Chapter 147: You Two Are Going to Share a Room?

A-Zhi did not quite hear what was said, or perhaps he was simply stunned, so he asked for clarification. To his surprise, Shen Shi did not answer; instead, he turned and walked out of the small kitchen.

"Hey, wait... I haven't finished asking yet..." A-Zhi stood up and called out to Shen Shi, but Shen Shi’s retreating figure did not falter in the slightest, as if he hadn't heard a word. A-Zhi curled his lip and muttered under his breath, "What a strange person..."

"A-Zhi, just focus on your evening training. You'll find out the rest once it's over," Lin Xing said, finishing the porridge in his bowl before giving A-Zhi a perfunctory reply. A-Zhi drooped his head, resigning himself to waiting until the evening training concluded. Wang Qiang and Yu Yong watched their bickering with a faint smile, shaking their heads without saying another word.

Shen Shi’s pace slowed as he walked, eventually coming to a stop beneath the old locust tree. He didn't know why he had told A-Zhi and the others about the matter; they would have found out soon enough that it was Song Qing'an who had taken Qin Sheng away. He had heard the others say that Song Qing'an had arrived today. Shen Shi clenched his hand, a hollow feeling spreading through his chest. He reached up to touch his heart, struggling to find words for the sensation.

"Song Qing'an, are you trying to die!"

Shen Shi heard Qin Sheng’s voice from above. He tensed instinctively, but upon realizing whom she was shouting at, his heart seemed to stop altogether. He touched his chest again; the frantic thumping had ceased, or perhaps it had returned to a normal rhythm. He began to understand something, though the person in question would never truly be his.

"Let's talk this out, let's talk this out..." Shen Shi heard Song Qing'an’s voice—a voice he found both familiar and strange. He couldn't help but recall the day Song Qing'an had taken Qin Sheng away.

"It’s not yours, don't even think about touching it."

Song Qing'an’s voice echoed vaguely in Shen Shi's ears. His fists tightened, the veins in his arms bulging.

The more Qin Sheng came to know Song Qing'an, the more she understood his childish temperament. Once he realized she was embarrassed, Song Qing'an kept following her, constantly teasing her about it. Qin Sheng felt helpless, merely indulging his childish antics. Their bickering gradually escalated into a sparring match. Ever since she discovered her supernatural ability, Qin Sheng had been eager to spar with him again. It was clear she had lost last time, and she wanted to know the extent of the gap between them now that she possessed powers of her own.

Song Qing'an sensed her desire to spar and complied, though he dared not be too serious, fearing he might hurt her, and cautiously dodged her attacks. Qin Sheng’s strikes were lightning-fast. Before long, she was drenched in sweat, yet she didn't slow down; if anything, she accelerated, as if speed were the only way to catch him off guard. Driven by the thrill, she launched a second wave of attacks.

Sensing trouble, Song Qing'an grew nervous. Qin Sheng was moving too fast, and he feared she might lose control of her ability again. "Qin Sheng, be careful not to let your ability affect you again," he warned.

Qin Sheng, aware that she could not yet control her power, frowned and replied, "I know, don't worry."

Hearing her say this, Song Qing'an shed his reservations. He shifted from purely defensive to a mix of offense and defense. Perhaps because it had been a while since they had sparred so heartily, he found himself truly enjoying it. Seeing him get into the rhythm, Qin Sheng also began to take his attacks seriously. His style was unlike anyone she had encountered before—methodical and tactical, rather than the brute force she was used to. She had to be more careful, and she took the opportunity to learn a few of his techniques.

As they grappled, Qin Sheng could feel Song Qing'an holding back; had he used his full strength, she would likely have been incapacitated by the backlash of her own power. He had only grazed her, causing no real pain. Qin Sheng curled her lips, a hint of playfulness in her eyes as she gathered strength in her palm and landed a punch on his shoulder.

Song Qing'an let out a muffled grunt of pain. He hadn't expected her to see through his deliberate opening, nor had he expected her to abandon her restraint and strike with such force. He realized then that Qin Sheng was not easily fooled; even in a casual spar, she was completely focused. The dull ache in his shoulder was proof of that.

