Chapter Six: Hiding in the Wardrobe
When Su Ye returned to the Jiang family mansion, it was already past two in the morning. The servant who had been waiting at the gate hurried out from the guardhouse upon seeing his appearance. “Young Master Su Ye, you’re finally back! You’ve had everyone worried sick. We’ve been looking for you all night, and you wouldn’t answer your phone. Where on earth did you go?”
“It’s nothing, Uncle Zhang. Didn’t I text the butler to let you all know not to worry?” Su Ye glanced at the vast Jiang estate, still ablaze with lights—clearly, many hadn’t gone to bed yet.
He had messaged the butler when he left school, and it was not unusual for him to be out late, listening to the thunder, sometimes returning only in the early hours. Hardly anyone usually cared about this “fostered grandson-in-law.” Why the commotion tonight?
Could it be because of Jiang Liuying?
Remembering how he’d kissed Jiang Liuying at school that day, Su Ye felt an inexplicable shiver in his heart. After greeting the gatekeeper, he hurriedly tiptoed toward his room.
The Jiang family’s mansion was renowned throughout Yang City for its grandeur. Though he was only a guest, he had his own room within the main house. Jiang Liuying lived on the third floor of the villa, and Su Ye’s room was on the second.
“It’s so late—surely that little devil is asleep by now!”
Feeling like a thief, Su Ye crept upstairs. Fortunately, he didn’t see any sign of Jiang Liuying. He opened his room door as quietly as he could, flicked on the light, closed the door, and finally let out a heavy sigh.
“Whew… Today really wore me out.”
He sniffed himself and, wrinkling his nose, began to undress for a hot shower.
In the bath, he discovered quite a bit of grime on his body—not the kind you’d pick up from seawater, but as if every pore had been purged, expelling filth from within.
“Huh? Why is there so much? My body… Could listening to thunder really temper the flesh?”
He finished quickly, pulled on a pair of trousers, and stood before the wardrobe mirror. Instantly, he saw his reflection clearly for the first time: two pronounced pectoral muscles, and beneath them, a set of six-pack abs—though not deeply cut, the muscle was solid all over.
He knew his own body. Ever since his nine thunder meridians had been removed, he’d been frail, even skeletal for a long time.
This robust musculature was simply impossible!
“Body refinement, marrow cleansing, transformation of sinew and bone—aren’t those supposed to come only after opening all one hundred and eight acupoints? Why has my body changed so soon? It seems listening to thunder truly works wonders!”
He pressed his fingers against his muscles. Even a professional trainer would be surprised by this physique. Turning, he glanced at the nine scars on his back and instinctively clenched his fists.
Just then, Su Ye’s body tensed as his gaze fell on the wardrobe. The door was slightly ajar, and a foot was sticking out from inside.
Earlier he had encountered three wandering spirits. Was that foot, in the dead of night, another’s?
But then he paused, something didn’t add up. The foot was delicate, pale, even adorable with its petite toes.
Could it be… her?
He slowly opened the wardrobe door. There, curled up inside, was a lovely, delicate girl—her eyes closed, her small head resting against the hanging clothes, her rosy lips parted slightly, soft breaths escaping.
Perhaps she was cold, curled up like a lazy kitten. It was Jiang Liuying.
“Hey, mother-in-law, wake up! What are you doing sleeping here?” Su Ye knocked on the wardrobe, bewildered by this girl’s antics. Why was she in his room, hiding in the wardrobe?
And why was she clutching—a baseball bat? And a pair of scissors? What was she planning?
Jiang Liuying woke, a bit disgruntled, ready to complain, but upon seeing Su Ye, she jolted awake, leaped from the wardrobe, and swung the bat at his head.
“You scoundrel—I’ve finally caught you!”
Su Ye dodged, shouting, “Stop, stop—let’s talk! I only woke you up, is that any reason to be so violent? The wardrobe is yours if you want it!”
