Volume One, Chapter 12: Dining with the Campus Belle
“Director Li, did you need to see me for something?” Li Bin’s gaze shifted to Jiang Buyue standing nearby, his eyes tinged with displeasure.
He never expected that the fool from this morning was actually Luo Xiang, the son of Luo Hengwei, president of the Wan Yaoge branch in Jiangnan Base City. The Luo family held considerable influence there.
“You’re Jiang Buyue, right?” Jiang Buyue nodded.
“Do you know who the father of the person you hit this morning is?” Jiang Buyue nodded again. Of course he knew. When he was slapped, he kept muttering that his father was weak—he wondered who would name their child that way.
“You know his dad, yet you still dared to provoke him!”
“He made the first move. I was just defending myself—maybe a little too aggressively.”
Li Bin’s face flushed red, as if he were a monkey from Mount Emei, furious beyond words.
Sighing, Li Bin said, “I have some acquaintance with Luo Hengwei and know the family well. Although this isn’t your fault, Luo Xiang’s mother is notoriously hot-tempered and cannot bear to see her son suffer any injustice. Your safety can be guaranteed on school grounds, but outside, you’d better be careful.”
Jiang Buyue nodded. “Thank you for the warning, Director Li. I’ll be more cautious.”
Li Bin had served as the discipline director for years, so he was quite capable, with a far-sighted perspective and a good sense of fairness. If it weren’t for the current principal having powerful backing, Li Bin might have long ago taken over the position.
Meeting Jiang Yiyun’s approving glance, Li Bin’s anger flared up again and he vented his frustration on Jiang Yiyun. “Why didn’t you stop your student this morning?”
Jiang Yiyun had no words to defend himself. He had also gone to watch the commotion, but when he arrived, the two were already fighting fiercely. Jiang Buyue’s use of the Perfect Shadow Step left him baffled; he even doubted if this was really his worst student.
…
“Jiang Buyue, that’s all I have to say. You have less than two months left to focus on studying. With your current strength, getting into a top university shouldn’t be a problem,” Jiang Yiyun said.
Jiang Buyue asked, “Teacher Jiang, for the top five universities—Kyoto University, Magic City University, Mountain City University, Hang City University, and Peng City University—what level of cultivation is required to get in?”
Jiang Yiyun looked at Jiang Buyue as if he were looking at a foolish sow. “That’s a dream you might have at night, but don’t entertain such unrealistic thoughts during the day.”
“To apply to these top martial arts universities, the minimum qualification is a first-level warrior with twelve meridians, at least three of which must be unblocked, plus proficiency in two martial arts techniques.”
“You should give up on these unrealistic ideas early! Getting into a top martial arts university is already an unattainable dream for many,” Jiang Yiyun said earnestly.
Jiang Buyue nodded silently. Nothing he said now would matter; only real ability could prove everything.
…
High schools in this world had no evening study sessions. Most nights were left to students’ own arrangements.
You could choose to engage in thrilling battles in Summoner’s Canyon, train at a martial arts hall to hone your skills, or hide under the covers watching videos of two people.
Of course, Jiang Buyue had no money for the martial arts hall. Even using the dedicated training facilities cost 300 Chinese yuan per hour, not to mention private coaching.
…
“Huh?”
Jiang Buyue spotted a familiar figure.
A pair of slender, snow-white long legs appeared in his line of sight.
Like a goddess descended to the mortal world, she leaned against the campus wall.
Bai Ruixue?
A scene from this afternoon flashed in Jiang Buyue’s mind—if Bai Ruixue’s strike had been aimed at him, even with his Perfect Shadow Step, he wouldn’t have been sure to dodge it.
…
Though he managed to evade Yi Ruiqi’s sneak attack this morning thanks to the Shadow Step, the other had helped him. He owed her his thanks.
Jiang Buyue approached Bai Ruixue. “Bai… Ruixue, thank you for this afternoon!”
Bai Ruixue glanced at him. “Do you just like looking at my legs that much?”
Jiang Buyue: (expressionless)
“Uh~”
He was speechless.
…
“So, what now?”
Jiang Buyue blinked. “What do you mean, what now?”
