Chapter 58 The Young Master Who Fell from Grace

Early the next morning.

“Good morning, Xiao Nan. Eh? What’s this… When did you start keeping a dog?” Su Hanyan asked curiously as she noticed a little white puppy following Gu Xiangnan.

Gu Xiangnan stammered, “Oh, yesterday… I found it outside yesterday.”

“It’s so cute!” Su Hanyan squatted down and reached out her hand to Taoyao. “Shake!”

Taoyao was grumbling inwardly: I am not a dog, for heaven’s sake!

Her round eyes sought help from Gu Xiangnan.

Gu Xiangnan shot her a look and emphasized, “Come on, shake hands!”

Taoyao had no choice but to stretch out her little paw.

“Can you bark for me?” Su Hanyan asked, glancing back at Gu Xiangnan, who was still signaling her.

Taoyao, thoroughly disgruntled, imitated a dog’s bark: “Woof! Woof!”

Su Hanyan was taken aback. “That’s a unique bark—it almost sounds like a person imitating a dog.”

Afraid the ruse would be uncovered, Gu Xiangnan hurriedly led Taoyao away.

Taoyao transformed into her human form, storming ahead angrily.

“I am a shikigami, a spirit! How humiliating!” she pouted, her lips pursed in indignation.

“Oh, please. Do you think I’ve never read manga from Fusang?” Gu Xiangnan retorted.

“Shikigami are just summoned beasts. Hu Qing and Hu Qing Tongfang—how could they be the same? Never mind, you wouldn’t get it anyway.”

Gu Xiangnan tried to placate her. “Don’t be mad. You’re with me all the time, and I’m afraid the senior sisters might get jealous. That’s why I have to let you appear as a fox. Sorry for the trouble.”

Taoyao, still puffed up in anger, marched ahead.

“How about I get you some candied hawthorn?” Gu Xiangnan ventured.

Taoyao looked back, her eyes shining. “Master, you’re so good to me! I’m going to devote myself to you!”

“Uh… maybe let’s not.” Gu Xiangnan quickly refused.

After all, she was still a fox.

Half an hour later.

Gu Xiangnan and Taoyao, who was clutching her candied hawthorn, got out of the car in front of the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

They walked onto campus together.

Along the way, people pointed and whispered.

“Look, is that girl doing cosplay? Which character is she?”

“She’s even wearing a kimono—so strange!”

“But the ear accessories on her head are so cute!”

Gu Xiangnan slapped his forehead. “Taoyao, after school I’ll take you to buy some clothes. Here, you can only wear a cheongsam.”

“Okay!” Taoyao, cheeks bulging with candied fruit, nodded enthusiastically.

Her adorable appearance immediately won over a flock of male students.

With time still before class, Gu Xiangnan decided to call his masters.

He walked to a secluded grove and dialed the number for the Gentle Medicine Immortal.

“Xiao Nan, is that you?”

“Second Master, I have good news—I’ve obtained the Shennong Cauldron.”

“What? You actually got the Shennong Cauldron?” The voice on the other end soared several pitches higher.

“Second Master, could you tell me how to use the cauldron and the details about refining elixirs? Senior Sister’s new product is waiting for me to produce some pills!” Gu Xiangnan pleaded.

“If you’ve obtained the Shennong Cauldron, it means your destiny has arrived. I will teach you everything I know,” the master replied. “I’ll make a presentation with all the important points and send it to you. I hope you can master it soon.”

“Wow, Second Master, you really keep up with the times!” Gu Xiangnan said with admiration.

They chatted a while longer before he hung up and headed for the teaching building.

Just as he was about to leave the grove, he caught the faint sounds of a fight nearby.

Taoyao immediately transformed into her fox form to scout the area.

She returned quickly. “Master, twenty meters east, a few people are ganging up on someone.”

“Oh, not my business. Let’s go.” Gu Xiangnan turned to leave.

“Master, the person getting beaten up was at the banquet too,” Taoyao reminded him. Though she’d been sealed in a snuff bottle that night, she’d seen everything through its transparent walls.

“I’ll check it out myself. You take a walk nearby, but don’t show yourself,” Gu Xiangnan instructed.

He moved swiftly, and in no time reached the scene.

In the grove, five or six male students were beating up on one person.

The victim was already kneeling, face battered and swollen.

Xu Chenyin, head bowed, pleaded, “Weren’t you all my good friends before? Why are you doing this to me now?”

“Xu Chenyin, you used to be the young master, of course we flattered you. But now you’re not—why should we still treat you kindly?”

“Yeah, you think your dad’s still the big shot he was? You’re not even worthy to carry our shoes now.”

“I’ve never liked you. You were always so smug. Let’s see how cocky you are now!”

“Come on, guys, let’s give it to him!”

Gu Xiangnan dashed forward and kicked the ringleader, sending him flying.

“Damn! Damn! Damn!” the boy screamed, writhing on the ground in pain.

The others froze.

“Who the hell are you? How dare you hit me?”

“Are you looking for trouble? Do you know who we are?”

Ignoring them, Gu Xiangnan helped Xu Chenyin up.

Xu Chenyin looked up, stunned to see who it was. “Why is it you?”

Gu Xiangnan’s expression was icy. “Let’s deal with them first.”

“Nan… you’d better go. They’re all sons of school leaders. If you mess with them, you’ll never graduate,” Xu Chenyin warned. He’d once been one of them—he knew exactly what they were capable of.

Gu Xiangnan laughed. “I don’t care whose sons they are. No one bullies my friends!”

Xu Chenyin was jolted.

His mother had forced him to recognize Gu Xiangnan as his godfather, something he’d deeply resisted. Yet Gu Xiangnan called him a friend.

That made him feel a lot better.

While he was lost in thought, the group charged together. One swung a wooden stick at Gu Xiangnan’s head.

Gu Xiangnan swept his leg out, sending them all flying into the surrounding trees.

“Ow—ow!”

“It hurts so much!”

Gu Xiangnan hadn’t even used his powerful palm technique, worried he might seriously injure someone.

The pampered students lay on the ground, groaning, yet still managed to threaten him.

“What’s your name? Just wait… you’ll be expelled!”

Gu Xiangnan snorted, “My name’s Gu Xiangnan. Want to see me ruin you right now?”

He raised his hand as if to strike, and the students immediately covered their heads, begging for mercy.

He helped Xu Chenyin up and led him away.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” he asked.

Xu Chenyin moved experimentally. “No broken bones, just sore all over.”

“Want me to treat you?” Gu Xiangnan offered.

Before Xu Chenyin could answer, Gu Xiangnan’s hands were already massaging his injuries.

Xu Chenyin felt a soothing warmth from Gu Xiangnan’s touch. Before long, the pain and swelling melted away.

Gu Xiangnan’s medical skills were truly remarkable.

“Amazing! I don’t hurt anymore, and my face isn’t swollen!” Xu Chenyin beamed with relief. He’d worried his swollen face would alarm his parents.

“Come on, let’s get to class,” Gu Xiangnan said.

“Um… can I go to class with you? I’m afraid they’ll retaliate.”

Gu Xiangnan reassured him, “Sure, stay by me. No one will dare touch you.”

Xu Chenyin was so moved he nearly cried.

Walking beside Gu Xiangnan, he felt an unfamiliar sense of safety.

As they entered the classroom, they sensed something was wrong.

All their classmates stared at Gu Xiangnan with strange expressions.

“You’re famous now!” Cao Guang came over and said.