"Did you come specifically to visit Sword Flower University?"
Naturally, Adele and the others were willing to help this young man named Xiu get into Sword Flower University. One could tell from his name alone that his background was humble indeed. Syllables like Xiu, Linda, and Mary were used only by parents with shallow learning, common names so pervasive among the lower classes that they bordered on an epidemic. But it was precisely because they were so common that they were used all the more—noble parents would hope their children became unique, shining stars, but lower-class parents mostly just hoped their children would be like ordinary folk, free of illness and calamity, living out an ordinary life.
After thanking them, Xiu nodded with a smile. "Yes. She used to talk to us about Sword Flower University all the time. It was her favorite environment. I've always wanted to see the place where she lived."
"It's really nothing special, honestly," Adele said, spreading her hands. "Teaching buildings, the library, training grounds, athletic fields—just like any other university, there's nothing out of the ordinary. It's far worse than Truth University. The only thing worth mentioning is that luxury cars are pretty common here."
"That's what she said, too," Xiu said with a laugh. "Still, taking a walk around the campus with her was quite nice. It was also her first time seeing Sword Flower University in the snow."
"Indeed," Ingrid nodded. "When I was running laps, I noticed East Lake was frozen over, and there were even students ice-skating on it."
"Ice-skating!" Adele's eyes lit up, but then she drew closer toward Xiu. "Never mind. Aside from going to the washroom, I'm never leaving my bed again..."
For some reason, it was very warm next to Xiu. Perhaps the milk tea in the insulated bag was giving off heat.
When they reached a fork in the campus path, Lois noticed that Xiu was heading in the same direction as them. She cast a wary glance at him. "Where are you headed?"
"Female Dormitory Building 21."
"That's the same building as ours!" Adele's eyes shone. "Could it be that your girlfriend is someone I know?!"
After all, they were mere chance acquaintances. Although Adele was eager for gossip, she knew that abruptly prying into a stranger's romantic history would be overly intrusive; slipping in that one remark had already pushed the limits of her restraint.
This was reality, after all, not the online world where one could speak without filter. Adele had to maintain her dignified, steady image as a lovely college maiden.
If it was someone she knew, however, that was a different story! A lovely college maiden showing concern for a friend's love life was thoroughly justified, and on the end-of-term comprehensive evaluation, it might even count as a commendable deed worthy of extra credit!
"Maybe," Xiu said, shrugging as frost settled upon the tips of his hair. "She's a very lively person."
"Yet I know who's dating in Building 21 like the back of my hand, and I even know who their partners are," Adele mused. "A long-distance relationship like yours is especially distinctive, but I've never heard of anyone being in a long-distance relationship for nearly a year..."
"Because she never talked about it," Xiu said with a smile. "She probably never mentioned me to anyone."
Adele exchanged glances with her roommates. Lois suddenly asked, "Where are you from?"
"A very distant place. Even if I told you, you definitely wouldn't have heard of it."
"Then are you a Two-Wing Sorcerer? What about a One-Wing Sorcerer?"
Xiu smiled and shook his head, indicating he was neither. Faintly sensing something, Ingrid asked, "Then did you go to university? What line of work are you in now?"
Xiu seemed slightly awkward. "I've never received formal sorcerer education, and I don't have a job. Right now, I just rely on selling off belongings to get by."
Now they were certain: this man was the lowly, humble party in the relationship.
Although they didn't know the girl's background, anyone attending Sword Flower University was at least guaranteed to become a sorcerer.
Only sorcerers had the chance to become Starry nobility. No matter how clever or hardworking ordinary people were, they could only become senior functionaries at best, posthumously conferred the title of Sword Baron at most. The gulf between sorcerers and ordinary people was even wider than that between nobles and commoners.
The fastest way for an ordinary person to join the aristocratic class was to become a sorcerer and enter into an aristocratic marriage.
If nobles wished to maintain their peerage, they had to ensure that their families possessed enough sorcerer members; otherwise, they could not pass the audit of the House of Nobles. And the only way for nobles to increase their members was through marriage.
