Chapter 14: Fun

Three months had passed since Shun Lee's fight, and life had settled into a quiet routine. Ye Yinglou no longer gave him a hard time, acting as though he didn't even exist. This indifference confused him at first, but he quickly shrugged it off, grateful for the peace.

Each morning, Shun Lee would head to his classes, falling into a rhythm that brought him a sense of normalcy. During lunch, he found himself joining Gu Yue, Tang Wulin, and the others, chatting and laughing together as they recounted the morning's lessons and little classroom incidents. The camaraderie felt natural, though Shun Lee hadn't realized how closely he had become integrated into their group. He had become part of their circle, spending lunches by their side without question. The only mystery was why Zhang Yanxi and Wang Jinxi always seemed to disappear during lunchtime.

Although at night, Zhang Yanxi and Wang Jinxi accompanied him at the training ground. At first, his roommates had been unwilling, concerned about his injuries. But after days of Shun Lee pestering and pleading, they had finally agreed to help him train, albeit with some reluctance.

Shun Lee could still remember the first night they had agreed. Zhang Yanxi had crossed his arms, giving Shun Lee a stern look. "Are you sure you're ready for this? You just recovered," he'd said, voice full of concern.

Wang Jinxi had chimed in, hands on his hips. "If you collapse on us, don't say we didn't warn you."

Shun Lee had only grinned, brushing off their worries with a confidence he didn't entirely feel. "Trust me," he had insisted, "I'm ready."

Now, each night, they'd slip into the quiet training grounds when most of the academy had retired to their dorms, working on refining Shun Lee's movements, building his strength, and sharpening his instincts. It was grueling, and some nights he felt as though his body would give out, but he pushed on, fueled by the desire to protect himself and his friends.

One afternoon, as Shun Lee stood in the academy's competition arena lost in thought, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Xie Xie grinning at him.

"Hey, what are you doing here, staring off into space?" Xie Xie asked, crossing his arms with a teasing smirk.

Shun Lee rubbed the back of his head, grinning cheekily. "I'm here to watch you all lose, of course," he replied with a wink.

Xie Xie's face twisted in mock annoyance, and he playfully pulled at Shun Lee's cheeks. "And here I thought you'd come to support us!" he said, feigning disappointment.

Shun Lee chuckled, shrugging lightly. "With your strength, do you really need my support?" he teased. "Anyway, where are the others?"

Xie Xie jerked his thumb over his shoulder, and Shun Lee looked up to see Gu Yue and Tang Wulin approaching from across the arena. They waved back, and Shun Lee felt a warm surge of gratitude for the friendships he had found in them.

As they gathered around, Gu Yue raised an eyebrow at Shun Lee. "Didn't think we'd see you at the arena," she said, a hint of a smile playing at her lips.

Shun Lee shrugged, his eyes bright with playful mischief. "Just wanted to see if you all live up to the hype."

Tang Wulin grinned. "Stick around, and we'll show you how it's done."

The easy banter made Shun Lee feels at peace more often during around them and as he watched the arena as Gu Yue, Tang Wulin, and Xie Xie climb up, he felt a strange mix of emotions as he is knew that he was witnessing a scene that was only meant to be read in his past life.

The match ended in less than 10 seconds with Tang Wulin taking the lead in single punch to take out his enemy while Xie Xie rounded his enemy with his lightning speed to the point that Shun Lee couldn't react at all while Gu Yue only needed to pit her enemy to the ground in an instant.

As the match ended and Wu Zhangkong dismissed them with a simple "Class dismissed," the trio walked off the stage. Shun Lee, having watched the whole scene with an amused smirk, waved at them as they approached. Tang Wulin and Xie Xie made their way over, their shoulders nearly touching as they walked side by side. Gu Yue followed close behind, her gaze was cool and indifferent as though it wasn't worth much attention.

Shun Lee grinned and crossed his arms as they approached. "Well, that was… dramatic," he said with mock seriousness. "Ten seconds? You know, there were people betting on this. I hope you didn't just ruin someone's day."

Xie Xie chuckled, glancing around at the thinning crowd. "Honestly, if you weren't here to support us, you missed a show, my friend," he teased, tugging on Shun's arm playfully. "So, how does it feel to watch the number one team in action?"

"Oh, please," Shun Lee rolled his eyes. "If I wanted a show, I would've watched a fireworks display. But hey, at least you gave everyone something to talk about for the next week."

