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When she suddenly uttered those words, as if coaxing a child, Lu Mingfei would sometimes secretly guess that she might have reached the age where she wanted to become a mother…

His lips twitched. "You should keep talking. Say something useful, like where he might be or what he's done..."

"Hmm..." The girl pondered, trying to think of something worth mentioning. In fact, she didn't know much about her "brother." Odin was a mysterious guy; no one could guess where he was or what he wanted to do.

Compared to her or other first-generation beings' simple and straightforward plans, Odin always seemed different, even her public persona was childish and immature... How could she know what truly useful information was?

But she couldn't openly say "I don't know," because she still needed to use this bait to catch Lu Mingfei, this little fish. Even if she had to shamelessly keep making things up, she had to enjoy his flattery enough.

"You've been hesitating for so long, you don't actually know either, do you?" Ling asked slyly, his cold face filled with burning eyes.

"Hmph!" Xia Mi, having been questioned, seized the opportunity to back down. "That little bit of credit I had for asking for favors is all used up now. You'll have to please me again. Let's go!"

"Where to?" Lu Mingfei thought of a certain grand event that was taking place and had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

"Of course we're going boating on the lake, right now!" She grabbed Lu Mingfei and dashed out of the activity room.

Chapter 181 Like a girl in love

"Why do you look so gloomy? Don't make that face, smile!" Xia Mi was gleefully enjoying the happiness before the impending disaster.

Although she thought that after she was exposed and it was discovered that she didn't actually know much useful information about Odin, she would definitely die a terrible death, probably getting beaten up by Lu Mingfei...

But who could resist the pleasure she was experiencing? Holding his hand as they walked through the crowded streets, and then reaching out to pinch his cheek whenever she remembered, brought her immense joy, and she simply couldn't suppress the smile on her face.

She felt that this was probably what Nietzsche called the Dionysian spirit, indulging in unrestrained revelry before destruction.

"Hahaha……"

Lu Mingfei forced a smile, his eyes glancing in different directions.

This is the lake where the college trains for the "Sailing Race". It's crowded with people. Located in the northwest of the campus, it's not just Kassel students, but also people from all walks of life. The "Golden Fleece Cup" sailing race is in full swing, so there are quite a few spectators. It takes some effort to even squeeze to the lakeside.

Meanwhile, on the other side, there were quite a few people riding the wind back and forth on the lake, most of them training. The most eye-catching one was a wisp of golden hair, which was Caesar.

Lu Mingfei had heard long ago about Caesar's feat of sailing around the Mediterranean alone when he was around fifteen years old. When Fingel recounted these deeds, he cursed, "Damn it, I hate rich people." Lu Mingfei just nodded silently in agreement. He didn't want to admit that he actually envied this kind of free and unrestrained life and admired such a brave person.

"Your smile is so ugly. Don't ruin your face with that silly expression, okay?" Xia Mi interrupted his rambling thoughts, reached out and pinched his cheek, forcing him to smile.

She nodded with satisfaction, "Yes, yes, that's more like it. Smile more happily. I'm honoring you with this trip, I don't expect you to be grateful, but at least provide some emotional value."

“I think you were the one who begged and forced him to come.” Zero popped up carrying a bunch of bags of ice.

She was a girl who was extremely sensitive to heat, and she would wear a large-brimmed hat when she came to a place where the sun was shining directly.

“I’m asking him, not you.” Xia Mi pointed into the distance, gesturing for the third wheel to leave.

Zero was willing to give Lu Mingfei some face regarding his important matters, but only a little. She walked about two body lengths away with the ice cube, ensuring that she could keep an eye on this ruthless viper.

Xia Mi was satisfied with the distance, and she continued to lead the boy beside her through the crowd toward the water.

“I think we should actually train a bit,” she suggested to Lu Mingfei, though her true thoughts had nothing to do with training; she just wanted to go boating on the lake.

"Isn't that unnecessary? Are you planning to compete with a guy like that for a ranking?" Lu Mingfei pointed to Caesar in the center of the lake, where a two-seater hydrofoil was now moving forward, gliding up and down like a dragon across the water.

Sailing isn't about brute force; it's about skill, and you can't use supernatural powers. What if they get on the boat and the stern starts emitting gas like it's been given croton oil, propelled forward by some strange force, and they accidentally break a world record? There are so many eyes watching…

"At least we can't lose too badly. Do you want our beautiful girls' reading club to lose face?" Xia Mi said firmly.

