Chapter Eleven

After training ended, Dean of Studies Cui Jue appeared, asked about today's situation, and smiled when he heard Xu Tianyi say Zhou Mu and Xiao Xiao had completed a good interaction.

But once the smile passed, he felt Xu Tianyi's gaze on him was off. "What's wrong?"

Xu Tianyi didn't dare say. "Nothing."

Cui Jue had a strong sense something was wrong. "Out with it!"

"It's nothing, Director Cui. I just saw Senior Xiao Xiao today and thought your cultivation had advanced again." Xu Tianyi flattered. "You can even break a divine dog's teeth."

"Who said that!" Cui Jue nearly lost his breath. His gaze swept to Zhou Mu nearby, and he couldn't help looking reproachful.

"Is this something I shouldn't say? There's no hard proof, but plenty of people have already guessed it was you." Xu Tianyi kept flattering, saying even he felt his teeth ache — he must never offend Director Cui in the future.

"Heh, then my ancestral grave really must be smoking." Cui Jue beckoned to Zhou Mu, who had noticed his gaze. "Zhou Mu, come here a moment. Perfect — come with me, there are still some issues with the subsidy."

Zhou Mu walked over reluctantly. "Didn't I already collect it?"

Cui Jue laughed dryly. "There are still some procedures to complete. I sent you a WeChat message but you always forget to come find me." He glanced at Zhou Mu's ankle. "Come on, do I need to support you, heh heh."

Zhou Mu said pitifully: "Yes, thank you. My injury hasn't healed yet." He turned to You Qi. "You go back to the dorm first, don't wait for me."

"Heh heh heh, good." Cui Jue supported Zhou Mu away.

Zhou Mu had walked some distance, but You Qi could still hear him complaining to Cui Jue: "Can we file a complaint against Shou Teacher at Jinyuan..."

He couldn't help the slight curl at the corner of his mouth.

...

Zhou Mu followed Cui Jue into his Office with light steps. The room was spacious, the furnishings simple — beyond the desk, cabinets, and bookshelf, there was a Luyi Terrace of the same form as the one at Jinyuan used to display Shou Teacher.

But today there was one more thing — Senior Xiao Xiao was in the Office. Dog food was scattered all over the floor, and he was eating heartily. The cabinet holding the dog food had a big hole in it, obviously his doing.

Cui Jue's face changed. "Xiao Xiao—"

As a rare and symbolically significant divine dog, Xiao Xiao's food was specially made and personally stored by the Dean of Studies. Today, after finishing work, Xiao Xiao had come to Cui Jue's Office feeling wronged and dug out his food.

Xiao Xiao wasn't afraid when he heard Cui Jue's voice, and even took the opportunity to eat two more big bites while Cui Jue was putting the food away.

When he raised his head again, Xiao Xiao saw Zhou Mu staring at him with a smile. "Cough! Cough!"

How is it him again?

Xiao Xiao coughed twice, nearly vomiting up the dog food, lowered his head with his tail tucked and ran for the door, not daring to meet Zhou Mu's eyes, let alone touch his hem.

One meeting and his teeth fall out, two meetings and he nearly gets rubbed bald... he couldn't afford to lose anything else!

"Sigh—" Cui Jue rubbed his head troubledly, walked to the Luyi Terrace, and said to Zhou Mu, "Well then, sorry to trouble you again, Zhou Mu."

.

Zhou Mu walked out of the Office and received a WeChat message from the middleman.

The Tiger Hawk he had crafted had found a buyer. They were already discussing the price, and just the pair of wings alone could sell for at least a hundred thousand. Once they got Zhou Mu's authorization, the middleman would sign a contract, shipping and paying simultaneously.

Such a windfall was coming in, and Zhou Mu thought about what gift to give You Qi.

This was rare for Zhou Mu. Given that he was currently having a bit of a falling out with his family and not accepting living expenses, he was still a sheltered child who grew up pampered. But after all, they were now close roommates, and the raw materials had been provided by You Qi.

But what should he give?

You Qi didn't seem to have any hobbies, he didn't really eat much, and even the major he was studying now might not be what he liked.

Zhou Mu pinched his phone as he walked back to Building 5, his mind full of what You Qi might like.

Someone seemed to be coming downstairs beside him, brushing past, but Zhou Mu was lost in his own thoughts and didn't notice.

Missing by half a step, the person beside him suddenly lunged and pinned Zhou Mu!

Zhou Mu pressed against the wall, looked up and saw Chun Shijiu's face. "What are you doing?"

"Your reaction is too slow. It's been so long since school started, and you still don't mobilize your spiritual power." Chun Shijiu pressed Zhou Mu with one hand, holding a chocolate ice cream bar in the other, speaking slowly and provocatively. "You can't let your guard down just because you have You Qi protecting you. Hualing Academy is very dangerous."

Chun Shijiu leaked a bit of a cold, sinister aura, leaned closer, his two green eyes briefly condensing into vertical pupils, then returning.

Zhou Mu stared at him.

Chun Shijiu: "I heard you've been training a dog lately, not even afraid of seniors anymore?"

Zhou Mu's expression finally changed. He hesitated. "You..."

Scared? I'm fiercer than a dog, Chun Shijiu said smugly. "What are you hemming and hawing about? Just say it."

