Why Are the Psychos Obsessed with a Mere NPC?
Chapter 35: The Awkwardness of Watching an Acquaintance Show Off

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: The Awkwardness of Watching an Acquaintance Show Off

"What are you scheming now?"

Xi Yu watched Jian Yu enter the changing room, his gaze lingering long after she was gone.

Only when she was completely out of sight did he turn to Ling Yanzhi, who was about to leave.

"How can you trust me to take her back to the dorm alone? Aren’t you afraid I’ll just hide her away after you leave?"

Ling Yanzhi glanced down, his expression a mixture of disdain and contempt.

"I have other things to do."

He knew Xi Yu hadn’t actually read the message Xu Jianjuan sent.

His body was here, but his soul—and his brain—were elsewhere.

"I just looked into that Xu Shaoqing her roommate mentioned."

Xu Shaoqing: aristocratic background, high Level, arrogant, obsessed with saving face, and easily provoked.

After she entered the academy, the forums were buzzing with rumors about her and Sheng Yue, despite their connection being tenuous at best.

Considering the business ties between their families, Sheng Yue didn’t step in to shut her down too harshly.

That would have been fine, but Sheng Yue rarely paid her any mind, gave her no special treatment, and even rejected her advances multiple times.

She tried for so long, yet made no progress whatsoever.

Jian Yu faints once and gets everything she ever wanted. How could she not be angry? How could she not be jealous?

"All it would take is a few people to egg her on, taunt her a little, and she’ll feel humiliated. She won’t let our baby go."

Ling Yanzhi couldn’t be bothered to explain further. "No matter what she’s planning for tomorrow, I have to go give her a warning."

"Are you sure she’d dare? This year’s new students aren’t afraid of you?" Xi Yu had forgotten how long it had been since he was last at Weis Lan.

He looked at Ling Yanzhi as if he were looking at a useless piece of trash.

’If I were the one photographed with Jian Yu on the academy forums,’ he thought, ’I wouldn’t give a damn about some girl named Qing. I’d like to see who’d dare try anything.’

"Why wouldn’t she dare? There are always people who like to test their luck. And who would’ve thought we’d actually care about a special enrollment student?"

The things Xu Jianjuan had said about him surfaced in Ling Yanzhi’s mind.

His eyes narrowed.

"And how do you know that the things Xu Jianjuan said to our baby aren’t what everyone else is thinking?"

Xi Yu fell silent.

’I never expected it myself. Before, if someone had told me I’d get entangled with a special enrollment student, I would have scoffed at the very idea.’

The window was wide open. A gust of wind blew through, and suddenly, Xi Yu was the only one left in the room.

"I’m changed."

Jian Yu walked out wearing a simple yet elegant, light blue dress.

She had taken off the necklace and put it away, leaving her delicate, small collarbones looking bare.

She poked her head out and looked around, but couldn’t find any sign of Ling Yanzhi.

’Don’t tell me he regrets it?’

Xi Yu composed himself and strode over. "Baby, you look so beautiful."

"Thank you." Jian Yu lowered her eyes, feeling awkward.

"Let me pick another one for you. You’ll look even more beautiful."

Xi Yu gently took her hand, shortening his strides.

He planned to pick something grander.

Jian Yu fell two steps behind, watching his long, straight legs. Every step he took seemed to land right on her heart.

’It’s hard to imagine a man could look so cool just by walking,’ she thought.

"Baby, wear this." Xi Yu selected a formal gown and casually brought out several sets of jewelry.

His eight tentacles moved with blinding speed. SWISH SWISH SWISH. In an instant, they had snatched up eight pairs of matching shoes.

Jian Yu thought this was a bit much. "I’m just going back to the dorm to pack my things."

She raised her hand and carefully pushed the dress away.

Her reasoning was sound, and she even deliberately softened her voice.

"The dress is so elaborate, it’ll be hard to put on. Besides, it’s really long. I won’t be able to walk properly in it."

"It’s fine. If you don’t know how to put it on, I’ll help you," Xi Yu said, full of enthusiasm.

His fingers traced over her shoulder. The thin calluses on his fingertips sent an involuntary shiver through Jian Yu.