"I think I'll lose all face just by saying that lousy name..."

Lu Mingfei was very worried about what might happen then, and even more worried that the damn name that Angers was so fond of would spread all over Chicago, and even back to China.

"Let's get on the ship first!"

Xia Mi didn't care about any of that. She dragged him through the thorns and brambles, squeezing in front of a group of students in student council uniforms, and kindly asked if they had any boats they could borrow.

The student council underlings recognized the two of them and suddenly all stared at them, which greatly satisfied Xia Mi's vanity. She stood up straight, almost waving back to say "Thank you for your hard work, comrades," but then the minister in charge of the sailing department stepped forward and told her impartially that the student council's sailboats were generally not lent out, especially to other clubs.

Xia Mi was rebuffed, but she didn't want to leave so dejectedly. She cleared her throat, asked again, and said she was willing to pay the fee. However, the female minister of the student council did not give her any face at all. She was practically saying that her club was clearly an opponent of theirs, yet she still had the nerve to ask to borrow a boat. She should stay far away from them as soon as possible.

The student council is a group of self-proclaimed "elites," and this is especially true for the ministers. They have all the typical elitist traits, including a complete lack of understanding of "politeness" when speaking to others.

Xia Mi was so angry she wanted to grind her teeth, but before she could say anything or utter any harsh words, another woman stepped out from the student council crowd.

The red-haired girl arrived upon hearing the news. Upon seeing Xia Mi's face, she suddenly broke into a warm smile and said that borrowing a boat was no big deal. She added that she and Susie could borrow their own boat, which wasn't considered student council property but was rented by them for personal enjoyment, so there was no risk of any disputes.

But when Xia Mi looked at Chen Motong, or rather, his face, she felt even more choked up. She didn't want the boy beside her to have anything to do with this guy! Who knew what kind of "insignificant little request" this guy would make after lending the boy out?

Phrases like, "Since you're using our boat, let me get on too...", "Junior Sister Xia, move over a bit, you're crowding us!", and "Will you teach me how to row? I'll hold your hand and teach you~"

Xia Mi tried to think about what this guy might say, following her own train of thought, but she only had time to consider it before she realized—

Absolutely not!

Xia Mi put her hands on her hips, intending to refuse firmly, and even planned to put her arm around Lu Mingfei to declare her status, but only then did she realize that he had already moved to another place, squatting by the lake and talking non-stop with a group of white men and women.

Then, he suddenly turned around, raised his thumb, and loudly announced that he had secured the boat here. Although it was just a pleasure boat, it was perfectly capable of fulfilling its training function.

In an instant, seeing his appearance, all the anger that had been building up inside Xia Mi completely dissipated. Whether it was the humiliation she had suffered or the unfortunate encounter with this face she disliked, it didn't matter anymore. She wasn't one to hold grudges, nor did she want to always be pouting like a little frog.

She turned her gaze back, revealing a genuine smile, as if she were caring for a poor patient with terminal cancer, erasing all hostility.

Xia Mi waved goodbye to Chen Motong, "Let's not bother, our president seems so composed and reassuring. I'll be going now~"

Then, under the red-haired girl's gaze, she, like a girl in love, skipped and rushed towards the boy who was scratching his head and studying the boat. She leaped high, her knee landing in his outstretched hand, and jumped into his arms. The boy staggered and caught her, and amidst the cheers of the men and women around them, they all fell into the cabin. The boat was propelled by the momentum and drifted leisurely into the lake. Zero was on the phone and just missed squeezing onto the boat, so she could only silently squat by the lake and watch.

Seeing this scene, the red-haired girl's growing emptiness, which had intensified since returning from New York, deepened even further. She clutched her chest, sniffed, gently wiped her face, and made a decision. Amidst the clamor of the student council members, she turned to find Susie, who was still resting.

Chapter 182 would be very sad if other girls heard it.

Xia Mi lay on the deck, lazily gazing at the sky. It was peaceful here, and no one would bother her. Even Zero, who was always like a third wheel, was left on the shore.

This was a moment of solitude for her and the boy who was rowing so hard.

"I didn't expect you to be so good at it." She stretched her leg out and nestled it into Lu Mingfei's arms, teasingly raising it and rubbing the back of her foot against his elbow. "Where did you learn that?"

"Move your foot away, you're affecting my performance." Lu Mingfei shrank back, almost falling into the lake in the process.

