Ch83 - Sharing a Bed

After Ying’s harsh words, the other side fell silent.

Then, a simple question came through from the other end: “Are you at school?”

Ying answered, “What? Is that a problem?”

The call ended abruptly.

Ying stared at the disconnected call, muttering to herself, “Crazy.”

Once she hung up, she went back to her drinking. Meanwhile, Xiwu Heng, who had been sitting next to her, finished his meal. The little kid, still young, climbed onto a nearby table and quickly fell asleep.

After showering and changing, Jian Mei returned to find Ying still drinking at the table.

He sighed inwardly, walked over, and gently picked up Xiwu Heng, carrying him to the bed. Only then did he sit down across from Ying and say, “Don’t be too upset. I don’t think he really dislikes you.”

It seemed to have made a difference.

Ying looked up, her eyes wide. “Really?”

“I don’t know,” Jian Mei replied honestly. “I just think… you shouldn’t judge things based on what you see. If you really feel something’s there, you should ask him directly and clear things up.”

The light in Ying’s eyes gradually faded that afternoon as she leaned back in her chair. This was the first time Jian Mei had seen her so dejected. The red-haired girl’s face was clearly filled with sorrow, and she spoke softly, “Meimei, things aren’t as simple as you think. Sometimes people envy SA, they envy our family, thinking we have power and status. But in reality, only we know the hardships that come with it.”

Jian Mei didn’t truly understand. He looked at Ying, confusion evident in his eyes.

“Because of the rivalry between our families, both sides have to protect their own interests. That’s why we can’t be together.” Ying glanced at Jian Mei and gave a bitter smile. “You know, a lot of us actually envy you. Your background is clean, you have no family entanglements, and in the future, you can love freely.”

Jian Mei asked, “Is that so?”

Ying nodded. “Yeah, that’s how it is.”

This world is fair—whatever you gain, you must also lose. It had always been this way, since ancient times.

As Jian Mei was lost in thought, Ying spoke again, breaking his contemplation. “When it comes to free love, with your qualifications, you should be fine. If you graduate from our school, just the diploma alone, combined with your future accomplishments, could secure you a good match. If you’re lucky, you could marry a commoner’s daughter or even marry into a noble family—either would be a good match.”

Jian Mei had never thought about such things before.

In his mind, he had always believed he would return to Earth. Naturally, he had never considered settling down, getting married, or having children on an alien planet.

Maybe it was because he’d drunk a little tonight, but his thoughts began to wander, drifting in unexpected directions. Slowly, he asked, “How big of a noble family are we talking about?”

Ying hadn’t expected this kid to actually ask.

After thinking it over carefully, Ying hesitated before saying, “I think most noble families would be fine, but if you’re aiming for the really powerful ones, that might be a stretch. For instance, the five major families—marrying into them would be tough.”

Jian Mei asked, “Which five?”

“You don’t know?” Ying gave him an incredulous look, as if he were some clueless country bumpkin. “Aren’t our classmates from those families? Take Lu Yunshi, for example—he’s the young master of a prestigious medical family. His family controls ninety percent of the world’s pharmaceutical resources. Nearly every high-ranking medical priest apprentices under the Zuo family.”

“Then there’s the Nan family, the Earth clan. They’ve been worshiping the God of Earth for generations,” Ying continued calmly. “And then there’s the Sorcerer’s clan. They have many branches—Xiwu Family and Lan Family are some of the larger ones. The current crown prince’s mother is actually the eldest daughter of the Sorcerer’s Clan.”

Jian Mei asked, “The crown prince’s mother… has she passed away?”

Ying nodded. “Yes.”

A few years ago, Jian Mei had read about this part of history in his textbooks. Back then, he was an outsider, and when he read about it, he mostly felt sorry for the young crown prince. But now, knowing that the person in question was Dazhuang-ge, he felt even more heartbroken.

Without thinking, Jian Mei suddenly asked, “What about the imperial family?”

Ying’s eyes widened slowly, a look of disbelief crossing her face, as though she couldn’t believe he had the audacity to ask such an outrageous question.

Jian Mei, however, seemed completely unfazed, innocently tilting his head as he asked, “What if someone were to marry into the imperial family?”

“……”

Ying poured him another glass of wine. “You’ve really had quite a bit to drink tonight, huh?”

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Jian Mei gave a small nod and admitted honestly, “Just a little.”

To his surprise, Nanfeng’s expression shifted to one of horror—he even stuttered. “Ying didn’t drink, did she?”

Jian Mei replied, “She did.”

And she drank the most out of the three of them.

“Crap.” A horrified look crossed Nanfeng’s delicate face. “You two are freshmen! How could you let Ying drink?”

Jian Mei had no idea why.

Nanfeng suddenly bolted upstairs, and Jian Mei had no choice but to turn off the stove and follow. They rushed upstairs together, only to find that the girl who was supposed to be sitting on the balcony had vanished.

