"Mmm..."
The pink-blue-haired girl stirred. Wang Dong'er lifted her drowsy head, her hazy eyes reflecting the handsome youth before her.
To Huo Yutong's shock, Wang Dong'er—clothes disheveled—swung a leg over An Zhen and pressed half her body against him. Her soft cherry lips brushed the corner of his mouth.
Huo Yutong shot upright.
Confusion filled the young girl's eyes.
Did Wang Dong just kiss An Zhen?
She scanned the room. Nothing seemed amiss—yet there they were: An Zhen lay in the center of the bed, Wang Dong'er half-draped over him, clinging like a koala. Both wore rumpled uniforms, likely from restless sleep.
But... why did she kiss him?
After the kiss, Wang Dong'er nuzzled An Zhen's shoulder with practiced ease, nestling into his embrace as if he were a giant plush toy.
Huo Yutong bit her lip, her mind in turmoil.
That's right! He's a total scoundrel!
In Huo Yutong's spiritual sea, Tianmeng Iceworm observed gleefully. The lazy golden-haired beauty lounged, her curves pressing against the "shore," a smirk playing on her lips as she watched the drama unfold.
The blue-haired girl hugged her knees, her socked feet fidgeting nervously. Her usually radiant eyes now resembled stormy seas. Then—to Tianmeng's disbelief—Huo Yutong curled against An Zhen, mimicking Wang Dong'er's pose. She even lifted his arm to wrap around herself.
Tianmeng Iceworm: ?
This isn't how it's supposed to go!
Shouldn't you stab him with your White Tiger Dagger?!
"Haa..."
Huo Yutong inhaled An Zhen's comforting scent, pressing her cheek to his chest.
She had little in this world. Those beside her were her most precious treasures.
Whatever the truth... she couldn't lose them.
Virtual World
An Zhen exhaled slowly.
He hadn't cultivated in the virtual world last night—choosing natural sleep instead.
Wang Dong'er's kiss had woken him.
"Tsk. Caught red-handed?" A handsome ash-grey man materialized before him. Yi Laike had just emerged from seclusion.
"Teacher, don't slander your student's honor!"
An Zhen was no villain—just a lover of all things beautiful.
Yi Laike shook his head skeptically. "Relax. Even if they dismember you with firewood axes, this teacher can put you back together."
"Can I learn that skill?"
"Definitely not innocent." Yi Laike had no interest in his disciple's romances—as long as no hearts were broken or marriages ruined, he wouldn't interfere.
Later, Huo Yutong—replenished by An Zhen's energy—rose contentedly, smoothed her clothes, and left.
An Zhen opened his eyes, gazing fondly at Wang Dong'er, who still lay fully atop him, deep in sleep. A soft smile graced her lips, as if lost in a sweet dream.
Caught in the act... yet still sleeping soundly.
Sleep on, then.
I'll join you.
Late Morning
Wang Dong'er stretched languidly. "Sooo comfortable~"
"You were the mattress. Of course it was." An Zhen's voice drifted up, dryly amused.
"Giggle."
Confirming they were alone, she shed her disguise, leaned down, and claimed her second morning kiss. Hands on hips, she declared haughtily, "Being crushed by this lady is your greatest fortune!"
"Mhm." An Zhen hummed, indulging her. "I'd let Winter crush me for a lifetime."
"Hmph!" Wang Dong'er tilted her chin up, her socked foot nudging his thigh. "Up! Serve me."
"At your command."
As An Zhen combed her short hair with a butterfly-carved wooden comb—a skill honed tending to Meng Hongchen's long locks—he recounted last night's three-way sleepover.
"You got lucky," Wang Dong'er huffed, having forgotten her dawn kiss.
"Perfect." He set the comb down.
Knock-knock-knock.
A familiar presence at the door.
An Zhen opened it.
"An Zhen ge, Wang Dong—I brought breakfast."
"Yutong!" Panic flashed across Wang Dong'er's face.
"What's wrong?" Huo Yutong turned, her adorable face puzzled.
"N-nothing!" Wang Dong'er recalled An Zhen's excuse: They clung to my neck—we had no choice.
Surely that would work?
"Was Wang Dong talking about hugging An Zhen ge this morning?" Huo Yutong asked as she set down the food.
