Eighteen

Not just Chun Shijiu — many of the students eavesdropping and sneaking glances nearly fell off their seats. Gongzi Cong's shout thoroughly shattered everyone's romantic fantasies, turning him directly from a flower on a high peak into a scallion on a high peak.

Only Tianqi looked innocently confused: "Xiao Mu, what does scram mean?"

Zhou Mu's voice was soft but everyone could hear it: "It means get lost."

"……" Chun Shijiu was choked up, but since he'd been the one picking a fight first, he didn't have much ground to stand on, so he could only say sarcastically, "Well, a famous sword is indeed a famous sword."

As sharp with words as with his blade.

Gongzi Cong looked at him coldly, "Hmph!"

Zhou Mu, seeing the atmosphere getting a bit stiff, smoothed things over: "Senior, this is Chun Shijiu, my classmate, he lives in the dorm across from mine. He's just sensitive because of some past experiences being scammed, don't take it personally. He's actually a pretty bad person."

Chun Shijiu: "…………??"

He wanted to leave!

Zhou Mu turned to the others: "Back in middle school, it was just me and Senior Cong from the Yao Clan, and he looked after me a lot. He's just very straightforward, can't stand being questioned. He's actually very refined — you'll know once you've spent time with him."

Gongzi Cong also recovered his thoroughly immortal air, bowed slightly: "I was a bit hasty just now, pardon my breach of etiquette to all of you."

When his gaze swept over Chun Shijiu, despite his displeasure he still nodded in acknowledgment: "Since Zhou Mu said so, of course I listen to him, I won't take your rudeness to heart."

Of course I listen to him.

That line came out so naturally, and so unexpectedly.

This is a king's sword, a thousand-year-old divine weapon — not the stereotype everyone has. But just as Fierce Beasts in the stereotype are not easy to deal with, this kind of yao is also generally very proud. Even if he's close to Zhou Mu, saying something like this still feels unusual no matter how you think about it.

Tianqi immediately gave Zhou Mu an encouraging look. Our vice squad leader is really something — not to mention Fierce Beast You Qi, even Duke Huan's Cong is no problem.

Zhou Mu smiled back, and introduced: "And this is my squad leader, Tianqi."

Tianqi immediately shook hands with Gongzi Cong, and the Gongzi Cong who had been so aloof all morning gave him a firm handshake, saying: "Hello!"

Not treating him casually just because he's a child — or maybe he just didn't know what kind of impressive position squad leader actually is.

"And my roommate, You Qi." Zhou Mu finally got around to introducing You Qi.

"Roommate?" Gongzi Cong repeated those two words, paused, then actively extended his hand to You Qi, showing a friendly smile: "Classmate, you've had it tough."

You Qi: "……"

You Qi's expression wasn't great, but he still shook hands with Gongzi Cong, saying coldly: "It's only right."

Gongzi Cong looked at him with some surprise, about to say something more, when Zhou Mu interrupted: "Senior, you're here to eat too, right? Why don't you eat with us?"

"Uh……" Gongzi Cong showed hesitation, clearly worried about breaking off from his leader to eat with them, but unexpectedly, after hesitating he still agreed: "Sure."

This made it even more clear that the earlier "I listen to him" wasn't said casually — the two really are close.

Chun Shijiu's earlier full-blown displeasure, upon seeing that scene, all turned into a mischievous grin, and he didn't plan to leave either, sitting back down with them.

He looked at Gongzi Cong, then at You Qi, and found it extremely interesting. Ha.

Chun Shijiu even worked through the logic — Zhou Mu said Gongzi Cong used to look after him, and Gongzi Cong listens to Zhou Mu in everything, so Gongzi Cong is basically the middle school version of You Qi, right? He didn't reason it wrong, did he?

You Qi also noticed Chun Shijiu watching him with the eyes of someone enjoying a show, his face expressionless.

Actually……

Unlike the not-very-bright Chun Shijiu, he could see that Zhou Mu's attitude was very open, and the gentlemanly Gongzi Cong had no other intentions. Zhou Mu was always good to people, being enthusiastic about a senior he hadn't seen in a long time was perfectly normal.