Nanfeng clutched his head in frustration. “We’re screwed…”

Jian Mei asked, “Where did she go?”

“She’s gone on a drunken rampage.” Nanfeng looked tragic. “Do you know why we got into the SA class? It’s not just because we excel in one specific ability. Our full class name is SA: Dangerous Abilities.”

Jian Mei nodded. “I know.”

Nanfeng spread his hands. “Do you think fire abilities alone are dangerous? What we usually show you—that’s not the real deal. The reason we’re classified as ‘dangerous abilities’ is because we have the potential for absolute destruction. Two years ago, at a school festival, Ying accidentally drank some alcohol, lost control of her powers, and leveled an entire forest.”

Jian Mei was stunned. “The entire forest?”

That entire forest that he had walked for almost an hour—several kilometers, at least.

Nanfeng nodded gloomily. “It took me two whole days and nights to restore it!”

In a way, that was kind of impressive too.

As they kept talking, a panicked cry rang out from downstairs. “Ahhh! Fire!”

Nanfeng froze for a second, then jumped straight off Jian Mei’s balcony.

Jian Mei was also anxious, but there was no way he’d dare to jump. He hurried to the railing, looking down and spotting the flickering glow of flames in the distance. His heart sank, and without a second thought, he rushed downstairs.

“Ying!”

Nanfeng’s voice came from nearby. He was standing just outside the ring of fire, yelling, “If you keep this up, the teachers will be here soon!”

Ying snapped back at him, her voice sharp with anger. “Get lost! I don’t want to see you!”

She hurled a ball of fire at Nanfeng, who jumped aside to avoid it. But as the flames caught the night breeze, they immediately ignited the forest. The fire spread quickly, and thick smoke began to waft through the air.

Nanfeng hurriedly placed one hand on the ground, and vines surged up from the earth. As if they had a life of their own, the vines shot toward Ying, winding around her and lifting her into the air.

Jian Mei was completely stunned.

A country boy like him had never witnessed anything like this.

Nanfeng shouted anxiously, “Ying, stop it—now!”

Ying was already emotionally rattled tonight, and the alcohol was burning away her remaining sense. Once she went into a drunken rampage, no one could stop her—especially with the person responsible still yelling in her ear. Furious, flames surged along her limbs, gradually burning the vines to ash.

As the vines vanished, an overwhelming wave of heat swept outward in every direction. Even though Jian Mei was standing a good distance away, the blast of hot air almost knocked him off his feet.

“Nanfeng!” Ying shouted his name, her voice full of fury. “Who gave you the right to control me?!”

Nanfeng had no idea what had gotten into her today. Dodging the fireballs she hurled at him, he retorted, “You think I want to control you? If you hadn’t caused all this mess, none of us would be in this situation!”

Her words seemed to strike a nerve.

As Nanfeng ran, Ying pursued him relentlessly, sending fireballs after him with every step. “So, is that it? You think I’m unreasonable, not gentle enough, that all I do is cause trouble and drag everyone down—is that it?!”

Nanfeng was taken aback. “What’s happening to you?”

Jian Mei stood helplessly in the garden, watching as fireballs fell from the sky, the forest burning out of control.

Even the teachers in the distance were alarmed.

The teachers rushed over from afar, with the teachers who wielded water-based divine power already starting to combat the flames.

But Ying’s fire was no ordinary blaze. The water barely made a dent. The heat was so intense that even the instructors were struck with fear and discomfort.

Professor Hu Kan wailed, “This is a disaster!”

Meanwhile, Ying was growing increasingly agitated—both physically and emotionally. Their battle raged from the sky to the ground, until Nanfeng was yanked down and crashed to the earth, with Ying landing squarely on top of him. His back absorbed the full force of the impact.

Nanfeng groaned in pain. “Why are you so brutal? I’d like to see who’s crazy enough to marry you.”

Ying scoffed. “Not your problem. I wouldn’t marry you anyway.”

Still flirting with death, Nanfeng let out a dismissive grunt. “Like I’d marry you. Looking like this? Even if you begged, I wouldn’t.”

Those words completely set Ying off.

A surge of flames erupted around her, and behind her, the fire twisted into the terrifying shape of a dragon. Her voice came out cold and furious, each word laced with murderous intent. “Go to hell, you bastard!”

The massive fire dragon was about to slam into Nanfeng’s direction—and right behind him was the house. Jian Mei quickly assessed the situation. The flames would reach the second floor, and Xiaoheng was still inside!

In an instant, there was no time to think. Jian Mei rushed forward, grabbing Ying and pinning her down. “Ying, stop!”

Sharp cries of alarm pierced the air from the students in the garden. However, as the smoke cleared, the expected chaos didn’t happen—the fire dragon didn’t head toward the second floor. Ying’s arm was firmly held by Jian Mei, and the immense power she had summoned was abruptly cut off by his grip.

It wasn’t just Ying—Nanfeng was stunned. The instructors were speechless too.

