Chapter 151

The class bell rang. Eight o'clock classes generally had the highest absence rate. Although university students who enjoyed nightlife were a minority, this didn't prevent those who didn't have nightlife from staying awake at night. Especially for general education courses, if professors didn't frequently take roll call, attendance would often be sparse.

Professor Zhu never took roll call. Li Zhuiyuan had personally witnessed the student attendance in his class change from many to few, and then from few back to many. Some students, even looking groggy and yawning, would still stumble into the classroom. Students knew what was good for them.

In fact, teachers understood the confidence and prestige of maintaining high attendance without relying on roll calls; unfortunately, they lacked the ability to do so. The number of people who deliberately argued in class had dwindled, and even many former "troublemakers" had now become active thinkers and eager contributors to discussions.

The political theory course for the semester was almost over. Before class ended, Professor Zhu asked everyone to open their textbooks and start highlighting paragraphs.

"This is the first question.""This is the second question.""This is the third question."

The students went from initial disbelief to beaming smiles. This was no longer just outlining the scope; it was equivalent to directly providing the answers.

Professor Zhu closed his book and said: "Students, I will be very strict during the exam."

Everyone laughed.

After the students finished laughing, Professor Zhu said earnestly: "The reason I highlighted the answers for you so early is that I don't want you to cheat during the exam. I hope you'll have enough time to memorize this content thoroughly. In fact, from primary school through junior high, high school, and university, you've learned a lot of knowledge. However, most of it won't be relevant once you enter society. But this..."

Professor Zhu held up the book in his hand and gently patted it: "It can help you better understand and perceive society, and you can ruminate on it for the rest of your lives."

Class ended.

Li Zhuiyuan remained in the back row of the lecture hall, having just finished recording the fourth "wave" of *Zhuiyuan's Secret Scroll*. Recording was just the first step; the next major task was the revision of *The Rules of Navigating the River*. This was a major undertaking, involving a thorough re-evaluation and re-understanding of the experiment's results. Theoretically, his fourth "wave" was complete; he had actively walked into it before it even arrived. However, learning from past lessons, he couldn't afford to be complacent; the road ahead remained long and challenging.

As was his custom, Professor Zhu walked to the last row after the other students had left, approaching the young man.

"Xiaoyuan, are you writing something?"

"Yes, I'm summarizing." Li Zhuiyuan closed *Zhuiyuan's Secret Scroll* and, as he put down his pen, looked up and asked, "Professor Zhu, there's something I'd like to ask you."

"Go ahead."

"There's something that's pushing and influencing my life, and I find it quite annoying."

"That's normal. Have you observed it?"

"I've been observing it constantly."

"Continue."

"Sometimes, I resent its influence and control over me. I suspect it holds a natural malice towards me. But at other times, I somewhat agree with some of its logic, and I even proactively try to use it... to leverage it."

"Are you struggling against it?"

"Yes."

"Does it know?"

Remembering the "wave" related to *The Five Senses Sealing Diagram* from last time, Li Zhuiyuan replied, "I think it probably does."

"Your point of confusion is that you don't know, or are unsure, how exactly to confront it?"

"That's right."

Professor Zhu nodded and said: "The development of contradictions is the result of the unity and struggle of opposites. Unity is the basis for development, and struggle is the driving force for development."

Before Li Zhuiyuan's eyes, a river seemed to appear, flowing steadily. He smiled.

Professor Zhu also smiled and said, "It seems I don't need to elaborate further?"

Li Zhuiyuan stood up, bowed to Professor Zhu, and sincerely said, "Thank you, Professor." When facing the river, he had tried to find a fixed pattern and answer, but then realized he was wrong. Now, he was conducting experiments to find new perspectives to understand it. He hadn't expected the answer to have already been summarized and written down.

Professor Zhu shook his head, pointed at *Zhuiyuan's Secret Scroll* which Li Zhuiyuan had just closed, and said: "I merely restated a concept to you. Your ability to understand it comes from your own investigation and practice."

"You're right."

