The Bonds of Discontent

Ouyang Yuanba with an expressionless face, spoke in a mocking tone, "What else can we do? She is Father Emperor's favorite; naturally, we must keep getting close to her."

Ouyang Yuanyi sharply interjected, "Second Brother!"

"Oh? So now I can't even speak?" Ouyang Yuanba's face darkened as he locked eyes with Ouyang Yuanyi.

The younger siblings, sensing the sudden tension, fell silent.

No one understood how the lively and cheerful atmosphere had turned so oppressive.

Ouyang Yuanyi pursed his lips and said, "I didn't say you couldn't speak, but there's no need to be so caustic."

Ouyang Yuanba snorted coldly. "Am I wrong? Can you honestly say you have no ulterior motives?"

Ouyang Yuanyi frowned. "I haven't thought that far. I simply believe that, as her elder brother, it's only right to look after my younger siblings. What's wrong with that?"

Ouyang Yuanba let out a laugh. "Ha! Is that so? My apologies, then—it seems I misunderstood."

His tone dripped with sarcasm.

Ouyang Yuanwu timidly tried to intervene. "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, please don't fight."

Yuanjiu stood expressionlessly between them, finding the whole situation tedious.

Despite listening for a while, she had no idea what they were arguing about.

One thing was clear: Ouyang Yuanba seemed to be targeting her.

This was merely a deduction; Yuanjiu had no interest in the reasons behind it.

More importantly, there was no need for her to stand there listening to their bickering.

Just as she was about to leave, a clear voice broke through the tension.

"What are you all doing? Bullying a little kid like this—isn't that embarrassing?"

The speaker was Wu Zhenyu, a 12-year-old boy from the College of Magic.

Tall, elegant, and dressed in a white robe, he carried himself with a languid charm.

His favorite pastime was napping in the shade of the large tree nearby, a spot he claimed as his personal domain.

Today, for some reason, he had arrived earlier than usual, only to find a crowd arguing around a child under his tree.

This prompted him to intervene.

"Xiaoding, let's go," Yuanjiu said calmly, calling her magical pet as she turned around to leave.

Ji Shenshu quickly caught up. "Xiaojiu, wait for me."

Meanwhile, Ouyang Yuanyi tried to explain to Wu Zhenyu that they weren't bullying anyone.

Ouyang Yuanba, seeing that Yuanjiu—the very subject of the discussion—was entirely indifferent to their words, felt as though his full-force punch had landed on a pillow.

His face flushed red with anger as he stormed off.

Ouyang Yuaner and Ouyang Yuansan naturally followed him.

Ouyang Yuanwu and Ouyang Yuansi stood there, looking back and forth, unsure whether to follow Ouyang Yuanba or catch up with Yuanjiu.

Ji Shenshu looked at Yuanjiu sympathetically. "Xiaojiu, it seems like your cousins are isolating you. Don't worry; I'll be your friend."

Because Yuanjiu was the only one who took the surname "Long," she was outwardly identified as a cousin to the rest of the group.

Yuanjiu replied indifferently, "That's their problem. As long as I know I did nothing wrong, that's all that matters."

Ji Shenshu grinned warmly. "Alright! Let me show you where we'll have classes."

"Wait!"

The young boy leaped forward and landed in front of them while curiously staring at Yuanjiu.

"Little Sister, even though it was just a misunderstanding earlier, I genuinely intended to help you. Is this how you treat someone who helps y... Wow, you're really good-looking."

Wu Zhenyu silently observed her, and the inexplicable restlessness he had been feeling miraculously vanished.

He bent down, unable to resist to reaching out to touch her face, but suddenly froze, completely immobilized, as a gleaming dagger was now pressed against his neck.

Although it was only a toy crystal dagger, its presence was chilling.

He was secretly startled.

Such speed!

How can such a young child have such agility and precision?

"I know you mean no harm, but don't touch me so casually."

She withdrew the dagger, her calm gaze meeting his.

Her clear eyes revealed no discernible emotion.

Wu Zhenyu understood the warning: If he touched her casually again, the next time it wouldn't just be a toy.

A long-forgotten memory stirred within him—someone had once used a dagger to warn him the same way.

Wu Zhenyu felt momentarily dazed but quickly regained his composure.

Ji Shenshu stepped forward, intending to protect Yuanjiu.

Ouyang Yuanyi also quickened his pace to catch up. "This is my younger sister. If you have anything to say, you can talk to me."

Wu Zhenyu ignored Ouyang Yuanyi, instead watching Yuanjiu with interest as he scratched his nose. "I'm Wu Zhenyu, from Mage Class 2. What's your name?"

"Long Xiaojiu, from Swordmaster Class 1," she replied plainly.

"Heh, Xiaojiu, right? I've decided to stick with you from now on," Wu Zhenyu declared with a serious tone. "From today, I'll be your follower. If you're bored, come find me. If there's a fight, call me. I mean it."

"Huh?"

Ouyang Yuanyi and the others stared in disbelief at Wu Zhenyu and Yuanjiu.

Having been at the academy for so long, they were familiar with the nickname "The Sleeping God" Wu Zhenyu, a sixth-year student renowned for his laziness.

However, now, a sixth-year student was declaring his loyalty to someone he'd just met—a child, no less.

It was utterly baffling.

Yuanjiu treated his words as a joke and didn't respond.

"I'm serious!" he emphasized again. "I'll see you next time. I need to take a nap now."

Yuanjiu asked, puzzled, "A nap?"

"Yeah," Wu Zhenyu said, pointing to a large tree. "I nap under this tree every afternoon. People call me 'The Sleeping God' because of it. If you're free, you can come find me here. I'll... always be waiting for you."

He winked at her teasingly and, with a light leap, disappeared into the dense foliage of the tree.

"What a strange person," Yuanjiu muttered.

How can someone sleep in a tree?

She walked to the base of the tree and looked up at the white figure among the branches.