The girl covered her mouth and giggled, but she almost fell into the lake because she was too smug. She hurriedly rushed back to the boat, and Lu Mingfei also hurriedly pulled away. As a result, the two of them bumped into each other, and their heads hit each other hard. Lu Mingfei was flustered, but he first grabbed the girl's waist, and the two hugged each other tightly. She pressed down on Lu Mingfei.

"What a cliché scene." Xia Mi blew on it, her face full of disgust, but her eyes shone brightly, their light shining brighter than the sun.

"After all, life itself is a bad movie. You're so heavy, get off me." Lu Mingfei felt something was wrong with him, and his face was getting hot.

"Really? So heavy that you're blushing?" The girl reached out and pointed at his cheek. "If you have any thoughts, just say them. I'm not a child, I can't listen to inappropriate topics."

“But I’m a child, I can’t listen to that,” Lu Mingfei said. “I’m just a baby who’s only a little over two hundred months old. If I hear anything that’s not suitable for children, the police will arrest me.”

These words made the girl laugh even harder, and she rolled around on him, causing the boat to sway from side to side and splash water.

"Careful, careful!" Lu Mingfei tried his best to stabilize the ship. He suddenly realized that the girl in his arms was a little madwoman who would not care about anything when she got excited.

"Why should I be careful? Aren't you holding me tightly?" She swung about in the lake like a child, the boat was already on the verge of capsizing, but it wouldn't. The splashes of water seemed to lift the gunwale like fairies, and the girl laughed even more happily. "Will you let me fall in? Or are you planning to fall in with me?"

"You drank fake alcohol today..." Lu Mingfei was infected by the atmosphere and couldn't help but laugh.

"It's not the wine that intoxicates, it's the person who gets drunk." The girl recited the poem. "Aren't you drunk too? Such beautiful scenery, and such wonderful people."

"Are you talking about yourself or me, when you say someone is so good?"

"Who do you think I'm talking about?" the girl asked, her eyes still fixed on his neck.

"I think you're talking about yourself." Lu Mingfei felt dizzy. However, he had never felt like this before, with a girl hugging his neck and breathing on him, as if they were flirting.

Her eyes were glazed over, as if she were truly drunk.

"So what do you think?" Xia Mi asked earnestly. "Do you think it's good?"

"Okay!" Lu Mingfei struggled to pull his right hand out of his pocket and gave a thumbs up. "It's that good? You're like a monster."

"Is he telling me I'm pretty?" the girl pressed, though her expression clearly showed she understood what Lu Mingfei was saying. She still wanted a definite answer, though: "Is she the prettiest girl you've ever seen?"

"Don't ask questions that will hurt other girls' feelings."

"You're lying. You must speak human language to human beings and dragon language to dragons. When you were whispering sweet nothings to Su Xiaoqiang, you must have praised her for being the most beautiful, right?" Xia Mi's smile became even more alluring, as if she could hardly hide her true nature, and a few dragon scales seemed to be rising on her cheeks.

"Hey, you've really brought up the right person. You can ask her next time you see her," Lu Mingfei said with a smile.

"What do you want to ask?"

"Ask me who the most beautiful girl I've ever seen is."

"What will she say?" she asked anxiously, caring a lot about the answer.

"Just ask her and you'll find out," Lu Mingfei said, keeping her in suspense. "But she definitely won't say it's Xia Mi."

The girl's fangs seemed to have grown out of nowhere; she ground them together, threatening Lu Mingfei to change his mind. The cowardly Lu Mingfei, lacking any courage whatsoever, immediately changed his tune, grinning like a magic mirror in Snow White's stepmother's bedroom. He said, "Because what I said was, 'The most beautiful person is Lord Jormungandr.'"

"Hmph, at least you have some sense." The girl seemed more satisfied than if she had heard the answer she wanted directly. She became more relaxed and finally let go of the hand that had been threateningly wrapped around Lu Mingfei's neck.

She turned around, squeezed onto the narrow deck, lay down next to the boy, and stared blankly at the sky.

What a beautiful day! Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and a gentle breeze is blowing.

At times like this, lying in the middle of the lake, she doesn't have to think about anything, worry about any approaching threats, she has solid allies, she doesn't have to worry about being alone, she has reliable friends, and she doesn't have to worry about her disguise being torn off. She can even use the name she was born with.

How wonderful! She had heard many people praise "Xia Mi", but this was the first time she had heard someone praise "Jormungandr" like this. She was happy from the bottom of her heart. She felt that it was so good to have met him.

only--

"Hey." She nudged the boy lying next to her with her elbow. "What if we compare him to her?"

