After that day, Wen Shu still ordered some meals for Qin Siyang, reminding him to eat on time and get proper rest.
She replied to his messages punctually as well, without showing any sign of dissatisfaction.
But she never asked him to have dinner together again, let alone cook for him herself.
He also heard from Zhao Sifang that over the past couple of days, Wen Shu had been asking Gu Yunxuan about places near United Government Academy and South Glory University where she could find work-study jobs, so she could pay Qin Siyang's rent.
Gu Yunxuan didn't have any good ideas.
Her father was in business, and she had picked up some understanding from him over time.
Even though District 7 was a core area within the safe zone, with countless hidden wealthy individuals, for an "ordinary person" to find a part-time job earning two or three silver coins a day was no different from a fantasy.
However, for the great writer Ms. Sheyu, whom she admired deeply, Gu Yunxuan was willing to arrange a well-paid, easy position for Wen Shu in her own "Xuanyuan Clothing City," allowing her to get what she wanted.
But Wen Shu politely declined the offer. She didn't want to owe Gu Yunxuan a favor just to fill the gap on Qin Siyang's side.
Qin Siyang had asked Wen Shu why she suddenly wanted to pay him rent.
To both of them, rent was a trivial amount.
Qin Siyang's current wealth was measured in gold coins, no need to say more. As for Wen Shu, Qin Siyang believed that as long as she revealed even a little of her sequence ability, she could instantly step into a life free of worries about food and clothing.
Moreover, compared to Wen Shu helping him kill people and other matters, he didn't think waiving rent was anything remarkable.
But Wen Shu didn't answer him. She only maintained a polite smile.
That smile looked warm like sunlight on the surface, yet felt as distant as the gap between the earth and the sun, leaving Qin Siyang with a hollow feeling.
Still, there was nothing he could really say.
After all, they only had mutual feelings for each other and hadn't reached the stage of being a couple. Saying anything beyond friendship would be improper.
Yet he felt an unexplainable grievance in his heart.
Qin Siyang felt like he hadn't done anything, hadn't made any mistakes, yet somehow things had turned awkward.
He guessed that Sally might have caused trouble for Wen Shu one day, just like what Li Jingwen had done in the women's restroom before, making Wen Shu unhappy.
But after looking into it carefully, he found that Sally had never taken the initiative to approach Wen Shu.
Sally wasn't like Li Jingwen, that kind of crude and flamboyant woman. She was warm, cheerful, and well-mannered.
After meeting Qin Siyang at the guesthouse that day, she had been busy preparing for the start of school, just like every freshman looking forward to university life, full of energy and vitality.
Or perhaps, she simply disdained using Li Jingwen's methods to force others into acknowledging her victory.
Realizing he had misunderstood Sally, Qin Siyang felt a bit guilty.
No one had done anything wrong, yet it left Qin Siyang deeply troubled.
It would have been better if someone had made a mistake.
His mind was filled with a chaotic fire he didn't know how to put out.
Zhao Longfei soon transferred him another dozen or so gold coins as Zhang Yingrui's inheritance dividends.
Qin Siyang's thesis had passed publication at lightning speed after the thesis hearing, earning him over ten thousand research points, more than three thousand bottles of sequence potions, and several gold coins.
But these two pieces of good news did little to lift his mood.
Li Tianming and the others were all busy preparing teaching materials and had no time to pay attention to his emotional changes.
With the start of school approaching, Qin Siyang also didn't plan to go hunting gods these days. The three Wang brothers, led by Wang Dezhong who had awakened his sequence, were steadily fighting gods in an orderly manner, so he didn't need to worry.
So he stayed in his room alone, spacing out.
More than once, he muttered to himself, "I really feel like getting on the combat arena and beating Hu Chan or Chu Baxing up. If I go challenge them myself, it'd be a bit beneath me. If either of them takes the initiative to challenge me, I'll definitely accept."
But recently, Hu Chan was busy handling Zhang Yingrui's inheritance together with Yu Ziying.
Chu Baxing, on the other hand, was taking care of Huo Dangkou while frantically hunting gods, trying to win his bet with Qin Siyang.
Neither of them had any intention of fighting him.
With nowhere to vent, Qin Siyang felt so stifled he was almost about to mutate into a god outside the safe zone.
He lay on his bed all day, muttering, "When is this world going to completely end? I'm getting a bit impatient."
.
.
.
Finally, he made it to the day school started.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
[Blue Star Calendar, September 1, 2010]
[Gregorian Calendar, Wednesday]
[Lunar Calendar, Year of Gengyin, Seventh Month, Twenty-Third Day. Suitable for demolishing houses, suitable for breaking walls. Avoid all other activities]
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
The start of university was a festival belonging only to freshmen, their own New Year.
Most people were filled with anticipation for life on campus.
They carried grand plans so ambitious they seemed unbelievable, and fantasies so wild they knew no bounds, as they began their university journey.
The opening ceremony was held at ten in the morning, and the campus was lively beyond measure.
As early as six or seven in the morning, the area outside the guesthouse was already bustling with noise, waking Qin Siyang, who hadn't been sleeping very well.
Many students and parents were saying their goodbyes, while teachers were guiding new arrivals. The entire South Glory University was immersed in a festive atmosphere.
However, Qin Siyang didn't get up early. Instead, he lay there and went back to sleep.
His indifferent attitude made him seem not only unlike a freshman, but hardly like a student at all.
Lin Yaman had called Qin Siyang, asking if he was willing to give a speech on behalf of the freshmen at the opening ceremony, since it had already been confirmed that he ranked first among the new students in both god-hunting points and research points, making him the top freshman.
Qin Siyang wasn't very interested and directly refused, "Sorry, Secretary Lin, I'm not interested. You should find someone else."
Lin Yaman was quite surprised. She had thought that someone as high-profile as Qin Siyang would definitely accept this opportunity to showcase his achievements, and had even made a bet with Zhao Longfei, who believed Qin Siyang would refuse.
After hearing this, Zhao Longfei laughed, "Well, Secretary Lin? I told you Qin Siyang couldn't be bothered to speak at the freshman ceremony. A bet's a bet. Next month when I go out to have some fun, you help keep an eye on the class."
Lin Yaman frowned, still confused.
Zhao Longfei said, "You're seeing Qin Siyang too simply. He's not the kind of kid who likes to show off."
"Doesn't like to show off?"
"Right. He's an old fox. He doesn't bother with meaningless things."
Qin Siyang continued lying there, spacing out.
A speech at the freshman ceremony?
Showing off in front of a bunch of new students?
No interest.
His threshold for satisfaction had long since risen.
He could casually chat and laugh with the tigers, leopards, and wolves of the thesis review committee. How could showing off in front of a group of immature pups possibly excite him?
What if, during the speech, some clueless freshman tried to provoke him in public just to get attention and challenged him to the combat arena? Should he go or not?
Proving himself in front of these freshmen wouldn't bring any meaningful benefit and would only lower his standing.
So, with the ceremony at ten, Qin Siyang figured getting up at 9:50 and strolling to the auditorium right on time would be enough.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
[email protected]/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining P@treon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through P@treon.