The Noble Academy of Dahaishi.
Inside Xia Tongxin's villa.
After dinner that evening, after watching some cartoons, Xia Tongxin returned to her bed, lying on her stomach to play games.
"Xiaxia, when do you think Grandpa Niu will come online?" Xia Tongxin's voice was innocent, her feet swinging restlessly on the bed.
The Head Maid: "..."
The Head Maid slept beside Xia Tongxin, holding a book in her hands, reading about how to make breakfast more delicious, healthier, and how to deal with picky eaters in children.
It was very comprehensive, and the Head Maid read it with great focus.
The book described various reasons why children refuse to eat, and every one of them matched the situation of their young lady. No need to elaborate on her abilities; the next step was to study it frame by frame.
From the moment Xia Tongxin started watching anime, the Head Maid had been absorbed in her book.
Although there was quite a bit of noise, for a genius with such a strong inner core as the Head Maid, it wasn't a big issue—she could already automatically block it out.
While analyzing, she also caught key information and answered her young lady's naive questions.
The Head Maid smiled gently and nodded, "Mm, yes, you will. Miss, you're already friends with him, and he'll play games with you."
As for whether he had blocked her or muted his online status, that wasn't so certain.
Of course, the Head Maid wouldn't voice that thought—it just flashed through her mind. After answering her young lady's question, she dove back into the book, continuing her study.
A common trait among highly intelligent people is their love for learning. Even things that aren't usually useful are studied patiently and thoroughly.
In this regard, Ye Cheng had taken it to the extreme—he knew "a little bit" about everything.
In contrast, most ordinary people tend to stay within a self-imposed circle, unwilling to step out of it because the process of breaking free is painfully slow.
And with no extra reward mechanism or positive feedback, even if they do break out, nothing happens.
So why not just lie low, loaf around within their circle, indulge in laziness, and enjoy themselves? Wouldn't it be wonderful to just coast and slack off?
On this point, Xia Tongxin had also reached the extreme. She had zero resilience—if someone scolds her, she feels wronged; if someone criticizes her, she gets sulky; if someone hits her, she cries...
She was straying further and further down the path of a useless Little Blondie.
"Hehehe, that's what I think too!" Xia Tongxin giggled foolishly, then opened the game, ready to challenge herself by queuing solo.
Suddenly, Xia Tongxin's fingers froze. She saw that Ye Cheng's icon was lit up in the game's friend invitation interface.
Not only was it lit up, but it also showed he was in a game!
Xia Tongxin's eyes widened, her light blue pupils trembling, and her breathing quickened. She frantically patted the Head Maid beside her.
"Xiaxia, Xiaxia, look, look! Grandpa Niu is online!"
"He must be waiting for me!"
The Head Maid glanced over and then... fell silent.
In-game...
Is it possible, Miss, that he just happened to start a game at this moment, or maybe he's duo-queuing with some other friends, and you just happened to catch it?
It's not like it's specially waiting for you, right?
Seeing her young lady so excited, the Head Maid ultimately chose to hide the truth and nodded: "Mm, Miss, you're right."
Hearing this, Xia Tongxin became even more energized—even Xiaxia agreed with her!
For the next few minutes, Xia Tongxin stopped playing and just watched Ye Cheng's match, her eyes wide and unblinking.
Finally, when Ye Cheng's crystal exploded, she quickly exited and clicked "invite," only to see a message: "Send failed. The other player has already entered a game."
Xia Tongxin: "???"
"Dammit, why?!"
Xia Tongxin clenched her little fists, grinding her teeth in anger. Her furious movements startled the Head Maid, who was peacefully reading, causing her to close the book and turn sideways to look.
"What's wrong, Miss?" the Head Maid asked.
"I can't invite him. He started another game, and it looks like he's teaming up with someone else... Boohoo... Xiaxia, what do I do? I was the one who came first—boohoo..."
Her voice was full of grievance, and tears were about to fall. Even though she had dyed her hair from Pinkie to Little Blondie, her resilience was still zero.
Whenever something happened, she'd call for Xiaxia, or curl up in a corner to sulk, hide under the covers doubting life, eventually falling asleep because the covers were too comfortable, and then wake up having forgotten all about the injustice she'd suffered...
Earlier today, when Ye Cheng left, he had only given a kiss to the Head Maid, and Xia Tongxin had blown up.
She had gone through that exact process: by the time she woke up, she had forgotten most of it and was busy watching cartoons. With the Head Maid's "little" bit of guidance and the 99.9% of it...
That matter was completely over!
Everything has two sides. Although their young lady was a bit slow, she didn't hold grudges—and whether it's because she can't remember or not, that's not the point.
In short, she doesn't hold grudges and is very cute.
The Head Maid gently hugged Xia Tongxin, rubbing her head: "It's okay, Miss. Leave it to me."
The Head Maid took over Xia Tongxin's phone and sent Ye Cheng an invitation directly from outside the game. She also sent a message to Ye Cheng, asking him to wait after exiting the game and invite them to join.
Unfortunately, Ye Cheng's phone was heavily modified. Once the game mode was activated, even messages couldn't get through, let alone locating him. It was a fully enclosed gaming experience, an immersive, luxurious setup...
In short, Ye Cheng had blocked all possible methods from the Head Maid, even automatically muting in-game invitations.
But after this match ended, Xia Tongxin's invitation finally went through.