His words only made Jiang Liuying angrier and more embarrassed. She had intended to ambush Su Ye as revenge, but had dozed off while waiting. If he hadn’t woken her, she might’ve slept till morning.
“You bastard, you pervert, you fiend, you’re not even human! Don’t run—tonight I’ll cut you down, once and for all!” Jiang Liuying’s cultivation was no joke, and the room was small; she dove and swept Su Ye off his feet in a flash.
Su Ye hit the floor hard. “What are you doing? Put down the scissors—are you really going to kill me? I’m your future son-in-law, shouldn’t you think of your future daughter?”
“Shut up! You dared kiss me with that filthy mouth! I’ll cut it off!” She brandished the scissors threateningly.
Su Ye didn’t dare wait for her to reconsider. This girl was a real little devil, spoiled since birth. He immediately summoned a bit of thunder energy, intending to repel her.
Suddenly, Jiang Liuying yelped, withdrawing her small hand as if she’d been shocked, examining it in surprise.
But seeing Su Ye begin to rise, she pounced again, grabbing at him.
Crack!
This time, a real spark seemed to leap between them.
“Ah—”
Jiang Liuying quivered, her cry taking on a strange tone. She jumped to her feet, her flawless face flushed crimson. And…
“You, you… you pervert, hmph—I’ll deal with you tomorrow.”
Face burning, Jiang Liuying abandoned her weapons, clutched her stomach, and dashed from the room.
She ran to the third floor, straight into the bathroom…
It was a long while before she emerged, cheeks still burning, biting her white teeth, but unable to stop a strange thought from arising: Hmph, he looks skinny with clothes on, but how does he have that kind of muscle? Next time, I’ll sneak up on him again. I definitely won’t fall asleep this time…
That night, Su Ye didn’t sleep. Instead, he settled his mind and cultivated his thunder energy.
By morning, he felt a surge of vitality; the thunder energy he’d lost seemed half restored.
At school, he continued listening to the thunder’s voice. Many classmates pointed and whispered, surprised he’d returned unscathed.
“How odd, Su Ye actually came to school. I heard Young Master Jiang is absent! What’s going on? Did he break down after being dumped?”
Su Ye ignored them. By now, he’d discerned many ancient characters in the thunder. He knew the technique he’d glimpsed on the Heaven-shaking Stele was incomplete; perhaps, as he continued listening, he’d one day master it.
After two periods, the class monitor, Song Dahai, suddenly announced, “Everyone, the next two periods are Spirit Cultivation! We’re heading to the large classroom on the fourth floor of the third building!”
The class erupted in cheers. Spirit Cultivation was only taught once a week, and always alongside the Genius Spirit Energy Class. Best of all, it meant they’d see the school beauty from the genius class.
“That soon? Isn’t it supposed to be next week?”
“Nah, Founders’ Day is coming, so the teachers re-shuffled the schedule. Don’t you want to see Mentor Jian Muqian?”
“Of course! She’s my goddess! Let’s go—let’s get good seats!” Students hurried out, eager for a spot.
Song Dahai called out to Su Ye, “Hey, don’t leave the AC or lights on in the classroom! Don’t waste electricity if you’re alone!”
“I’m going to Spirit Cultivation too,” Su Ye replied calmly.
“What? You? Last in the whole school, and you want to listen to the genius class mock you? You’ll just embarrass us!” Song Dahai shook his head. If Su Ye wanted to make a fool of himself, he’d let him.
Su Ye took off his headphones and made his way to the Spirit Cultivation classroom. Such a lesson, teaching students how to cultivate, was not to be missed. Besides, he wanted to see how his insights compared, after comprehending heavenly thunder.
The large classroom was packed, five classes squeezed together. Many clustered around the most admired boys and girls, laughter ringing out.
Su Ye found a seat at the edge—one of the few remaining.
Moments later, a student called out, “Here she comes—Mentor Jian Muqian!”