"Furthermore, the understanding of the same concept, or even the same sentence, will differ at various stages in the future."

"I will continue to work hard. Thank you, Professor."

"It is I who should thank you for helping my wife fulfill her last wish. I dreamt of her last night; she was in a beautiful landscape, smiling very happily. I plan to retire to her hometown and spend my later years there once I can no longer teach. By the way, are you busy this afternoon?"

"Do you need something, Professor Zhu?"

"No, nothing specific." Professor Zhu took out two tickets from his pocket. "The university gave them out. It's for the Jinling University Student Arts Festival. Would you like to go?"

Li Zhuiyuan also pulled out an identical ticket from his pocket. Tan Wenbin had given it to him that morning. A while ago, the department had requested each class to prepare a performance, and Tan Wenbin was the class monitor. Initially, it was a voluntary sign-up within the class, but the result was zero volunteers. Their class was truly an artistic wasteland. Fatty Wu had explicitly told Tan Wenbin that the school highly valued this selection process, and even for the departmental preliminary round, school leaders would be present. He warned Tan Wenbin not to just put on a perfunctory group poetry recitation. At that moment, the program list Tan Wenbin held in his hand was indeed Class 1's group poetry recitation: "Ah, My Haihe River, Cradle of My Growth!"

There was no other way. The Party branch secretary usually handled class errands, and Fatty Wu had been very good to him. As a hands-off class monitor, he had to step up when it mattered. Therefore, Tan Wenbin had no choice but to pull out his trump card: sending Lin Shuyou. The Guan Jiang Shou performance wasn't suitable because it was a solo act, which wouldn't have good stage presence. He couldn't possibly let Lin Shuyou perform a spirit possession ritual on stage in front of all the guests, could he? However, Tan Wenbin had a solution: he would have Lin Shuyou perform a lion dance. They could rent a lion costume, and he wouldn't need a partner; Lin Shuyou could perform it solo. They could also set up some tables, chairs, and benches on stage to create plum blossom piles. Lin Shuyou had indeed encountered lion dancing in his hometown, and though he hadn't formally learned it, he was agile and skilled. During the departmental selection, as soon as he appeared, he captivated all the school leaders, making other performances pale in comparison. Ultimately, it was decided that his performance would be the one selected to represent their university.

"Oh, you already have one." Professor Zhu was about to take back his two tickets.

"But I have friends who also want to go and are struggling to find tickets," Li Zhuiyuan said, taking the two tickets. "Thank you, Professor Zhu."

Leaving the classroom, Li Zhuiyuan walked towards the student living area with his backpack. He entered the discount store. It was the break between two morning classes, so there weren't many customers in the store. Runsheng stood in front of the counter, trying on clothes one by one at Yin Meng's request. A-Li had designed a set of casual wear for everyone, and that was Runsheng's best outfit. Normally, he liked to wear tank tops and had many old clothes brought from his hometown, Nantong, which he was reluctant to throw away. Yin Meng was first influenced by Aunt Liu, and then later became best friends with Zheng Jiayi, often shopping together, so her clothing style gradually changed.

Following the principle of encouraging Runsheng to improve with her, Yin Meng forcefully took him shopping once. Back at Great-Grandpa's house, Runsheng wouldn't complain about being tired even after working all day like a mule. After that shopping trip, Runsheng was completely exhausted, mainly mentally. Trying on clothes one by one, bargaining for each item, and then likely not buying after trying and bargaining, just to go to the next store. During this time, he also had to cooperate with Yin Meng as she instructed. For instance, he couldn't just nod and say "good, good, good" when trying on a well-fitting item; he had to find fault with it first. So, when Yin Meng wanted to drag Runsheng shopping for clothes again, he shook his head like a rattle drum, absolutely refusing to go. Yin Meng had no choice but to go with Zheng Jiayi, agreeing with the shop owner to buy clothes based on Runsheng's measurements, keeping what fit and returning what didn't.

