553: I'm afraid you don't have a crush on me

"Huh?"

Lu Ran froze.

It was definitely Qin Wuyao's voice, but what was this about?

Qin Wuyao had someone keeping an eye on him?

Lu Ran was a bit bewildered.

Although he and Qin Wuyao weren't strangers—after all, they were the only two in the academy with spiritual power exceeding one hundred, the two geniuses known as the Peerless Pair—they weren't exactly close. They were just ordinary friends.

But did ordinary friends need to go this far?

Lu Ran ate his food while continuing to listen to the conversation next door.

Unfortunately, after Qin Wuyao finished giving her instructions, she didn't say anything else.

Lu Ran felt a bit disappointed.

His feelings for Qin Wuyao were different. After everything they had been through, Lu Ran had long since regarded Qin Wuyao as his most precious friend.

But as things stood, Qin Wuyao and Lu Ran weren't very familiar with each other yet.

It was just that her current actions and arrangements were a bit strange.

Before long, the people in the next room finished their meal and went quiet.

With things on his mind, Lu Ran lost his appetite.

After finishing his meal in a rush, Lu Ran left the restaurant and headed straight to the academy.

The familiar academy... even though it had only been a little over a month since Lu Ran had awakened his class and left the academy, left Black Fire City, the feeling of revisiting an old haunt was so strange.

It felt as if he hadn't returned in a very, very long time.

Just at that moment, Lu Ran suddenly sensed someone staring at him. When he instinctively turned his head, he discovered Qin Wuyao standing not far away.

She seemed to be just passing by, but upon seeing Lu Ran there, Qin Wuyao stopped and looked at him.

Noticing Lu Ran's gaze shift toward her, Qin Wuyao suddenly averted her eyes, looking almost flustered.

If Lu Ran hadn't already been very familiar with Qin Wuyao, he might not have paid any attention to such a thing.

But now, something seemed off!

"Before awakening my class, it seems Qin Wuyao was already paying attention to me?" Lu Ran thought, stunned.

Connecting this with how Qin Wuyao had stepped forward to stand up for him after he awakened his class, and later helped introduce him to the Four Great Guilds and join the Tiandao Alliance, even a fool could sense the meaning behind it now.

"Could it be... Qin Wuyao has been watching me for a long time? Could it be that she already likes me? Is she secretly in love with me?" Lu Ran thought narcissistically.

But it was hard to draw a conclusion on this matter.

He had intended to walk over and greet Qin Wuyao to sound her out, but Qin Wuyao had already left her original spot and walked away.

Lu Ran shrugged.

He was a bit confused, but it didn't really matter. The two of them would eventually become friends; that was an undeniable fact.

Even according to the original timeline, that was bound to happen.

However, before that, Lu Ran still needed to deal with another matter.

Because just as Lu Ran was also preparing to leave, he suddenly saw another familiar person.

Wang Yujiao!

Seeing Wang Yujiao, Lu Ran's expression immediately turned cold.

Betrayal could not be forgiven.

Furthermore, at this moment, Wang Yujiao happened to be walking in from outside the school.

Her posture was a bit strange; she looked as if she was bow-legged, and she was walking very slowly.

In the past, Lu Ran certainly wouldn't have thought much of it, perhaps even thinking Wang Yujiao might be feeling unwell.

But thinking about it now, she was likely just freshly filled by Liang Shaoyu!

She had started paving the way for her future long before her class awakening.

And Liang Shaoyu was the perfect stepping stone!

At the same time, Wang Yujiao also saw Lu Ran. After a flash of panic crossed her face, Wang Yujiao actually changed direction and walked toward Lu Ran.

Lu Ran had originally thought Wang Yujiao intended to do something different than last time—to come and clarify the situation a day early.

But the result was not that.

"Lu Ran, what a coincidence. I didn't see you this morning. Where did you go?" Wang Yujiao asked with a smile.

Her face was full of sweet smiles.

It left Lu Ran a bit bewildered.

What was going on?

According to the original plot development, the current Wang Yujiao must have already been filled by Liang Shaoyu.

She was probably already Liang Shaoyu's in every way.

What was this supposed to mean now?

Two-timing?

No, that wasn't right!

Lu Ran suddenly realized the key to it.

The current Lu Ran had not yet awakened his class; he was still the academy's number one genius.

He was still the peerless genius with spiritual power as high as 130!

He was the genius most likely to awaken an extremely powerful hidden class!

Wang Yujiao would not easily give up such an opportunity to fly up the branch and become a phoenix.

This was double insurance!

The path with Liang Shaoyu was already paved; this could be seen from Wang Yujiao's walking posture.

But Liang Shaoyu had his limits, after all.

The Liang Family was just like that; no matter what, they were just a small family.

If Lu Ran could awaken a heaven-defying class and join the Tiandao Alliance, soaring to success would not be a dream!

That was Wang Yujiao's greatest insurance!

To put it bluntly, he was a backup, just double insurance that Wang Yujiao had prepared!

Thinking of this, Lu Ran was even more speechless, and even felt a little disgusted.

"Lu Ran, why aren't you saying anything? Where did you go this morning? I missed you." Wang Yujiao said coquettishly.

While speaking, she even grabbed Lu Ran's arm and swung it.

But Lu Ran's gaze was incomparably cold.

He said indifferently, "I went to eat in the morning. What about you?"

"Me? I had nothing to do, just wandering around." Wang Yujiao shrugged and said casually.

Lies!

Lu Ran saw through it instantly.

It was so obvious!

But in the past, Lu Ran absolutely wouldn't have been able to tell. Not only that, hearing Wang Yujiao say such coquettish things about missing him, he probably would have been so happy he'd faint on the spot!

But not anymore.

Lu Ran slowly let out a breath and said, "You were with Liang Shaoyu, right?"

"What? Lu Ran, you... you..." Wang Yujiao suddenly froze, looking at Lu Ran in astonishment.

The hand holding Lu Ran's arm also tightened abruptly.

This reaction proved that Lu Ran's guess was correct.

Lu Ran sneered.

He said, "What, you don't understand what I'm saying? Missed me? When you and Liang Shaoyu were getting intimate, did you miss me? Huh?"

Lu Ran was not holding back at all now.

"You were probably with Liang Shaoyu last night, weren't you? That guy is so enduring? You can really take it; for your future, you can really sacrifice and put in the effort." Lu Ran did not hide his disdain.

Wang Yujiao bit her lip lightly and said, "Lu Ran, I don't know where you heard these things, but you're wrong. I didn't do anything. How could I..."

Lu Ran was too lazy to even reply.

He just looked at Wang Yujiao with a playful smile.

The latter wanted to continue explaining.

But seeing Lu Ran's expression, she suddenly lost her energy.

Her tone also became much calmer.

She said, "I have to plan for my own future. What's wrong with that? I have no background. If I awaken a useless class tomorrow, my life will be ruined!"