearing her apart from the inside. After all that talk about prejudice, Zhou Qin realized what a hypocrite she was. There was no point in lying to herself. She had been the one with prejudices against him, not the other way around. She was the one who had judged him based solely on his appearance. She'd been shallow, and her superficial judgment had nearly cost her the chance to get to know the good man hidden beneath the mediocrity of his appearance.
Well, his past appearance, since there was nothing mediocre about his current appearance. Now, he was easily the most attractive man she had ever laid eyes on, and that was saying something because she had encountered a lot of physically attractive men during the endless dinner parties and social events she'd been forced to attend.
In her defense, Li Yundong's lackluster physical appearance wasn't the main reason she had brushed him off and deemed him as unworthy of her attention. She had, after all, begun to take a liking for Li Yundong ever since that incident at the Taekwondo club's dojo, where he bravely stood up to Zhao Yujian instead of letting himself be bullied. Back then, Li Yundong was still chubby, so his appearance couldn't have been the only factor giving rise to her early prejudice against him. No. Her prejudice had stemmed from her upbringing, from all those years spent around superficial men who wanted her only for her status and beauty. For years, men had looked upon her with nothing but lust in their eyes — lust for power, sex, and wealth. None of them held genuine feelings for her. None of them wanted Zhou Qin, the woman behind all that glamor; they just wanted Zhou Qin, the beautiful daughter of the Deputy Governor, their gateway to power and unlimited resources. Even her own father, who was supposed to love her unconditionally, was one of those men who cared for nothing other than status and power. So much so, in fact, that he was willing to sacrifice his own daughter's happiness to secure the family's position in power.
Family. Funny how she used that term, since she hadn't experienced real familial love since... ever.
But Li Yundong...
Li Yundong was different. So different, in fact, that his existence almost seemed unreal to her. Every time he looked at her, every time their eyes met, she found herself shocked, completely baffled, utterly confounded. But it wasn't what she saw that shocked her; it was what she didn't see. Lust. Greed. Avarice. None of those things were present in his eyes whenever he looked at her. All she saw was genuine admiration of her as a person, not for her status or her beauty. At first, she couldn't believe it. She thought he was just faking it, that it was all just a deliberate act to fool her into believing that he was different. After all, how could such a man exist! All her life, she'd been around power-hungry and greedy men. And those men weren't ordinary men either; they were all men of considerable status and influence! Powerful men. Wealthy men.
If even rich and powerful men craved power, shouldn't a man of lesser status crave it even more?
Indeed, even though she'd seen the difference in the way Li Yundong had treated her, her preconceptions about men and human nature made her doubt what she saw. But Li Yundong had proven himself to her time and time again. She had been watching him for weeks, carefully analyzing every interaction and eye contact they had shared. She was biding her time, waiting for the moment where his mask finally slipped and he revealed the first hint of greed.
That moment never came.
Whenever they saw each other, his eyes were always the same — pure and innocent. Even during her birthday party, where he'd been thrown into the midst of opulence and grandeur, into the epitome of upper society, his eyes held the same genuine admiration. That was when her doubts began to slowly chip away. At long last, there was a man who would regard her as a human being, not some tool to gain wealth and power.
Their conversation earlier was the final proof she needed. She had presented him with the opportunity to demand anything from her, anything that he wanted. He could literally ask her for anything that money could buy, and that power could influence. Yet, he flat-out turned down her offer, and had even done so without batting an eye! He didn't demand a single thing in return, even when he'd nearly lost both his arms to save her. That pretty much pulverized all the doubts and prejudices she had about him. Indeed, waiting for the moment where his mask would slip was an exercise in futility because there was no mask. There was no charade. He'd been genuine all along. She'd just been too blind to notice it.
All this while, Zhou Qin had been wondering why she was attracted to Li Yundong. But after her near-death experience yesterday and the conversation they shared earlier, she realized that she'd been asking the wrong question all along. How could any woman not be drawn to Li Yundong, the selfless man with outstanding virtue, not to mention the ability to dodge bullets and send grown men into the air?
Zhou Qin's legs moved on their own, carrying her towards the academic building, towards the man who had ignited the flames of her desire but had extinguished his own desires for her.
***
Yundong would never abandon her. Never ever. Their union was fated. The laws of the Universe required it, and the Yin-Yang principle demanded it. Su Chan and Yundong, the legendary Shenxian couple. That was what they were fated to be. They were meant to be together, and nothing could change that. Ever.
Besides, she'd been good, hadn't she? She'd been super obedient. She hadn't caused him trouble again since they moved into their new home, so there was no reason for Yundong to abandon her. Nope. Not at all.
Su Chan glanced at the clock in front of the huge classroom. Half an hour. He'd been gone for half an hour already. What could Ding Nan possibly want from him other than to thank him for saving her life? Speaking of... How was Ding Nan planning to thank him?
Oh, no! What if Ding Nan offered to let Yundong perform Yin Feeding on her, and then... and then Yundong agreed! (T/N: Yin Feeding is basically a man feeds of a woman’s Essence through sexual intercourse)
Jealousy flared, and Su Chan tore her gaze away from the clock. Stop that nonsense, Chan'er. Half an hour meant nothing. For all she knew, he could be on the way to buy one of those milk drinks, the ones with the little chewy balls in them. Or he could be getting one of those cones from Mac Doo Nurls. Right? That must be why he'd been gone for so long, right? Su Chan glanced at the door, which was open. The last student to leave had forgotten to close it on her way out.
Su Chan looked away from the door and rearranged a few pens, then fiddled with a pair of scissors. Maybe he wasn't okay with her keeping secrets from him after all...
He was so smart. He'd already figured out that it was some kind of medicine that had made him stronger than others. It turned out that him entering a new stage of his Cultivation training was both a blessing and a curse. His newfound drive to seek answers had caused him to start demanding answers from her, answers that she wasn't ready to give. Was he secretly mad at her for not telling him about the Renyuan Jindan? But it was too dangerous! If Cultivators had nearly killed her just for stealing it, what would they do to someone who had consumed it? Maybe I'm overthinking this... He'd made her a promise after all. He'd promised her that he wouldn't leave her. Su Chan flicked another glance at the door. Still nothing. She sighed and picked up the two paper dolls she'd cut out from Yundong's notepad earlier. Then, she turned around in her seat until she was facing away from the chalkboard. She didn't want to look at the clock. It kept reminding her that Yundong had been gone for forty minutes now.
She stared at the paper doll in her left hand. She had messed up Paper Yundong's hair earlier when she was cutting it from the page. Now, the outline of Paper Yundong's head looked like an onion. She was hopeless in these kinds of things. She couldn't even chop fish properly.
She raised the paper doll in her right hand. At least Paper Su Chan looked somewhat like her. Though upon a closer look, "somewhat" seemed to be a bit stretching it. She stared hard at Paper Su Chan's eyes. "Hey, you. Pay attention," she told Paper Su Chan sternly. "You must be a good girl. Otherwise, your beloved would abandon you. You hear me?"
