24: Chapter 24 Did you do something shameful to my stockings?
Outside the elevator, Jiang Longji held two bottles of Fire Bull drinks, completely dumbfounded.
"Um..." he ventured tentatively.
Su Qingyuan and Yun Zhuo were both startled, separating instantly as if they had been electrocuted.
Su Qingyuan turned around awkwardly, pretending to fix her hair, her earlobes red enough to drip blood.
Yun Zhuo cleared his throat and asked with feigned composure, "Who are you?"
"It's me, Jiang Longji!" The boy raised the drinks in his hand. "Brother, don't you recognize me? I'm the one who asked you to help buy Fire Bull drinks earlier!"
Yun Zhuo finally remembered. He had been wearing his mecha earlier, so he really hadn't known what the other person looked like, but the voice matched.
"So it's you, kid. Go on up, the Principal is waiting for you."
"Why is the Principal looking for me?" Jiang Longji looked bewildered.
"How should I know?" Yun Zhuo raised an eyebrow; he had just made that up on the spot.
"Oh, oh." He hurriedly shoved the drinks over. "These are for you and your..."
Jiang Longji subconsciously glanced at Su Qingyuan. He had previously thought she was Yun Zhuo's older sister, but seeing this situation, he couldn't help but gulp at his own suspicions—this was explosive gossip.
Yun Zhuo took the drinks and took the opportunity to take Su Qingyuan's hand as he walked out. "Alright, alright, get going, don't keep the Principal waiting."
Once the elevator doors closed again, the two of them breathed a sigh of relief.
Su Qingyuan glanced up at Yun Zhuo and saw him sipping his drink with his head down. How could this kid be so carefree?
"Want some?" Yun Zhuo held out the drink.
"Not thirsty." Teacher Su huffed and walked ahead quickly.
Yun Zhuo quickly caught up. "Teacher Su, don't you think Principal Ren looks familiar? Like we've seen him somewhere before."
"Doesn't Principal Zhou's office have a photo of him? Didn't you see it?"
Yun Zhuo finally recalled that there was indeed a photo on the bookshelf in Principal Zhou's office of the three of them when they were young, with him and Principal Zhou in the back and a pretty young lady in the front.
"Oh no!"
Teacher Su paused, turning back to ask, "What is it now?"
"I actually just asked Principal Ren who the young lady in the photo was. Their story must be quite fascinating, don't you think?"
"I'm not as gossipy as you."
But come to think of it, looking at the photo of Yun Zhuo's mother, it also looked a bit familiar. She probably had seen a similar photo somewhere else too.
...
Dawn City Yaguang Affiliated Hospital.
After being treated by the doctors here, Chen Bo's injuries had fully healed, and his corrosion energy furnace had been repaired. However, his talent had dropped to Earth Rank Lower Grade, and his Rank had been reset to zero.
His father, Chen Kun, had neat, short hair that was slightly gray at the temples, and a well-groomed short beard on his chin. He didn't look old at all, but rather cool—definitely the dream middle-aged man in the hearts of young girls.
He first looked at his son, who was hanging his head, then swept his gaze over the silent Li Wanqing, and asked in a deep voice, "How did it end up like this?"
Chen Bo remained silent, because he had been outmatched by his own lack of skill, and saying it out loud would only be more embarrassing.
Li Wanqing actually wanted to say that it was because Yun Zhuo was despicable and shameless, using tricks and ambushes.
But she swallowed the words back.
She knew that such an excuse might garner some sympathy in front of peers, but saying it in front of an old Jianghu hand like Chen Kun would only make her look like an idiot.
Chen Kun sighed. "Let's go home first. We'll talk about the Martial Arts Examination next year."
He only had Chen Bo as a son right now. It wasn't that he couldn't have more, but he was too busy to find the time.
Today's incident with Chen Bo had sounded an alarm for him; the matter of "training a backup" had to be put on the schedule.
With only one heir, the risk of the Family line ending was too great.
His eldest son, Chen Bo, appeared arrogant, but was actually steady at heart. With a little polishing, he could be left at home to guard the house.
He would train a few more backups to charge into battle at the front.
As long as the main heir guarded the home, the backups could advance to attack and retreat to defend—this was the way for a Family to prosper.
Chen Bo suddenly said, "Dad, did I disappoint you?"
