The morning sun streamed through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating the dormitory.
Fang Yang was still half-asleep when he was suddenly startled awake by a rapid "beep, beep" sound.
He instinctively recoiled, burying his face in his blanket.
"Whose Soul Communication Device is ringing? Pick it up quickly..."
Xie Xie's voice came from the bunk next to him, thick with sleep and a hint of impatience.
"It's not mine..." Tang Wulin rolled over, pulling his blanket higher, his voice muffled.
Fang Yang rubbed his eyes, following the sound, and realized it was coming from his own wrist.
He jolted upright, his voice still hoarse from sleep: "Sorry, it's mine."
He squinted at the communicator, muttering to himself: "So early, who could be looking for me?"
Fang Yang pressed the answer button.
"Hello?"
A clear, pleasant voice immediately came from the communicator.
Fang Yang didn't react for a moment, and subconsciously asked: "Who is this?"
Xu Xiaoyan on the other end was both annoyed and amused, letting out a soft hum: "Idiot Fang Yang, can't you even recognize my voice anymore? It's Xu Xiaoyan!"
"Xiao Yan!"
Fang Yang instantly sobered up, his voice rising a few octaves, "Why are you calling at this hour? Is something wrong?"
"What, I can't call you if there's nothing wrong?"
Xu Xiaoyan's tone held a hint of playful blame.
Fang Yang quickly explained: "Of course you can, you're always welcome."
"That's more like it, but you're still not up at this hour?" Xu Xiaoyan chuckled.
Fang Yang scratched his head sheepishly: "It's the weekend today, so I slept in a bit..."
"Fang Yang, you're such a big lazy pig!" Xu Xiaoyan's laughter came through the communicator.
Just as Fang Yang was about to retort, he heard Xu Xiaoyan continue: "Alright, hurry up and get out of bed, I'm already at Eastsea Academy."
"What? You're at Eastsea Academy?" Fang Yang's eyes widened in surprise.
"Mm, I'm waiting for you at the school gate, that's all, hanging up."
A "beep" sounded from the communicator, and the call ended.
Fang Yang sat stunned on the bed, not yet fully processing the sudden message.
Suddenly, he felt the atmosphere in the dorm was a bit off.
He turned his head and saw that Xie Xie, Tang Wulin, and Zhou Changxi had all woken up at some point, and were looking at him with knowing gazes.
Xie Xie was the first to speak, his tone full of teasing: "Oh, oh, oh, isn't this our great Casanova Fang? Gu Yue isn't enough, you're even hiding another beauty?"
Tang Wulin also brightened up, his face full of admiration: "Fang Yang, you're too amazing, I haven't even gotten a senior..."
Zhou Changxi silently gave a thumbs up, his eyes full of envy: "You've been hiding your true abilities."
Fang Yang's old face flushed: "Don't talk nonsense! Xiao Yan and I are just ordinary friends."
Xie Xie smirked, looking at Tang Wulin: "Wu Lin, why don't you tell him?"
Tang Wulin cleared his throat: "If I remember correctly, Xu Xiaoyan was someone Fang Yang and I met when we first came to Eastsea Academy, back then they..."
"Stop, stop, stop!"
Fang Yang scrambled out of bed, "I have to go out, you guys keep sleeping!"
Just after Fang Yang left, Xie Xie also quietly slipped out of bed.
He tiptoed to the dormitory bathroom, and after confirming the door was closed, he pulled out his Soul Communication Device.
"Beep... beep..." After a few sounds, the Soul Communication was connected.
"What is it? Speak!"
Gu Yue's cold voice came from the communicator.
Xie Xie lowered his voice, saying mysteriously: "Gu Yue, Fang Yang went out, with a girl named Xu Xiaoyan."
He deliberately emphasized the words "a girl."
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the Soul Communication Device, then Gu Yue's calm reply came.
"Okay."
Her voice was so flat that no emotional fluctuation could be detected, and the call was immediately ended.
Xie Xie looked at the ended call, a playful smile curling on his lips. He thought to himself: "There's a good show coming."