Paper Su Chan stared back at her. "Somewhat" seemed like a complete travesty now.
Paper Yundong sidled up to Paper Su Chan and bumped into it a few times. Su Chan deepened her voice: "Hey, princess. Be a good girl, otherwise I'll feed you junk food every day."
Not that she minded. Those Mac Doo Nurls breads tasted pretty good. Not to mention those yellowish, crunchy thingies that came in thin strips.
Su Chan returned to her normal voice. "Hmph! Your princess is super obedient these days. How about I give you a kiss?" Paper Su Chan pecked Paper Yundong's head a few times. "Muack! Muack! Muack—"
"Why kiss a piece of paper when you can kiss the real thing?"
Su Chan turned around with a loud gasp. There he was, her beloved, standing right there, grinning back at her. Joy and relief surged through her. Paper Yundong and Paper Su Chan joined the rest of the stationery on the table as she threw her arms around his neck. Then, she kissed him. Long, hard, and deep.
"Where have you been!" she half-shouted once they parted for air. "I was so worried and... and... and I'm starving!"
Yundong laughed and lowered her to the ground.
"Oww!" Su Chan said, smacking his hand away from her nose. She wondered why he loved pinching her nose so much. She shot him a glare, but then felt her cheeks grow warm when she saw the heated look in his eyes.
"So you're starving, huh?" he said, smirking. "How about you give me another kiss right here." He pointed at his lips. "After that, I'll take you out for a feast!"
Feast? Did he just say feast? Feast! He said feast! Yayyyy!
Su Chan was just about to kiss him again, but then something made her stop. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Zhou Qin standing at the door, watching them closely. Su Chan blushed and pulled away from Yundong.
Yundong frowned. "What's wrong?"
"W- we can't..." Su Chan said, lowering herself back down into her seat. "Someone's watching..."
Yundong glanced around the room until his gaze landed on the door.
"Oh, it's you, Zhou Qin..." Yundong said. "Give us a moment. We'll be right with you."
Su Chan frowned slightly. What? Was he with Zhou Qin all this time? Was that why he took so long?
Yundong nudged her. "So. What were you doing talking to yourself just now, hmm?"
Su Chan picked up the two paper dolls. "Ta-da!!!" She beamed. "Meet Paper Su Chan and Paper Yundong!"
Yundong took Paper Su Chan first, then Paper Yundong.
"What! My hair doesn't look like this! This is a frigging onion!"
Su Chan giggled and dodged one of Yundong's attempts to pinch her cheek.
"Oh, you've been a naughty little girl, haven't you? Clearly, this is your way of making fun of me. Grrrr...."
"Kyaaa!!!" Su Chan smacked Yundong's hand away before it could reach her waist. The last time he tickled her, she had laughed so hard that she ended up in tears.
"Prepare to be spanked!"
"Kyaaa!!! Hahaha!" Su Chan scrambled all the way back to the end of the row, then curled up to protect her backside from his spanking hands.
Yundong laughed. "Damn. You naughty little minx. You really know how to run, huh?" he said, stopping his spanking attempts. "Fine. If that's how you wanna play it, then... No food for you today!"
Su Chan's face fell. But she quickly recovered and clambered her way back to Yundong. She seized his arm and gave it a few tugs. "Mmmmm...." she whined. "I made those dolls because I missed you... And... and I'm not artsy at all... A- and you... you're a meanie! Why do you always have to threaten to starve me?"
Yundong didn't say anything, though he was giving her a half-serious and half-amused look. She honestly couldn't tell whether he'd been serious about starving her. Regardless, she decided that a change of tactics was in order.
Su Chan glanced furtively towards the door. Zhou Qin was still there, watching them. Miss Ideal Dinglu seemed to be frowning. Maybe she was getting impatient. Yundong did request her to wait for them after all.
Su Chan leaned closer to Yundong's ear. "Um... Why don't I... I kiss you some more?" she whispered, fighting the urge to fan herself to cool down her warm cheeks. "I- I mean wh- when we are in... private."
Yundong leaned back and gave her yet another heated look.
The temperature of her cheeks rose just a tad.
"Nonsense," Yundong said. "Why wait until we're in private? If we're gonna kiss, we'll damn well do it openly."
"Fine, fine..." Su Chan said, giggling a few times. "We'll kiss openly!" Then, she made several kissy sounds, which caused Yundong to laugh out loud. When he was done laughing, he hooked his finger under her chin and lifted her head up. Warmth filled her lips, and she felt as though she was melting. Mmmmmm... Then it was gone. She opened her eyes and saw Yundong smirking at her. She blushed, and smacked his arm. "You're shameless."
Yundong threw his head back in laughter while Su Chan stole another glance at the door. Zhou Qin wasn't even looking at them now. Her head was turned away and her fists were balled at her sides. Okay... now she's really getting impatient... Su Chan turned away from Zhou Qin and looked towards Yundong.
Yundong was studying the paper dolls. There was a deep frown between his brows. "Su Chan..." he said.
She didn't like that tone at all.
That was his Su-Chan-you've-just-done-something-silly tone.
Uh-oh.
***
Li Yundong grabbed his notepad and flipped through its pages. When he flipped from cover to cover, his heart sank to the pit of his stomach. Oh f*ck my life...
"U-um... Yundong... Wh- what's... the problem?"
Li Yundong wanted to pull every single strand of his hair off his scalp, that's the problem. "You tore off the page with the tips I jotted down..." Li Yundong said with a defeated sigh. "And now, here it is." He tossed the paper dolls onto the table.
"Oh. Do you still need those things?" Su Chan asked, looking genuinely puzzled. "I thought you could memorize the entire textbook easily now. I mean, I just told you about Guanxiang and your memory..."
Li Yundong considered that for a moment. Okay. Fair point. But it would still help to have some tips. Whatever. He was going to have to ask Sun Li about it anyway. Or wait... maybe I can just ask...
Li Yundong turned towards Zhou Qin, then returned his gaze to Su Chan
The fearful expression on his princess' face nearly made him laugh. But still... No harm in teasing her a little. Li Yundong feigned a stern look. "Listen up. This is your punishment."
Su Chan sat up straighter. Li Yundong struggled not to laugh. He cleared his throat. "Once we get home... you have to... kiss me a hundred times!"
Su Chan jumped slightly. The huge pout on her lips nearly made Li Yundong demand that she give him those 100 kisses right then and there.
"But my lips will become swollen after..." She blushed adorably. "After so many kisses..."
Oh... I'm not letting you off the hook that easily...
He poked Su Chan's head with his index finger. "That's your punishment for tearing up my notepad. Deal with it."
When Su Chan made a face at him, he finally laughed.
Then, he ruffled her hair. "Come on, let's pack up and head to lunch. You're starving right?"
Su Chan nodded.
"Good. Since Miss Zhou over there is treating us to lunch today."
Su Chan's eyes gleamed in a way which was only possible with the mention of food. "Really? Really?"
Li Yundong chuckled. "Yes, really," he said, zipping up his backpack. "Now let's get going."
