Seeing Ye Tian's reluctant expression, Xiao Wu felt utterly speechless.
It was just deceiving Xue Qinghe's maid—was it really necessary to take it so seriously?
Besides, was she really that unattractive?
If it weren't to protect Ye Tian and keep him safe from outsiders, she wouldn't have pretended to be his girlfriend in the first place!
Now that things had already gone this far, there was no backing out.
Xiao Wu confidently walked up to Ye Tian, wrapped her arm around his right hand, lightly rested her forehead on his shoulder, and smiled sweetly at Qian Renxue:
"Taking care of my own boyfriend is my duty. No need for you to trouble yourself, Xiao Xue."
Qian Renxue's expression grew even more stunned.
Her eyes practically concealed two sharp blades, as if she could slash Ye Tian down on the spot at any moment.
She narrowed her eyes at him, her smile laced with hidden venom. "I never expected your girlfriend to be so considerate, Ye Tian."
Faced with Qian Renxue's veiled hostility, beads of cold sweat formed on Ye Tian's forehead.
He really didn't want her to misunderstand anything.
If there were any misunderstandings, Qian Renxue would definitely tell Hu Liena.
And then, he'd have a lot of explaining to do.
"I think you've misunderstood," Ye Tian said earnestly. "Xiao Wu isn't my girlfriend, she's just—ahh!"
Before he could finish, Xiao Wu pinched his arm hard.
A sharp, burning pain shot through his muscles—she really hadn't held back!
"That's right! I'm not just his girlfriend. We're already engaged, so 'fiancée' is more accurate!"
Xiao Wu lifted her chin proudly.
Inside, she was grumbling—Ye Tian was such a blockhead, easily swayed by beauty.
This stunning golden-haired woman was clearly sent by Crown Prince Xue Qinghe to seduce him.
If he fell into the trap, not only would his safety be at risk, but he might even lose his life over his hidden treasures.
To save Ye Tian, Xiao Wu was willing to sacrifice her own reputation.
After all, Ye Tian would be leaving in a couple of days, and this "Xiao Xue" was a palace maid who rarely left the Crown Prince's side.
Even if she made a scene today, no one would remember it later.
For the sake of her good friend Ye Tian, she was going all out.
"Oh, really?" Qian Renxue's smile turned even more unsettling.
Even now, they were still trying to hide the truth from her.
This completely shattered her perception of Ye Tian.
No wonder Ye Tian, who usually never left East Sea City, had come to the Imperial Capital—he was here to meet his little lover!
Realizing this, Qian Renxue frowned slightly, let out a light laugh, and without another word, strode toward the door:
"It seems Young Master Ye doesn't need my care anymore. In that case, I'll return to the Eastern Palace and report back."
Watching Qian Renxue's desolate retreating figure, Ye Tian hurriedly stepped forward:
"Wait, don't go—ow!"
Xiao Wu pinched his arm again.
Qian Renxue either didn't hear or chose to ignore his plea. Without turning back, she pushed the door open and left.
With Xue Qinghe's maid gone, Xiao Wu finally relaxed.
Then, she pursed her lips and shot Ye Tian a sidelong glare.
She had half a mind to lecture him—to make him understand that the more beautiful a woman was, the more dangerous she became.
But then again, wasn't this the age when Ye Tian should be falling in love?
She had just ruined what might have been a romantic encounter for him.
Even if that encounter was likely a trap set by Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.
And judging by Ye Tian's reaction, he had been more than willing to take the bait.
Truly, a fly doesn't hover around an uncracked egg.
"Alright."
Xiao Wu lifted her head from Ye Tian's shoulder and took a step back, putting some distance between them.
Then, she patted his shoulder and whispered playfully, "Don't worry, Xiao Wu-jie will find you someone even better next time—definitely not worse than that maid."
Ye Tian was speechless. He looked at her sincerely. "Do you not know I'm already married?"
"Oh, right." Xiao Wu's brain seemed to reboot as realization dawned on her.
Then, she tilted her head and glared at him. "Then you really shouldn't be messing around with that maid, Xiao Xue!"
Her voice was so loud it could be heard even outside the courtyard.
At that moment, outside the courtyard—
Ning Rongrong, Dai Mubai, and Zhu Zhuqing stood frozen, exchanging bewildered glances.
