Chapter 58: Sleeping Together? Sharing a Room?

Chapter 58: Sleeping Together? Sharing a Room?

"She is Qiu Ruoshui," Yan Zhining said casually, noticing Qin Jian's gaze.

Then she looked up at Shui Bing'er. "Bing'er, Qin Jian will officially join our academy and become the captain of the Tianshui team. You'll be sharing a room with him."

The weight of her words left Shui Bing'er and Qiu Ruoshui wide-eyed.

"Teacher Zhining, a male student joining Tianshui Academy? Becoming the team captain? And living with Bing'er?" Qiu Ruoshui stammered, trying to process the bombshell.

Yan Zhining nodded matter-of-factly. "Xuewu, pack your things. Bing'er, help Qin Jian with his admission procedures and show him around the academy. I've got a senior council meeting to attend."

Ignoring Xuewu's sour expression, Yan Zhining strode out, leaving the group in stunned silence.

Xuewu and Qiu Ruoshui exchanged glances. "Xuewu, you can't live with Bing'er anymore?" Qiu Ruoshui asked as she descended the stairs. "A man as our captain? I can't wrap my head around it…"

"There's more," Xuewu grumbled. "Teacher Zhining's letting a man live with Bing'er. What is she thinking? What if he has ulterior motives?"

"Hey, Xuewu, I'm standing right here," Qin Jian interjected, exasperated. "Is it really okay to talk like that?"

"Hmph!" Xuewu shot him a fierce glare, stormed upstairs to the room Shui Bing'er had exited, and began packing with loud clatters.

"You've got her all riled up, stealing her spot like that," Qin Jian muttered, shaking his head.

"It's not just that," Qiu Ruoshui said with a sly grin. "You'll be sharing a room with her precious Bing'er. How could she be happy about that?"

"Ruoshui, don't exaggerate!" Shui Bing'er's cheeks flushed. "It's just sharing a room, not sleeping together."

"Same difference," Qiu Ruoshui teased, waving as she sauntered back to her room. "You two get acquainted. I won't intrude."

Left alone in the hall, Qin Jian and Shui Bing'er stood in awkward silence.

"Last time… in the Soul Hunting Field, you helped me. I never got to thank you," Shui Bing'er said, her head lowered shyly.

Qin Jian smiled warmly. "It was fate, wasn't it? Who'd have thought we'd end up as roommates?"

"Roommates…" Shui Bing'er's face heated up again, her blush deepening. She didn't protest Yan Zhining's arrangement or resent Qin Jian taking her captaincy—not just because she disliked confrontation, but because she genuinely liked him. His heroics in the Soul Hunting Field and his devotion to Ning Rongrong had left a lasting impression.

"Did you come to the academy alone? Where's Ning Rongrong?" she asked curiously. She'd seen how inseparable they were at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

"Rongrong…" Qin Jian's heart clenched, but his face remained composed. "She stayed at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tiles Sect to train. It's better for her there."

"Oh…" Shui Bing'er sensed there was more to the story but was too polite to pry.

She glanced upstairs, where Xuewu was still noisily packing. "Xuewu's going to take a while. Let's go—I'll show you around the academy first."

Qin Jian nodded, following her out of the building.

From her doorway, Xuewu watched them leave, muttering, "Bing'er looks… happy. Is she really okay living with a guy instead of me?"

"Of course she's happy," Qiu Ruoshui chimed in, leaning against her own doorframe. "Haven't you noticed? Since she came back from Heaven Dou Royal Academy, half her sentences are about this Qin Jian. She's smitten."

Xuewu's expression darkened further. "Hmph, men are all pigs!"

"Pigs?" A new voice joined the conversation as a girl in an ice-blue skirt entered the building.

"Yue'er, you're back? Done with classes?" Xuewu's eyes lit up.

"Not yet, I've got one more with my sister," Shui Yue'er replied. "Where's Bing'er?"

"Your sister…" Xuewu's eyes glinted mischievously. "She ran off with a man."

"What?!" Shui Yue'er blinked, confused. "A man? In our academy?"

"It's that Qin Jian your sister keeps talking about," Xuewu said, slinging an arm around Shui Yue'er's neck. "He's not just here—he's taken her captain spot and been assigned to live with her by Teacher Zhining!"

"No way!" Shui Yue'er grabbed Xuewu's arm. "You're joking, right? How could Teacher Zhining allow that?"

Xuewu shook her head gravely. "It's true. Zhining's at a council meeting now, pushing for his admission to be approved."

"Well, that's good," Shui Yue'er said lightly. "Xiao Jing will never let it pass. He'll probably be kicked out by tonight."

"Maybe," Xuewu agreed, then leaned in. "But just in case, we should do something. You okay with your sister sharing a room with a guy?"

"Absolutely not!" Shui Yue'er shook her head vigorously. "Bing'er hasn't even shared a bed with me yet. No way a guy gets to first!"

"Hey, watch your wording!" Qiu Ruoshui laughed. "It's just sharing a room, not a bed."

"Shut up!" Xuewu snapped, glaring at her. "You're too giddy about this. Where's your loyalty?"

Shui Yue'er blinked thoughtfully. "Sharing a room… that's almost worse than sharing a bed…"

Qiu Ruoshui groaned, facepalming.

Xuewu waved dismissively. "Forget her, Yue'er. You've got class soon, and Bing'er will probably be there with Qin Jian. He's new and clueless about the academy. Why don't you mess with him a bit?"

"Mess with him?" Shui Yue'er tapped her chin, a sly grin forming. "Easy. Our next class is on water-based Spirits recognition and application.

He won't know a thing. I'll call on the 'new male student' to answer questions. He'll be Embarrassed!"

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(End of this chapter)