Thus, although the aristocratic system had faced mounting criticism in recent years, most people remained quite satisfied with the status quo: class mobility among Starry nobility had always flowed smoothly. Those with capability were certain to obtain resources, while those without would swiftly be kicked out; there was no such thing as incompetent fools usurping high positions.
The only flaw worth criticizing was that the upper class possessed more educational resources, while those at the bottom had to rely on online self-study. Still, on the surface at least, the Starry Kingdom allowed anyone willing to work hard to find a pathway to climb upward.
In short, the girl was destined to become a sorcerer noble, whereas Xiu was merely an ordinary young man from a remote backwater; their circumstances were a complete mismatch. Although there was no age limit for becoming a sorcerer, if one failed to lay a solid foundation of knowledge and study habits during childhood when learning ability was at its peak, it was exceedingly difficult to advance one's sorcery to the Silver realm in adulthood.
Yet this was bizarre as well. Since Xiu's circumstances were so poor, why was the girl willing to date him? Could it be that he was extraordinarily handsome? Or perhaps he possessed some remarkable forte?
Thinking of something, Lois asked, "Xiu, could it be... you funded your girlfriend?"
Xiu blinked, hesitating slightly. "I wouldn't really call it funding... but some assets were originally shared between us. Sometimes she wants to buy new sorcery spirits or new miracles, and since I don't have anywhere I need to spend money, things naturally tilt her way. Honestly, it's not that much money, and I don't really mind."
Case closed!
It really was so!
Lois and the others sighed internally, their gazes toward Xiu turning full of pity.
In their minds, a classic romance story of a green-tea manipulator and an ATM naturally took shape: the girl was likely a student from a small, backwater town who had barely managed to test into Sword Flower University. However, the exorbitant costs of study, the dazzling metropolitan life, and intoxicating student socializing soon drained her modest living allowance to the dregs.
Yet she wanted to become a sorcerer; she wanted to stay in this city; she never wanted to return to that backwater place again!
Just then, Xiu appeared. His family probably had ancestral assets, allowing him to live comfortably even without working. The girl seized upon this and quickly had Xiu falling head over heels for her beauty. She barely had to give anything in return, after all—they had been long-distance for an entire year. Yet Xiu was so infatuated with this big-city girlfriend of his that he would sell off his family property just to do everything he could to satisfy her demands.
Xiu didn't even think there was anything wrong with this. Because he believed she was his future, his money was their shared money, and investing it in her was only natural.
Who knew how much property he had liquidated to actually afford buying sorcery spirits and miracles for his girlfriend...
No wonder Adele didn't know anyone who was in a long-distance relationship. This wasn't dating at all; the girl was simply toying with Xiu's feelings and swindling his money.
Xiu was merely a stepping stone for the girl. Once his value was drained dry, or when she no longer needed financial support, that would be the moment their relationship ended.
Hiding Xiu's existence was the best proof. The girl had never intended to let anyone know she had a boyfriend, determined to maintain a single persona to the outside world.
Being loved by someone one wasn't proud of, naturally one wouldn't want others to find out.
This sort of plot was common enough in romance dramas, but seeing it in real life was truly a first.
Adele and the others couldn't say much. For one, it was someone else's business, and for another, they hadn't broken up yet. Furthermore, they had just toured the campus together; perhaps the girl still wanted to give both sides a graceful conclusion.
Lois probed obliquely, "Do you plan to build a life in Jialesi in the future?"
"It will probably be difficult for me to remain in Jialesi," Xiu smiled wryly.
"Then what about your girlfriend?"
"She..." Xiu let out a sigh. "She wants to leave with me, but I actually hope she stays in Jialesi. Flowers, operas, banquets, the spotlight—she deserves all these wonderful things. Her friends and her career are here. I've always felt that I'm dragging her down."
What advanced manipulation—she was playing hard to get, retreating in order to advance!
