Chapter 2588: Chapter 809: Intersecting Parallel Lines

Old Yao said there would be spring rain.

And so, the spring rain started to fall.

Not long after the morning classes ended, the drizzling rain soaked the blue stone path in front of the teaching building. On his way back to the dormitory after finishing his Ancient Magic Arts Study class, Zheng Qing couldn’t help but reflect that, in a certain sense, this could be considered a power of "speaking things into existence."

After two classes—especially one being Time Conversion—the aftermath of meeting Su Shijun in the morning had mostly faded, at least he wouldn’t suddenly space out or start having nosebleeds.

But there are two kinds of aftermath.

One is the direct aftermath on the person involved, like spacing out or nosebleeds; the other is the aftermath for observers, mainly presented as third-party gossip.

After lunch, as soon as Zheng Qing returned to his dormitory, the door slammed loudly shut behind him.

Xin Fat Man, like a sumo wrestler in the ring, planted his feet firmly, bent his waist, raised his head, placed his elbows on his knees, and stared with shining eyes at the prey that had fallen into the trap, with an expression that said "you’re doomed."

"Don’t even think about escaping!"

He clapped his hands with vigor, then stomped his feet, instantly swelling a few sizes larger, nearly filling the dormitory door behind him: "Honestly answer the questions, and perhaps I’ll spare your life!"

"What questions?"

Zheng Qing retreated two steps slowly, knowingly asking back, while glancing at the balcony from the corner of his eye, considering whether to turn into a cat to escape.

Xiao Xiao appeared at the far end of his vision, holding Tuan Tuan and smiling brightly.

Zheng Qing let out a few dry laughs and raised his hand, playing it cool.

"What questions?"

The Fat Wizard sneered: "You’ve got big questions! I won’t ask about Shanglin Garden, nor where you slept last night... Don’t try to fool me, Doctor figured out last night you returned to Buji Island, but you didn’t come back to the dormitory! First, tell us, why did Councillor Su look for you this morning?"

Zheng Qing felt a jolt inside, coughed unauthentically to steady himself, and answered slowly: "What? What could it be... just the graduation thesis, she asked if I’ve prepared the topic proposal well."

Upon hearing this, the Fat Wizard was greatly disappointed.

His size shrank considerably as well.

Of course, such deceitful words might fool Xin Fat Man, but they wouldn’t work for the other wizard in the room, who excelled in divination.

"Researching a topic proposal leads to nosebleeds?" Xiao Xiao smiled and adjusted his glasses. The Fat Cat in his arms also tugged at its ears, snickering.

"That’s because of the dry weather... didn’t you hear what Old Yao said?" Zheng Qing laughed it off, skillfully diverting the topic before the Fat Wizard regained his senses: "Why are your eyes like that? Stayed up late waiting for me? Haha."

He had noticed Xin’s two large black circles under his eyes as soon as he’d entered the room.

"Up late? What night could make these dark circles?" Upon mentioning this, Xin’s expression became peculiar, seemingly both indignant and a bit proud: "... You really don’t know what’s with my eyes?"

Zheng Qing truly didn’t know.

Confused, he turned his head toward Xiao Xiao.

The Doctor didn’t hide anything, helpfully explaining: "The morning you went to Shanglin Garden, he went out to buy breakfast, and came back with two black eyes. He thinks it’s Councillor Su who hit him, reasoning that because of Friday afternoon’s duel, when he sent you to the campus infirmary, Councillor Su would avenge for you... But I’m more inclined to believe it’s misplaced anger."

"So, you’re saying you also think it’s... Councillor Su who hit him?" Zheng Qing suddenly felt a bit of a toothache and rubbed his cheek: "... Why use ’think’? Didn’t you see who did it?"

He turned to look at the Fat Wizard.

"It would be nice if I could see it."

Xin grumbled, and from somewhere produced a small mirror, carefully examining the black circles under his eyes with an oddly pleased expression: "I just blinked once, and then ’wham’ ’wham,’ two punches landed on my eyes, neither too weak nor too strong, yet perfectly leaving two black circles. Besides the Big Wizard, who else would have the ability to do that? Which Big Wizard in school would be so idle to give me two punches? I’m always kind to others, never making enemies... The Doctor even did divinations for me; within the past month, the only ’cause’ to bring me such harm was that one on Friday when I hit you into ’serious injury’!"

"Originally, there were two suspicious targets," 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Xiao Xiao nodded and added: "But Jiang Yu went with you to Shanglin Garden... The remaining one has the capability, motive, and opportunity to commit the act. If not her, then who?"

"Of course, if you have undisclosed circumstances, like the Great Sage from the Northern District..." The Fat Wizard patted Zheng Qing’s shoulder and enthusiastically took out a notebook: "If there are any undefined relations with her, we can add another suspect to our list."

Zheng Qing pushed the Fat Man away with a face of indifference.

"If you don’t want to discuss the Northern District Wizard, talking about the Shanglin Garden Spring Hunt isn’t bad either." The Fat Man persistently moved closer, slightly emphasizing: "You promised to provide me with exclusive news from Shanglin Garden!"

"Did I? I don’t remember... Don’t make things up!"

Waving his hand, Zheng Qing denied it three times, suddenly feeling that changing the topic wasn’t necessarily a good thing, just stepping from one mire into another.

"I didn’t ask who you slept with on Saturday night!" The Fat Man appeared aggrieved: "Why don’t you just tell me who you saw at Shanglin Garden? How many hunts you participated in? What good prey did you catch? These should be ordinary questions without secrets!"

These questions weren’t ordinary at all.

Zheng Qing silently mocked in his mind, with his expression momentarily dazed.

In reflection, he suddenly realized that during this Shanglin Garden Spring Hunt, aside from nearly killing a Big Fox on the Magic Stage, he didn’t seem to have any other notable achievements—dancing for money didn’t count.

"Met Zhang Ji Xin’s brother and Deng Xiaojian from the judge’s panel... Many people you know." He spoke ambiguously, shaking his head: "As for hunting achievements, none, no good prey. The Shanglin Garden Spring Hunt is too dangerous, if you’re not careful, hunters become the hunted... gobbled up whole."

The Fat Wizard irritably scrunched the feathers of his Feather Pen.

"You don’t want to talk about this, don’t want to talk about that... Say something you can!" He pointed out the window, angrily: "We helped Absolution in private matches against the Starry Sky Hunting Team on Saturday and Sunday, and you repay me with ignorance? I didn’t even ask about your relationships with Jiang Da Headmaster or Councillor Su!"

Zheng Qing stood frozen, frowning, silent, like a stone.

After a while, when the Fat Man hesitated about whether to poke him, Zheng Qing finally came to his senses and lightly sighed: "What do I think? About me and them, I guess we’re like a few intersecting parallel lines."