X-Dragon Era

But doing so would surely make the dilapidated wooden hut in the back yard stand out too much. Following Mother Lan's consultation, the hut was to be demolished and rebuilt, using sandalwood to construct a unique, spacious, bright, and elegantly noble wooden villa. In this way, it would blend seamlessly into the surrounding environment.

As for the villa at the front, its antique exterior was difficult to change, and there was no desire to change it. However, this wasn't a problem for Mother Lan. Simply by planting some vine-like flowers around the villa, it could be easily camouflaged. As Mother Lan put it, these plants grew quickly.

Once they burgeoned, the entire villa would be cocooned in tendrils and green leaves, adorned with colorful blossoms.

Xin Yun had no particular opinions about the villa's decoration. After all, he usually lived at the academy and would only stay here for a couple of days during the holidays. So, he let Mother Lan take charge of the arrangements. Taking care of some flowers and plants didn't require much money at all; the total cost wouldn't even amount to a thousand gold.

Xin Yun cared even less about the interior decor of the villa. He was completely out of his depth in this matter, whereas Mother Lan was nothing short of a master. One only needed to look at the row of houses behind the store which, under Mother Lan's touch, became incredibly warm and homey.

That was precisely the kind of atmosphere Xin Yun liked best, and one that Yi Luo Xiang and Yan Qingying longed for the most, an irreplaceable feeling.

After everything was arranged, dusk had already fallen. Xin Yun had not asked for a long leave, so as soon as he had finished arranging everything, he immediately hurried back to the academy. The rest of the matters were left entirely in Mother Lan's hands.

As the moon slowly rose into the sky, Crescent Bend glimmered inside. By the edge of the emerald lake, young students were laughing and frolicking on the beach. Of course... this beach wasn't natural but was specially shipped in from distant shores, requiring hundreds of tons of sand to be added each year to maintain its existence.

Of course, bringing in this sand cost nothing. It was carried back by the students of the entire grade as part of their training. However... while ten classes of students transported it, only the students of Class A had the privilege to enjoy it.

The fine sandy beach, the emerald lake, the surrounding shade from trees, white round tables set upon the beach, comfortable lounge chairs arranged around them, and a variety of beverages on the tables—including juices and wine. Considering the age of the students, no spirits were provided here. Even the wine was only a very low-alcohol drink with just a touch of alcohol content.

Crescent Bend, shaped like the moon, was divided into two areas starting from the center of the crescent. The left half was where the boys stayed, while the right side was designated for the girls. No one was allowed to cross the boundary; violators not only faced expulsion but also the wrath of the girls' parents.

In reality, even if someone wanted to cross the boundary, it was nearly impossible. The center of Crescent Bend was where the water fountain burst forth, its current was too swift to approach. The water sprayed high into the air, creating a thick mist that made it impossible to see anything within ten meters.

The fountain sprayed water high into the air, it shot up from below the lake and soared over ten meters high before cascading down chaotically, stirring up large patches of mist. This area was very dangerous, and no one would approach. Moreover, even if someone did, the spray of mist concealed everything, rendering them unable to see anything.

At that moment... on the right side of Crescent Lake, surrounded by the shade of greenery on the sandy beach, dozens of girls were dressed in adorable; outfits, chasing each other joyfully, their youthful, blush-tinged cheeks flushed with excitement.

"Sigh..." Staring at the green waters before her, Yi Luo Xiang sat on a piece of jade by the lakeside, feeling utterly bored. Her delicate, jade-like feet, perfectly shaped and flawless, gently stirred the water's surface, her heart secretly yearning for Xin Yun. This bad boy said he would come to fetch her tonight, but it was already this late and not a sign of him. And besides...

this wasn't a place he could come to anyway!

Behind Yi Luo Xiang stood Yan Qingying, her face a picture of calm as she silently watched Yi Luo. The more she got to know Yi Luo, the more she liked the girl. Intelligence was not her most striking trait; to Yan Qingying, it was Yi Luo's pure, crystal-clear heart that was truly precious. In her presence, Qingying felt sullied.

Of course, this impurity was not of a physical kind. Yan Qingying was only a ten-year-old child, her body could not possibly be sullied. But her spirit had already become stagnant water.

Over the past ten years, she had seen too many things, experienced all facets of life, and witnessed human vile. Although she was young, her understanding of the world was far greater than that of most adults.

"Splash..." Amid a soft sound of water, both Yan Qingying and Yi Luo knitted their brows and looked towards the source of the noise. What caught their eyes was an invisible current sinuously making its way towards them.

Seeing this, Yi Luo hurriedly drew her feet out of the water, about to jump away when Qingying suddenly grabbed her arm, "Don't be afraid, it's him coming..."

"Him!" At Qingying's words, Yi Luo was first startled, then her eyes lit up. She cautiously glanced around, quickly grabbed Qingying, and ran towards a corner.