Shang Liuyu peered in the direction Zheng Dan had disappeared off to, a strange look on her face. “Who was that?”
Zu An laughed and said, “Just a student who had come to ask me for help on some arithmetic problems. Sigh. How can a warmhearted person like me disappoint such earnest and eager students?”
An ambiguous look appeared on Shang Liuyu’s face. “If I’m not mistaken, that girl was Zheng Dan!”
Zu An stared at her silently for a while.
His expression became gloomy. “Sis, if you already figured out who she was, why did you even bother asking?”
Shang Liuyu’s laugh contained a hint of embarrassment. “I couldn’t recognize her at first, since she was covering her face. But I am quite sensitive to people’s scents. It took me a while to recognize that this scent was Zheng Dan’s.”
If Zheng Dan had known that this person could recognize her from her smell, she wouldn’t have run off in such a sorry state. There would have been no point in covering her face.
Shang Liuyu grew serious. She hesitated slightly before saying, “Ah Zu, this is probably not something I should bring up, but… as a friend, I feel like it’s my duty to warn you. I believe Zheng Dan is engaged, and so the two of you should be mindful of certain boundaries.”
Zu An was thoroughly embarrassed. “Big sis Shang, the two of us are only friends.”
Not even he was convinced by his own words.
Shang Liuyu smiled sweetly. “If the two of you really are just normal friends, then that’s fine. I do like to let my mouth run, sometimes.”
Zu An also found this situation slightly awkward. After all, this woman really was looking out for his good. He had no good reply, so he asked instead, “What did big sis need from me today?”
“My goodness, I almost forgot the main matter at hand.” Shang Liuyu slapped her forehead. Her adorable manner could drive any man crazy. “Principal Jiang sent me over to assist you in the takeover of Plum Blossom Sect’s property. If you aren’t busy right now, we can get going.”
“The gorgeous principal sent you?” Zu An was slightly shocked.
Shang Liuyu snorted. “Why would you ask that? Am I not trustworthy in your eyes?”
“That’s not what I meant,” Zu An explained in a panic. “It’s just that, in my mind, big sis Shang has always been the textbook example of bright and pure. I just never expected the principal to send you to handle such a task.”
Shang Liuyu’s bright mood clouded over slightly. “I didn’t want to come either… But I couldn’t refuse after Luofu begged me.”
“Luofu?” Zu An was a little slow on the uptake.
Shang Liuyu explained, “I’m actually really close to Principal Jiang—we could even be considered best friends. She has such a chilly demeanor and doesn’t have many true friends that she can rely on. I’m one of the only ones she could turn to for help with this affair.”
Best friend… Zu An was momentarily stunned. He couldn’t help but think of Pei Mianman and Chu Chuyan. It took him a while to snap out of his daze. But… but…
Shang Liuyu was bemused by his silence. “Are you worried that I might be in danger?” she said with a smile.
Zu An laughed awkwardly, but didn’t say anything. Out of all of the academy’s teachers, Shang Liuyu was known for her beauty, and not for her cultivation.
Shang Liuyu read his unspoken anxiety. “You don’t have to worry. Such a small matter will be easy enough to handle.”
Zu An laughed. “Of course! With big sis Shang at my side, who can stand in our way?”
With Mei Chaofeng already dead, he himself was more than enough to deal with those minions. He wouldn’t even need Shang Liuyu’s help during this cleanup.
Shang Liuyu could roughly tell what he was thinking about from his expression. She merely smiled without correcting him.
“Let’s head out, then.” Being interrupted earlier had left Zu An slightly annoyed. However, his resentment had instantly vanished once he saw that it was Shang Liuyu.
Shang Liuyu shook her head. “Wait, we need to bring one more person with us.”