Chapter Sixteen: Anomaly

After purchasing a shirt and a pair of black satin trousers in Ningkai Clothing Store and changing into them, Ye Ran stepped out onto the street.

He reached into his purse and couldn't help feeling a pang of regret. The morning market stalls hadn't opened yet, so he'd had no choice but to buy expensive clothes from a store. However, the clerks seemed more polite than before and hadn't chased him away like a beggar.

As he buttoned the cuffs of his new shirt, his eyes caught a glimpse of his palm, and he raised an eyebrow in surprise. Several violet threads flashed across his skin and vanished so quickly he doubted what he'd seen. He stared intently, but no matter how he looked, they were gone.

"Is this..." He immediately thought of the woman with purple hair and purple robes in the underground nest. Ever since she had repaired his body, he sensed many changes. His strength had clearly increased, and the gold-eating ants now feared him.

Was this her doing?

There was another detail from that trip to the nest he couldn't ignore: the dark-gold giant ant. After its death, it transformed into that sharp, golden spear. Judging from Atlas's reaction, this was no coincidence. Yet, the secret behind it remained a mystery to him.

"Hmm..." Suddenly, a stabbing pain shot through his mind. He clutched his forehead, and before his eyes appeared a massive spider. Its five-meter-tall black body materialized unexpectedly, and its blood-red eyes shone like lanterns in the night—cold, merciless, devoid of anything but animal instinct.

Ye Ran, wary, stepped back twice. Just as he was about to speak, the spider retreated a little. From its thick carapace, a crystalline longsword flew out, hovering in midair. Vivid violet light radiated from its blade, like a blazing purple sun.

"Are you..."

"Ye Ran, Ye Ran," a clear, melodious voice suddenly echoed in his ears. Gradually, a gentle, pretty face appeared before him—Yun Meng, her expression full of worry.

She was still wearing her pure white dress and carrying her embroidered little bag. The black spider and purple sword vanished swiftly, and he saw again the narrow streets lined with fragrant food stalls.

To his left, the large sign "Come Again" loomed; he realized he had wandered here without noticing.

"Yun Meng..." Ye Ran suddenly found himself unable to meet her gaze.

"You went to the underground nest again?"

"Mm," Ye Ran turned away.

Yun Meng had intended to scold him, but seeing him like this, she couldn't bear it. She sighed, "Forget it. I knew you wouldn't listen." She took his hand and led him into her family's restaurant. "Let's have breakfast first. If I'm not around, you'll end up hungry again."

"You're not going to school?"

"Still early," she replied, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. Each morning she left home early—just to see him.

She bore no prejudice against Ye Ran, but he felt uneasy inside. Although Yun Meng's restaurant wasn't particularly upscale, it was still out of his league. The patrons weren't exactly wealthy, but none were as poorly dressed as he was.

Fortunately, no one seemed to notice him. Yun Meng's parents were absent as well. Her family owned many businesses, and this restaurant was just a small part, managed by their servants. Though open to the public, it mainly served the siblings.

Yun Meng's younger brother, Yun Fang, was there too. Unlike Yun Meng's gentle elegance, he was a chubby, lively boy of seven or eight, his bright eyes full of mischief and intelligence.

With his mouth stuffed with pastries, Yun Fang practiced moves from a martial arts manual, humming and grunting as he mimicked the techniques. Ye Ran couldn't help but smile.

"His name's Yun Fang. He just turned six this year. Aunt Lin, please bring Ye Ran a plate of crystal buns, a plate of lotus-leaf dumplings, and a bowl of sweet soup."

A kindly middle-aged woman soon brought two small plates and a bowl.

"Aunt Lin, could you please buy two red bean buns from next door? Ye Ran likes those."

"Yes, Miss," Aunt Lin replied, her glance at Ye Ran betraying a fleeting displeasure.

She was the old housekeeper of Yun Meng's family, having served them for nearly twenty years and was highly respected by the old master. This restaurant had been given to her for retirement, and she was charged with caring for the siblings. She naturally favored Yun Meng and was well aware of the friendship between her and Ye Ran.

It so happened that Aunt Lin was not unfamiliar with Ye Ran. He often worked odd jobs around the gourmet street, and the wild boy from the slums had become synonymous with cheap labor. Barring surprises, his fate seemed sealed.

How could a wild boy like him compare to Yun Meng—a girl from a wealthy, well-mannered family, radiant and gentle?

Yun Meng always acted with propriety, and her friendship with Ye Ran was genuine, so Aunt Lin had turned a blind eye. But today, with Yun Meng bringing him here so openly, she couldn't help feeling displeased.

With a hint of annoyance, Aunt Lin left the restaurant.

Ye Ran hadn't realized that Yun Meng went out of her way each morning to buy his breakfast. Now, he felt even more unable to meet her gaze, eating in silence with his head down. At that moment, Yun Fang turned and asked, "Big brother, are you Ye Ran?"

"Um...hello..." Ye Ran was clearly taken aback by the boy's sudden question.

But Yun Fang didn't press, only grinned knowingly and turned away.

Yun Meng wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. "When you're done, wait for Aunt Lin to take you to school."

"Okay, sis," Yun Fang replied. At home, he was mischievous and even his parents couldn't control him, but he obeyed his sister wholeheartedly.

"Ye Ran, are you keeping up with your studies?"

"Mm...I'm managing..." His voice was soft, lacking confidence.

He'd only looked at the first few chapters of the textbooks Yun Meng had given him; much was still unclear. The written portion of the Redleaf Academy entrance exam was notoriously difficult. Truthfully, with his current level, passing was unlikely. He only hoped his scores wouldn't be too embarrassing. His real hope was to gain bonus points in the martial arts exam. After all, this year's Redleaf Academy expansion prioritized overall scores, with physical ability counting for half.

Yun Meng saw through his hesitation and laughed softly. "As long as you're confident. I know your ambitions. Don't hold back these days. I finish school at five, and after seven this place is quiet. If you're free, come here every evening after seven. I can explain anything you don't understand, and you should review my notes carefully."

She took a pink notebook from her embroidered bag and placed it on the table.

Aunt Lin, just back from buying red bean buns next door, happened to witness this scene. She put the buns on the table, her mood darkening...