Because on Ye Cheng's side, due to his poor performance in the game, Tang Yuyao next door had stormed over. Ye Cheng, wearing nothing but his boxers, went downstairs to open the door.
They had precisely caught that timing window!
"Accepted!"
"Successfully joined the five-person convoy of Grandpa Niu of Turnip Flower Garden's First Sniper!"
Tang Yuyao: "???"
Tang Yuyao: "Who is this? Judging by that ridiculous name, 'Hun de Luo'—is it some trash little girl?"
Tang Yuyao: "I can't stop laughing. Is this some Pokémon recruited from the Lobby? Hahaha..."
Xia Tongxin: "..."
The Head Maid: "..."
As soon as they entered the room, they saw Tang Yuyao's taunting message on the other side. It wasn't just a face-smack; it was like jam-packed criticism shoved right into their mouths.
Meanwhile.
In Tang Yuyao's room at the Tang family estate.
Tang Yuyao was sitting on the bed wrapped in her blanket, clicking on Xia Tongxin's avatar and personal profile to check it.
"Damn... what a grinder?" Tang Yuyao took a sharp breath.
Even if some people manage to reach the Noble tier with just around ten thousand, Xia Tongxin's situation was clearly different. She had collected everything—all the trailing effects, recall animations, signatures—none of it came cheap, costing at least a hundred thousand yuan.
Although a hundred thousand kuai was nothing to Tang Yuyao, spending that much on a game still felt like a waste to her. She'd rather spend it on food.
Xia Tongxin: "Is it funny?"
Tang Yuyao froze for a second, seeing that message in the team chat. It was clearly laced with interrogation and suppressed anger.
"Oh ho, quite the temper!" Tang Yuyao raised an eyebrow, propping herself up straighter while wrapped in her blanket, looking defiant.
This is the internet—there's no way she was going to let herself get bullied.
Tang Yuyao: "Not funny?"
Xia Tongxin: "???"
Inside the villa.
"This is too much, Xiaxia, don't stop me—I'm going to blast her!!!" Xia Tongxin's eyes burned with fury. The Head Maid stood quietly beside her, not stopping her at all.
Xia Tongxin felt a bit awkward and repeated herself, "Xiaxia, seriously, don't stop me. I'm going to fight her and make her pay for what she said. She'll weep bitter tears and regret it for the rest of her life..."
Head Maid: "..."
My lady, that's not how you use idioms.
The Head Maid sighed helplessly and tried to comfort her, "My lady, this person is Grandpa Niu's friend. If you want to get along well with him, tolerance is an important part of it."
Xia Tongxin puffed up angrily but still backed down at those words. "Hmph, let it slide this time—a big person doesn't hold grudges against small people!"
Head Maid: "..."
The idiom was correct this time, but for some reason... it still felt off. Their young lady was only big in terms of age; everywhere else, she was tiny.
Ye Cheng: "Short one person for a four-man team. I'll recruit someone from the lobby—you all wait..."
Ye Cheng: "Wait, Xiaxia, you're watching, aren't you?"
Head Maid: "???"
The Head Maid, still lying in bed, shot up wide-eyed, completely stunned. You've got to be kidding me... Even this, he predicted it!
Though shocked, her fondness for Ye Cheng increased once more. She really appreciated this kind of pure genius—especially since he wasn't the type to put on airs. She had studied abroad before and met plenty of geniuses, but they all prided themselves on being geniuses, constantly radiating a sense of superiority. That kind of attitude disgusted her. Growing up in the slums, she had seen too many wealthy people flaunting their superiority, and for a long time, she harbored resentment for the rich.
It wasn't until she met the madam, who gradually guided her away from that mindset, that she realized her views were too extreme.
The world wasn't black and white, and not all wealthy people were heartless exploiters.
Her madam and young lady were perfect examples of that.
Of course, not every genius radiated that insufferable superiority either—Ye Cheng, for instance. Even the Head Maid herself struggled to shake off the superiority her intelligence brought her. Around others, especially slower ones, she would become impatient and indifferent.
The dragon-slaying youth had become the dragon himself.
But she didn't sense that kind of arrogance in Ye Cheng. He treated everyone equally, and even when he looked down on someone, it came off as a casual, playful jab—more amusing than condescending.
If someone didn't get it, that was fine.
Let's simplify it... Head Maid's approval rating: +1, +1, +1... That's what happens when you develop a crush—you max out your own favorability all on your own!
Ye Cheng: "Xiaxia, short by one person. What are you waiting for? Get in the car!"
Head Maid: "..."
A moment later, the Head Maid joined the team.
"Hun de Luo No.2 has entered the room!"
Tang Yuyao: "???"
Who the hell is thisXiaxia...!

lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...

iemie, male, Race: Moon. Hobby: Collecting anomalies. At first, he thought he possessed two systems: the Crimson Rainbow Moon and the Clear Cold Frost Moon. One day, he discovered that he himself could also become a system for others, holding the chessboard of fate. The Eighth Epoch, also known as the Eternal Moon Epoch. Humans, witches, elves, bloodline descendants, specters, demons, and spirits together compose a new history. Walking the path on behalf of the moon, before he knew it, Chen Miemie's footsteps were followed by all manner of strange and wondrous anomalies. As time passed, many titles circulated about him—The King in Yellow, Lord of Anomalies, Heart of the Eternal Moon, and more. "Me? I'm just a traveler who enjoys collecting interesting creatures," Chen Miemie said.

nto another world, I bought a slave for the first time, never expecting the silver wolf girl to be so cute... Lin Feng: I know it's cold, but you don't have to sneak into my bed! Yuna: Just sharing body warmth, if you dare do anything naughty, I'll definitely...

ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!