At the sound of the morning dismissal bell, Chu Lian stood up, walked over to Li Xiu'er, took her hand, and led her out. Leaving with her were Cai Ya, Liu Yanran, and Chu Chu, who had slept even longer than Chu Lian herself. The three of them followed behind as Chu Lian pulled Li Xiu'er along toward the rooftop.
This time, the girl would not be allowed to avoid it—nor hide anything.
"Chu Lian is always dealing with all sorts of things. Having her handle our problems too... it really feels a bit embarrassing. But watching her like this, so busy... she's unexpectedly charming." Lux Lyle sat at her seat, waiting for Ruriko Nana to come over. Watching Chu Lian and the others' departing figures, she spoke softly.
"Yeah. It feels like Chu Lian-chan has never truly relaxed. She just slept for so long earlier—she must have been completely exhausted. I really feel for her." Ruriko Nana naturally took Lux's small hand. After seeing her finish packing, she began walking forward with her.
"There's no helping it. She's everyone's support now. Once she helps us resolve those matters, we'll stay by her side too. That kind of life... must be very beautiful." Lux stood up, her long golden hair shimmering under the sunlight as though it reflected a dazzling glow. Holding Ruriko Nana's hand, she followed her steps and left.
"Yes... when I look at them, it feels like I'm looking at a painting of beauties in a garden on a quiet afternoon. I really like this kind of life. I've had enough of how things used to be." There was longing in Ruriko Nana's eyes. This school trip had made her fully realize that Chu Lian was the benefactor destined for both her and Lux—the one who would save them from the gloom that clouded their lives.
"This life is far more fulfilling than my previous one. My background may be excellent, but it never brought me any real benefit. All it gave me were restrictions—far less happiness than being by their side." As Lux spoke, her smile softened gently.
There was one thing she didn't say.
This life also had Nana by her side.
Having her there felt warm and gentle.
"It won't be long. Once Chu Lian-chan resolves all these troublesome matters, she'll definitely fulfill her promise and help us." Nana had unwavering faith in Chu Lian when it came to this. She would do it—of course she would. She had never failed, never broken her word. Someone as perfect as her would surely succeed.
"It won't take long—at most a few months. We've already waited thirteen years. A few more months is nothing." Reaching up, Lux brushed the strands of golden hair that had drifted before her chest back behind her. As she spoke, she suddenly noticed a petite figure quietly following behind them.
She tugged gently on Ruriko Nana's hand, signaling her to stop. Then she turned to face the girl and asked, "Student Qu, is there something you need?"
Although she felt an inexplicable fondness toward the other party, Lux would not allow her to approach so easily.
For ordinary girls without any special abilities, being irresistibly drawn in would be normal. But they were cultivators now, with discipline far beyond that of ordinary people. While they could not avoid feeling goodwill, they would not act inappropriately or lose their composure.
"Hey... can I join you? Being here alone is really lonely." Qu Ningmeng didn't seem surprised that they had turned around. She stopped in place and looked at the two girls as she asked.
"Join us? Why?" Lux was slightly stunned, unsure why she would say such a thing. The circle she and Nana had was extremely small. Apart from occasionally integrating into Chu Lian's group, they rarely interacted with others.
Even though there were two other white girls and one black boy in the class, she did not communicate with them. Students from different countries naturally formed their own circles, and without familiarity, there was no need to intrude.
After all, with Huaxia's rise over the years, it had long become a country that countless foreigners longed to live in. Although obtaining residency was difficult, many still persevered and eventually rooted themselves in this land.
Most foreigners living in Huaxia now, aside from their appearance, were no different from other Huaxia people at heart. They were neither excluded nor isolated.
She and Ruriko Nana were special cases. Their fates were similar, and their futures alike, creating an indescribable understanding and connection between them. They depended on each other deeply.
Moreover, they had grown up in their own countries before coming here to study, making them inherently different from those raised in Huaxia. It was only natural that they couldn't fully integrate.
As for the background Ruriko Nana had mentioned when she first introduced herself—well, it could be taken as a joke. She had her reasons for hiding her true identity. Whether it was Lux or the other girls, after learning the truth, none of them blamed or troubled her.
This sense of tolerance and gentle treatment was what they envied the most. They could only imagine how wonderful life would be if they could fully integrate into that circle.
Surely, it would be something worth longing for.
Originally, this situation would only change after their own problems were resolved.
Yet today, this transfer student—who had clearly come with her own purpose regarding Chu Lian—suddenly asked to join them.
