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Professor Yuan’s pained cries grew distant, fading with his retreating figure into the passage.
Yet, his sorrowful final wail still prompted a murmur from Huang Xiu. ‘Just a meeting… did it really need to be so terrifying?’
She mused, then turned her head.
Beside her, Yun Ning wore an expression of complete nonchalance, not even bothering to glance up. He was engrossed in twisting the weighted training ring on his hand.
“What do we do now?” the girl asked.
“Let’s just take a taxi back to the hotel.” Yun Ning tucked the weighted training ring into his pocket, sighing. “Professor Yuan’s meeting won’t be over anytime soon.”
“Alright!” Huang Xiu nodded.
The assessment was over; all she wanted was to return to the hotel, rest, and prepare for tomorrow’s tough battle.
The two walked together, traversing the long, winding passage they had come through, heading towards the elevator.
Along the way, Yun Ning walked with his gaze fixed straight ahead. Huang Xiu, feeling a little tired, didn’t bother to initiate conversation. Thus, they walked like familiar strangers, silent on the path, an ineffable quietude settling between them.
In stark contrast to the two of them, the other departing candidates, mostly in pairs, chatted animatedly. Though strangers just half a day ago, their conversations were remarkably lively.
As the elevator doors slowly opened, the moment they stepped in, they were immediately pushed into a corner by the influx of other candidates.
Initially, Huang Xiu worried they might be recognized. After all, in such a confined space, if they were truly trapped inside, even if she were to shout “Hail Hydra!”, she doubted she’d emerge unscathed. However, it turned out her concerns were unfounded. The candidates were clearly in an excited state after the exam; none of them noticed her hidden in the furthest corner. One moment they discussed their beautiful aspirations for life as Awakened individuals, the next they were planning where to go and have fun after this. Some students, loyal to the same institution, were even discussing a joint graduation trip.
Watching the group, a flicker of envy crossed Huang Xiu’s eyes. She too had once promised her classmates they would travel to the distant Dajiang Province after the college entrance exam. But fate had intervened, and she would have to break her promise early.
“Fancy going out tonight, just to wander around?” Yun Ning, who had been silent for a while, suddenly asked from the corner of the elevator.
“Go out?” Huang Xiu gave the young man in front of her a strange look, wondering why he had suddenly brought it up. But going out… a hint of excitement sparked in her eyes.
Her parents ran a convenience store, open almost every day of the year, save for the five days of the New Year holiday. They simply had no time to take her out. And she, always precocious and understanding, would never suggest something that might trouble her parents. Thus, the furthest she had ever traveled was to the neighboring county for a relative’s wedding. She had been to Yanghai City before, but never truly explored it. Given that…
“Then… let’s… go out tonight!” the girl replied. Though her tone was calm, and her face conveyed an air of indifference as to whether they went out or not, her slightly tiptoed feet, like a young deer, and the faint, almost bored curve at the corner of her lips, nevertheless betrayed her excitement.
“Where should we go?” As soon as they exited the elevator, Huang Xiu asked impatiently, walking towards the exit of the compound.
“Let me see,” Yun Ning said, pulling out his phone. Though it was his first time in Yanghai, it didn’t matter; the omnipotent internet would provide him with answers. And if all else failed, he had outside reinforcements.
Yun Ning opened a niche review app, sorting by “highest rated” to browse places worth visiting in Yanghai. As the provincial capital of Yunshang Province, Yanghai was undeniably prosperous, offering a plethora of dining, drinking, and entertainment options that immediately dazzled someone like him, who rarely ventured out.
At that moment, seeing Yun Ning struggling to make a decision, Huang Xiu simply tiptoed, leaned over his shoulder, and peered at the screen. Her shoulder-length hair, with its slight curl at the ends, brushed against the young man’s face, carrying a pleasant fragrance. Yun Ning recognized the scent of hotel shampoo, but it was mingled with a peculiar aroma he’d never encountered before. The fragrance was gentle, possessing the freshness of clear skies after rain and the vibrant vitality of sprouting spring buds. His finger, poised to scroll the screen, hesitated for a moment. Yun Ning seemed to realize his reaction was somewhat intense, and quickly regained his composure. With a touch of haste, a hint of concealment, he tapped to open the details page of a high-altitude restaurant.
“How about here?”
Huang Xiu didn’t notice Yun Ning’s unusual behavior; her gaze was fixed intently on the restaurant’s description. It was a Cantonese restaurant situated on the 45th floor of a downtown skyscraper, boasting beautiful ambiance and decent food. However, the restaurant’s fame primarily stemmed from its exceptional location. Not only did its windows offer a direct panoramic view of Yanghai’s landmark, the Yanghai Bridge, but it was also one of the prime spots to witness Yanghai’s fireworks display.
“Today is Sunday, isn’t it?” Huang Xiu calculated the date, her eyes instantly sparkling. Yanghai’s fireworks show was nationally renowned, performed every Sunday in the city center.
“But it’s so expensive!” Huang Xiu exclaimed, her excited heart instantly cooling at the sight of the 500-yuan per person average cost.
“It’s fine,” Yun Ning smiled. “Consider it a celebration from your senior male student for your successful exam today.”
“It’s okay, I still have money!” Huang Xiu shook her head, decisively rejecting Yun Ning’s offer. She still had 700 yuan on her; a single meal wouldn’t be an issue.
However, Huang Xiu soon realized her mistake. Yun Ning, having taken one look at her eager expression, knew that for Awakened individuals, each a veritable eating machine, the so-called “average per-person cost” was utterly unreliable. If they truly wanted to eat well and be full, that average cost would at least need to be tripled.
And so, after a satisfying meal, Huang Xiu broke out in a cold sweat, staring at the astronomical price at the bottom of the bill.
The girl gasped, “Did the two of us really eat this much?” Her money wouldn’t be enough!
“Mm.” Yun Ning pulled the bill with his right hand; once unfolded, the layered slips of paper stretched at least a meter long.
Hiss… Huang Xiu drew a sharp breath. Although the Jurisdiction Bureau had provided a decent Chinese lunch, after a fierce battle, she had been absolutely ravenous. The moment she started eating, she had transformed into a ruthless eating machine, oblivious to anything else.
“It’s fine, I’ll pay,” Yun Ning said, pulling out his phone. “Huang, you can treat me back once school starts. After all, I’m quite the foodie myself.”
“Alright,” Huang Xiu could only nod in acceptance, but at the same time, the idea of earning money grew stronger in her mind. Watching Yun Ning pay over four thousand yuan without a hint of distress, she finally couldn’t help but ask, “Senior Yun… are all Tiandu University students as wealthy as you?”
“Also… I heard from Senior Female Student Li that there’s a very generous scholarship at the school,” she added.
“Not really, no. While the school’s benefits are excellent, not all students are wealthy,” Yun Ning said, shaking his head with a smile. “My money comes from part-time jobs outside of school.”
“As for the scholarship you mentioned, it is indeed generous, but I didn’t receive it in my first year,” he said, shaking his head with a touch of regret.
“Huh? With Senior Yun’s strength, you couldn’t even get the scholarship?” Huang Xiu asked, surprised.