Chen Kun reached out and ruffled his hair, his tone softening. "You brat, why are you saying such discouraging things? You're still young; what does a temporary victory or defeat matter?"
He paused, his eyes filled with unquestionable arrogance. "Let alone the fact that you aren't completely crippled yet, even if you were, given your background, that kid still wouldn't be qualified to carry your shoes."
"But I no longer have the chance to beat him with my own hands..." Chen Bo clenched his fists, his eyes full of unwillingness.
"Son, that way of thinking is typical of the lower class."
Chen Kun scoffed, his tone carrying the disdain of a superior. "Only the lower class needs to risk their lives themselves."
"For us upper-class people, strength is never just reflected in personal Cultivation, but more importantly, in the resources and power we hold in our hands."
"With just one word from us, there are plenty of lower-class people willing to risk their lives for us."
He patted Chen Bo on the shoulder, his gaze turning cold. "Rest assured, whoever dares to touch my son is courting death."
At this moment, Chen Qi saw the three of them coming out of the hospital room and immediately hurried over to meet them.
He first respectfully called out "Third Uncle" to Chen Kun, then immediately turned to walk to Chen Bo's side, asking in a lowered voice, "Little brother, that matter I mentioned to you earlier, are you really not going to reconsider?"
"Second brother, I've already said it: my War Princess cannot be lent out."
Chen Qi got angry upon hearing this, but with Chen Kun present, he dared not lash out, so he could only say in frustration, "Why are you so stubborn, kid?"
Chen Kun spoke up at the right moment, his tone flat but unquestionable. "Chen Qi, you've been out long enough; it's time to go back."
"Third Uncle, I..."
Chen Kun interrupted him. "Go back. If you happen to die here, how am I supposed to answer to your father and your grandfather?"
Choked up by these words, Chen Qi stiffened his neck. "Who would dare kill me? Do they not want their lives?"
"Even if they don't dare kill you, if they beat you half to death, won't you be the one suffering?" Chen Kun glanced at him, the warning in his tone couldn't be more obvious.
"Fine, Third Uncle, I'll leave, okay?"
Watching Chen Qi's indignant retreating figure, Chen Kun said to his son, "In the future, treat your War Princess better. Don't learn from that kid, understand?"
This was seemingly said to his son, but even more so for Chen Qi to hear.
Because Chen Qi had bullied his own War Princess, it had led that girl to jump off a building and commit suicide.
Once that news spread, everyone knew he wasn't a good person, and with such a stinking reputation, who would dare to form a contract with him?
Although War Princesses are weapons, they are also people with thoughts.
If one forces a purchase or sale, and they turn against you on the battlefield, you'll be the one suffering the losses.
At the same time, he was also reminding his son that although they could act recklessly, they must maintain a good reputation outside.
Only in this way could they use those lower-class people as pawns.
...
Yun Zhuo and Teacher Su returned home.
Yun Zhuo organized the Cultivation resources given by Principal Zhou in the living room, and incidentally listed the two new wristbands he had been given, as well as Chen Bo's sword, online to sell.
Teacher Su was packing her luggage; they planned to move into her cousin's training room to stay permanently later.
"Yun Zhuo, did you touch my stockings?" Su Qingyuan's voice came from the kitchen.
"Did you lose any?"
"Well, no." Su Qingyuan said, then subconsciously adjusted her stockings, but suddenly realized something was wrong—how did he brush me off with just one sentence?
So she added, "Why did you touch my stockings? Were you doing something indecent?"
"How indecent?"
"You..." Su Qingyuan's cheeks flushed slightly, and she pressed, "Hurry up and tell me, which pair did you touch?"
"Don't worry, I only like black stockings when they're on legs." Yun Zhuo put down the wristband, smiling mischievously. "I can't be bothered to touch those that have no warmth."
"Hmph! Who knows? What if this is your special hobby?"
"Give it a rest. You have the nerve to call my hobbies special. You should think about what kind of normal person puts stockings in the refrigerator. Aren't you afraid of making the things in the fridge smell?"
"No wonder the sandwich you gave me last time tasted weird."
"You're talking nonsense!" Su Qingyuan immediately bristled and rushed out of the kitchen. "My stockings are all washed clean before I put them in the refrigerator!"
"Oh~ so you do know your feet smell." Yun Zhuo drew out his tone, laughing even more happily.