Jian Mei was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling as he pointed at the window. “Xiaoheng is still asleep inside. You can’t play with fire like that—it’s too dangerous.”

The group fell into stunned silence.

In a way… you’re pretty dangerous too.

The flames were raging fiercely, but what Jian Mei hadn’t anticipated was that Ying, driven by alcohol, wasn’t just wild—she was completely uncontrollable. After breaking free from her restraints, she started throwing fireballs in every direction once more.

And her main target? Nanfeng.

The two of them were locked in an intense battle, fireballs flying everywhere, prompting the instructors to intervene. Just as another fireball was about to strike Jian Mei, someone suddenly moved in front of him, blocking his view and shielding him with their body.

Jian Mei instinctively closed his eyes, but the familiar scent in the air immediately gave it away.

A voice came from above. “Are you okay?”

Jian Mei looked up, saw a familiar face, and smiled. “What are you doing here?”

Lu Xingwang briefly glanced at Jian Mei before speaking in a tone that was hard to interpret. “Weren’t you supposed to be in the bath?”

Jian Mei blinked, confused. “Huh?”

Lu Xingwang quickly averted his gaze, his voice neutral. “Nothing.”

“……”

The fire in the distance continued to burn, still a headache for the instructors, but in front of the crown prince, it seemed almost insignificant. Jian Mei was shielded behind him, and Lu Xingwang’s voice was steady as he said, “Stay here. Don’t move.”

Jian Mei nodded obediently.

Then, he watched as Lu Xingwang seemed to defy gravity, his movements light and effortless. Using the buildings for leverage, he flew effortlessly into the air.

Meanwhile, Ying, who had been in an uncontrollable frenzy, found herself surrounded by an invisible wind barrier. The flames around her still raged fiercely. She glared at the one responsible and slammed her fists against the wind wall. “Let me out! Or I’ll set everything on fire!”

Lu Xingwang watched her silently, a slight smirk curling his lips. Clearly, he didn’t take her threat seriously. To him, even an SA-level danger-class individual seemed no more threatening than a child.

The wind stirred around him, lifting his cloak as he spoke in a calm, almost indifferent tone, “Come here.”

The moment his words fell, Ying’s eyes went wide in disbelief as her own flames, like an excited dog rushing to its owner, eagerly rushed toward the young man in black. They obediently circled around him, radiating a strange enthusiasm.

Ying: “……”

Lu Xingwang raised an eyebrow and glanced at Nanfeng. “Well? What are you waiting for?”

Nanfeng instantly sprang into action, darting behind Ying and delivering a heavy blow that knocked her out cold.

With that, the commotion finally came to an end.

By the time the instructors rushed over, everything had already returned to calm. When they spotted the crown prince, their jaws almost hit the floor in surprise.

Professor Hu Kan, the most excited of them all, couldn’t help but exclaim, “Your Highness, what are you doing here?”

Lu Xingwang, under the gaze of everyone, casually replied, “I was just passing by. When I saw the flames in the sky, I came to see what was happening.”

Professor Hu Kan was thoroughly impressed and praised, “As expected of you! Even after so many years since graduation, you haven’t forgotten your alma mater, haven’t forgotten us!”

Lu Xingwang, lying through his teeth without batting an eye, replied, “You flatter me, Professor.”

Aster approached, rubbing her temples, and gestured toward the forest. “What happened here? Who let Ying drink? Who was it, huh?”

Jian Mei, feeling a little nervous, instinctively hid behind Lu Xingwang.

Lu Xingwang glanced over his shoulder, quickly assessing the situation, and said, “What’s done is done. The immediate priority is putting out the fire. We can’t let the other academies get scared.”

His words prompted the instructors to stop their questioning and instead focus on organizing the firefighting efforts.

The group worked tirelessly through the night, finally managing to get everything under control.

By the time the instructors were completely exhausted and the night had grown deep, Lu Xingwang decided against returning to the palace. Instead, he opted to stay in his old SA dormitory for the night.

As an exceptional graduate, his dorm had been kept intact all these years.

Later, Xiwu Heng approached Jian Mei and informed him that his room had been burned and was no longer livable. Jian Mei, who had always been very fond of him, immediately responded, “No worries, just sleep in my bed for now.”

Xiwu Heng looked up at Jian Mei, his voice soft as he asked, “What about you?”

Jian Mei hesitated—he hadn’t figured out where he’d be staying yet.

Just as he was about to say he’d sleep on the floor, the prince beside him spoke up, “Stay with me. My bed’s big.”

Jian Mei turned to him in shock. Even Nanfeng glanced over, stunned. The others in the dorm followed suit. To them, the prince was a figure who seemed to belong in a temple—so far above everyone else. Could he really be this approachable?

As a result, the way people looked at Jian Mei began to subtly change.

Nanfeng, who was a huge fan of Lu Xingwang, cautiously asked, “Your Highness, my room was also burned down. Could I…?”

Lu Xingwang gave him a cold, disinterested glance. “You can sleep on the floor in the living room.”

“……”