Tang Yin turned his back to Dugu Yan, waving lazily over his shoulder as he walked away.
He had already said his goodbye.
And just like that, he was gone, leaving Dugu Yan staring after him with unreadable eyes.
Tang Yin was already brewing a plan—one carefully crafted to drive a permanent wedge between Liu Erlong and Yu Xiaogang. A play so dramatic, so emotionally charged, that no amount of nostalgic affection could survive it.
'Hmm… Wait,' Tang Yin paused mid-thought, 'girls tend to have pity-love when their hearts get shaken. That won't do.'
He tapped his chin thoughtfully.
'In that case, sorry Flender—you'll have a role in this too. You'll be the tragic elder who suffered in silence. As for the second male lead… Yu Tianheng, where are you? Come out wherever you are!'
Closing his eyes, Tang Yin slowly spread out his telepathy like a net. It didn't take long to find him—Yu Tianheng, curled up alone in his dorm, shoulders trembling quietly as grief swallowed him.
'Ah… this feels villainous. Manipulating a heartbroken guy just to set the stage. I'm really starting to sound like a scheming villain.'
He exhaled.
'But cold feet won't win you anything. If you want to achieve something, you need ambition. So… sorry, Tianheng. Please suffer for my success.'
With a casual stretch, Tang Yin casually implanted the suggestion into Yu Tianheng's distracted thoughts.
"Why don't you visit your aunt? A little family warmth might help with the heartache…"
He planted it gently—like a whisper in the wind.
Yu Tianheng blinked, stood up slowly, and left the dorm, walking aimlessly toward Blue Tyrant Academy.
And just like that, the first domino had fallen.
As Tang Yin returned to the group of Shrek teachers and students, he immediately noticed the curious expressions & mild alarm on Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Yi Ran's faces. But strangely enough, their gazes weren't on him—they were fixed on something behind him.
Tang Yin blinked and turned around, only to find Dugu Yan's face mere inches from his own. Her nose was practically touching his.
He flinched in surprise. "Whoa!"
Dugu Yan burst into laughter, clearly fascinated by his reaction. "Hahaha! Oh, you should've seen your face!"
Tang Yin coughed awkwardly, trying to mask his embarrassment. "Why are you following me so closely?! Where were you going?"
Ning Rongrong, Yi Ran, and Zhu Zhuqing all perked up like a pack of gossip-hungry squirrels, clearly not wanting to miss a single word.
Dugu Yan, utterly shameless, announced with a proud smile, "I'm going wherever you're going, of course! Why would I stay in a place that insulted you? What, are you so moved by my selfless sacrifice for the sake of our precious friendship? Are you speechless?"
She looked at him expectantly, eyes sparkling.
The trio of girls exchanged incredulous glances—and mildly threatened—than ever. Just when had these two become friends? Last they checked, Dugu Yan was threatening Tang yin to peel his secrets out of him.
'Moved?' Tang Yin deadpanned in his mind. 'Why does it feel like I'm being dragged into something suspiciously dangerous instead? She's definitely scheming something. I can feel it. My instincts have never been wrong—especially when danger wears perfume.'
Still slightly dazed by her sudden enthusiasm, Tang Yin hesitated, scratching the back of his head nervously. "Uh… won't your grandpa kill me if I take his cabbage? I mean—his most beloved granddaughter—with me? Uh… I'd rather live, thanks."
The trio of girls visibly relaxed and let out a synchronized sigh of relief.
But Dugu Yan just scoffed, flipping her hair with a playful smirk. "Please. You're my... friend, right? Grandpa won't lay a finger on you. I promise."
"No! No! No, I don't dare! If your grandpa finds out, he'll poison me right to my deathbed!" Tang Yin backed away hastily, waving his hands as if fending off a ghost.
But Dugu Yan kept closing the distance, pestering him. She grinned and took a step closer, clearly not taking no for an answer.
That's when Tang Yin suddenly froze.
'Hmm?!' His senses sharpened. He felt it—a hostile gaze locked onto him. Without hesitation, he released his telepathy, scanning the area.