How could they not be surprised?
How could they not wonder about her intentions?
Was she here with good intentions—or bad?
"Because you all look so harmonious. If I could be part of that, it would definitely feel comfortable." Qu Ningmeng clasped her hands behind her back, a faint smile on her face, as if she hadn't noticed the subtle rejection in their words.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible. We have our own matters to deal with." Nana pulled Lux slightly behind her and stepped forward to respond. Without waiting to see how the other girl reacted, she led Lux away.
"So there really is some kind of special relationship between them...?"
Watching them leave, Qu Ningmeng showed no anger or embarrassment despite being rejected. She simply stood there, thinking about the bond between them.
"Student Qu, would you like to have lunch with us?"
Most of the boys had already rushed off. The majority of those left were girls.
They had all noticed the conversation between Qu Ningmeng, Ruriko Nana, and Lux. Seeing her rejected, they approached with concern and carefully extended an invitation.
"Sure, let's go together. I'd be happy to eat with you." Apart from her terrible attitude toward men, she was quite tolerant toward women. Seeing them warmly invite her to lunch put her in a good mood—there was no way she would refuse.
"That's great, Qu Ningmeng. Thank you so much." The girls who received her agreement all broke into happy smiles. It seemed that simply being near this girl, who naturally drew affection, made the atmosphere brighter. She really was someone easy to like.
"From now on, just call me Ningmeng. 'Student Qu' or 'Qu Ningmeng' feels too distant." Although she had grown up in the United States, her Chinese was surprisingly fluent, carrying a unique accent that sounded a little unusual—but also quite adorable.
"Then... Little Ningmeng?" As if they had instantly grown closer, the girls asked with cheerful grins.
"Mm~ As long as it's not too weird, anything's fine. Just don't give me strange nicknames." Qu Ningmeng puffed out her cheeks, thought for a moment, and gave a reluctant but acceptable answer.
"Alright, alright, let's head to the cafeteria. You've definitely never had food this good in a school cafeteria—trust me." One girl stepped forward and hugged the petite girl's arm, pulling her along. Almost immediately, another girl claimed her other arm. The remaining two, who didn't manage to grab a spot, could only smile helplessly as they followed behind.
This kind of soft, fragrant closeness should have been pleasant.
Unfortunately, just as Tina once commented about the girls in this class:
"They're all way bigger than my flat-chested idiot master. Even if I switched one every day, I'd make a full rotation."
With modern nutrition, these girls had developed far beyond the norm.
Their height might not be particularly tall yet, but their figures were already well-proportioned and distinctly curvy.
And so, the sight of them sandwiching a girl who was only 119 cm tall, with a chest flatter than a tablet...
It was as comical as it could get.
Along the way, anyone who saw this couldn't help covering their mouths to laugh—even the male students who inexplicably disliked her. Of course, the girls laughed teasingly, while the boys laughed with schadenfreude.
Was it that she had already experienced situations like this and had grown used to it?
Or was her mental fortitude simply that strong?
Either way, her outward expression remained smiling and calm, without the slightest hint of dissatisfaction.
But inside, she was already screaming:
Why, why, why?! Not this again! Just because I developed a bit slower—do I really have to be bullied by these overdeveloped people every day? Big chests are the worst! Honestly, Chu Lian's flat chest is much better.
Well... if Chu Lian ever heard those thoughts, would she cry?
More likely, she would go berserk.
At this point, the topic of chest size had already become one of the greatest taboos within Chu Lian's circle.
All of it stemmed from the humiliation brought upon her by that cursed move—"Secret Art: Takao Slash."
"This school is unexpectedly comfortable. The environment, the atmosphere, and the students... it's all wonderful." Qu Ningmeng, who had initially worried that life at this school might not suit her, had completely changed her opinion after observing everything along the way.
The real key is the overall quality of the students here. Forming a team in this place actually seems like a great idea...
But this is Chu Lian's home ground. It won't be easy for me to insert myself. I should wait and see for now.
What she was thinking about now was how she could establish herself here in the future.
"We're here! Let's go to the third floor—the food there is the best. You'll definitely be surprised at how a cafeteria can taste this good." The girls led her into the cafeteria and pointed toward the third floor.
"I'm really curious now. You're all so confident—it makes me want to find out for myself." Qu Ningmeng truly wanted to see just how impressive this cafeteria was. Could it really surpass the delicacies she had tasted before?
That thought lasted only until she took a bite of tofu drenched in bright red chili sauce...
—and everything changed completely.