Chapter 28: The President

In response to Lu Xiao Na’s heartfelt declaration, Luo Yan gave her a knock on the head. “It’s a shame you’re not in theater.”

Lu Xiao Na rubbed her head, pouting. “Don’t hit people on the head! It makes them stupid.”

“Good. Maybe if you get a little dumber, you’ll stop acting like such a grown-up all the time.”

“I’m not little anymore…” Lu Xiao Na puffed out her chest, looking a bit aggrieved. But she shot a glance at Luo Yan and muttered under her breath, “Of course, I can’t compare to you.”

“Heh.” Luo Yan let out a half-smile.

Male friendships were simple. The so-called “Four Irons” summed it up: carried a gun together, shared a classroom together, split the spoils together, whored together.

No one had ever formally defined what constituted “best friends” among girls, but going shopping together would definitely be on the list.

After today’s outing, Luo Yan could clearly feel that the distance between her and Lu Xiao Na had closed a bit. At least the sense of unfamiliarity from when they first met was gone.

Counting the twenty-odd years of her previous life, this was the first time Luo Yan had gone shopping with a girl—and not just any girl, but a textbook white, rich, and beautiful one.

Her feelings were subtle. That little heartbeat, the emotional flutter born of perception, was still there. But perhaps because of her changed physiological condition, it didn’t reach the same intensity.

It was like the iced Coke she was drinking now. Still cold, still refreshing, but it no longer sent that thrilling chill through her whole body.

For dinner, the two of them shared a fried chicken combo. Maybe because she was used to eating lavish meals, Lu Xiao Na had a special fondness for junk food. And Luo Yan, who preferred simple pleasures, didn’t mind at all. A “happy meal for otaku” like this hit the spot.

So the two of them clicked effortlessly.

While indulging herself, Lu Xiao Na naturally didn’t hold back on praising Luo Yan.

“Oh, by the way, Big Sister Luo Yan, Uncle Chen said you’re really interested in Odegaard ore?”

She had just finished gnawing on a chicken wing and was savoring the taste, absentmindedly sucking on her fingertips.
The combination of her youthful face and a hint of noble grace gave the moment a unique kind of charm.

Luo Yan lightly bit her straw and replied, “To be honest, my hometown is pretty backward when it comes to Odegaard technology. So this is a weak spot for me. But Neo Aonan is at the forefront of the field, right? I figure this is a great opportunity to learn. You know what they say—practice is the best teacher. That’s why I’m hoping to find work in a related field.”

She had already prepared this line of reasoning in her mind.
Of course, she also anticipated that Lu Xiao Na might try to guess her true identity.
So when the question came, she answered smoothly and without hesitation.

Lu Xiao Na might act childish sometimes, but she was still the daughter of Neo Aonan’s Deputy Consul.
She wasn’t someone you could fool easily.

If she answered wrong here, Lu Xiao Na probably wouldn’t turn hostile, but this opportunity would slip away for sure.

Fortunately, Lu Xiao Na didn’t seem surprised.
What Luo Yan said almost perfectly matched what she and Atlanta had discussed before. Hearing Luo Yan confirm it herself gave her a sense of relief.

With a charming, slightly mischievous smile that didn’t quite match her age, she said,
“In that case, I might be able to help you, Big Sister Luo Yan. What kind of job are you thinking of?”

Luo Yan thought for a moment.
“It’d be best if I could handle the ore directly. As for the salary… I’m not picky. As long as it covers normal living expenses, I’ll be fine.”

Lu Xiao Na licked the crumbs from the corner of her lips and nodded.
“Got it. I’ll talk to my dad when I get home. Oh—and how about you come over to my place sometime soon? Hmm… pick a Tuesday, Thursday, or a weekend evening. My dad’s usually home then. You can meet him.”

“No problem. Just call me when it’s convenient.”

After these past few days of familiarizing herself with this world, Luo Yan understood well enough how important Odegaard ore and its related industries were.

To Neo Aonan, she was just an outsider of unknown origin. There was no way they’d casually hand her such a critical job.

Saving Lu Xiao Na’s life might’ve gotten her foot in the door, but whether she could actually walk through it was another story. The upcoming meeting with Lu Xiao Na’s father—the Deputy Consul of Neo Aonan—would undoubtedly serve as a preliminary interview.

After freeloading yet another meal off Miss Lu, they checked the time and decided it was about time to head back.

Lu Xiao Na was just about to contact Atlanta when they ran into an unexpected acquaintance at the mall.

“Lu Xiao Na? What a coincidence. Out shopping? Oh, you’ve brought a friend?”

A deep, magnetic male voice sounded from not far away.

Lu Xiao Na stiffened for a moment.

Looking over, she saw a group of young people approaching.

Three men, two women.
The guys were well-dressed and brimming with youthful energy. The girls were equally polished, their outfits exquisite and tasteful.

Most of them were strangers at first glance, but the boy who had just spoken was all too familiar.

He wasn’t just her classmate at the Ability School—his father was also the Deputy Minister of Defense, and he often had work dealings with her father.

They’d known each other since they were little, practically childhood friends.

When she first hit puberty, Lu Xiao Na had even harbored a vague crush on him.
But after entering the Ability School, his way of doing things rubbed her the wrong way, and whatever fondness she had gradually faded.

“That’s Chen Feng, my classmate,” Lu Xiao Na tiptoed slightly and whispered in Luo Yan’s ear, “Bit of a rogue. His skin’s thicker than the Isolation Wall.”

Then she straightened up and shot Chen Feng a cold smile.
“Unfortunately, we’re just about to leave.”

“So busy? Leaving without even chatting for a bit?”
Cheng Feng’s expression stiffened slightly.

His friends were standing right there, and Lu Xiao Na’s attitude made him feel like he was losing face.

But he quickly recovered, smiling as he introduced the young man beside him—a youth with an impressive, refined aura.

“Young Master Dong, this is the Lu Xiao Na I mentioned to you, Mr. Lu’s precious daughter.”

The young man called “Young Master Dong” smiled politely.
His gaze lingered on Luo Yan for a long moment before reluctantly shifting to Lu Xiao Na.

“My name is Dong Qingfeng. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lu.”

Lu Xiao Na blinked in surprise, then her eyes lit up with sudden recognition.
“No wonder you looked familiar. So you’re Dong Qingfeng.”

Dong Qingfeng smiled warmly.
“If there isn’t a second Dong Qingfeng at Neo Aonan First Ability School, then yes—that would be me.”

Lu Xiao Na returned a standard social smile. “I never thought I’d run into the president here.”

Indeed, this was Dong Qingfeng—the current Student Council President of Neo Aonan First Ability School. A formidable Awakening-level ability user.