Xie Xie whistled as he walked out of the bathroom, meeting Tang Wulin's inquisitive gaze. The two exchanged a smile, a tacit understanding reached between them.
At the entrance of Eastsea Academy, the campus in the morning light appeared exceptionally serene.
Fang Yang hurried towards the school gate, and from a distance, he saw a familiar figure standing there.
Xu Xiaoyan was wearing a blue dress, with light blue twin pigtails, looking especially bright and charming in the morning sun.
She was idly kicking small pebbles on the ground, and upon hearing footsteps, she looked up, her face immediately breaking into a brilliant smile.
"Finally decided to get up?"
Xu Xiaoyan tilted her head, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Fang Yang scratched his head sheepishly: "Sorry to keep you waiting, but why did you suddenly..."
"I wanted to give you a surprise!"
Xu Xiaoyan interrupted Fang Yang, winking playfully, "What, you don't welcome me?"
"Of course I do!" Fang Yang quickly said, a smile unconsciously appearing on his face.
However, just then, he suddenly felt an inexplicable chill from behind him, and instinctively looked back, but found nothing.
"Xiao Yan, let's go, I'll take you around." Fang Yang suggested, trying to suppress the unease in his heart.
Xu Xiaoyan nodded happily, skipping along beside him.
The two walked out of the academy gate side-by-side, the morning breeze bringing a touch of coolness.
"Fang Yang, are you alright?" Xu Xiaoyan suddenly stopped, looking at him seriously.
"I'm fine, what's wrong?" Fang Yang was a bit puzzled.
Xu Xiaoyan bit her lip: "I heard... your Grade One Class Five teacher, Wu Changkong, cut down Guang Biao with a single sword."
Fang Yang looked at her in surprise: "Xiao Yan, you even know about this?"
Xu Xiaoyan nodded: "In a place like Eastsea City, when an Armor Master appears, the news spreads quickly."
A hint of worry flashed in her eyes, "Were you there at the time? Were you injured?"
"I'm fine."
Fang Yang's heart warmed, and he explained in a softer tone, "Actually, this is what happened..."
After listening to Fang Yang's account, Xu Xiaoyan's eyes lit up: "Wow, you're even more amazing than my older brother! You actually managed to subdue that Guang Long."
Her face was filled with admiration, "That bully, who preyed on men and women, deserved to die long ago."
Fang Yang smiled sheepishly: "It was alright."
The two continued walking, and unconsciously, Fang Yang's hand lightly brushed against Xu Xiaoyan's hand.
He hesitated for a moment, but finally mustered the courage to carefully hold her soft little hand.
Xu Xiaoyan's cheeks immediately flushed, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz: "Mm..."
But she didn't pull her hand away; instead, she gently squeezed back.
"Xiao Yan, let's go."
Fang Yang whispered, his heartbeat involuntarily quickening.
"Okay."
Xu Xiaoyan lowered her head, her voice almost inaudible, but a sweet smile played on her lips.
Fang Yang took Xu Xiaoyan on a tour around the academy, showing her many interesting places.
Time flew by quickly, and it was soon time to part.
"Fang Yang, well... I should go see my brother now." Xu Xiaoyan said with some reluctance, her fingers unconsciously fiddling with the hem of her skirt.
"Oh, I see. Shall we continue next time?"
Fang Yang also felt regret, but still asked considerately.
"Okay." Xu Xiaoyan said, blushing, then tried to pull her hand away from Fang Yang's.
Fang Yang deliberately pretended not to notice, and gently squeezed her palm: "Are you really going?"
Xu Xiaoyan looked up, her big, watery eyes staring directly at Fang Yang: "Alright, let go... I really have to go find my brother."
Although she said so, her feet remained unmoving.
Fang Yang looked at her shy expression and couldn't help but smile: "Okay, then next time?"
"You... you can hold it."
Xu Xiaoyan suddenly said with a red face, then quickly pulled her hand away and ran off.
Her figure in the sunlight appeared especially lively, her twin pigtails bouncing as she ran, like two cheerful little rabbits.
Fang Yang stood in place, watching her retreating figure, a smile unconsciously curving on his lips.
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