But even with all these premises, hearing Gongzi Cong's words still made You Qi feel unhappy. Fierce Beasts have innate possessiveness and extremely strong vigilance, manifested in food, territory, mates, and so on — let alone You Qi, born tangled in the six desires.

You Qi had always suppressed it well, but that didn't mean his nature had been ground away — otherwise why self-impose shackles?

He lowered his eyes, his gaze gradually fierce as he reflected: must not be like Chun Shijiu, measuring a gentleman's heart with a petty person's.

Tianqi, picking at his food, couldn't help scooting a bit away. He didn't know why, but Senior You Qi usually looked fierce but restrained and didn't show it — why was he a bit like this today……

Gongzi Cong, after Zhou Mu's introduction, got himself a serving of food, smelled it and praised: "Worthy of the cooking you yourself appreciate."

'That's right, our Hualing Canteen has very high standards. I especially like these Dried Scallop Dumplings today.' Zhou Mu had already eaten his own Dried Scallop Dumplings, and he secretly saw that You Qi, who had started eating under his influence, still had some in his bowl, so he openly picked one Dried Scallop Dumpling to eat.

You Qi noticed Gongzi Cong watching Zhou Mu's movements, and his expression eased considerably, even showing a hint of a smile.

But Gongzi Cong watched for two seconds, his chopsticks suddenly paused, and he said eagerly: "Then, shall I give you all of mine?"

You Qi: "……"

……Truly despicable to the extreme.

But Zhou Mu had already eagerly lifted his plate to receive it, and Gongzi Cong was also lifting his own bowl.

You Qi suddenly reached out, with the speed of wind, and gripped Zhou Mu's plate.

Zhou Mu tried to pull it out, confused.

You Qi didn't move an inch.

Zhou Mu: "……"

Zhou Mu looked at You Qi with grievance — what is this, not letting him eat? What's wrong with You Qi, he's never been like this before!

You Qi didn't look at Zhou Mu, saying lightly: "Gongzi Cong is a guest from afar, how could we let you turn around and treat us at Hualing? We couldn't possibly accept."

Forcefully stopping Gongzi Cong, his other hand picked up his own bowl of dumplings, physically shoving Gongzi Cong's bowl aside, then poured everything into Zhou Mu's plate — the motion was decisive to the extreme, leaving them no room to refuse.

Gongzi Cong looked and saw there was no room left for him to pour his dumplings, so he could only retract his hand and still had to thank him: "……It was my impropriety, thank you."

Zhou Mu was no longer aggrieved, wanting to put down his plate and start eating, but You Qi's hand hadn't let go yet. He leaned down by his ear and said: "What do you want to eat? Isn't what's in my bowl enough?"

Others couldn't hear what You Qi said, they only saw Zhou Mu's ears turn red, and the two let go and continued eating.

Chun Shijiu was so full from watching the show he didn't need to eat.

He hadn't seen enough of this Fierce Beast guarding-food show, so he propped his chin and said mischievously: "The Human Race all say the best friends are the ones you make in middle school — that's when everyone's most innocent and feelings are purest. Zhou Mu, you must really miss the days at your old School with Gongzi Cong, right?"

Before You Qi could react, Zhou Mu immediately retorted: "Not at all! That's purely a Human Race saying. Although I have some Human Race blood, in the end I was still a minority at a Human Race school. When I was there, I only felt lonely and monotonous. At that time, Senior Cong did help me, but as for missing it — forget it. Nowhere is as rich and colorful as Hualing, and the school leaders also care about us minority yao."

Gongzi Cong: "Ah, yes, yes, yes."

You Qi had once thought that Zhou Mu, being among the Human Race, had picked up quite a few Human Race habits,

But hearing Zhou Mu speak now, he only then realized what kind of circumstances Zhou Mu had been in back then, and gained a deeper understanding of what Zhou Mu said about Gongzi Cong looking after him at school, and the joy of their reunion.

