Chapter 83: Ling Luochen Following Behind
Noticing Yan Shaozhe's surprised expression, Ma Xiaotao rolled her eyes. She wasn't a fool of course she knew what her teacher was thinking.
She waved her hand casually, looking nonchalant.
"I knew long ago, Teacher."
"You really think I never paid attention to Xiao Shuang's junior brother while I was in the inner courtyard?"
Yan Shaozhe fell silent.
He had thought that. In his impression, Ma Xiaotao had always been a fiery, carefree type interested in little other than cultivation and fighting.
"Teacher!" Ma Xiaotao snapped, hands on her hips, glaring. "Do I really look that heartless to you?"
Yan Shaozhe gave a dry cough and tactfully shifted the topic. "So… what about you? Now that Xiao Shuang has a girlfriend what do you think?"
What did she think?
Faced with that question, Ma Xiaotao's face didn't change. Her tone was calm and firm: "I won't admit defeat."
When she first heard that Xiao Shuang and Jiang Nannan from the outer courtyard had confirmed their relationship, she had been shaken.
It felt like something had been scooped out of her chest, leaving her hollow and aching.
That was the first time in her life Ma Xiaotao had experienced such a feeling.
She'd even considered giving up.
After all, she and Xiao Shuang had only known each other for a short time. Their connection had begun with the matter of the evil fire—it had all seemed like coincidence.
By the time she learned of it, Xiao Shuang had already taken leave and returned to the Far North.
The timing gave her room to think.
That night, with sparse stars and a full moon bathing the courtyard in silver, Ma Xiaotao sat by her window and made her decision.
She wasn't going to give up.
She didn't know how deep her feelings for Xiao Shuang ran yet.
Maybe more than liking, not yet love.
But she was sure of one thing:
Besides Xiao Shuang, she couldn't care less about any other boy.
Xiao Shuang was the most amazing person she had ever met his looks, his talent, his temperament. Everything about him dazzled her.
And Ma Xiaotao's nature wasn't one to settle for less.
After meeting a boy like Xiao Shuang, how could she ever look at anyone else?
As for whether there might be someone even more stunning than Xiao Shuang—she'd never even considered it.
How could there possibly be a boy more stunning than Xue Di?
She wasn't going to let go.
She didn't think she was any worse than Jiang Nannan.
She had just entered the game later. That didn't make her a loser.
Hadn't her own teacher, Yan Shaozhe, once confirmed a relationship with Dean Xian Lin'er—yet ended up with Master Cai Mei'er?
She, Ma Xiaotao, absolutely refused to lose!
Seeing Ma Xiaotao's conviction, Yan Shaozhe was at a bit of a loss.
It seemed she didn't need his guidance after all.
Maybe he was getting old and couldn't keep up with how young people thought these days.
Very well let them handle their own mess.
He no longer intended to interfere.
But—
Just as he was about to leave, something struck him. He stopped and turned back, his expression serious.
"Xiaotao, you mustn't do anything to that student named Jiang Nannan. That would only make things worse."
Given his student's explosive temper, he felt it was necessary to spell that out clearly.
Ma Xiaotao's brow twitched.
Who does he think I am?!
Her white fists clenched, and her voice turned dangerous, grinding out each word:
"I know, Master."
Sensing the murderous aura she was holding back, Yan Shaozhe laughed awkwardly.
"Alright, your Master's wife still needs me for something, so I'll be going now."
And just like that, title Douluo vanished at Super Douluo speed.
Ma Xiaotao took a deep breath, suppressed her frustration, and headed toward the outer courtyard.
On the way, a white figure spotted the fierce-looking Ma Xiaotao and the makeup on her face and was stunned.
"Ma Xiaotao… wearing makeup?"
It was Ling Luochen.
She wasn't exaggerating. In all her memories, Ma Xiaotao had never been one to dress up.
Could it be…
Ling Luochen's eyes brightened.
Did Ma Xiaotao have someone she liked?
That had to be it. What other reason could explain her behavior?
Intrigued, Ling Luochen quietly followed.
She wanted to see just who had caught this woman's eye.
But the farther she followed, the more suspicious she became.
Wasn't this the direction of the outer courtyard?
Did Ma Xiaotao fall for a junior?
That thought excited her.
That arrogant woman liking someone younger oh oh, that would be so useful next time they argued.
So she looked down on the inner courtyard boys because she was obsessed with younger guys?
Perfect.
Since she kept her distance and their strength gap wasn't enormous, Ma Xiaotao never noticed she was being tailed.
She reached the outer courtyard, learned the second-year promotion exam was over, and made her way straight to the second-year dormitory.
She stopped a passing boy and asked him to go upstairs and call Xiao Shuang.
Ling Luochen watched all this from behind a leafy tree, eyes wide.
Second-year dormitory?
Wasn't that boy only twelve or thirteen?!
Was Ma Xiaotao that insane?
She suddenly felt like she didn't know her at all. This… this was outrageous!
She had to see what kind of "junior" Ma Xiaotao was chasing.
Then, the dormitory door opened.
A boy walked out.
And Ling Luochen froze.
Short, snowy hair. Dazzling heterochromatic eyes. Perfect features. A clean, aloof temperament.
Everything about him stabbed straight into Ling Luochen's personal weakness.
If she had been judging Ma Xiaotao just moments ago she understood her completely now.
In fact, she'd gone from disgust to empathy to… full-blown competition in one glance.
That boy had to be saved.
Clearly, he was being harassed by that devil woman Ma Xiaotao!
Ling Luochen clenched her little pink fist behind the tree.
She had to save this junior from the claws of the beast!
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[ end of the chapter ]