Chapter 17: The Maid Outfit’s Shadow and an Elemental Awakening

‘Catching that scent again, could it be that this fellow is truly angry? Why must I be so prone to mischief? Ah, well, such is life; it truly isn’t easy…’

“I summoned you to the student council for two reasons: firstly, your tardiness today, and secondly, the trouble you caused last time. As for the next match, you name the time.”

Ye Xuehui tapped the table lightly, her expression aloof, her words ringing with authority.

“My sincerest apologies! My tardiness this afternoon was due to an urgent matter. As for the match time, I am ready whenever you are. From now on, feel free to challenge me to anything you wish!”

Ouyang Xiyue’s fighting spirit soared, his eyes filled with an unyielding stubbornness.

“Oh? Is that so? Then take note for next time. I already have a plan for the matches. The second round will be a speed competition; I’ve heard your speed is commendable, but you still won’t outpace me. As for the third round, final exams are fast approaching. While your abilities are considerable, without a solid foundation of knowledge, you’re merely a reckless fool. Are you interested in a challenge?”

As she spoke, a hint of disdain curled at the corner of Ye Xuehui’s lips.

“You seem overly confident. Don’t underestimate me; we’ll see about that!”

Ouyang Xiyue scoffed, his gaze brimming with provocation.

“If there’s nothing else, you may leave. I won’t see you out.”

“Um, I have a question for you. You clearly didn’t attend classes all morning today, so how are you completely unscathed?”

Ouyang Xiyue finally voiced the question that had been swirling in his mind.

“The reason is simple: strength. As long as you’re powerful enough, you can do as you please. You should know that whether it’s combat or academics, I rank first at Sacred Ocean Academy. If your strength is sufficient, there’s no need to attend classes. Oh, right, I suggest you look into the Heaven and Earth Rankings. I won’t see you out.”

The moment her words fell, Ouyang Xiyue vanished from the student council room like a gust of wind.

Having returned to his dorm from the student council, Ouyang Xiyue stared blankly out the window, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts.

‘Alas, tomorrow is the weekend… Am I truly going to be that scoundrel’s maid? But I don’t even have a maid outfit…’

‘What am I to do? Perhaps I could ask Shangguan Yun; she might have one. No, no, that won’t do. For a boy like me to ask Shangguan Yun for a maid outfit, she’d surely think I was a pervert. Ugh, what a headache!’

Just as Ouyang Xiyue was fretting over the maid outfit, his phone suddenly rang.

Glancing at the screen, he saw Ling’er’s name displayed as the caller.

He took a deep breath and answered the call…

Silence hung heavy on the other end of the line, and Ouyang Xiyue remained equally quiet.

Realizing this stalemate was unproductive, Ouyang Xiyue, suppressing his awkwardness, spoke first.

–Ling’er… have you gone back?

–Yes… yes, Xiyue, I’m back. I called because I wanted to hear your answer. There’s no need to rush; if you haven’t decided, I won’t force you.

–Ling’er, I… I don’t know how to respond. In my heart, you’ve always been like a younger sister to me, and I truly don’t know how to answer… Ling’er, please give me a little more time to think, okay?

Ouyang Xiyue’s voice was soft and faint.

Silence fell once more on the other end of the line.

After a moment, Ling’er spoke softly, “Okay… It’s alright, Xiyue… I’ll wait for your reply… I’ll hang up now.”

Listening to the dial tone emanating from his phone and recalling Ling’er’s crestfallen voice, Ouyang Xiyue’s heart was a tangled mess.

‘What am I supposed to do? Why is everything going wrong today? Heavens, just strike me down with lightning already!’

Just as he was absorbed in his worries, his phone rang again.

Seeing an unknown number displayed, he made an effort to compose himself before answering the call.

–Hello, who’s calling?

–It’s me, Ye Xuehui. Tomorrow is the weekend. You don’t need to prepare the maid outfit yourself; I’ve already arranged it for you.

The same cold, indifferent tone as always.

–What? You’ve prepared it? How is that possible? How do you know my measurements? You didn’t… do anything strange while I was asleep last time, did you?

Ouyang Xiyue instantly grew tense, a blush creeping onto his cheeks, as measurements were, after all, extremely private information.

–Hmph, with your flat figure, do you really think measurements are necessary? Perhaps you’re suffering from paranoid delusions. Goodbye.

Listening to the dial tone, Ye Xuehui’s sarcastic words echoed persistently in Ouyang Xiyue’s ears.

‘So what if I have a flat figure! I am a dignified man! That scoundrel, if I ever get the chance, I’ll never let her off easy!’

****

“Young Master Ye, with which beauty were you just speaking?”

A golden-haired youth teased.

“No one in particular, just a friend. Speaking of which, it’s been a long time; how did the matter I entrusted you with turn out?”

Ye Xuehui gently stroked her chin, her gaze profound.

“The mere thought of it makes my blood boil! Those scoundrels from the Yin family dared to contend with us. In that public secret realm, both families suffered heavy casualties. The Yin family, allied with the Ye family, and some unidentified force stood against us, but they gained no advantage either.”

The golden-haired youth was furious, crushing the cup in his hand.

“Did you retrieve the item?”

Ye Xuehui’s expression was grim, her eyes sharp as a torch.

“Rest assured, Young Master Ye. Do you doubt your brother’s capabilities? Although our losses were heavy, we still managed to seize the item. However, there’s a thorny issue now: that fellow has awakened.”

“Awakened? Isn’t that perfect? It saves us the trouble of trying to hatch it. Fire elemental beings are exceedingly rare across the entire continent.”

Ye Xuehui’s previously grim countenance softened slightly upon hearing this news, yet her expression remained stern.

“Not quite. Its awakening is good, but it’s proving difficult to control. Knowing it’s fire-attributed, we summoned powerful water mages, yet it showed no fear of water whatsoever. After consulting ancient records, I learned it fears absolute zero ice. Such ‘ice souls’ are incredibly rare, and those who possess them are few and far between.”

The golden-haired youth’s brows furrowed deeply as he raised his wine glass and drained it in one gulp.

Upon hearing this, Ye Xuehui’s lips curved upward in a subtle smile, a silent joy blossoming in her heart.

‘Could this be heaven’s aid? With absolute zero ice, this matter might just take a turn for the better.’

“Rest assured, I’ll handle this matter. Tomorrow, being the weekend, I’ll bring people to rendezvous with you. You simply need to complete the preliminary preparations.”

Ye Xuehui swirled the red wine in her glass, brimming with confidence.

“Understood, Young Master Ye. Oh, by the way, I’ve recently heard that the Yin family might be secretly plotting against you. You should be extra careful.”

The golden-haired youth scratched his head, his face etched with worry.

“Oh? Have they finally lost their patience? Then let them come; they’re nothing but a rabble.”

Ye Xuehui’s face was filled with disdain, her eyes gleaming with contempt.

“My apologies for the slip of the tongue; I’ll punish myself with a drink.”

With that, the golden-haired youth tilted his head back and emptied the red wine in his glass.

At that moment, a sudden thunderous crash echoed from outside, followed immediately by a commotion.

“What’s happening?”

The golden-haired youth sprang to his feet, his expression tense.

“It’s nothing more than a few pesky gnats. Let’s continue our conversation; someone will handle it.”

Ye Xuehui took a delicate sip of red wine, her demeanor composed, utterly unfazed by the disturbance.