Chapter 65: Ill-Fated Relationship

Plop—plop—plop—

The arc-shaped stone skipped across the water, bouncing seven or eight times before dropping into the lake with a plop—.

Nan Xi looked quite satisfied with his work.

He bent down to search the lakeshore for the next suitable skipping stone.

“Hmph, who’s the grown-up still playing kid games like skipping stones?”

Huazhu gave a cold snort, attacking him mercilessly with the exact same line he’d used before.

“Did I ever say I was a grown-up?” Nan Xi shamelessly replied without a shred of dignity. “If we count adulthood starting at eighteen, I’m only a two-year-old adult!”

“Besides…”

He picked up a flat, round stone from the ground, twisted his waist, and hurled it with force.

Watching the stone skip across the water again and again, he laughed with a bright, carefree grin.

“A man is a boy until he dies!”

“Slick tongue.”

Huazhu shot him a disdainful look, then turned away, ignoring him.

Even so, after being teased like that by Nan Xi, she didn’t storm off in anger.

In a way, that was impressive in itself.

Now, Huazhu sat by the lakeshore, arms wrapped around her long legs, her chin resting on her knees as she leisurely enjoyed the breeze off the lake.

Perhaps spurred by Nan Xi’s taunts, the unnatural makeup on her face had already been washed off with water.

After cleaning up, her bare face actually gained a more youthful and vibrant charm.

The afternoon sunlight spilled through the evergreen leaves by the lake, freely scattering across her red-and-white long dress.

A gentle breeze blew, softly stirring the light gray strands of hair by her ears. To be fair, one could call her a beauty.

“Speaking of which…”

Suddenly, Huazhu spoke again, startling Nan Xi just as he was about to throw his stone.

His hand jerked, and the stone plunged straight into the lake without a single skip.

What a waste of such a nicely shaped stone.

Nan Xi clicked his tongue inwardly, then turned to glare at Huazhu.

“What is it now, my lady?”

“Can’t I call you if I have nothing to say?”

Huazhu huffed back at him, but even so, she hadn’t forgotten why she’d spoken.

After a moment’s thought, the girl parted her red lips.

“I heard from the Old Headmaster that you used to be a disciple at Daye Village School too?”

“That’s right.”

“So that means you really did do it, huh.”

Huazhu lifted her fair chin, her gaze pointing toward one corner of the lakeshore.

Nan Xi froze, then followed her gaze.

Standing clearly on the lakeshore was a signboard, with several lines of large text inscribed on it:

[Immortal Calendar 5121: Famous alumnus Nan Xi, Peak Master of the Tianhe Sect, caught a koi here weighing twenty-five jin, eight liang, and seven qian.]

[Note: After marinating with salt and sauce, roast over fire. Add pepper and cumin for fragrance. Excellent taste.]

Good grief. When Nan Xi had passed by earlier, he thought it was some kind of danger sign for deep water.

Turns out it was a record of a notable person’s deeds!?

Nan Xi gave an awkward laugh, marveling that the Old Headmaster could not only let go of the grudge over eating his fish but even record it in the book of merits.

Pretty impressive.

“It was me.” Nan Xi turned around to answer Huazhu’s question.

“No wonder. I was wondering why I didn’t see the Old Headmaster feeding the fish by the lake this time I came back. It turns out you ate them.”

Huazhu lifted her pretty face, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

“He treasured those fish so much. Didn’t he punish you?”

“He did.” Nan Xi shrugged. “Kicked me right out.”

“Kicked you out?”

Huazhu couldn’t hold it in anymore. She burst out laughing, covering her stomach. Her laugh was melodious and moving, totally mismatched with her proud personality.

“Alright, alright.”

Nan Xi rolled his eyes.

“By the way, I never saw you when I was in school. All told, I spent at least three years at Daye Village School.”

“Hmph, you think everyone’s like you?”

Huazhu gave a smug laugh, a hint of pride coloring her little face.

“I graduated the year before you enrolled. And I finished my studies in only two years, you know. By rights, you should call me Senior Sister.”

Saying this, she leaned in teasingly.

“Go on, call me Senior Sister~”

“Big Sis~”

“Ew—” Huazhu shuddered all over and quickly pulled back. “Forget it, forget it. That gave me goosebumps.”

There was no denying that Nan Xi had a knack for being disgusting.

Just that syrupy “Big Sis” was enough to gross Huazhu out.

But that wasn’t all. The corner of his mouth suddenly curled into a malicious grin, making Huazhu flinch.

“You… what bad idea are you cooking up now?”

“Nothing?” Nan Xi raised an eyebrow. “I was just thinking—no matter how you calculate the academic system at Daye Village School, you have to complete four years to graduate. Senior Sister Huazhu leaving after two years seems a bit off, doesn’t it?”

“You…” Huazhu’s face hardened. She spoke with a rebellious tone. “Hmph, fine, I admit I was kicked out too. Happy?”

“Same here.” Nan Xi whistled.

In a way, their synchronicity was a bit too high.

Both had studied at Daye Village School. Both had been expelled by the Old Headmaster. And now both were returning to the school to conduct recruitment events on behalf of their respective sects.

A cursed fate.

That was how Nan Xi evaluated their relationship.

“Alright, I should be going now.”

Huazhu stood up from the lakeshore, brushing the dust off her skirt.

Finally, this proud girl stood on the embankment, looking down at Nan Xi.

“Next time we meet, we’ll be enemies again. Don’t you dare go easy on me.”

What a weird request.

Still… since it was a request from a fellow Hall Master of the Wuxing Sect…

Fine. Nan Xi reluctantly agreed.

He looked up, meeting Huazhu’s rose-red eyes.

“Alright. Next time we meet, I’ll aim for one punch on each of your eyes.” Nan Xi suddenly smiled, his laugh as bright and carefree as ever. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to cover up the makeup around your eyes so no one can tell you’re an old woman.”

“I suddenly want to change my mind and beat you up today.”

Huazhu clenched her little fist in front of Nan Xi, looking like she might throw a punch any second.

But after a moment, she lowered her fist, instead placing her hands on her slender waist.

“But today, this young lady is in a good mood, so I’ll let you off.”

“Thank you, Senior Sister, for sparing my life.”

Nan Xi’s mouth had no filter.

Still, from the little snort on Huazhu’s face, she seemed to be in a genuinely good mood.

After giving Nan Xi one last look, Huazhu pressed two fingers together, forming a Sword Art. The next second, she was already on her Flying Sword, turning into a streak of light that vanished before Nan Xi’s eyes.

Hope everything goes well for her.

A faint smile tugged at Nan Xi’s lips.

After all, she was one of the Hall Masters of the Wuxing Sect. And judging by how the disciples treated her, Huazhu’s prestige wasn’t low at all.

As a fellow member of the Wuxing Sect, Nan Xi would reluctantly say a few good words for her today.

Of course, he still found Huazhu hard to stomach.

Especially those rose-red eyes.