"Xiaoyuan Ge, Xue Liangliang called earlier," Yin Meng said, tugging at Runsheng's shirt to make him turn around. "He said he'd be back at school in a couple of days; Engineer Luo has a project."

"Did he just call?"

"Yes."

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the phone, pressed a few buttons, and checked the previous calls. Sure enough, the prefix showed the call originated from Nantong.

After handing the two tickets to them, Li Zhuiyuan ignored Runsheng's pleading look and walked out of the store.

Arriving at Liu Yumei's house, A-Li was in the study, drawing. The painting was taking shape: a group of unseeable figures were bowing, while the young man and the statue behind him had yet to be drawn. After hearing the account of the fourth "wave," A-Li immediately chose this scene.

After Li Zhuiyuan entered, A-Li put down her paintbrush, went to sit in front of the guqin, and Li Zhuiyuan sat down next to her on an adjacent stool. She could draw even when the young man wasn't present, but learning the guqin was different. The girl would first play a melody with one hand, then the young man would imitate it, and they would repeat this process. This teaching method could literally be called "simple doodling." However, considering the specific learner's intelligence, it was the most concise and efficient approach. Moreover, Li Zhuiyuan already had a foundation in music theory.

Aunt Liu came in with two plates of fruit. She placed one between them and held the other in her hand, leaning against the study door, eating with a toothpick while watching and listening. Compared to over a year ago at Li Sanjiang's house, both children had clearly grown quite a bit. When they were together before, they were the quintessential "golden boy and jade girl." Calling them that now felt inappropriate. The girl's heroic spirit was gradually emerging, and the young man's calm demeanor was evident in his brows. Although they were still quite young, looking at them now, one could easily imagine them sitting together ten or twenty years later. For Aunt Liu, this was realism combined with fantasy, and the fruit on the plate tasted even better.

One taught, one learned, and time slowly passed. Aunt Liu had finished eating. She went to the kitchen to make lunch. When lunch was almost ready, she heard a more complete melody coming from the study. She walked over, intending to call them out for lunch, and saw the boy and girl playing a duet, one hand each. This couldn't help but make Aunt Liu sigh with emotion. Years ago, the old lady used to tell her and Qin Li, "I've never seen two people as clumsy as you." At the time, she felt indignant, but now, looking at them, she and Qin Li seemed like clumsy kids playing in the mud by the village entrance at the same age.

The old lady also came downstairs at this moment, walked to the dining table, and sat down to listen quietly. Aunt Liu walked over, first setting out the tableware, then leaned down and whispered into the old lady's ear, "Our adopted child really can't compare to your own flesh and blood." The old lady gave Aunt Liu's face a pinch, half-amused and half-exasperated, and retorted, "Oh, you! Taking advantage of my old age to tease me about adopted children!" Aunt Liu didn't evade, intentionally moving her face along with the old lady's fingers: "How could I? I'm truly speaking from the heart. You listen for yourself; it really is different."

"What's so surprising? When I was young..."

"Were you like this when you were young too?"

"No, when I was young, I didn't play as elegantly as these two youngsters."

"Then I feel much more balanced."

"Go on, go on, serve the dishes. They're almost done playing."

Liu Yumei waved Aunt Liu away, her fingertips lightly tapping on the table to the rhythm of the music. She knew how exceptionally talented her granddaughter was; otherwise, those "flies" wouldn't have swarmed in, eager to ruin her. The young man's excellence was even more clearly visible. The Qin and Liu families had produced many talented individuals throughout generations, which should have broadened their horizons long ago, yet they had truly never seen such an exceptional talent. If both children could steadily grow to adulthood, the two Dragon King families would not only re-establish themselves but might even surpass their former glory. What did a small population matter? Each generation's Dragon King could only be one person. Besides, fewer people didn't mean they couldn't have more children...