Before he could sling the straps of his backpack on his shoulders, he felt a weight on his back. Su Chan's alluring scent filled his nostrils.
"I want a piggy back ride..."
That throaty voice brought a jolt of heat straight to his core.
Li Yundong turned around and gave Su Chan a helpless look. "Hey, quit messing around. Someone's watching us."
It was ridiculous, really, since they had locked lips in front of Zhou Qin earlier. But it was the best excuse his brain could come up with while struggling to hold back his not-very-helpful libido.
Su Chan's breath tickled the shell of his ears as she giggled. All of a sudden, his pants felt dangerously tight.
"I'll stop messing around if you promise not to make me kiss you a hundred times!" Su Chan said.
Why you sneaky little...
"Nope! No can do! I still want a hundred kisses. But if you really want a piggy back ride, I'll give you one at home!"
Su Chan giggled.
"Piggyback ride..." she said. "Wait! That would be like me riding a pig!"
Li Yundong growled playfully. "Hey! Are you calling me a pig? How dare you!"
He smacked Su Chan's butt, which induced another round of giggles.
Their frolicking was interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Li Yundong turned and saw Zhou Qin standing there, watching them with amusement. Li Yundong cleared his throat and lowered Su Chan to the floor.
"Sorry you had to see that," he said, then chuckled sheepishly. He ruffled Su Chan's hair a few times, causing her to giggle. "This girl is too playful."
Zhou Qin's smile widened just a tad. "It's fine," she said. "I... I kinda envy you." Zhou Qin was looking at Su Chan the whole time she said that.
"Oh, you don't really have to! Because you are an ideal ding— mmph!"
Li Yundong clamped his hand over Su Chan's mouth just in time to prevent her from finishing that sentence.
F*ck! That was close... Li Yundong sneaked a glance at Zhou Qin, who had a puzzled look on her face.
"Um... Excuse me? What did she..."
"Oh, it's nothing!" Li Yundong said quickly, then shot Su Chan a glare.
He leaned in and whispered into Su Chan's ear: "Idiot! You can't say things like that..."
Su Chan's cheeks puffed out adorably. "Oh..."
Zhou Qin still looked puzzled.
"Don't worry about it," Li Yundong said. "She meant to say that you're an ideal friend! Um... you know... for... for wanting to treat us to lunch."
Smooth. Real smooth, Li Yundong. And you wonder why you got rejected 21 times in a row...
Zhou Qin's confused expression morphed into a smile.
"Hello, Su Chan," she said, nodding at Su Chan. "It's good to see you again."
Su Chan returned the greeting with a smile of her own. "Hello..." she said.
Li Yundong did a double take when Su Chan bowed slightly. Whoa. Would you look at that. This girl had manners after all!
Zhou Qin's eyes were on him again. "So. Got a place in mind for lunch?"
Good question. He hadn't thought of a place yet.
"Maybe somewhere near campus?"
Zhou Qin laughed, much to his surprise. Maybe she was taking his advice and ready to drop the Ice Queen exterior?
"No," Zhou Qin said, shaking her head. "That won't do. You'll have to pick a proper restaurant and let me repay you properly." Zhou Qin looked at him, her eyes glinting playfully. "Besides, didn't you mention something about a feast? You can't really have a feast in a street stall, can you?"
Mirth bubbled inside Li Yundong's chest, and he unleashed it with a loud chortle.
"Well, small-town folks like me aren't hard to please at all," he said, then raised his fist in the air. "Our ability to feast transcends geographic limitations! In other words, we can feast anywhere!"
Seconds passed in silence. Then both Su Chan and Zhou Qin burst out laughing.
"Oh my God," Zhou Qin said, hiding her smile behind her hand. "You really are something else, you know that?"
Li Yundong patted Su Chan's back several times; she had laughed so hard that she ended up choking on her own spit.
"All jokes aside," Li Yundong said, looking towards Zhou Qin. "I really won't mind if you decide the place for us. It's your treat after all." Li Yundong held up a finger. "One condition though. Just don't pick a place where not even you can afford."
Zhou Qin laughed again.
"Oh, don't worry," Zhou Qin said. "There isn't a single place in Tiannan City that I can't afford."
Li Yundong chuckled, then glanced at Su Chan who had just recovered from her laughing fit. "See that?" He pointed at Zhou Qin without taking his eyes off Su Chan. "Spoken like a true moneybag." Then, he poked Su Chan's side a few times. "Now you can order twenty bowls of rice like last time without having to worry about us going broke."
"T-twenty?!"
Li Yundong turned.
The gobsmacked look on Zhou Qin's face might've just made his day.
***
"Come on, surely you're joking," Zhou Qin said. "Twenty bowls! That's ridiculous."
Li Yundong chuckled. They had just stepped out of the academic building. "Oh, no, that wasn't a joke," he said. "Twenty bowls."
"Normal-sized bowls?" Zhou Qin asked, still sounding skeptical.
"Yep. Normal-sized bowls," Li Yundong said as they moved past the turn which would lead to the garden. "This girl can really eat." He ruffled Su Chan's hair, and promptly got his hand slapped away. Su Chan made a face at him.
"But how could that— I mean, she has such a nice figure!" Zhou Qin protested.
"Yeah, trust me. That part confused the hell out of me too—"
Li Yundong stopped, causing Su Chan and Zhou Qin to stop as well.
Oh. It's you... Li Yundong's jaw tightened as he glared at Xie Fei, who was leaning against a lampost just outside the academic building with a cigarette held between his lips. Just then, Xie Fei glanced up and saw him too. Li Yundong took a step forward. Looks like today's your unlucky day, pal—
The f*cker ran.
Li Yundong growled. "Hey!!! Hold it right there!!!"
However, a voice sounded from the academic building before Li Yundong could give chase. "Li Yundong??!"
Li Yundong swiveled around.
Two girls, identical twins in fact, were staring back at him in awe. They were even dressed in the same style of clothes.
"I'm sorry, but do I know you?"
One of the girls, the one with a cute little red ribbon on her hair, laughed. "Aww... You've forgotten about me already?" she said, pointing a finger at her own nose.
Li Yundong appraised the girls again, searching his memory for their identities. "Sorry, but I really can't recall..." So much for having a photographic memory. Maybe he ran into the girls before all this Cultivation stuff happened to him.
"Oh, come on! McDonald's? Remember?"
Li Yundong frowned. "McDona..." He slapped his thigh. "Oh! You're the... the mascot!"
Ribbon girl chuckled. "Right. Now you remember."
Li Yundong gave Su Chan a stern look. "Tsk! You see? That's the girl you punched the other day. You nearly ruined her pretty face. How could you sleep at night knowing that?"
Su Chan was so gullible sometimes that he couldn't help but want to tease her.
Li Yundong watched in amusement as Su Chan shifted from his side to stand behind his back. The redness dusting her cheeks was a sight for sore eyes. "M- meanie..." she mumbled. "I- I told you already that it wasn't on purpose... She startled me."
