95: Chapter 95 Returning to School

Lin Ye was filled with disbelief, repeatedly replaying the fragmented memories of the past.

He clearly remembered that although he and Xiao Qingwu had been classmates for three years, their interactions were sparse. She had always been that icy, aloof, taciturn, and distant prodigy who never formed deep relationships with anyone. Her interactions with others were always perfectly measured, cold, and detached. She had never made an exception for anyone, let alone proactively grown close to him by even the slightest fraction.

Their only interaction was an insignificant act of convenience from a few years ago. At that time, he had simply helped Xiao Qingwu out of a small predicament. The matter was so mundane it wasn't worth mentioning, and he had long since forgotten about it afterward, never taking it to heart.

Yet, he never expected that such an inconspicuous trivial matter could be remembered by her for a full several years. She was even willing to linger in Nantan Prefecture, delay her family's arrangements, and give up the opportunity to head to Taichu Academy in advance, all just to witness him reach the summit of the arena with her own eyes.

Why?

Lin Ye was completely baffled, and countless questions arose one after another in his heart.

If she truly kept this kindness in mind, why had she not mentioned a single word of it throughout their entire three years as classmates?

Why had she always maintained her distance, acting like a stranger and classmate, without ever revealing the slightest hint of abnormality?

Was it because of her innate personality? Always cold, introverted, and reticent, accustomed to hiding all her emotions, gratitude, and obsessions deep in her heart without ever showing a fraction of it on the outside—unskilled in worldly matters, and even less knowledgeable about actively maintaining social connections?

Or was there another hidden story?

Lin Ye suddenly thought of her unfathomably mysterious family background, her vision and resources far surpassing the level of Nantan Prefecture, and the admission qualification to Taichu Academy that had long been finalized.

Her status and the circle she belonged to were fundamentally different from ordinary students.

Perhaps bound by family rules, or perhaps strictly nurtured since childhood, she had long been accustomed to hiding her emotions and restraining her true heart. Even if she felt gratitude and lingering attachment, she could only deliberately distance herself and pretend to be calm and rippleless.

Otherwise, it simply could not be explained. How could a casual act of convenience and negligible drop of kindness cause this emotionally indifferent, proud, and dust-defying proud daughter of heaven to remember it for years, and even be willing to stay for him, quietly waiting for a tournament to conclude just to witness him turn the tide against the wind and reach the top spot in Quanzhou with her own eyes, before she was willing to peaceably set off on her own path?

Lin Ye's thoughts were chaotic, and a myriad of complicated emotions mixed in his heart.

In the past, he only felt that Xiao Qingwu was cold, distant, and unapproachable to strangers. Now, carefully recalling various details of the past, he faintly sensed that beneath that cold shell lay a stubbornness and gentleness that others had never glimpsed.

The carriage was so quiet that a falling needle could be heard. The evening breeze gently poured in through the gap of the car window, blowing away the lingering cold fragrance, but it could not blow away the dense doubts and chaos deep in Lin Ye's heart.

He still gazed at the end of the traffic flow where Xiao Qingwu had disappeared, his brow slightly furrowed, his heart filled with unresolvable mysteries.

Bai Ruoxue, who was sitting silently to the side, looked at his completely clueless and oblivious appearance, and ultimately couldn't help but gently shake her head, a hint of helpless amusement floating between her cold eyebrows.

"I could tell, yet you yourself didn't notice it at all. You really are a downright blockhead."

Her voice was light and delicate, carrying a bit of banter and a bit of speechlessness, gently shattering the silent atmosphere inside the carriage.

Hearing this, Lin Ye snapped back to his senses abruptly and turned to look at Bai Ruoxue beside him, his eyes filled with utter confusion and incomprehension as he instinctively asked: "What do you mean?"

This pure and straightforward doubt instantly rendered Bai Ruoxue completely speechless. She opened her eyes slightly, looking at the young man before her who was steady in disposition and defied the heavens in combat strength, yet was a total blank slate emotionally. She was simply left not knowing whether to laugh or cry, and her tone was full of helpless teasing:

"Xiao Qingwu specifically told you herself that she is going to Taichu Academy, and you actually still ask me what I mean?!"

