"Hey, Chen Luo, what's your deal? Just because I snapped at you during first period, you're giving me the silent treatment? Fine! Then don't ever talk to me again!"
By the last class on Monday, Yun Xia was so furious at Chen Luo's day-long silence that she nearly strangled him on the spot.
What kind of man holds a grudge over something so small?!
"..." Chen Luo checked the timer on his talent panel.
9 hours and 5 minutes.
So close to the final 10 Primogems. What a shame.
"Say something already!" Yun Xia glared, irritation boiling over.
"But you told me not to talk to you," Chen Luo replied, his tone wounded.
Women's hearts are as fathomless as the ocean.
At least the Herrscher of Sentience was easier to understand—her temper was like a child's. Annoy her, and she'd throw a fit, and it was easy to coax her into calming down later.
"Hah?" Yun Xia's expression twisted.
When did I ever say that?!
"During first period, after I turned down your first request, I asked if there was anything I could do to make it up to you. You probably found me annoying and said: 'My request is for you to shut up and not bother me until I talk to you first.'" Chen Luo patiently reconstructed the scene.
The more he explained, the more Yun Xia's face contorted.
"So you're telling me—because of one sentence—you didn't speak to your own classmate for an entire day? Are you mentally ill?" She was so mad she almost laughed out of anger.
What kind of idiot does that?!
"I told you, it was compensation."
10 Primogems per hour, max 10 hours—that's 100 Primogems total. If it had hit the limit, it'd be as lucrative as tutoring Yun Lian'er.
It suddenly struck Chen Luo that people surnamed Yun might actually be his lucky charms.
They're like little wealth-gods—high rewards, low effort, minimal difficulty...
You'd have to steal lollipops from 20 lolis to match this payout.
"Compensation? This is what you call compensation? In all my years, I've never heard of 'compensation' that punishes the recipient!" Yun Xia's fury was volcanic.
"But if I promise something, I keep it," Chen Luo said, equal parts earnest and clueless.
"..." Yun Xia stared into his eyes, searching for even a flicker of deceit.
"Ugh... fine. You win. Whatever." Defeated, she slumped onto her desk.
Yun Xia was now trapped in a bizarre quantum superposition of emotions—simultaneously livid and touched.
Livid because he'd ignored her all day.
Touched because he'd ignored her... to honor their agreement.
"If I promise something, I keep it."
How do you argue with that?
Chen Luo is ridiculous in every conceivable way.
But then again... wasn't that why she'd transferred to this school in the first place?
After discovering that the woman who'd stolen everything from her since childhood now seemed to cherish some new "toy," Yun Xia—finally empowered to fight back—had resolved to take it for herself.
But while investigating the connection between that woman and Chen Luo, she'd uncovered his hypocrisy.
There's no such thing as a truly 'good' person.
She'd expose his filth, shove the evidence in her face, and relish the agony of watching a cherished treasure crumble into rot.
And the result?
"Why did I transfer here? If I hadn't, I wouldn't have met you. If I hadn't met you, I wouldn't be this furious right now." Yun Xia muttered, glaring daggers at Chen Luo.
"My fault, then?" Chen Luo blinked innocently.
"My fault! All my fault! Happy now?!" Yun Xia surrendered to despair.
"Miss Yun, come on. How about this—let's play a game every day from now on."
"...What game?" She stiffened.
Did we... play a game today?
"The Silent Challenge."
"I'll play your grandma…[1] Sorry. That was uncalled for." Mid-curse, Yun Xia's upbringing kicked in, forcing an apology.
"It's fine. So? Wanna play?"
"I... NO!" She clutched her stomach, collapsing onto the desk.
Damn it, this idiot's giving me an ulcer.
I'd have to be brain-damaged to agree to this.
Me—the girl who's fought monsters and ghosts with 52 magic cards and one special wildcard, who's escaped unwinnable battles only to return and crush them later. I didn't expect that I would lose to you, a heartless person.
"Ah, okay." Chen Luo sighed.
So much for my dream of earning 90+ Primogems daily just by attending school.
90 Primogems a day for doing nothing? That's better than Genshin's daily commissions!
"..." Seeing his disappointment, Yun Xia's ulcer flared again.
What the hell is wrong with him?!
[Ding! Mission complete.]
The arrival of 90 Primogems soothed Chen Luo's soul.
"By the way, Miss Yun... any plans for summer break?" With school almost over, Chen Luo's interest in studying had long since evaporated.
"Hmm... save the world?" She side-eyed the man who'd literally given her a stomachache.
"Mhm." Chen Luo nodded.
"Wait—you actually believe me?" His earnestness threw her off.
Shouldn't he be mocking me right now?
"If you say it, I'll believe it."
If someone else said that they were going to save the world, Chen Luo would just laugh it off. But coming from Yun Xia—an S-rank talent holder—Chen Luo couldn't rule it out. What if the world is in crisis?
"..." Yun Xia had no idea how to react.
What expression am I even supposed to make here?
Ding-dong! The bell rang.
"Alright, let's head out. At least I can walk you to the gate." Chen Luo patted her shoulder.
"This one shall grant you this face."[2] Yun Xia rose with a haughty sniff.
"Chen Luo, could you—uh, never mind. You're... busy." A classmate froze mid-request under Chen Luo's razor-sharp gaze.
...
"I seem unusually fond of A'Luo today." In the backseat of her car, Yun Xia watched Chen Luo pedal away on his bike, fingers tracing a card in her hand.
The card's center bore a single character: [Wind].
"Could A'Luo awaken a wind-based talent? That'd be perfect. They say children are more likely to gain a talent if both parents have a talent..." She murmured, stroking the [Wind] card.
TL Note:
[1]: The phrase is meant to be highly disrespectful, targeting someone's grandmother as a way of insulting the person they're angry with. In this case, it's like using an exaggerated, offensive phrase to vent.
[2]: Face is similar to honor or reputation. I could have translated as honor, but I wanted to throw in some Chinese phrases.