The next morning, inside the villa belonging to Lao Jiang.
The four young people sat in the living room to discuss their next plan.
Su Qiao and Shen Xiao still looked half-asleep, the remnants of last night's exhaustion still clinging to their eyelids.
"Ah~ is there a mission today? Shen Xiao, can't you rest for just one more day?" Su Qiao murmured weakly.
"Young people should be like the nine o'clock morning sun," Shen Xiao replied flatly.
"Look at you two, sit up straight and speak politely. And you, Su Qiao, dress yourself properly."
After reprimanding them, Shen Xiao finally delivered the new mission, exterminating alien creatures at a space rift near the Xingtai Mountains.
Hearing the words "alien creatures," Su Qiao instantly jolted awake, followed by a string of complaints.
"We're going to die hunting alien creatures, aren't we? I just finished my assessment and haven't even had the chance to enjoy life yet!"
"You're always such a hassle," Shen Xiao cut in.
"It's not being a hassle, I'm just thinking about safety! You and Shen Xiao might not be afraid, but consider me and Lu Qingyue. Our strength barely even reaches the first rank! We couldn't even defeat those two thieves yesterday, and now you want us to deal with alien creatures?"
Shen Xiao interrupted their bickering calmly.
He explained that the spatial crack had already been handled by high-level practitioners.
What remained were only low-ranked creatures suitable for their practice.
This was safer than hunting unpredictable thieves.
"We leave tomorrow," Shen Xiao decided.
"Today is for preparation. Lu Qingyue and I will handle the food and rations. Hand in your respective tasks, then use the remaining time to buy necessities at the supermarket. Buy plenty; I have a vast storage space."
Hearing that, Su Qiao immediately planned to hoard expensive snacks using Lu Zihao's budget.
However, she remembered one thing: camping in the winter.
"The silent wilderness? Sleeping in a tent during winter? I'll freeze..."
"Don't worry, I've already thought of that," Shen Xiao interjected.
"It won't be any worse than a hotel. Lu Zihao, follow me upstairs; I'm going to show you something you'll definitely like."
Curious, Lu Zihao immediately followed Shen Xiao upstairs, leaving the two girls below.
A Reality Check from Su Qiao
Seeing Lu Qingyue busy writing a list of equipment in her notebook, Su Qiao sighed.
She leaned in and tried to offer a different perspective.
"Qingyue, have a nice day," Su Qiao teased.
Lu Qingyue was confused.
"Today we are buying supplies, how is it possible for us to be playing instead?"
"Shopping only takes an hour or two. If we finish this morning, you'll have free time this afternoon to be alone with Shen Xiao. That could be considered a date."
The word "date" made Lu Qingyue's face turn red.
Su Qiao then reached into her pocket, pulled out two thin, light cigarettes, and placed them in Qingyue's hand.
"Why... are you giving me these?"
"Because you like them, don't you? Don't hesitate. Opportunities to be alone like this are rare. Remember, Shen Xiao only promised to help you until the assessment is over. After this mission, you'll return to school. Do you think there will be another chance after that?"
Lu Qingyue clenched her fists. That reality hit her hard.
They came from different worlds.
Once the mission was over, Shen Xiao would return to his glittering world, and she would go back to being an ordinary student with all her flaws.
"Su Qiao, do you think... do I have a chance? Tell me the truth," Qingyue asked softly.
"To be perfectly honest? There's absolutely no hope," Su Qiao answered firmly.
"Good looks are temporary, Qingyue. Shen Xiao will soon discover your shortcomings, weak skills, poor talent, and that physical defect on your hand. There are many beautiful faces out there, like our talented school beauty queen."
Qingyue smiled bitterly.
"That blunt?"
"I'm speaking as a friend. You know? Shen Xiao once helped the prettiest girl in school at the start of the semester, but they lost contact because Shen Xiao felt that girl wasn't sincere."
"Not sincere?"
Su Qiao shared information she got from Lu Zihao.
Shen Xiao had risked his life multiple times to save that girl, yet all he wanted was a sincere thank you.
Unfortunately, that girl only used him without ever showing honest gratitude from her heart.
"Shen Xiao values sincerity most when making friends. He doesn't need a reward, just an honest thank you. That girl didn't give it, so Shen Xiao got bored and let her go."
Lu Qingyue fell into deep thought.
A sincere thank you... She realized that all this time, she might have been stepping on the same "landmine" without even knowing it.