She snatched the dress and tensed up. "No, thank you, I can do it myself."

Xi Yu stood there without a word.

His hand paused, his expression turning grim.

’She accepts Ling Yanzhi’s help all the time, so why can’t she accept mine just once? It seems she’s always rejecting me.’

Xi Yu’s fingers clenched. The dark, suppressed feelings only eased the moment he saw Jian Yu walk out again.

Her slender, fair hands held up the hem of her skirt as she stumbled toward him.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms, his senses instantly enveloped by her faint, sweet scent.

"The dress is a little long."

"It’s fine. I’ll carry you," Xi Yu said, contentedly inhaling her scent.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and reached down to straighten her skirt.

Out of the corner of his eye, his gaze brushed past her wrist, and he frowned.

"Where’s the bracelet?"

"I was afraid I’d break it, so I put it in my Space Ring." Jian Yu took it out and put it back on.

Xi Yu glanced at the Space Ring, knowing full well it was from Ling Yanzhi.

He remembered he had one too. "Wear one on each side. If you lose one, you’ll have a spare."

Now she wore one on each of her ring fingers.

Jian Yu held up her hands to admire them, her eyes sparkling.

’If I’m ever short on cash, I’ll sell them. They must be worth a fortune!’

"I’ll have someone find a few Low-level Mutant Beasts for you. If you want to run some tests, just let me know."

Xi Yu knelt, wrapped his left arm around her legs, and slowly stood up.

Her body lost its balance, suddenly suspended in the air.

Jian Yu swallowed a gasp and threw her arms around his neck.

She was now sitting on his arm. Lowering her gaze slightly, her long lashes cast delicate shadows on her cheeks. "Tests?"

"Mhm. We suspect you have a soothing effect on Alien Beasts, too." Xi Yu patiently and gently straightened her skirt, his profile focused.

"But the scent on the clothes you gave Pei Yin has faded, so he can’t continue his experiments."

Xi Yu reached up and patted her head. "If you’re willing, you could give him another jacket so he can run the tests for you."

When they were discussing it, they had deliberately ignored this point, worried that Jian Yu would overthink things.

Pei Yin had suggested having Jian Yu face an Alien Beast directly, which would yield better test results.

Sheng Yue had objected.

He and Ling Yanzhi also disagreed, so Pei Yin didn’t bring it up again.

"Pei Yin said you might have already guessed. He suggested we tell you sooner rather than later, otherwise you might secretly go looking for an Alien Beast on your own."

Xi Yu kissed her cheek. "I don’t want you to be in danger. If anything happens, you have to tell me, okay?"

"Mhm." Jian Yu didn’t dare to look him in the eye and simply nodded obediently.

’I thought I’d hidden my little plans so well. No matter what I was thinking, I was used to presenting a fragile image to the world so no one could easily see through me. But in the end, they guessed everything.’

’Then does that mean...’ Jian Yu stopped herself from thinking any further.

She nervously fiddled with the beads on her dress.

Carrying her in his arms, Xi Yu swaggered through the academy.

He didn’t use his Soul Beast’s power, so his figure was clearly visible.

His face was too authoritative; people greeted him all along the way.

Every year, the academy assigned new students to be trained by F7. Although Xi Yu had just returned, he had already set up a group chat early on.

With a simple command, long rows of people cleared a path for them.

"Why did you call so many people?"

Jian Yu’s social anxiety flared up. She wished she could cover her face.

She broke out in goosebumps, feeling the secondhand embarrassment of watching someone she knew show off so blatantly.

"So they recognize you." Xi Yu deliberately slowed his pace, greedily holding her in his arms.

’I don’t like it either, but this is just how things are. Just warning Xu Shaoqing isn’t enough. If I don’t declare my sovereignty, people will be tempted to test the boundaries again and again.’

Most importantly, before this, Xi Yu’s movements had been so unpredictable that no one had even noticed he was back at the academy.

Under these circumstances, why would anyone think he and Jian Yu were an item?

He hadn’t even managed to earn the title of "rumored boyfriend."

Therefore, the procession to take Jian Yu back to her dorm had to be a grand spectacle.

He needed to show those blind fools exactly who was standing by Jian Yu’s side.