Chapter 41_1

At seven o'clock in the morning, Huai Shi was startled awake by the alarm clock.

Having grown accustomed to waking up naturally, he didn't react at first in his daze.

Not until he remembered that today was the first day of school did his mood suddenly plummet.

Back to the cage, walking right into the spider's web...

A series of adjectives popped into his mind. Compared to this heavy burden, last night's pain from being chased and hacked at seemed like nothing...

"Ah, I don't want to go to school."

He groaned weakly a few times, then crawled out of bed.

As he turned over, he felt the itchy sensation of wounds healing and the dull pain of strained muscles.

Thanks to his developmental period and Raven's potion, the injuries from yesterday that would have laid a normal person up for two or three weeks had healed overnight.

Even the scars were beginning to fade; probably in a little while, there would be no sign of them left, right?

But why couldn't they heal for a few more days?

That way, he would have a good excuse to skip school. Otherwise, showing up bloody would be so embarrassing. Maybe even the principal would have a stroke from the shock.

With a heavy heart, Huai Shi got out of bed and went downstairs.

"Ah, you're awake?"

In the dining room, Raven smiled like a virtuous wife and mother, even wearing a white mask that doubled as an apron: "I've prepared your breakfast and lunch."

Huai Shi looked at the test tubes on the table and could not help wanting to roll his eyes.

What kind of meal looked like this?

"Why is there an extra one today? And it's different from the others."

Huai Shi picked up one particularly slender test tube and slightly shook the thick, dark green liquid inside.

His increasingly stronger Death Perception was chilling him with the warning that this stuff was definitely not some kind of oral liquid, but something that could take half the life of an ordinary person if drunk.

"There's a saying, 'shit as food, piss as a dish'... Isn't this made to accompany your meal?"

"Can't you say something appetizing for once!"

"Okay then, to put it simply, this contains some Border substances and residual mineral toxins from the extraction process... Ah, don't worry, it's been diluted to the point where a normal person would only be paralyzed if they drank it. If you drink it, it might just dissolve a bit of muscle and damage your heart and blood vessels a little."

"...Do I look like I want to drink this because I think I have too long to live?"

"As the saying goes, destruction begets construction, right? Yesterday, I found that after going through that beating... cough, that exercise, under the stimulation of the subconscious, you accelerated a lot in development. It proves that at this stage, some pressure and destruction will speed up your absorption... After all, the essence of anaerobic exercise is actually tearing muscles and then waiting for them to grow back."

While speaking, Raven pointed to a tape measure on the table: "If you don't believe it, measure your height yourself."

A minute later, Huai Shi stared at the scale on the ruler, astonished.

One meter eighty?

The last time he measured barefoot, he was one meter seventy-seven. That meant: in just two days, he had grown three centimeters?

"Not just height, but weight, body fat, and blood have changed as well, it's just that without laboratory equipment you can't see it. In about two weeks, your height might be fixed, and then the focus will be on the fine strengthening of bones, nerves, organs, and muscles, until you reach the theoretical limit of a normal person.

According to the differences in abilities, some aspects might even be further enhanced. The Hand of Confinement is confined to your hands, so by then your fingers' dexterity and sensitivity will improve a lot more."

After saying this, Raven tossed over the Book of Fate and potions with her wings, "But before that, you should think about how to earn back the cost of potion materials for next week."

Huai Shi's expression stiffened for a moment.

The heavy load of debt robbed him of his smile.

Card swiping is fun only for a moment...

He sighed and walked out the door, and behind him, Raven waved: "Be careful on the road, remember to take your medicine, and get along well with your classmates, okay~"

Get along my ass!

"Are you my mother?"

"Hey, that direct, huh?" Raven was taken aback, her expression seemingly shy: "If you're willing, just call me 'Mommy', it's okay, even repeating words, though it feels a bit awkward."

"..."

Huai Shi nearly tripped on the steps, gave her a glare, and started on his journey to school.

.

There's one good thing about being an art student: barely any classes during the first half of senior year. Everyone is in the final sprint before the year begins, as the fate of an art student is not decided solely by one college entrance exam but also by professional exams and school recruitments that come before it.

Huai Shi only needed to show his face in class, then he could go to the piano room to slack off and practice. Sometimes appearing in the evening self-study session was enough, utterly free and easy.

Others might go out and register for sprint classes, but don't expect Huai Shi, who's stingy, to shell out the tens of thousands of tuition for these three months.

He would do anything to save money!

Besides, he had already passed ABRSM Level Eight and was just waiting to take the professional preliminary exam in Jinling next month. There was no need to burn money for that.

For all these years, he had been low-key in his development, being a pushover whenever possible, but he had never been scared of anything when it came to the cello.

Even having become a Sublimator, he had not given up on his dream of finding a decent job as a cellist.

Dominate the world? A harem of beauties?

Compared with these, he hoped more that he could have a place of his own in Vienna's Golden Hall in this lifetime.

Thinking this, he suddenly hesitated and tapped the cello case on his back—should he cut Raven's shopping list a bit and save some money to replace his cello?

Though not necessarily aiming for an instrument made by a maestro worth hundreds of thousands or millions, it would still be nice to move away from factory brands.

Lost in his thoughts, he heard two familiar voices up ahead.

"Oh dear, Dad, it's fine to drop me off here. The other students will laugh if they see."