Tang Wulin laughed softly, though a slight glimmer of exhaustion crossed his face. He looked to Gu Yue, who was still hovering close, her expression unchanging but observant. Shun Lee picked up on it immediately and leaned in. "So, what's next for the unbeatable trio? Or are you three finally going to admit that maybe, just maybe, I was the good luck charm here?"

Gu Yue raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "You? Our good luck charm? I think that's a bit of a stretch," she said, voice tinged with sarcasm. "But thanks for the offer."

The group laughed, lingering a little longer as they talked over the match. Eventually, they bid Shun Lee goodbye as they left the arena, heading back toward the academy building. There was a sense of camaraderie in the air, an unspoken bond that had formed through their shared experiences and training.

On the way back, Xie Xie let out a long sigh, glancing over at Tang Wulin. "You know," he began, "I'm actually really glad this tournament is going on. We finally get a break from the special training classes. I feel like I've been cooped up forever."

Tang Wulin chuckled, nodding. "Don't get too comfortable. You know how Teacher Wu is—he'll probably have us back to training twice as hard if we ever lose."

"True," Xie Xie sighed, looking mildly crestfallen. "But hey, it's not like he's watching us now, right?"

Later, back in their dorms, the trio quickly changed out of their uniforms. Xie Xie hummed, clearly in high spirits from the victory, while Tang Wulin pulled on his everyday clothes. They gathered at the entrance gate of the academy, where Xie Xie turned to Tang Wulin with a mischievous grin.

Tang Wulin leaned in to Xie Xie, breaking his reverie. "So, what's next?"

Xie Xie grinned mischievously. "Let's go out and celebrate. How about that?"

Tang Wulin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I don't know. Meal time at the dining hall is about to start, and I am pretty hungry."

Xie Xie gave him a blank look and sighed dramatically. "Food is all you ever think about." He leaned in conspiratorially. "Come on, I'll treat you if you join me. We've been cooped up in the academy for way too long."

Tang Wulin brightened at the mention of food. "Fine, but remember you're treating. Deal?"

Xie Xie chuckled, clapping him on the back. "Done."

As they made their way to the gate, Gu Yue appeared beside them. "Where are you two sneaking off to?" She arched an eyebrow at Xie Xie, already suspicious.

Xie Xie folded his arms, giving her a dismissive look. "None of your business."

Tang Wulin, ever the peacemaker, tried to diffuse the tension. "We're just thinking of grabbing some food, that's all."

They turned to see Gu Yue standing nearby, hands on her hips and an amused, challenging look in her eyes.

Xie Xie crossed his arms, a playful smirk on his face. "I don't recall inviting you, Gu Yue. Besides, I don't usually treat girls."

Gu Yue raised an eyebrow while disdaining his taunt. She turned to Tang Wulin and gave him a sweet smile. "Tang Wulin, can I come with you?"

Xie Xie rolled his eyes. "Of course he's going with me. We're roommates and buddies—what about you?"

Gu Yue just chuckled and then, without warning, looked over to where Wu Zhangkong was walking away. Raising her voice, she called out, "Teacher Wu, I think we need to work on our teamwork. Maybe some extra training sessions?"

Xie Xie's face turned pale as he quickly appeared in front of her, waving his hands frantically. "No, no! Don't drag Teacher Wu into this. Fine, come with us. I surrender."

"Anyway, Where should we go?" Tang Wuling asked Xie Xie, who was the one who purposed this outing.

Xie Xie answered, "Let's eat first. Isn't that what you were looking forward to? I know of a food street so let's head there for some nice food."

Tang Wulin affirmed, "You'll be treating, right?"

Xie Xie replied sarcastically, "They're merely street snacks, can they be something this young master can't manage?"

Gu Yue said, "A body exuding the stench of coins." As she spoke, she moved towards Tang Wulin's other side on purpose.

Xie Xie was furious. "If you have a problem with that then you don't have to eat."

Gu Yue answered back arrogantly, "I hadn't thought of accepting your treat at all. Tang Wulin, a man should act gentlemanly. You shall treat me then."

Tang Wulin tapped his forehead. "The both of you, can't you stop arguing? We're here to relax, are we not?"

Gu Yue lifted up her head and looked seriously at Tang Wulin. "Are you not treating me then?"

"I am." Tang Wulin could only reply with that.

Gu Yue, after getting an affirmation from Tang Wulin, looked proudly towards Xie Xie. "Rest assured, miser! I would never take you up on your offer. Your treats reek like…" As she spoke, she did a waving motion before her nose with a contemptuous gesture.

Xie Xie sucked in a deep breath. He wasn't her match in an argument or in a fight. That was the reason why he wasn't keen on bringing Gu Yue out with them.