"who is she?"

"Who did you say it was?"

"Don't try to solve riddles. I'm terrible at it. You'll just frustrate yourself, and I won't pay you to fix it."

"It's Miss Uesugi," Natsumi asked ominously, "It's Uesugi Erii. Is she pretty?"

"It looks good." Lu Mingfei's voice became crisp and clear.

Xia Mi suddenly realized that she was just humiliating herself. Why did she have to bring up that girl? But then she comforted herself, saying that it was just a matter of positive reinforcement and didn't really matter.

Moreover, Miss Uesugi is like a blank sheet of paper; she can't even speak clearly, so if you give way to her, you'll give way... Natsumi actually wanted to mention someone else more; mentioning Erii was just a prelude—

"So what about Chen Motong? Is she pretty too?" she asked, pursing her lips, a hint of cunning in her voice.

She had always felt that face held a special meaning for Lu Mingfei. After listening to him talk in his sleep so much, she was willing to believe a little bit of it. That's why she felt that the person she should be most wary of was this talkative, cheerful, singing, and dancing red-haired girl. Compared to the girl in Tokyo who didn't even know what love was, Chen Motong was the real threat.

She didn't hear Lu Mingfei's reply, and the place suddenly became quiet, which made her a little anxious. This situation only meant that he was struggling with his decision.

"Speak up! Is she pretty too?" she asked anxiously, suddenly sitting up.

Then she saw a small boat lying across from her, with a red-haired girl sitting at the bow, equally curious about the answer.

Chapter 183 ruined our plans

"Look at you, you've been too talkative, now you've been caught red-handed." Lu Mingfei turned around and whispered to Xia Mi, "What are we going to do now? I was going to say it wasn't appropriate, but since they're here, shouldn't I be a little polite?"

Xia Mi was secretly delighted, relieved that the answer he hadn't said aloud was actually like this.

She is now completely content and full of determination, and she is not afraid to face the old nun even if she has to!

"What's with the formalities? Just tell the truth!" She covered her mouth and whispered loudly, "They don't need your opinion, why are you afraid of hurting their self-esteem?"

The loud whispering made Lu Mingfei quite embarrassed. He smiled awkwardly and pretended not to be embarrassed at all, greeting the girl who had moored the boat. Fortunately, the girl seemed to have just arrived as well and didn't mention the topic Xia Mi had brought up; she simply waved and greeted him.

Or rather, she didn't dare to ask any further questions.

"I heard you guys are training, but it looks like you're on a date." Chen Motong smirked. "I could see the ship rocking back and forth from afar, I thought there was some kind of adult content."

Apart from her slightly stiff smile, she seemed perfectly fine. Unfortunately, the person opposite her was Xia Mi, whose mind was as meticulous as a net.

"It was almost there, but it was interrupted."

Xia Mi spoke softly, leisurely raising her arm to rest on Lu Mingfei's neck. She was an excellent actress, and now she looked somewhat charming, somewhat languid, and somewhat resentful, blaming the girl who had come to ruin her plans.

The stiff smile on Chen Motong's face became even stiffer. She twisted her neck with a cackling sound, then let out an even more awkward laugh. She had long known that this junior sister was extremely sharp-tongued and formidable; this wasn't the first time she had experienced it firsthand... She chose to talk to the kinder Lu Mingfei.

"So you're planning to use this for training?" she asked. "It has absolutely nothing in common with the hydrofoil sailboats used in competitions. Are you trying to win last place by using this for training?"

"Just having fun." Lu Mingfei waved his oar, splashing water and sending up sprays. "Everyone here is an expert; we're just here to participate."

"But it's not like we can't even beat students from the University of Chicago, is it? Our academy has a perfect record against them in its history. If we become the weak point here, then we'll be the ones to blame," Chen Motong joked.

She felt from the bottom of her heart that it was better to talk to Lu Mingfei. Even if she abandoned her thoughts about relationships, at least she wouldn't always feel like she had a stone in her mouth and get choked up.

Lu Mingfei chuckled silently, shrugged, and curled his lip, indicating that there was nothing he could do about it. Xia Mi, however, seized every opportunity to be sarcastic, sneering and saying, "Mind your own business. We're pretty good."

"How about we have a contest?" Chen Motong chuckled inwardly. Girls who explode at the slightest provocation are so easy to fool. She hid her ulterior motives and lowered her head to invite them to a contest.