Previously, all she had wanted was for A-Li's illness to recover. Now, she began to imagine more. Her gaze turned to Qin Li, who was tending to the vegetable patch in the yard. When Ah Li encountered that incident and failed in his "river journey," A-Li was still an infant, so she had to endure it. This time, she was absolutely not going to tolerate it. Anyway, she was old enough and had lived long enough, and the family legacies had successors. So, she naturally began to ponder how to maximize the value of her old life. Seeking revenge afterward was the worst option. Logically, she should warn them beforehand. Whoever dared to play dirty tricks again, she would risk her life, go to their door, and take down as many as she could, specifically targeting the old coots and the cunning young ones. The problem was, Xiaoyuan's method of "river journey" was truly bizarre; she had never seen anything like it. This made her wonder if a grand, public warning from her might instead negatively impact Xiaoyuan. At least for now, Xiaoyuan was progressing steadily, and even in the intervals between each "wave," he still had the leisure to attend classes, draw, and play the guqin.

The music ended.

Liu Yumei came back to her senses. When the two children walked out, she looked somewhat awkward. The final part of their playing had been a bit chaotic, losing some of its charm, because she had inadvertently released a killing intent, which had affected them.

After lunch, Li Zhuiyuan returned to the store. Tan Wenbin parked the small pickup truck in front of the shop, and everyone got in, heading to the theater. On the way, Yin Meng asked curiously, "I thought you'd pick up your class monitor."

Tan Wenbin righteously declared, "How could I? Brothers are like limbs, women are like clothes. Of course, I'd look after my brothers first!"

Hearing "clothes," Runsheng, sitting in the back of the pickup truck, silently sighed.

Upon arriving at the theater entrance, as soon as they parked, they saw Zhou Yunyun and Luo Mingzhu standing there, holding a large bag of snacks and drinks. Yin Meng teased, "We 'clothes' should get off first."

Tan Wenbin explained, "I didn't give them their tickets. Luo Mingzhu's family is hosting the dinner after the performance, and she got the tickets from her dad."

Luo Mingzhu, who had been standing on the steps, chatting and laughing with Zhou Yunyun, froze the moment she saw Li Zhuiyuan and the others approaching. The bag in her hand slipped, scattering its contents everywhere. She had "seen" all these people in her dreams.

Zhou Yunyun: "Senior, what's wrong?"

"I... I..."

Tan Wenbin stepped forward first to help pick up the scattered items. Luo Mingzhu reached out and grabbed Tan Wenbin's arm, exclaiming excitedly, "It's them, isn't it? You're all together, aren't you? You all saved us, didn't you?"

Tan Wenbin looked up, and while Zhou Yunyun was looking down picking things up, he shot Luo Mingzhu a glare and said: "Senior, if you keep being so jumpy, be careful you don't go back to that nightmare when you sleep tonight."

Luo Mingzhu immediately shut her mouth.

Zhou Yunyun: "Xiaoyuan."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Hello, Class Monitor."

They showed their tickets and entered the theater. Zhou Yunyun and Luo Mingzhu didn't sit with Li Zhuiyuan and the others. They sat in another corner, quite far away. Tan Wenbin also didn't go to sit with them, even though exchanging tickets or changing seats would have been easy for him. He still chose to sit next to Li Zhuiyuan. Dates could be private and separate, but he wouldn't bring family to a team event. He only found out Zhou Yunyun and Luo Mingzhu were coming afterward. Li Zhuiyuan knew that even if he asked, Tan Wenbin wouldn't go sit with them, so he skipped that part of the conversation.

As the performance was about to begin, the entire grand theater was mostly filled. Banners from various schools and departments hung on the surrounding walls. The host was also from Jinling TV, and cameras were recording the event. A leader gave a brief opening speech, and then the host introduced the leaders in the front row. After everyone applauded and the necessary formalities were completed, the show began. The performances were indeed splendid. While class-based acts might include a perfunctory poetry recitation, school-wide events always brought out talented individuals.

As a male and female high-pitched duet was performed, the backstage area began to be re-arranged. A tall platform was erected, its top reaching almost the highest point of the stage, nearly twenty meters from the ground. Four pairs of ropes extended downwards from the top, secured at the bottom. At the upper ends, four lion heads served as markers.