“Idiot.”
“You just say thanks and that’s it?”
“Uh~ what else do you want?”
“Go away!”
Jiang Buyue was speechless. He asked what she wanted, and she told him to scram? Just scram? Can’t mess with her? Well, can’t he scram?
He was about to leave when Bai Ruixue’s voice rang out again. “Hey! I’m hungry. You have to treat me to dinner.”
Jiang Buyue was a little surprised.
“Oh?”
At 7:30 p.m., Jiang Buyue brought Bai Ruixue to the all-you-can-eat hotpot restaurant next to Hao Ju.
“You don’t often bring Li Shishi here for meals, do you?”
Jiang Buyue frowned slightly. “Why do you mention him?”
Bai Ruixue said, “Because you like him!”
Jiang Buyue replied, “I stopped liking him a long time ago!”
Bai Ruixue snorted coldly, disbelief written all over her face.
Jiang Buyue stared at her for a long while. That face, that figure, those legs—was she straight out of Meitu Xiuxiu?
“Ah…”
A scream.
“What are you doing?”
Bai Ruixue said coldly, “If you keep staring, I’ll gouge your eyes out!”
Thunder rumbled, lightning flashed, and a loud boom shattered the silence.
The rainstorm roared outside.
Bai Ruixue’s whole body trembled uncontrollably.
Jiang Buyue noticed something was wrong.
“What’s wrong? Why do you look so pale?”
Boom!
Another thunderclap.
Bai Ruixue shivered once more.
…
“Afraid of thunder?”
Jiang Buyue thought that, as someone who spent most of his time in clubs and managed over ten club memberships, what Bai Ruixue needed now was a haven—a loving embrace!
He sat beside her, patted her shoulder gently, and whispered, “Afraid of thunder?”
The girl whispered softly, “Yes.”
Jiang Buyue had never expected the school’s cold goddess to be afraid of thunder!
Suddenly, a heavy explosion cracked above them.
Jiang Buyue was startled by the sudden roar.
Bai Ruixue screamed in fright and threw herself into Jiang Buyue’s arms!
Jiang Buyue: (wide-eyed)
He caught the faint fragrance from her, pure and elegant like gardenias after the rain.
Holding the trembling girl, a strange feeling welled up in his heart—an indescribable emotion, his heart pounding fiercely.
He comforted the frightened girl softly, wrapping his arms around her waist.
Her waist was delicate and slender, fitting perfectly in his grasp—graceful and curvaceous, soft as glutinous rice.
Time passed unknowingly.
As night deepened, the raindrops seemed tired, their pattering slowing.
The puddles on the street glowed gently under the streetlights.
The heavy rain had lasted only about ten minutes.
The two lowered their heads, eating hotpot; the girl’s cheeks still flushed like a ripe apple, the color not yet fading.
Unnoticed by them, outside the restaurant, a Land Rover Range Rover was parked by the roadside, the occupants watching the two inside.
Jiang Buyue glanced subtly at the girl opposite him; her eating was elegant, a pleasing sight—she never showed her teeth while chewing.
Inside the car was a middle-aged man, dark-faced as he stared at the pair in the hotpot restaurant.
Soon Jiang Buyue noticed something, looked toward the Range Rover, and locked eyes with the middle-aged figure.
Instantly alert, he recalled this morning’s incident—he had beaten the son of the Wan Yaoge branch president into a mess. Could this be retaliation?
“Bai Ruixue, someone is watching us.”
At Jiang Buyue’s words, Bai Ruixue followed his gaze, a trace of panic flickering across her face. “That’s my dad!”
Jiang Buyue breathed a sigh of relief. “Your dad? Then I’m okay with that.”
…
Jiang Buyue suddenly realized.
“What did you just say?!”
“That’s your dad!!!”
He looked toward the Range Rover; the murderous glare from inside was chilling.
Inside the vehicle was Bai Xiuhu, who had finally found time to pick up his daughter. Upon arriving at the school gate, he saw his precious daughter leaving with a boy.
Damn it! His beloved, his precious pearl of the Bai family, was eating hotpot with a boy.
And that embrace just now—he saw it all clearly!