Seeing the White Tiger Again

"The training camp is over. You guys will head back to Huaqing later, while Hong Yuan and I will return to Modu."

"Mm."

"Just one word?" Yin Chen shook his head, somewhat speechless. "I fought side by side with you, after all. At least show a little emotion for our parting."

Chen Guan glanced at him. "Have a safe trip."

"Four words. Better than before."

Yin Chen gave a self-deprecating smile. He paused and lowered his voice, "On a serious note, if you need help with anything after going back, send me a message. I can more or less lend a hand with things over in Modu."

When he said this, there was a momentary pause in his eyes, as if he had thought of something else.

Chen Guan noticed it.

"Alright."

He was indeed going to Modu eventually.

Yin Chen waited for a moment, and seeing that Chen Guan truly had no intention of saying more, he shrugged and turned to leave.

After taking a few steps, he looked back and called out, "By the way, congratulations on getting first place."

Chen Guan did not reply.

Yin Chen didn't mind. He wandered off unhurriedly with his Husky.

On the other side, Hong Yuan was standing under a streetlamp, talking to Su Yuehe.

Even from a distance, Hong Yuan's loud voice could be heard clearly.

"Remember to eat properly when you get back! Don't spend all day in the library and lose track of time. When you told me last time that you skipped lunch, it made me so mad."

Su Yuehe replied with a smile, "I know, I know."

"Also, you still owe me a meal. You have to make it up to me next time we meet."

"I definitely will."

Hong Yuan scratched her hair, seemingly wanting to say something else, but she opened her mouth and then closed it again.

A few seconds later, she threw an arm around Su Yuehe's shoulders and patted her firmly twice.

"Alright, go on back. Don't catch a cold."

Su Yuehe stumbled slightly from the pats. After steadying herself, her eyes curved into a smile, and she gently patted Hong Yuan's arm in return.

"You too. Stay safe on your way back to Modu."

Hong Yuan strode away. After a few steps, she suddenly stopped and shouted into the distance.

"Long Ao!"

Long Ao was carrying his backpack toward the parking area. He paused his steps when he heard the shout.

"Next time we meet, I'm going to fight you." Hong Yuan raised a fist at him. "Don't find excuses to hide again."

Long Ao maintained his cool-guy demeanor and didn't look back.

"Whatever."

Hong Yuan grinned and turned to run in Yin Chen's direction.

Her short red hair swayed wildly in the wind. She looked like a ball of fire, bringing a touch of vibrancy to the surrounding pale, snowy landscape.

An Changqing walked up to Chen Guan. The two stood side by side, watching the retreating backs of Yin Chen and Hong Yuan.

"With those two together, you can't help but feel they're going to get into another argument on the way back," An Changqing said.

Chen Guan nodded in deep agreement. How should one describe the relationship between those two?

Incompatible as fire and water.

Just kidding. It wasn't even that harmonious.

An Changqing turned to look at Chen Guan and asked with a peaceful smile, "First place. How does it feel?"

"I don't feel anything in particular."

Chen Guan subconsciously touched his back.

He had an even more shocking surprise waiting for him in the future.

"True, that kind of thing is really just a rank to you."

An Changqing didn't overthink it. He retracted his gaze and looked at the teleportation array not far away. "Let's go. We'll still have some time to rest after getting back to Huaqing. The new semester is still a while away."

The two walked toward the teleportation array one after the other.

...

After the light of the teleportation array faded, the scenery of Huaqing Academy once again came into view.

Unlike the extreme cold of the Northern Territory, the region where Huaqing was located, though also in winter, was much milder. There was only a thin layer of snow on the ground, and a few withered leaves still clung to the branches.

An Changqing stepped out of the teleportation array and rolled his wrists.

"We're here."

Su Yuehe followed behind him, stepping lightly onto the stone-paved paths of Huaqing.

She looked around and took a deep breath, a sense of relief and security of finally being back on home turf appearing on her face.

Long Ao walked out last. He didn't even spare a glance after exiting the array, heading straight for the dormitory area.

"Long Ao, aren't you walking with us?" An Changqing called back to ask.

"No need."

Long Ao didn't look back; his crisp, neat voice was carried over by the cold winter wind.

An Changqing didn't press the issue. He smiled and turned to look at Chen Guan.

"What about you? Heading straight back to the dorms?"

"Mm."

"Alright then. Get some good rest, and contact me anytime if you need anything."

Su Yuehe waved at Chen Guan.

"Goodbye, classmate Chen Guan."

Chen Guan gave a nod in response.

The three of them parted ways at the intersection in front of the teaching building. An Changqing and Su Yuehe walked side by side toward the student union office building. They were talking about something, their voices very soft, completely fading away as the distance grew.

Chen Guan walked alone on the small path leading to the boys' dormitory area.

There weren't many people on campus. There was still some time before the official start of the semester after the training camp's closing, and most regular students hadn't returned to school yet.

The streetlamps cast a warm yellow glow, and the shadows of the trees swayed on the ground.

He didn't walk fast. The weight of the coffin on his back pressed down with every step, producing dull, heavy thuds.

He was back at Huaqing.

Everything that had happened in the Northern Territory, the ruins, the murals, that voice, the Yin family's stone stele, and his experience confronting that stone statue in the alternate dimension, were all tucked away deep in his memories for now.

These things wouldn't disappear, but there was no need to bring them out and repeatedly chew over them at the moment.

Right now, what he needed to do was very simple.

Return to the dorm, put the coffin down, and lie down for a bit.

The hallway of the boys' dormitory area was empty, his footsteps bouncing back and forth within it. Chen Guan walked to the door of his room and swiped his card to open it, something he hadn't done in a while.

The door lock let out a crisp click, and he pushed the door open.

The lights were on in the room.

On the chair in front of the desk sat a man in a dark gray casual jacket, his legs crossed. He was holding an apple in his hand, half-eaten.

White Tiger.

Chen Guan stood at the doorway. His gaze met White Tiger's in the air for about two seconds.

Then, he took a step back and closed the door again.

It was quiet outside the door for three seconds.

White Tiger sat on the chair, took a bite of the apple, and shouted toward the door.

"Why did you close the door?"

The door opened again.

Chen Guan walked in and leaned his coffin against the corner of the wall. His movements were practiced and smooth, done in one breath.

He glanced at the chair White Tiger was occupying, then looked at his own bed.

The bed was neat and hadn't been touched.

However, there was no doubt that this was his own room, regardless of how he opened the door.

One after another, they all loved breaking and entering.

"When did you get here?"

"About two hours ago."

White Tiger casually tossed the apple core into the trash can on the desk with perfect accuracy.

Stealing and eating patients' fruits every day recently had allowed him to develop a knack for shooting three-pointers.

Chen Guan didn't dwell on the fact that White Tiger had trespassed into his room, and instead asked:

"You disappeared for a long time in the Northern Territory."

"Missed me?"

"No."

White Tiger chuckled, lowered his crossed leg, rested his hands on his knees, and leaned his body slightly forward.

"I watched the closing ceremony from a distance. First place, not bad."

Chen Guan walked to the edge of the bed and sat down, unbuttoning his jacket, his tone flat.

"You didn't come all this way just to congratulate me."

"Of course not."

White Tiger pulled something from the inner pocket of his jacket and placed it on the table.