Chapter 54: I’m Scummy Nan—If You’re Mother and Daughter, Come Together…

Su Nan obviously couldn’t tell the academy the truth—that the Ghost Emperor had intervened to defeat the Ghost King.

If he did, he might never see Mu Chuxian again within the academy.

So, to protect her, Su Nan chose to keep her involvement hidden.

“Spirit of a Hero?”

Yang Ningbing frowned slightly.

“What did it look like?”

“I couldn’t see clearly,” Su Nan replied honestly.

“The spirit entered my body right after appearing. I could feel his will, but we couldn’t communicate.”

“After the Ghost King was destroyed, the spirit’s power faded away completely.”

As he spoke, Su Nan’s tone grew somber.

He was deeply moved by that unyielding heroic will.

Who had that spirit been in life—how glorious, how powerful?

Even after a thousand years of death, its will remained unbroken.

If he had still been alive, the Ghost King wouldn’t have stood a chance.

“In that case, that area needs further investigation,” Yang Ningbing murmured.

“I only sensed the spirit after the second layer of the secret realm appeared,” Su Nan added.

“Before that, I felt nothing. So I think the Ghost King’s arrival may have awakened the spirit’s consciousness. And perhaps because of my unique physique, I was able to host the spirit and gain its power.”

Yang Ningbing nodded thoughtfully, showing no suspicion.

“Alright, let’s leave it at that. The rest will be handled by the academy. You just rest for a few days.”

“Oh, and we have a new classmate joining.”

She turned around and said,

“Gu Lian, come in.”

Hearing that name, Su Nan’s heart skipped a beat.

A beautiful girl walked through the door, makeup-free yet stunning.

Her tall figure, even in its youthful development, radiated vitality.

The white tights beneath her skirt highlighted her innocent aura.

It was her—the campus belle Su Nan knew all too well!

Gu Lian gave him a friendly wave and a warm smile, looking more like the girl-next-door than a lofty goddess.

“This is Gu Lian,” Yang Ningbing introduced.

“She’s the dean’s daughter. Though she joined the academy long ago, she hadn’t found a suitable mentor until now. With my class starting, she’ll be joining you as classmates. Gu Lian is very strong. You all can learn a lot from each other.”

“Hello everyone, I’m Gu Lian. Please take care of me,” she greeted cheerfully.

Luo Feixuan, Tu Suya, and Mu Qing followed with their introductions—everyone had heard of her. She was famous.

But…

“Isn’t she the one who was being all flirty with our senior the other day?”

“And with the other one before her…”

“This pressure is insane!”

Yang Ningbing didn’t understand the whispering but said,

“Alright, that’s all for now. Since the trial is over, you can treat the next few days as a short vacation.”

She turned to Su Nan with a gentle smile:

“Su Nan, the dean wants to see you and Gu Lian. Head to her office now.”

Relieved after a sleepless night, Yang Ningbing visibly relaxed.

Gu Lian gave Su Nan a small nod and said sweetly,

“Let’s go, Su Nan.”

Her fresh and natural demeanor stirred up another wave of chaos in the classroom.

Another rival!?

Su Nan sighed inwardly. Sensing the rising tension, he quickly got up and followed her out.

As they left, Gu Lian reached out and gently held Su Nan’s hand, asking softly,

“Didn’t I say we’d meet again soon?”

“Yesterday was dangerous. You’re not hurt, are you?”

“No.”

Trying to keep a straight face, Su Nan tried to pull his hand away—

But… he couldn’t.

Turning his head, he saw Gu Lian smiling even brighter.

Oof, his conscience hurt.

How was he going to clear up this misunderstanding?

“Maybe I should just accept it?”

That annoying voice—definitely the system again.

Then Gu Lian said,

“Oh right, when we meet my mom, make sure to side with me. Got it?”

“Why?”

“No reason! Just take it as payback for me confessing first.”

Su Nan groaned internally.

From what Gu Lian had said before, it was clear she didn’t have the best relationship with her mother, Dean Gu Qingge—and it seemed Su Nan was partly to blame.

Scratching his head, he asked,

“How do I speak up for you?”

“Just be flexible.”

Gu Lian glanced back at him, pouting:

“Ever since that day, my mom’s been criticizing me non-stop.”

“???” Su Nan was confused.

Why keep staring at me if you’re the one getting scolded?

“Of course it’s related to you,” she sighed.

Soon, they reached the dean’s office.

Gu Lian hesitated for a moment, and Su Nan stepped forward to knock on the door.

“Come in.”

Gu Qingge’s warm voice answered.

Su Nan glanced at Gu Lian.

She gave him a helpless, pitiful look and walked in first.

The elegant and refined dean sat behind her desk, focused on paperwork.

Gone was the gentleness—now she radiated an air of authority.

…In every sense.

Su Nan couldn’t help but cough a few times after seeing the dramatic size difference between mother and daughter.

Was it really necessary to lay them on the table like that?

Noticing their arrival, Gu Qingge smiled warmly.

“Su Nan, you’re here.”

“So, have you thought about becoming my godson?”

Su Nan replied awkwardly,

“Dean, you were the one who called me here…”