Chapter 12: Daily Life with Ye Xinxia (Get Ready for the Dog Food)

This assessment was unexpectedly cut short due to the summoned beast going berserk, but in the end, three people passed the test.

That's right—it was none other than Jing Wuji and his two companions.

When Jing Wuji handed the bracelet over to Zhan Kong, the look of pain and bitterness on the latter's face became an unforgettable memory for the three of them.

As the group prepared to return, Zhan Kong called the three of them aside.

"Here, this Scythebone Shield—you guys decide among yourselves how to divide it." Zhan Kong reluctantly handed over the magic item.

He felt like his heart was bleeding. That damn merchant had sold it to him for 550,000 yuan!

"Jing Wuji, you take it. We didn't do much," Mo Fan shook his head, refusing.

"I definitely can't take it. I just walked to the location and that's it," Zhang Xiaohou quickly waved his hands.

"You take it, Mo Fan. I have no use for this kind of item. If it were a magic weapon for offense, maybe I'd consider it, but a defensive shield? Nah, I don't need defense," Jing Wuji didn't even hesitate to reject it.

"But I—well, okay…" Mo Fan originally wanted to refuse too, but seeing the impatient look in Jing Wuji's eyes, he had no choice but to accept.

"Looking for offensive magic gear? That stuff is ridiculously expensive," Zhan Kong muttered with a forced, bitter grin.

"Chief Instructor, let it go. Don't dwell on it. There are still plenty of good magic items out there in the world." Mo Fan reached for the shield, but it wouldn't budge—prompting him to start humming a tune jokingly.

"Just take it already." Zhan Kong's mouth twitched as he let go, though his face was still full of visible pain.

The palm-sized Scythebone Shield now lay in Mo Fan's hand.

"Hurry up and absorb it. We need to head back," Jing Wuji urged. It had been half a month since he last saw Ye Xinxia.

"Oh, oh." Mo Fan studied it for a bit and finally figured out how to use it.

He focused his mental energy on the Scythebone Shield, and a shield-shaped imprint appeared in his mind. The physical shield disappeared.

Mo Fan then stimulated the imprint with his spiritual power, and a human-sized shield instantly appeared on his arm.

Seeing that Mo Fan had successfully absorbed the magic item, the three bid farewell to Zhan Kong and boarded the bus home.

…

Back in Bo City, Jing Wuji checked the date and headed toward the Mingwen Girls' Middle School.

It wasn't a Sunday, so Ye Xinxia was still in class.

At the school gate, he asked the old man in the security booth to call for Ye Xinxia. While waiting, Jing Wuji fiddled with a bracelet he had bought at the Snowpeak Mountain outpost.

It was made from polished wilderness stone and looked like crystal, though it was a special type of rock. It had also been smoked with wildflowers and herbs, giving it a unique fragrance with insect-repelling effects.

After nearly ten minutes, Ye Xinxia finally appeared at the gate.

If the school didn't prohibit boys from entering, Jing Wuji would've gone looking for her himself.

"Brother Wuji!" Ye Xinxia smiled brightly.

Last Saturday, Jing Wuji hadn't come to see her. She had no idea what happened and only found out after asking around that Jing Wuji and Mo Fan had gone on a field training mission. She had worried about him for days. Now that she finally saw him again, how could she not be happy?

"Is there anything important in class today? If not, let's go out for a bit," Jing Wuji asked, not wanting to disrupt her studies.

"No, Brother Wuji already taught me everything last time," Ye Xinxia shook her head quickly.

"That's good. Here, this is for you." Jing Wuji pulled out the crystal bracelet and gently took her hand to put it on her wrist.

The moment Jing Wuji held her hand, Ye Xinxia felt her face flush like it was on fire. Even her ears turned red, but she really liked the feeling.

As the boy carefully fastened the bracelet on her, the light in Ye Xinxia's eyes sparkled like something was about to overflow.

"All done." Satisfied, Jing Wuji nodded. "Let's go for a stroll."

"Mm." Ye Xinxia replied sweetly.

Jing Wuji pushed Ye Xinxia's wheelchair toward the shopping district.

Today, the street was particularly lively—it seemed like an event was going on.

"Let's check it out." Before Ye Xinxia could even respond, Jing Wuji had already pushed her toward the activity area.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Today we're holding a Couples Challenge here at the shopping street! Participants who complete the games can choose any plush toy from the prize pool!" the host announced enthusiastically.