Well, he already knew that. Punching things was Su Chan's default reaction when she got startled, if that TV she had broken in half was anything to go by.
Suddenly, Su Chan poked her head out from his left shoulder. "I- I'm sorry!!" she yelled at red ribbon girl. "I really didn't mean it!"
Li Yundong burst out laughing, then pulled Su Chan out from behind his back. "Nah... I was just teasing you," he said, tapping her nose. "Don't worry. I'm sure it's all water under the bridge."
Turning to red ribbon girl, he said, "I didn't know you were a student here. I've never seen you on campus before. Are you still working part-time at McDonald's?"
Red ribbon girl smiled. "Well, can't say I'm surprised that you don't know me," she said. "You're a celebrity around here. You wouldn't have time to spare for normal folks like us. And, to answer your question, yes. I'm still a part-timer at McDonald's. I think I can convince the manager to give you a discount if you come to mac dee next time!"
Li Yundong laughed. "Thanks, but it's okay," he said. "I don't think that's a good idea. Your manager's probably gonna take it out of your wages or something." Li Yundong turned to the other girl, the one with the blue ribbon. Then, he looked at red ribbon girl again. "If you don't mind me asking, who's older between you two?"
Red ribbon girl suddenly gave him a strange laugh. Somehow, she reminded him of a mischievous elf, or a pixie. "Why don't you take a guess?"
Li Yundong studied the twins for a few seconds. Huh. This might be easier to guess than I thought.
Li Yundong's lips pulled into a confident smile. "You're the younger one," he told red ribbon girl.
Red ribbon gaped at him. "How did you..." She shared a look with her elder sister, then turned back to Li Yundong. "That's amazing. How did you guess? Even our parents mistook us for each other sometimes."
Li Yundong waved his hand nonchalantly. "Nah... It's just a matter of observation," he said. "When you asked me to guess, I saw the way your sister was looking at you. It was warm and affectionate, like someone who was used to taking care of another person. So I just took an educated guess. Besides..." Li Yundong raised both palms. "No offense, but the way she carried herself seemed much more mature than yours."
Red ribbon girl chuckled. "None taken," she said. "Good one, though. Not many would have been able to tell us apart. As expected from my idol!"
Li Yundong groaned inwardly when red ribbon girl pulled out a pen before taking a notepad from her sister.
Oh man... not this again...
"So. Hero of Tiannan University. May I have your autograph please?"
Well, too late to back away now... Li Yundong chuckled, then took the pen and pad from red ribbon girl. He uncapped the pen, then suddenly looked at red ribbon girl. "Who should I make it out to?" he asked.
Wow. Months ago, he never would've imagined himself saying something like that. Not even in his wildest dreams.
"I'm Deng Yu, and my sister is Deng Jiao."
Li Yundong signed the notepad and returned it to Deng Yu. "Are you both in the same class? Which year are you both in?"
"Oh, we're first years!" Deng Yu answered, smiling exuberantly. "I'm in the Department of Foreign Languages, and my sis is in the same department as you!"
Li Yundong nodded. "I see. Well then! I guess I'll see you around in McDonald's or something?"
"Sure," Deng Yu said. "But I'm not gonna be a part-timer in McDonald's forever. So let's hope we run into each other then! Hehe!"
The twins gave him a wave each, then headed off. Li Yundong glanced at Su Chan and saw her staring after the twins in awe.
"Wow... Those are two very fine ding—"
"Oww!" Su Chan glared at Li Yundong when he pinched her nose.
Li Yundong gave her a stern look. "Remember what I told you about not saying that kind of stuff in public, hmm?"
Su Chan smacked his hand away and rubbed her nose. The huge pout on her lips brought a smirk to Li Yundong's lips.
"Can we go now, President Li? Or do you have more business to attend to?"
Li Yundong turned and saw Zhou Qin smirking at them.
"I'm sorry, what? President Li?"
Zhou Qin gave him a cryptic smile.
"Well? Aren't you? You seemed busier than a CEO who runs a Fortune 500 company from what I see."
Li Yundong laughed. "Not by choice, I assure you," he said. "Not by choice."
Suddenly, he remembered something, and his gaze snapped towards the direction that Xie Fei had run off to earlier. Anger gnawed at him. The f*cking coward had hired a bunch of goons to ambush him, and those goons had attacked Su Chan with knives. His Su Chan. With f*cking knives. Maybe he should move his Qi to his Shenting and activate his telescopic vision. As long as the bastard wasn't more than ten miles away, he could easily see where the bastard had run off to, maybe even find out where he and his goons were holed up. But then he would have to climb to a tall place for that to work. Where he was, there were too many objects obstructing his field of vision. Besides, Xie Fei probably wasn't stupid enough to keep running in a straight line, so it would probably take Li Yundong quite a while to do a full scan within a ten-mile radius. The thought of which caused his stomach to raise its objections by rumbling loudly. It seemed like he'd been wrong about today being Xie Fei's unlucky day.
Li Yundong snorted and returned his gaze to Su Chan and Zhou Qin. "He won't be so lucky next time," he muttered.
Zhou Qin was staring at him pointedly, which unnerved him a little.
"What?" Li Yundong asked.
Zhou Qin sighed. "Sometimes, a grudge is best left buried."
You don't know half of what the bastard tried to do to me... to Su Chan...
Li Yundong shook his head. "Whatever," he said. "Let's not talk about that piece of trash. I'll deal with him when the time comes. Now. Let's get going! I'm starving!"
Su Chan let out a cheer. "Yep! Yep! I'm starving too! I want a feast! A mountainous feast!"
Li Yundong snickered. Oh, he knew what "mountainous" entailed, alright; he'd seen it first-hand during Zhou Qin's party.
"Yeah? You can have a hundred plates for all I care," he said. "Just don't erect Mount Everest on your plate like last time."
Peals of Zhou Qin's laughter permeated the space between the company of three, punctuated by the sounds of Su Chan smacking Li Yundong's arm.
***
As they approached the campus gates, Li Yundong halted in his steps. His eyes widened in alert and vigilance as he turned around to look at the academic building again. What the hell was that?
Su Chan was beside him almost instantly. "What's the matter?" she asked.
Li Yundong stared at the academic building for few more seconds, then looked at Su Chan.
"I don't know," he said with a frown. "I just feel like someone's watching me."
Su Chan leaned closer.
"Xianjue?" she whispered into his ear.
Li Yundong shook his head and looked towards the academic building again. "No. I released my Qi from my Shenting when I woke up this morning."
"You're a celebrity in the university now," Zhou Qin said, her tone amused. "Of course there'll be people watching you."
Li Yundong chuckled and shook his head.
"Maybe you're right," he said. "Well. Let's get going then."
Li Yundong gave the academic building one last glance, wondering if he had imagined everything. Then he turned around and walked away, willing the niggling at the back of his mind to disappear.
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Li Yundong, her savior, the reason she was even alive and breathing today, was drifting further and further away from her, in both a literal and figurative sense. Zhou Qin wanted to follow him, to run after him, to fill up this seemingly bottomless chasm between them, but her legs felt like lead. She couldn't move. She could barely even breathe, not with the weight of his parting words crashing down on her chest, smothering her.
