"So that's how it is. Alas, I still wanted to go back and give this money to the Dean."
Wang Zhong sighed, taking out the purple crystal card that Ying Yanyang had given him from his embrace, and said with dejection.
Upon seeing the purple crystal card in Wang Zhong's hand, Xie Yue, Yan, and even Hu Liena's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Wang Zhong, is that the purple crystal card that gives you access to the one million gold coins you won from a higher-level battle!"
Xie Yue's tone was filled with intense envy. Heaven knows, he had never seen so much money before, whether in the past or now.
"Yes, I thought I wouldn't get it until next month, but I didn't expect Teacher Ying to give it to me this month."
"It seems I can only send it back as usual."
Wang Zhong tossed the purple crystal card in his hand, speaking casually.
Xie Yue, Yan, and Hu Liena's small heads bobbed up and down with the purple crystal card, their expressions incredibly amusing.
"Wang Zhong, can I touch your crystal card?"
Xie Yue, with a fawning smile, put his arm around Wang Zhong's shoulder, grinning obsequiously.
"What do you want!"
The other's behavior made Wang Zhong extremely wary. Xie Yue had always been aloof to outsiders, and though much more normal around them, he was still quite proud. For him to adopt such an expression meant he either had done something wrong to you, or was about to.
"Hehe, I just want to touch it."
"I've never seen such a high-limit crystal card before."
Xie Yue hugged Wang Zhong's shoulder, smiling even more brightly.
"Really?"
Holding the crystal card in his hand, Wang Zhong inexplicably felt a sense of 'malice', not just from Xie Yue, but also from Yan, and even from Hu Liena, who stood beside them with a radiant smile. He was being targeted! Wang Zhong had this feeling.
Glancing at the card in Wang Zhong's hand, Xie Yue, Yan, and Hu Liena exchanged a look. In an instant, Xie Yue suddenly pounced, tightly embracing Wang Zhong.
"Yan, hurry up!"
As soon as Xie Yue shouted, Yan had already acted. His footwork was incredibly fast, and in a blink, he was beside Wang Zhong. His eyes were fixed on the purple crystal card in Wang Zhong's hand, a thrilled smile on his face as he reached out to snatch it.
Suddenly being held, Wang Zhong was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected Xie Yue to do something like this. Seeing Yan's smiling hand reaching out, Wang Zhong let out a soft huff, "You two greedy guys, this is too much! This is my money!" He turned his wrist, flipping the crystal card to the other side, just avoiding Yan's grasping hand.
Seeing what was almost in his grasp slip away, Xie Yue became even more incensed, yelling, "Yan, you're too slow! You couldn't even get that." Yan was also extremely frustrated. Wang Zhong was restrained, and the item was within his reach. He thought it was a sure thing, yet under these circumstances, the other party still managed to dodge.
"I don't believe it, I won't get it today."
Despite the initial failure, Yan was not discouraged and reached out to grab again. However, the small card in Wang Zhong's hand danced freely, like a butterfly flitting through flowers, impossibly agile. After several failed attempts, Yan was sweating profusely with anxiety.
"Xie Yue, hold him tighter! He's moving around so much, I really can't grab it!"
Xie Yue, who was tightly holding Wang Zhong, was so angry at Yan's thoughtless words that his face turned red. Didn't Yan know how strong Wang Zhong was? If they weren't playing around, Wang Zhong could toss them both away with a simple turn.
"Just admit you're slow!"
Xie Yue, hugging Wang Zhong, yelled in frustration. Wang Zhong, allowing himself to be held, teased with a smile, constantly twirling the card in his hand, finding great amusement in Yan's anxious expressions of being just a little bit short. But soon, Wang Zhong couldn't laugh anymore. Just as their attention was completely captured by the crystal card, Hu Liena quietly approached Wang Zhong, who was locked in Xie Yue's embrace, and gently blew into his ear.
The smile on his face instantly froze, and a tingling sensation shot from his ear straight to his brain, making Wang Zhong's scalp tingle. This sensation immediately spread throughout his body, causing Wang Zhong to shiver violently. His fingers abruptly stiffened, and the crystal card, which had been dancing like a butterfly, lost its control. It spun in mid-air and fell straight down.
Just as the card was about to hit the ground, Hu Liena's fair and smooth little hand shot out and caught it. Her eyes curved into crescent moons, her beautiful little face adorned with a bright, mischievous, yet somewhat triumphant smile. Holding the purple crystal card, Hu Liena gleefully dangled it in front of Wang Zhong, her golden ponytail swaying with her mood.
"Yay! Nana is amazing!"
Seeing the purple crystal card fall into Hu Liena's hands, Xie Yue immediately let go of Wang Zhong and cheered with joy. As he cheered, he ran to Hu Liena and high-fived her. Yan stood by, seeing that Hu Liena had no intention of high-fiving him, and could only watch the scene with a gentle smile.
"Nana, why did you join their side?"
"That's my gold soul coins!"
Wang Zhong plopped onto the ground, propping his chin with both hands, and said with a sigh. He could understand Xie Yue and Yan, but he hadn't expected Hu Liena to become their accomplice and conspire to "scheme" for his purple crystal card. Wang Zhong truly hadn't foreseen this.
The girl grinned, revealing a row of neat white teeth, and said playfully, "I've never seen a purple crystal card representing a million gold soul coins before either."
"I'll return it to you as soon as I've seen it."
Wang Zhong tilted his head and tentatively asked, "Really?"
"Of course, it's fake!"
Xie Yue put his hands on his hips and said righteously.
"Anyway, you weren't going to use this money for cultivation this month, so it's better if we spend it."
"I've been eyeing a four-person space storage soul tool, and it costs around a million. It's perfect!"
Wang Zhong's eyebrows shot up, and he said, "Xie Yue, that's not acceptable. Although I don't plan to use these million gold soul coins for cultivation, I intend to give them to the old Dean."
"You know the situation of the orphanage."
Xie Yue, Yan, and Hu Liena exchanged glances, and then burst into laughter. Hu Liena said heartily, "Zhong, the orphanage doesn't lack money right now!"
"Ever since the four of us joined the academy, the orphanage has been taken over by the Spirit Hall, and they receive a large amount of gold soul coins as subsidies every month!"
Wang Zhong's small face showed great surprise, and he exclaimed, "When did this happen? How come I didn't know anything about it."
"You've been solely focused on cultivation, you never asked us about these things!" Xie Yue shrugged helplessly.
"Besides, your idea of sending some money back every month is good."
"Even though the orphanage doesn't lack money, it's at least our gesture of goodwill, and the old Dean didn't refuse it."
Yan added with a smile.
"However, yesterday, I received a letter from the old Dean. He said: 'I've received your intentions, but your cultivation is the most important thing. Don't let these trivial matters delay your future. You don't need to send money back anymore.'"
Hu Liena explained with a smile, bending slightly.