Ye Wan Ning didn't notice his gaze, still enthusiastically serving dishes for the two of them.
"Shui, this beef tenderloin is so delicious~"
"Cangcang, your favorite twice-cooked pork."
Throughout the meal, Zhu Haomiao was on pins and needles, feeling like time was crawling.
Even more terrifying, the more he looked at Li Cang, the more he felt that this guy being her boyfriend was also charming, quite tasty...
But just thinking about him being male, a heartfelt shiver made Zhu Haomiao feel uncomfortable all over, goosebumps rising sharply.
No way!
My old self's [Dao Heart] is unsteady, I can't stay here for long!
With a flicker of his eyeballs, Zhu Haomiao quickly thought of a reasonable excuse.
"Senior sister, there's something I need to tell you."
"What is it?"
"I'm about to participate in the [U18 Ascension Competition], and I probably won't have much time to do research with you in the future..."
"Hmm??! You got a recommendation? And passed it?"
"Yes."
"Hiss! Who on earth managed to squeeze you in just before the registration deadline? Such incredible connections!"
Ye Wan Ning took a sharp intake of breath.
Only by truly understanding the enormous complex interests behind the [Ascension Competition] can one grasp how this seemingly casual maneuver actually showcased terrifying power.
"Ah? Is it hard?"
Zhu Haomiao frowned in confusion, looking at Ye Wan Ning in puzzlement.
I just casually mentioned it to Teacher Su E, feeling her recommendation reasons were randomly written.
Trying to be a decent person, feeling anxious!
That this reason even passed is honestly absurd!
However, Ye Wan Ning looked at Zhu Haomiao with a complicated gaze, staring silently for a long time before distressfully looking at Li Cang.
"Damn, he pulled it off!"
Li Cang slightly curled the corners of his mouth, revealing a trace of schadenfreude in his cold gaze.
"So you understand now how others feel when they see your Versailles moments?"
"..."
Ye Wan Ning puckered her lips, sipping on her milk tea a couple of times, then handed it reluctantly to Zhu Haomiao.
Watching the boy skillfully take Ye Wan Ning's milk tea and gulp it down in two sips, Li Cang, recalling Ye Wan Ning's previous description of his Extraordinary Power, looked thoughtfully at the half-full Four Seasons Spring in his hand, tentatively offering it.
"Can you still drink more?"
Gazing into Li Cang's sincere and clear eyes, Zhu Haomiao put on a constipated face, struggling to speak.
A man can't say no!
But am I your trash can?
Dump all kinds of stuff on me?!
Noticing Zhu Haomiao's hesitation, Ye Wan Ning quickly explained.
"Cangcang's family has strict rules, they don't allow him to waste a single grain of food. When eating with him, you have to finish everything on the table."
"It's made me develop a similar habit now."
Upon hearing this, Li Cang calmly shook his head.
"It's not really a family rule. My grandfather was in the old army, survived crossing snowy mountains by sharing saved food from his comrades who starved, so he taught me since I was little to cherish food as it might represent a life."
Listening to Li Cang's calm narration, Zhu Haomiao inexplicably grew a sense of guilt, feeling the Four Seasons Spring in his hand became heavy, unable to carry out the abandoning action he originally intended.
Damn it! This isn't a reason for me to be a trash can!
Why don't you just drink it yourself?
Do you both think my stomach is a bottomless pit?
And you can just throw all the leftovers at me?
Damn it!
You really know how to read people!
However, back in my former life, grabbing a drink with brothers after playing ball didn't feel awkward, now Zhu Haomiao felt utterly uncomfortable.
Maybe it's because Li Cang is too good-looking, a world apart from those quirky-looking mates from before.
But after pondering for a while, Zhu Haomiao suddenly realized that caring about this matter was itself his inability to view Li Cang with an ordinary mindset.
Right!
Stay calm, stay calm!
Just treat him as those old mates from before!
Having figured this out, Zhu Haomiao calmly finished the remaining Four Seasons Spring, steering the topic back on track.
"Senior sister, about the Ascension Competition..."
"Don't worry, with a [Dao Heart] like yours at this age, it's basically one-on, one-off. We'll just schedule our time when you're back on break."
Before the words were finished, Ye Wan Ning waved her small hand indifferently.
"Huh? One-on, one-off?"
Is Illusion Realm's welfare really that good?
Pah!
No!
Zhu Haomiao's shocked appearance made Li Cang unable to stand it, and he helplessly explained.
"The strength of [Dao Heart] determines how long you can stay in the Illusion Realm at one time. Normally during the Initial Heavenly Position stage, textbooks recommend 'one-on, one-off', meaning for how long you stay in the Illusion Realm, you should rest as long in the real world to stabilize your self-cognition and [Existence Anchor]."
"If you forcibly linger in the Initial Heavenly Position, at worst it causes consciousness confusion and mental disorders, at worse it damages [Dao Heart], and higher positions might cause [Lost]... "
"Existence Anchor? Lost?"
Another round of unheard professional terms left Zhu Haomiao babbling, feeling like a fool.
Li Cang and Ye Wan Ning exchanged a glance, noticing a trace of doubt in each other's eyes.
Who on earth recommended this illiterate person enter the Illusion Realm?
At least learn the basics...
Sighing, Li Cang continued his explanation.
"Time flow in the Illusion Realm is different from reality, multiples during the Initial Heavenly Position, and soars to hundreds of times in the mid-high ranks!"
"The saying goes, a day in the heavens, a year on the earth; your life in the Illusion Realm is way longer than in reality, and without firm self-cognition, you might gradually forget everything in reality, completely merging into the Illusion Realm's native being, never returning."
"This situation is referred to as [Lost]."
"To prevent [Lost], periodically returning to the real world, traversing the real and illusory barrier keeps oneself awake, reinforcing self-cognition continually, forming [Existence Anchor Point] in mystic concept. This allows deeper Illusion Realm dives, achieving higher Heavenly Positions..."
"Otherwise, with each rank increase in Heavenly Position, the risk of getting lost multiplies."
Listening to Li Cang's explanation, Zhu Haomiao nodded in daze, feeling the concepts were a bit abstract.
Seeing Zhu Haomiao's partly understanding expression, Ye Wan Ning interrupted Li Cang with a wave of her hand.
"You haven't entered the Illusion Realm, it's normal not to understand. You'll naturally get it later, just remember to message me when you're back for a break, and I'll arrange the time then."
After all that talk, it still couldn't escape Ye Wan Ning's grasp, Zhu Haomiao nodded with a bitter face.
Why risk your life for thirty thousand bucks?
Dragging your boyfriend along too?
Don't you know the Original Sin [Se Se] goes even after cats when going berserk!
If [Se Se] loses control, giving in to Beast Nature, you guys will be in serious trouble!
Frowning in pain, Zhu Haomiao began seriously contemplating how to avoid such an appalling situation.