Song Qing'an pursed his lips. Seeing her prepare for another strike, he called out, "Wait."

Qin Sheng stopped instantly, confused. Song Qing'an had clearly been winning; there was no reason for him to stop. "What’s wrong?"

Song Qing'an pouted, rubbing his shoulder with a feigned expression of grievance. "That hit was too hard. I can't lift my arm."

Qin Sheng grew worried immediately. She knew she had used too much force, but she hadn't realized the consequences were so severe. "Let's stop for today," she said, before leading him back to her room to retrieve some medicated plasters from her supplies.

She opened the plaster, thinking that the impact might have caused more than just a surface bruise. She turned to find Song Qing'an standing there, clutching his arm and watching her.

"Take your shirt off," she said, walking toward him with the plaster.

Song Qing'an was shocked by her bluntness. His heart began to race, and as she drew near, he found himself momentarily speechless, his earlobes turning slightly red.

"How am I supposed to apply the plaster if you don't take your shirt off?" Qin Sheng, realizing the "little fox" was overthinking things again, reminded him helplessly.

Song Qing'an curled his lip, unbuttoned his shirt, and held out his bruised arm. Qin Sheng looked at the redness and felt a pang of guilt.

"I'm sorry. I thought you were provoking me... so I didn't hold back," she explained softly as she applied the plaster to his skin.

Song Qing'an chuckled and nodded.

"What are you laughing at?" Qin Sheng asked, curious after she finished. Was there something wrong with what she said? She couldn't quite figure it out.

"Nothing," he replied quietly.

He couldn't bring himself to tell her that his previous attempt to show mercy had been misinterpreted as a provocation—the way her mind worked was truly unique. He dared not tell her the truth, or he would likely earn another punch. His arm was red, but he felt fine; the sight of her genuine concern made the blow well worth it.

"By the way, Song Qing'an," Qin Sheng said, suddenly remembering something. "When you have time, teach me that move you used earlier." She felt a bit embarrassed, but she had never seen such a technique before and was eager to learn.

"You want to learn?" Song Qing'an looked at her with a smirk, like a little fox planning its next move.

Qin Sheng pursed her lips, seeing that look and knowing it wouldn't be simple, but she nodded anyway.

"It’s not impossible. Just cover my meals for two more days," he said, leaning back in his chair with a carefree air, waiting for her response. He knew she would agree.

And as he expected, she did.

"But why are you staying in the safe zone?" Qin Sheng asked, unable to suppress her curiosity.

"Looking for something," he replied quickly. He stared up at the ceiling, and Qin Sheng couldn't glean anything from his expression. She instinctively thought of the body of Jiang Miao’s boyfriend, Jiang Ming, which had vanished back at school. She wondered if it had anything to do with what Song Qing'an was searching for, but she knew everyone had their secrets and didn't press him.

"The first and second floors are male dorms. I'll have Wang Qiang arrange a room for you there," she said.

Song Qing'an sat up abruptly, frowning. "Can't I stay here with you?"

Qin Sheng rolled her eyes. "What do you think?"

Seeing the boundary she had set, Song Qing'an immediately changed his tune with a smile. "Of course not. It wouldn't be appropriate for a man and a woman to share a room... not appropriate at all." He waved his hands, acting as if she were the one who had tried to keep him there.

Qin Sheng couldn't be bothered to argue. She turned around only to find her team standing there. They hadn't entered yet, so the doorbell hadn't rung, but their huddled heads made it clear they had heard the entire conversation. Qin Sheng wasn't surprised they would misunderstand, so she didn't bother explaining. She simply turned to Wang Qiang and said, "Clear out a room. Song Qing'an will be staying there."

Wang Qiang nodded. "Understood, Captain."

"Wait, Qin Sheng, wasn't he supposed to stay in your room?" A-Zhi asked, his face full of gossip, clearly fascinated by their conversation.

"One more word out of you, and tonight's training will be extended by an hour."