If you want to beg for mercy, say it out loud, just like you do around You Qi.

Zhou Mu stared at him intently, and indeed mustered his courage to loudly implore: "Your popsicle is melting! Please lick it quickly!"

"..." What the hell. Chun Shijiu looked at the popsicle in his right hand, opened his mouth and swallowed it in one bite. A bit cold.

Zhou Mu saw him eat the popsicle and finally breathed a sigh of relief. Ugh, watching him just now was killing him.

"Hey, can you stop suddenly appearing out of nowhere." Zhou Mu said with his head lowered.

Actually, this place wasn't far from Room 1203. Chun Shijiu hadn't planned to do anything, just wanted to scare Zhou Mu. He walked down leisurely, not looking back. "Hehe, no."

"Wait, Chun Shijiu," Zhou Mu called out to him. "Can I ask you something?"

Chun Shijiu found it strange. "What?"

Zhou Mu said sincerely: "I want to ask you, do you know what You Qi likes? I want to give him a gift."

Chun Shijiu's face darkened.

He had wanted to just leave, but thought about it and, holding the popsicle stick, sized up Zhou Mu. "Heh, I can tell you, but then you tell me — what race are you, that made Cui Jue step in to protect you from the first day of school."

Chun Shijiu had said it casually, almost like venting, but didn't expect Zhou Mu to hesitate not at all and say: "Okay!"

He looked at Zhou Mu in surprise. Is he stupid? Just to give You Qi a gift?

You Qi's reputation is even worse than mine, just because he protected you. It's laughable — who knows if this protection isn't just fattening him up to eat later. And clearly last time in the kitchen, I helped you too.

After a while, Chun Shijiu laughed. "Forget it, how can one casually reveal their true form — cook me a dish. I want blanched octopus. Just right, tomorrow Gui Youqi and I have a class together."

Zhou Mu said without thinking: "No! How can you do that to Gui Gui!"

Chun Shijiu: "..."

Don't think I can't tell the emphasis is on 'you' — meaning only you can go to the sea?

How can someone rather say their true form than cook, Chun Shijiu ground his teeth, squeezed out: "Fine, then the original terms."

Zhou Mu actually nodded again.

So casual — growing up in the Human Race really does mean not enough vigilance.

Although Chun Shijiu and You Qi weren't exactly close friends, they'd been classmates for a few years and lived across from each other. Chun Shijiu snorted: "You Qi doesn't have any hobbies usually, but he really hates that Mouth Cage. If you have the heart, you can give him an early graduation, remove the Restriction."

Zhou Mu: "...Where am I supposed to get him an early graduation??"

And what's the difference between saying this and not saying anything? Does You Qi hate the Mouth Cage need you to say it?

Chun Shijiu: "Or give him a mom. He doesn't have a good relationship with his mom."

Zhou Mu: "..."

"Now it's your turn," Chun Shijiu crossed his arms. "Tell me, what are you?"

Zhou Mu felt it was unfair. "Does this count?"

Chun Shijiu said deliberately: "Why wouldn't it count?"

He saw Zhou Mu reluctantly dawdling, also quietly complaining: "Asked for nothing, might as well have asked your roots."

Chun Shijiu found it funny, tapped Zhou Mu's shoulder. "Fine, I won't bully you too much. I'll tell you my roots too."

Zhou Mu: "Huh?"

Chun Shijiu had never publicly disclosed his roots — he had no interest in always appearing in his true form. Now he was in the mood to exchange with Zhou Mu. Of course, him revealing his roots and Zhou Mu revealing his had very different implications, since no one dared covet him.

Chun Shijiu blinked his green eyes, hinting: "I was born in the southwest, appear in spring."

Zhou Mu searched his mind briefly and immediately said: "You're a Baile Snake who achieved Dao!"

No wonder — he said it felt familiar...

Chun Shijiu nodded.

"Sigh, fine, then I'll tell you too." Zhou Mu sighed long and quietly said, "You know I come from a Human Race settlement. Do you know where in the Human Race I'm from?"

Chun Shijiu: "Where?"

Zhou Mu: "Chang'an."

Chang'an? Chun Shijiu didn't understand. "So what? What does that have to do with your roots?"

Zhou Mu took a deep breath and seriously said: "I am the second terracotta warrior from the left in the fourth row of Pit Three of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor Museum, a national 5A-level tourist attraction, who received the essence of heaven, earth, sun, and moon and achieved Dao. I am a national first-class protected cultural relic. After I was cast, when the First Emperor came to inspect, he caressed me for two whole hours because of my exquisite craftsmanship, and I thus absorbed the Imperial Purple Qi from the First Emperor's body, which produces a fatal attraction to the Yao Clan. Hualing Academy, entrusted by the Human Race government, protects me according to law. If you touch me, you're breaking the law!"

Chun Shijiu: "!!!"

Chun Shijiu lost his voice. "Really?"

Zhou Mu ran up the stairs with thumping steps, looking up, and saw You Qi who had appeared at some unknown time, arms crossed, leaning against the wall.

You Qi reached out, grabbed Zhou Mu who was still four or five steps away, and easily pulled him behind him. Chun Shijiu might not understand, but he heard it immediately. Looking down from his higher position, his tone mocking: "Of course it's fake. How can you casually say your true form? Are you stupid?"

Chun Shijiu: "............"