"Mhm, it really adds a unique charm." Su Wen finished pinning up her hair, gave her a once-over, and looked slightly surprised.
The jade hairpin suited Ma Xiaotao perfectly. Ning Tian's taste was sharp indeed. He just wasn't sure whether this pin was something she always carried with her or had prepared in advance. After all, the timing was too coincidental... Wait!
Su Wen froze for a beat.
Why did it feel like he'd been set up?!!
He shot a suspicious glance at Yan Shaozhe not far away. The old fox was chatting idly with Bamboo Douluo, but Su Wen couldn't shake the sense that the man's movements stiffened under his gaze—like someone feeling guilty…
"Does it really look good?" Ma Xiaotao's pretty face flushed. Her beautiful fox-like eyes fixed on Su Wen, full of expectation.
"It looks great!" Su Wen nodded hard.
Even better when she smiled.
Those narrow, foxy eyes could hook a man's soul. It was a pity their owner was as dense as a rock and had a personality more like a female leopard—fiery and straightforward.
"…"
Watching this, Ning Tian's eyes held a faint envy.
Su Wen's hands were so practiced at styling hair—definitely not his first or second time.
She glanced at Ma Xiaotao. Sure enough, fools have their blessings…
And Ma Xiaotao's figure left hers two blocks behind, easily. With a stunning face and a bombshell body, what man wouldn't be tempted? And she was adorably clueless. Ning Tian's gaze dimmed a little. Was being too smart actually a minus?
…
"Ahem, Xiao Wen, is something bothering you?"
On the way back.
Feeling Su Wen's eyes on him, Yan Shaozhe felt itchy all over, like ants crawling on his skin. He sidled over cautiously, coughed twice in embarrassment, and asked.
"…"
Su Wen glanced at him. "Dean Yan, you didn't sell me off, did you?"
"How could I!"
Yan Shaozhe said righteously.
Su Wen stared at him, expression flat.
"Ahem, Xiao Wen, this really isn't my fault. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect offered too much! And Elder Mu knows about this, too—he signed off on it!" Yan Shaozhe scratched his head. Sensing he couldn't hide it, he decided to come clean—and dragged Elder Mu down with him.
He was truly afraid Su Wen would take offense and run to the Soul Tool Department.
That would be throwing away a watermelon to pick up sesame seeds.
"The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
Su Wen understood.
It seemed the current sect master wasn't ordinary at all. To dare make such a bet—what nerve…
"Xiao Wen, I…" Yan Shaozhe looked like he might cry and tried to explain.
But Su Wen cut him off.
"This started back when we went to the Extreme North?"
"Not then." Yan Shaozhe shook his head. "Two months ago he happened to learn you were heading to the Star Dou Forest to acquire your third soul ring. He gave the Martial Soul Department twenty million gold soul coins, hoping we could arrange an accidental meeting to deepen your bond…"
"How much?!!" Su Wen gaped.
"Ahem, twenty million…" Yan Shaozhe repeated.
"Then it's fine," Su Wen said expressionlessly.
He took back what he'd thought earlier.
Not just guts—this was a veritable overlord. My dear future father-in-law…
"Split half with me later," Su Wen added, as if remembering something.
"Okay!" Yan Shaozhe nodded hurriedly.
"Right, one more thing." Su Wen hesitated. "Dean, there's an outer court student named Jiang Nannan. Do you know her?"
"Jiang Nannan? Of course." Yan Shaozhe nodded.
"There aren't many outer court civilian students to begin with. This girl's talent is good, and I hear she's a great beauty too. The boys lining up to chase her could stretch from the east gate of Shrek City to the west. So yes, I remember her fairly well," he recalled. "Even Xu Sanshi—one of the most gifted in the outer court—reportedly threw family pride to the wind and pesters her every day."
Su Wen clearly heard a trace of disdain in Yan Shaozhe's tone. Understandable. Back in his youth, this handsome old charmer had wandered through a sea of flowers without a leaf sticking—an old-school romantic.
"I've heard Jiang Nannan's family is poor? Her mother is gravely ill, on the verge of death?" Su Wen probed.
"There's such a thing?" Yan Shaozhe blinked.
"…"
Su Wen fell silent.
Then that was it.
For a disciple as precious as Jiang Nannan—especially a civilian with a clean background—Su Wen didn't believe Shrek would remain unmoved if they knew. For a goodwill gesture this ripe, Yan Shaozhe wouldn't miss it.
Which left only one possibility.
Maybe Jiang Nannan's pride kept her quiet, or she simply didn't realize how exceptional her talent was—enough to make Shrek invest—so she never brought it up to the academy.
Or she did mention it, but her instructor didn't take it seriously and never reported it up the chain. That would leave Yan Shaozhe unaware, making Jiang Nannan think the higher-ups wouldn't help. Thus she decided, disheartened, to sacrifice herself to save her mother.
But now that he knew…
Su Wen's lips curled.
There's no way I'm letting your Xuanming Sect profit from this. A Shrek Academy student shouldn't be trapped by something like this.
Jiang Nannan's mother had a heart condition. The original story only said the biggest clinic in town couldn't treat it—but whether it could be treated might have been for the Xuanming Sect to say. The Xuanwu God Pill likely wasn't the only solution.
And even if he couldn't do it—he could always invite Elder Zhuang!
A rank-95 Super Douluo, one of the top three healing specialists on the continent—unable to cure a mere cardiac issue?
Su Wen smiled. Me, I just love doing good deeds…
…
Meanwhile.
The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's group headed north, cutting through the Star Dou Forest toward the Xuanming Sect in the Heavenly Soul Empire. Seeing the Xuanming Sect about business was real enough—but the chance to see Su Wen was the true goal; the business talk was just convenient timing.
Ning Tian looked dejected the whole way, her eyes drifting back from time to time. Gritting her teeth, Wu Feng thought, Sorry, Young Mistress. To save you from fire and water, I have no choice but to use this underhanded plan…
She snuck up to Bamboo Douluo.
Whispered a few words in his ear.
But just as she was grinning with secret joy, Bamboo Douluo stared at her with a strange expression.
"You're just a dowry maid—what are you getting so excited about?"
The air went dead still.
Wu Feng's mouth fell open. She pointed at herself in shock. "Me, a dowry maid?!!"
"Aren't you?" Bamboo Douluo smiled gently. "When the Young Miss marries someday, won't you go along with her?"
Wu Feng: "…"
The girl deflated like a punctured balloon. Eyes welling, she turned and left.
She hadn't expected that not only the Young Miss would be given away—she'd be thrown in too!
"Waaah…"
Seeing Ning Tian, Wu Feng couldn't hold it in and burst into sobs.
"What happened?" Ning Tian was flustered, cradling the girl who had thrown herself into her arms. Wasn't this child usually bold and brash? What had rattled her today?
"Elder Zhu said… they're going to send me along as part of the dowry for Su Wen…" Wu Feng hiccuped, face streaked with tears.
"You don't like him?" Ning Tian cleared her throat softly.
"T-That's not it, exactly." Wu Feng hesitated.
<><><>>><><><><><><><>
Advanced chapter here: p-atreon.com/Sajaboyzzz
<><><><><>><>>><><><><>
Keep the Chapters coming - Support with Power Stones!
Every 200 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter!