"Bedding?"
Because of Chen Ming's interruption earlier, Tang San hadn't paid much attention to it. He only accepted the bundle in confusion. "Does this place not provide bedding?"
"Heh… hehe…" Teacher Mo Hen gave an awkward laugh, but didn't answer. Instead, he turned and left.
That evasive attitude made Tang San slightly frown. Although it wasn't outright hostility, it still left him somewhat displeased.
"We're work-study students here for free. Why would the school provide us with bedding?" Wang Sheng said, glancing at the new bedding in Tang San's arms with a hint of envy.
"Huh?" Xiao Wu tilted her head in disbelief. "Then… then what am I supposed to sleep on?"
"Boss Xiao Wu, you can use mine if you want," one of the work-study students quickly offered, pointing at his own bed.
"No way. That's too old," Xiao Wu rejected immediately after a glance, then turned her eyes toward the bedding in Tang San's arms. "Since I'm the boss here, I should have the right to use the new bedding, right?"
"But if you take it, what am I supposed to use?" Tang San instinctively retorted.
Before Xiao Wu could answer, Chen Ming walked up behind him and patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Xiao San. I already prepared bedding for you when I came. It's not brand new, but it's only been used a short time and has already been cleaned thoroughly. Since she wants it, just give it to her."
"This…" Tang San frowned, his emotions becoming strangely complicated.
Logically, he didn't want to give it away. But when he looked at Xiao Wu, he felt like he should. Yet at the same time, the thought of sleeping on used bedding made something inside him feel strangely uncomfortable.
It wasn't that he was picky—after all, in his past life as a Tang Sect assassin, and in this life under Tang Hao's harsh upbringing, he could sleep anywhere, even on bare ground without issue.
It was just… something felt off. As if making either choice would cause him to lose something important.
Both refusing and agreeing made logical sense, yet for some reason, neither felt right.
Seeing his hesitation, Xiao Wu grew irritated. She stomped her foot and said angrily, "Fine! Then you keep your new bedding, Xiao San. And you—you said you had a spare, right? I'll borrow yours for now. Sister Xiao Wu will return you a new set later!"
"Alright, alright." Chen Ming shrugged casually and handed her the bedding without a second thought.
Just as he had said, it wasn't new, but it was clean and neatly prepared. The material was sturdy, and although it couldn't compare to Tang San's brand-new set, it was still quite decent. Having been sun-dried earlier that day, it even carried a faint warm, comforting scent.
Xiao Wu took one look, chose an empty bed, and unceremoniously spread it out before flopping down onto it.
Seeing this, Tang San felt as if something in his chest had been suddenly hollowed out. He couldn't explain why, but it just hurt in a way he didn't understand.
In the end, he could only find a nearby bed, lay out his own bedding, and settle down.
But then Xiao Wu suddenly didn't like that arrangement either. She sat up at once, grabbed her bedding, and jumped down again.
Room Seven wasn't large, and the remaining beds were limited. The older students' beds were often cluttered with belongings, leaving little space. In the end, Xiao Wu simply walked over to Chen Ming's side and dropped her bedding onto the bed next to him.
Feeling Chen Ming's gaze, she lifted her chin and bared her teeth playfully.
"What? Afraid I'll sneak up in the middle of the night and assault you?"
"…I've got no objections," Chen Ming replied with a shrug, silently cursing her in his heart as a "troublemaking rabbit."
Watching all of this unfold, Tang San only felt an inexplicable sense of grievance welling up inside him. He couldn't even explain where it came from—it just hurt.
In the end, he silently decided to add another mark against Chen Ming in his mind.
Even though he himself didn't understand why Chen Ming was the one he was blaming.
But every time he looked at Xiao Wu… he couldn't bring himself to blame her.
So, naturally, the responsibility ended up falling on Chen Ming instead.
...
On the rooftop outside, Tang Hao—hidden in the shadows—shook his head at what he saw, sighing inwardly at his son's lack of emotional intelligence.
"If it were me, I would've just given the bedding away. What's a single blanket worth compared to gaining the favor of a ten-thousand-year transformed Spirit Beast?"
"But… never mind. Xiao San still doesn't know that Xiao Wu is a transformed Spirit Beast. It's normal for him to feel a bit reluctant."
From the moment Xiao Wu had stepped into the dormitory, Tang Hao had already seen through her true identity.
Although he had once promised Ah Yin that he would never casually harm ten-thousand-year Spirit Beasts—that he would only hunt them when necessary for Spirit Rings—he couldn't deny that, the moment he saw Xiao Wu, he had been tempted.
A ten-thousand-year transformed Spirit Beast like her… if it could become a Spirit Ring and Spirit Bone for his son Tang San, it would bring immeasurable benefit to his future.
It was somewhat unfair to Ah Yin, but every time he recalled the scene of her sacrificing herself under pursuit, Tang Hao knew that there were some obsessions he simply could not let go of.
Since he had already failed Ah Yin… then using this to avenge her would also be worthwhile.
If Ah Yin could see this, if she knew he was making such a choice for their child, she would surely understand, wouldn't she?
In truth, Tang Hao understood his own actions perfectly well—but he still used excuses to numb himself. Just like how he used alcohol in the past in Holy Spirit Village to dull his senses and harshly train Tang San.
...
Meanwhile, inside the dormitory, Xiao Wu lay lazily on Chen Ming's old bedding, inhaling the faint scent of sunlight.
"I'm a bit hungry. Do you have anything to eat?" she asked casually.
"I've got some fresh-picked vegetables from this morning, dried radish, and dried sweet potatoes. Oh, and I also pickled some mushrooms and wild greens myself. For staple food, I brought some hard dry rations from home." Chen Ming opened his luggage and took out a box.
Hearing this, Xiao Wu immediately jumped up and hurried over, rubbing her hands together in excitement.
"Great! I love this kind of food! But… if I eat all of this, won't you have nothing left?"
Unlike in the original timeline—where she had already been spoiled by Tang San—Xiao Wu, just entering human society, was still far less unreasonable. In some ways, she even cared about such things.
"It's about time for lunch anyway," Wang Sheng said from the side. "Sister Xiao Wu, why don't we all go eat together?"
"Eat? Good, good! What are we having?" Xiao Wu's eyes lit up as she nodded eagerly.
"We're work-study students. What good food could we possibly afford? Just something to get by," Wang Sheng replied with a bitter smile.
"Food…" Xiao Wu froze for a moment, suddenly remembering an important detail about the human world.
"…Do we need soul coins for that?"