Sure enough, standing off in the distance, eyes glowing with menace—
Was Dugu Bo.
Glaring daggers at him.
Dugu Yan followed Tang yin's gaze & spotted her grandfather and instantly lit up, waving cheerfully. She clearly hadn't noticed the way he was silently threatening Tang Yin with his piercing glare.
Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong stepped forward without hesitation, slipping her hand into Tang Yin's and pulling him beside her. Rongrong's gaze locked onto Dugu Bo's with a bold, provocative glint—wordlessly warning him not to stir up trouble.
Her meaning was subtle, but unmistakable: This one's under my protection.
A silent message passed between them. Dugu Bo may have been dangerous, but even he wouldn't dare raise a finger against the potential future son-in-law of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
After all, who'd risk offending one of the most powerful clans in the continent?
Dugu Yan ran up to her grandfather with excitement practically bouncing in her steps. She hugged his arm and cheerfully bid him farewell, then added coquettishly, "Grandpa~ don't bully my friend Tang Yin, okay?"
Dugu Bo's icy expression faltered. Right in front of everyone, the cold-hearted Poison Douluo's stern façade visibly cracked.
Her playful request hit him straight in the heart.
But even as his expression softened, his jaw clenched the moment he glanced at Tang Yin—that boy, the one suspiciously close to his precious granddaughter. Just thinking about it made his teeth ache.
Still, he gave a stiff, reluctant nod.
What else could he do?
He was utterly helpless—after all, he was a self-admitted granddaughter-con.
Dugu Yan skipped lightly beside a visibly dejected Tang Yin as they exited Tian Dou Imperial Academy, her steps carefree.
Back on the Academy steps, Flender let out a long, weary sigh, running a hand through his hair as he processed everything that had happened. He sat down heavily on the stone stairs, the weight of humiliation pressing on his shoulders.
Zhao Wuji stepped up beside him and gave his shoulder a firm pat. "Don't get discouraged. We'll figure something out," he said with quiet confidence. "We always do."
Tang Yin stopped in his tracks, turned back, and declared with passion in his voice, "We—Shrek Academy—will win the Continental Elite Young Soul Master Tournament. And we'll slap that snotty prince & Tian Duo Academy right across the face in front of the entire continent. They'll regret ever looking down on us. That'll be our revenge."
The words struck like lightning.
Flender's eyes lit up, his blood surging with ambition. That was the kind of motivation he needed to hear. The humiliation, the sneers, the dismissal—they would all be repaid tenfold.
Right then and there, he made up his mind. No more backing down.
He would man up, take the lead, and restore Shrek's dignity with his own hands.
Flender led the group of Shrek teachers and students through the bustling streets of Heaven Dou City, occasionally stopping passersby to ask for directions. His destination? Blue Tyrant Academy.
After a few wrong turns and some confused instructions, they finally arrived.
Nestled on the edge of a sprawling forest, the academy stood tall and proud—though smaller than the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, it still took up a respectable third of its size. Surrounded by trees, the place had an air of wilderness.
The girls exchanged puzzled glances, whispering among themselves.
"Where exactly is our stingy Dean dragging us this time?" Rongrong muttered.
Zhu Zhuqing raised a brow. "He won't even tell us the purpose."
Yi Ran folded her arms. "He's definitely up to something."
But Flender remained silent, determinedly leading the way while subtly glancing at Yu Xiaogang, who walked beside him with the calm expression of a man who definitely knew more than he let on.
Tang Yin, watching it all from the back, smirked to himself.
'Hmph… He's totally figured it out already—pretending not to know who's here. Acting all clueless like some saint. Ha! You hypocritical little fraud. Don't worry, "Grandmaster"—I've already prepared a lovely little drama for Liu Erlong. One that'll make her want to throw up the moment she lays eyes on you.'
His grin deepened.
The stage was set.
And the show was just about to begin.
Tang Yin's mind drifted away, captivated by the beauty of Liu Erlong—and the distant memory of her fragrant, big… big… heart.