Feeling utterly bewildered, Ren Suo quickly finished the last few bites of his meal.
"I’m heading back first. You guys take your time."
"You’ve used a lot of Spiritual Energy today. Try to get some rest early when you get back," Bai Ji said with concern, nodding.
That was true. After all, Ren Suo had been healing himself and his students today, depleting a great deal of Spiritual Energy. Although the recovery speed of the Second Tier Cyclone was faster, it would still take at least a full day to recover completely.
"Bro, I’ll come see you when I’m free in a couple of days."
"Goodbye, Big Brother Ren."
Ren Suo waved and left the fourth floor of the cafeteria while the others continued eating.
With Ren Suo gone, Bai Ji also left his seat moments later. He fulfilled his duty as the head of the teaching group by going around to soothe the students. Dong Chengling, her expression brooding, hesitated for a moment before telling Zhao Huo, "Teacher Zhao, if Teacher Bai asks about me later, just say I went back early too."
"No problem!" Zhao Huo nodded. The remaining tasks for tonight were just the concluding speeches and taking the students to their dorms. It didn’t matter that Dong Chengling, the vice head, wasn’t there.
Once Dong Chengling had left, Huang Xuehui breathed a sigh of relief. "Teacher Dong has such a strong presence," she said. "Sitting next to her, I didn’t even dare to breathe heavily."
Gu Yueyan laughed. "After you get to know her," she said, "you’ll realize that Teacher Dong actually has great Affinity."
"Really?" Huang Xuehui expressed doubt. "Maybe. But Teacher Dong doesn’t seem to show much interest in Teacher Bai either... Could it be that she’s an ice queen to all men?"
"I can’t even imagine Teacher Dong blushing shyly. She seems so dominant."
Zhao Huo, who was usually silent, suddenly spoke up. "Don’t bother imagining. I’ve known Teacher Dong for a few months, and I’ve never seen her behave like a demure damsel."
Lin Xianyu, while chewing on a meatball, said, "I... I haven’t seen it either..."
Gu Yueyan tried hard to recall. It seemed she hadn’t seen it either.
Ren Xingmei said, "Someone like Teacher Dong probably only shows her shy side in front of someone she likes, right?"
Huang Xuehui gossiped, "Hard to say. Teacher Dong is so assertive; if she likes someone, that person would definitely be Suppressed by her. Hmm, now that I think about it, Teacher Dong and Teacher Bai seem unlikely."
"If Teacher Dong is looking for a partner," she continued, "she’d probably want someone who cooks for her every day. That person would also need to be diligent in his cultivation, ambitious, and a homebody."
As soon as Huang Xuehui said this, the atmosphere at the table suddenly grew quiet.
It didn’t take Dong Chengling long to catch up with Ren Suo, who was leaning against a lamppost, checking his phone.
His disguise makeup hadn’t been removed yet, making his features unrecognizable. Under the warm yellow streetlight, he appeared both eerie and terrifying. However, as soon as Dong Chengling touched his head and felt the familiar texture, she knew it was Ren Suo.
"Hmm?" Ren Suo, who was wearing headphones and looking at his phone, lifted his head. He took off his headphones and asked, "Chengling, why are you out here too?"
"I need to head back too," Dong Chengling said.
"That’s right. You wouldn’t waste time on boring social interactions after you’ve eaten your fill," Ren Suo nodded.
Dong Chengling paused slightly. "Actually," she said, "I haven’t eaten enough."
"Ah?" Ren Suo tilted his head. "Then... why not eat something when you get back?"
Dong Chengling shook her head. After a moment’s thought, Ren Suo said, "How about coming to my place? I’ve been buying groceries and cooking for myself these past few days, so there should still be some ingredients in the fridge."
"Yes! If you come to my place, you’ll have ingredients to cook with!"
Dong Chengling paused for a moment, then smiled. "Okay."
Ren Suo led the way, saying, "Hey, I’ve realized these past few days cooking for myself that my culinary skills really aren’t that great... Your cooking is much tastier, Chengling."
Dong Chengling followed Ren Suo, her hands crossed behind her back and her steps light. Her face was obscured by the shadows of the streetlights, so her smile could only be vaguely detected in her voice as she said, "Is that so? After these busy days are over, and once school starts, I should have time at noon and in the evenings to cook."
"How much should I pay for the meals?"
"No need. It won’t cost much."
"But I actually have some dishes I want to eat, and I’d feel embarrassed to suggest them if I’m not paying." Ren Suo sighed. He had to take an hour-and-a-half round trip on the subway just to eat beef brisket with soybean paste over noodles!It was really time-consuming to go out for just one meal, and the dishes he cooked himself weren’t that great.
"Alright, just pay what you think is right." Since Ren Suo had put it that way, Dong Chengling couldn’t refuse.
"Then I’ll transfer you a thousand for household expenses every time I get paid," Ren Suo said casually.
This domestic chatter almost made Dong Chengling forget her purpose. As they rode the subway, she reminded him, "Ren Suo, actually, I wanted to tell you something."
Dong Chengling didn’t like to speak ill of others, nor did she want to expose Bai Ji’s feelings—she wasn’t the type of person who believed that ’telling the truth is always right.’ She knew everyone had their secrets. Bai Ji had been willing to share his feelings with her, and even though he hadn’t asked her to, Dong Chengling would keep them confidential. During her school days, she had seen many female classmates reveal their ’best friends’’ crushes, leading to teasing from other classmates and completely ruining the girls’ budding emotions.
If she caused Bai Ji and Ren Suo to end up in an awkward position, wouldn’t she become the villain?
So, Dong Chengling beat around the bush and asked, "What kind of person do you think Bai Ji is?"
"Bai Ji?" Ren Suo recalled his Bond Ability and replied cheerfully, "Oh, he’s an extremely good person."
How are their evaluations of each other so similar?
Dong Chengling opened her mouth, unsure of what to say next.
By this time, the elevator had arrived. Ren Suo went to open the door to his house, saying, "Actually, I invited you over because there’s something else I want us to do together."
Dong Chengling, who had been feeling down, instantly tensed up. She stared blankly at Ren Suo.
The elevator doors were about to close when she finally snapped back to her senses. She stepped out, her voice trembling as she said, "I... I’m actually not ready yet..."
"Ready? There’s no need to prepare. I already have it at home."
Dong Chengling instinctively stepped back, pressing against the elevator door. She looked at Ren Suo incredulously and asked, "You... you were already prepared?"
"Of course. Don’t you have it at your place too?" Ren Suo laughed.
"I... I definitely don’t have it at home..." Dong Chengling quickly denied.
Actually, I do have one, came the bashful echo in her thoughts.
Ren Suo looked at Dong Chengling strangely. Why would she lie about something like that?
"It’s not like I’ve never been to your place. You have a TV, right?"
"A TV?" Dong Chengling was startled.
"Yes." Ren Suo shook his phone. "Naiser uploaded a new video. Let’s watch it together on the big TV."
Dong Chengling asked, "Is that what you were talking about just now... watching a video?"
"Yes. Was there something else?"
"...Nothing." Dong Chengling, her face flushed, walked into Ren Suo’s house.
"Hey, weren’t you just asking if I had a TV ready?" Ren Suo asked, puzzled.
"I said it’s nothing!"