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Chapter 37 – Quiet Thoughts
On the way home with Gu Yuena, Huo Yuhao's eyes carried a trace of thoughtfulness.
"What's on your mind?" she asked.
"The young girl we met today… she reminded me of something," Huo Yuhao replied, his voice gentle and calm, carrying a hint of thoughtfulness.
Listening to the ethereal tone of her voice, he continued, "Judging by the dates, Shrek Academy should be on break now. Sister Tang Ya should have returned as well, right?"
He still remembered that in his previous life, Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan had been roommates. Since Jiang Nannan was already back, Tang Ya would likely be home soon as well.
"You mean the girl your aunt mentioned, the one you brought home?" Gu Yuena asked softly.
Huo Yuhao's lips twitched as he nodded, memories of the last hug when he had sent Tang Ya off to school flashing vividly through his mind.
The recollection alone made his head ache. Why had things suddenly become like this? he wondered.
He felt as though he hadn't done anything extraordinary… yet even if faced with the same choice again, he knew he would make the same decision. Some things—no matter the cost—must be done, and he would never regret them.
He decided to take things one step at a time.
The strain of overexerting his Spirit Power left Huo Yuhao unable to dwell further on such thoughts. As they walked, the sky gradually dimmed. The streets were bustling with people, while shops slowly closed, and shop owners headed home.
Before long, a familiar figure approached—a street vendor pushing a cart, the same one from the afternoon when they had bought an Ice pop. Perhaps the vendor was struck by the impression of their looks, because he immediately recognized them and teased them with a grin.
"Little brother, aren't you getting one for your girlfriend this time?"
"Uh…" Huo Yuhao's mind instantly flashed back to the Ice pop pressed into his mouth that afternoon. He instinctively looked at Gu Yuena, only to find her meeting his gaze.
Their eyes locked—amethyst-like and serene—and he hesitated before asking, "Do you want one?"
"Yes."
Huo Yuhao looked at the vendor and nodded. "Then we'll take one."
"All right!"
The vendor stopped his cart, smiling as he handed over the Ice pop wrapped in a wax paper. "Here you go, little brother."
Gu Yuena took it, tilting her head slightly. "You're not going to eat it?"
Huo Yuhao glanced at her and shook his head with a small smile. "No, you go ahead."
"Really?"
She tore off the wax paper and, just like that afternoon, flicked out her small, pink tongue to taste the Ice pop. Then she spoke again.
"This afternoon, you seemed to enjoy it. I thought you liked it."
Huo Yuhao's expression twitched awkwardly. "…Let's hurry home."
With that, he unconsciously quickened his pace. Gu Yuena blinked a couple of times but said nothing, quietly following him.
As soon as they opened the door, the sounds of cooking in the kitchen reached them. A small head with a ponytail peeked out, noticing the movement.
"Yuhao, you're back!"
"Sister Tang Ya! When did you return? Oh, and this is—"
"Gu Yuena, right?"
Before he could finish, Tang Ya emerged carrying a plate of food. She placed it on the table and smiled at Gu Yuena.
"Aunt already told me about you. Hello, it's nice to meet you. From now on, we're family."
Huo Yuhao couldn't tell if it was his imagination, but Tang Ya's smile seemed a little stiff when she looked at Gu Yuena. Gu Yuena, on the other hand, simply nodded calmly in return.
"Hello," she said.
Tang Ya then turned back to Huo Yuhao. "I got back this afternoon. What about you? Why are you only home now? Did something happen?"
"I ran into a patient while buying medicine at the medical hall, so I helped them. Everything's resolved now," Huo Yuhao replied. He decided not to mention anything about Jiang Nannan's mother—after all, in the past, they had never brought it up, likely out of discretion.
Observing the seemingly changed Tang Ya, he asked softly, "How has your year at the Academy been?"
Tang Ya's lips curled into a small, proud smile. "Hmm, shortly after enrolling, I reached level twenty. With the help of the teachers, I obtained my second spirit Ring. I'm already a Spirit Grandmaster now."
"Furthermore, my roommate and I took first place in the freshman assessment and were named core students of the Outer Court. We're quite well-known there now."
Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow but wasn't surprised. With her talent, especially now that she was no longer suppressing her devouring ability, Tang Ya was undoubtedly among the top at Shrek Academy. Being selected as a core student made perfect sense. Core students also received better resources, which would allow their cultivation to progress even faster.
Huo Yuhao continued, "Sister Tang Ya, what's your current Spirit Power rank?"
"Rank twenty-five," Tang Ya replied proudly, as if expecting the question, her small nose almost tilted toward the sky.
Huo Yuhao couldn't help but feel relieved. At this pace, she could reach the Spirit Elder realm by the second year. Compared to the previous life, when she only reached Spirit Grandmaster by the end of the third year, she was now on par with Bei Bei and XuSanshi.
If she utilized the Dark Blue Silver Grass to absorb life energy, her cultivation speed would be even faster. It might be time to schedule serious training.
Lost in thought, he noticed Tang Ya moving. She lifted her arms with a bright, expectant expression.
"Come on, hurry! We haven't hugged in a year!"
Huo Yuhao's face twisted. After a brief hesitation, he carefully lifted her into his arms.
Her soft frame pressed against him, carrying a faint fragrance that eased his fatigued spirit. Before Tang Ya started going to the academy, she had loved to wrap herself around him from behind, pretending to read a book. Yet, all afternoon, she hadn't turned more than a few pages.
Girls generally develop faster than boys, and Tang Ya, being three years older, now towered half a head above him.
Still, compared to the last time in the Star Dou Forest, when Zhang Lexuan had held him like a doll, this was a relief. Thankfully, nobody had seen that incident.
After Tang Ya settled in his arms, her gaze casually flicked toward Gu Yuena. Seeing the girl sit silently with an unreadable expression, Tang Ya's violet eyes flickered slightly before resting her head on Huo Yuhao's shoulder. She inhaled his scent softly, her hands wandering to explore how his body had grown over the past year.
"Yuhao, you seem… lighter now," she murmured.
At first, she thought it was a trick of her eyes, but a closer look confirmed it.
"That happened after absorbing a Spirit Ring in the Star Dou Forest," Huo Yuhao explained quietly. Then, after a pause, he asked cautiously, "Sister Tang Ya, now that you're somewhat famous in the Outer Academy, has anyone tried to approach you?"
"Of course," Tang Ya replied. At first, many students came every day, but…"
Her arms tightened around him slightly, and her voice carried a teasing note.
"But after scolding most of them, they didn't dare bother me again."
"I have my little Yuhao, and that's enough."
(End of Chapter)