"How is a father sending his daughter to school something to be laughed at?" The middle-aged man's voice, full of indulgence, came through: "Do you have enough pocket money? Dad has to work overtime these next few days. Want me to give you some more?"

"Mom already gave me some, and there's really nothing to spend money on at school anyway."

"What she gave is what she gave, but what Daddy gives you is from Daddy, take it, take it..."

It really sounded like a tender father-daughter moment, the epitome of warmth.

Except that the two people engaged in conversation were a bit off.

Huai Shi, however, couldn't help but stop in her tracks, instinctively wanting to back away, turn around, put some distance between them, and hide herself behind the utility pole.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

As the girl turned around, she saw him, her eyes lighting up: "Eh? Huai Shi, you're here too? I've been calling you for the past few days, but you didn't answer..."

Huai Shi stood there, turning her head stiffly.

She saw the beautiful teenage girl, who despite wearing the distinctive and ridiculously styled uniform from Dongxia, couldn't hide her beauty, and beside her... Director Fu of the Special Affairs Department, his eyes widened in disbelief.

Then, with difficulty, she forced a smile.

Oh my god, you two are related! No wonder... Even though both of your last names are Fu, why didn't I think of that!

"Wow, it's been a while, class rep, and..."

He smiled awkwardly, looking towards Director Fu behind her, "Uncle Fu?"

"..."

The middle-aged man was silent, watching Huai Shi with a calm expression that was somewhat frightening.

Uncle Fu didn't speak.

Uncle Fu didn't want to deal with you.

Uncle Fu was gathering his rage.

Uncle Fu wanted to kill you...

Thankfully, Uncle Fu eventually calmed down, and with great effort, he managed a 'gentle' smile, "Xiao Yi, is this a classmate of yours?"

"Yep."

Fu Yi casually raised her hand and patted Huai Shi on the shoulder, "Dad, this is the buddy I've been telling you about who taught me sheet music. His cello skills are incredible, and his studies aren't bad either!"

"Is that so?" Director Fu smiled, "Then you two should get along well."

While he was smiling, that look in his eyes reminded one of a direct express service to the East Suburb Crematorium.

And Fu Yi continued to heap praise about Huai Shi to her father, while Huai Shi at that moment wanted nothing more than to cover her face and cry: "I'm not, I didn't..."

"Do you know each other?"

Fu Yi seemed to finally sense something, tilting her head as she looked at them, the ponytail on the side of her head swinging.

Huai Shi glanced at Director Fu's face, which read 'dare to spill the beans and you're a dead man', and after stammering for an eternity, managed to say: "Uh... we've met a few times, in the last few days."

"Oh, I see."

Fu Yi, completely unsuspecting, believed it!

Seeing Huai Shi's discretion, Director Fu's expression improved a bit, and he reached out to pat her shoulder: "Young man, you're doing well. Make sure you focus on your studies, got it?"

He put particular emphasis on the last four words.

Huai Shi felt as though her shoulder blade was about to be split by the old turtle.

As they approached the school gate, Director Fu paused, smiling warmly at his daughter: "This is as far as I'll take you. Go on, I have to leave too."

Seeing her classmates waving at her from a distance, Fu Yi nodded and waved to her father before running towards them.

Left behind were Director Fu, who was smilingly watching his daughter depart, and Huai Shi, whose shoulder was still caught in his vice-like grip.

Huai Shi, on the verge of tears, watched her retreat, then turned back to face the middle-aged man whose expression was growing colder by the second, barely mustering a weak smile as she softly begged for mercy:

"Uncle Fu, not so hard, it hurts."

'Uncle Fu' nearly spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning ashen as he lifted the hem of his jacket to show his gun holster. And so, Huai Shi shut her mouth, awaiting judgement.

After what seemed like an eternity, Uncle Fu finally took a breath and asked:

"Are you very close with my daughter?"

"Not close! Not close at all!" Huai Shi's head shook like a rattle-drum, "We've just met a few times..."

"A few times is how many? Once or twice?"

Director Fu wasn't buying it; he'd seen all sorts of sly tricks over the years. Young Sublimators like Huai Shi were considered unstable societal elements to begin with. At the age of fifteen or sixteen, when hormones kicked in, they could turn wild like dogs. Who knows if they'd suddenly become violent or commit abductions.

Especially considering Huai Shi's history from the previous day, he wasn't about to let his daughter attend the same school as this dangerous individual. He had considered transferring Huai Shi as soon as he reviewed her profile.

"Kid, you better tell me the truth—" his hand rested on the grip of his handgun, his eyes fixed on Huai Shi: "What exactly is your relationship with my daughter?"

What else could it be?

A pure training relationship, of course!

Your daughter only knows how to top up in games; she only made it to Diamond because of me!

What more could Huai Shi say? She surely couldn't mention that they had always gotten along well, or that during the last school talent show, they had performed a duo, with one playing the cello and the other singing opera, right?

Not to mention, the performance was quite a success!

Asking this only proves that you, Uncle Fu, are not doing a great job as a parent, not even watching your daughter's performances! Besides, for rehearsal, they spent several study evenings alone in the music room... if Huai Shi had intended anything, something would have happened long ago!

But, if this daughter-obsessed man knew, he would surely shoot her in broad daylight, wouldn't he?

Thinking about this, Huai Shi couldn't help but want to compliment:

Uncle, your daughter is really beautiful!