Would she? Would she spare Li Yundong a second glance if he was still his old self? Would she really?
Guilt and shame ripped through her as though they were tearing her apart from the inside. After all that talk about prejudice, Zhou Qin realized what a hypocrite she was. There was no point in lying to herself. She had been the one with prejudices against him, not the other way around. She was the one who had judged him based solely on his appearance. She'd been shallow, and her superficial judgment had nearly cost her the chance to get to know the good man hidden beneath the mediocrity of his appearance.
Well, his past appearance, since there was nothing mediocre about his current appearance. Now, he was easily the most attractive man she had ever laid eyes on, and that was saying something because she had encountered a lot of physically attractive men during the endless dinner parties and social events she'd been forced to attend.
In her defense, Li Yundong's lackluster physical appearance wasn't the main reason she had brushed him off and deemed him as unworthy of her attention. She had, after all, begun to take a liking for Li Yundong ever since that incident at the Taekwondo club's dojo, where he bravely stood up to Zhao Yujian instead of letting himself be bullied. Back then, Li Yundong was still chubby, so his appearance couldn't have been the only factor giving rise to her early prejudice against him. No. Her prejudice had stemmed from her upbringing, from all those years spent around superficial men who wanted her only for her status and beauty. For years, men had looked upon her with nothing but lust in their eyes — lust for power, sex, and wealth. None of them held genuine feelings for her. None of them wanted Zhou Qin, the woman behind all that glamor; they just wanted Zhou Qin, the beautiful daughter of the Deputy Governor, their gateway to power and unlimited resources. Even her own father, who was supposed to love her unconditionally, was one of those men who cared for nothing other than status and power. So much so, in fact, that he was willing to sacrifice his own daughter's happiness to secure the family's position in power.
Family. Funny how she used that term, since she hadn't experienced real familial love since... ever.
But Li Yundong...
Li Yundong was different. So different, in fact, that his existence almost seemed unreal to her. Every time he looked at her, every time their eyes met, she found herself shocked, completely baffled, utterly confounded. But it wasn't what she saw that shocked her; it was what she didn't see. Lust. Greed. Avarice. None of those things were present in his eyes whenever he looked at her. All she saw was genuine admiration of her as a person, not for her status or her beauty. At first, she couldn't believe it. She thought he was just faking it, that it was all just a deliberate act to fool her into believing that he was different. After all, how could such a man exist! All her life, she'd been around power-hungry and greedy men. And those men weren't ordinary men either; they were all men of considerable status and influence! Powerful men. Wealthy men.
If even rich and powerful men craved power, shouldn't a man of lesser status crave it even more?
Indeed, even though she'd seen the difference in the way Li Yundong had treated her, her preconceptions about men and human nature made her doubt what she saw. But Li Yundong had proven himself to her time and time again. She had been watching him for weeks, carefully analyzing every interaction and eye contact they had shared. She was biding her time, waiting for the moment where his mask finally slipped and he revealed the first hint of greed.
That moment never came.
Whenever they saw each other, his eyes were always the same — pure and innocent. Even during her birthday party, where he'd been thrown into the midst of opulence and grandeur, into the epitome of upper society, his eyes held the same genuine admiration. That was when her doubts began to slowly chip away. At long last, there was a man who would regard her as a human being, not some tool to gain wealth and power.
Their conversation earlier was the final proof she needed. She had presented him with the opportunity to demand anything from her, anything that he wanted. He could literally ask her for anything that money could buy, and that power could influence. Yet, he flat-out turned down her offer, and had even done so without batting an eye! He didn't demand a single thing in return, even when he'd nearly lost both his arms to save her. That pretty much pulverized all the doubts and prejudices she had about him. Indeed, waiting for the moment where his mask would slip was an exercise in futility because there was no mask. There was no charade. He'd been genuine all along. She'd just been too blind to notice it.
All this while, Zhou Qin had been wondering why she was attracted to Li Yundong. But after her near-death experience yesterday and the conversation they shared earlier, she realized that she'd been asking the wrong question all along. How could any woman not be drawn to Li Yundong, the selfless man with outstanding virtue, not to mention the ability to dodge bullets and send grown men into the air?
Zhou Qin's legs moved on their own, carrying her towards the academic building, towards the man who had ignited the flames of her desire but had extinguished his own desires for her.
***
Yundong would never abandon her. Never ever. Their union was fated. The laws of the Universe required it, and the Yin-Yang principle demanded it. Su Chan and Yundong, the legendary Shenxian couple. That was what they were fated to be. They were meant to be together, and nothing could change that. Ever.
Besides, she'd been good, hadn't she? She'd been super obedient. She hadn't caused him trouble again since they moved into their new home, so there was no reason for Yundong to abandon her. Nope. Not at all.
Su Chan glanced at the clock in front of the huge classroom. Half an hour. He'd been gone for half an hour already. What could Ding Nan possibly want from him other than to thank him for saving her life? Speaking of... How was Ding Nan planning to thank him?
Oh, no! What if Ding Nan offered to let Yundong perform Yin Feeding on her, and then... and then Yundong agreed! (T/N: Yin Feeding is basically a man feeds of a woman’s Essence through sexual intercourse)
Jealousy flared, and Su Chan tore her gaze away from the clock. Stop that nonsense, Chan'er. Half an hour meant nothing. For all she knew, he could be on the way to buy one of those milk drinks, the ones with the little chewy balls in them. Or he could be getting one of those cones from Mac Doo Nurls. Right? That must be why he'd been gone for so long, right? Su Chan glanced at the door, which was open. The last student to leave had forgotten to close it on her way out.
Su Chan looked away from the door and rearranged a few pens, then fiddled with a pair of scissors. Maybe he wasn't okay with her keeping secrets from him after all...
He was so smart. He'd already figured out that it was some kind of medicine that had made him stronger than others. It turned out that him entering a new stage of his Cultivation training was both a blessing and a curse. His newfound drive to seek answers had caused him to start demanding answers from her, answers that she wasn't ready to give. Was he secretly mad at her for not telling him about the Renyuan Jindan? But it was too dangerous! If Cultivators had nearly killed her just for stealing it, what would they do to someone who had consumed it? Maybe I'm overthinking this... He'd made her a promise after all. He'd promised her that he wouldn't leave her. Su Chan flicked another glance at the door. Still nothing. She sighed and picked up the two paper dolls she'd cut out from Yundong's notepad earlier. Then, she turned around in her seat until she was facing away from the chalkboard. She didn't want to look at the clock. It kept reminding her that Yundong had been gone for forty minutes now.
She stared at the paper doll in her left hand. She had messed up Paper Yundong's hair earlier when she was cutting it from the page. Now, the outline of Paper Yundong's head looked like an onion. She was hopeless in these kinds of things. She couldn't even chop fish properly.