She sighed softly, completely subdued by Lin Ye's denseness, and directly pointed out the crucial point: "With someone else's feelings hidden so obviously, you're probably the only emotional idiot in the entire audience who completely couldn't see it."

A simple sentence, with every word striking the vital spot, instantly stretched the subtle atmosphere inside the carriage to its absolute limit.

Lin Ye froze on the spot, his earlobes quietly flushing with a thin layer of red, and a violent wave stirred up in his heart. Astonishment and confusion intertwined, unable to calm down for a long time.

He opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but found no way to begin. Carefully recalling every single word, every look, and every pause of Xiao Qingwu just now, those fragmented details he had ignored were now all strung together, dazzlingly clear.

Yet even though he already had the answer in his heart, he still found it somewhat hard to believe.

Would that cold, dust-defying, reticent, and distant Xiao Qingwu—the proud daughter of heaven born into a top-tier noble family, with a smooth path ahead and destined to ascend to the highest institution—really remember that insignificant act of convenience from back then for years, and even deliberately linger in Nantan Prefecture just to witness his moment of reaching the summit?

It was too unreal, and also too heart-churning.

He had always been calm, steady, and decisive in killing. Faced with powerful enemies, he was not afraid of danger, and faced with boundless waves, he could also steady his mind. But at this moment, facing this deeply hidden, silent gentleness, his thoughts were completely thrown into disorder.

There was no earth-shattering confession, no straightforwardly revealed romantic feelings, only silent waiting and a quiet farewell, yet it carried more weight than any words.

Lin Ye remained silent for a long time. The chaos in his heart gradually settled, but only four words were firmly branded into the depths of his heart, refusing to dissipate — Taichu Academy.

In the past, he had never paid attention to the gap in tiers among the federation's top institutions, nor had he ever thought about where his future path of study would lead. But at this moment, this name took deep root in his heart, incomparably clear and unforgettable.

He could not clearly articulate the complex emotions in his heart: there was astonishment, there was being moved, there was a trace of indescribable palpitation, and there was also a quietly sprouting sense of rivalry and expectation.

Xiao Qingwu was heading to Taichu Academy, stepping into the federation's top sacred ground for cultivation, with a brilliant path ahead and extraordinary vision.

And he would never stop at a corner of Nantan Prefecture.

Unwittingly, Lin Ye's heart had silently regarded Taichu Academy as his future forward goal.

Watching his appearance of sudden silence while a trace of resolute shimmering light quietly ignited in his eyes, Bai Ruoxue looked on quietly, a flash of understanding and a trace of extremely faint sigh sweeping across her eyes.

She didn't continue to banter, nor did she say another half-sentence to break the illusion. She only gently turned her head away to look at the twilight lights flashing past outside the window. The carriage returned to silence once again, but it was no longer the previous bewildered chaos, instead gaining a few more parts of a young person's secret expectations and distant horizons.

The Military District's special car steadily shuttled through the main city's streets along the way. Twilight soaked the entire city, and the brilliant lights first came on, illuminating the road surface with brilliant flowing light.

Before long, the special car arrived downstairs at Bai Ruoxue's residence first.

She stood up and pushed the door open. Before getting out of the car, she turned her head to glance at Lin Ye. Her cold pupils carried a trace of unyielding tenacity as she softly left behind a preview: "In the next arena, I will definitely win against you."

As her voice fell, she turned and left gracefully, her posture neat and nimble without a shred of drag.

Inside the carriage, only Lin Ye was left completely. The special car started up again, speeding straight toward the direction of No. 3 High School in Nantan Prefecture.

In a short dozen or so minutes of travel, they arrived at the school gate of No. 3 High School.

The car had just come to a stable stop, and before Lin Ye could push the door and get out, a heaven-shaking wave of cheers instantly exploded by his ears. Dense figures crammed both inside and outside the school gate, lights bustling, and voices boiling with excitement.