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "Is A-You's stage presence that grand?"

Tan Wenbin was also surprised. "This isn't for A-You."

"The acts have clashed."

"Most likely."

"Didn't they rehearse here?"

"A-You did rehearse here. This shouldn't be happening."

The host began to announce, "The next performance is jointly presented by Jinling University and Haihe University: 'Battle of the Northern and Southern Lion Kings!'" The stage setup had already whetted the audience's appetite, and the show's title ignited the entire crowd's excitement. Everyone began to applaud and cheer enthusiastically.

Tan Wenbin: "A-You didn't tell me about this. I suspect the organizers made a mistake and changed it last minute."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

The first to appear was a golden lion with a red knot on its head. Its design was simple, yet it looked incredibly lifelike. Two performers brought it to life. From the moment they appeared, they interacted with the audience in a lion-like manner, vivid, expressive, and agile. While lion dance scenes were not uncommon in films and TV shows, the true atmosphere and essence could only be clearly felt when witnessed live.

Next, on the other side of the stage, a white lion appeared.

Tan Wenbin: "This is A-You."

The white lion's head was inspired by Peking Opera masks, featuring a majestic shape and vibrant colors. However, Lin Shuyou was not a professional lion dancer, and in terms of technique, he was indeed not as skilled as the golden lion. Furthermore, he was performing alone, so his lion movements were a significant step down in quality. Nevertheless, Lin Shuyou, with his more agile movements, performed continuous rolls and jumps, drawing applause no less enthusiastic than for the previous act. After all, this wasn't a professional lion dance competition; the audience was there for the spectacle.

Next, the two lions began winking at each other and circling. During this, Lin Shuyou lowered his body, bowing his head and shaking it three times. This was a gesture of respect towards seniors. In this field, he was indeed a junior. The only reason he was performing lion dance here was because of Brother Bin's task.

The golden lion raised its body and leaped. Two people stepped onto the ropes, moving smoothly and steadily, even managing to keep the lion's body agile and swaying as they ascended directly to the top.

"Bravo!""Bravo!"

Many audience members stood up and applauded vigorously. The atmosphere was completely ignited, and everyone could see that this was truly impressive skill. There was a saying in the circle: "South has plum blossom poles, North has the sky-reaching pagoda." This high platform setup was indeed the sky-reaching pagoda. In fact, dividing lion dance purely into "Northern" and "Southern" was not entirely appropriate. Shandong, Henan, and other regions also had their own rich lion dance cultural traditions. However, the current trend was to simplify things with a blanket term. Labeling it "Northern and Southern" was more eye-catching.

The golden lion stood at the top, performing movements towards the bottom, seemingly mocking and exerting pressure. Although Lin Shuyou was shy by nature, he had the pride of a Guan Jiang Shou deep down. More importantly, the program title had added a regional label, so he absolutely had to rise to the challenge. The white lion then sprang up, and despite there being a pair of ropes on one side, he chose not to use them, instead ascending directly to the top with both feet on a single rope.

"Bravo!""Bravo!"

The audience, who had just sat down, stood up again and cheered. Both the golden and white lions reached the top and began to "fight" on the small platform. Initially, it was a bit subtle, but gradually, the golden lion began to close in, and their lion heads started clashing, as if engaged in a wrestling match. The Northern Lion's head was heavier, giving it an advantage in the grappling. If Lin Shuyou didn't want his lion head to be dented, he had to dodge. Instantly, it turned into the golden lion attacking and the white lion dodging. The audience burst into laughter, finding it highly entertaining.

However, the two parties at the top genuinely became agitated. It wasn't about who was good or bad. Perhaps at first, everyone just wanted to perform their own act well, but being inexplicably grouped into one show disrupted their rhythm. Furthermore, lion dance itself was a highly masculine activity. Like two hot-headed young men, a "What are you looking at?" met with a "What about it?" and they just started fighting. They truly began to fight. It was unclear who struck first, but after another collision, their feet emerged from beneath their respective lions, kicking at each other. This was followed by one pushing forward, the other pushing back, each bouncing and leaping. After that, it was a flurry of shoulder strikes and wild charges, causing the entire sky-reaching pagoda to sway.