She raised the paper doll in her right hand. At least Paper Su Chan looked somewhat like her. Though upon a closer look, "somewhat" seemed to be a bit stretching it. She stared hard at Paper Su Chan's eyes. "Hey, you. Pay attention," she told Paper Su Chan sternly. "You must be a good girl. Otherwise, your beloved would abandon you. You hear me?"
Paper Su Chan stared back at her. "Somewhat" seemed like a complete travesty now.
Paper Yundong sidled up to Paper Su Chan and bumped into it a few times. Su Chan deepened her voice: "Hey, princess. Be a good girl, otherwise I'll feed you junk food every day."
Not that she minded. Those Mac Doo Nurls breads tasted pretty good. Not to mention those yellowish, crunchy thingies that came in thin strips.
Su Chan returned to her normal voice. "Hmph! Your princess is super obedient these days. How about I give you a kiss?" Paper Su Chan pecked Paper Yundong's head a few times. "Muack! Muack! Muack—"
"Why kiss a piece of paper when you can kiss the real thing?"
Su Chan turned around with a loud gasp. There he was, her beloved, standing right there, grinning back at her. Joy and relief surged through her. Paper Yundong and Paper Su Chan joined the rest of the stationery on the table as she threw her arms around his neck. Then, she kissed him. Long, hard, and deep.
"Where have you been!" she half-shouted once they parted for air. "I was so worried and... and... and I'm starving!"
Yundong laughed and lowered her to the ground.
"Oww!" Su Chan said, smacking his hand away from her nose. She wondered why he loved pinching her nose so much. She shot him a glare, but then felt her cheeks grow warm when she saw the heated look in his eyes.
"So you're starving, huh?" he said, smirking. "How about you give me another kiss right here." He pointed at his lips. "After that, I'll take you out for a feast!"
Feast? Did he just say feast? Feast! He said feast! Yayyyy!
Su Chan was just about to kiss him again, but then something made her stop. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Zhou Qin standing at the door, watching them closely. Su Chan blushed and pulled away from Yundong.
Yundong frowned. "What's wrong?"
"W- we can't..." Su Chan said, lowering herself back down into her seat. "Someone's watching..."
Yundong glanced around the room until his gaze landed on the door.
"Oh, it's you, Zhou Qin..." Yundong said. "Give us a moment. We'll be right with you."
Su Chan frowned slightly. What? Was he with Zhou Qin all this time? Was that why he took so long?
Yundong nudged her. "So. What were you doing talking to yourself just now, hmm?"
Su Chan picked up the two paper dolls. "Ta-da!!!" She beamed. "Meet Paper Su Chan and Paper Yundong!"
Yundong took Paper Su Chan first, then Paper Yundong.
"What! My hair doesn't look like this! This is a frigging onion!"
Su Chan giggled and dodged one of Yundong's attempts to pinch her cheek.
"Oh, you've been a naughty little girl, haven't you? Clearly, this is your way of making fun of me. Grrrr...."
"Kyaaa!!!" Su Chan smacked Yundong's hand away before it could reach her waist. The last time he tickled her, she had laughed so hard that she ended up in tears.
"Prepare to be spanked!"
"Kyaaa!!! Hahaha!" Su Chan scrambled all the way back to the end of the row, then curled up to protect her backside from his spanking hands.
Yundong laughed. "Damn. You naughty little minx. You really know how to run, huh?" he said, stopping his spanking attempts. "Fine. If that's how you wanna play it, then... No food for you today!"
Su Chan's face fell. But she quickly recovered and clambered her way back to Yundong. She seized his arm and gave it a few tugs. "Mmmmm...." she whined. "I made those dolls because I missed you... And... and I'm not artsy at all... A- and you... you're a meanie! Why do you always have to threaten to starve me?"
Yundong didn't say anything, though he was giving her a half-serious and half-amused look. She honestly couldn't tell whether he'd been serious about starving her. Regardless, she decided that a change of tactics was in order.
Su Chan glanced furtively towards the door. Zhou Qin was still there, watching them. Miss Ideal Dinglu seemed to be frowning. Maybe she was getting impatient. Yundong did request her to wait for them after all.
Su Chan leaned closer to Yundong's ear. "Um... Why don't I... I kiss you some more?" she whispered, fighting the urge to fan herself to cool down her warm cheeks. "I- I mean wh- when we are in... private."
Yundong leaned back and gave her yet another heated look.
The temperature of her cheeks rose just a tad.
"Nonsense," Yundong said. "Why wait until we're in private? If we're gonna kiss, we'll damn well do it openly."
"Fine, fine..." Su Chan said, giggling a few times. "We'll kiss openly!" Then, she made several kissy sounds, which caused Yundong to laugh out loud. When he was done laughing, he hooked his finger under her chin and lifted her head up. Warmth filled her lips, and she felt as though she was melting. Mmmmmm... Then it was gone. She opened her eyes and saw Yundong smirking at her. She blushed, and smacked his arm. "You're shameless."
Yundong threw his head back in laughter while Su Chan stole another glance at the door. Zhou Qin wasn't even looking at them now. Her head was turned away and her fists were balled at her sides. Okay... now she's really getting impatient... Su Chan turned away from Zhou Qin and looked towards Yundong.
Yundong was studying the paper dolls. There was a deep frown between his brows. "Su Chan..." he said.
She didn't like that tone at all.
That was his Su-Chan-you've-just-done-something-silly tone.
Uh-oh.
***
Li Yundong grabbed his notepad and flipped through its pages. When he flipped from cover to cover, his heart sank to the pit of his stomach. Oh f*ck my life...
"U-um... Yundong... Wh- what's... the problem?"
Li Yundong wanted to pull every single strand of his hair off his scalp, that's the problem. "You tore off the page with the tips I jotted down..." Li Yundong said with a defeated sigh. "And now, here it is." He tossed the paper dolls onto the table.
"Oh. Do you still need those things?" Su Chan asked, looking genuinely puzzled. "I thought you could memorize the entire textbook easily now. I mean, I just told you about Guanxiang and your memory..."
Li Yundong considered that for a moment. Okay. Fair point. But it would still help to have some tips. Whatever. He was going to have to ask Sun Li about it anyway. Or wait... maybe I can just ask...
Li Yundong turned towards Zhou Qin, then returned his gaze to Su Chan
The fearful expression on his princess' face nearly made him laugh. But still... No harm in teasing her a little. Li Yundong feigned a stern look. "Listen up. This is your punishment."
Su Chan sat up straighter. Li Yundong struggled not to laugh. He cleared his throat. "Once we get home... you have to... kiss me a hundred times!"
Su Chan jumped slightly. The huge pout on her lips nearly made Li Yundong demand that she give him those 100 kisses right then and there.
"But my lips will become swollen after..." She blushed adorably. "After so many kisses..."
Oh... I'm not letting you off the hook that easily...
He poked Su Chan's head with his index finger. "That's your punishment for tearing up my notepad. Deal with it."
When Su Chan made a face at him, he finally laughed.
Then, he ruffled her hair. "Come on, let's pack up and head to lunch. You're starving right?"
Su Chan nodded.