They had followed Xiao Wu here.
And they had heard every word of her conversation with Qian Renxue.
Ning Rongrong gulped, her face full of disbelief. "Xiao Wu knows Ye Tian is married."
"But she was still acting so intimate with him… and even said they're engaged," Zhu Zhuqing added weakly.
Dai Mubai sighed, glancing at the two girls. "Well, Third Brother's head is officially green now."
He felt a pang of pity for Tang San, but that was all.
After all, in the past five years, Tang San had never once come to see Xiao Wu.
Five years was enough to completely change a person's heart.
If Ye Tian had taken advantage of that, it wasn't entirely unexpected.
"But why did Xiao Wu lie to us at the hotel?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, gripping Dai Mubai's arm in confusion.
At the hotel, Xiao Wu had clearly told them she and Ye Tian were just friends—that her heart still belonged to Tang San.
Yet the moment they returned to the staff dormitories, she was all over Ye Tian.
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't understand it.
Was Ye Tian really that charming?
"Maybe she feels guilty about leaving Tang San," Dai Mubai mused.
"But Third Brother really went too far. No matter how busy he was these past five years, he should've visited Xiao Wu at least a few times."
"Sigh… They're both our friends. It's best if we don't interfere too much."
Ning Rongrong shook her head with a sigh.
Zhu Zhuqing frowned. "So we're just going to hide this from Tang San?"
…That didn't seem very moral.
"No need to hide it," Dai Mubai waved his hand. "Just tell him the truth."
"Should we go in?" Ning Rongrong ventured.
"No, let's not disturb them." Dai Mubai shook his head. "Ye Tian didn't even want to see us at the hotel. Why should we force ourselves on him?"
"Alright." Ning Rongrong nodded, casting one last glance at the courtyard before saying, "It's getting late. Let's all rest."
"Dean Flender said Grandmaster is returning from his exchange program tomorrow. We can all go see him together."
"Sounds good."
...
Inside the courtyard, Xiao Wu had no idea Ning Rongrong and the others had left—because of her.
After lecturing Ye Tian, she unwrapped an oil-paper package, revealing several boxes of exquisite dishes.
"Eat up. I brought all this just for you." Xiao Wu smiled, stretching lazily. "Rongrong and the others are still waiting outside, so I'll head out now."
"Alright."
Glancing at the food, Ye Tian nodded and let her leave.
He sat at the stone table and began eating.
The flavors were familiar—after just one bite, he recognized them as dishes from East Sea Grand Hotel, many of which he had personally created.
Recalling what had just happened, Ye Tian realized Xiao Wu had been trying to protect him by forcing Qian Renxue to leave.
He couldn't help but feel touched.
It seemed Xiao Wu truly considered him a friend.
But the truth was—
They could never truly be friends.
Ye Tian sighed softly.
Xiao Wu had a blood feud with the Spirit Hall.
And now, he was practically the Spirit Hall's chief strategist.
The only reason they could still be close was that his identity hadn't been exposed.
If Xiao Wu ever found out, she might turn on him in an instant.
"Better enjoy it while it lasts."
Ye Tian devoured the feast before him.
Soon enough, he probably wouldn't get to taste Xiao Wu's cooking again.
Before long, the Spirit Hall would launch its assault on the Clear Sky Sect.
Tang San, as a disciple of the Clear Sky Sect, would inevitably get involved.
And if Tang San fought, Xiao Wu would likely be dragged into it too.
"Since Xiao Wu treats me as a friend, I can't just stand by and do nothing."
Ye Tian silently vowed that if they ever faced each other in battle, he would spare her.
It would be his way of repaying her for saving him by the river and protecting him all these days.
...
The Douluo River flowed through the heart of the Imperial Capital.
Though not wide, its banks were lined with willow trees and flowers.
Every early spring, the tender willow shoots and blooming flowers transformed the riverside into a scene straight out of a fairy tale.
Even now, deep into the night, the riverbanks were still brightly lit.
Elegant pleasure boats drifted along the water, their enchanting music drifting to the shore.
Yet Qian Renxue, standing by the river and staring into its dark depths, heard none of it.
Her heart was too troubled.
…Ye Tian actually had a girlfriend.
The image of Xiao Wu leaning against Ye Tian's shoulder replayed endlessly in her mind.