Li Zhuiyuan had witnessed Lin Shuyou's agility; even without being in a trance, he could dodge bullets with his reaction speed. Yet, in this exchange, he couldn't gain the slightest advantage. Although his opponents were two people, this also meant they were exceptionally skilled martial artists. Soon, the high platform was no longer sufficient for their exchange. With a fierce pounce from the golden lion, the white lion swung its tail, leaving the platform and landing on a rope. The golden lion continued to press forward, and the white lion met the challenge. Both stood on the ropes and began to duel. The audience, of course, had no idea this was a genuine confrontation. They simply assumed it was part of the planned performance, and many clapped their hands red while continuing to applaud. Even the leaders seated in the front row no longer cared about their image, standing up and pointing excitedly. They hadn't expected a local university student festival to produce such an outstanding act, one that would be more than sufficient for the Spring Festival Gala.

The two sides gradually began to genuinely fight, with the lion costumes serving as their last disguise. After an exchange of blows, they'd push each other away, perform some lion dance movements as a facade, and then continue fighting.

Tan Wenbin waved his fists, cheering for A-You, and lamented, "I should have gone up there with A-You if I'd known."

Runsheng: "To hold him back?"

Tan Wenbin: "I can fight too, you know."

Runsheng: "You'd invite a ghost to possess you and shorten your life for a performance?"

Tan Wenbin was momentarily speechless but immediately retorted, "Then we should have sent you up instead."

Yin Meng: "That would be too unfair."

Lin Shuyou hadn't entered a trance and was fighting the two opponents to a draw, but if Runsheng were added, the balance would be completely shattered.

Runsheng: "I'm not a student."

Tan Wenbin: "Presented by Haihe University Discount Store—it would also be good advertising for the shop."

Li Zhuiyuan didn't join their conversation. He noticed that the golden lion had made several unusual movements, and each time it did, a faint, illusory figure seemed to emerge above the stage. The illusory figure attempted to descend and merge several times but ultimately failed to fully materialize. This was not an evil spirit, but a kind of spiritual entity, very faint, yet radiating an extremely majestic aura.

"Oh!!!!""Ahhh!!!"

Both sides were fighting so intensely that they lost themselves, constantly clashing on the ropes. The temporary sky-reaching pagoda began to tilt, seemingly on the verge of collapse. If it truly collapsed, the leaders in the front row would be directly in its path. At that very moment, both sides finally regained their composure. They retreated, then used their lion heads to "bite" onto a rope, their legs wrapping around it. Together, they exerted force, forcibly pulling the collapsing sky-reaching pagoda back upright and stabilizing it. The two lions quickly blinked and shook their heads, as if this had been part of the act all along. The stage crew, whose souls were almost scared out of them, immediately came forward to draw the curtains and manage the situation. All the audience members below once again erupted into thunderous applause.

The next act was delayed for a long time. However, the audience was still immersed in the brilliance of the previous performance, so the delay gave them a chance to calm down.

Backstage.

Lin Shuyou took off his lion costume. Two people, dressed in black tank tops and black pants, approached him. They were all university students, so their ages were naturally similar.

"Hahaha! Brother, what great skill!""We two couldn't even take down you, one!"

Seeing that the two weren't there to pick another fight and had a frank attitude, Lin Shuyou also smiled and nodded at them.

"My name is Zhou Cheng, and this is my younger brother Zhou Feng. We're from Cangzhou."

"My name is Lin Shuyou."

"From your accent, are you from the south?"

"Yes."

Zhou Feng, the younger brother, clicked his tongue and said, "I never imagined Southern Lion dance could be so tough."

Zhou Cheng, on the other hand, asked curiously, "Shouldn't the lion movements be more refined where you're from?"

Lin Shuyou waved his hand and said, "I just started learning lion dance."

Zhou Cheng: "Oh, no wonder. So you're purely a martial artist, not from our particular craft."