"Good. Since Miss Zhou over there is treating us to lunch today."
Su Chan's eyes gleamed in a way which was only possible with the mention of food. "Really? Really?"
Li Yundong chuckled. "Yes, really," he said, zipping up his backpack. "Now let's get going."
Before he could sling the straps of his backpack on his shoulders, he felt a weight on his back. Su Chan's alluring scent filled his nostrils.
"I want a piggy back ride..."
That throaty voice brought a jolt of heat straight to his core.
Li Yundong turned around and gave Su Chan a helpless look. "Hey, quit messing around. Someone's watching us."
It was ridiculous, really, since they had locked lips in front of Zhou Qin earlier. But it was the best excuse his brain could come up with while struggling to hold back his not-very-helpful libido.
Su Chan's breath tickled the shell of his ears as she giggled. All of a sudden, his pants felt dangerously tight.
"I'll stop messing around if you promise not to make me kiss you a hundred times!" Su Chan said.
Why you sneaky little...
"Nope! No can do! I still want a hundred kisses. But if you really want a piggy back ride, I'll give you one at home!"
Su Chan giggled.
"Piggyback ride..." she said. "Wait! That would be like me riding a pig!"
Li Yundong growled playfully. "Hey! Are you calling me a pig? How dare you!"
He smacked Su Chan's butt, which induced another round of giggles.
Their frolicking was interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Li Yundong turned and saw Zhou Qin standing there, watching them with amusement. Li Yundong cleared his throat and lowered Su Chan to the floor.
"Sorry you had to see that," he said, then chuckled sheepishly. He ruffled Su Chan's hair a few times, causing her to giggle. "This girl is too playful."
Zhou Qin's smile widened just a tad. "It's fine," she said. "I... I kinda envy you." Zhou Qin was looking at Su Chan the whole time she said that.
"Oh, you don't really have to! Because you are an ideal ding— mmph!"
Li Yundong clamped his hand over Su Chan's mouth just in time to prevent her from finishing that sentence.
F*ck! That was close... Li Yundong sneaked a glance at Zhou Qin, who had a puzzled look on her face.
"Um... Excuse me? What did she..."
"Oh, it's nothing!" Li Yundong said quickly, then shot Su Chan a glare.
He leaned in and whispered into Su Chan's ear: "Idiot! You can't say things like that..."
Su Chan's cheeks puffed out adorably. "Oh..."
Zhou Qin still looked puzzled.
"Don't worry about it," Li Yundong said. "She meant to say that you're an ideal friend! Um... you know... for... for wanting to treat us to lunch."
Smooth. Real smooth, Li Yundong. And you wonder why you got rejected 21 times in a row...
Zhou Qin's confused expression morphed into a smile.
"Hello, Su Chan," she said, nodding at Su Chan. "It's good to see you again."
Su Chan returned the greeting with a smile of her own. "Hello..." she said.
Li Yundong did a double take when Su Chan bowed slightly. Whoa. Would you look at that. This girl had manners after all!
Zhou Qin's eyes were on him again. "So. Got a place in mind for lunch?"
Good question. He hadn't thought of a place yet.
"Maybe somewhere near campus?"
Zhou Qin laughed, much to his surprise. Maybe she was taking his advice and ready to drop the Ice Queen exterior?
"No," Zhou Qin said, shaking her head. "That won't do. You'll have to pick a proper restaurant and let me repay you properly." Zhou Qin looked at him, her eyes glinting playfully. "Besides, didn't you mention something about a feast? You can't really have a feast in a street stall, can you?"
Mirth bubbled inside Li Yundong's chest, and he unleashed it with a loud chortle.
"Well, small-town folks like me aren't hard to please at all," he said, then raised his fist in the air. "Our ability to feast transcends geographic limitations! In other words, we can feast anywhere!"
Seconds passed in silence. Then both Su Chan and Zhou Qin burst out laughing.
"Oh my God," Zhou Qin said, hiding her smile behind her hand. "You really are something else, you know that?"
Li Yundong patted Su Chan's back several times; she had laughed so hard that she ended up choking on her own spit.
"All jokes aside," Li Yundong said, looking towards Zhou Qin. "I really won't mind if you decide the place for us. It's your treat after all." Li Yundong held up a finger. "One condition though. Just don't pick a place where not even you can afford."
Zhou Qin laughed again.
"Oh, don't worry," Zhou Qin said. "There isn't a single place in Tiannan City that I can't afford."
Li Yundong chuckled, then glanced at Su Chan who had just recovered from her laughing fit. "See that?" He pointed at Zhou Qin without taking his eyes off Su Chan. "Spoken like a true moneybag." Then, he poked Su Chan's side a few times. "Now you can order twenty bowls of rice like last time without having to worry about us going broke."
"T-twenty?!"
Li Yundong turned.
The gobsmacked look on Zhou Qin's face might've just made his day.
***
"Come on, surely you're joking," Zhou Qin said. "Twenty bowls! That's ridiculous."
Li Yundong chuckled. They had just stepped out of the academic building. "Oh, no, that wasn't a joke," he said. "Twenty bowls."
"Normal-sized bowls?" Zhou Qin asked, still sounding skeptical.
"Yep. Normal-sized bowls," Li Yundong said as they moved past the turn which would lead to the garden. "This girl can really eat." He ruffled Su Chan's hair, and promptly got his hand slapped away. Su Chan made a face at him.
"But how could that— I mean, she has such a nice figure!" Zhou Qin protested.
"Yeah, trust me. That part confused the hell out of me too—"
Li Yundong stopped, causing Su Chan and Zhou Qin to stop as well.
Oh. It's you... Li Yundong's jaw tightened as he glared at Xie Fei, who was leaning against a lampost just outside the academic building with a cigarette held between his lips. Just then, Xie Fei glanced up and saw him too. Li Yundong took a step forward. Looks like today's your unlucky day, pal—
The f*cker ran.
Li Yundong growled. "Hey!!! Hold it right there!!!"
However, a voice sounded from the academic building before Li Yundong could give chase. "Li Yundong??!"
Li Yundong swiveled around.
Two girls, identical twins in fact, were staring back at him in awe. They were even dressed in the same style of clothes.
"I'm sorry, but do I know you?"
One of the girls, the one with a cute little red ribbon on her hair, laughed. "Aww... You've forgotten about me already?" she said, pointing a finger at her own nose.
Li Yundong appraised the girls again, searching his memory for their identities. "Sorry, but I really can't recall..." So much for having a photographic memory. Maybe he ran into the girls before all this Cultivation stuff happened to him.
"Oh, come on! McDonald's? Remember?"
Li Yundong frowned. "McDona..." He slapped his thigh. "Oh! You're the... the mascot!"
Ribbon girl chuckled. "Right. Now you remember."
Li Yundong gave Su Chan a stern look. "Tsk! You see? That's the girl you punched the other day. You nearly ruined her pretty face. How could you sleep at night knowing that?"
Su Chan was so gullible sometimes that he couldn't help but want to tease her.
