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"Yueguan, Gui Mei. Pass down the order—reduce all subsidies for Soul Masters above the Soul Grandmaster level by half. The funds saved will be redirected to support agriculture, livestock, and commerce in the areas under Spirit Hall's control. Any civilian household with children under the age of six will receive a monthly child-rearing allowance," Bibi Dong commanded, exuding an aura of absolute dominance.
"Your Holiness, shouldn't we notify the clergy ranked Platinum Bishop and above, and the Titled Douluos of the Douluo Hall, to hold a meeting?" Chrysanthemum Douluo asked, puzzled.
"There's no need. Notifying them is just a formality." Over the years, Bibi Dong had gained unprecedented control over the Pope's Hall—more than any of her predecessors in Spirit Hall's history. Aside from the Douluo Hall, which acted independently of her commands, all other departments obeyed the Pope's Hall without question.
"Oh, and reinforce protection around Ye Lan. I've heard he didn't join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?" Bibi Dong inquired.
"Yes, Your Holiness! Ye Lan turned down Ning Fengzhi's offer. Even offering his only daughter and future clan heir couldn't win Ye Lan over," Chrysanthemum Douluo reported.
"How interesting," Ghost Douluo remarked.
"Oh? What exactly is Ye Lan after?" Bibi Dong grew more curious. She couldn't fathom what kind of person would reject such an offer—especially when Ye Lan was merely a Soul Grandmaster.
"I do not know," Chrysanthemum Douluo replied.
"Don't interfere with Ye Lan too much. The disciple I've set my sights on—no one can take him from me," Bibi Dong said firmly, clenching her fists.
Half a month later.
At dusk, Ye Lan returned from the Great Spirit Arena, but this time, he wasn't alone.
With him were Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, each carrying several shopping bags of varying sizes.
Inside were ingredients, daily necessities, and clothing they'd bought from the market.
Although Ye Lan had insisted on storing the bags in a soul tool, Ning Rongrong absolutely refused. She claimed that this was the most meaningful shopping trip the three of them had ever had, and insisted on carrying the bags to truly experience the atmosphere.
Zhu Zhuqing also nodded in agreement.
Two against one.
Ye Lan had no choice but to comply.
An hour later, two bonfires—one large, one small—blazed within Ye Lan's courtyard.
The larger fire roared, sending sparks dancing and bathing every corner of the yard in a warm red glow.
Around the smaller fire were various cleaned and prepped fruits, vegetables, spirit beast meat, fish, chicken, and lamb.
Nearby, two oak barrels were stacked, filled with fruit wine.
Ning Rongrong picked up a few skewers of meat and carefully roasted them over the fire, her bright, lively eyes focused on making sure nothing burned.
Ye Lan observed her concentration and thought to himself: It probably won't taste bad. Even if it's her first time barbecuing, she's putting in so much heart—it can't possibly be bad. Food made with love could never taste bad, right?
"Teacher, this is for you," Zhu Zhuqing said, holding out a glass of fruit wine while holding her own cup.
Ye Lan accepted the drink and took a hearty gulp.
The chilled wine brought a refreshing coolness, with fruit notes and a subtle oak aroma lingering on the tongue.
Delicious! Buying ice from an Ice-type Soul Master in Soto City had been worth every coin.
"Zhuqing, slow down," Ye Lan warned, noticing her flushed cheeks. She clearly couldn't handle alcohol well.
"It's fine… I just want to drink with Teacher," Zhu Zhuqing replied softly.
"Alright, then tonight we drink to our heart's content!" Ye Lan lifted his large cup and clinked it against Zhu Zhuqing's smaller one.
On the Douluo Continent, there was little concern over alcohol's harm to the body. Any minor damage was easily healed by the Extreme Life of the Blue Silver Grass. That vitality was simply too convenient, so Ye Lan wasn't worried about Zhu Zhuqing drinking.
"Yes! To celebrate Teacher's thirty-three consecutive wins at the Great Spirit Arena—breaking the record for the fastest promotion to Golden Spirit Fighter in Soto City!" Zhu Zhuqing cheered, beaming with pride.
But behind her bright smile, deep unease churned within. Her teacher… was going to leave her again.
"Ye Lan! Zhuqing! Come taste the roast meat made by yours truly!" Ning Rongrong called out, proudly bringing over a bunch of skewers.
Ye Lan took a bite and—PFFT!!!
A bitter and salty taste assaulted his tongue. It was the first time he truly understood the pain the Ancient Beast's Touch had felt.
So much for food made with love!
Zhu Zhuqing, face calm, finished her skewer and nodded in approval. "Not bad. Better than Oscar's sausages."
After Oscar changed his incantation to "Delicious Invincible Sausage," Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing had stopped rejecting his food. The downside? Oscar's sausages had become almost inedible—either too salty, too bitter, or too spicy.
Hearing Zhu Zhuqing's praise, Ning Rongrong beamed. "Hehe, Zhuqing, you're the best. Ye Lan, you're just spoiled by your little maid!"
