47 Jealousy (2/2)

Early the next morning, Li Mo Shang opened the door while yawning lightly, only to be greeted by a fidgeting Su Yuan'er holding a neatly folded Blue Rose University jacket. Staring at his slightly messy and half-dressed figure, she couldn't help but deeply blush, stuttering as she attempted to gain his attention.

”Br-Brother Li, your jacket! Sorry I didn't g-get to return it l…yesterday.”

Clearing his mind, Li Mo Shang finally woke from his stupor as he silently accepted the jacket from Su Yuan'er, mumbling under his breath as he headed towards the bathroom. As he passed by, he didn't forget to lightly pat her shoulder, causing her body to abnormally stiffen in surprise. When he finally emerged, having taken a long shower to fully sober his mind, he found Su Yuan'er still standing at his door in a daze.

”Hello, Mrs. Su? Do you need some more sleep, zoning out in a place like this?”

Allowing his indifferent expression to crack and reveal an amused smile, Li Mo Shang tapped her head with his index finger, causing her to release a startled cry before glaring at him. His previously sour mood abated as he watched her scamper off towards the commons, heading towards his room to get properly dressed.

Last night, he had attempted to refine another set of bones in his arm, slowly infusing spiritual qi into the radius and ulna of both arms via the process described in the <Heretic Manual>. Unfortunately, the spiritual qi could only expel the impurities within, unable to form the inscriptions similar to the ones on his humerus.

Puzzled, Li Mo Shang could only make a conjecture that the inscriptions could only form infrequently, and that he couldn't rush the tempering process. While the inscriptions for storing spiritual qi were not present, the bones were indeed lighter than before, representing that refinement was complete.

As they ate breakfast, everyone could notice Su Yuan'er abnormal behavior, for she would send furtive looks towards Li Mo Shang over her bowl of rice. While Wang Xing and Lin Shi Meng paid no regard or interest in interrogating her, Li Zhen Yue seemed unable to restrain herself, as she consistently questioned both Li Mo Shang and Su Yuan'er when she wasn't eating.

Both had a taciturn and unconveyed agreement as they downright ignored her, much to her chagrin.

Walking towards the general lecture hall with Li Zhen Yue, Li Mo Shang couldn't help but sink into his thoughts. He had indeed agreed to Su Yuan'er request as a nominal societal partner, which indicated their interaction would indeed change compared to before.

However, he didn't know whether his decision back then was truly rational; after pondering on the matter for a while, he realized that he didn't give much thought to her agreement before rashly giving consent. Perhaps he was influenced by Wan Tianhui's shamelessness and potential actions that her offer was the most suitable escape route. Li Mo Shang just didn't know whether he had actually escaped the trap or had dug himself into a bigger one.

Facing the door leading to the lecture hall appropriated to his class, Li Mo Shang suddenly tensed, a bad premonition warning him to proceed no further. Seeing his abnormal reaction and that he had yet to open the door after gripping the handle for so long, Li Zhen Yue directed an inquisitive glance before shrugging and opening the door.

”Mr. Li, so you were in this class as well!”

Watching the 'catastrophe' rush towards him similar to a puppy begging for a treat, Li Mo Shang dodged behind Li Zhen Yue, forcing her to receive Su Zhen Zhen's overbearing hug. Striding into the lecture hall with his customary stone-cold expression, Li Mo Shang noticed that Wan Xue had returned to her previous position as their professor.

And that everyone was staring at him, or rather, the beauty pouting in his direction.

As he sat in his usual seat in the lecture hall, Li Mo Shang found himself the target of Li Zhen Yue's questioning stare from the right, and a source of misery to his left. Unhurriedly sending her a message explaining how he too was unsure why Su Zhen Zhen was so attached towards him, Li Mo Shang gradually staved off one beautiful monster during the lecture.

Only, the second could not be exorcised no matter his attempts to ignore.

”Hey, Mr. Li, how is my getup today? Isn't the blend of white and gold nice?”

”Mr. Li, Mr. Li, when will you respond to Appraiser Wu's requests? He's going crazy from your silence, and Boss wants an answer!”

…

”Mr. Li, do you have free time this afternoon? Let's go to that famous clothing store, Requiem!”

…

With consistent whispers streamlining towards Li Mo Shang's left ear, annoyance gradually accumulated within him until he distorted the nearby worldly qi to block Su Zhen Zhen's voice from entering his awareness. His expression considerably darker, Li Mo Shang bored holes in his notebook as he took notes, refusing to raise his head and visually pay attention for even a single moment.

If he dared to, he would receive another face-smattering of soliloquy from the beauty on his left. As she proceeded on her lecture on the founding of Nan Qing and the flaws and compounding mistakes of the first emperor, Wan Xue sneaked glances at Li Mo Shang's position as she maintained her external appearance of a cold professor.

As she continued to silently observe Li Mo Shang, she noticed his darkened expression, Li Zhen Yue's gloating countenance, and Su Zhen Zhen's increasingly physical attempts of obtaining his attention, Wan Xue unconsciously permitted a knowing expression to grace her face.

Towards Li Mo Shang, she could faintly sense an increasingly cold aura emanating from his reserved figure which caused apprehension to well within her heart. However, she couldn't do anything about that Su Zhen Zhen girl, her identity was a tad bit extraordinary within the university.

As for Su Zhen Zhen, she couldn't help but unconsciously engender a seed of sourness, much to her confusion. Taking advantage of an excuse of a water break, she calmed herself before biding a hidden gloating expression. Attempting to seize that iron-hearted Young Master Li's attention in such a method, hmph!

Making use of the break 'gifted' by Wan Xue, Li Mo Shang manipulated his terminal to send a question to Su Yuan'er, asking whether she wanted to go shopping anywhere. He had no idea when such a thought emerged, but he would settle for anything that would drive Su Zhen Zhen away.

Unfortunately, when the morning lecture finally ended, Li Mo Shang stood only to be blocked by Su Zhen Zhen. No longer displaying such an infatuated smile on her face, she leaned forward to quietly speak, an unnatural expression on her bewitching countenance.

”Does Mr. Li…know my little sister?”

Surprised, Li Mo Shang gazed into her lucid orbs, and could spot a myriad of emotions within. Admiration, interest, cunning, and…jealousy.