"Yes."

Zhou Feng: "That's why we were puzzled when you didn't react when we subtly prompted you to 'awaken the lion's spirit.'"

"'Awaken the lion's spirit'?"

Zhou Cheng: "When human and lion merge, the 'false' lion becomes a 'true' lion, making it braver and fiercer."

Zhou Feng: "Haha, luckily we didn't awaken the lion's spirit, or it would have been a bit unfair."

Lin Shuyou chuckled along. On stage, if his opponents had awakened their lion's spirit, he would have had to enter a trance and invite the White Crane Child to perform the lion dance. He never dared to imagine such a thing before, but he knew that since Brother Xiaoyuan warned the Child last time, he could probably genuinely summon it. In any case, it was acceptable not to win, but absolutely not to lose. He knew that Brother Xiaoyuan and the others were watching from below.

Zhou Cheng invited, "Come on, let's skip the dinner banquet afterwards and find a place for a drink?"

Lin Shuyou shook his head. "I have classmates waiting for me."

Zhou Cheng: "What's that? Call your classmates to come along. It's on us!"

"Then I'll have to go ask first."

Lin Shuyou knew Brother Bin's and the others' seat numbers. He went from backstage to the audience seating and asked.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Then let's all have dinner together."

Immediately, Li Zhuiyuan looked at Tan Wenbin. "Call the class monitor to come along."

Tan Wenbin whispered, "That might not be very convenient."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Who's in charge?"

Tan Wenbin immediately said, "This is absolutely convenient!"

There were only a few acts left, so Li Zhuiyuan and the others left early. As Tan Wenbin walked towards Zhou Yunyun's seat, he mimicked Brother Xiaoyuan's earlier words: "Who's in charge? Who's in charge? Hahahahaha!" It was rare to see such childishness from Brother Xiaoyuan.

Tan Wenbin went to pick up Zhou Yunyun, and casually gave Luo Mingzhu another warning glance. She didn't dare to follow. Because she could sense that the man in front of her today had no patience in his eyes. Mostly, no matter how annoying this senior had been before, Tan Wenbin could endure it alone. But with Brother Xiaoyuan present today, she wouldn't be allowed to spoil the atmosphere.

Zhou Cheng and Zhou Feng, the two brothers, looked somewhat embarrassed when they saw Lin Shuyou had invited so many "classmates." The dining location was, of course, the same place. A Hebei lion and a Fujian lion, having become acquainted through their fight, then went to a Sichuan restaurant. The Old Sichuan Restaurant had just expanded and undergone new renovations, significantly upgrading its style and ambiance. These expenses were covered by Xue Liangliang. He was out of town, so he transferred the money to Tan Wenbin, who then paid the restaurant owners. Zhou Cheng and Zhou Feng stood at the restaurant entrance, exchanged glances, and looked a bit awkward. They had expected to just find a small place for a drink, not to have so many people dine out together. The two whispered to each other, calculating their remaining living expenses for the month. It should barely cover this meal.

Tan Wenbin stepped between them, put his arms around their shoulders, and said, "This is my family's restaurant. Since you've graced us with your presence, it's on me!" In those days, what money could an average university student have left to dine out, especially for those with large appetites? The dinner was quite lively. The two Zhou brothers were very straightforward, elaborating on their family's lion dance tradition and history. However, they did not mention "awakening the lion's spirit" again.

Midway through the meal, Li Zhuiyuan left the table and went to the pickup truck. Both the golden and white lion costumes were in the vehicle. Li Zhuiyuan examined the golden lion and found engraved array patterns inside it. This was a spirit-attaching array, designed to lower the difficulty of attaching a spirit. Therefore, the Zhou family actually had a lion spirit in their possession. Just as Li Zhuiyuan was about to get out of the truck and return to the private room, the golden lion suddenly moved, its eyes opening. The next moment, they closed again. Li Zhuiyuan was a little puzzled, but apart from that one blink, the lion showed no further reaction. *Did you go in while we were eating inside earlier? Never mind, I won't scare you.* Li Zhuiyuan reached out and patted the lion's head, then got out of the truck and walked back into the restaurant.

