Soul Land:The Dragon King's God of Nature

The boy who had passed by Tang Wulin and Xie Xie was, of course, Jing Shaoyu. The moment he saw Gu Yue, he decided to make his move. He walked straight toward her, finding her walking out of the training field with her usual stoic expression. A few students from Class 5 were nearby, and when Gu Yue noticed Jing Shaoyu approaching, a flicker of panic crossed her face before she quickly masked it.

"Hello, I'm Jing Shaoyu. About last night, I'm really sorry!" Jing Shaoyu greeted her with a sunny smile, extending his hand.

"I'm Gu Yue." Under the surprised gazes of Class 5 students, a faint blush appeared on Gu Yue's face as she quickly shook his hand and let go, responding in a calm tone before walking away, deep in thought.

Watching her retreating figure, Jing Shaoyu's smile only grew brighter.

"Brother Xiao Yu, let's go eat!" Xu Xiaoyan chirped as she skipped over to Jing Shaoyu.

"Sure, let's go eat," Jing Shaoyu replied with a smile.

Xu Xiaoyan eagerly took Jing Shaoyu's hand, beaming. She had noticed his interaction with Gu Yue and felt a slight pang of jealousy. However, upon seeing Gu Yue's appearance, she quickly dismissed any concern. While Gu Yue had a delicate charm, Xu Xiaoyan was confident her own beauty was unmatched—only Na'er had ever made her feel a hint of insecurity.

She had no idea, though, that her brother Xiaoyu and the girl she thought of as "not a threat" were actually drawn to each other in ways she couldn't see.

Life at the academy was simple and uneventful, and soon the first rest day arrived. Xu Xiaoyan was taken home the previous night by her brother, Xu Xiaoyu, while Jing Shaoyu planned to visit the Mecha Association. That morning, he had received a call from Wu Mian at the association, informing him that his Recon Bird had passed its evaluation, officially classified as a Level-3 dual-use soul tool.

Though this outcome was roughly what he expected, Jing Shaoyu was still thrilled—earning two to five million Federation coins would make anyone happy.

With a light heart, Jing Shaoyu biked out of the academy gate, only to be stopped.

"Where are you going?" Gu Yue blocked his bike with a composed expression.

"To the Mecha Association," Jing Shaoyu replied with a smile.

"I'm going with you." Her tone left no room for argument as she climbed onto the back seat and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Heh." Jing Shaoyu wanted to tease her but noticed her slight tension. Instead, he gave a warm smile and said, "Hold on tight; let's go!"

The bike glided smoothly out of the gate.

"Did I see that right?" A Class 5 student rubbed his eyes in disbelief, muttering, "Was that Gu Yue? No way!"

Jing Shaoyu's skillful biking ensured a smooth ride over any terrain. Feeling Gu Yue's arms relax around his waist, his smile grew even brighter. She was the third girl he had given a ride, but the first to be so shy. It was understandable, though; both Na'er and Xu Xiaoyan had known him much longer, while he had only really spent a week with Gu Yue.

"So, why are you heading to the Mecha Association?" Jing Shaoyu asked.

"No reason," Gu Yue replied nonchalantly.

"Where do you want to go afterward? I can take you," he offered.

"Nowhere," she replied. "Where are you going?"

"Me? Well, I'm heading home, of course," he said with a smile.

"Alright, then I'll go with you," Gu Yue replied with a flicker of emotion in her eyes.

"What?" Jing Shaoyu hadn't expected such a direct response. Teasingly, he said, "We've only known each other for a week, and you're already coming home with me?"

"I don't mind," she replied, her tone calm.

"Uh… okay!" Jing Shaoyu laughed awkwardly, surprised by her straightforwardness. When they arrived at the Mecha Association, Jing Shaoyu parked his bike and invited Gu Yue to join him inside, but she shook her head, urging him to hurry.

Jing Shaoyu had no choice but to dash to the twenty-third floor of the association, where Wu Mian and the soul tool sales manager were already waiting. With his experience, Jing Shaoyu quickly completed the necessary procedures.

"Kid, you've made the association quite a profit again!" Wu Mian said, patting his shoulder in admiration.

"How can you call it profit? It's just research funding!" Jing Shaoyu chuckled.

Without lingering, he said his goodbyes to Wu Mian, eager to return to Gu Yue, who was waiting for him downstairs.

When he exited the Mecha Association, Gu Yue was idly perched on his bike, leaning forward with a distant expression. Upon seeing him, a brief smile flickered on her face before she hid it away, as if not wanting him to notice.

But Jing Shaoyu had seen it, so he walked over with a smile and said, "Gu Yue, you look lovely when you smile. Smile more often, okay?"

Gu Yue lowered her head, remaining silent, but the faint smile on her lips hinted at her happiness.

"Alright, let's head home," Jing Shaoyu said, chuckling as he mounted the bike. "Hold on tight. I'll pick up the pace!"

The bike sped off like the wind, and Gu Yue instinctively tightened her grip around his waist, resting her head on his back. A sense of warmth, comfort, and unprecedented security washed over her, and she found herself understanding why the other her was so fond of this person.

When they stopped at Jing Shaoyu's home, Gu Yue raised her head with a slight frown, about to question the sudden halt when he said, "Alright, we're here."

Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar house, Gu Yue felt a wave of nervousness and uncertainty.

"Mom, Auntie, I'm home!" Jing Shaoyu called out as he entered the courtyard. Since it was a rest day, he wasn't worried that his mother and Aunt Lin Xin wouldn't be home.

Sure enough, a moment later, Jing Ziyuan and Lin Xin emerged from the house. Jing Ziyuan walked toward him with delight and began asking a string of questions, "You're back! How's the new school? Are you used to the dorm? Is the food good?"

Overwhelmed by the barrage of questions, Jing Shaoyu quickly changed the topic. "Mom, I brought a classmate home."

He turned toward the gate and called, "Gu Yue, what are you doing over there? Come in!"

Jing Ziyuan and Lin Xin both paused, exchanging curious and intrigued glances at each other before looking over at Gu Yue. This was the first time Jing Shaoyu had brought a classmate home, and a girl at that—it was a privilege even Xu Xiaoyan hadn't had.

Under the curious gazes of the two women, Gu Yue entered the courtyard, feeling her ears grow warm with embarrassment.

"Mom, Auntie, this is Gu Yue, a friend I made at the academy," Jing Shaoyu introduced. "Gu Yue, this is my mom and my aunt."

"Mom… Auntie, hello. I'm Gu Yue. You can just call me Yue'er," Gu Yue said, almost accidentally calling them by a different title. Although she corrected herself in time, the mishap left her cheeks flushed.

"Hello, Yue'er," Jing Ziyuan and Lin Xin greeted her warmly. Though Gu Yue didn't have Xu Xiaoyan's delicate charm, her graceful demeanor and polite manner impressed them. Above all, she was the first girl Jing Shaoyu had ever brought home, and both women looked pleased.

"Shaoyu, take Yue'er inside to sit for a while. Your aunt and I will go buy some groceries," Jing Ziyuan suggested with a knowing look.

"Alright!" Jing Shaoyu held back a laugh as he watched Gu Yue's embarrassment, keeping his face composed. "Let's go, Yue'er. I'll show you around."

"You…" Gu Yue was momentarily annoyed at being called "Yue'er" but forced a smile for Jing Ziyuan and Lin Xin. "Alright, Brother Shaoyu."

At that moment, Gu Yue wondered if coming to Jing Shaoyu's home was a mistake.