Chapter 106: Unusual
Jian Yu was a little exasperated.
She was long past the age of crying for her mommy.
’She liked the dean. The dean had raised her and was always willing to humor her. What did these relatives who showed up out of the blue count for?’
’Were they expecting her to go back and support them?’
Qin Xianzhao was even more speechless than she was. He was already scowling with irritation before he even saw who was speaking.
"What gives you the right to call yourself her brother? Are you going to say you’re Shen Qing’s son, too?"
’He was here to claim his sister. What business was it of some outsider? So nosy.’
Qin Xianzhao turned his head, his expression changing drastically. "Shi Zhao!?"
Shi Zhao?
Too many people were standing in front of her, blocking Jian Yu’s view. She could only hear a commotion.
It sounded like his entourage was just as big as the F7’s.
’She thought everyone was just guessing, but it turned out Shi Zhao really had come to Imperial Capital Star with his professor.’
’But why would he say she was his sister?’
Jian Yu might have ignored an ordinary person, but Shi Zhao was different.
Shi Zhao was the template for the new persona she was planning to build for herself.
Given his status on Emperor Source Star, he didn’t seem like the type to joke around.
Jian Yu walked forward.
The crowd automatically parted to either side.
Even a huge celebrity didn’t command such a presence.
Jian Yu feigned a calm expression, secretly scratching her palm with her fingers.
’One-ninety. A tall guy.’
Another height that would force her to ’look up to people.’
Jian Yu tilted her chin up slightly, watching him walk toward her.
His features were delicate, the corners of his eyes and mouth curving up in a natural arc. He had a complex aura—a mix of gentleness and a hint of arrogance.
When he saw her, his gaze didn’t linger on her face but landed precisely on her right index finger.
Jian Yu curled her fingers, slowly retracting the tendril of purple smoke coiling around them.
She watched as Shi Zhao tilted his head in slight confusion, then gave a faint, resigned smile as his brow furrowed.
"Little sister, you were truly hard to find."
Jian Yu found his attitude very strange.
His tone was that of an older brother, but his gaze shifted from looking directly at her to looking down, and his expression held a hint of humility.
For a split second, it was as if... as if he was treating her like some important figure.
"Can’t you find someone else to hit on?"
Ling Yanzhi’s voice came from above.
Fallen leaves and petals swirled around, spinning in mid-air before drifting down.
Qin Xianzhao kept backing away.
When he realized no one was paying attention to him, he quickly turned and ran straight in the opposite direction.
Jian Yu glanced over, then looked away.
She looked up and could faintly see a black and red cyclone in the air.
In her peripheral vision, she saw Shi Zhao take half a step forward, his eyes fixed unerringly on her.
It was as if Shi Zhao’s defensive stance would instantly switch to an offensive one the moment she showed the slightest resistance.
Jian Yu blinked.
Shi Zhao stepped back.
’A wordless exchange, and she got it!’
’Someone understood her!’
Before Jian Yu had a chance to feel happy, an arm wrapped around her waist and legs.
She was lifted into the air and settled onto Ling Yanzhi’s arm.
This height was perfect; she no longer had to look up at Shi Zhao.
The fingers on her waist slowly tightened. Ling Yanzhi chuckled softly as he pressed his forehead against hers. He let out a breath. "You’re finally awakened. As long as you’re awake, everything is fine."
Jian Yu was a bit tired, and since she had a ride, she simply leaned against him with a frail look.
She rested one hand on Ling Yanzhi’s right shoulder and grabbed the red ribbon on his chest that complemented his black uniform with the other.
Ignoring her cold little expression, her actions alone made her seem a bit dependent on him.
"Did my baby miss me?" Ling Yanzhi asked with a somewhat shy smile.
He took the initiative to report his whereabouts, seizing the chance to score points. "I went home to find some useful medicine for my baby and, while I was at it, checked in on that old bastard of a father."
Jian Yu looked up. "Qin Xianzhao came looking for me today."
Just as Ling Yanzhi had guessed, the Qin Family planned to take her back, using the deceased Shen Qing as a pretext.
She didn’t know if they genuinely didn’t know the truth or were just pretending not to.
