223: Li He and Li Xingran
The Breeder Association building stood in the center of Binjiang City as always.
Its grey-white outer walls glinted coldly under the sunlight.
However, the entrance of the building was currently covered with flowers of various colors.
White, yellow, purple—they were layered one upon another, swaying gently in the breeze.
Su Ningyu's footsteps came to a halt.
He saw the rows of photographs in front of him.
Fresh flowers and candles were placed before every single photograph.
Some photos showed young faces, while others were group photos of entire families.
Su Ningyu had seen scenes like this too many times over the past month.
At street corners, in the center of plazas, on school playgrounds, and in front of hospital gates.
Such flowers and photos could be seen in almost every place where people gathered.
Those who lost their lives in the Empresss Calamity were being remembered in this way by their relatives, friends, colleagues, and neighbors.
Zhang Hengyu walked up to his side at some unknown point.
He looked at the flowers and photos, remaining silent for a long time.
"Let's go." He didn't say much, simply patting Su Ningyu's shoulder and changing the subject. "You want moonlight dew this time; which beast do you plan to use it on? Sunlight Flower? Have you developed a new evolution path for the Sunlight Flower again?"
Zhang Hengyu had originally just asked casually.
He hadn't expected Su Ningyu to actually respond.
"It's not for the Sunlight Flower, but for another one."
"However, I do have some ideas for the Sunlight Flower's next form."
Su Ningyu didn't elaborate, but Zhang Hengyu was still stunned for a moment before his eyes widened.
He was silent for three seconds and then let out a long sigh.
"You fellow... you shouldn't be attending high school at all." He shook his head, his tone filled with helplessness.
"You should have directly started Breeder research and applied for an independent laboratory. I feel it wouldn't take long for you to create many new sequences of novel beasts that would directly shock the entire Beast Tamer Federation."
Hearing Senior Zhang's joke.
Su Ningyu followed up smoothly, "Then I'll take your word for it, Senior. I'll open a Breeder research lab later and breed plenty of new beast sequences then. You'll have to come and be my technical consultant, Senior."
Zhang Hengyu knew Su Ningyu was joking—at least mostly.
He understood this junior; he wasn't the arrogant type.
He was just responding to the teasing in a lighthearted way.
Zhang Hengyu was about to respond, his mouth just opening, before he could make a sound—
"Pfft—"
A sneer came from the other end of the corridor.
The laughter wasn't loud, but it carried a condescending, undisguised mockery.
"My god, 'breed plenty of new beast sequences'? Who do you think you are? Even the President of the Breeder Association wouldn't dare talk so big.
You're just a kid who's still wet behind the ears, yet you certainly have a big mouth."
Su Ningyu looked back.
He saw a young man standing at the corner of the corridor.
With his hands in his pockets and his chin slightly raised, his entire being screamed that he was the best.
He wore a well-tailored dark coat.
His hair was combed meticulously.
The expression on his face spelled out one thing: arrogance.
That arrogance wasn't put on; it was bred in his bones.
But the haughtiness in those eyes made one feel very uncomfortable.
Li He.
A contemporary of Zhang Hengyu and Song Xinyu.
A young talent from the Xiling Breeder Association.
He had obtained his official Breeder certification at a young age.
He was somewhat famous in the Breeder circles of Yunmeng Star.
Of course, half of his fame came from his talent and ability, while the other half came from his personality.
The kind of personality that made people want to give him a punch.
Seeing this person, the smile on Zhang Hengyu's face instantly vanished.
"Junior Su, you don't need to pay him any mind."
He whispered to Su Ningyu, "Let's go."
The two turned to leave.
Seeing that both Zhang Hengyu and that "big-talking kid" were ignoring him, Li He's expression darkened immediately.
He had been around this area for so many years; when had he ever been ignored like this?
"Zhang Hengyu."
"Aren't you going to introduce him? Who is this whimsical, arrogant youth? A newcomer from your East County?
What, has the threshold for East County dropped so low now that any random person can join the association?"
Zhang Hengyu paused.
He turned around and looked at Li He. His face was expressionless, but his tone carried a casual sharp edge.
"Li He, as a Breeder, even if you don't know Junior Su, you should at least know about the Sunlight Flower, right?
If you don't even know that, I'd have to wonder if your Breeder qualification certificate has been padded with some fluff."
Li He's face instantly flushed red.
"You—!"
He naturally knew what Zhang Hengyu was talking about.
Zhang Hengyu's words were openly questioning the value of his certificate and secretly calling him ignorant and unlearned.
He suddenly turned his head and glared fiercely at Su Ningyu.
That gaze was vicious and inexplicable, as if saying: This is all because of you.
Su Ningyu: "..."
He felt he was quite innocent.
From beginning to end, he had only said two sentences: one was a response to Zhang Hengyu's joke, and the other followed up on Zhang Hengyu's words.
In the end, this Mr. Li appeared out of nowhere, mocked him inexplicably, got angry inexplicably, and was now glaring at him inexplicably.
He didn't know Li He, but Li He clearly knew Su Ningyu.
"Isn't he just that Su Ningyu who bred the new Bell Flower sequence?"
Li He snorted coldly, his chin tilting even higher. "It's not like I don't know who he is."
Zhang Hengyu raised an eyebrow. "Oh? 'Isn't he just'? Then you can also breed a new sequence for a beast, Li He. What, is it that you don't want to?"
With that jab.
Li He's breath hitched.
His face turned from red to white, then from white to green, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; his fur was all standing on end, yet he couldn't find a place to strike back.
"You—!"
He pointed at Zhang Hengyu, his finger trembling.
"Just you wait!"
His voice was sharp and angry, echoing in the corridor.
"In this National Breeder Competition, I will definitely crush you into the dust!"
After saying that, he turned abruptly and strode toward the other end of the corridor, his leather shoes clicking loudly against the floor, his back radiating a sense of exasperated rage.
But just as Li He had walked a few steps.
A girl wearing glasses came running after him from behind.
Her hair was tied in a low ponytail, and she wore a simple light blue jacket. With an apologetic blush on her face, she ran up to Zhang Hengyu and Su Ningyu and bowed slightly.
"Um... I'm sorry. My brother just has that kind of temper; his words aren't very pleasant. Please don't take it to heart."
Seeing this girl, the coldness on Zhang Hengyu's face softened significantly.
"Xingran, your brother is your brother, and you are you. You don't need to apologize for him."
His tone was much calmer, even carrying a hint of gentleness.
"Xinyu is inside. Go in and find her."