After dinner, Li Zhuiyuan and the others walked directly back to school, while Tan Wenbin drove Zhou Yunyun and the Zhou brothers back to their respective universities. First, he dropped off the Zhou brothers. Both were a bit tipsy and patted Tan Wenbin's arm, saying they would definitely treat him next month when their family living expenses arrived.

When dropping off Zhou Yunyun, she seemed a bit uneasy in the front passenger seat. Tan Wenbin noticed and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Should I not have come today?"

"Of course not. Aren't we all from the same hometown? What are you thinking?"

Upon arriving at Zhou Yunyun's school gate, Tan Wenbin got out of the car with her. It was clear that Zhou Yunyun was still feeling a bit down. At home, she had once said that being with Tan Wenbin felt like a dream, with a sense of unreality. A woman's emotions are delicate; she could sense that Tan Wenbin had reservations about their relationship.

Tan Wenbin reached out and gently rubbed her face, playfully saying, "Come on, girl, give your old man a smile."

Zhou Yunyun immediately burst into laughter. Back when they were in school, Tan Wenbin, still "Left Guardian" at the time, used to tease her this way. The next line would always be: "If you don't smile, then your old man will smile for you." It was an old joke, but because it triggered past memories, it achieved the same effect. The sadness on Zhou Yunyun's face disappeared, and she began to straighten Tan Wenbin's collar. After adjusting it, she was about to pull away, but Tan Wenbin gently pulled her into an embrace. Such an action at a university gate was perfectly normal, yet Zhou Yunyun still blushed deeply.

Tan Wenbin whispered, "Class Monitor, I have something I need to do first."

"Then go do it, I'm not stopping you."

"Wait for me."

"How long?"

"Hmm? Already worried about waiting too long? Woman, are you that pragmatic?"

"I just want to have a date in mind to look forward to."

"I don't know how long I'll have to wait. I also want something to look forward to, and you are my anticipation."

Tan Wenbin opened the door and returned to their dorm room. Li Zhuiyuan was already in bed, preparing to rest.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, going to bed so early?"

"It's not early."

"Then I'll shower and go to bed too."

Tan Wenbin picked up a basin and went to the washroom to shower. Winter's chill was already in the air, and there was no longer a queue for showers at the washbasin area. Lighting a cigarette, Tan Wenbin leaned by the basin, smoking silently. Lin Shuyou happened to walk by, saw this scene, and looked as if he wanted to speak but hesitated.

Tan Wenbin: "Say whatever you want to say."

"Brother Bin, did your relationship break up?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I didn't mean anything, I didn't mean anything, I really didn't!" Lin Shuyou immediately shook his head nervously and guiltily.

Tan Wenbin put out his cigarette, picked up a basin of cold water, and poured it over his head. "Splash..."

Wiping his face, Tan Wenbin sighed, "Sometimes, caring about too many people can really be troublesome."

Lin Shuyou: "Yes, yes."

"What do you mean, 'yes'? Do you understand?"

"I can understand."

"Heh, then why don't you find someone? Didn't I notice you were quite popular during lectures? By the way, what kind of girl do you actually like?"

Lin Shuyou immediately grabbed his own basin and poured water over himself from head to toe. "Splash..."

"Brother Bin, what did you just say?"

Li Zhuiyuan had a dream. It had been a long time since he had dreamt. Previously, when he dreamt, he would quickly distinguish between dream and reality and then suppress the dream. Since learning "walking in the shadows," the probability of dreaming while sleeping had become even lower. But this was indeed a dream.

In the dream, he stood in a small stream, the water covering his calves. The water wasn't cold; instead, it was warm, and white mist rose all around, as if from a hot spring. However, when the figure in front appeared, Li Zhuiyuan knew this was not hot spring water. The water had warmth because a lion, its body ablaze, stood in the stream ahead.

Li Zhuiyuan asked