After Zhu Ziyang left Sea God Island, he quickly returned to Du Weilen's office, where Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya had already successfully absorbed their soul bones and were sitting on the sofa, waiting for him.
"Brother!" Jiang Nannan immediately stood up joyfully as he walked in.
"Zhu Ziyang, you're finally back! Any later and Nannan would've turned into a 'waiting wife stone'!" Tang Ya teased with a grin as she stood as well.
"Don't exaggerate!" Jiang Nannan retorted, her face blushing slightly.
"Hehe!" Zhu Ziyang smiled and asked, "So, you two finished fusing with your soul bones. How did it go?"
"Fantastic!" Tang Ya exclaimed excitedly. "I'm already at level 23 now! After I use the Soul Ascension Pill, I should reach level 24. That'll close the gap between us a bit—this is amazing!"
"Really? That's great! Congratulations!" Zhu Ziyang's eyes lit up with delight, offering her sincere congratulations—though his gaze quickly shifted to Jiang Nannan.
Jiang Nannan immediately understood what he meant and, looking a bit downcast, shook her head. "I didn't break through. I'm still at level 27. But my first soul skill was enhanced."
"That's still excellent," Zhu Ziyang reassured her. Though he felt a slight tinge of disappointment, it was minor—enhancing a soul skill could be even more valuable than a level increase.
Since Du Weilen wasn't in the office, the three left together.
"Hey, Zhu Ziyang, where did you and Dean Yan go?" Tang Ya asked as they walked, her curiosity getting the better of her. Her eyes sparkled with the need to know.
Jiang Nannan, meanwhile, clung to Zhu Ziyang's arm, her face full of joy. But the next moment, that joy vanished.
Because she caught a faint, unfamiliar scent coming from Zhu Ziyang's body—a fragrance, light yet distinct, and unmistakably feminine.
Her petite nose twitched instinctively. The scent grew stronger the more she noticed it.
It was a woman's scent—and not hers.
A realization struck her instantly.
Zhu Ziyang must have been very close to another girl recently. Otherwise, her scent wouldn't have lingered on him.
What should I do? What do I do?
Jiang Nannan's mind started to spin. A wave of inexplicable jealousy and anxiety washed over her.
"Nannan?" Zhu Ziyang gently patted her shoulder. "What are you thinking about? You're so distracted."
"Huh? N-Nothing!" Jiang Nannan snapped out of it and smiled quickly to cover her thoughts.
But Zhu Ziyang saw right through her. He smiled knowingly and said,
"When I left Sea God Island, an inner court senior sister gave me a lift across the lake. If not for her, I would've had to wait for the ferry."
"Really? Did you thank her properly?" Jiang Nannan responded, visibly relieved. Her heart settled.
So that's what happened… I overreacted.
Jiang Nannan, you need to work harder—only by becoming more outstanding can you truly hold onto your brother's heart!
"Hey! You two, could you spare a thought for this third wheel? Can you stop throwing love around like it's free?" Tang Ya grumbled, cheeks puffed in mock frustration.
"Oops! Sorry!" Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan apologized in unison.
"Hmph! Next time, I'm bringing Beibei with me!" Tang Ya muttered angrily.
The three soon arrived at the core disciples' dining hall.
Shrek Academy's outer court core disciple dining hall was the most luxurious eatery outside the inner court. Its atmosphere, menu selection, and taste were unmatched. Best of all: everything was free for core disciples—one of their many special privileges.
"Xiao Ya, over here!" a voice called as they entered.
They turned to see Beibei standing by a table.
"Beibei!" the three walked over, and Tang Ya greeted him with excitement.
"Sit down. I've already ordered," Beibei said.
"Then we won't be polite," Zhu Ziyang smiled, pulling Jiang Nannan into a seat.
"Why were you guys so late?" Beibei asked as Tang Ya sat beside him.
"We were waiting for Zhu Ziyang, of course. Dean Yan took him to Sea God Island!" Tang Ya wasted no time placing the blame, pointing straight at Zhu Ziyang.
"Really?" Beibei's eyes showed surprise, though he didn't press for details. "Looks like you gained quite a bit today."
"Of course! We each received a Soul Ascension Pill!" Tang Ya exclaimed proudly. Then, feeling tempted to mention the soul bones, she glanced at Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan for approval.
"Soul Ascension Pill?" Beibei was visibly impressed, his joy unmistakable. "That'll raise your soul power by one level for sure. Fantastic!"
"Hehe~" Tang Ya giggled, and when Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan didn't object, she leaned close and whispered in Beibei's ear.
Beibei's eyes widened in shock. His happiness became even more obvious, and he looked at Zhu Ziyang with renewed gratitude.
"Ziyang, really—thank you," he said sincerely.
"No need to thank me. I just did what made the most sense," Zhu Ziyang replied with a light smile.
Tang Ya winked playfully at the two of them, clearly keeping Jiang Nannan's soul bone a secret.
After dinner, the four returned to the dormitory.
"Xiao Ya, you go on up first," Jiang Nannan said at the stairwell.
"Don't stay out too late! No sleeping out, okay?" Tang Ya teased, shooting her a mischievous look.
"Oh stop it, Xiao Ya!" Jiang Nannan blushed and scolded her softly.
"Hehehe~" Tang Ya chuckled and headed upstairs.
Jiang Nannan followed Zhu Ziyang into his dorm.
"Brother…" she said softly, hugging him and resting her head on his chest.
"What's this about?" Zhu Ziyang wrapped his arms around her, teasing lightly. "Are you afraid I'll run off?"
Then, his voice turned serious.
"Don't worry. I'm not leaving you."
"Mhm." Jiang Nannan nodded quietly.
"You're not curious what I did on Sea God Island?" Zhu Ziyang asked as he sat down on the bed, holding her.
"Nope," Jiang Nannan looked up, her pink eyes full of reliance. "I'm not Xiao Ya—I don't have to dig into everything."
"So sweet!" Zhu Ziyang couldn't help stroking her hair. "It wasn't that big a deal. I just met a few people… and accepted a master."
"Met people? A master?" Jiang Nannan suddenly sat up, excited.
"Wait—you mean you became Dean Yan's disciple? That's amazing! I heard Dean Yan is a Level 95 Titled Douluo, and his martial soul is the Radiant Phoenix. That fits your Scythe of Death's Rest so well! That's so great!"
"Heh…" Zhu Ziyang smiled. Seeing her so thrilled, he didn't have the heart to correct her. "Something like that."
Immersed in her joy, Jiang Nannan missed the subtle hint in his words.
Until the truth came out one day, she would never imagine that Zhu Ziyang hadn't become Yan Shaozhe's disciple—
But rather, his junior brother.