In front of outsiders, Ning Rongrong treated Ye Lan with the utmost respect—like a perfect student. But in front of Ye Lan himself, she was completely unrestrained. Ye Lan actually liked her authenticity. Only after getting close to him did she realize how liberating it felt to truly be herself. She felt utterly at ease in his presence.
To avoid hurting Ning Rongrong's feelings—and to stop her from "poisoning" Zhu Zhuqing—Ye Lan numbed his tongue and took the remaining skewers from her, finishing them one by one.
"…Barely edible. But no point wasting food," he said with his trademark bluntness.
"Hmph! Being able to eat food made by me is your fortune. Do you know how many people in the clan would line up for this?" Ning Rongrong pouted with hands on her hips—but secretly, she was overjoyed that Ye Lan finished all of it.
"Want some wine?" Ye Lan asked, taking a big swig of fruit wine after finishing the skewers.
"I'm not drinking. My dad always falls asleep after drinking, and it drives my mom crazy," Ning Rongrong gossiped about none other than Ning Fengzhi, one of the continent's most prominent figures.
"Hahaha!" Ye Lan burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Ning Rongrong asked in confusion.
"Nothing. Nothing at all," Ye Lan replied, chuckling.
"Zhuqing, do you know why her mom gets mad?" Ning Rongrong asked Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head and clinked her cup against Ye Lan's. The alcohol flushed her pale cheeks a soft pink.
Ye Lan took over the barbecuing, carefully flipping the skewers as the fat sizzled and danced across the meat. The aroma filled the air. The meat was crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside.
"Delicious!!" Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing nodded in approval.
Ning Rongrong raised her fruit juice repeatedly, toasting Ye Lan and Zhu Zhuqing over and over. The three of them drank as if to never let this farewell feast end.
Zhu Zhuqing felt her head spinning. Her gaze toward Ye Lan grew hazy.
Teacher is so good-looking… And so kind... Why am I so lucky to have met him? If only we could always be together. Forever.
Her flushed cheeks, along with her ears and neck, turned crimson. Gathering her courage, she whispered:
"Teacher… I…"
Noticing the change in atmosphere, Ning Rongrong immediately covered her eyes with her hands—but peeked through her fingers, clearly watching.
"Hm?" Ye Lan, a little tipsy, didn't catch Zhu Zhuqing's expression.
I like you…
Those words echoed only in Zhu Zhuqing's heart.
"Teacher… I… will miss you. I hope everything goes well for you in Heaven Dou," she said aloud, feeling a heavy weight lift off her chest.
At the last second, she remembered—she was still someone else's fiancée. She had no right to confess. Besides, Ye Lan's reputation as a "scholar" was already renowned in Heaven Dou. She couldn't let him carry even the slightest scandal. If he responded to her confession, he would be condemned for life. The more famous he became, the louder the condemnation would be. Thinking this, Zhu Zhuqing resolutely buried her feelings deep in her heart.
Ning Rongrong, who had expected a scene straight out of a romance novel, slowly relaxed. What a pity, nothing had happened. She didn't know why she had been so nervous—maybe it was because this felt like a scene from the storybooks she read as a child coming to life.
"Of course! It won't be long before we meet again. Can you defeat Dai Mubai, Zhuqing?" Ye Lan asked loudly.
"I can! I'll work hard! Dai Mubai isn't my target—the Nether White Tiger is!" Zhu Zhuqing shouted, releasing her inner turmoil.
"Rongrong, can you assist Zhu Zhuqing in defeating the Nether White Tiger?" Ye Lan asked again.
"Of course! Zhuqing is my best friend. I'll definitely help her!" Ning Rongrong shouted back.
"Hahahaha!" The three laughed together under the sky.
A while later.
Two of them lay drunk on the grass.
After cleaning up, Ning Rongrong looked at the sleeping Ye Lan and Zhu Zhuqing. She approached Ye Lan and carefully studied his face.
She remembered the first time she saw him—she had lost her composure and stared for three whole seconds. After that, she never dared look at his face for too long, always averting her eyes, unable to meet his deep gaze.
But now, she stared for nearly a full minute before pulling back. She didn't know why she had wanted to look at him, only that now, after having her fill, her strange fixation was gone.
Looking at the two sleeping side by side, a bold idea flashed in her mind.
She knew Zhu Zhuqing liked Ye Lan. He was her emotional support. And Zhu Zhuqing was the best sister to her, always caring for her despite being younger.
So, Ning Rongrong wanted to help them get together.
She'd heard that if a man and woman slept in the same bed, they were considered a couple and would never part again.
So she carried the unconscious Ye Lan and Zhu Zhuqing into the master bedroom and laid them down together.
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes remained shut, her long lashes trembling. She curled up in Ye Lan's arms, like a cute kitten.
Watching them, Ning Rongrong felt a sharp pain in her chest.
It hurt.
It hurt so much.
A pain unlike any she'd ever known.
She didn't understand why her heart ached so badly.
Clutching her chest, Ning Rongrong turned and ran back to the academy.
As she left, the girl who never drank took a bottle of fruit wine with her…
(End of Chapter)