Upon hearing "plush toy," Ye Xinxia's eyes lit up immediately. She blinked up at Jing Wuji with a look that practically had "I want it" written all over her face.

Of course, Jing Wuji understood. "But... this event is only for couples."

Ye Xinxia's face turned red at a visible speed. She whispered, barely audible, "W-we… we can just pretend to be a couple…"

And then, like an ostrich, she covered her face with both hands, too embarrassed to look at Jing Wuji.

Jing Wuji chuckled. If his classmates were here to see him now, they'd think something was seriously wrong—because the usually expressionless guy was smiling!

"Of course! If it's Xinxia's wish, I'll make it come true. Let's go." Jing Wuji wheeled her over to the sign-up booth.

After paying the 50 yuan entry fee, he pushed the wheelchair onto the stage.

The host was a bit surprised—such a beautiful girl was in a wheelchair.

Before long, the four required couple teams were all in position.

"Alright! We now have our four participating couples. Let the challenge begin!" With the host's declaration, the first event kicked off.

The first game involved two people eating from opposite ends of a long biscuit. The first couple to finish wins. If the biscuit breaks in the middle, they must start over.

Jing Wuji bit one end of the biscuit and motioned for Ye Xinxia to bite the other.

Ye Xinxia was a little shy, but when she thought about the prize being a plush toy, she still began nibbling on the biscuit in small bites.

Jing Wuji, on the other end, bit quickly. In just a few seconds, more than half of the biscuit was gone.

Right before finishing, their lips brushed lightly together. Ye Xinxia flinched like a startled deer and quickly pulled away.

Fortunately, only a small piece remained, and once it was eaten, Jing Wuji and Ye Xinxia secured second place in the round.

Ye Xinxia's cheeks were bright red, like a ripe apple—utterly adorable, making one almost want to steal a kiss.

"Alright! Three couples will advance from this round. Let's move on to the second game!" the host announced as the results were finalized.

The second challenge was for the girl to write down three questions related to their shared experiences along with the correct answers. The boy would then have to guess. Matching answers counted as correct. Getting three correct answers meant passing. Each person had a maximum of five guesses.

Ten minutes later, Ye Xinxia came over to Jing Wuji with her questions and answers prepared.

The blush on her face had faded, replaced by a bright smile. She believed Jing Wuji would get them right.

"First question: What made me most angry with you?" Ye Xinxia held up the board with the first question written on it.

"It was when you got bullied, and I found out and beat them all up, then came to see you covered in injuries," Jing Wuji said, a little nostalgic.

Back then, some kids had called Ye Xinxia a cripple and even spat at her. Jing Wuji found out and gave them a good beating.

Of course, he targeted all the spots that hurt the most but wouldn't leave bruises.

Still, to manage that, he'd taken quite a few hits himself.

"Correct!" the host shouted.

He lifted the answer board to reveal it was exactly as Jing Wuji had said.

"Second question: What moved me the most?"

"When I gave you your first plush toy."

That was the first gift Jing Wuji had ever given Ye Xinxia, and from that moment on, she'd fallen in love with plush toys.

"Correct! This couple has already answered two in a row! Just one more and they'll win this round!"

"Now for the third question: Why did I cry in front of you for the first time?"

"You talked to me for a long time, hoping I'd respond, but I ignored you the whole time. You thought I disliked you, so you cried."

Jing Wuji clearly remembered that time—he had still been consumed by endless darkness, completely disinterested in everything, like a lifeless shell.

Because of her leg, Ye Xinxia couldn't play with Mo Fan and the others. She had come to talk to him, and after getting no response for so long, she ended up crying, feeling wronged.

"Correct! One couple has made it through. Let's see if the other two will join them or if this couple will go straight to the championship!"

The answer board once again matched Jing Wuji's response exactly.

Jing Wuji and Ye Xinxia exchanged a smile—no words were needed between them.

Fortunately, the other two couples failed to qualify, and the pair smoothly took the top prize.

Ye Xinxia chose a bear-shaped plush toy and held it tightly in her arms.

As they left the shopping street, Ye Xinxia clutched the plushie while Jing Wuji pushed her wheelchair. The two strolled through the city, chatting and laughing—a picture of warmth and contentment.