Although this Gongzi Cong……

You Qi said to Gongzi Cong: "Thank you for looking after Zhou Mu back then."

"Not at all." Gongzi Cong smiled. Not at all — it was his life that was hard.

……

After one meal, everyone became much more familiar, and their relationships much worse.

After going downstairs, Cui Jue's group had also finished eating. Gongzi Cong happened to go rejoin them, and the two sides met. Gongzi Cong explained to his superior Xie Rulin why he'd stayed upstairs to eat — he'd run into his school junior.

Cui Jue, as always, introduced a few things: "This is Zhou Mu, a student from our Aquatic Resources and Environment program. He and You Qi here have signed up for this year's Team Combat — you'll see them again on the arena."

Xie Rulin, following Cui Jue's introduction, looked over each of these students one by one.

Legend has it that the Xiezhi is "loyal and upright by nature, butting the dishonest when seeing people fight, and biting the unjust when hearing people argue" — born with the ability to distinguish good from evil, loyal from treacherous. His gaze was clear and piercing like ice descending, as if it could see through a person's soul in a single glance.

When he made eye contact with everyone, each person felt they had been seen through — worthy of being a fae beast with Qilin Bloodline, the undisputed choice for chief referee.

"Truly a strong contender for Champion." Xie Rulin's expression was subtle: "However, Hualing's method of handling Fierce Beast students is truly... distinctive."

Cui Jue also smiled: "Referee Xie, our school has also given this careful consideration."

Xie Rulin slowly nodded.

A flash of doubt crossed You Qi's mind. Anyone present hearing Xie Rulin's words would think he was referring to the Mouth Cage on You Qi's face — but You Qi himself, with a Fierce Beast's keen intuition, felt there was more to Xie Rulin's words.

Xie Rulin had already nodded in acknowledgment, and strode out of the Canteen.

The strange feeling still lingered around You Qi — what exactly was Xie Rulin talking about……

"Oh right, I brought some specialties from home, to prevent homesickness — my colleagues were holding them for me just now." Gongzi Cong's words interrupted You Qi's thoughts. He was about to leave, but took a package back from his colleague, and pulled out a transparent glass jar containing layered, glistening red Jar Meat.

Gongzi Cong handed it to Zhou Mu with both hands: "A small token……"

"Wow, haven't had this in ages!" Zhou Mu immediately took it and cradled it in his arms, looking at it from every angle, wishing he could open it and eat right away.

This time You Qi didn't stop him. Seeing Zhou Mu's greedy expression, he even took his chopsticks out from his Qiankun Sleeve, letting him taste as much as he wanted.

Zhou Mu indeed opened the jar on the spot. One bite in — it was stewed soft and glutinous with a bounce, rich and mellow but not at all greasy, so fragrant it made one want to swallow their tongue along with it.

He suddenly remembered that You Qi had given him all the dumplings earlier — he probably hadn't eaten his fill. You Qi had only just resumed eating — wouldn't eating this in front of him dampen his enthusiasm for eating?

Thinking this, Zhou Mu picked through and selected a small piece with the right balance of fat and lean, and held it to You Qi's lips: "You take a bite too!"

You Qi very naturally opened his mouth and took it.

Chun Shijiu couldn't stand this kind of thing — it kept reminding him of his own missed chance with Zhou Mu. Sourly he muttered a few words: "Still picking the smallest piece?"

The others hadn't reacted much, but Gongzi Cong's expression cracked first. The bag in his hand clattered to the floor, some of its contents spilling out from the opening without him noticing, as he stared at You Qi in shock: "You……"

You Qi: "?"

Gongzi Cong was somewhat beside himself: "My mother!! Zhou Mu is feeding you?!"

That expression said it all — probably not only had he never been fed, he'd never even been given any. Chun Shijiu wanted to look down on him. I said you were the middle school version of You Qi, but turns out you didn't even get a bite to eat?

You Qi smiled casually, showing his canines, and said offhandedly: "Laugh if you will."