She had to admit—Xiao Wu was beautiful.
A lively, adorable girl like her was exactly the type boys adored.
But that didn't excuse Ye Tian's behavior!
If Hu Liena found out, how heartbroken would she be?
…And she wasn't the only one whose heart would break.
Before she knew it, Qian Renxue's eyes grew moist.
Why did Ye Tian like Xiao Wu but not her?
Was there really nothing about her that stood out?
After some thought, she realized her biggest disadvantage was time.
Hu Liena could always stay by Ye Tian's side.
Xiao Wu probably could too.
But as a spy, she was trapped in a foreign capital, constantly scheming against enemies.
She hated this life.
The pressure was suffocating at times.
But she always told herself—
Everything she did was to earn her mother's approval.
To prove to Bibi Dong that she, Qian Renxue, was a peerless genius!
To make Bibi Dong regret abandoning her all those years ago!
"Heh."
Qian Renxue suddenly laughed.
But her eyes stung, and two traitorous tears escaped down her cheeks.
Only now did she realize how worthless her dream of winning her mother's approval truly was.
What she had truly lost was a youth she could never reclaim.
"So this is what growing up feels like."
Qian Renxue looked up at the dim stars, willing her tears to stop.
"I, Qian Renxue, am the strongest."
She forced a smile, but the tears kept falling, streaking down to her jawline.
Must be all the sand in the air irritating her eyes.
Years of pent-up stress weighed down on her like an anchor.
For a fleeting moment, she wanted to give up.
To disappear where no one could find her.
But she knew she couldn't.
Not when her grandfather had placed all his hopes in her.
She could apologize to anyone else—but not to him.
Grandfather was the only family she had left.
And she couldn't bear to disappoint him.
Not even a little.
"Ye Tian… If only I'd met you sooner."
Qian Renxue's voice was barely a whisper.
"But you'll never be mine now."
"I… really liked you. So, so much…"
As she watched the lanterns flicker on the river and listened to the distant music, she suddenly felt cold.
She tightened her robe around herself.
Eventually, her tears dried.
Her eyes burned from the salt.
But the pain cleared her mind.
Her expression shifted from sorrow to emptiness, then finally to icy detachment.
After one last glance at her reflection in the water, she pulled her hood up.
"I'm still Qian Renxue. Nothing about me has changed."
Her voice was firm—like a vow, or a warning to herself.
...
Back at Shrek Academy, a sudden fragrance filled the staff dormitories.
Rich with spirit energy, it invigorated everyone who smelled it.
Teachers on their way to class stopped in their tracks, murmuring in confusion.
"What's going on? Why is the spirit energy so dense here?"
"Could someone be refining pills?" one knowledgeable teacher guessed.
A balding colleague shook his head. "Impossible. Pill fragrances don't spread this far, let alone carry such potent spirit energy."
"If this really is a pill, it must be a legendary-grade one!"
"The last time a pill like this appeared was a thousand years ago!"
"The Dean's here," someone announced.
The crowd turned to see Flender approaching, hands clasped behind his back.
"What's going on? Shouldn't you all be in class?"
"There's an incredibly pure spirit energy nearby," Liu Erlong stepped forward, analyzing the situation.
Flender quickly traced the energy to one of the independent courtyards—reserved for the Shrek Seven Devils.
Frowning, he walked over, the other teachers trailing behind.
The closer they got, the richer the spirit energy became.
"This feeling… It's incredible! My stagnant Level 59 bottleneck is loosening!" one teacher exclaimed before sitting down to meditate.
Others followed suit—this was a rare opportunity. With this, breaking through a level in one day wasn't impossible.
"Ye Tian?"
Flender pushed the door open and saw Ye Tian circling a pill furnace.
The spirit energy was emanating from it.
Noticing Flender's unannounced entry, Ye Tian frowned but ignored him.
The pill was at a critical stage—one misstep, and it would be ruined.
He didn't care for himself, but if that happened, Xue Lanlan's leg would be beyond saving.
And then, Prince Xue Xing might just tear Shrek Academy apart.
Flender seemed to sense the gravity of the situation and quietly backed out, closing the door.
Using spirit energy to amplify his voice, he ordered the teachers:
"Everyone, clear out!"
(End of Chapter)