After lunch, Qiao Xiaoyu returned to the girls' dormitory, and Zhou Hong returned to the boys' dormitory.
"Liu Hua, how is the body-refining method I taught you progressing?" Zhou Hong asked Liu Hua after returning to the dormitory. Since giving Liu Hua a spiritual pill last time, Liu Hua's mind had indeed become sharper.
"Zhou Hong, I have basically mastered the body-refining method now. I started using my sleeping time to refine my body yesterday," Liu Hua said.
"That's good. It was worth giving you a spiritual pill. You need to work harder from now on, practice diligently whether in or out of class. Only then will your bones undergo subtle changes. I believe it won't be long before you can become a martial artist of the fifteenth, even the twentieth, or thirtieth tier."
"Zhou Hong, don't scare me. You are only at the sixteenth tier yourself," Liu Hua wiped a cold sweat.
Zhou Hong's lips curved into a slight hum, and he said nothing.
Actually, Zhou Hong wasn't lying. With his help, it would be easy for Liu Hua to reach the fifteenth or twentieth tier. It was just that Liu Hua didn't believe it because Zhou Hong himself was only at the sixteenth tier.
Soon, afternoon classes began.
Zhou Hong and Liu Hua went to the classroom together.
When Zhou Hong entered the classroom, he found that Qin Mengxue had arrived.
Qin Mengxue was talking to Qiao Xiaoyu.
"Zhou Hong, thank you. If it weren't for you, my father would have..." Qin Mengxue walked up to Zhou Hong and expressed her gratitude when she saw him.
"You're welcome. Is your father alright now?"
"Yes, yes, my father was discharged from the hospital this morning." Qin Mengxue nodded quickly. However, Qin Mengxue had something else she didn't say: her father might come to the school to find Zhou Hong this afternoon. Qin Mengxue felt very helpless about this. Although she inwardly wished to rekindle her romance with Zhou Hong, Zhou Hong was already Qiao Xiaoyu's man, and she couldn't bring herself to fight with her best friend. Therefore, she didn't want her father to come. But her father, under family pressure, had to come find Zhou Hong himself.
Just then, a middle-aged man suddenly appeared at the door.
"Zhou Hong," the middle-aged man called out to Zhou Hong through the window.
Zhou Hong looked out and saw Qin Changhui, feeling a slight surprise.
When Qin Mengxue saw her father arrive so soon, she sighed. Qiao Xiaoyu also saw Qin Changhui and seemed to know why he was here, feeling a bit nervous.
"Xiaoyu, my father is only here because our family's elder is forcing him, otherwise, he would be expelled from the family," Qin Mengxue quickly explained to Xiaoyu, not wanting to affect their friendship.
"Heh heh, I understand. Whether Zhou Hong returns to your Qin family or not, and no matter whose man he is in the future, I hope it doesn't affect our friendship as best friends," Qiao Xiaoyu said.
"Okay, thank you, Xiaoyu. I thought you would hate me for this. In fact, I don't want to fight with you over a man either."
Qiao Xiaoyu didn't say anything, glancing worriedly outside. She saw Zhou Hong and Qin Changhui talking quietly in the corridor.
"Zhou Hong, we were indeed short-sighted before. Please come back," Qin Changhui persuaded Zhou Hong outside in the corridor.
"Heh heh." Zhou Hong gave a wry smile. If it were the Qin family's elder, Zhou Hong would have thrown him off the building directly. But since it was Qin Changhui looking for him, Zhou Hong naturally wouldn't do that.
"Uncle Qin, why must you do this?"
"Zhou Hong, my family's elder has already made his decree. If I cannot persuade you to return, my daughter and I will be expelled from the family."
"So be it. Your Qin family isn't some prestigious clan anyway."
"Uh...!" Qin Changhui didn't know what to say for a moment.
"Heh heh, it seems we truly have no fate to be father-in-law and son-in-law. However, I came to find you today to fulfill my family's assignment. If you truly have no intention of returning, I naturally won't say anything more. I only hope you don't resent us and that we can remain friends," Qin Changhui sighed.
"Of course," Zhou Hong nodded.
"By the way, I had a sudden cerebral infarction and managed to save my life. It was all thanks to you. Please accept my bow," Qin Changhui said, about to bow to Zhou Hong.
"Uncle Qin, you don't need to be so polite. To tell you the truth, this isn't the first time I've saved you."
"What do you mean?" Qin Changhui was a little confused.
"Do you remember last time, when you were kidnapped, and the kidnappers demanded a billion, and your family refused to pay? They were about to kill you?"
"Ah." Qin Changhui's expression changed instantly.
"You were that mysterious person who saved me?"
"Yes." Zhou Hong nodded. There was no need to hide this matter anymore.
"Zhou Hong, I never expected you to be my lucky star! My father used to say you had the appearance of an emperor, and now I finally believe it."
"Heh heh, what emperor's appearance? That's superstition. Class is about to start, I'm going back to the classroom."
"Alright."
Zhou Hong turned and went back to the classroom.
Qin Changhui looked at Zhou Hong with complex emotions. He never imagined that Zhou Hong had saved his life twice.
Qin Mengxue walked out at this moment.
"Dad, did Zhou Hong say anything?" Qin Mengxue asked softly. Although she had told Qiao Xiaoyu that she had no intention of fighting for Zhou Hong, inwardly, if Zhou Hong could truly return to her, she would be overjoyed.
"Heh heh, it's too late. You've missed your chance, and it will never come back."
"Oh." Qin Mengxue's face fell with disappointment.
"Mengxue, do you remember when I was kidnapped and almost killed by the kidnappers? The mysterious person who saved me was Zhou Hong. He just never mentioned it, and only told me now."
"Ah." Qin Mengxue was also stunned after hearing this. She had always been very grateful to the person who saved her father, and she never expected it to be Zhou Hong.
Tears welled up in Qin Mengxue's eyes.
"I truly regret it."
"Forget it, forget it. If it's not yours by fate, it's not yours. Zhou Hong also agreed just now that even if we can't be father-in-law and son-in-law, we can still be friends. From now on, interact with him as a friend. Don't do anything excessive, lest it affect your relationship with Xiao Yu."
"I know. Xiaoyu already told me that no matter whose man Zhou Hong chooses to be, it won't affect our friendship as best friends."
"Go to class. I'm leaving now. I have to report back to the elder."
Qin Changhui left the school, and Qin Mengxue returned to the classroom.
Seeing Qin Mengxue's expression, Qiao Xiaoyu already knew that Zhou Hong had not chosen to return to the Qin family.
"Mengxue." Qiao Xiaoyu patted Qin Mengxue's back comfortingly.
"Heh heh, I'm fine. Congratulations, Xiaoyu. I hope you and Zhou Hong will have a child soon." Qin Mengxue said with a slight smile. Since Zhou Hong had chosen Xiaoyu, she could only bless them and absolutely not let this affect their lifelong friendship.
"What do you mean have a child soon? We're not even at that stage yet," Qiao Xiaoyu's face flushed slightly.