After reaching agreements with Meng Hongchen, Juzi, and Keke, Huo Yuhao didn't linger. After asking about Xiao Hongchen's whereabouts, he bid farewell to the three. He still had a very important question to ask Xiao Hongchen.
Once Huo Yuhao had walked away, Meng Hongchen looked at Juzi and said in a deep voice:
"Can we talk alone? There's something I want to say to you."
Keke, who was standing nearby, looked confused. As Juzi's best friend, she knew that Juzi had never interacted with the granddaughter of the academy's dean before. And now, Meng Hongchen wanted to talk to her alone?
Could it be… Meng Hongchen felt threatened seeing Juzi getting close to Huo Yuhao, and now wanted to declare her claim over him?
As this possibility crossed her mind, Keke's eyes immediately sparkled with curiosity — a classic look of someone ready to watch drama unfold from up close.
But Juzi didn't hesitate at all. She nodded in agreement and then turned to Keke, speaking gently:
"Keke, you go back first. I'll have a chat with Miss Meng."
Keke's expression stiffened. She pouted, clearly reluctant, but in the end, she could only walk away alone.
Meng Hongchen brought Juzi to a secluded lab. After giving her a top-to-bottom look, she spoke slowly:
"I know you're approaching Yuhao because you want the diary reward. But let me warn you upfront — you'd better act normal and not let him notice anything strange."
"If you expose the existence of the diary copy and we end up never getting rewards again — or worse, if even the diary copies in our minds vanish — I won't be the only one who won't forgive you. Everyone with a copy will come after you!"
The threat in Meng Hongchen's tone was unmistakable, causing Juzi's expression to change slightly.
Juzi knew this wasn't empty intimidation. Even the Silver Dragon King, sovereign of soul beasts, had awakened from her slumber and taken human form to come to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy because of a diary reward.
If they could never receive rewards again... Juzi could already imagine how furious the others would be.
After all, having seen the kind of reward Meng Hongchen received on the first day, who could resist something that powerful and enticing?
Though she agreed with Meng Hongchen's point, Juzi wasn't one to take threats lightly. Adjusting her black-rimmed glasses, she gave a faint smile:
"I know how important this is. But maybe you should worry more about whether you will be the one to expose something, Miss Meng. Don't assume that just because your status is high, you can look down on others."
With that, Juzi turned to leave. But after taking a few steps, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned and sweetly smiled:
"Oh, right, Miss Meng. Since I've already agreed to tour Mingdu with Yuhao this afternoon, I suggest you don't act too hostile toward me. Otherwise, he might notice something's off. You do know he's quite perceptive, don't you?"
Ignoring Meng Hongchen's reaction, Juzi walked out of the lab in high spirits.
Staring at the closed lab door, Meng Hongchen's delicate face turned a bit ugly. She had just secretly threatened Juzi, only to be counter-threatened right afterward. As the noble young lady of the Hongchen Family, when had she ever been treated like this?
Yet she could do nothing. If she didn't want to blow their cover, she'd have to grit her teeth and cooperate with Juzi in this charade.
"Argh! Damn it! So annoying!"
"Eh? Yuhao? Isn't today the first day of freshman orientation? Why'd you suddenly come find me? Did someone cause you trouble? If anyone's giving you a hard time, don't hold back — just tell me, and I'll teach them a lesson!"
Upon seeing Huo Yuhao, Xiao Hongchen's mouth fired off like a machine gun. Since he had promised to look out for Huo Yuhao, there was no way he'd let anyone bully him.
Ever since experiencing Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection and Sharing, Xiao Hongchen had secretly made up his mind — from that moment on, Huo Yuhao was basically his long-lost brother.
Even Huo Yuhao was caught off guard by this barrage of words. Seeing how excited Xiao Hongchen looked, he quickly waved his hand and explained:
"No, no, it's nothing like that. I just promised Senior Meng that I'd go explore Mingdu with her this afternoon, so I wanted to let you know that I won't be studying soul tools today."
Xiao Hongchen blinked, stunned, then groaned dramatically:
"What? Why would that girl do this? Why's she stealing you away from me? Yuhao, without your Spiritual Detection and Sharing, I can't even focus on crafting soul tools properly!"
Xiao Hongchen hanging out in the lab with Huo Yuhao had always been a win-win. Besides passing on his experience and knowledge, he also needed Huo Yuhao's abilities — they helped him detect problems more accurately and refine his technique.
Now that he heard Huo Yuhao wouldn't be around this afternoon, Xiao Hongchen suddenly felt like life had lost all meaning.
Seeing him like this, Huo Yuhao chuckled and comforted him:
"Don't worry, Senior Xiao. I already told Senior Meng that starting tomorrow, I'll work even harder to learn everything about soul tools from you. After all, you're the one who brought me to the academy. Helping you makes me happy, too."
Sincerity is always the ultimate trump card — even if it's just an act.
Huo Yuhao's words made Xiao Hongchen a bit embarrassed. Scratching his head, he muttered:
"Actually, bringing you here wasn't entirely my idea. It was Meng who said she wanted to go out for a change of pace — she wanted to see the border. That's how we ran into you."
'Just as I thought!'
Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow at the confirmation, though outwardly he didn't show a hint of surprise. Instead, he looked at Xiao Hongchen and said firmly:
"That's not important. What matters is — I was able to come to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy thanks to you and Senior Meng. I won't forget that."
Xiao Hongchen was touched, but under Huo Yuhao's gaze, he quickly reverted to his usual tsundere self.
"Ahem! It's no big deal. Don't worry about it."
After agreeing to continue soul tool lessons the next day, Huo Yuhao left the lab. If he had only been 30% sure about his guess before, he was now 90% certain. All that remained was to see if they followed the plan he had laid out!
That afternoon's classes went on uneventfully. None of the girls who shouldn't have been there caused any trouble. They all acted like they were genuinely focused on learning — which left Huo Yuhao with very mixed feelings.
'Such skilled acting… but too bad mine's better than all of yours!'
After classes ended, Meng Hongchen, Juzi, and Keke were already waiting outside the classroom. Huo Yuhao didn't even glance at the other girls sitting in front, walking straight to them and greeting them with a warm smile:
"Senior Meng, Senior Juzi, Senior Keke — sorry to keep you waiting."
Meng Hongchen was first to wave it off with a cheerful grin:
"Why so formal with me, Yuhao? Let's go — forget all your worries for today and just relax!"
Looking at the three girls in front of him, Huo Yuhao nodded seriously.
'The bait has been cast. Surely I won't come back empty-handed, right? Now I just wonder — how many fish are going to bite.'
(End of Chapter)