Li Yundong watched in amusement as Su Chan shifted from his side to stand behind his back. The redness dusting her cheeks was a sight for sore eyes. "M- meanie..." she mumbled. "I- I told you already that it wasn't on purpose... She startled me."
Well, he already knew that. Punching things was Su Chan's default reaction when she got startled, if that TV she had broken in half was anything to go by.
Suddenly, Su Chan poked her head out from his left shoulder. "I- I'm sorry!!" she yelled at red ribbon girl. "I really didn't mean it!"
Li Yundong burst out laughing, then pulled Su Chan out from behind his back. "Nah... I was just teasing you," he said, tapping her nose. "Don't worry. I'm sure it's all water under the bridge."
Turning to red ribbon girl, he said, "I didn't know you were a student here. I've never seen you on campus before. Are you still working part-time at McDonald's?"
Red ribbon girl smiled. "Well, can't say I'm surprised that you don't know me," she said. "You're a celebrity around here. You wouldn't have time to spare for normal folks like us. And, to answer your question, yes. I'm still a part-timer at McDonald's. I think I can convince the manager to give you a discount if you come to mac dee next time!"
Li Yundong laughed. "Thanks, but it's okay," he said. "I don't think that's a good idea. Your manager's probably gonna take it out of your wages or something." Li Yundong turned to the other girl, the one with the blue ribbon. Then, he looked at red ribbon girl again. "If you don't mind me asking, who's older between you two?"
Red ribbon girl suddenly gave him a strange laugh. Somehow, she reminded him of a mischievous elf, or a pixie. "Why don't you take a guess?"
Li Yundong studied the twins for a few seconds. Huh. This might be easier to guess than I thought.
Li Yundong's lips pulled into a confident smile. "You're the younger one," he told red ribbon girl.
Red ribbon gaped at him. "How did you..." She shared a look with her elder sister, then turned back to Li Yundong. "That's amazing. How did you guess? Even our parents mistook us for each other sometimes."
Li Yundong waved his hand nonchalantly. "Nah... It's just a matter of observation," he said. "When you asked me to guess, I saw the way your sister was looking at you. It was warm and affectionate, like someone who was used to taking care of another person. So I just took an educated guess. Besides..." Li Yundong raised both palms. "No offense, but the way she carried herself seemed much more mature than yours."
Red ribbon girl chuckled. "None taken," she said. "Good one, though. Not many would have been able to tell us apart. As expected from my idol!"
Li Yundong groaned inwardly when red ribbon girl pulled out a pen before taking a notepad from her sister.
Oh man... not this again...
"So. Hero of Tiannan University. May I have your autograph please?"
Well, too late to back away now... Li Yundong chuckled, then took the pen and pad from red ribbon girl. He uncapped the pen, then suddenly looked at red ribbon girl. "Who should I make it out to?" he asked.
Wow. Months ago, he never would've imagined himself saying something like that. Not even in his wildest dreams.
"I'm Deng Yu, and my sister is Deng Jiao."
Li Yundong signed the notepad and returned it to Deng Yu. "Are you both in the same class? Which year are you both in?"
"Oh, we're first years!" Deng Yu answered, smiling exuberantly. "I'm in the Department of Foreign Languages, and my sis is in the same department as you!"
Li Yundong nodded. "I see. Well then! I guess I'll see you around in McDonald's or something?"
"Sure," Deng Yu said. "But I'm not gonna be a part-timer in McDonald's forever. So let's hope we run into each other then! Hehe!"
The twins gave him a wave each, then headed off. Li Yundong glanced at Su Chan and saw her staring after the twins in awe.
"Wow... Those are two very fine ding—"
"Oww!" Su Chan glared at Li Yundong when he pinched her nose.
Li Yundong gave her a stern look. "Remember what I told you about not saying that kind of stuff in public, hmm?"
Su Chan smacked his hand away and rubbed her nose. The huge pout on her lips brought a smirk to Li Yundong's lips.
"Can we go now, President Li? Or do you have more business to attend to?"
Li Yundong turned and saw Zhou Qin smirking at them.
"I'm sorry, what? President Li?"
Zhou Qin gave him a cryptic smile.
"Well? Aren't you? You seemed busier than a CEO who runs a Fortune 500 company from what I see."
Li Yundong laughed. "Not by choice, I assure you," he said. "Not by choice."
Suddenly, he remembered something, and his gaze snapped towards the direction that Xie Fei had run off to earlier. Anger gnawed at him. The f*cking coward had hired a bunch of goons to ambush him, and those goons had attacked Su Chan with knives. His Su Chan. With f*cking knives. Maybe he should move his Qi to his Shenting and activate his telescopic vision. As long as the bastard wasn't more than ten miles away, he could easily see where the bastard had run off to, maybe even find out where he and his goons were holed up. But then he would have to climb to a tall place for that to work. Where he was, there were too many objects obstructing his field of vision. Besides, Xie Fei probably wasn't stupid enough to keep running in a straight line, so it would probably take Li Yundong quite a while to do a full scan within a ten-mile radius. The thought of which caused his stomach to raise its objections by rumbling loudly. It seemed like he'd been wrong about today being Xie Fei's unlucky day.
Li Yundong snorted and returned his gaze to Su Chan and Zhou Qin. "He won't be so lucky next time," he muttered.
Zhou Qin was staring at him pointedly, which unnerved him a little.
"What?" Li Yundong asked.
Zhou Qin sighed. "Sometimes, a grudge is best left buried."
You don't know half of what the bastard tried to do to me... to Su Chan...
Li Yundong shook his head. "Whatever," he said. "Let's not talk about that piece of trash. I'll deal with him when the time comes. Now. Let's get going! I'm starving!"
Su Chan let out a cheer. "Yep! Yep! I'm starving too! I want a feast! A mountainous feast!"
Li Yundong snickered. Oh, he knew what "mountainous" entailed, alright; he'd seen it first-hand during Zhou Qin's party.
"Yeah? You can have a hundred plates for all I care," he said. "Just don't erect Mount Everest on your plate like last time."
Peals of Zhou Qin's laughter permeated the space between the company of three, punctuated by the sounds of Su Chan smacking Li Yundong's arm.
***
As they approached the campus gates, Li Yundong halted in his steps. His eyes widened in alert and vigilance as he turned around to look at the academic building again. What the hell was that?
Su Chan was beside him almost instantly. "What's the matter?" she asked.
Li Yundong stared at the academic building for few more seconds, then looked at Su Chan.
"I don't know," he said with a frown. "I just feel like someone's watching me."
Su Chan leaned closer.
"Xianjue?" she whispered into his ear.
Li Yundong shook his head and looked towards the academic building again. "No. I released my Qi from my Shenting when I woke up this morning."
"You're a celebrity in the university now," Zhou Qin said, her tone amused. "Of course there'll be people watching you."
Li Yundong chuckled and shook his head.
"Maybe you're right," he said. "Well. Let's get going then."
Li Yundong gave the academic building one last glance, wondering if he had imagined everything. Then he turned around and walked away, willing the niggling at the back of his mind to disappear.
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