Adele and Lois couldn't help feeling a surge of awe. They had been wondering how the girl would cast aside this relationship down the line—after all, stirring up a big scandal would severely damage her reputation. Who would have thought the girl had already laid the groundwork?
Everyone in Dormitory Building 21 belonged to the same academic year, meaning Xiu's girlfriend was a second-year just like them, with at least two years until graduation. Her promise wouldn't have to be fulfilled anytime soon. On the contrary, over these two years Xiu would watch his girlfriend grow more and more outstanding, and the ending would naturally be him feeling ashamed of his inferiority and leaving of his own accord.
This was exceedingly likely to happen. At a glance, Xiu was the kind of innocent, bashful youth untouched by the world—how could he see through the traps of a romantic snare? Right now he already felt he was holding her back; in the future he would surely feel he wasn't worthy of her!
What a pure-hearted soul. Plainly someone who barely knew any women, the naive type whose first love aimed straight for a lifelong soulmate.
"If you feel this relationship is putting too much pressure on you, maybe letting go is an option as well," Lois could only advise.
Xiu shook his head. "It might be difficult, but I still want to bring her happiness with my own hands."
Adele reached out a wool-gloved hand and patted Xiu on the shoulder. "Hang in there. Add my account later, and I can provide you with the most cutting-edge relationship consulting and psychological counseling."
"No need. Nowadays I usually consult my maids for psychological counseling," Xiu laughed. "It even lets me test their loyalty along the way."
Maids, too?
Lois asked out of curiosity, "Does your family know about this relationship?"
"Mm, I suppose they all do?"
"Who are they?"
Xiu visibly blanked for a moment, replying in a profoundly uncertain tone, "They're... my younger sister, housekeeper, and maids?"
"Then what is their attitude toward your relationship?"
"They're pretty much all against it."
"And you still want to hold on?"
"Of course," Xiu said unequivocally.
This ATM is beyond saving, the girls thought.
"Ingrid," Adele said suddenly. "Look at the figure ahead. Doesn't that look like Iris?"
"It is her." Ingrid's face instantly went cold, and she charged forward with brisk strides. But Adele was even faster—she conjured a water sphere, and with a swift whoosh, scored a bullseye on the back of the girl's head!
The water sphere packed little impact, but in this freezing weather, being drenched head-to-toe made the girl sneeze and blow her top immediately. Turning around and catching sight of Adele and her friends, her pretty face twisted into an expression of disgust. "Oh, it's the three of you."
Ingrid lunged with an outstretched hand, only to be swatted away with ease by the girl's companion. That person was tall and burly, bearing a medium six-pointed-star shield on their back. In such frigid weather, they wore only a single layer of clothing, and a scar ran along the corner of their mouth—clearly a battle-hardened shield-axe sorcerer.
Ingrid stepped back two paces, exhaling a long plume of white vapor. Staring intently at the shield-axe sorcerer before her, her expression grew solemn.
"Iris, hiding from us for so many days, and now you finally dare show your face!" Adele ground out through gritted teeth. "Give us back our things!"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Iris said coldly, brushing back her wet bangs. "All I know is that you will get down on your knees and apologize to me! According to university rules, after you provoked me like this, even if I strike back, the disciplinary committee won't find a single fault with me!"
"There's actually a school rule like that?" Xiu paused in surprise.
"As long as no one is killed or crippled, it's just a matter of deducted course credits; healing miracles can restore everything anyway," Lois said softly. "You should leave first. This has nothing to do with you."
Xiu looked at them. Although they had only interacted for under ten minutes, these three female college students were not the type to deliberately stir up trouble. Yet in this situation, with a brawl clearly imminent, they were actually prepared to see it through to the end!
"What are you still feigning ignorance for?!" Adele yelled. "Who doesn't know you led people to ransack our dorm room? Not only did you take all of Sonia's things, you didn't even spare our belongings!"
"Forget about everything else—give us back the things Sonia gave us!"
"Oh...?" Xiu raised his eyebrows.
Chapter 1037