Judging by Qin Xianzhao’s confident tone, some melodramatic incident must have happened within the Qin Family that led them to truly believe she was Shen Qing’s daughter.
Ling Yanzhi straightened up, his entire aura seeming to shift in an instant.
Someone couldn’t help but speak up to defend themselves. "We didn’t let him get near classmate Jian Yu. The guy was shouting and screaming; there was nothing we could do."
Jian Yu nodded obediently. "Mhm, that’s right."
Besides, she was the one who decided to stop and listen. It wasn’t their fault they couldn’t hold him back.
As for Guan Dan, she had been sitting in the classroom during the break, waiting for someone to bring her food. Lin Yu and the others couldn’t possibly watch her every single second.
There were some things she didn’t need to explain too clearly. Ling Yanzhi would ask Lin Yu himself.
Ling Yanzhi’s lowered lashes slowly lifted. He scanned the area but didn’t see Qin Xianzhao.
’Or maybe he just didn’t remember the guy’s face?’
His gaze fell on Shi Zhao.
’Now this was one arrogant fellow.’
He had known the guy for several years, but this was the first time he’d ever seen Shi Zhao so meek and quiet.
"What are you doing here?"
"My professor was invited, so I accompanied him." Shi Zhao looked troubled. "What... is your relationship?"
Ling Yanzhi bent down and nuzzled the corner of Jian Yu’s lips.
He raised an eyebrow. "Is that obvious enough for you?"
’So annoying. Is another one going to join the fray?’
The tight knot in Shi Zhao’s brow relaxed.
"I need to have a private word with my sister."
He carried himself with an innate sense of superiority. Tilting his chin up, he said, "Step aside for now."
"Sister?" Ling Yanzhi’s imposing aura suddenly softened.
He glanced sideways in confusion. "Is he another one of your brothers from the orphanage?"
Jian Yu was speechless. "..."
She leaned close to Ling Yanzhi’s ear and whispered, "I think he can also see that strange smoke I told you guys about."
Ling Yanzhi froze for a moment, his raised brows slowly lowering.
’The reason Emperor Source Star held Shi Zhao in such high regard was, one, his powerful incubation ability, which could provide the Imperial Noble Academy with a sufficient supply of young beasts for Contracts.’
’And two, despite showing no signs of having Awakened, he could summon a physical Soul Beast, one that was unlike any other.’
’The smoke Jian Yu could see, Shi Zhao could see as well...’
’That meant he also possessed this ability, and he had already mastered it completely!’
’Jian Yu had suddenly grown weak recently. Even Pei Yin couldn’t find a solution and could only speculate on when she would awaken.’
’Perhaps Shi Zhao knew how to solve this problem.’
’But there was no telling if he would be willing to reveal it.’
’If Shi Zhao refused, he might have to use a little force.’
’Before that, he couldn’t let him return to Emperor Source Star.’
Ling Yanzhi’s mind raced. "How long can you stay here?"
Shi Zhao’s original plan was to visit the outer regions of the Imperial City.
He looked at Jian Yu, his back straight, but his eyes unconsciously concealed the arrogance ingrained in his bones.
"I will stay until the competition ends."
Ling Yanzhi watched him, finding it rare to see the other man so humble.
’Strange. It was like he was a completely different person.’
"Follow me."
They flew at a low altitude, thin wings fluttering in the sunlight, their speed slow.
Shi Zhao followed behind, unable to stop himself from asking, "What kind of speed is this?"
"Less talk." Ling Yanzhi pulled the person in his arms closer to his chest.
Jian Yu grumbled internally: ’Everyone can fly but me.’
’And I’m afraid of heights.’
’How was Shi Zhao keeping up?’
Discussions on the Star Network were always about his superhuman incubation results; few people ever mentioned Shi Zhao’s Soul Beast.
It was said that the human eye would forget it immediately after seeing it—impossible to remember, impossible to describe, and impossible to capture on video surveillance or any other recording device.
’Sounds pretty freaky.’
’I have to see what it looks like.’
Jian Yu shifted her hips, half-leaning over Ling Yanzhi’s body to look back.