Chapter 144: Children Shouldn't Ask About Such Things

Zi Shu continued to talk with the Chief for quite some time. In short, by the time Zi Shu hung up the phone, he wore an expression of absolute confidence.

Lin Xiao had already returned to Kyoto Lingwu in the supercar he had left parked for several days. As luck would have it, he hit the evening rush hour, wasting a significant amount of time. It seemed that for his next trip, he would have to avoid commuting hours. Upon getting into the car, Lin Xiao finally reverted to his true appearance; staying in disguise for so long had been quite uncomfortable.

It was already eight o’clock in the evening when Lin Xiao arrived back at Kyoto Lingwu. After giving it some thought, he decided to call Hu Yu. He wasn’t sure if they had eaten yet, but since the military training had concluded, they should be back in the dorms resting. The call connected quickly, and there was quite a bit of noise on the other end; it didn't sound like they were in the dormitory.

"Young Master, you finally decided to contact us! Where are you right now?"

"Just got back to school. Where are you guys?"

"Eating on the second floor of the school cafeteria. Do you want to come over? I just recently found out my cousin is also at Kyoto Lingwu, and since tomorrow is a day off, I thought I’d get together with him."

"Alright, I’ll be there in a moment."

After hanging up, Lin Xiao headed straight for the cafeteria. The Kyoto Lingwu canteen was massive, with several restaurants on the second floor that featured private rooms. When Lin Xiao arrived, he found that Hu Yu was already waiting for him. Hu Yu’s face was slightly flushed, suggesting he had already had quite a bit to drink.

Lin Xiao was surprised by Hu Yu’s appearance. It seemed this guy hadn't been slacking off; the days of training had made him much leaner than before. His once slightly bloated physique had slimmed down. Although his features remained ordinary, he looked much more comfortable than before, and his previously fair skin had been tanned to a healthy wheat color.

"Young Master, I’ve missed you to death! Come on, let’s go upstairs. I’ll introduce you to my cousin."

Lin Xiao nodded and followed Hu Yu up to the second floor, soon arriving at the private dining room. Wen Jingxuan and Sun Bin were there, but the presence of the third person truly caught Lin Xiao off guard—it was Zhou Zhi!

Seeing Zhou Zhi made Lin Xiao feel a bit embarrassed. He had known his good buddy had also come to Kyoto Lingwu, and he had intended to reach out every time he thought of it, but he always ended up forgetting. Kyoto Lingwu had been in session for a week, and this was the first time he had seen Zhou Zhi. He just hadn't expected the "cousin" Hu Yu mentioned to be him.

Zhou Zhi was also stunned when he saw Lin Xiao. From Hu Yu and the others, he had heard that there was one person in their dorm who had been exempted from training and hadn't been able to come. He never imagined that person would be Lin Xiao. Zhou Zhi stood up and gave Lin Xiao a hug.

"I say, Brother Xiao, that’s not cool! You haven't come to look for me in all these days, and I couldn't reach you either."

Lin Xiao gave a bitter smile. He had been in a secret realm for the past few days, where his phone had no signal. The level-five secret realm he had entered was different from the one he had taken his assessment in at Xun City. The spirit beasts in that level-one realm were essentially raised and controlled, which was why signal towers had been built—the very reason it could be broadcasted live. He hadn't had a chance to check his messages since returning, so he hadn't known Zhou Zhi had tried to contact him. But could he say that?

"Old Zhou, I had some things to take care of these past few days, so I couldn't reach out. I was just thinking of finding you as soon as I got back to school. When I heard from Hu Yu that you were his cousin, I hurried over immediately."

Hu Yu: (?)

*Nani?* When did I tell the Young Master that Zhou Zhi was my cousin? Did I just say that?

However, being as sharp as a fox, Hu Yu naturally wouldn't expose the truth. "Cousin, that’s right! Brother Xiao was so surprised when he found out you were my cousin!"

In front of Zhou Zhi, Hu Yu didn't dare to keep calling Lin Xiao "Young Master." He was joking; if Zhou Zhi found out Lin Xiao was from his grandfather's generation, he would definitely take advantage of him. Lin Xiao looked at Hu Yu with satisfaction; the kid was truly teachable and quick-witted—it wasn't in vain that he doted on him so much.

The four of them took their seats. Knowing Lin Xiao was coming, Hu Yu had ordered some new dishes, which were now being served one after another. Although the taste wasn't spectacular, it wasn't the time to be picky. They were drinking beer, and Hu Yu made a move to open one for Lin Xiao. Lin Xiao hurriedly declined; he knew his limits, and he couldn't handle even beer. Knowing Lin Xiao didn't drink, the others didn't press him.

As they ate, they chatted about recent events. "Brother Xiao, you don’t know—because you weren't here, Jingxuan has been the center of attention. He’s been receiving so many love letters lately that his hands are soft from opening them."

At the mention of this, Zhou Zhi became interested. "Brother Xiao, do you know who is pursuing Jingxuan?"

Seeing Zhou Zhi’s expression, a bad premonition suddenly arose in Lin Xiao’s heart. Since Zhou Zhi asked like that, the most likely scenario was that he knew the person too. It wasn't hard to guess who they both knew. *No way, isn't Liu Ruyan with Ji Boxiao? Shouldn't those two be a locked pair?*

"Liu Ruyan?"

"Exactly! You guessed it! Brother Xiao is impressive!"

Lin Xiao couldn't help but roll his eyes. Was that hard to guess? Wen Jingxuan frowned at the mention of Liu Ruyan’s name. He thought about the girls pursuing him recently; there did seem to be one named Liu Ruyan. He recalled the person and spoke slowly. "Average looks, average character. I wouldn't have any interest in someone like that. Brother Xiao, do you guys know her?"

Once the topic was raised, Zhou Zhi seemed to have opened the floodgates. He vividly recounted the glorious history of how Lin Xiao had been a "simp" for Liu Ruyan for a long time. Lin Xiao wanted nothing more than to plug Zhou Zhi’s mouth shut.

*Damn it!* What was he supposed to do when dead memories suddenly attacked him? He was taking the fall for the original owner!

Hearing that Lin Xiao used to be a simp for Liu Ruyan, Hu Yu and the others were all wearing expressions of disbelief. *That* Liu Ruyan? Was she even worth it?

Sun Bin nudged Wen Jingxuan next to him. "Xuanzi, why don't you get revenge for Brother Xiao? Accept her pursuit, and then dump her hard."

Wen Jingxuan’s expression immediately became conflicted. "I have a bit of a cleanliness complex. Let’s put it this way: an ancient sage once said, 'The quiet path you imagine is actually already bustling with heavy traffic.'"

Sun Bin looked confused. "What does that mean?"

"You don't understand that? Let me put it another way: you think she only opened the door for you, but in reality, people have died inside."

Sun Bin still didn't understand, but the other three understood instantly. "Binzi, don't ask about these things as a child. You'll understand when you're older!"