After giving Nian Yuchi a firm pinch, Han Yuying let her go. After all, Yuchi was still eating, and hugging her would only make it harder. Han Yuying understood that much.

"Do you want some more?" Nian Xifeng closed the door and walked in, picking up a bowl and gesturing toward Han Yuying.

"No thanks, I’m full," Han Yuying said with a slight smile, shaking her head. She often mooched meals at Nian Xifeng’s place, but only when she hadn’t eaten or deliberately came to freeload.

"Alright then!" Since Han Yuying insisted, Nian Xifeng didn’t push further. He served himself a bowl of rice and started eating with Nian Yuchi.

"Brother Xifeng, I’ll head to the Adventurers Guild first and wait for you. After school, come with Yuchi. We still have a task today. After a few more runs, we’ll advance in rank." Han Yuying pulled up a chair and sat at the dining table, completely unbothered even as Nian Xifeng and Yuchi ate.

"Okay!" Nian Xifeng nodded. He had no objections. His once-quiet life had grown less peaceful lately, but he could still savor this calm moment. He just wondered if it would last. A premonition told him these peaceful days were fading, replaced by the unknown. The unknown was always the most terrifying. His goal was simple: protect Nian Yuchi through whatever came next. That was enough.

"Brother, feed me!" Nian Yuchi’s sweet voice cut through the air, drawing both their attention. She sat with her little mouth open and eyes shut, waiting for Nian Xifeng to feed her.

Nian Xifeng felt a hint of helplessness but said nothing. He picked up a spoon and began feeding her, like raising a child. Though they looked similar in age, to him, Yuchi would always be the little sister who never grew up.

Watching this lovey-dovey scene, Han Yuying’s heart sank. She’d never had a boyfriend, yet these two always flaunted their affection. To strangers, they’d easily be mistaken for a couple.

"Ew, I can smell the couple-y vibes from here," Han Yuying said, scrunching her nose in mock disgust. She waved a hand in front of her mouth as if shooing away a foul stench.

Nian Xifeng and Yuchi ignored her completely—one kept her mouth open, the other focused on feeding—as if Han Yuying had vanished.

"Alright, I’d better leave. If I stay longer, I’ll drown in all this romantic stuff," Han Yuying said, standing up and heading for the door.

Nian Xifeng and Yuchi didn’t stop her. Han Yuying treated this place like home, and they never minded.

Outside, Han Yuying shook her head with a sigh and set off for the Adventurers Guild.

Inside, Nian Xifeng cleared the dishes after feeding Yuchi. He tidied up, adjusted her appearance, then walked her to school.

Neither spoke on the way. They weren’t silent from lack of words—they savored the quiet morning air, lazy and calming.

They strolled down the street, untouched by the bustling crowd around them. School wasn’t Nian Xifeng’s choice; he came only to protect Yuchi. He still felt guilty for failing her before, letting her suffer.

At school, everything remained peaceful. Nothing unusual happened. Anqi didn’t ask about Nian Xifeng. She’d learned certain secrets and guarded them closely, telling no one.

The quiet day passed until noon, when school ended.

"Brother, are we going to the Adventurers Guild now?" Nian Yuchi walked beside him, arm looped through his. To onlookers, they looked like a couple.

Passing students pointed and whispered. Nian Yuchi was a goddess in their eyes—famous yet untouchable. No one had seen her this close to a boy. The sight shocked them, shattering hearts across the campus.

When they glanced at Nian Xifeng, he seemed ordinary. His handsome face and decent build were unremarkable. How had this average guy won over their goddess?

Nian Xifeng simply nodded at Yuchi’s question.

"Yeah. We’ve got no afternoon classes. We can treat it as fun and earn some pocket money too," he said with a smile.

"I’ll follow Brother’s lead," Yuchi replied sweetly, ignoring the stares around her. To her, only Nian Xifeng and a few others mattered. Strangers’ opinions meant nothing.

They arrived at the Adventurers Guild. Han Yuying and Lin Cheng were already waiting. The team greeted them warmly.

"Since it’s still early, let’s take one task first. If time allows, we’ll grab another. This’ll help us level up faster," Lin Cheng announced after greetings. As team leader, he still valued everyone’s input.

"Haha, you decide. We’ll follow you," Han Yuying chimed in first. Her cheerful nature made her easygoing about plans.

"Yeah, you’re the captain—your call," Xianxian added.

"We trust you," Ke Feng said, his gaze full of faith. Their bond was forged through countless dangerous missions—true, unbreakable comrades.

"You decide. Just tell me the plan," Nian Xifeng said indifferently. Their choices wouldn’t affect him.

"I’ll follow Brother’s lead!" Yuchi whispered timidly, hiding behind Nian Xifeng and peeking at the group with shy eyes. She’d only joined the team yesterday and still felt uneasy around strangers.

"Since no one objects, let’s go. No time to waste—we’ll register the task now," Lin Cheng smiled. Having these companions was his greatest luck.

He walked to the task board, scanned the Yellow-rank listings, and selected a challenging one. Most tasks involved hunting Fierce Beasts—some required bodies, others bones or hides. Hunting Fierce Beasts paid best and leveled teams fastest, with varying difficulty tiers. Employers had specific uses for these beasts; otherwise, they wouldn’t offer bounties.

Lin Cheng took the task sheet to the front desk. The receptionist processed it without hesitation. As a Yellow-rank team taking a Yellow-rank task, they could accept any mission matching their tier.

After registration, Lin Cheng led everyone straight to the mission site.

Their target was a turtle-like Fierce Beast called "Turtle Brother." These beasts always appeared in pairs—find one, and another followed. They weren’t male-female pairs; they could be two males or two females, hence the names "Turtle Brother" and "Turtle Sister." The team needed to hunt a pair and harvest their shells. These shells made high-defense shields, prized by adventurers.

Don’t underestimate them. Despite their looks, their combat strength rivaled other Fierce Beasts. Their hard shells deflected attacks, and their razor-sharp claws could slice an ordinary person in half with ease.