"Th-that was an accident!" Wang Dong'er stammered.
"I know." Huo Yutong smiled faintly. "We were drunk and wouldn't let go. Your sleeping posture was just... messy."
"I'm never drinking again!" Wang Dong'er vowed solemnly.
Crisis averted.
Except for a certain iceworm thrashing in Huo Yutong's mind. Tianmeng couldn't fathom it—Huo Yutong must have noticed Wang Dong'er's instinctive kiss proved prior experience!
"Yutong! He's a scoundrel! They're deceiving you!"
Huo Yutong placed sweet congee before An Zhen, deaf to the protest.
Congee, steamed buns, scallion pancakes...
Ever observant, Huo Yutong knew An Zhen and Wang Dong'er's breakfast preferences by heart.
As they finished eating, silence fell—not from the morning's events, but the impending separation.
Wang Dong'er was going home.
An Zhen claimed he'd travel with a teacher.
Huo Yutong said she'd hunt for a soul ring with her Martial Soul mentor.
Two of them lied.
"Alright." An Zhen broke the quiet, ruffling both girls' hair. "It's just a holiday. We'll meet again."
"An Zhen ge!"
The petite figure flung herself into his arms. Jade arms encircled his neck as soft, sweet lips met his. Moments later, a flushed Huo Yutong nuzzled his cheek.
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye." An Zhen smiled.
Huo Yutong left, glancing back every few steps.
"Rascal." Blushing, Wang Dong'er whispered against An Zhen's chest, "Pull me into the virtual world."
Soon after, Wang Dong'er—disguise restored—fled An Zhen's dorm, bags packed for home.
"Winter's little feet are truly exquisite," An Zhen mused sincerely.
Time for his own holiday journey.
With everything stored in his soul tool, he locked his dorm and strode toward the Sea God Lake in a white tee and black pants.
Sea God Lake → Sea God Island → Golden Tree
An Zhen gazed up at the radiant ancient tree.
Magnificent.
How delicious it looked...
Butterfly wings of light unfurled on his back—the Light Goddess Butterfly. He flew toward Zhang Lexuan's residence, guided by virtual world reconnaissance.
"Who goes there?!"
A fiery figure burst into his virtual detection range, closing in fast. "Thief!"
"I am your martial uncle!"
"ROAR!"
A sacred, imperious dragon's cry echoed. Four soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, black—flared.
"Radiant Holy Dragon?!"
The intruder skidded to a halt.
Tall and lithe, with fiery red hair cascading to her waist, her alluring face was icy—yet strained, as if battling inner torment.
"An Zhen?"
"Martial Uncle An Zhen," he corrected.
Was this... her evil flame erupting?
"Xiaotao, Little Junior Brother." Yan Shaozhe materialized beside them, drawn by the dragon's roar.
"Xiaotao, go." Seeing his disciple's state, he understood.
"Mm." Ma Xiaotao—finding An Zhen vaguely familiar—dashed off without another word.
"Are you alright, Junior Brother?" Yan Shaozhe asked.
"Fine." An Zhen radiated confidence. With Yi Laike awakened, even a berserk Ma Xiaotao couldn't harm him.
Yan Shaozhe explained Ma Xiaotao's evil flame—his greatest worry.
"Looking for Lexuan?"
"Isn't she here?"
"She accepted an inner academy mission this morning."
"Oh." An Zhen departed.
Sigh.
Yan Shaozhe exhaled heavily. He had assigned Zhang Lexuan a trivial task to make her scarce. His junior brother was brilliant but... overly amorous, surpassing even his own youthful exploits. Knowing Zhang Lexuan's feelings had been bruised by past conflicts—and with so many girls around An Zhen—he felt compelled to help the girl he'd watched grow up.
Never give too freely. Play hard to get.
2:00 PM - Academy Gate
A disheveled elder awaited, chicken leg in hand.
An Zhen's "official" holiday plan: sightseeing across the continent. Mu En approved—youngsters should explore. Thus, a certain idle powerhouse became his guardian.
"Elder Xuan."
"Let's go." The elder washed down his meal with wine, his calm voice radiating Super Douluo assurance. "Cause as much chaos as you like. This old man's got you."
Escorting juniors? He had centuries of experience.
(End of Chapter)